Adam Hadwin was rugby tackled by a security guard at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, moments after Nick Taylor drained a 72-foot eagle putt to win the tournament
Adam Hadwin was back in the mix at this year’s Canadian Open, ready to leave behind a rather embarrassing moment from 2023’s tournament that still lingers in the minds of golf fans. The Moose Jaw-born star notched a commendable T11 at Oakdale Golf and Country Club that year alongside Harry Higgs, Jonathan Byrd, Harrison Endycott and Doug Ghim.
But when close friend and fellow countryman Nick Taylor ended a 69-year drought in terms of a Canadian winning the tournament, Hadwin was eager to join in the celebrations. The drama reached its peak when Taylor holed an incredible 72-foot eagle putt during a play-off on the 18th, dashing Tommy Fleetwood’s hopes of clinching his maiden PGA Tour title.
But the action didn’t stop there. As Hadwin made a beeline to congratulate Taylor, he found himself unexpectedly tackled by an overzealous security guard unaware of his identity. Footage of Hadwin being floored just after spraying the winner with bubbly took social media by storm.
Taylor’s caddie, Dave Markle, could be seen shouting “hey” in astonishment as he recognised Hadwin amidst the commotion. Reminiscing about the chaotic celebration, Hadwin told media: “The moment itself and what Nick accomplished was amazing.
“I definitely did not want to be a part of what transpired after that, but it has been a lot of fun reading through and seeing what people had to say,” reports the Mirror US.
He added: “Honestly, I don’t have any memory of what took place. I blacked out there for 15-20 seconds.
“At the time there was so much adrenaline running through, I don’t think I would feel anything. I’m glad everything worked out. We can have a good laugh about it now. Just a big misunderstanding.”
The golfer emerged relatively unscathed from the unusual event and, in the spirit of humour, he even turned a snapshot of himself being body-slammed into his profile picture and header on X (formerly known as Twitter). With a touch of wit, he also shared the image with his feed, writing: “Put in the Louvre.”
On the flip side, the security guard involved has also recounted the ordeal. Speaking to TSN last year with anonymity, he said: “I was on the other side of Nick and his caddie which meant I had to come around him.
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“There were a lot of people moving and I saw this person heading directly towards Nick. I saw it as if it was in slow motion, this guy coming towards Nick with a bottle and no credentials.”
The guard further described it as a “soft takedown” and pointed out that Hadwin’s feet “never left the ground,” before explaining that it was Markle who told him the error of his ways. He added: “Bryan Crawford [RBC Canadian Open tournament director] came over and it was over quickly. We got up and laughed, said sorry to each other, and it was all over.”
