David Hearn stands over a five foot putt that could change his golf career. He looks at the putt from numerous angles. He stands over it once and then backs off to give it another thorough read. He stands over the ball for much longer then he would normally do. Hearnʼs face glistens with sweat as the setting July sun beats down on him on the fourth playoff hole of the John Deere Classic. He takes a deep breath, trusts his line and hits the putt that could put him in golf lore. The putt tracks towards the hole. A man in the dense crowd yells the terribly cliche “get in the hole”. Hearnʼs competitors, his caddie, the crowd and golf fans everywhere that tuned in for golfʼs version of OT just watch and wait for what seemed like a sure-fired first win for Hearn. The monumental putt seems to take much longer than normal five-footers do, but this is not your run of mill five-footer.
Hearn, 34, knew he wanted this line of work since he was a youngin’. He wanted to play golf for a living and compete for championships in the game he loves and works so hard to compete in.
“Iʼve always known; itʼs not something that dawned on me one day,” said Hearn. “I always knew Iʼd be a golfer – it was my plan all along. I was gonna play at UW and from there I would turn pro and make my way onto the PGA.”
Playing golf for a living did not come easy. There were bumps in the road, learning experiences and disappointments, but that did not deter Hearn or decrease his hunger to improve his golf game.
Hearnʼs competitive golf career got its start at the University of Wyoming. Not many people here realize this cold, isolated college town, sitting at 7,200 feet and nestled in between two mountain ranges, has a golf team. And it was this town, along with its community, university, team and coach that attracted a very talented, determined and focused high school senior from Brampton, Ontario.
“When I came out to Wyoming, I loved the mountains,” Hearn recalled. “I loved the atmosphere, the university and loved being part of a small college town. I enjoyed being a part of college sports, going to all the football and basketball games and being a student athlete. It was a lot of fun playing in Laramie.”
Hearn loved his time at UW, but he never became distracted from his overall plan. He wanted to play golf for a living and that was never lost in his time at Wyoming. This was noticed by Joe Jenson, the assistant pro at Jacoby at the time, from the moment he picked Hearn up at the airport for his Laramie visit.
“He was the hardest working guy on the team,” Jenson said. “He was very focused, very honest and direct about that he wanted to play golf for a living.”
Hearn played in every tournament he could while at Wyoming. He had some great highlights, was named to the All-Mountain West Team his senior year and even won a couple golf tournaments.
In 2001, Hearn moved on from the University of Wyoming, joining the Canadian Tour in pursuit of his lifelong dream. Despite the move, he never lost his Cowboy blood. He still follows UW athletics, especially the Cowboy golf team.
“He is awesome about staying in touch,” lauded Jenson. “He is always aware of what we are doing, whether it be through a text, a tweet or email. He really enjoyed his time here at UW.”
Hearn also gives back to his old university. He recently donated funds to help construct the new indoor golf facility being built at universityʼs golf course.
“The new building at Jacoby is going to be a good recruiting tool for the future,” Hearn said.
One of Hearnʼs biggest non-golf related accolades came in 2008 when he took a couple classes needed to earn his degree from the University of Wyoming.
“I went back and finished my degree,” said Hearn. “Iʼm proud to have the diploma hanging in our office. I was not only a student but a graduate. Iʼm a pretty proud Cowboy.”
Hearn would go on and play on many different tours, including the Asian and Canadian Tours. While on the Canadian Tour in 2004, Hearn earned a spot in a Nationwide Event, currently the Web.com Tour, the Alberta Classic. He qualified for this tournament by placing fourth on the Canadian Tour Order of Merit. He wound up winning the Alberta Classic, a win that jump-started Hearnʼs golf career.
“Thatʼs when his life changed,” Jenson explained. “Things just started clicking for David.”
Hearn bounced around a bit, going from the Canadian Tour to the Asian Tour and eventually to the Web.com Tour. He values his experiences from those tours to this day. Many great golfers today took the same rout Hearn did. There is a lot of great competition on those tours.
“Those tournaments are there for reason,” said Hearn. “There is good quality golf on those tours and I am proud of the way I played then.”
In 2005, Hearn earned his PGA Tour card by way of finishing tied for 21st at a 2004 PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament. His first season on tour the Canadian played in 24 events, making the cut 10 times and even had two top-25 finishes. His play that year though was not good enough for him to keep his tour card. Hearn would go on to compete on the Web.com Tour for the next couple of years. In 2010, while on the Web.com Tour, Hearn finished 21st on the money list, which featured five top-10s. His play that year earned him his PGA Tour card once again and he has been playing on the PGA ever since.
“The biggest difference between those smaller tours and the PGA Tour would be scale,” Hearn explained. “We go to a PGA event and it is the biggest show in town.”
Hearn is a great golfer. He has a game that will keep him successful on the tour for a long time. He limits his bad shots and plays within himself. He is focused, just like he was in college. Hearnʼs friend Jason Aichele had a front row view of this determined athlete on the course when he caddied for him some years ago.
“He is a very good ball striker, one of the best ball strikers out there,” states Aichele. “He manages the golf course very well. He stays within his game and does not take many big risk shots. He is very smart. He is a guy that makes a lot of cuts out there. He is consistent.”
“He is a premium ball striker,” Jenson explained. “I mean premium. His iron play is really, really good.”
Hearnʼs illustrious career has accumulated him many accolades and given him many special opportunities, but one that probably stands out was playing beside Tiger Woods. Not only was he playing beside one of the best golfers of all time but he was playing beside him on a Sunday in New York at Bethpage during the Fed X Cup Playoffs.
“It was a unique experience to play with Tiger,” said Hearn. “You know you are going to get a lot of attention.”
Hearn rarely misses cuts, but one tournament that he has struggled to make a cut is at a US Open. Going into this past yearʼs US Open at Merion Golf Club Hearn was 0/2 at at making the cut at that major. Hearn struggled out of the gate and was staring down another missed cut after day one. But Hearn responded on Friday to make the cut and then proceeded to play really well on the weekend in route to a tie for 21st.
“You know, it was looking like another regular appearance for me in the US Open,” Hearn said. “I played great on the second 18 and again on the weekend. I was really proud of that finish. It was a lot of fun.”
Hearnʼs success at majors that year were not limited that year to the US Open. Hearn, by way of the being a top performer on the money list, earned a spot in the PGA Championship field. Unlike the US Open Hearn got off to a very hot start at the PGA Championship, even finding himself atop the leaderboard for much of the morning session on Thursday.
“That was a lot of fun playing at Oak Hill,” Hearn said. “It is only a few hours from where I grew up. I had a lot of family and friends there. I played great that first 18. It is another experience that will be pretty valuable.”
Hearn uses a consistent game to thrive on tour. He regularly makes cuts and even finds himself in contention every once in a while, but that does not keep Hearn from wanting more.
“I would like to see myself getting in the mix with the golfers a little more often,” Hearn said.
The major finishes were nice stepping stones in Hearnʼs career and proof that his game is still improving. But by far Hearnʼs best finish was back on that hot July evening in the waning daylight as Hearn stood over his five foot putt for a chance at his first PGA Tour victory at the John Deere Classic.
Hearnʼs putt tracks towards the hole. His competitors Jordan Spieth and Zach Johnson watch closely too see of they will be eliminated by the Canadian. The crowd bursting with anticipation and ready to uncork their celebration for the first-time winner watch as Hearnʼs putt just lips out. Hearn leans back, tilts his head, wipes tiny grass shards off his putter and taps in his near victory.
Hearn would go on to lose the John Deer Classic on the following playoff hole to Jordan Spieth.
“We died when he missed that putt,” said Jenson. “You don’t know how many chances you are going to get to win a tournament.”
Do not tell that to Hearn. He just views it as another learning experience.
“There were a lot of positives,” Hearn said. “I played really good down the stretch. I hit the shots I needed to hit. I guess it was meant to be Jordan Spiethʼs week.
“Thatʼs what happens sometimes,” continued Hearn. “I canʼt control factors outside of what I do. I feel like I played great. I look back on it with really good memories. Itʼs nice to see your potential when you have a week like that. Definitely the highlight of my career.”
Hearn is not concerned he may have missed an opportunity. Rather, he is confident he will have opportunities going forward on Sundayʼs to try and earn that first breakthrough PGA Tour victory.
“Going forward when I get in that position again I will be that much more conformable,” said Hearn. “I look forward to getting in that position sometime soon and creating a new highlight.”
So Hearn fans should not panic as a win is on the horizon.
These days Hearn is a very busy man. While traveling all around the country from week to week on the PGA Tour, he also spends a lot of time with his wife and young daughter.
A typical week for Hearn consists of travel on Monday, practice on Tuesday and Wednesday and competing Thursday and Friday. His weekends of course all depends on those weekday rounds. Since Hearn avoids so many cuts, it is usually a safe bet heʼs on the course Saturday and Sunday.
As for what the future holds for Hearn, he is currently the second best golfer in Canada. That ranking along with his world ranking put him in pretty good position to compete at the Olympics in 2016.
“I am going to do everything I can to be a part of that,” says Hearn.
David Hearn, a proud Wyoming grad, pro golfer, husband and father.
