Richy Werenski had a memorable debut on the PGA Tour this weekend.
The South Hadley native finished 8-under par and tied for 35th at the Safeway Open in Napa, California, Sunday.
Werenski earned his PGA Tour card by finishing second on the Web.com money list this past season. The Safeway Open was the first event on the 2016-17 PGA Tour season. Werenski earned $23,516 for his finish.
Brendan Steele won the event at 18 under at Silverado Resort & Spa North Course. Patton Kizzire was second at 17 under.
Werenski carded an even-par 72 in his final round. He was 3 under during the first round and 2 under during the weather-delayed second round. After making the cut on Saturday, he came back with a 3-under third round.
Werenski was consistent in his debut. He had 51 pars, 15 birdies, five bogeys and one double bogey. He hit 54 of 72 greens in regulation after finding only 29 of 56 fairways in regulation.
The Safeway Open was his second career PGA Tour event. Werenski played in the 2015 Barbasol Championship and finished tied for 72nd. He earned $6,825 for that finish. Werenski earned an exemption to the event by winning “The Big Break, The Palm Beaches” reality TV show.
A year ago, Steele had a 54-hole lead in the PGA Tour’s season opener when he made a sloppy bogey on the 12th hole, shot 40 on the back nine and threw it away. He was two shots behind on Sunday with little room for error when he three-putted No. 12 for bogey and figured he was done.
“I thought that was it for me,” Steele said. “I thought I would have to do something special. Last year, I tried not to make mistakes.”
This time, he made birdies.
Steele overcame a four-shot deficit in the final round, closed with three straight birdies on rain-soaked Silverado for a 7-under 65 and won by one shot over a faltering Kizzire. It was Steele’s first victory in 141 starts on the PGA Tour dating to his rookie season when he won the Texas Open.