The Hottest Summer

On a bright Nebraska morning before the final round of the Platte Valley Pro-Am, I study the tournament leader on the range at Scotts Bluff Country Club.  Davis Bryant is 20 yards away but would be unimposing if he were right in front of me. Former Korn Ferry Tour player Jhared Hack played with Bryant weeks earlier and told me that while his swing wasn’t conventional, his game was exceptional. I believe the exact word Hack used was “stud.” 

As I watch, Bryant exaggerates shaft lean in a rehearsal downswing to what appears to be an open club face, and I see what Hack is talking about. Bryant is on the best run of any player in the world without major tour status in only his first summer as a pro. He won two of his last three tournaments and holds a four shot lead at Scotts Bluff with one round to play. I’m 5 under through two rounds and has me by nine shots. “Stud” is probably the appropriate description. 

Bryant is 90 under par in his last five mini tour starts and has collected nearly $135,000 in total earnings. So much for the struggles of mini tour life.

Bryant and his sister, Emma, a senior on the University of Denver’s golf team, grew up in a golf family. Their father, Matt, is the General Manager at Green Valley Ranch Golf Course in Denver, Colo., home of the Colorado Open. 24 years ago, Matt shot 62 in the first round of the Wyoming Open, a longtime record nearly beaten by his son in the second round this year. Matt did not win that event all those years ago, but his son avenged the loss this summer. Bryant’s Mom, Julie, is the COO of the Colorado Golf Foundation, helping thousands of junior golfers in their community while running a few big tournaments along the way.

“The biggest thing my Dad helped me with was some course management things, some mental aspects, playing more conservative than being super aggressive, which really helped because when you’re 12, you want to aim at every flagstick,” Bryant says. He speaks with a steady voice that radiates warmth. “Having the course access was huge, which Dad was able to provide for both my sister and I.” 

Bryant went to Colorado State and became a consistent force on the team. In his Sophomore year, the team had a stellar fall. They were top 5 in the country and Bryant was ranked in the top 35. That’s when he thought he might be able to take a run at professional golf. 

“I won during the fall of my Senior year,” says Bryant. “I think that certainly helped me tell myself I could win tournaments and close the deal. I had a lot of other high finishes, but that was another key moment.” 

For every college golf tournament, either Matt or Julie was there to cheer Bryant on. They still show up at every college event for Emma. “They’ve been able to come watch and that’s huge,” says Bryant. “All their support really makes a difference.” 

Bryant served as a graduate assistant on the CSU team last fall while he worked on his Masters degree, learning the ins and outs of coaching. When he’d earned his degree and the internship with the team ended, Bryant moved in with his Grandparents in Phoenix for the spring, where he began playing mini tours. 

At the end of May, Bryant went to the PGA Tour Americas Q school at Wigwam Resort but missed earning full status by two shots. The conditional status meant he’d have to Monday qualify for every Americas event in Canada, and he decided it was best to dedicate his summer to playing as many mini tour events and state opens as he could.

Bryant also received a sponsor exemption to go to Morocco and play in the Asian Tour’s International Series event there. Based on his previous ranking in the Elite Amateur Series, the Moroccan Golf Federation not only offered him a spot in the tournament, but paid for his flight and hotel. Bryant added a new Ping putter to his travel bag – a consequential decision – and set off for his first trip outside North America. 

“It was an incredible experience culturally,” Bryant says of Morocco. “We’re walking to the 36th hole with my caddie, who I had for the whole week – his English was non-existent – and a caddie for another player said, ‘if you make birdie you make the cut.’ I was like, I kind of know that but…thanks. I hit a great 7-iron to 10 feet. My caddie told me it went left and the other caddie told me it went right. I didn’t know who to believe. But I made the putt right in the middle, somehow. What a great experience that was!”

Bryant finished T-55th, taking home $6,000 after taxes. After making a critical putt to play the weekend on a major world tour, Bryant came home with something more important: a new level of confidence. That’s when his inspiring run began. 

The following week, Bryant shot a 6-under 64 in the pro-am for the Wyoming Open, and shot it again in the tournament's opening round the next day. Bryant matched his Dad’s previous tournament record of 62 with his Dad watching in the second round (Peyton Shore, another pro in the field, set a new individual round scoring record with 61 in the second round, and would go on to finish 2nd). 

“I think I had a three shot lead with three holes to go and I kept telling myself, ‘you put in the time, you put in the hours.’ I had a good feel going with my putter – and still do – and I think that was the missing piece: making a few more putts. That freed up the rest of my game. Winning that and breaking through was really cool.”

Bryant closed the tournament with a 64, finishing the tournament at 20 under, and earning his first professional victory by three. 

“I wish I could put my finger on what clicked that week,” Bryant said. “It was a combination of some consistent play leading up to it, some self-belief, some confidence, and getting some momentum in that pro-am day.”

Bryant went to the Waterloo Open the following week and again, shot 20 under. This time it wasn’t enough to win. He was tied for the lead going into the last day but a final round 67 left him three shy of a playoff and in 5th. Still, he took home $5,300 for the effort. Bryant then headed to his home event: the Colorado Open at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. 

“I played the Colorado Open three times as an amateur so far and this was my first time as a pro. A lot of guys I know and a lot of friends from growing up are playing. I walk up and they go, ‘this is the fifth major. This is your tournament.’ Certainly, there was more pressure than any other week.”

Bryant had watched the tournament since he was six-years-old. He volunteered, served as a standard bearer, and caddied for other players. Now, it was his turn. 

“I think winning the tournament was certainly a goal and I felt like my game was right there, but there’s a lot of things that have to fall into place for that to happen. The course played so much differently that week than I’m used to. The greens are never that fast and perfect.”

Bryant’s putter scorched the speedy greens and through three rounds, he had a three-shot lead at 18-under par. But closing a tournament is never easy. Bryant opened the final round with a bogey, and doubled his 10th hole of the day. When the exhaustive grind of the final round was over, Bryant closed with 1-under par and found himself in a playoff with former PGA Tour member Jim Knous. The first place check was $100,000. 2nd place would take home $20,000. On the first playoff hole, a par-5, after Knous wasn’t able to pull off a heroic greenside bunker shot, Bryant had a 7-footer for birdie and the win. 

“I’ve been wanting to put my name on the trophy forever and it meant so much. My birdie putt from six or seven feet, I thought, this is like an $80,000 putt.”

Bryant missed the putt but it didn’t matter. He captured his fifth major.

“I told my Dad –  Dad, I know I can do this. Eight-year-old Davis would be so proud.” 

Last week, Bryant traveled to Scottsbluff, Neb., for the Platte Valley Pro-Am where I watched him on the range briefly before the final round. Bryant beat me by 5 shots at the conclusion of 54 holes. He shot 15 under and found himself in another playoff – this time for a measly $10,000. The playoff alternated between two par 5s and Bryant made four consecutive birdies to outlast amateur Jaren Calkins.  Including the four birdies in playoff holes across his previous five tournaments, Bryant is 94 under par – an astounding stretch of golf. 

This week, Bryant shot 16 under in of a Dakotas Tour event for his worst finish since Morocco: tied for 12th. He’s showing few signs of slowing down and will travel to Sweden for the first stage of DPWT Q school, and return for the first stage of PGA Tour Q school in Nebraska.   

“This is the time to get on the Korn Ferry Tour and get on the DP World Tour. That’s my goal. I want to move up. I tell myself I don’t want to do this again for a year. I want to play on a better tour and play for more money, and keep working my way up. But I do know at the same time, this game can humble you very easily.” 

If this play continues, Bryant won’t be playing mini tours next season, which will be welcomed news for everyone else who is. 

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