SAINT HELENA ISLAND, S.C. — The weight of the moment seemed to finally hit when Drew Zielinski grabbed hold of the phone.
On the other end of it was Danielle Carrera, the tournament director of the PGA Tour’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship. She was calling to congratulate Zielinski, a senior at Division II Lee University. He had just made history.
Zielinski birdied his final three holes Tuesday to win the Golfweek Fripp Island to Bermuda Invitational at Ocean Point Golf Links. It was the first win of his collegiate career, and it came when the stakes couldn’t have been higher. With the win, Zielinski earned an exemption into the Butterfield, the first D-II golfer ever to earn a PGA Tour exemption.
“I’m just going to soak in this moment and look forward to what’s coming next,” Zielinski said.
Zielinski finished at 9-under 207, and in Monday’s first round he set a new course record when he opened in 7-under 65. He struggled in the afternoon round, signing for a 76 to enter the final round five shots behind the leader. He admitted during that round, he started to think too much about Bermuda. His mind drifted, and so did his game.
On Tuesday, he was dialed from the start.
Zielinski turned in 3-under 33 and was tied for the lead at 6 under. He then birdied the 10th to retake the solo lead, something he hadn’t held since the opening round. His only blemish in the final round came on the 14th, when a bogey dropped him into a tie for the lead with teammate Bennett McNabb, who was playing one group ahead.
But this time, Zielinski wasn’t going to let his focus lapse. He hit an approach to about 10 feet on the 16th hole and buried the birdie look to retake the lead. On 17, his approach was even closer, a 5 footer going center cup to move two ahead with one hole to play. Even after McNabb made a birdie on the last to move within one, Zielinski reached the green in two shots and needed only three putts to win. He took only two.
“His game has been in a really good spot the last couple weeks,” Lee coach Evan Spence said. “You recruit guys to play for you and you can’t even dream about them accomplishing things like this when wearing your logo. For him to have this opportunity is what dreams are made of. That’s what makes college golf the best thing.”
Zielinski’s teammates didn’t go home empty handed, either. Lee won the team title by 18 shots, shooting 273 in the final round, the only team to shoot in the 270s all week.
But for Zielinski, it was a life-changing opportunity for him. In three weeks, he’ll make his PGA Tour debut and have an entire division of college golf behind him.
“It was on my mind all day today,” Zielinski said. “I was just trying to focus on where I was currently. Where I was walking, just staying right here in the present.”
His present persistence paid off, and then the phone rang with his ultimate reward.
