A hospital visit to his swing coach's injured son helped keep Brandt Snedeker's nerves in check at East Lake. (Getty Images)
On the morning of what would become the biggest payday of his career, Brandt Snedeker had no trouble keeping his thoughts from drifting to the FedEx Cup’s $10 million bonus.
Sunday instead found Snedeker firmly in the present – a hospital room 12 miles from Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Club, where the son of his longtime golf instructor begins the road to recovery from a near-fatal auto accident.
“It puts everything in perspective,” Snedeker said after his Tour Championship triumph also clinched the FedEx Cup points title.
“It gives you a lot of things to be thankful and grateful for. It just made me realize – as much as I make today out to be important – how unimportant it really is.”
Tucker Anderson, 18, the son of swing coach Todd Anderson, remains in a responsive coma at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. He was transferred there earlier this week from Pensacola, where he suffered severe head and neck injuries in a one-car accident Sept. 7.
A breathing tube prevents Tucker from speaking, making communication difficult. “He can wink and give you a fist bump,” Snedeker said.
Snedeker got both when he asked Tucker if he thought he could hold off Rory McIlroy in Sunday’s final round.
“He was definitely a lot better than I expected him to be,” Snedeker said, “and that was great.”
Todd Anderson, director of instruction at Sea Island (Ga.) GC, later told his Twitter followers: “Tuck’s wink and fist bump was all the mojo Sneds needed. Very proud of the way Sneds handled himself on and off the course!”
After his third-round 64 gave him a share of the lead, Snedeker spoke of the need to stay “super patient” as he tried to outduel co-leader Justin Rose and hold off any pursuers. Though a double bogey at East Lake’s par-3 sixth hole erased any early gains, he struck back with birdies at Nos. 8 and 10.
Snedeker wound up signing for a 68 – the only man in the final five pairings to break par in Sunday’s gusty winds.
“He’s mentally tough,” Rose said. “We talk about [the $10 million] all year long, and suddenly you have to walk the walk. He did a great job of that today.”
