Ben Polland Relives Dramatic Putt to Make First PGA TOUR Cut

One of the most nerve-wracking parts of playing professional golf? Trying to make the cut.

It was a rare scenario for PGA of America Golf Professional Ben Polland on Feb. 28, but he was in the thick of it at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches at PGA National. The Director of Golf at Shooting Star in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, was standing on the 17th tee box two shots outside of a -4 cutline to play the weekend, He just bogeyed his 16th hole, to make matters even more difficult.

But Polland had a free-flowing mindset headed into his final two holes. The tournament was one of six TOUR exemptions he received after winning last year's PGA Professional Championship, but it was also his best shot at making first career cut.

"I had nothing to lose," Polland said after the round.

And he played like it. Needing two birdies, he first stuffed his approach shot into five feet on the Champion Course's 8th hole, his 17th. Polland swept in the birdie and it was on to 18. A decent drive set up another must-have approach shot. He pulled it a bit and was on the left side of the green, 30 feet away. Then ...

He drained the putt, with a decent-sized gallery of family and friends erupting in joy.

"The putter felt good all week, and over that putt, I just stroked it with confidence and fortunately it went in on the last roll," Polland added. "I've had opportunities in the past, and in majors, and it just felt like I had chances that I squandered. But I hung in there today."

Polland was on to the weekend, where he'd ultimately finished T-62. But it was that putt, the one he'll probably remember forever, that was the ultimate memorable moment.

"It's a great feeling to know that I can bounce back and be resilient in those situations," said Polland. It was fun."