In desperate need of a strong showing, Stuart Anderson bore down with a strong sixth-place finish at the Web.com Tour's Price Cutter Charity Championship in Springfield, Missouri, last weekend.
With not one, but two credit cards maxed out and having borrowed money from a friend in Dallas to continue on his rookie season on the development tour (formerly known as the Nationwide Tour), Anderson - who calls Sooke home - brought home $20,234 with the 18-under 270 finish.
His final round 4-under 68 on Sunday left him three shots back of playoff winner Chris Wilson.
"Funny though, I wasn't even thinking about the money coming down the stretch," said Anderson, the popular pro, who is nicknamed Disco Stu.
"It's what I needed. Now the gun is not as close to the temple as it has been so I can play some free golf this week and that course sets up for me as well," he added of the Midwest Classic presented by Cadillac at the Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate in Kansas.
"I was coming down where the gun was close, the trigger was going to be pulled [on his season]," he said, metaphorically. "But I stepped up and played well. It was a good week. I'm proud of how I played. I got a little nervous on the back nine, but I can't be disappointed."
Anderson, who started the final round Sunday tied for 10th after a 9-under 63 on Saturday, actually had a two-stroke lead at the turn, thanks to a 6-under 30 on the front nine that included an eagle on No. 8. A doublebogey five on the unlucky par-3 13th, in which he pulled the wrong club when wind picked up and then disappeared, cost him.
It was a critical week for the 34-year-old who had earned just $6,245 up until that point, racking up travel costs, living expenses and caddy fees across North America. His best previous finish this season was a tie for 33rd at the Rex Hospital Open on June 3 where he earned $3,080.
"I went and borrowed some money from a buddy at pretty high juice," admitted the former Canadian Tour player, who is attempting to get to the PGA. "It is what it is.
"I'm taking the positives out. I stayed with a great host family in town and that has helped.
"Financially, it's always an issue," he said of living his dream on the Web.com Tour, which has mostly been a nightmare because of monetary concerns. "Corporate Canada needs to step up for a lot of guys and I'm just one of them.
"There are probably 25 guys good enough in Canada to play on the PGA Tour, but they just can't afford it. There is that financial burden."
Which adds to the pressure of playing well.
Anderson had previously made two other cuts. He finished tied for 72nd at the Pacific Rubiales Columbia Championship back in late February where he made $1,425. Then it was a tie for 61st at the TPC Stonebrae Championship in mid-April - a $1,740 paycheque.
Considering caddy costs on the development tour are $1,000 a week, as opposed to $200 on the Canadian Tour, it makes for tough times.
"It's not so much doubt your ability, it's more freeing yourself to play golf," Anderson said. "I've worked hard all year and I feel like I'm getting better.
"The courses might be a little more difficult, then there's the travel and you only see the golf course once a week [before play begins on Thursdays] so that's a disadvantage. It's not an easy road being a rookie and that's why first-year guys struggle on the PGA Tour, too," Anderson explained.
"But I'm going to be free now. I know it's in me. I haven't had an easy way and I'm a little hard on myself, but it's got me this far and it's going to take me to the promised land," he stressed. "I just need to weather the storms.
"I've got my girls [wife and kids] back near Victoria, my parents in Alberta and my sister - I've got a family that loves me and supports me. They believe in me and I believe in myself."
