C.T. Pan comes from behind to make RBC Heritage his first PGA TOUR win

C.T. Pan came from behind to emerge victorious at the RBC Heritage. But how exactly did he overcome some top stars to bring home his first PGA TOUR title?

Who’s C.T. Pan and how did he win the RBC Heritage?

Answering the first question is easy. Pan Cheng-Tsung is a 27-year-old journeyman pro out of Chinese Taipei by way of the University of Washington. He graduated in 2015 with a degree in communications, earned his tour privileges prior to the 2017 season, and his appearance at this week’s RBC Heritage marked his 79th tour start.

Pan earned just short of $1.9 million last year, ranking 65th in official earnings, including a tie for second at the Wyndham Championship. That earned him a spot in the FedEx Cup Playoffs; he survived through the BMW Championship, tying for 38th there.

That month-long stretch between the Wyndham and the BMW was far and away the best of Pan’s career. In those four weeks, Pan won about one-third of all the money he had ever earned on Tour prior to Sunday. Setting those four events aside, his previous 74 starts had produced one top five finish, but 29 missed cuts…including four this season.

He entered the RBC Heritage not having bested the four-round field stroke average since last fall at Mayakoba.

Arriving at Hilton Head, Pan’s performance chart was sub-par by PGA standards. He had  no constant assets, the strongest aspect of his game being off the tee. Pan’s +0.021 Strokes Gained Driving for the 2019 season may not sound like much; indeed it ranked only tied for 108th. But it was better than his performance in any of the three other major Strokes Gained areas: -.389 approaching the green (177th), +0.008 around the green (110th) and -.223 putting (150th).

With an average of 285.7 yards, he ranked 171st in driving distance. He was 136th in greens in regulation and 99th in scrambling percentage. In other words, he did not profile as a contender.

But the PGA Tour is one place where almost literally anybody can win. If you don’t believe that, ask C.T. Pan. At Hilton Head this week, he won by turning all those negative profiles and percentages on their collective heads.

Following a lackluster round of 71 Thursday, Pan discovered within him a Friday 65 that was, statistically anyway, an extended out-of-body experience. He out-performed his own profile by more than a full stroke off the tee, by an additional stroke in his approach game, by a stroke and a half around the green and by nearly three strokes on Hilton Head’s matchbox-sized greens.

During his Saturday 69, Pan’s driving game abandoned him, costing 1.4 strokes to the field. No matter; he again played nearly a stroke above his normal game in his approaches, he bettered his short game by nearly half a stroke, and he putted more than 2.5 strokes ahead of his own profile.

By Sunday, although his driver continued to be a liability, all the other aspects of Pan’s game were so locked in that it didn’t matter. He ended the week nearly five strokes ahead of his usual game in his approaches, about three strokes better around the green and nearly seven strokes better on them.

Pan’s decisive edge turned out to be his superiority approaching the greens and chipping to them. The tournament runner-up, Matt Kuchar, actually out-drove and out-putted Pan, achieving about a six-stroke advantage over him in those two areas. But C.T. Pan was 3.5 strokes better than Kuchar approaching the green and 4.5 strokes better around them, accounting for his final one-stroke edge.

What does this mean for C.T. Pan? In the most tangible interpretations of the question, it means a great deal. He wins $1.2 million, ensuring the best season of his career. He wins a multi-season  exemption from qualifying for PGA events, he wins a ticket to next year’s Masters, to the Players, and he is functionally guaranteed entry into this summer’s Playoffs.

What it does not (necessarily) mean is continued success. Every year, including this one, the ultra-competitive nature of the PGA Tour is such that unknowns emerge as champions and then as quickly recede. Remember Adam Long and Martin Trainer? Both won an event this season, yet neither currently ranks among the top 160 players in stroke average.

With his Heritage win, C.T. Pan moved up from 118th to 90th. The challenge going forward will be to avoid receding into anonymity.