Former Mule Carr Vernon knows he belongs

For the third time in his professional golf career, former Poplar Bluff Mule standout Carr Vernon earned his PGA Tour Canada card with the latest opportunity coming Friday at a familiar place for Vernon.

Vernon finished 12-under and tied for second overall at Crown Island Resort and Golf Club in Courtenay, British Columbia, the same place he earned his card in 2018 and 2019.

After turning pro in 2016, Vernon admitted it’s been difficult at times but he knows he’s always getting better.

“It’s definitely been a struggle,” he said. “I was injured for a few years of it didn’t then covid was there obviously as well. Seven years seems like a long time but it’s an every day thing. Go out there and practice to get better every day then over time, if you put in enough hours of practice to have constant growth.”

With everything ahead of him for the 2023 PGA Tour Canada season, Vernon knew he had to finish in the top-10 to earn his card until the reshuffle, which happens around the midway point of the season.

“It’s difficult,” he said. “You just have to focus on each shot you’re hitting and try not to think about the tournament as a whole.”

Vernon fired off rounds of 66-72-69-69 en route to him earning his card.

He said he set the tone day one and was playing well on the second day until he ran into a touch stretch.

“I was playing fine but those holes are the hardest holes on the golf course,” he said. “I started on No. 10 the second and third rounds so I was finishing on nine. Those stretch are definitely the hardest. I was playing well, I just happened to have a few mistakes coming in … It’s not like I was playing bad.”

Vernon was still in good shape after the hiccup in the second round and he settled in for his final two rounds despite going 3-over on the same stretch in this third round.

“It’s a tough stretch of holes late in the day, playing long rounds and they probably aren’t the holes you want to be finishing on,” he said.

With a top-10 finish in his sights on FridayVernon said he just needed to make the right decisions to get where he wanted.

“I tried to play very smart as far what shots I’m hitting and the targets I’m picking,” he said. “Just trying to be really solid and not make any mistakes and I didn’t do that. I didn’t make a bogey the last round, which was nice.”

When he finally finished his round and Vernon was able to think about what he had just done, it wasn’t a surprise to him.

“It felt great,” he said. “It was very relieving more than anything. I felt like that’s where I belonged. It just felt comfortable.”

Vernon drove down to this week’s tournament on Saturday and has practiced a few days as he’ll also have a practice round today before the tournament starts Thursday.

PGA Tour Canada asked Vernon to volunteer with a clinic for young golfers on Tuesday, something he’s done in the past.

“Hopefully they can learn something and enjoy it,” he said. “I hope I’m not giving them any bad information but I enjoy technique stuff and giving lessons. I gave a few lessons back home. I just enjoy trying to help people get a little bit better.”

After earning his card for the third time, Vernon said he knows there may be a day when golf is over for him but right now is definitely not that time.

“You’re always going to have thoughts like that,” he said. “I’ve never really thought that. I’m getting older, I’m 29, at some point there’s probably going to be a point where if by this certain time … But it was good to get up here this summer and I’m hoping for a good summer and using that as a springboard for the rest of my career”

Vernon said he’ll spend the next three weeks in Canada with his first tournament starting on Thursday in the Royal Beach Victoria Open at Uplands Golf Club in Victoria, British Columbia. He’ll tee off at 11 a.m. CST off of the No. 10 tee.

He said he knows his game is trending in the right direction and no matter how he finishes this weekend, it won’t define him as he’s currently getting better each and every day.

“I’ve felt confident in my game the entire year so even if I don’t play well this week I’m not going to be too worried about it,” he said. “The goal would be to be in the top 10 at the end of the year, top 25 being a secondary goal. I’m not too worked about what I need to do this week. Just playing a solid round where I feel like I’m in control of my emotions and how I’m thinking about the shot process.”