Conrad

Shindler

The 33-year-old Shindler, who hails from Phoenix but calls Dallas home, made seven birdies and two bogeys during his round and will be joined in the field at TPC River Highlands by medalist Patrick Flavin, and Ben Silverman and Bo Hoag, both of whom also carded rounds of 67 and avoided a playoff. Shindler, a Texas A&M product, made his first start this season at the AT&T Byron Nelson, which he also Monday qualified for with major champion Todd Hamilton serving as his caddie. He’s made one Korn Ferry Tour appearance this season, at the REX Hospital Open earlier in June and missed the cut. Last season, he played on the Korn Ferry Tour and finished 159th on the regular-season standings making 13 cuts in 35 starts. This will mark Shindler’s second start at the Travelers, where he also played in 2018 but missed the cut.

The 33-year-old Shindler posted a bogey-free 6-under 66 Monday at Hurricane Creek CC in Anna, Texas, and he’ll be joined in the field at TPC Craig Ranch by medalist Wesley Bryan (64), and Kyle Wilshire and Andrew Loupe, who both shot 66 and advanced in a 4-for-1 playoff over Austin Eckroat. “It feels good,” said Shindler in a post on social media. “Hometown event, this is the second time I’ve Monday’d it. Also played it when I had my season on Tour. Always nice to play at home, sleep in your own bed. We’ve got a 5-month-old – a little emotional, it’s all good. Been here before but excited to have him and do this. It’s been a trying three years since I was on Tour in 2018. Four hard, had a lot of close calls. But nice to get back under the big lights and give it a go.” In two previous event appearances, Shindler missed the cut in 2018 and was MDF in 2016 (T-75). His last Tour appearance was a MC at the Military Tribute at The Greenbrier, and he made 13 cuts in 35 starts during the 2020-21 super season on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Making his tournament debut and playing with fellow rookie Sam Ryder and sponsor invite Brittany Lincicome, the Texas A&M alum records a new career low in 53 rounds, brushing aside 66 three times. He hit 12 (of 14) fairways and 16 greens in regulation, gaining 2.528 approaching and 4.271 tee-to-green. The 30-year-old carded six birdies and an eagle-3 at 14 from 13'11", posting 1.688 putts per GIR and 1.665 putts per GIR with 28 total putts. Ryder is also T19 on the leaderboard while Lincicome missed the cut by nine shots on 5-over 78-71=149, finishing T119 out of 124 players.

The Dallas resident missed the cut near home last week at the AT&T Byron Nelson. Now, he’ll head across town to peg it at Colonial Country Club. This Web.com Tour grad is still searching for his first big finish on the PGA TOUR. For his career, he is just 4-for-13 with nothing better than T47 (2018 Sony Open). If the time of year is a big factor in your research, Shindler won the 2017 Rex Hospital Open last year which was played during the last week of May. That may be a long shot way to be optimistic but given that in combination with his local knowledge, there may be a sliver of hope that Shindler snaps out of his slump this week. Realistically, he should be avoided by gamers until he flashes some form.

The Texas A&M product missed the cut in his first start of the season (Safeway Open) despite opening with a strong, 3-under 69. He got off to an even better start this week, trading five birdies and an eagle with just one bogey during his opening lap. Shindler knocked home a trio of putts from outside 15 feet today, including a 21'1" eagle splash at the par-5 third hole. That was all made possible by smooth striking though, landing 15 greens today, gaining 3.36 strokes approaching-the-green. Shindler posted nine top 25s including a win last year on the Web.com Tour but he is just 1-for-3 with nothing better than a T75 in three tries on the PGA TOUR. He’ll have plenty of chances to improve upon that record now that he owns a PGA TOUR card.

Making his tourney debut, the PGA TOUR rookie hit 11 (of 14) fairways and mustered 10 greens in regulation, losing 1.474 strokes around-the-green and 1.974 tee-to-green. He circled four birdies at holes 11 and 13-15, overshadowed by seven squares at 1 (3-putt from 50'1"), 5, 7 (3-putt from 51'0"), 8, 10, 16 and 18. The 29-year-old was 3-over thru 13 holes when play was suspended on Friday, returning on Saturday morning to trade two birdies with two bogeys, including two in his final three holes. He registered a pedestrian 1.900 putts per GIR and -1.372 SG: Putting with 31 total putts.

The Texas A&M product rattled off eight top 25s in 20 regular season starts this year. That was good enough to earn him a PGA TOUR card, for the first time in his career (17th on the money list). Before this year, Shindler posted middling results on the Mackenzie Tour in 2016, but he found something this season. The 29-year-old has opened the Web.com Tour Finals with finishes of T67 and T9, positioning himself at 23rd in the Finals standings. If Shindler keeps it rolling for two more weeks, he will have a great spot in the graduate reshuffle which will result in plenty of opportunity during the fall portion of the 2017-18 PGA TOUR season.