Sam Saunders sat in the clubhouse early on a Tuesday morning. He was relaxed, clearly in a place where he felt comfortable. He exchanged greetings with players in the way one does when he is part of a club and is well-liked by the other members.
Saunders isn’t a star on the PGA Tour. He finished 148th on the FedEx Cup points list in 2016, giving him partial status for this past season. His goal for 2017 was simple: make the top 125 so he could take part in the playoffs for the first time and get fully exempt status for next season. He came up just short, finishing 129th.
“I turn 30 at the end of July,” he said in late June. “I honestly think I’m ready to play my best golf in my 30s. I’m still improving.”
In every way, Saunders is like many younger players on tour: He has worked hard and made a lot of progress to get where he is. And yet, he’s still a long way from where he wants to go.