Ryan Gerard gets a Monday off after a stellar performance in Honda Classic

Ryan Gerard, the up-and-coming golfer who turned pro last year, made a splash as a first-timer in the 2023 season of the PGA Tour. He showed plentiful promise in his performance at the Honda Classic event, finishing in fourth place, and making this his fifth event he managed to finish within the top 10.

Gerard finished four shots behind winner Chris Kirk by shooting 3-under 67, clumping 10-under 270 total. The Korn Ferry Tour rookie earned his tee time after the qualifier on Monday.

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Ryan Gerard finishes fourth at the Honda Classic earning his way into the Puerto Rican Open

The Honda Classic - Final Round

Ryan Gerard's win on Sunday allowed him to make $411,600, alongside paving his way into the Puerto Rican Open, in which only the top four finalists qualify. He now has a chance to surpass fellow golfer Dylan Wu's FedEx points in Puerto Rico.

The 23-year-old North Carolina University alum spoke about how the pressure he faced under competitive situations served as a learning experience for him.

"Yeah, I played really solid all week. "I feel like I learned a lot about myself as a player, how to mentally handle myself in front of big crowds, and just kind of getting that feel of competition at the next level. I feel like those are all positives I can take away from the week. I'm thrilled with the finish. I'm thrilled with the opportunities that I get because of it hopefully, and just got to keep grinding and see what happens."

“It was unbelievable. It’s everything you could dream of. When you’re a kid practicing at night on a putting green, you’re like, ‘I have this putt to win a PGA TOUR event.’ It’s funny to say because I was just there four or five years ago in high school thinking about it, and now – I never had a putt to win, but I kind of felt like I had a chance coming down the stretch if I put some stuff together."

Basking in the glow of his success, Ryan Gerard said:

"I've got to go book some flights and hotel rooms, swipe the credit card. We'll see what happens."

Ryan Gerard tied for third place at the Korn Ferry Tour's Astara Golf Championships earlier in February 2023. He is seemingly confident in his skills and aspires to continue proving himself on the green.

“I have the game that translates out here if I play well,” said Gerard. “Maybe not every week, maybe not every course right now, but one day I believe that I can play and win out on the PGA TOUR. That is a very important thing for me confidence-wise."