HAMILTON — It was water under the bridge when Adam Hadwin reunited with the security guard who made the tackle heard around the world at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open.
The viral moment between Hadwin and the security guard has been almost as memorable as Nick Taylor’s victory itself. To run it back: After Taylor’s 72-foot eagle putt dropped, Hadwin rushed the green to spray his long-time best pal with champagne. The only problem? Hadwin had changed into street clothes and did not have his credential on him.
The security guard did what he was, well, supposed to do.
Video of the incident (“They’ve just tackled Adam Hadwin, by the way,” Jim Nantz said on the broadcast) has received tens of millions of views — on Golf Canada’s TikTok account alone, it has 9.8 million views — and it’s been made into memes for 12 months.
A year later, Hadwin’s green hoodie from that fateful celebration is now in the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame display at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.
And the security guard — whose name was kept private — spoke about the incident for the first time. He’s been a long-time presence at the Canadian Open as well as security at other events around Toronto.
In an interview with TSN, the security guard said the event unfolded “as if it was in slow motion” and he sprang into action quickly, although not as aggressively as some people may have thought.
“It was a soft takedown,” the security guard said with a laugh. “His feet never hit the ground.
“Bryan Crawford (the Canadian Open tournament director) came over, and it was over quickly. We got up and laughed, said sorry to each other, and it was all over.”
A viral moment, a special reunion, and a lesson learned — credential on at all times.