Defending champion Adam Schenk says he feels "free" on the course again as he prepares to launch his title defence at the 2026 Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
The American lifted the silverware at Port Royal Golf Course 11 months ago, mastering howling winds on the final day to clinch a memorable victory.
Returning to the media center on the eve of the tournament, Schenk admitted the time had flown by since his triumph on the Southampton layout.
"It really does feel like yesterday, and it's crazy how fast time goes," Schenk said. "That last 11 months was the fastest for me coming back here. It’s just good to get back, relive some of the memories, and remember some of the shots on the course. I'm excited for this week."
Schenk’s maiden victory at Port Royal came amid brutal coastal conditions, with gusts reaching up to 40 mph on Sunday testing the field's creativity and nerve. Similar blustery weather is forecast across the opening rounds this week.
"With it being so windy, it obviously made the golf very creative," Schenk reflected. "You had to really control the flight and the spin of your golf ball, and that's stuff I'm usually pretty good at doing.
"You didn't have time to stop and think about your situation or if something felt wrong in your swing. You just had to focus on how you were going to complete that hole.
"Hitting wasn't easy, but putting was honestly the most challenging part. You’d stand over a ball oscillating back and forth in the wind. You’d have a right-to-left putt, but the wind's blowing so hard off the left it’s actually breaking left to right. It took a little bit of luck, but the breaks all fell my way last year and hopefully we can find something similar."
Since tasting glory in Bermuda, Schenk has endured a testing run of form on the PGA Tour. However, the 34-year-old insists recent swing adjustments have him primed for a resurgence.
"The scores I've been posting have been pretty abysmal this year, but I still believe," Schenk admitted. "I've figured out some stuff the last couple of months, especially the last couple of weeks.
"I'm able to swing the club a little freer now and not worry about some of the misses, which has been very freeing. A couple of shots I’ve been fighting all year, I don’t feel I have to fight them as much anymore.
"Everything outside of golf has been absolutely phenomenal—family and all that is great. But I still care a lot about the game. I feel like I'm getting back on the right track, and this would be a great week to start that trend."
Schenk gets his title defence under way on Thursday morning at 07:57 am local time.
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