Jaysen Hansen gladly cancels kayaking trip as he awaits PGA Championship fate at PPC

SUNRIVER, Oregon -- Kayaking will have to wait.

Jaysen Hansen, the PGA Head Professional at Beechmont Country Club in Cleveland, Ohio, had planned to kayak with friends in the Deschutes River Wednesday afternoon.

Instead, the 38-year-old would have to ditch the trip and float around in other unchartered waters.

In five previous PGA Professional Championship appearances, Hansen had missed the cut.

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But not this time -- not at Crosswater.

Beginning the final day at 4-over par, Hansen fired a 3-under 69 -- which included a 5-under 31 on the back side -- to get to 1 over. When he finished at around 2:30 p.m. PDT, Hansen was tied for 18th.

"I started hitting some close shots on the back nine and then finally started making some putts," Hansen said. "I was visualizing very, very well. I don't know what it is, but that back nine, for me, fits my eye. I played it great all three days."

Hansen did get a terrible break on his final hole. He hit a 7-iron from 168 yards out. The only problem? It was perfect.

The ball hit the top of the flagstick and rolled some 40 feet away from the cup. Just an inch to the left or right and there's a good chance Hansen would have been staring down a birdie putt from inside 5 feet.

As it played out, Hansen settled for a solid two-putt par.

"It was a perfect shot," he said. "But I'm a little bit bummed to hit the stick and have it go that far left. I'm ecstatic that I was able to two-putt, but a close birdie look sure would have been nice. I really don't know what to say right now."

Instead of the kayaking excursion, he would have to wait around to see whether he'd be playing off for one of the coveted 20 spots in the field at the PGA Championship in August.

"It's funny," Hansen said. "We were driving in today and I said to my caddie, Brad, 'I don't even know what to do. We're in unfamiliar territory. We're usually missing the cut after two days and then experiencing the town. Now we've had to stay in and be good. This is fun though."

So without kayaking, what will Hansen be doing these next several hours as he awaits his fate?

"I'll probably go get a hot dog," he joked.

And should he get that trip to Quail Hollow?

"Getting to Quail Hollow would mean everything," Hansen said. "Everything I've worked for, everything I've Brad and I have been throug -- this has been a wonderful experience. Hopefully it works out."