SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda (AP) — Egor Eroshenko already made history as the first Russian to play on the PGA Tour. It got even better Friday when he became the first Russian to make the cut. Eroshenko shot 31 on his final nine for a 4-under 67 in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, extending his weekend in his first time playing a tournament recognized by the Official World Golf Ranking.
“I'm super excited,” said Eroshenko, who played four years at the University of Central Florida. “I'm still kind of in the fog not figuring out what's happening, but hopefully I can go grab some lunch and realize the cut is made and hoping for a good weekend.” His 36-hole total of 3-under 139 comes a week after his girlfriend, Nataliya Guseva, was runner-up in the Lotte Championship in Hawaii on the LPGA Tour .
Guseva has made history of her own as the first Russian to earn an LPGA card. She decided to skip the LPGA event in Florida this week to make good on a pledge she made with Eroshenko. “She played the Asian swing and she didn't know if she was going to play Hoakalei,” Eroshenko said, referring to the course in Hawaii.
“Then maybe a week before she decided she's playing Hoakalei, I said, ‘Well, I signed up for the Monday qualifier, and if I make it, you’re going with me.’ She said, ‘Yeah, deal.’ And I made it.
“I was fortunate enough having her this week supporting, that meant a lot as well having a familiar face walking around and cheering on the lows and highs,.