Were you to be familiar with the rush of great golf that has been Jason Caron’s life these past five months, you’d appreciate how doors might be opening for him, improbable as that seems.
Which means if you were to bump into the likeable Cape Cod native and ask, “now what?" do not have second thoughts that you should take a mulligan.
The question wouldn’t be brash or intrusive.
“It should be asked, to be honest,” said Caron. “But it’s a question that right now I have trouble answering.”
There’s the matter of the next few weeks that takes priority: The regular-season finale on the PGA Tour Champions, then at least one, but maybe two, or if the magic were to really continue in a big way, a third playoff tournament.
None of this, of course, was on his calendar back in early May. Heck, he likely didn’t see it in his crystal ball in mid-July, even. There were member-guests to plan, Met Section tournaments to prep for, a wife and daughters to play golf with.
But the surprises have been piled one on top of another and here Caron is, a hugely popular head professional at the Mill River Club in Oyster Bay, N.Y., on the brink of possibly gaining serious status on the PGA Tour Champions for 2025.
“It’s obviously been amazing,” said Caron. “Almost surreal.”
The wild ride was set off innocently enough at the Kitchen Aid Senior PGA in May. Caron, a qualifier through last year’s Senior PGA Pro Championship, shot 69-70-67-66 to finish T-4.
Not a bad PGA Tour Champions debut, eh? But after a pair of lackluster outings, Caron found a bit of a groove. He went for 65-64-67 to finish in a share of third at the Shaw Charity Classic then took advantage of a sponsor’s exemption to shine at the Furyk & Friends this past weekend in Jacksonville, Fla.
“The Furyk was a special exemption to get,” said Caron. “I met Jim’s wife, Tiffany, and thanked her for the invite. She said, ‘We’ve been following your success and love that you have this opportunity.’ That made me feel great.”
And, oh, how he proved he belonged over three days of soggy, grinding golf. Rounds of 67-70 had Caron just three off the lead entering the third and final round, but when he ran off four birdies in the first six holes Sunday to get to 11-under (on a day when 12-under would get into a playoff), thoughts raced through his mind.
“On the back nine, I was trying just a little too hard,” said Caron, who wondered how high a win would push him in the standings. “I was pushing.”
He had two bogeys and 10 pars over the final 12 holes, finishing at 9-under 207 for another T-4.
The count is impressive: Over six tournaments Caron has three top-five finishes and with $420,900 earned he’s 47th in the Charles Schwab Cup standings. Caron has another sponsor’s exemption into this week’s tournament in Cary, N.C., the SAS Championship, and he’s locked up a spot into the first playoff tournament, Oct. 18-20 in Richmond, Va., where the top 75 tee it up.
Should he play well in either Cary or Richmond, Caron would be in good shape to make it into the Simmons Bank Championship Oct. 25-27 in Little Rock, Ark., where only the top 54 play.
The top 36 will then qualify for the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix, but Caron isn’t allowing his mind to drift ahead. The positive vibes are plentiful in the here and now.
“I’m comfortable out here, really comfortable,” said Caron. “I know there’s nothing to lose, I have nothing to prove. But my game is really solid.”
In another lifetime, Caron was the kid who dreamed big and somehow delivered.
“I knew what people were probably saying, that a kid from Cape Cod making it on Tour, the odds were probably a gazillion-to-one. My attitude was, ‘Well, I’m that one,’ ” said Caron.
“I was 27 when I made it onto the PGA Tour (in 2000) and back then that was super-young. Now, 22-year-olds are coming out and winning.”
Between 2000 and 2003, Caron’s second and final year on the PGA Tour, he missed the cut in 39 of his combined 58 tournaments. “My dream was to be on the PGA Tour,” said Caron. “I never dreamed of winning on the PGA Tour.”
Years later the only regret is this: “I should have dreamed higher.”
This improbable run of success on the PGA Tour Champions began with a share of fourth place for low club pro honors at the Senior PGA in May.
Life on the Korn Ferry Tour was more productive – in six seasons Caron consistently finished 20th to 72d on the money list. “Hey, I can hang with these guys. That was my mindset,” he said. “I was always more comfortable on the Korn Ferry Tour.”
Ah, but the comfort factor is a fleeing concept when it comes to grinding away in pro golf so by 2010 Caron had called it quits to the touring world. What isn’t a fleeting concept is the comfort of a soulmate and with Liz Janangelo, Caron found happiness.
Golf crazy, both of these New England-rooted pros who married shortly after meeting in 2008. Janangelo, arguably the most decorated women amateur in Connecticut history, played the second of her two LPGA seasons in 2010 but soon thereafter she, like Jason, was in the club pro world working in the famed Met Section.
That Jason’s job offer years ago to be head pro at the Mill River Club had a contingency – they wanted Liz as a package deal, to run programs for women and juniors – is one of the coolest stories in PGA of America annals. They make it work beautifully and Jason will tell you he never could have made this run on the PGA Tour Champions without her.
“Liz has always had Sundays off to be with the girls (Caroline and Julia) but she’s had to go into work to fill in for me. She’s been super supportive, always.”
Mill River officials have always embraced the golf-playing accolades that Jason and Liz have piled up within the Met Section. No surprise, Jason Caron’s impressive run of success, even if it’s taken him on the road for several weeks, is equally thrilling for club leaders.
“I got an email the other day telling me ‘to keep kicking butt,’ ” laughed Caron. “They told me, ‘Go do what you have to do.’
“To have that in my back pocket gives me such a peace of mind.”
How this all plays out over the next few weeks remains to be seen. Fact is, he’s playing well enough to win and that is off-the-charts wild. But when Caron has been approached about the scenarios, the likelihood of having some status in ’25, he’s told everyone that “I’m going to keep my job at Miller River.”
That point cleared up, he knows the situation is fluid and the next few weeks will clear up a lot of the puzzle. And then?
“Well, I told the folks at Mill River that we’re going to open a nice bottle of wine, open up our calendars and have that talk,” said Caron. “They’ve been wonderful and they’re willing to give me this opportunity.”
But for now, let the joy ride continue.
