COLUMBUS, Ohio – Friends look out for each other. Even during the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.

As he approached the 11th green Friday at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, Brandon Matthews was informed by his caddie Chuck Bressler that the putter had been misplaced.

Bressler is a childhood friend from eastern Pennsylvania, making his caddying debut this week while Matthews’ caddie Colton Heisey attends a wedding – interestingly at the same venue where Matthews will marry his fiancée Danielle Maslany next month.

Matthews, who will be a PGA TOUR rookie next season after earning his card via The 25, didn’t miss a beat.

He chipped in for birdie as part of a 7-under 64, dramatically flipping the script on an opening-round 76 at The Ohio State University GC (Scarlet). No putter needed.

Matthews and Bressler will advance to the weekend at 2-under at the second of three Korn Ferry Tour Finals events, as the Temple alum aims to improve his position on the upcoming PGA TOUR Priority Ranking.

As for the putter? It was in the bag the entire time.

“I’ll admit to that,” laughed Bressler after the round Friday. “It was hidden under the towel. I got a little panicky, and I started running back to the last hole, like, ‘I don’t know where it’s at.’

“He chipped in, and I ended up finding it in the bag. So that was embarrassing, but we got through it and it was a good day.”

“I’m like, ‘Chucky, I need my putter,’” laughed Matthews. “But I ended up chipping in, so I didn’t necessarily need it there.”

Matthews and Bressler have known each other since their elementary school years in Pennsylvania’s Wyoming Valley region; they played youth baseball together and have stayed close through life’s inevitable ups and downs.

When Heisey asked for the week off for the wedding, Matthews didn’t hesitate, and he dialed up Bressler.

“Colton’s done such a great job; I can’t tell you how much he’s helped me throughout the year,” Matthews said. “I don’t think that I would be in the (#TOURBound) position that I’m in without him. So for him to ask to go to a wedding is not a big deal for me.”

“(Matthews) just called me about a month ago; he said, ‘I need ya,’” Bressler added. “I said I could get the time off and I said, ‘I’ll be there, man. Anything you need.’”

After a scintillating Friday performance in Ohio, he’ll be there for two more days. Along with the putter.