Hello golf fans…
Last weekend was the final week of the season, at the Walt Disney Resort! Last opportunity to win, finish in the top 125, finish in the top 150 or just make another consistent seventh cut in a row.
Coming into the week, I was feeling very confident about my game and the chance at hand. I actually had played the Magnolia and Palm golf courses back when I was a junior playing in an AJGA tournament. Other than Pebble Beach and these two courses, the year has brought totally new courses to my eye.
Off to a disappointing start, the opening round led to a 2-over-par round. Playing the easier of the two courses the next day at the Palm, I had good vibes of playing well enough to make the cut. A solid round of 5-under 67, but two shots shy of playing on the weekend.
This year was a great year and also a disappointing year of not keeping my PGA Tour card for 2009. Off to second stage of Q-school to earn my way back to the finals and another chance at getting back to the PGA Tour.
Thanks to everyone tuning in these past seven weeks to learn more about me and follow my progress this season!
Good day…
CC
Hello again Hoosiers, golfers and race fans!
This week, I was playing in Palm Coast, Fla., at the Ginn Sur Mer Championship at the Conservatory Resort Course. The golf course was only about 3 years old but definitely had some grown-up teeth! The course yardage was about 7,700 yards from the tips! The weather was brutal all week, with blustery winds out of the north at about 20 to 30 miles per hour each and every day.
Going into Thursday’s morning round, my expectations were not very high based on the length of the course. This golf course was truly a “bombers paradise,” for sure! The greens were huge and very undulated on all sides. A solid and surprising start on Thursday ended with a 2-over-par score, which I thought was not too shabby for the conditions of the day.
Day 2 was one of the best rounds of the year! A 3-under-par 69 put me at 1-under for the tournament and in nice shape for the weekend, with another consistent cut made. Each and every shot required total focus, concentration and balance due to the heavy winds. I knew if I could just keep hitting fairways and greens, I was going to be in good shape.
Round three was another fantastic score of 2-under par! Three-under par was above my expectations for this golf course heading into Sunday’s final round in 10th position.
Sunday was another windy day, as usual! I knew if I could hang in there at even par or better, I was going to be able to hold my position or even be in the hunt on the back nine with a couple under on the front. Two bogeys on the front nine put me at 2-under and losing ground. A solid, bogey-free back nine with some birdies is just what I needed!
Going into the 18th hole, after a lengthy weather delay, I needed to make a birdie to have my best finish of the year. A perfect tee shot set up my second to a dicey layup for my third and final approach. I pulled my second into the drink and was forced to drop on the side of a hill to play my fourth. Not looking to good at this point!
I had 130 yards to the hole into the wind for my fourth shot and needed to get it close enough to save par. I left it way short at about 53 feet below the hole.
At this point, the weather was not cooperating, and the rules officials were about to blow the siren again, which would be the last thing I need. The hole was set atop a plateau, with 4 feet of break from left to right. When I got up to the green and saw what work I had left for par, I first said to myself was, “This is gonna be a tough two-putt for bogey!” I lined it up, gave it a whack and off it went up the hill and around the bend to find the bottom of the cup! The crowd went wild and a huge sigh of relief was let go by me!
I ended up tied for 12th, with the biggest check ever for me on the PGA Tour!!!
The moral of this story is: Never underestimate your ability to play great golf on a course that doesn’t fit your eye or ability! Stay positive, never give up and keep grinding away at it!
Good day…
CC
Hello Hoosiers and golf fans!
Indiana deer season and cold ‘n rainy golfing weather …
My favorite time of the year has begun! Bow hunting for big whitetails, cool fall temps, the ever-changing colors of leaves and perfect playing conditions on the links!
Last week in Verona, N.Y., was not exactly ideal playing conditions for golf but perfect for hunting. The temperature on average last week at the Turning Stone Resort Championship was about 55 degrees, compounded with rain. Oh, and did I mention hail?
Yes, it hailed on us twice during the second round, causing two delays and tough conditions!! The golf course was already very soft at the start of the week before all of the rain and cold weather. Playing around 7,300 yards actual, the weather made it feel like 8,000!
A solid, even-par start put me comfortably where I wanted to be after day one. Day two brought much tougher conditions, which included wind, hail, rain and upper 40-degree temps. With weather like that, a country boy from Indiana was feeling right at home!
A rallied birdie from 4 feet on the last hole secured my position in the field for the weekend. Saturday’s round was another even-par round, which put me toward the back of the pack. But a comeback on Sunday could vault me up the leader board.
Sunday’s round was just what I had in mind! A very solid and relaxed round of 2-under-par 70 moved me up in a tie for 43rd. All in all, a solid week and five positions moved up the money list!
Good luck in the woods to all my buddies back home and to all the avid bow hunters in search of another “wall hanger!”
P.S.: Any weekly readers of my blogs that have any good hunting grounds that would like to offer permission to hunt, feel free to write in or contact me as I could always use another huntin’ buddy and the possibility of harvesting a monster buck!
Good day…
CC