My performance in the Monday Qualifier for this week's Nationwide Tour event certainly left something to be desired, but I was able to scrape and claw my way around the course at Cleveland Country Club, and in the end, I got the job done. Some poor ball-striking, atrocious wedge play, and lackluster putting had me behind the eight-ball through 13 holes, but, standing at even par with five holes to play, I turned things around. I birdied the fifth hole and the seventh hole (my 14th and 16th) to get to two under par, but was very disappointed not to birdie the easy par-4 eighth with a short wedge in my hand from the middle of the fairway. My finishing hole was a downhill par three that was playing 209 yards to a tough back right hole location. I hit a great four iron, and it settled nicely just 15 feet behind the hole. The ensuing putt was a swinger from right to left, but I trusted my read and hit the most solid putt that I had hit all day and rolled it right in the middle. It was a hard-fought round of three-under-par 68. I had to wait until the last groups of the day got done to see that my closing effort was enough to qualify, but man did it feel great when the news became official! I didn't have my "A" stuff, but I was able to bear down and get it done.
Though my game wasn't good yesterday, I'm confident that a couple of good days of practice will have me ready to go this week in Chattanooga. The event is at a course called Black Creek, which I played about 5 years ago in the Tennessee Amateur. I played well and remember really liking the course. I'm very excited for the opportunity to compete on the Nationwide Tour this week, and even though the odds are definitely stacked against me this late in the year, my number one "Outcome Goal" is still attainable.
With that said, I need to have a great week working towards my process goals to keep my game sharp and to continue improving. I am ready to have a great week, and I am going to enjoy myself. Keep it here for reports along the way from my first Nationwide Tour event of the year!
No comments:
Post a Comment