Not Bad in Opening Round

In a very literal sense of the phrase, I was "not bad" in Wednesday's first round of the Egolf Tour's Bolle Classic. Playing at tournament host Sapona Country Club, I was very mediocre for most of the day, but sprinkled in some good shots here and there and never hit any really bad shots all day. The end  result was a six-birdie, no-bogey round of 65. The course was fairly easy given benign conditions and soft greens, but my round was very solid and is a great start to the week. 

I did a good job of staying focused on nearly every shot today. I failed to commit to a good plan a couple of times and let shots slip away by failing to get up-and-down for birdie from just in front of the green on the par-5 first hole and then missing an easy four-foot putt for a birdie on the eighth, but other than that, I was fairly sharp mentally today. My execution wasn't always the greatest, but because I had a good strategy for each shot, I kept the ball in good places. I was particularly proud of my final birdie of the day. After hitting two good shots into the par-4 seventeenth hole, I faced an eight-foot putt for birdie. I read the putt and then stepped over the ball to hit it, but from on top of the ball, I didn't trust my read at all. In past weeks, I would have made a weak, uncommitted stroke that most likely would have resulted in a lousy putt. Instead, I backed off of the putt for one more look and got committed to my line. I then made a confident stroke and rolled the ball right in the middle. It was a nice birdie and was a good illustration of the role that trust plays in execution. My physical skills are continuing to improve, and I can tell that I am making progress mentally as well. 

I am excited to be off to a good start, but my goal for the week is to a have consistently solid performance. I tee off at 9:10 in Thursday's second round at Colonial Country Club. If I can stay sharp mentally, I know that my game is in good enough shape to deliver a great round. I have been having great practice sessions so far this week, and I'm going to let that work show. Come back Thursday evening for some good news from round two. Thank you for your support!