tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51386016071955602542024-03-13T12:09:23.551-07:00Peter Malnati GolfThe Journey to Be My BestPeter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.comBlogger866125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-46433382438901496292017-09-19T14:52:00.001-07:002017-09-19T14:52:49.623-07:00New Blog SiteHi everyone! Thank you for continuing to try to keep up with me. As you might have noticed, I've not been updating this blog at all lately. I still think that blogging is good for me, and I really appreciate all the support I get from you, my followers, so I have decided to start over fresh with a new blog. Please follow me at:<br />
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www.petermalnatigolf.wordpress.comPeter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-85829351149932016452017-07-16T15:08:00.000-07:002017-07-16T15:08:03.817-07:00Catching Up on a Positive Last MonthI've been too busy playing golf tournaments and working on my game to update my blog! That's really not true, but I have been keeping myself busy. I've played the last four weeks, and I am making some great progress. In the last four weeks I have:<br />
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1.) Made it to Saturday at the Traveler's Championship in Hartford, CT. I played poorly on Friday and then struggled again on Saturday, and I missed the secondary cut, but I played a nice round on Friday to make it to the weekend at one of my very favorite events on Tour.<br />
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2.) Put together a fantastic effort on a demanding course at the Quicken Loans National just outside Washington D.C. I began the tournament with a triple bogey on my second hole (the 11th) and proceeded to play the 11th hole in seven over par for the week. A great round on Friday had me in the middle of the pack heading into the weekend and despite a cold putter and a few big mistakes, I played hard over the weekend and finished T38th.<br />
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3.) Posted four rounds in the 60's (69, 69, 68, 69) at the Greenbrier to finish T29th at the Greenbrier Classic. I hit the ball beautifully for most of the week in West Virginia, and was very close to having a great finish there.<br />
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4.) Overcame a double-bogey, bogey, bogey start on Thursday at the John Deere Classic to post four rounds of par or better and a nine-under-par total to finish T44th.<br />
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My play is really starting to come around. All areas of my game have shown promise over the last month, and I really feel close to putting it all together.<br />
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I'm going to keep playing. I will tee it up next week in Opelika, Alabama, for the Barbasol Championship. I've got some good energy going right now, and I'm excited to keep working and keep playing. There are only four tournaments left this season for which I am currently eligible, but I can make a late-season push and qualify for the Fed-Ex Cup Playoffs. It will take some great play over the next five weeks, but I'm ready for some greatness.<br />
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Mostly, I'm just going to keep working hard, keep being the best that I can be, keep having fun, and keep loving life. I'm excited to get after it! Thank you for following me and for your support. Keep it here to enjoy the journey with me!Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-63278586287713376542017-06-12T15:56:00.000-07:002017-06-12T15:56:27.944-07:00Close Calls and More ProgressI'm playing good golf, and it's really fun! I haven't been able to put enough consistently good play together yet to have a good tournament result, but I'm thrilled with the progress that I am seeing.<br />
<br />
After spending the two previous weeks at home working on my game, I had a busy week last week. I played U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying on Monday. 36 holes in Memphis in June can be a draining task, but I relish the physical challenge of it. I felt good heading into the qualifier, and I really played beautifully. For the day, I made nine birdies and three bogeys to post a pair of 68's and a 136 (-6) total. Unfortunately, the last few spots were decided in a playoff at -7 total, so I missed out on a chance to play in this year's U.S. Open by the narrowest of margins.<br />
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I know better than to live in the past, but just to emphasize how well I played, I truly have just three regrets from the qualifier. On my 11th hole of the day, I hit two perfect shots on a dangerous par-five and then misjudged a chip and had to settle for par despite being just in front of the green and only 30 feet from the hole in two. Then, on my 27th hole of the qualifier, I again found myself just in front of the green in two on a par five. I hit a nice pitch, but didn't trust my instincts on the read of the putt. I second-guessed myself and missed from five or six feet. I can be completely at peace missing a putt of that distance, but it bugs me that I missed because I over-thought it. Lastly, I got greedy with a wedge shot from the rough on my 32nd hole of the qualifier. I had 130 yards to a front pin from a wispy lie in the first cut of rough. I felt like a pitching wedge would jump a little bit and probably go past the hole, so I tried to hit a hard gap wedge and knock it close. The ball didn't jump at all and I was left with a tough pitch from short of the green to the front pin and made a bogey. With these three exceptions, I was proud of how I played all day at the U.S. Open Qualifier. My putter was a little cold, but I was still in it until the very end, and that feels good.<br />
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I was definitely bummed to have nothing tangible to show for my efforts on Monday, but I was confident in the way I was playing. I moved on from the qualifier and turned my attention to one of my favorite events on Tour, the FedEx St. Jude Classic. I restfully prepared for the tournament on Tuesday and Wednesday, and when my early tee time rolled around on Thursday, I felt ready for it.<br />
<br />
Then I made a double-bogey six on the first hole of the tournament. I was slightly rattled, but also felt strangely calm and confident. I proceeded to play 17 of my best holes of tournament golf. I drove the ball beautifully, hit some great iron shots, and made a couple of good putts. I turned my double-bogey start into a three-under-par round of 67. It was great!<br />
<br />
I still felt just as good when I came out to play on Friday afternoon, but my execution was just a little loose. I narrowly missed the first three fairways, and found myself battling early. I hit a poor iron into the water on the par-three fourth and then watched in disappointment as a good iron shot rolled into a tough spot over the back of the green on the long par-four fifth hole. I made bogey on three of the first five holes but really felt like I had only hit one poor shot. I was still feeling good, but things only got harder for me. After a couple more bogeys, I found myself standing on the 15th tee needing to play well on the last four holes. I responded with my only very poor drive of the week as I toe-hooked a three wood into a creek well left of the fairway. I made a good bogey from there. I felt a strange combination of things walking off that green. I was rattled, disappointed, and worried; yet somehow I felt some calm in there, too. I proceeded to hit two nearly perfect shots into a green-side bunker on the par-five 16th. I hit a great bunker shot to five feet and nervously rolled in the putt. I hit two great shots on the long par-four 17th and lipped out my 15-foot birdie putt. I walked to the 18th hole not knowing if a par would be good enough to make the weekend. I was nervous on the tee and I pushed my drive way to the right (away from the pond on the left around which the fairway bends). I ended with a good lie, but I was 206 yards from the hole. I had a little helping wind and a lot of nervous energy, so I grabbed my five iron and hit a great shot. It landed on the front of the green and released to end up just 12 feet right of the hole. I felt strangely in the zone over the putt and rolled it in for a closing birdie. That felt really good!<br />
<br />
I didn't parlay that great finish into a big weekend performance. I actually shot a lousy score on Saturday and ended up missing the Saturday cut. (If more than 78 players make the cut, an additional Saturday cut is used to limit the field so that the tournament can finish within the TV window on Sunday.) I still get credit for a made cut, but it feels yucky to not have the chance to move up on Sunday.<br />
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So, again, I am not leaving Memphis with the results that I am looking for, but I feel so great. In small spurts, I'm playing the kind of golf that I feel prepared to play consistently. I'm really excited. I will keep working on things, and I'm going to start playing well consistently.<br />
<br />
I have this week off while my peers go battle it out for that U.S. Open trophy. That's okay with me; I'll be there soon! I'm going to work hard and prepare for a fun stretch of events ahead. Great stuff is coming. Keep it here to enjoy the journey with me!Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com80tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-76055420469395044472017-05-22T07:59:00.001-07:002017-05-22T07:59:23.766-07:00Visible Progress<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I’ve been making a lot of invisible progress lately. By
that, I mean that my scores have been consistently rather stinky, but beneath
that, I have felt subtle improvements growing. At last week’s Byron Nelson
Classic in Dallas, I made some visible progress. The end result of the
tournament was still pretty stinky, but I did get to play four rounds, and I’m
excited by some of the steps forward that I took.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The visible progress was in the form of a first-round 67
(-3). I played late in the day and the winds were incredibly challenging on
Thursday afternoon. I birdied the first hole of the tournament, and though the
blustery winds wreaked havoc, I dropped just one shot on Thursday. I executed
beautifully all day and rolled in some nice putts on my back nine to shoot
three under. There was one score of 66 posted in the afternoon wave, but my
round on Thursday was the next best of those who played in the afternoon. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I wasn’t done with my signs of visible progress. I came
out Friday morning and got my putter heated up. Starting on number ten, I made
a great putt of eight or nine feet to save par after a sloppy opening approach
shot. I then proceeded to take advantage of some beautiful ball-striking by holing
birdie putts of 10, 8, and 20 feet on the next three holes. After a couple of
solid pars on holes 14 and 15, I executed three good shots on the par-five 16<sup>th</sup>
hole and rolled in a seven footer for another birdie. Through 25 holes of the
tournament I was -7 and in first place by myself!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Okay, reality check time. I finished the tournament at +4
for 72 holes and in a tie for 61<sup>st</sup> place, so obviously, a lot of
that stinky stuff came out over the last 47 holes. I’m really not sure why. I
had some nervousness playing in one of the later groups on Saturday, but I have
often thrived on that kind of nervous energy in the past, so I don’t think that
was the problem. A wickedly cold putter on the weekend was certainly a big part
of the reason for the disappointing performance, but I really don’t know why
that happened either. At the end of the day, I don’t think I can explain why I went
from so good to so bad last week, but, fortunately, it doesn’t need to be explained.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I’m super excited and encouraged by the visible progress
I made last week. It only lasted 25 holes, but it was (is) there. I’m going to
embrace that, and I’m going to keep working hard to improve my game so that I
can perform at a great level more consistently.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I entered last week with a renewed focus to become the
best player in the world from 150 yards and in, and I shaped my preparation
accordingly. That is going to be a point of emphasis for me moving forward. I
will continue to nurture and develop my long game, but the majority of my
practice will involve putting, short game, wedge-play, and short irons. I want
to be the best player in the world in these areas, and that goal is attainable.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I now have a two-week break to work on my game and make
more progress. The next time I tee it up will be for U.S. Open Qualifying on
June 5. Between now and then, I’m going to celebrate the visible progress I saw
this past week in Dallas and also work really hard to keep improving.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I am excited, and I am having fun. Despite the poor
results that have stretched on for quite some time now, I feel that I am in a
great spot. I can never say for sure when, but I feel like great things are
just ahead. Thank you for following me, and keep it here for a practice report
sometime in the next couple weeks. <o:p></o:p></div>
Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-65369403708407765652017-05-16T05:07:00.002-07:002017-05-16T05:07:32.901-07:00New BeliefResults-wise, I still don't have anything good to report. After two more tournaments--the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina and The Player's Championship in Florida--I still haven't gotten things to click in competition. I actually did a lot of positive things both weeks, but didn't have the consistency to post good scores. I ended up missing both cuts.<br />
<br />
I know this is sounding like the same song on repeat, but I actually do believe that I am close to playing well. Conditions were challenging in North Carolina, and I posted a two-day total of five over par. In a ten-hole stretch on Thursday, I was +7. That means for the other 26 holes on Thursday and Friday, I was two under. That is significant because the leader was only -6 through two rounds in North Carolina. Clearly, I need to play better and clean up that sloppy stretch, but this shows that there is good stuff in there.<br />
<br />
In The Player's Championship, I had a similar positive experience despite the disappointing result. I began the tournament with a one-under-par back nine on Thursday, and after a solid par on the first hole and a perfect drive down the reachable par-five second hole, I really felt like I was going to post a good score. I made a mess of the second hole after my great drive, but even after that setback, I executed really well over the last seven holes. Unfortunately, I had a few errors in judgment on the firm and difficult golf course, and my good execution was not rewarded. I actually made bogey on three of the final seven holes without ever hitting a shot that landed more than a couple steps from where I was planning. I posted a 75 (+3) in round one, but it felt really good. I hit a lot of good shots in round two, but I also hit some lousy ones and posted another 75 to miss the cut by four shots.<br />
<br />
I am really sick of reporting this news, but I'm not discouraged. If anything, I feel like I'm having a re-awakening of sorts. The frustration of the last 16 months has forced me to do some evaluating, and I had a revelation yesterday morning. My practice for the last two years has been focused largely on becoming a better long-game player. I've worked hard on my golf swing and become a better five iron player. This work has been valuable and necessary, but it has taken me away from my essence and from what makes me great at golf. I want and need to be the best player in the world from inside 150 yards. And the good news is that I can be! And what's more? I haven't been even close. In fact, this year, I've been a below average wedge player and an average-at-best putter. With a renewed focus on the things that make me great, I'm going to get after being the best in the world from 150 yards and in. My long game has improved, and it good enough to allow me to accomplish everything I want in golf, but I must (and will!) be better than good from inside 150 yards.<br />
<br />
This revelation and the new practice mindset it is encouraging does not guarantee that things will turn around immediately, but I'm filled with a new belief that I am going to get things turned and going in the right direction. I'm super-excited to get after it.<br />
<br />
I'm currently on my way to Dallas for the Byron Nelson Tournament. I'm excited for a great week. Thank you for following and please keep it here for more updates!Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-81291509105140681012017-04-29T13:26:00.001-07:002017-04-29T13:26:59.189-07:00Rats<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
After two weeks that truly were great fun for me, I don’t
have a whole lot of good news to report results-wise. The Valero Texas Open in
San Antonio is definitely one of my favorite stops of the year, but
unfortunately I didn’t play very well so my week there was cut short. Then, I played
the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the first time since 2014. Brand new for
this year, the event featured a team format. I paired up with one of my closest
friends, Mark Wilson, and despite having an absolute blast, Mark and I had a
tough start and couldn’t quite play well enough to recover. So, I’m heading
home early from New Orleans, too.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
It stinks to miss cuts and to not be competing on
weekends. I’m really sick of it, but I am still proud of the effort that I’ve
been putting in and am confident that my hard work will bear results.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I’m not really sure which variables will play the biggest
role in helping me to get things turned around, but I do have some definite
areas in which I need to improve. First of all, I need to regain my swagger on
the greens. It’s not just that I haven’t had any great putting weeks lately;
I’ve actually been putting poorly. My putting practice has been going okay, but
I’m never feeling great over my putts right now. I know that I am brilliant
with a putter in my hands. Through smart practice and a free mindset, I can
release that brilliance again and do so consistently. Next, I need to be much
more consistent with my wedges. I have weeks when I feel okay about my wedge
play (Hilton Head), but then I also have weeks where my wedge play is atrocious
(Texas Open). Even at my worst, I need to be an above-average wedge player, and
I know that I can be through disciplined practice and smart execution. Finally,
I need to clear my mind to compete more freely. I am currently feeling a lot of
stress, pressure, and anxiety when I’m on the course because I feel desperate
for better results. I know I play my best golf when I feel freedom, and I also
know that I can choose that feeling. It is very difficult for me right now, but
I can choose to feel free, and I am progressing toward doing it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Finding excellence in these three areas is not a
far-fetched task for me. I can do it. I’ve been excellent in these areas
before, and I will be again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I’m definitely disappointed, frustrated, and even sad
about my results lately. But all I can do with the past is learn from it, and I
feel like I’m ready to do that. I am excited to keep going and keep growing. I
have incredible opportunities ahead, and I’m ready to seize them! I’m still
living my dream, and I still have the best job in the world. I’m ready to do it
well. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
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Thank you for believing in me and following my journey.
Keep it here for great news moving forward!<o:p></o:p></div>
Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-52090610870828521152017-04-18T06:29:00.000-07:002017-04-18T06:29:21.230-07:00Progress at Harbour TownI moved forward in a big way last week at Harbour Town. A slow start to the tournament created a challenge and a disappointing final round kept me from have a good finish, but in between, a lot of extremely encouraging things happened. I'm continuing to make physical progress in all areas of my game, but more importantly, I am moving toward feeling more freedom and having more mental clarity on the course as well. I'm excited to keep playing!<br />
<br />
Last week was fun. Harbour Town is possibly my favorite course on Tour, and I had one of my best friends, Ryan Nelson, caddying for me for the week. I had three great days of preparation, and really felt ready for the tournament. Despite a frustrating and unsettling poor start in which I was three over par through six holes, I still felt like I was ready to play well. I chipped in under the watch of the lighthouse on Harbour Town's iconic 18th hole (my ninth) on Thursday for my first birdie of the tournament, and for the next 45 holes, I played a lot of good golf.<br />
<br />
The strongest memory for me from the week will be the way I played the final seven holes on Friday. Though I'm trying hard to not let outside distractions affect my mental process towards each shot, I must admit that I was acutely aware of the cut as I was playing on Friday. That definitely caused some stress for me, but I executed beautifully over my final seven holes. I converted two beautiful shots on the par-four 12th hole into a birdie. I continued to hit really good shots, but narrowly missed great birdie chances on holes 13, 15, and 16. I stood on the 17th tee believing I would need to play the final two holes one under par to make the cut. The par-three 17th was between an eight iron and seven iron for me on Friday. I wasn't sure that I could quite get an eight iron to the hole, but I knew that I would have a hard time stopping a seven iron on the green with a strong wind at my back. I decided to commit to the eight iron, and I hit a beautiful shot. The ball flew high with just a tiny draw and fell perfectly on my selected target just right of the flag. The ball rolled out perfectly and finished twelve feet short and right of the hole. I definitely felt some nerves, but I was composed, and I rolled my putt into the left edge of the cup for a birdie! It was a great feeling. I proceeded to hit a shockingly poor tee shot on the closing hole, but I hit a great four iron from right of the fairway to just in front of the green, chipped close, and finished with a par to post two under par for the first 36 holes.<br />
<br />
I still felt way more stress and anxiety related to the cut than I would like to feel, but this time, I took control of those feelings and stayed in the present. It was a huge step in the right direction!<br />
<br />
I played an interestingly great round on Saturday during which my ball-striking felt a little off the entire time, but I managed it very well and shot a 67 (-4) to move up quite a bit on moving day. Then, on Sunday, I had the most beautiful warm-up session and striped my opening tee shot. I felt confident, but it didn't happen for me on Sunday. I hit too many errant shots and never got the good stuff flowing. My Sunday 75 (+4) dropped me down the final standings quite a bit.<br />
<br />
I did have one very cool Sunday highlight, though. On that same 17th hole, with the same wind and the hole location just a little farther back on the green, I hit a seven iron that landed just over the front bunker and released right into the middle of the cup for a hole-in-one! What a memory!<br />
<br />
I am striving to improve in many areas, and my week at Harbour Town was definitely a move in the right direction. I'm excited to keep it up. Physically, I'm prepared to play well and feel like I'm only getting better. Mentally, I've had a lot going on inside my head, but I feel ready to quiet some of the noise, come back to the present, and have a lot of fun.<br />
<br />
I am currently on the way to San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open, and I'm excited to keep progressing. Thank you for following me and please keep it here for more updates moving forward!Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com376tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-6526782332936803112017-04-02T09:48:00.000-07:002017-04-02T09:48:49.648-07:00Close in HoustonA birdie-free 75 in the opening round was not the start I was looking for or expecting after two weeks of great preparation for the Houston Open. I was feeling primed physically and mentally to get after it, so I was definitely pretty bummed after the first round. When I look back on it though, I really was prepared. I just had a rough day. I hit some bad shots at the wrong times and didn't make any putts. I was prepared, I just didn't execute very well. That first round had me behind the eight-ball for round two, and I did end up missing the cut, but this week felt different and better than some of my recent disappointments. I'm prepared to play well, and it's going to happen soon!<br />
<br />
Round two was really fun. I woke up Friday morning feeling a little bummed about my poor score from the day before, but I discussed those feelings with my caddie (Alicia!), and we decided that I was going to forget about everything and just go play as if I was having a fun round with my buddies. I had absolutely not given up on getting back into the tournament, but I knew that the best way to do that would be to go have some fun. I felt relaxed and confident during my warm-up and was genuinely excited to go play. The wind was picking up for the afternoon, and I felt ready for the challenge. I hit a good drive down the middle on the first hole and then hit my second shot too well as I pierced an eight iron through the wind and over the flag into the back fringe. From there, I casually rolled in a fifteen footer for my first birdie of the tournament, and I smiled real big. I went on to birdie four of the first six holes in round two. After a good drive on the par-five eighth, I was really feeling it. I committed to my second shot and was feeling good, but I splashed my three wood into the pond right of the green. Despite the bogey, I was still feeling good, but I just couldn't get it going the rest of the way. Still, with winds increasing and conditions becoming more difficult, the cutline began to rise, and I still had a great chance to make it to the weekend with four holes to go. I hit a disappointingly poor wedge shot into the par-five 15th hole and made a par. I then hit a lot of good shots over tough final three holes, but ended up finishing par-bogey-bogey to post a score (72, even par) that wasn't nearly as good as how I felt I had played. It was really fun to play well and feel some excitement again, though!<br />
<br />
One more cool story about the second round: I ended up bogeying the final hole, but that doesn't tell the story of what really happened. After my bogey on the 17th hole, I needed an eagle on the 484-yard 18th hole to make it to the weekend. I smoked my drive down the watery par four and had 187 yards to the front left pin which was tight to the water. The wind was helping off the right, and I had 179 yards to the front edge of the green. I knew to make it I had to hit a seven iron up in the air and have it land softly right on the front of the green. I hit the most beautiful shot, and it was falling left on the wind and going right at the flag. It landed on the edge of the front fringe and skidded forward past the flag all the way to the back tier of the green. It was so cool to hit that shot and actually see it have a chance while it was in the air!<br />
<br />
So, at the end of the day, this will go down as a missed cut and that is always a little bit disappointing for me, but this was actually a really good week. I am feeling physically prepared to play great, and I will continue to work to make my swing more autonomic so that it's more consistent in tournament situations. I'm also really close to feeling mentally prepared to play great. There is definitely a big part of me that still wants success too badly and is too obsessed with results right now, but the attitude of just having fun and being relaxed is a good start to overcome that. I was close to getting it in Houston, and I am going to get there!<br />
<br />
I now have Master's week off unfortunately, but I will use it to prepare well for a long and great stretch of golf after the Masters. I'm super excited, and I know that great stuff is coming.<br />
<br />
Thank you for following and believing in me, and please keep it here for good news moving forward!<br />
<br />
Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-35407350258544597192017-03-19T10:16:00.000-07:002017-03-19T10:16:49.307-07:00Pain, Change, and GrowthFor the most part, I believe that I have a fairly healthy sense of perspective about life and golf's place in it for me. Golf is my career. It is one of my passions. It is very important to me. It is NOT life and death by any means. It doesn't crack the top three of things that are most important to me in my life. Still, it hurts when it doesn't go well and my hard work doesn't produce the desired results.<br />
<br />
My last tournament inflicted some pain. Playing at one of my favorite courses on tour (Innisbrook), I played really nicely. Despite being just fractionally off with my driver and having a few things go wrong, I was playing very solidly. I was one under par through 35 holes, and I piped my drive up the par-four ninth hole--my last on Friday. From there, I faced a very inviting shot. I had 148 yards to a back right flag from a great lie in the fairway. I wasn't trying to be too aggressive, but I was definitely trying to give myself a good birdie opportunity. I pushed my iron shot a little bit, but it was flying just right of the pin. Unfortunately, I had misjudged the wind and selected the wrong club. My ball flew past the hole and bounded off the back of the green. From there, I misplayed a pitch shot, hit my first putt too hard, and nervously stroked my three-and-a-half foot bogey putt right of the hole. At the time, it was a bit of a soul-crushing double-bogey. It dropped me from one shot inside of the cutline to missing the cut by one. It was painful.<br />
<br />
For a couple days, I wasn't sure how to respond. I've always been good about being intentional with my response to adversity. I have always found something positive--some kind of silver lining that I can take and build from moving forward. This time I must admit that I felt pretty defeated for the days that immediately followed.<br />
<br />
That feeling of pain has brought around some needed change, however. The first change was not of my choosing, but it is something about which I am excited. My caddie, Shane, called me on Tuesday evening and told me that he wants to split. I've never blamed Shane for my current slump, and, despite some differences in personality and communication style, I actually have really appreciated the work that he has done for me. It's sad to see our partnership end, but I think he's right that something fresh will be really good for both of us. I'm excited to move forward in that regard.<br />
<br />
I don't have a long-term solution to my caddie vacancy yet, but I do know who will be caddying for me in my next event. I'm going to reunite the dream team that worked so well in 2015. Alicia will caddie for me in Houston! Regardless of what I decide to do long term, I am very excited to take the things that I have learned and work to build a caddie relationship that works best for me tactically, mentally, and emotionally. This change will be a positive step forward for me.<br />
<br />
Another change that was inspired by the pain I experienced at Innisbrook is a new sense of ownership over the thoughts I'm thinking. I've been feeling tremendous weight bearing down on me lately, and I've been blaming the last 14 months of poor results for causing that weight. I've also been feeling like golf has been difficult and that I can't seem to catch a break. I've been blaming outside things for the feelings of pressure, anxiety, and disappointment I've been feeling. In reality, those feelings are thoughts, and they originate inside of my own head. What I think is a choice, and thinking right is a skill. I have not practiced this skill nearly as much as I've practiced my physical skills lately, and it's time to change that. I control what I think, and my thoughts control how I feel. I'm going to take control of what I think.<br />
<br />
I think I'm a great golfer. I think I'm a winner. I think I can go play with freedom and trust.<br />
<br />
I certainly know that this isn't the last time I'll ever face adversity or disappointment in golf. I also know that I have the skills, both physically and mentally, to deal with and overcome adversity. I am ready to practice and use those skills.<br />
<br />
I'm excited to get after it! I've decided not to play in Puerto Rico this coming week so that I can have another week off to practice my skills and rest up for a big stretch of golf ahead. I'll tee it up in Houston March 30-April 2, and I'll be ready.<br />
<br />
Thank you for following and believing in me. Great things are coming. Keep it here to enjoy the ride with me.Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-83053613917361796242017-03-06T19:34:00.002-08:002017-03-06T19:34:10.507-08:00Lowest Score Wins<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
In nearly every conceivable way, I am better at golf
today than I was when I won on the PGA Tour just 16 months ago. I’m a much
better swinger of the golf club. I drive the ball more consistently. I’m a
better ball-striker. My wedge play is better. I’m more skilled and more
comfortable around the greens. I’m more mature. I’m more experienced. Overall,
I am simply a better golfer now than I have ever been.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Yet my scores haven’t been good lately. I’ve struggled to
post consistently good scores for quite a while. What’s more, my old penchant
for getting hot and posting very low rounds hasn’t come around in quite some
time. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
So, what gives? How can a better golfer shoot higher
scores? I have two answers. The first is simple and the second a bit more
abstract. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
First of all, I need to putt better. I haven’t felt great
about the way I have putted for most of the last 14 months. I’ve been
inconsistent, had poor pace, struggled inside of five feet, and, most notably, have
not made putts in that mid-range distance (10ft-25ft) where I expect to
differentiate myself from my competition. Deep down, I’m still very confident
in my ability on the greens. I truly believe that putting is a great strength
for me and that it will allow me to stand out on the PGA Tour for the next
couple of decades. The key is letting that brilliance flow. To do it, I’m going
to re-dedicate myself to practice techniques and drills that have worked for me
in the past. Also, I’m going to focus on having fun on the greens and stop
putting so much pressure on myself.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The second reason my scores haven’t been good is that I
haven’t consistently allowed myself to play with freedom in a long time. I have
let a prolonged stretch of sub-standard results weigh heavily on me. Each time
I tee it up, I do so with a strong desire to “get it right this time.” This
causes me to feel anxious and worried, and that is not a recipe for good golf.
It is quite the vicious cycle, really. Struggles lead to a stronger and
stronger desire to play well, and sometimes that very desire is the biggest
challenge. (I told you this was going to be abstract.) It’s tough to nail down
a solution to a problem so intangible, but I’m going to do it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I think it was the late, great Arnold Palmer who once
said “golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated.” I’ve been focusing
lately on the endless complications. I’ve been trying so hard to do everything
correctly. I’ve been trying to swing properly and make sure I’m strategizing
properly. I’ve obsessed about trying to think the right thoughts at the right
time. I’ve tried and tried and tried to get all the little details right. I
think I’ve worked myself into a bit of an over-thinking nature and that is
causing my tension. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
So now, I’m ready to focus on the deceptively simple
nature of my sport. At the end of the day, it’s no more complicated than this:
lowest score wins. I’m going to go out and try to shoot the lowest score. It
doesn’t matter what it looks like. It doesn’t matter what other people think.
It doesn’t matter what’s on the line or who else is in the competition. Lowest
score wins. I’m going to go shoot the lowest score.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Clearly, lots of little things go into producing the
lowest score, and I’m not naïve to that fact. But here’s the thing: I’m ready.
I’ve been working my butt off to have everything in place. It’s time to go
play. It’s time to go shoot the lowest score.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I absolutely love what I do, and I’m really excited to
keep doing it and start doing it with freedom more consistently. I’m just outside
of Tampa Bay, Florida, this week at one of my favorite courses on Tour for the
Valspar Championship. I’m going to have a lot of fun this week!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Thank you for following me and for your support. Keep it
here for an update from the tournament. <o:p></o:p></div>
Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-78917617277910318732017-02-27T05:35:00.000-08:002017-02-27T05:35:29.334-08:00Agonizingly Close at PGA NationalA cold putter on Thursday and a driver that was just a fraction off on a difficult golf course on Friday cost me at the Honda Classic. I played beautiful golf for much of the tournament, but those two areas of weakness got me as I posted rounds of 70, 71 (+1, total) to finish tied for 71st place and miss the cut by a single player.<br />
<br />
I was pretty devastated on Friday evening when the final verdict became official. I wasn't devastated simply because of the fact that I missed the cut or that I was so close to making it; rather, I was devastated because I truly believe I was in position to have a great weekend and a great finish in the tournament. When the day ended on Friday, I was ten shots behind the leader and just four shots behind 17th place. More importantly, I was playing some terrific golf. It was hard to swallow that I wouldn't get the chance to compete over the weekend.<br />
<br />
Now, with a couple of days to process it, I'm able to realize how incredibly positive my performance was last week at PGA National. With thick rough, narrow fairways, and water in play on nearly every hole, the course was a strong challenge. But I was ready for it, and handled it really well.<br />
<br />
In round one, I had one of my best ball-striking rounds I can ever remember. I drove it well, hit my irons very solidly, and was really never in any trouble at all around the course. I gave myself a lot of good birdie opportunities, but unfortunately converted very few of them. With a cold putter, I posted a two-birdie, two-bogey round on Thursday.<br />
<br />
On Friday, I putted a better, and my iron play was again very solid, but my driver was just a fraction off. I never missed a fairway by more than a few steps, but I missed several by that narrow margin, and that was trouble. Three times in my round I ended up near the lip of a fairway bunker and couldn't advance my ball to the green. I made four bogies in Friday's round, and all were the result of a missed fairway that prevented me from hitting my second shot onto the green.<br />
<br />
Despite the disappointing result, I really feel incredibly encouraged by the way I played. I really need to work on my putting and find the consistency on the greens that has helped me achieve the things I have in golf, but from a ball-striking perspective, I feel that I am better today than I have ever been. I need to continue to improve and become sharper and more consistent, but I know that I am moving in the right direction.<br />
<br />
I have this week off to hone my skills at home, and I'm excited to have a great week of work. Next week the Tour visits one of my favorite stops at Innisbrook's Copperhead Golf Course for the Valspar Championship just outside of Tampa. I will be ready to go for that event.<br />
<br />
Thank you for following me and for your support. Great things are coming, so please keep it here to enjoy the journey with me!Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-33712797156304533162017-02-20T05:37:00.000-08:002017-02-20T05:37:14.407-08:00Focused on the Positives from RivieraI'll start with the bad news from Riviera. I opened the tournament horribly with four bogies in the first seven holes despite perfect scoring conditions. Throughout the week I really struggled on the greens. My pace was very poor at times and I missed several short putts. For the tournament I had six or seven three-putts. On top of that, I lost my way with my swing a little bit over the final 16 holes of the tournament and hit a lot of poor shots. I ended the tournament with a tie for 64th place finish--a disappointing result. <br />
<br />
That is the end of the bad news! I did a lot of things really well last week. I drove the ball beautifully for most of the week. I hit some of my best iron shots in a long time. I battled back from being four over par through the first seven holes of the tournament to get myself back into a position to fight for a good finish over the weekend. I played Riviera's signature hole, the drivable yet diabolical par-four tenth in 12 shots for the week. I twice laid up and hit beautiful wedge shots to the Ping-Pong table sized back section of the green and twice drove it perfectly to the fringe short and left of the green to set up easy up-and-down birdies. That was really good. I began my fourth round birdie-birdie and had the feeling like I was going to really play well. So many good things happened, and I feel great about them!<br />
<br />
I've definitely been suffering from a bit of low golf self-esteem lately. My results have been poor for the past 13+ months and it has taken a bit of a toll on my confidence. I know that I've been working on the right things, though, and I know that I have made great progress in my practice. That means that I am ready to play well, and good tournament play is just around the corner. I'm ready to get back in the mix consistently. My play at Riviera showed signs of that. <br />
<br />
Today is a travel day as Alicia and I head from the West Coast to the East Coast for the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. I'm excited to keep competing. Great things are coming. Thank you for following me, and please keep it here for an update from Florida!Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-3774558955771272302017-02-13T20:53:00.000-08:002017-02-13T20:53:32.551-08:00Short Post to Catch UpIt has been two weeks since my last post. In that time, I enjoyed a great week of recharging away from tournament golf and then gave a really disappointing performance at one of my favorite venues. <br />
<br />
I started with five days at home in Tennessee. I worked on a my game a little bit, had two fun and productive matches with my buddy Jonathon Hodge, and worked hard on my fitness during that time. Alicia and I then had the privilege of attending (and participating, in Alicia's case) in the wedding of two of our good friends in Atlanta. It was great to kick back and really enjoy a happy occasion with some great people. I probably didn't get as much golf work done as I should have during my week away from competition, but I did a lot of productive things and really rested up as well. It was great.<br />
<br />
From the wedding in Atlanta, Alicia and I traveled to one of my favorite places in the world--Pebble Beach, CA. Despite ugly conditions including lots of rain, wind, and cold temperatures, I still really enjoyed being there. In the challenging conditions, I feel like I prepared fairly well for the event last week, and at times my performance reflected that. I had stretches of good golf in each of the first two rounds. My short game was on point for each round last week, and I had stretches where my ball-striking was good, too. Unfortunately I putted very poorly throughout the week and everything except my short-game abandoned me on Saturday. Because of the three-course rotation for the event, the cut is made after Saturday's third round rather than the traditional half-way point. I entered the third round feeling like I had a good chance to get back into the tournament. I was playing the most score-able course in the rotation on Saturday, and, I was feeling pretty good about the way I was trending. Sadly, I played really poorly in round three. I didn't drive it well, my iron play was poor, and I was atrocious with the putter. It all added up to a six-over-par round of 77 and it meant I didn't get to return to Pebble Beach for the final round on Sunday. <br />
<br />
That's a sad story because I never want to miss an opportunity to play Pebble Beach! In addition to that, my performance on Saturday stung a little bit because it came out of nowhere. I really expected to play well. I'm going to respond to that disappointment in a strong way, though. Though I certainly haven't been lazy the last two weeks, I haven't been intentional about my preparation, either. I've been a little sloppy with my mental approach to my practice, and that has carried over to my mental game on the course. I'm going to be meticulous with both the structure and execution of my practice this week, and I'm going to have myself in the best possible state to take care of business in the tournament. <br />
<br />
By the way, the tournament this week is the newly named Genesis Open (The Los Angeles Open) at Riviera Country Club. This is a great event on a storied course, and I'm excited for it. I'm going to prepare well and then compete with focus and freedom. It's going to be fun! Keep it here for an update from LA. Thank you for following me!Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-9790514419073576952017-01-28T13:10:00.002-08:002017-01-28T13:10:36.107-08:00Positives from Torrey Pines
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don’t get to play this weekend at Torrey Pines. I did my
best and feel really good about much of what I did this week in San Diego, but
at the end of 36 holes, I had made a few too many mistakes and hadn’t putted
well enough to get to be a part of the final two rounds.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On Thursday, I felt really good as I set out to tackle the
famed beast that is the South Course. I knew the course would be extra
demanding with soggy fairways and dense, wet rough, but I felt ready for it.
Beginning on number 10, I hit great shots on my first two holes and started
with two solid pars. On the long par-four 12<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>, I narrowly missed
the fairway in the left rough and gouged my second shot out into the fairway
some 60 yards short of the green. From there I was simply too aggressive with
my wedge shot to a back pin. I flew it past the hole because I knew it would
spin back on the soft greens, but it took one small hop and got all the way
into the rough over the back of the green. I did my best from there to chip to
15 feet and two-putted for a double-bogey. I hadn’t really hit any terrible
shots, but my mistake with the wedge was punished. I stumbled through the next
two holes with a sloppy bogey on the par-five 13<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> and a three-putt
bogey on 14, so I stood at four over par through five holes. I was rattled and
disappointed, but still determined and confident. I missed only two greens the
rest of the day—a strong accomplishment around that course—and played the next
13 hole in two under par to post a reasonable first-round score of 74 (+2). I
was very pleased with my attitude and my performance after the tough start.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On Friday I moved to the North Course, which, despite a
recent renovation to add length and change the green complexes, plays a bit
easier than its neighbor. The winds picked up on Friday, however, so there was
still plenty of challenge. I again put myself behind the eight-ball early.
After two good swings and an opening par, I hit horrific pull-hooks off the
next two par fours. Both found hazards and led to a double-bogey and a bogey,
respectively, so I found myself three over par through four holes and in
trouble for the second day in a row. I hit another lousy tee shot which led to
a bogey on the sixth hole, but over my final twelve holes, I played beautiful
golf from tee to green. I actually gave myself opportunities to get back in the
tournament, but I couldn’t convert my birdie chances on the greens. I ended up
fighting back for a one-over-par round of 73 on Friday, but my +3 total left me
three shots out of a weekend tee time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Despite the disappointing end result, I will take so much
encouragement from this week. My iron play was very solid and at times
exceptional this week. On the South Course on the Thursday, I hit a three hybrid
224 yards to seven feet on the par-three 16<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> and then hit a five
iron 190 yards to three feet on the par-three 8<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>. On the back nine
of the North Course on Friday, I nearly hit the hole on both par threes with a
five iron and six iron. The five iron was from 204 yards downwind, and from the
tee it looked for sure like it was going to go in. Another stat that speaks to
how well I was hitting my approach shots is that despite both courses playing
very long, I missed only one green in two days after driving it in the fairway.
I am extremely encouraged by much of what I saw at Torrey Pines. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What do I need to do better? I need to eliminate big
mistakes and putt more consistently. I missed ten fairways in two days, and
that’s really not horrible around those two courses, but three times I missed
the fairway wildly into situations where I either had to take a penalty shot or
couldn’t reasonably advance my ball to the green. I need to clean up those
misses. I also need to putt more like myself more often. Putting is a challenge
on the soft poa annua greens of the South Course, but I was sloppy with my pace
a few times and missed a couple of short putts that I expect to make. I also
three-putted from 15 feet once on the North Course and failed to convert a number
of make-able birdie putts as I tried to climb back into the tournament. I know
I can clean up these two areas. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I hate to be traveling on a Saturday, but I am excited about
our destination. We are heading HOME. The year is young and I am still
incredibly excited about playing and competing, but three weeks on the road is
enough to make me crave a few nights at home. I’m going to take next week off,
and I’ll work on my game, continue to work on my fitness, rest up, and get
ready to go on another three-week stretch.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I really do feel great about my game and the direction everything is heading. It's going to be a great year! Thank you for following and caring about me. Please keep it here to enjoy the ride with me.</span>Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-39686229931690459812017-01-25T20:53:00.000-08:002017-01-25T20:53:55.683-08:00Feeling Strangely Prepared at TorreyIt has been a weird week in San Diego. It's been cold, rainy, and windy. I played a pro-am on the South Course at the Torrey Pines--the tournament's host venue--on Monday, but by the seventh hole of the day I had lost feeling in my hands, so I can't say that I got a lot out of that. I put in some nice practice on Tuesday and played nine holes on the North Course, which I will play on Friday in the tournament's second round, but again, I was just cold and a bit out of sorts most of that day as well. On Wednesday I felt a bit more normal, but I was an alternate for the pro-am and didn't get in, so rather than playing any holes, I just had a couple of nice practice sessions. So to be honest, I have hit very few good shots on a golf course this week. That's a little disconcerting, but I feel strangely at peace. <br />
<br />
Though I haven't really gotten my game to click yet this week, I'm happy with the way I've been going about my practice. My swing drills have felt good, and I've also put in some quality time working on my putting. My short game has been sharp lately, too. Both courses at Torrey Pines require really solid ball-striking, but even more than that, they require determination and the ability to grind out tough pars. I think that's why I'm at peace. I feel ready to display both of those characteristics. <br />
<br />
Though the mornings will be chilly, the forecast promises beautiful weather for the tournament. The golf courses are long and soft with thick rough, so there will be a nice juxtaposition between the views around me and the golf experience in front of me. The views will be peaceful, serene, beautiful, and soothing. The golf will be an intense challenge that requires focus and grit. I find beauty in that, too, though!<br />
<br />
It's weird to say given that I've not hit many good shots in the last three days, but I'm very excited to take on Torrey Pines this week. I'm going to be patient and tough. I'm going to be focused. Most importantly, I'm going to have fun. I get started at 9:20 PST on the tenth tee of the South Course. Keep it here for an update from the tournament. Thank you for following me!Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-25815104558120577442017-01-23T20:33:00.000-08:002017-01-23T20:33:22.644-08:00A Week of Positive Things in the DesertI'll start with the bad news. I made some horrible swings and lost my way a bit at times during the final round, and I ended up finishing 77th--last among those who made the cut. My golf felt yucky at times on Sunday, and I was really disappointed because I felt great heading into the final day. At the end of the week though, I'm remembering the things that made me feel great more than the disappointing elements. It was definitely a positive week overall. <br />
<br />
After traveling from Hawaii to La Quinta, California, on Monday, I put in two light but thorough days of preparation on Tuesday and Wednesday. I was feeling good about my game heading into the tournament, and I was ready to face some rare challenges in the desert. Cold, rain, and wind all threatened each day of the event, and though we ended up missing most of the tough weather, it still made for an interesting challenge having to consider the elements at a tournament that quite often feels like playing in a perfect bubble. <br />
<br />
I was ready for the challenge when I went out to the course on Thursday. I began the three-course tournament at La Quinta Country Club. It was uncomfortably cold when I started and there were periods of light rain, but, like I said, I was ready for it. I came out hitting the ball really nicely. I had great looks at birdie on each of my first four holes but didn't get any putts to fall. I played along steadily with pars on each of my first eight holes. I made a mistake off the tee on my ninth hole and then messed up around and on the green on my twelfth to make two bogies. Through 13 holes, I was birdie-less and two over par at an event where scores typically are quite low. I didn't panic, and I still felt ready to play well. I birdied three of my last five holes on day one to post a one-under-par 71. It was a good finish. <br />
<br />
The day two forecast was even more ominous, but again, I felt prepared for the challenge. The Tour moved tee times up an hour in hopes of beating the worst of the weather, so I began my second round early in the morning on the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West. I had to rely on my short game a little bit on Friday, but I was solid around the greens. Despite not being particularly sharp with a lot of my shots, I was bogey-free and four under par through 14 holes. I hit a very poor wedge into the par-five 15th and dropped a shot there, but finished the day with two more great up and downs for pars on the last two holes to post a three-under-par 69. <br />
<br />
On Saturday, I moved to the tournament's host course, the Stadium Course at PGA West. The Stadium Course is a Pete Dye design, and though the landing areas are actually pretty generous, the course is quite visually intimidating and is very punishing of big misses. I played very solidly from tee to green on Saturday. In fact, my only two bogies were both the result of a three-putt. I was a little off on the greens on Saturday, but as winds picked up quite a bit on my second nine, I made nine consecutive pars to post a one-under-par 71 and make the cut on the number at -5 for the week. <br />
<br />
Then Sunday happened. I hit some crappy shots and putted really poorly and ended up with a 77 to finish the week at even par. But, mixed in there on that disappointing day were some really great shots. I nearly holed a wedge on the 12th hole. I hit a five iron to four feet on the intimidating 13th hole. On the par-five 5th hole, I hit a three wood to about 15 feet into the small, well-protected green. In addition to these shots, I drove it beautifully all day. The end result was really disappointing, but there we plenty of encouraging things even on Sunday. <br />
<br />
Statistically, we have the Tour's "stroked gained" metrics from rounds played on the tournament's host course, only, so I have data from my third and final rounds. My driving was incredibly positive, whereas my putting was horribly negative. In between, the numbers show that my iron play and short game were both slightly negative, but in both cases, these numbers are skewed by a few horrific shots that were actually outliers for the week. I feel like my wedge play was a bit off and my putting was miles off last week, but otherwise, I was very pleased with how I played. I'm excited to keep building on the good stuff. <br />
<br />
I'm now in La Jolla, California (just north of San Diego), for the Farmer's Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. I'm excited to return to Torrey after skipping this event last season. This event uses both the North and South courses at Torrey Pines on Thursday and Friday before moving to the famed South Course for both rounds on the weekend. These are big, long, demanding golf courses, and I am going to be ready for them!<br />
<br />
Thank you so much for following and caring about me! Keep it here for an update from Torrey Pines. Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-49480951649311063142017-01-16T22:34:00.004-08:002017-01-16T22:34:53.262-08:00A Great Week in Hawaii
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a variety of ways, the last week has been the perfect
start to the 2017 portion of the PGA Tour season. Alicia and I were able to
soak up seven-and-a-half days of perfect Hawaii weather, and we had a blast
doing it. Additionally, I was able to shake a few layers of competitive rust
from my game and delivered a very encouraging performance on the course. It’s
always a bit sad to leave Hawaii, but as we fly back to the mainland today, we
are feeling extremely happy about the week we’ve just had.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Off of the golf course, Alicia and I really took
advantage of the chance to do “Hawaii things.” We swam with the happy fishies,
worked on our paddle-boarding skills (though we spent a lot of time sitting on
our butts because of the shallow water and sharp coral beneath), hiked to the
top of a volcanic crater, did some wave “surfing” in an ocean kayak, enjoyed
reading and breakfasts on the beach, and ate enough pineapple to make our
mouths hurt. It was a really fun week!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the course, I am really pleased with a lot of what
happened. I was brilliant at times in all areas of the game. I didn’t have the
consistency that I will look to develop as I get into a rhythm, but I showed a
lot of promise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I opened the tournament with a score of 69 (-1) on Thursday.
I was a little wayward off the tee that day, but I battled hard and still had a
chance to post a good round. Unfortunately, my tee shot on the last hole of the
day ended up going out of bounds. It was a poor drive that I pulled left of the
fairway, but it was a little unfortunate that it went out of bounds. It
actually bounced over a harmless fairway bunker as it made its way off the
course. I was a little rattled by that finish, but still, I had done a lot of
things really well on day one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In round two on Friday morning, my erratic driving
continued a little bit. I wasn’t wildly off, but on Waialae Country Club’s firm
and narrow fairways, I was far enough off to be constantly playing from out of
position. Fortunately, I had a great attitude and a hot putter in round two.
Despite not driving the ball well, my confidence was never really rattled. I
kept believing I was going to hit the next one well, and I did hit some good
drives over the course of the round. More importantly, I felt great on the
greens. I rolled in four birdie putts from outside of 20 feet including a 60+
foot putt on the 16<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> hole. I posted a second-round 66 (-4). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I liked the way I played on Saturday in the third round,
but on a day when seemingly everyone went pretty low, I could muster only a
one-under-par round of 69. I did several things well on Saturday, but still
missed a lot of fairways, and, for the first time all week, missed a couple of
short-range putts that I expect to make. Still, I finished the round feeling
good about my game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On Sunday, I had flashes of brilliance. I hit some
perfect iron shots, and that was very fun. On the downwind par-3 17<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
hole, I hit a 6 iron from 199 yards to less than three feet. Then on the
into-the-wind par-4 8<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> hole, I hit that same six iron from 163
yards and it landed just a couple feet short of the hole before releasing out
eight feet past. On the very next hole, my last of the tournament, I hit a
four-iron from 195 yards into a slight wind to less than three feet. It was
really cool to see such good iron shots. Actually, my last four full swings of
the tournament all produced really great shots. It was a good feeling. I didn’t
play perfect golf on Sunday, but each time I hit a poor shot, I followed it up
with a good recovery shot. My short game felt really sharp by Sunday, and I
made of couple of good par-saving putts to keep my scorecard clean. With a
birdie-eagle finish, I posted a final-round 65 (-5) and moved up the
leaderboard a little bit to finish tied for 27<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> at 11 under par. It
was an exciting way to finish a great week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Statistically, I don’t love my numbers from the
tournament. I hit less than half of the fairways, and my approach shot
statistics weren’t great either. I actually feel like I drove the ball much
better over the weekend, but I still missed a lot of fairways by a narrow
amount. In terms of my iron play, I definitely hit a lot of poor shots this
week, but it was a really good sign to see some great ones on Sunday. I feel
good about the way I’m swinging, and I’m confident that my consistency will
improve and lead to the better stats that I’m aiming to see. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My short game and putting stats were quite good,
actually. I hit some rusty short game shots early in the tournament, but
overall, I was very pleased with my work on and around the greens. I will look
to keep sharpening these two areas, but I am very pleased with the starting
point I achieved in Hawaii. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Right now, I am heading to the California desert for the
old Bob Hope Classic—now called the CareerBuilder Challenge. This event
features a pro-am format and is contested over three courses before the final
round is contested at the Stadium Course at PGA West. The pro-am format makes
for long rounds during the competition, so I am excited to continue to prepare
intelligently. I will put in some work on my golf game and in the gym, but I
will also prioritize being fresh and clear for the tournament rounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was an amazing week in Hawaii. We had a lot of fun and
did a lot of great work. I’m excited to build on that and keep improving. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thank you for following me and for your great support.
Keep it here for updates from the desert.</span></div>
Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-80761797127975978662017-01-12T10:08:00.001-08:002017-01-12T10:08:45.486-08:00Feeling Ready in HawaiiWe've packed so much fun into our first three days in Hawaii. It is so great to be here!<br />
<br />
In addition to preparing for the event, Alicia and I have also:<br />
<br />
-Been to Pearl Harbor with our friend Billy Hurley to see the Naval Destroyer on which he served for three years.<br />
-Hiked to the top of Diamond Head Crater in the dark to observe the Sunrise from 800+ feet above the Hawaii coast. <br />
-Sat on the beach to read our books just 150 feet from the little cottage where we're staying.<br />
-Practiced our balance on stand-up paddle boards in the Pacific Ocean. (One of us did a handstand on a paddle-board in the water. I'll let you guess who.)<br />
-Watched dolphins swim and play.<br />
<br />
Doing these things has me feeling so great. I have put in great work at the course, too. My game is feeling ready. I tee it up at 12:10 Hawaii time for the opening round, and I'm excited to go play. I know that I am prepared to play well, so I'm going to go play with confidence and deliver my best on every shot. It's going to be a great week.<br />
<br />
I'll give you an update as the tournament progresses and I'll try to post some pictures from our adventures. Thank you for following and for your great support!Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-12857859460512155112017-01-08T21:38:00.001-08:002017-01-08T21:38:09.320-08:00Great Offseason; Ready for a Great 2017<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hmmm… So much for that commitment to keep my blog updated
over the offseason. I’m currently on a plane to Hawaii to start the 2017
tournament season, so I can officially say that it is no longer offseason. I
have some catching up to do. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fortunately, the catching up that I am talking about is
on my blog and not in my golf game. I had a really productive break that
featured a nice blend of soaking up time with family, working on my game in
traditional ways, and adding a couple of new and exciting things to my
preparation. It all has me feeling re-charged, energized, and optimistic for
what 2017 and the future will hold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ll start with the new and exciting things. I started
working with a physical trainer in early December. I have always tried to
prioritize health and fitness as a big part of preparing to be my best, but
despite feeling like I was in great shape, certain movement patterns in the
golf swing have been difficult or impossible for me. I went and had a great
two-day meeting with a golf fitness expert, and he has helped craft a workout
program for me that will accentuate my strengths and help to address some of
the limitations that have been challenging me. I won’t go into any
biomechanical detail here, but I have definitely learned a lot and am really
having fun doing workouts that are specifically aimed to help me perform better
on the golf course. One of the most enlightening things is that fitness is not
always about training harder, faster, and heavier. Rest, recovery, and mental
clarity are important components to be physically at my best, too, and I am
learning to be intentional about achieving them. In just one month, I can
already tell that having this trainer helping to guide my physical preparation
is going to make a big positive difference for me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The work that I am doing with the trainer greatly
complements the work that I Mitchell and I are doing in my golf swing.
Improving my mobility in certain areas and stability in others through the
training is going to help expedite the improvements that I will make. I spent
some great time with Mitchell over the break, and we are continuing to improve
together. I’m becoming a much more consistent swinger of the golf club, and I’m
excited to keep getting better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I also made a trip to Southern California over the break
to visit the Titleist equipment test site. I spent a great day on the driving
range getting my equipment all dialed in and spent an incredibly valuable few
hours with Scotty Cameron’s great putter fitter at their studio. I didn’t make
any big changes anywhere in my bag, but there are a few little tweaks here and
there that I think will make a very positive difference. I also learned a lot
about myself and my tendencies, particularly with the putter. For example, if
I’m not intentional about engaging my core muscles during my setup, my body
will move slightly to seek balance just as I start my stroke. When I do engage
my core, my body stays incredibly still and allows for maximum consistency.
Similarly, on the range, I learned that if I don’t trust that a club is going
to go high enough, that’s when I make some of my poorest swings. We tweaked
just a couple of my clubs to ensure that I never have to wonder if they will go
high enough. When I trust that the club will get the ball in the air, I make a
committed swing. I didn’t actually change very much about my equipment, but the
things I learned at Titleist are valuable lessons for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I also did some traditional work on my game. I put in my
first two “full” days of work just this past Thursday and Friday on a quick
preparatory trip to Florida, but I was mindful of having little bits of
practice most days during my offseason. It will take me a little time in good
weather to sharpen all the finer points of my game like my feel on and around
the greens and my distance control, but I feel like I did a great job of
improving mechanically over the break. I’m confident that I’ll be able to dial
in the feel components quickly. I was able to have some friendly matches this
past week, and though I showed some signs of rust, I did most things really
well and felt great on the course. I am really excited to get on site at a
tournament and to prepare and compete!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Off of the golf course, it has been an amazing offseason.
Alicia and I enjoyed the holidays very much with our families and really
relished spending a prolonged period at home. We made some cool improvements at
our house, too. I had been using our small third bedroom as an open-space gym
and golf room, but it was quite small for that. In December, we embraced our
attic, and in doing so added two new rooms to our house. We moved all of the
stuff that had accumulated in our garage into the attic, turned our two-car
garage into a great gym, and turned our third bedroom into a wonderful office. We
love it! But most of all, we enjoyed just getting to relax and spend time with
family, friends, and each other. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We are both feeling really great and are preparing to do
big things in 2017. Alicia is working to make the world better through her job
at the Center for Sport, Peace, and Society. She also has embarked on a lofty
campaign that she has coined #BetterEveryDay in which she will do 100 push-ups
every day in 2017 as a way to show that a commitment to being better can be as
simple as making a choice and sticking to it. Follow her campaign on Twitter
and Facebook. By the way, my commitment to be #BetterEveryDay is to trade in 15
minutes of mindless media consumption for at least 15 minutes of reading a book
or something academic each day. It may seem small, but we are committed to
being #BetterEveryDay. Join us!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2017 is going to be a great year! I’m excited to get the
golf started this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. I guess my claims to keep
you updated here on my blog aren’t very trustworthy, but I’m going to try to do
better. I really appreciate you caring about me and keeping up with me. I will
return the favor by giving you good updates from the tournaments. Great things
are coming. Keep it here to enjoy the journey with me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thank you!</span></div>
Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-4644997488582076302016-11-26T15:59:00.003-08:002016-11-26T15:59:46.776-08:00Poor Results to End a Disappointing 2016 of GolfI'm sorry for the long time it's been since my last post. I want to do a better job of updating my blog more consistently. I know that some of you really enjoy following me on here, and I appreciate that very much. Now I have a bit of time away from competition, but I will use this time wisely, and I will report occasionally during the break to keep you posted.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of positive news to share since my last post. I started the event in Mexico with a 9 on the par-four opening hole and proceeded to play my way to an eight-over-par through five holes start. I played the next 31 holes in two-under-par and felt really good about my efforts, but never seriously threatened the cutline after my poor start. From Mexico, I traveled to Sea Island, Georgia, for the final event of Fall Series. I did a lot of things well in Georgia, but a poor performance on the greens and a triple-bogey finish to my opening round doomed my hopes of the weekend. I finished the first 36 holes at one under par, four strokes away from the five-under-par cutline. <br />
<br />
I guess in a way it was a fitting way to close the competition schedule for me in 2016. It's not that I feel down about my game or my prospects for the future, but my results this year were just pretty lousy. After beginning the year with a great showing at the winner's only field in Maui, my expectations went through the roof, but my performance didn't follow. I struggled mightily, and though I'm very proud of the work I did throughout the year, I managed to crack the top 25 only one time after the Tournament of Champions in 2016. So, to end the year with a two more disappointing results sadly kind of fits.<br />
<br />
That is a very negative sounding paragraph. It's important for me to note that I'm not discouraged about my game. I actually feel really good about some of the progress I made this year, even if it never really started to show in my results. I worked really hard on my golf swing, and the benefits of that are starting to show. I began to drive the ball much better late in the year. That is incredibly encouraging. My iron play was never very good in 2016, but I definitely improved the strike that I get on the ball. My accuracy and distance control were not sharp, but the solidity of contact with my irons improved a lot over the year. These things are very positive, and I feel really good about the direction my game is heading. <br />
<br />
After showing steady improvement each year during my mini-tour days in 2010-2012, my last four years have been more volatile. I had an amazingly successful year in 2013 during which I rose from a mini-tour player with no status to winning on the Web.com Tour and earning a PGA Tour Card by the end of the year. Then in 2014, I had a bit of step backwards as I posted very poor results but gained valuable experience on the PGA Tour. In 2015, I had an incredible year that included a win on the Web.com Tour in March and then my maiden PGA Tour victory in November. My 2016 campaign was a definite letdown from the year which preceded it, but, again, I feel like I learned some valuable lessons. I am ready to keep my trend of the last four years going, and that means that 2017 will be a big year for me!<br />
<br />
There are two main lessons from 2016 that I will carry with me going forward. The first is not to let my expectations supersede the joy I get from simply playing golf. After holding my own and playing well in Maui, I began to get frustrated much more easily when my performances didn't immediately stack up to my higher expectations. I played my way into a highly frustrated state and temporarily lost some of pure love that I have for playing. The second lesson is that sometimes a week or two off might be the best way to halt a slump. I kept trying to play through my struggles, and I probably played too much. I have no problem playing several weeks in a row when things are going well, but I learned that trying to play week after week after week (after week after week after week after week, in my case a couple times) is not a healthy way to respond to a rough stretch.<br />
<br />
I still feel good. 2016 wasn't the year I wanted to it to be, but it wasn't a wasted year either--far from that, actually. Though my results didn't show it, I improved in a lot of ways in 2016. I'm excited to have a little bit of an off-season, and I'll use it to continue to improve and to get ready for a great year in 2017. I still believe my best golf is ahead of me, and there is a lot of it to come over the next few decades. <br />
<br />
Thank you very much for keeping up with me and for your support. Keep it here for occasional updates and progress reports over the off-season.Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-77146173935904237482016-11-05T11:57:00.000-07:002016-11-05T11:57:22.990-07:00Weekend Off in VegasMost people would love to have a weekend off of work in Las Vegas. That is what I now have, but for me, it's disappointing. I enjoy the golf course and the weather here, and after a quick rest stop at home early in the week, I felt prepared to play well heading into the tournament. A very tough start and poor iron play throughout the first 36 holes left me with scores of 74, 70 (+2) and a missed cut by five shots. My game continued to show plenty of promise, though, particularly off the tee. I'm definitely bummed about the results here, but overall, I'm still feeling encouraged by most of what I see. I may have the weekend off from competition, but I'm going to work hard to improve, and I'll be ready to put it all together and play great soon. <br />
<br />
I really felt ready to play well as I walked to the 10th tee for my 8:05 starting time on Thursday morning. I nailed a drive down the middle to open the tournament, too. From there, things went a little haywire. I faced a simple 120 yard wedge shot after my great opening drive, but I pushed the approach shot well right of my target and watched in shock as it flew some ten yards farther than I had intended, too. I did my best from a tough spot, but made an opening bogey. I proceeded to hit similarly poor short-iron approach shots into the next two greens as well. I missed each of the first three greens well long and slightly right, and on the 12th hole (my third), my ball rolled off the back of the green and into a pond. I began the tournament four over par in my first three holes. Tough start!<br />
<br />
From there, I stayed patient and calm. I was really pleased with my attitude and mindset throughout both rounds. I never panicked or got angry. I stayed positive and optimistic. I tried to play my way back into the golf tournament one shot at a time. The cool thing is that in some areas of the game, I played well enough to get back into it. I drove the ball beautifully both days. I was aggressive and in control off the tee. I was hitting the ball long (for me) and was only out of position off the tee a couple of times in two rounds. I also putted well enough in spurts to get back into it. I still wasn't happy with the way I putted overall, but I did make a couple of good putts in the two rounds. My short game showed good promise at times as well. I hit a lot of good chip shots and bunker shots to keep myself in it and even holed a nice chip for birdie early in my second round to give myself a little boost. From my mental game to most aspects of my physical game, there was a lot to like this week. <br />
<br />
And then there was my iron and wedge play. There is not a whole lot I can say about that area other than I have a lot of room to improve. As well as I drove the ball, I had the opportunity to hit a lot of short irons and wedges into greens, but rather than using them as great scoring opportunities, I found myself working hard trying to save pars on many occasions. I'm not really sure why my play with the short clubs was so bad, but I will work hard this weekend to get it back in order. I am a really good short iron and wedge player, so I'm confident that I will be able to get this sorted. <br />
<br />
After a good weekend of practice here in Vegas, I will head to another of my favorite events on Tour: The Mayakoba Classic in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. I have had success there in the past, and I really enjoy that course. <br />
<br />
I am excited to keep working. I feel good. I'm loving my job. I feel like really good golf is just around the corner for me. Thank you for following and believing in me. Keep it here for more updates. Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-65122162963075574982016-11-01T16:44:00.000-07:002016-11-01T16:44:01.684-07:00Frustrated but Much More Encouraged
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I really enjoyed my week as the defending champion at the
Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi. In addition to a flood of
great memories, it was fun to be showered with a little extra attention from
the media and others involved with the tournament. It was the first chance that
I’ve had to “defend” a win on the PGA Tour, and it was definitely a cool
experience and one that I would like to have many more times! In the end, I was
disappointed to not put up a better result, but I’m still quite pleased with
much of what happened and feel excited moving forward. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My time in Jackson was great. After a 27-hour travel day
from Malaysia to start the week, I was pleased with how quickly I adjusted and
began a fairly normal preparation routine for the tournament. My sleep patterns
were disturbed only slightly and only for the first two nights. By the time my
afternoon tee time arrived for the first round on Thursday, I felt rested and
ready to go play well. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And I did, somewhat. Thursday I played one of the better
ball-striking rounds of my life. I drove the ball beautifully and was very in
control with my irons and wedges. I had 17 birdie putts in the first round, and
with the exception of two, all were from less than 25 feet. Unfortunately, I
made just three of them. The one hole on which I didn’t have a birdie putt
resulted in a double-bogey, so my first round added up to a one-under-par 71,
but it felt really good. My ball-striking wasn’t as sharp on Friday, but I
putted the ball better and posted a two-under-par 70 to advance to the weekend.
I had a great practice session on Friday afternoon and felt poised for a strong
weekend performance, but that never materialized. On Saturday I was just a
little bit off with my ball-striking and putting and couldn’t quite get anything
going. I settled for a third-round 71. Then, on Sunday, my putting woes from
Thursday returned and I let frustration affect me a little bit. I stayed really
committed to giving my best effort on every shot, but despite giving myself 14
birdie putts (and 12 inside of 25 feet), I looked and felt hopeless on the greens.
I made zero birdies on Sunday and posted a final-round 75. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I ended my title defense tied for 68<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> place. I
was actually surprised how disappointed I felt during my round on Sunday. I
never gave up, but it was clear from fairly early in my final round that I didn’t
have things clicking on the greens. It was really frustrating. One of my goals
for this season is to make a conscious decision to love my job every day. (That
usually comes quite easy!) When it became clear that my title defense at the
Sanderson Farms Championship was going to finish somewhere in the bottom of the
field, I let the frustration sink in and, for a time on that Sunday, overshadow
the love that I have for what I get to do. Jackson feels special to me, and
floundering on the weekend and finishing towards the bottom of the field just
didn’t seem right. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Looking back on the week, I can honestly say that deep frustration
I felt on Sunday is my only regret. I feel great about the way I prepared and
the attitude that I carried into the week. I wish I had stayed a little more
upbeat throughout the weekend, but I will learn from that. From a performance
standpoint, I’m actually really encouraged by most of what happened in
Mississippi. I had a few shaky stretches of ball-striking on Friday and
Saturday, but for the most part, I hit the ball really well. Similarly, my
short game was really good with the exception of a couple of shots. The thing
that held me back was an extremely poor performance on the greens, and I know
that will go down as an anomaly. I certainly wanted a better result from the week
in Jackson, but after a little reflection, I definitely leave there feeling
really encouraged about my game. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I snuck home for a day after Jackson and am currently
heading to Las Vegas for this week’s event. I am going to keep working hard and
keep loving my job. Things are really close to coming together, and I’m
confident that great results are just around the corner. Thank you for
supporting me, and please keep it here for an update from Vegas!</span></div>
Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-48105674360446894562016-10-24T14:04:00.000-07:002016-10-24T14:04:21.927-07:00Napa -> Malaysia -> JacksonI'm definitely a bit behind again on the updates, and so much has happened over the past two weeks. I've been on airplanes a lot in the last seven days and am now one short flight away from being in Jackson, Mississippi, for the Sanderson Farms Championship. My golf has almost been overshadowed by the adventures of the past week, but I have great things to report on both fronts. <br />
<br />
My results certainly haven't been great on the course, but I am really pleased with much of what has happened. I opened the 2016-2017 season with a bogey-free 67 (-5) in Napa, and though I didn't sustain that pace through the tournament, I added rounds of 72, 71, 70 in tough conditions. The end result was a tie for 35th place. Obviously, that is not an exciting finish, but some exciting stuff did happen. I had to battle steady rain and gusty winds during my second round on Friday, and I hung in there well to shoot even. Then, on Saturday, I had an atrocious start. After a routine par on the first hole, I bladed a bunker shot on the second hole and made double-bogey. I then pulled my tee shot on the third hole and got a bit unlucky as it hit a tree and bounced way left to end up out of bounds by less than an inch. That led to another double-bogey. At four-over-par through three holes, I was determined to just keep playing, and I fought all the way back to one under par for my round by the end. That was cool! I will remember Napa for the great round I played on Thursday and the perseverance I showed through tough conditions. It was a very solid week to start the season. <br />
<br />
From there, the adventures really began. Alicia and I were scheduled to make our first trip to Asia from San Francisco on Sunday night after Napa. Excited for our journey, we shuttled down to the airport from Napa and arrived at the ticket counter well in advance of our flight. When our passports swiped at check-in, we were alerted to a problem. Our passports expire in January 2017, and Malaysia requires six-month validity of passports for entry. After three hours in the airport begging for answers, reasons, and options, we realized we weren't going to fly that night. I was so discouraged. It is a good thing Alicia was with me because I likely would have just gone home if I had been by myself. She encouraged me to not give up, so we booked a hotel in downtown San Fran, arrived there after midnight, awoke before 6 a.m. to try to reschedule potential flight options, and then went and got in the walk-up line at the U.S. Passport Agency an hour before it opened. I still can't believe it, but we walked out of there three hours later with new passports and headed straight to the airport. We caught a 12:20 p.m. flight to Tokyo, and by 2:00 a.m. Wednesday morning, we were at our hotel in Malaysia. <br />
<br />
So I definitely didn't have a normal week of preparation for the CIMB Classic in Malaysia, but I was thrilled to be there and, in hindsight, am thrilled we made it work. My game and body both felt a little rusty when I teed it up in the first round on Thursday. I managed to shoot even par, which isn't a good score on the course there, but I was pleased with the way I fought. I actually formed up very nicely from a ball-striking perspective over the next three days, but my short game and particularly my putting were really bad. I posted scores of 72, 73, 71, 68 (-4, total) for the week, and finished tied for 51st. That's not a good finish, and those weren't good scores, but I feel good about the way I played. My game is in good shape, and I know that I am not going to putt as poorly as I did over the last three rounds there in Malaysia very often. It was a great experience to play in Malaysia in the first place, and I'm taking a lot of positive things away from that week. <br />
<br />
Alicia and I have had a much smoother experience traveling back from Malaysia. We left our hotel at 4:30 a.m. Monday Malaysia time, and after 28 hours of travel, we will magically land in Jackson at 6:00 p.m. Monday Jackson, Mississippi, time. We're in Houston now with just one short flight left. <br />
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I am excited to be back in Mississippi for the Sanderson Farms Championship. I obviously have great memories from this event last year, and I feel like my game is better now than it was then. I know that it will be a challenging week in a lot of ways, but I'm going rest up from the travel, prepare well, and enjoy myself. It will be a lot of fun!<br />
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Thank you for following me and please keep it here for updates!Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-65866930276700687352016-10-13T07:57:00.001-07:002016-10-13T07:57:13.572-07:00Prepared in NapaI am feeling ready to go here in Napa, California. I have had two great days of preparation at the Silverado Resort golf course, and I am excited to start the tournament today. My game definitely feels good, but more importantly, I feel a real sense of calm from knowing that the work I have been doing is also very good. I'm moving in the right direction, and I'm excited to go out and give my best effort on each and every shot I face this week. And, I'm going to have a lot of fun doing it! <br />
<br />
Keep it here for updates from the tournament, and thank you for following me!Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5138601607195560254.post-45487892087096333302016-10-10T17:03:00.000-07:002016-10-10T17:03:41.650-07:002016-2017 Season is HereSix weeks is pretty short as off-seasons go, but I have packed a lot of great stuff into the 43 days since I last teed it up in a PGA Tour event. I have definitely been chomping at the bit to get back to competition. It is now officially a tournament week again, and I am excited and feeling great.<br />
<br />
I packed my off-season with lots of work on all areas of my game. I really dedicated myself to owning (as opposed to tinkering with) my swing mechanics. I had two wonderful two-day sessions with Mitchell over the course of the break, and he helped guide me and ensure that I am working to own the right things in my swing. I am very encouraged by how good and comfortable my swing is feeling. I also have been extremely dedicated to my wedge play, short game, and putting during the break. These areas are definitely strengths for me, but my statistics and results from the 2015-2016 season show that each of these areas can be much better and much more consistent. I feel great about the work that I have done to make my strengths stronger, and I'm excited to let them shine. Lastly, I have also spent a lot of time thinking about and working on my mental game. I know that my physical performance will be awry at times, but I don't want to let the way I am thinking contribute to or exasperate any physical shortcomings. I feel very confident and at peace with the work that I have done in all areas of my game, and I am excited to go compete and have fun letting that work show.<br />
<br />
I always love my job. Even in the midst of horrible slump when I am feeling upset and frustrated, I still think I have more fun than most of my peers. This off-season, though, I really reconnected with my genuine love for what I do. I had so much fun. I balanced days of "grinding" on the practice facilities with days of playing fun matches with my buddies. I found great pleasure in both endeavors. I am determined to carry that genuine joy and enthusiasm into the tournament season with me. <br />
<br />
I am currently at the Denver airport en route to Napa, California, for the Safeway Open. I couldn't be more excited to get back to tournament golf. Thank you very much for following and supporting me, and please keep it here for updates and insights from the tournaments.Peter Malnatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04432175255651031927noreply@blogger.com1