PGA Q-School - 1st Stage, 4th Round

Final day. Final round. Final hole!

I qualified, but a mistake almost lead to me missing it by one shot. Throughout the week, I never looked at the scoreboard. This course was playing very difficult and I felt it was best for me to stay focused on my own game - not looking to see if other guys were shooting 66 or 67. I believed that if I played well for 4 days, I would be high enough on the leaderboard to advance.

I nearly looked at the scoreboard after the 3rd round, but decided against it. Despite not looking, I had a feeling that I was very close to the number. However, I thought I was on the number when I was actually 1 ahead of the number. This is what caused my mistake in the final round. After making a bogey on the very difficult 17th hole, I thought I was 1 shot back.

Walking to the 18th tee, I told myself I needed birdie and I felt the best way to get that was to go for the green in two and either two putt or get up and down from around the green. After a perfect drive * - probably the best hit drive of the week - I had 250 yards to the middle of the green. I had mud on my ball and a slight side hill lie, but I was 100% convinced I needed birdie and therefore had to go for the green. I pulled my second shot in the water and made a bogey.

* If I hadn't hit the best drive of the week, I would've have 260 or more to the green and probably wouldn't have been able to reach the green. That would've forced me to lay up and make an easy par, which would've prevented all the post-round stress.

After signing my scorecard, I walked to my car and called my coach. I left a message that was very somber, explaining how I might have made a huge mistake - that cost me advancing to 2nd stage of Q-school. When I reached my hotel room - after a 20 minute drive - my coach called me back and I told him the story. Moments later, the scoreboard was updated and I was T-20th. The conversation quickly turned from depressing to upbeat - also some relief that my mistake didn't end my 2009 season.

2nd Stage of Q-School will be in three weeks - Nov. 18-21. Not sure where I'll be sent, but I think my first 2 choices were in Texas.

Neil

PGA Q-School - 1st Stage, 3rd Round

I had a bad start today and the round almost got away from me. I bogied the first two holes. On #1, I drove it into a fairway bunker, found a horrible lie and couldn't advance it more than 100 yards. On #2, I missed the fairway and three putted for bogey. On #4, I missed the fairway and had to hit it over a tree - but couldn't reach the green. I chunked my chip, but managed to make the 15 foot putt for par. On #5, I missed the fairway into another fairway bunker and it stopped within a yard of the front lip. I barely carried the lip, managed to stay under the pine tree that was in my way, and get on the green. I two putted for par.

So after 5 holes, I was lucky to be 2 over-par. I could've been 4. I birdied 6 and 8, but finished the front nine with a bogey on 9. On the back nine I only missed one green and had several good chances at birdies. I birdied both par 5's on the back nine, but I was glad to finish with a second straight 71.

Odd fact for the week: Ian Hessels, who I played with this summer on the Dakotas Tour, is here and I played practice rounds with him - but every round he's been in the group behind me.

Neil

PGA Q-School - 1st Stage, 2nd Round

Today was interesting. I finished with a birdie on my last hole to shoot a 71. In fact, my second shot on my 18th hole (# 9 ) landed a foot from the hole and spun to within 2 inches. That's a great way to finish the day. Tap-in birdie.

The interesting part came on my 7th hole of the day (#16). In the middle of my swing, I felt something give in my 6-iron. I channelled my inner-Tiger and stopped my swing. Immediately I noticed the head had rotated. I basically twisted the head right off! That meant no more 6-iron for the rest of the day. Watch that video and you'll see Tiger go right to his clubhead and start twisting. That's what I did. I'm guessing Tiger felt something give during his swing, just like I felt.

Once I dismantled my 6-iron I decided to hit a chocked up 5-iron into 16. Made par. Then the next hole, I had 177 to the pin to an elevated green - probably a perfect 6-iron. I decided to try and sling a 7-iron up there and I hit it just short of hole high. Two other times on the front nine I could've used a 6-iron, but instead had to step on a 7-iron.

The sun came out early today and really warmed things up. That's probably why I was able to hit the 7-irons farther today than I could the past few days when it was cloudy and cooler.

Neil

PGA Q-School - 1st Stage, 1st Round

First round in Pinehurst, NC this morning. It's cool, cloudy, and wet here. This golf course plays around 7400 yards, but it seems much longer. We aren't getting any roll and the air is so heavy that the balls aren't flying very far. I normally hit a 7-iron around 175 yards, but down here it's not going 10 yards less. Three of the par 5's are around 550 yards, none of which are reachable - not even close really. On #18, I had about 250 yards to the front of the green and didn't even think about going for it. I laid up to 75 yards, and got up and down for a birdie.

I shot a one-over par 73. I made 3 nice birdies on my last 7 holes.

As soon as I finished it began to rain. It's been raining off and on all afternoon and it's supposed to rain most of the night. The forecast for round 2 is for rain. That means that the course will even be softer and longer.

Neil