After playing in Winnipeg I've had 2 weeks back in the US and I "spent my vacation" playing golf tournaments. First off, I went to Marshall, MN to play a Dakotas Tour event there. Then I snuck in a CVGA on the weekend at Whispering Pines GC in Cadott, WI. Finally I went to Yankton, SD to defend my title at the Hillcrest Pro-Am.
Marshalls event was one that I really wanted to play. I have always enjoyed playing Marshall GC and I have a great family to stay with when I'm in town. It's a tournament that I've won before so it's fun to go back and try to win again.
I didn't win, but I was happy with the consistency of my game. 71-71-66 put me in a tie for 6th and earned $1485 for the week. The difference between the first two rounds and the final round were making putts. I didn't make much during the first two days, but it wasn't because of bad strokes/putts. During the second round I had a handful of putts curl around the edge of the cup and end up 6 inches past the hole, directly behind it. All of the putts looked like they were going to go in and rolled beautifully, but they just failed to catch the cup. All of those putts went in during the final round - especially on the front nine where I shot a 5-under 31. The putter cooled down on the back. An unfortunate 3-putt on 10 was my only bogey of the day, but I finished the day with a birdie on the final hole.
A few days later, I played a CVGA event, something I haven't done since 2008. The weather was very fall like. Temps didn't even approach 70 degrees, the wind was blowing all day, and we even got some rain on the back nine. I played well through the difficult conditions and won with a 3-under 69. My putting was really solid throughout the day, but especially early when my ball striking was trying to figure out the wind.
My last tournament before returning to Calgary was the Hillcrest Pro-Am in Yankton, SD, which was the site of my big win last summer. Just like Marshall, I was really glad that I could return to this tournament because it's always been a favorite for me. The course is a great test - you can't just bomb the ball like some other courses and it's a long 4 round tournament that turns into a week long marathon. I also have a great host family that puts up with me for the week. Every year I kick one of the kids out of their bedroom and they don't seem to resent me for it.
The tournament started out on Tuesday with the Ladies day Pro-Am. This wasn't part of the actual tournament, but just another chance to get a practice round and a chance to win some money. I finished T-2 and won $550. The ladies I played with became fans and they recruited their husbands to cheer for me so I was winning over the crowd one marriage at a time.
Thursday was the first round and I got off to a slow start, but finished with a 31 on the back nine, which included a hole out from 88 yards on #4.
Day 2 was a stormy day and I didn't tee off until about 7pm, but I got really lucky. The players who teed of in the morning had to play through a lot of rain and it was perfect by the time I teed off. I only played 7 holes on Friday night, but I took advantage of the scoring conditions with birdies on the first 3 holes. I resumed played on Saturday morning at 7am with 11 holes to finish in round 2 and 18 to play in round 3. I battled for the rest of the 2nd round and stole a couple of late birdies (#16 and #17) to shoot 68. I had to time between the 2nd and 3rd round - in fact, I was teeing off on #18 when they announced my 7 minute call to the 10th tee. The quick turn around didn't bother me and I had a great 3rd round. I was really hot in the middle of the round playing holes 17-3 6-under par! One more birdie on #7 after I knocked a wedge to 5 feet and I had a 3rd round 64 and a one shot lead heading into the final round.
I was extremely confident going into the final round, but I knew I had some good players close enough to catch me. I didn't play as freely as I did in the first 3 rounds and that resulted in a bulky putter. I didn't make anything and left a lot of putts short. That opened the door for a bunch of players and Brady Schnell came from behind and caught me by the 10th hole. I watched Brady make a lot of putts or at least barely miss and that added to my pressure. I hung close and had a chance with 4 holes to go, but a missed 5 footer for birdie on 15, followed by a lip out on #16 and #17 left me 3 back on the 72nd tee. I drove it hole high, got up and down for birdie, but had to settle for a T-2nd place finish.
I've been traveling with Brady all summer up in Canada and I knew how well he has been playing. In the back of my mind I figured he would be the one guy outside of the last group who could catch me.
No break for me. I'm flying to Calgary on Monday morning to play a PGA Tour Canada event that is Tuesday through Friday.
Neil
Thursday was the first round and I got off to a slow start, but finished with a 31 on the back nine, which included a hole out from 88 yards on #4.
Day 2 was a stormy day and I didn't tee off until about 7pm, but I got really lucky. The players who teed of in the morning had to play through a lot of rain and it was perfect by the time I teed off. I only played 7 holes on Friday night, but I took advantage of the scoring conditions with birdies on the first 3 holes. I resumed played on Saturday morning at 7am with 11 holes to finish in round 2 and 18 to play in round 3. I battled for the rest of the 2nd round and stole a couple of late birdies (#16 and #17) to shoot 68. I had to time between the 2nd and 3rd round - in fact, I was teeing off on #18 when they announced my 7 minute call to the 10th tee. The quick turn around didn't bother me and I had a great 3rd round. I was really hot in the middle of the round playing holes 17-3 6-under par! One more birdie on #7 after I knocked a wedge to 5 feet and I had a 3rd round 64 and a one shot lead heading into the final round.
I was extremely confident going into the final round, but I knew I had some good players close enough to catch me. I didn't play as freely as I did in the first 3 rounds and that resulted in a bulky putter. I didn't make anything and left a lot of putts short. That opened the door for a bunch of players and Brady Schnell came from behind and caught me by the 10th hole. I watched Brady make a lot of putts or at least barely miss and that added to my pressure. I hung close and had a chance with 4 holes to go, but a missed 5 footer for birdie on 15, followed by a lip out on #16 and #17 left me 3 back on the 72nd tee. I drove it hole high, got up and down for birdie, but had to settle for a T-2nd place finish.
I've been traveling with Brady all summer up in Canada and I knew how well he has been playing. In the back of my mind I figured he would be the one guy outside of the last group who could catch me.
No break for me. I'm flying to Calgary on Monday morning to play a PGA Tour Canada event that is Tuesday through Friday.
Neil
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