My weekend in Aberdeen ended well. I shot 69 on Saturday and Sunday to move into the top-10.
Now I'm in Marshall, MN and I'm waiting to see if I snuck into the final round. I shot 73 in round 1 and came back with a 69 in round 2. The cut will probably be 141 or 142. Let's hope it's at 142.
**UPDATE** - The cut did fall at 142**
Neil
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Waterloo Open Last Day
66 in the final round. Only missed 1 fairway (but does it count when you hit the fairway of the hole next to your hole?) and 2 greens. I chipped in on one of the greens I missed.
I finished T-11th. Monday will be my first Nationwide Qualifier of the year.
Neil
I finished T-11th. Monday will be my first Nationwide Qualifier of the year.
Neil
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Sioux Falls and Waterloo Open
The second round in Sioux Falls didn't go like I had hoped. I shot a 40 on the front nine and was very lucky to birdie 4 of my last 5 holes to work my way back up the leaderboard.
This weekend I'm in Waterloo, IA playing the Waterloo Open. I played this 2 years ago. This two day tournament cuts after the first day - from 192 golfers to 60 and ties.
I shot a 68, which is 4 off the lead. After a boring even-par front nine, I birdied 4 of the first 5 on the back nine. Final round is Sunday.
Results will be here.
Neil
This weekend I'm in Waterloo, IA playing the Waterloo Open. I played this 2 years ago. This two day tournament cuts after the first day - from 192 golfers to 60 and ties.
I shot a 68, which is 4 off the lead. After a boring even-par front nine, I birdied 4 of the first 5 on the back nine. Final round is Sunday.
Results will be here.
Neil
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Summertime in the Dakotas
My Dakotas Tour events have begun. The first event was in Okoboji, IA and I shot an even par 72 the first day. That wasn't good enough to make the cut.
This weekend I'm in Sioux Falls, SD and shot a first round 65. Sunday is the second round and last I saw I was tied for 2nd. Results should be posted on this website.
http://www.bakkercrossing.com/proam.php
Also, on the right side of the page you can view my summer schedule and results from all of my Gateway events.
Neil
This weekend I'm in Sioux Falls, SD and shot a first round 65. Sunday is the second round and last I saw I was tied for 2nd. Results should be posted on this website.
http://www.bakkercrossing.com/proam.php
Also, on the right side of the page you can view my summer schedule and results from all of my Gateway events.
Neil
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Gateway Spring Series Begins
Haven't been around for a while. I finally got my computer fixed and I am now back into tournament play.
First round of the spring series was a waste. Another +1, 73. I felt like I shot that in my sleep. Day two was much better. Got off to a good start and made a lot of good putts throughout the day. 68
Final day tomorrow. Weather's been perfect - high 80's and basically no wind.
Neil
First round of the spring series was a waste. Another +1, 73. I felt like I shot that in my sleep. Day two was much better. Got off to a good start and made a lot of good putts throughout the day. 68
Final day tomorrow. Weather's been perfect - high 80's and basically no wind.
Neil
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Gateway #4 - Palm Valley (round 2)
Boy it was an ugly round to watch - and to be playing. In round one I got away with bad shots because I missed them in easy spots. Completely different story in round 2. On a golf course that has 4 of the easiest par 5's you'll ever find, I bogied 2 of them. Both of them results of hitting my second shots into a greenside bunker and then failing to even hit the next shot onto the green.
Funny thing about the round was that on hole #2 (my 11th hole) I found yet another greenside bunker in two shots. After yelling at myself for hitting it there I knocked the bunker shot into the hole for an eagle. So the first 2 bunker shots I fail to get on the green, but the third I knock into the hole!
Neil
Funny thing about the round was that on hole #2 (my 11th hole) I found yet another greenside bunker in two shots. After yelling at myself for hitting it there I knocked the bunker shot into the hole for an eagle. So the first 2 bunker shots I fail to get on the green, but the third I knock into the hole!
Neil
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Gateway #4 - Wigwam Gold
One under par 71 today. Saved a lot of shots with my short game and was able to make some nice birdies on the back nine.
Best point of the day was on #14, the easiest hole on the course. I got too aggressive on my tee ball and pushed it into the water. I dropped and hit my 3rd shot to 130 yards. Then got up and down from 130 - by making a 25 foot putt - to save par. I went on to birdie the next two holes and it turned the entire round around.
Neil
Best point of the day was on #14, the easiest hole on the course. I got too aggressive on my tee ball and pushed it into the water. I dropped and hit my 3rd shot to 130 yards. Then got up and down from 130 - by making a 25 foot putt - to save par. I went on to birdie the next two holes and it turned the entire round around.
Neil
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Frustrating Final Round
Couldn't get the ball into the hole. I missed half a dozen putts inside 8 feet that I thought were perfect putts. Somehow they wiggled offline or I just misread them.
No tournament next week so I'll be back in two weeks with a putting stroke that makes everything.
Neil
No tournament next week so I'll be back in two weeks with a putting stroke that makes everything.
Neil
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Front Nine vs Back Nine
Look at my scorecard and follow along as I compare my first 9 8 7 holes and my final 11.
It was a very windy day and holes 4-7 were straight into the wind. I hit several errant shots to begin the day. Most notably was a 6-iron on #2. I pulled it left about 20 yards and it went into the water. That lead to a double bogey. I pulled a 7-iron left on #5 and that shot went into a bunker. Bogey. Number 7 was a 210 yard par 3 into the wind and I hit my hybrid into a bunker. Another bogey.
Finally on #8 we turned away from the wind and started playing with it at our backs. I hit a 3-wood 320 yards off the tee on #8, then hit a driver 360 yards on #9! I made a 6 foot putt on #9 for birdie and that really turned things around. After a string of 4 pars to start the back nine, I reached the downwind par-5 14th. I hit my drive between the bunkers and just inside of the 200 yard marker (564 yard hole - 200 yards left = another 360 yard drive). From there I hit a 7-iron to 25 feet and 2-putted for a birdie.
The rest of my holes played back into the wind as we began our return to the clubhouse. On #15 I failed to clear a bunker running across the fairway. It was only a 250 yard carry, but now being back into the wind that was asking a lot. From the fairway bunker I hit a wedge to 10 feet and made the birdie putt! Pars on 16 and 17 left me at +2 for the day and +1 for the tournament.
The final hole is a 560 par 5, which was playing into a slight hurting wind. I made perhaps my best swing of the day and piped the drive right down the middle. It stopped 6 feet from the 250 yard marker. There is no doubt in my mind I wouldn't have been able to hit that drive 2 summers ago - maybe even not this summer. I put an extra stiff shaft in my driver this fall and that added some distance. Combine that with my overall increased length, which was attributed to working out the past 15 months. From the 250 plate, I hit a 3-wood 25 feet from the hole. Problem was, it was in a bunker. I splashed it out to 3 feet and made the birdie putt!
Front nine score - 40
Back nine score - 33
Front nine sand saves - 0/4
Back nine sand saves - 2/2 (including the up and down from the fairway bunker)
Front nine "squirrley" shots - 4 (happened on number 2, 3, 5, & 7 - played those 4 holes +5)
Back nine " squirrley" shots - 0*
*4 times I had a shot very similar to ones on the "squirrley" shots on the front nine
I admit that during the front nine I was very agitated and frustrated with my play. Nerves were a factor. Once I doubled #2, followed by a bogey on 3 I was already thinking about missing the cut. I managed to control my negative thoughts by clinging to the idea that once I got to hole 8, I would have 7 consecutive holes with a helping wind. That meant I would have birdie chances and by the time I turned around on #15 my confidence would be high again and I could attack those remaining difficult holes.
Glad it worked out like I planned.
Neil
It was a very windy day and holes 4-7 were straight into the wind. I hit several errant shots to begin the day. Most notably was a 6-iron on #2. I pulled it left about 20 yards and it went into the water. That lead to a double bogey. I pulled a 7-iron left on #5 and that shot went into a bunker. Bogey. Number 7 was a 210 yard par 3 into the wind and I hit my hybrid into a bunker. Another bogey.
Finally on #8 we turned away from the wind and started playing with it at our backs. I hit a 3-wood 320 yards off the tee on #8, then hit a driver 360 yards on #9! I made a 6 foot putt on #9 for birdie and that really turned things around. After a string of 4 pars to start the back nine, I reached the downwind par-5 14th. I hit my drive between the bunkers and just inside of the 200 yard marker (564 yard hole - 200 yards left = another 360 yard drive). From there I hit a 7-iron to 25 feet and 2-putted for a birdie.
The rest of my holes played back into the wind as we began our return to the clubhouse. On #15 I failed to clear a bunker running across the fairway. It was only a 250 yard carry, but now being back into the wind that was asking a lot. From the fairway bunker I hit a wedge to 10 feet and made the birdie putt! Pars on 16 and 17 left me at +2 for the day and +1 for the tournament.
The final hole is a 560 par 5, which was playing into a slight hurting wind. I made perhaps my best swing of the day and piped the drive right down the middle. It stopped 6 feet from the 250 yard marker. There is no doubt in my mind I wouldn't have been able to hit that drive 2 summers ago - maybe even not this summer. I put an extra stiff shaft in my driver this fall and that added some distance. Combine that with my overall increased length, which was attributed to working out the past 15 months. From the 250 plate, I hit a 3-wood 25 feet from the hole. Problem was, it was in a bunker. I splashed it out to 3 feet and made the birdie putt!
Front nine score - 40
Back nine score - 33
Front nine sand saves - 0/4
Back nine sand saves - 2/2 (including the up and down from the fairway bunker)
Front nine "squirrley" shots - 4 (happened on number 2, 3, 5, & 7 - played those 4 holes +5)
Back nine " squirrley" shots - 0*
*4 times I had a shot very similar to ones on the "squirrley" shots on the front nine
I admit that during the front nine I was very agitated and frustrated with my play. Nerves were a factor. Once I doubled #2, followed by a bogey on 3 I was already thinking about missing the cut. I managed to control my negative thoughts by clinging to the idea that once I got to hole 8, I would have 7 consecutive holes with a helping wind. That meant I would have birdie chances and by the time I turned around on #15 my confidence would be high again and I could attack those remaining difficult holes.
Glad it worked out like I planned.
Neil
Monday, January 19, 2009
Zero Three Putts
Finally! Played Southern Dunes GC for the third time in a week and finally scored like I should've the first two rounds. It was a little windy today, but still near perfect scoring conditions. That's why you see a 63 leading with several other mid-60s rounds.
Neil
Neil
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