WORLD AMATEUR HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP: DAY 4

Note: Additional photos here. I broke the camera so Steph was shooting blind. Pretty incredible. 

Now grab a cup of coffee or tea, perhaps a strong drink, and find a comfortable nook in which to sit, because this may end up being our first photo novel. Just a little warning that this recap of Day 4 might run a little long. After all, it is the final edition of our reflections from Myrtle Beach in 2014, and we want to stretch it out for as long as we can.

Glorious morning at Oyster Bay

I’ll bet you would like to hear some more good news on the heels of yesterday’s (Wednesday's) glad tidings. Well who am I to disappoint? As Steph and I made the left turn into Oyster Bay for the fourth (and for me, final) round of the 2014 World Amateur Handicap Championship, we could tell that we were in for a special treat. 

Golf is a beautiful walk spoiled- variation of popular quote

The early morning sun sparkled on the lakes, the mix of shade and sunlight slivers glinting through the trees onto the dewy mounds set the stage for a venue that was, in fact, the most intriguing and captivating that we had visited this trip.

The Legends Course Guide touts Oyster Bay, the first of five courses in the Legends Resort complex as “…renowned as possibly the best shotmakers’ course in the area as well as being one of the most visually appealing.” 

Head Golf Professional Tim Jackson

I would concur on both counts! From the aesthetic perspective, Steph remarked, “When I booked my trip to the Hamptons, what I saw today is what I was looking for.” Tim Jackson and the other members of the Oyster Bay staff made an impression on Steph as indelible as the ride around the course itself. Head Golf Professional Tim Jackson was as congenial and cooperative as any we encountered on the trip.

From a golfer’s perspective, with a variety of elevations, doglegs, bunkering, tree types, the arrangement of holes around the multitude of lakes, and natural landscaping, each hole gave you something to ponder, a thing or two about which to wonder. I have played some terrific courses during my twelve World Am rounds, and the Oyster Bay experience was perhaps the most moving. Interestingly enough, although you really had to think about which club to use on every shot, we somehow managed to play the fastest round of the four. Go figure.

Jon, Randy, John, T. A.

As has been the case every round, my playing companions made the travails of traversing the challenging track a pleasure. Today I rode with John Liquori of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, old stomping grounds of mine, and had the pleasure of playing again with Jon Wilke (Day 3) and Noel (Randy) Meadows (Day 2) again. As I noted yesterday, it’s tough to have a bad time with Jon in your group.

Noel (Randy) Meadows

As we were making preparations to begin the final round of the tourney, Randy (Day 2 playing partner) was sitting in his cart appearing quite disinterested as others chipped and putted, belted balls on the range, and did whatever they did prior to a round of golf. I asked him what was up, and he quipped, “I don’t even wanna be here.” “Then why are you here?” I asked. “Because my wife makes me come,” he answered. I noted that he was riding with Jon and told him that Jon would have his attitude fixed up in no time. That was a good call.

On to the golf. The first and last holes that we played exemplify the state of my golf game, which I characterize as “golf lottery,” because you never know which number is going to come up on any given hole. I suspect that Randy can relate to my golf dilemma, as his game is all over the golf map as well. For example, on Hole 15, 121 yards over water to a semi-island green, Randy stuck it to eight feet, barely missed the birdie and carded par. On Hole 1, a 380-yard dogleg left, we were all in the fairway off the tee, and Randy carded a triple. Randy finished with a 90, and 26^th on the leaderboard. I’ll get to me in a few; hang on.

Jon A. Wilke

Jon’s game, at least the past two days, might best be depicted by Jekyll and Hyde, because he hit some of the most beautiful shots I saw over the past week, in both long and short game, but hit a few ugly quackers off the tee as well. On one hole, Jon would hit his 3-metal past all of our drivers, and the next, he would dive bomb the trees left. He pulled out the driver today and posted three birdies, but still carded a 90.

Two holes epitomize playing with Jon. On Hole 3, a 425-yard par-4, Mr. Hyde smoked a beautiful drive in the fairway. However, by the time the hole was complete, he had missed 10-inch putt using the back of his putter to card a double bogey. On Hole 7, a 380-yard par-4 with a drop off at about 250 yards down the fairway, Dr. Jekyll bombed another drive and sat about 50 yards from the pin. He lofted a beautifully soft wedge on the green and rolled it in center cup to card a birdie.

My cart partner, John, played the kind of boring golf today that I’d like to play every day. John was like the base player in a band, laying down the steady rhythm and all we had to do was follow.

We didn’t. His game was Fairways, greens, putts, move to the next hole. There were very few exceptions to this theme all day. John started a little slowly, bogeying our first hole (No.14) and doubling No.16, but cruised with a birdie, pars, and a few bogeys over the next 10 holes, before he forgot he was my cart partner (remember all but Frank the first day shot great rounds with me). We teed off on Hole 9 (550-yard, dogleg right, par-5), and out of nowhere John pushes one into the trees right.

Huh? Where’d that come from? That’s like the mail carrier failing to deliver the mail on a weekday. In any event, after taking five shots to get into any kind of position to go at the hole, John carded a 9! He carded a 42 on the front with a 9 on that side. He closed with an 84, his best round of the tourney (told ya), and finished tied for 15^th.

As for me, when my score was added, I was surprised that it wasn’t 10 strokes higher. If it were politics, you’d think I was in bed with Rush Limbaugh cause I was far right all day long. I have two holes that tell my story, at least the story I want to tell :).

On our first hole, the par-5 14^th playing to 470 yards, downhill with a slight dogleg left, a tree in the middle of the

fairway threatening tee shots, and water in front of the green, I hit a good drive, then laid up with a soft 8-iron. Wind in the face, but downhill to the green from 145 to the back right pin, I hit a 7-iron pin high right, and putted from the fringe to about 2 feet. I’m standing over that short putt for par with latent images of my missed 1-footer yesterday, and, you guessed it, I missed it. Bogey on the first hole, when it should have been par. I did make a 1-footer for par on the next hole and didn’t miss another that short all day, but..

One of my shots of the day- great 3-hybrid on Hole 2

Two double bogeys in a row on 16 and 17, and you can imagine I’m not thrilled with my start of the final round. I had had visions of carding another low 80s score and going home feeling a bit redeemed. Wasn’t looking too good early. I pulled it together and after our first nine holes, I was only plus-7 after that tough beginning.

I can see why I was in the trees

With four holes to go (the beginning of the back nine, we take a little break, Steph brings me a bite to eat, and I had started in on a beverage with a little bite to it. We step up to No.10, a downhill, dogleg right 400-plus yard hole. A good hole but nothing to worry about…unless you push your drive into the trees right, which I did. I chipped out to the fairway of another hole, hit a smooth 6-iron up that fairway that rolled into some penal rough, but I have a nice opening between the trees to the green about 50 yards away.

Need better posture!

I’m lying three and I want to get this close. I took what I thought was a good swing, but with the funky lie, I come up a bit short on top of a mound. No big deal, chip on, make the putt, and escape with a double. I got a double all right, a double hit! Ouch! I carded an 8, and it’s all about the beverage now. I’m shell shocked and woozy for the next couple of holes, barely playing something that looks like golf. It wasn’t pretty and I carded two doubles in a row.

We get to our final hole, and it’s a beauty on which to finish.

It’s a short, dogleg right, par 4, playing 276 yards uphill, with an intricately designed mega bunker complex in front of the green, and two fairway bunkers middle right. Oh yes, and water all down the right side and right of the green. If you fly it about 220 over the first bunker, you have a short wedge uphill over the massive bunker, if you don’t land in it (That’s just what Jon did).

Me? I just pull out my 4-hybrid and hit it down the left side (can’t remember the last time I actually hit it left!) and have about 125 up the hill to the back right pin. With the wind and uphill to contend with, I smooth an 8 iron to about 25 feet (can’t remember the last time I hit a green!). Jon is sitting about 15 feet from the hole after another stellar wedge. John and Randy hadn’t gotten on in two, and made bogey.

I turn to Jon and say, “Watch me make this one.” It’s a left to right breaker, slightly downhill. I read it, line it up, make the best stroke of the day, and rolled it in the cup to finish my World Am with a birdie. 

Jon made a good run at the birdie, but it ran past. After all the horrendous play this week, with the exception of yesterday, I finished with a meaningless birdie, but still a birdie…well, I guess it was not meaningless, because at least it allows me to say that I finished the final two rounds in the 80s. I carded an 89. I’m glad I didn’t enter the skins game this morning because I would have cut my buddy Frank and wasted $40 :).

Speaking of Frank Gates, I'd like to send out major kudos to my cart partner from Day 1. Frank was tied for 37th after the first round, due to a 96 on his card. He then went, 86, 84, 81 to finish in a tie for 9th and claiming the low net on the final day of flight play. Now that's coming up big, and if you know frank, how could he come up any other way :)? Way to go partner. Hope to see you next year. 

I wasn't among the best nor among the worst, finishing right in the middle of the pack.

The best in my flight

Many will say things like, "Well at least you finished higher than half the field." Others may say, like Jon did, "It's just golf." I sometimes wish I could internalize sentiments of that ilk, but it's hard for me to say to myself, "It's just...anything" and make myself believe it. 

Frankie Bordeaux- Glass half full

I wish I could use comparison with others who aren't very skilled, who are less fortunate, who don't care very much, who aspire to reach average, as a measure of myself. I sometimes wish I could own that "glass half full" mindset, instead of the "glass half full and half empty" perspective that I maintain. I haven't yet reached that level of maturity...if that's what it is. 

So, in my immaturity, I come away from my third World Am experience half wet and half dry. There is little doubt that there was much about this journey about which to rejoice, the congenial exchanges, the deliberate absence of daily responsibilities, the indelible images of vivid and varied hues. But there also is much about the journey that tastes of melancholy, that offers shades of blue that are not rhapsodic...I must embrace the whole!

Thanks to all who contributed to this experience, my playing partners, the World Am staff, the volunteers who helped make it happen, the staff at the venues who set the stages on which our experiences were played out. Thanks to my students, without whose patronage, this trip couldn't happen, and to those of you who took the journey with us and shared your thoughts. Finally, I am deeply grateful to Steph, with whom I shared this mini journey and with whom I share the cosmic journey we call life! Until next...

T. A. & Steph

  

WORLD AM CHAMPIONSHIP 2014: DAY 3 AT THE HACKLER COURSE

Still working on photos, but here's what's available now

Hackler Clubhouse

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the General James Hackler Course at Coastal Carolina University today, but it was certainly everything that Director of Golf Chuck Johns IV promised. 

T. A. & Chuck Johns

He promised that just about every dogleg there was would be right, and sure nuff, all but one dogleg was to the right (I used 3-metal on the dogleg left, which I believe was the par-5 11th and made par).

Chuck said the course would be in good shape and it was. After all the rain they’ve had, the fairways were in good shape and so were the greens. From where I stood, 

Tough to do these greens justice!

mostly too far away from the pin, the greens were the best defense the course had…that and the doglegs with monster trees guarding the corners. I was reminded a few times of the greens at Verandah’s Whispering Oaks in Fort Myers. Rollercoaster rides beckoned to shots that landed on the wrong portion on the green.

Mmmm! Hackler player breakfast

As usual the staff were on top of their game, making sure that the tourney players were well taken care of, and Hackler had the best breakfast of any of the clubs we have been to thus far. 

I’m guessing that Oyster Bay tomorrow won’t be topping the wake-up grub we had at Hackler this morning. Hackler’s design didn’t do much for the imagination, but it was great for hackers, most of whom slice to the right. Frank, that was a good course for us huh :)? Hackler’s hackers, that’s what we are LOL.

So, how about some good news? After all the bad news the past few days you’re probably ready for some good. Bottom line? I shot 82, which was the third best score shot today. The lowest round was a 78, shot by one of my playing partners (more below), an 80, shot by the new flight leader, Phillip Guerriero, and four others shot 82. Not bad for a guy who couldn’t break 90 the past few days. I’m now tied for 21st, just barely in the top half of my flight (43 players). Think I can make up 19 shots on the leaders? No? Me neither :). Just hoping for another good round tomorrow.

Don, Lewis, T. A. & Jon

In any event, playing Hackler was good for me, and playing with me appears to be a good luck charm for some, and not so much for others. Today I played with Lewis Montgomery, my cart partner, Don Taylor, and Jon Wilke. 

Lewis Montgomery

Lewis, came into today tied for 4th, five shots off the lead, after shooting 85, 88 the first two days. Today, Lewis carded an 82 with one double bogey on his card. And, he was definitely a cool dude. His 82 moved him up a slot into 3rd, just four shots off the lead. Don came into today’s round tied for 17th with an 88 and 93 to his credit after the first two rounds. 

Don Taylor

Playing in my group today, Don shot a spiffy 78, with seven bogeys and one birdie (the only one in the group) on his card. Don went quietly about his business, hitting just about every fairway on the course, with a Gary-Player-like walk through style on most shots from the tee and fairway. With that score (low net for our flight), you know his short game was pretty special as well. His outstanding play bumped him up the leaderboard into a tie for 12th.

Jeff Rader

Yesterday, I played with Jeff Rader, who shot an 84 on the difficult Willbrook Plantation layout, after having shot a 92 on Day 1. Jeff’s play yesterday in my group tied him for second best net score of the day and elevated him from 22nd to 7th. Today Jeff shot a respectable 87, but still not as low as when he played with his good luck charm, yours truly. However, he still sits in 8th. I’d like to say that Jeff and Don, both of whom putted lights out, must have stolen my putting mojo, because that surely hasn’t been my strong suit so far this week However, it seldom is, so can’t blame it on them.

Frank Gates

I seem to have had the opposite effect on a couple of my other playing partners. Frank Gates, whom I rode with on Monday shot a 96, then turned around yesterday and shot an 86 without my disturbing influence. Frank also shot an 84 today, and seemed quite happy not to have played in my group. Actually, he just may have been happy to shoot 84, and to have climbed into a tie for 15th.

Jon Wilke

Jon Wilke, my other playing partner today, who happens to be the General Manager of Boca Woods in Boca Raton, Florida, turned out to be as fun-loving a guy as you’d want to play with, abundant with witty commentary and good counsel. I know Jon’s a player, because he shot an 84 on Day 1 (good for 3rd), and hit some stellar shots today, but the old Niles influence got him today, and he carded a 96 (now 24th). It didn’t seem to bother Jon one whit though.

Perhaps his positive influence rubbed off on me today, allowing me to card the best round and finish of the last few rounds I’ve played. Here’s an example: On Hole No.2, a short (323 yards) dogleg right over water, I hit a beautiful drive, and am sitting less than 100 yards from the pin. With wind in the face, I thought I was clubbing up with my 52-degree wedge, but apparently not enough. I was about 10 feet short of the green.

Meanwhile, Jon was having his struggles on the hole, and had to take two penalty strokes. I copied Martin Kaymer’s Players technique, used my putter from off the green, and my ball came to rest about 12 inches from the cup. After everyone finished the hole, I finally got up there and whiffed the one-footer to post a bogey. Now you know I am really not a happy camper given what I did yesterday coming down the stretch. Jon carded a nine, and I suspected he wasn’t a happy camper either.

I told him it's just golf man

We made our way to the third tee box, and Jon looks a bit dejected to me (at least not his usual jovial self), so I say to him, “I don’t blame you for being mad,” or something to that effect. He looks at me and says, “I’m not mad. When you lose people younger than you, you can’t get mad about stuff like this; it’s just golf,” or something to that effect (sounds like our friend Sandi). He went on to tell me about loved ones he’d lost.

Now, there’s no way to confirm that what Jon said had anything to do with the rest of my round, but instead of the meltdown I had yesterday after missing a putt I should have made, I bogeyed No.3 (no one got par there) and finished the last five holes with a par on each. Those holes included two relatively long par-3s (170, 182 yards), a par-5 (535 yards), and two par-4s (378, 381 yards). Confirmation or no, I’ll just say, “Thanks for the perspective Jon!”

Chip Verrette

As I’ve noted numerous times, in addition to the great venues we play, the people we meet and/or run into at the World Am really enhance the experience. Meeting Mike Thompson and Calvin Cross (both of whom attended my high school) last year, keeping in touch with Chip Verrette, Tim Lutz, and Prasad Kotagiri of India, all have been enriching experiences. This year the enhancer is running into Jon Wilke, who is a buddy of Chuck Gill’s, one of the mellowest guys you ever want to meet. It’s no wonder there are players here who have come every year for three decades!

Oh, my round today, with the exception of some mediocre chips, failing to get putts to the hole, and missing the one-footer, was a pretty good round for me. I’ll just tell you about the one hole that epitomizes ecstasy for this golfer. Hole No.7 was our second to last hole of the day (we started on No.9). It reads 175 yards on the card, but they have the tees back, so it’s playing about 182, with the wind at our backs.

I’ve held the honor (means the player who goes first because he/she won a hole and hasn’t yet lost that honor to someone else) since No.4, and I step up to the tee box with one of my favorite clubs, my 24-degree 4-hybrid iron (yes, I’m a short-knocker :)). I’ve only been hitting this club in the 170s lately, but with wind at my back, I figure it’s the right club.

I settle in over the ball, visualize the shot, and tune into the right moment to swing. I take the club back, bring it through, full turn finish, and exclaim, “Perfect! Now that’s how a golf shot is supposed to feel!” or something to that effect. An unusual occurrence for me: The timing was right, the motion was right, AND I hit the ball dead center on the clubface. The ball was heading right at the pin, just as envisioned, and perhaps without the wind, it would have been my second hole in one. It settled on the green about 30 feet past the pin.

I rolled the putt down the hill to less than a foot left of the cup, and this time I didn’t miss it. Regardless of my finish, unless I do something spectacular tomorrow, that tee shot on No.7 at Hackler is the shot that I will remember from this week of golf. Those of you who play or have played the game can probably relate. For those who don’t or haven’t, just imagine something that you have tried really hard to do well with relatively little success, and then doing that something just as you have imagined. No other feeling like it.

Okay, time is flying and there’s still much to do, so I’m gonna put a pause on this post. Thanks for staying tuned and we’ll be back at you tomorrow. As always, thanks to those who comment on Steph’s fine work! She did some more of it today and you can check it out here. Until next, drive for show, put for dough… T & Steph

Steph- Photographer & sometime caddy

WORLD AM CHAMPIONSHIP 2014: DAY 2 AT WILLBROOK PLANTATION

Additional photos can be viewed here

Sunrise from our hotel balcony

So what does this first picture have to do with our second day at the World Am in Myrtle Beach? Absolutely nothing! But when you wake up to this view from your balcony, breathe in that crisp, 69-degree ocean air, it eases the pain of shooting yourself out of the tournament…just a little teeny bit.

Willbrook Plantation Clubhouse

We cruised into Willbrook Plantation this morning, and the massive oaks lining the fairways gave notice that one would have to hit it pretty straight to do anything on this course. Once we actually teed em up, there was more room than I anticipated and I think I had a play on every ball from the tee.

Can you see the heart? Steph did :)

I did have chip out from behind the trees on No.9, a dogleg right par-4 that played from 362 yards, and had a couple other breaks, but hey, at least I was in play all day. That was the best part of my game today: getting in play from the tee box. Early in the round, I felt better than I did the past two days, and was eight over for my first nine holes. Considering what I have been doing, that’s not too bad.

Today's foursome: Clay, Randy, Jeff, T. A.

Let me apologize before going any further. I intended to talk much more about my playing partners, especially my cart partner Jeff Rader, who shot an 84, even with two triples on his card, and Clay Collier, who bounced back from a 10 on a hole to still best me by four strokes I think it was. Noel (Randy) Meadows also outshot me by a couple, relegating me to the bottom of our foursome.

Jeff Rader climbing the leaderboard

However, I changed batteries on my phone before saving my notes, and all notes from the last 11 1/2 holes we played were lost! This final blunder absolutely epitomized my day’s collection of blunders. I do remember Jeff’s outstanding birdie on the final hole we played, the 127-yard, par-3 6th. His uphill, 25-footer leaned to the right and fell in on its last revolution, his second birdie of the day. I can’t remember anyone else carding a birdie, but without notes…

Randy Meadows' pro-like form

My playing partners, served notice early on that they intended to play good golf, and I hung in there pretty well with at least two of my partners until the final four holes, where I gave away five strokes with indescribable putting (this is a family blog, so I can’t give an accurate description). Funny thing, I was feeling pretty good about myself after we had played 12 holes. I wasn’t doing anything too terrific, but was certainly better than yesterday.

Clay Collier strokes it to the green

We got to our 13th hole of the day (we started on No.7), Hole No.1, a 400-yard dogleg right, with huge trees at the turn on the right. Jeff and Clay hit into the trees on the right, but it appeared as though Randy had hit a terrific draw up the right, but turning back in. It turns out that he couldn’t do much with a huge oak impeding his progress. I hit my drive low and left, but in the fairway, with the best look.

Gotta widen that stance

I had about 200 yards in with a stiff wind in the face. I hit a fair 3-metal to about 2o yards of the green. Yep, still feeling good about myself. Chip it on close, putt for par, at worse bogey. A flubbed chip and missed putt that should have been made, and it was a double. Everyone agreed that that hole was a beast! I believe Jeff may have made one of his triples there.

Nice out! Think I made this putt

I posted another double bogey on No.2, which should have been a bogey after driving into the fairway bunker, but the wheels really came off on the 520-yard, par-5 No.3. I hit my best drive of the day, perhaps 250 yards just left of fairway bunkers on the right. I pull out my trusty hybrid 4-iron, and pushed it a bit to the right, into fairway bunkers lining the right side.

Doesn't look bad

My ball is sitting six inches from the lip, and there’s no way to advance it toward the hole. I chip out backwards and I have 150 yards in, still with a crisp wind. I pull my 6-iron, and knock it stiff! Well, about five feet is stiff for me. I can knock this in for par. Another lame putt, and now I’m thinking about it. Okay, three holes to go, a bogey ain’t so bad considering where I was in two. We get to the par-3 fourth, playing about 155 yards. 

Out comes that 6-iron again, and the ball drops about one foot from the hole and rolls to, you guessed it, about five feet. I believe Clay and Jeff notched their pars, and Randy chips on and two-putts for bogey. 

The birdie putt I had was not difficult. There was no major break, its a relatively flat putt. It’s practically a gimme. I missed it with a yippy stroke, and missed the two-footer coming back. I ended up with a bogey... The rumors of my demise are not at all exaggerated!

Three putts from five feet? With no real difficulty? Yep, that’s the same guy who double-bogeyed the last two holes, and then didn’t save his notes. Shoot! Who can blame me for losing those notes anyway? 

Ah, but the weather was great! The course was outstanding! The tuna melt from the clubhouse was as good as it gets, we have the 19th Hole …and I get to play two more rounds of golf before tourney is over. Am I learning to look at the bright side or what!

Mike Thompson at 2013 World Am

Mike (Thompson), sorry I couldn’t give you any help Big Guy. Mike is my partner for the International Pairs competition, where partners' net scores for the first three days are combined and compared with other teams. The top five teams make it to the final round on Friday and compete for the opportunity to represent the United States in the International Pairs World Final in Scotland. ‘Prizes are awarded to the top ten teams.

Mike shows off his long drive prize

Given what we’ve done to date (Mike hasn’t lit it up either), it ain’t gonna happen. However, Mike did win the long drive competition for his flight today, bombing a 320-yarder to pick up the prize. Shoot, you better work on that short game partner, cause Rory don’t have nothin’ on you on the tee box! Oh? You mean you don’t do that every time? My bad LOL…

Jeff made almost everything today

As for my playing partners today, Jeff, I wanna be like you when I grow up. Jeff was tied for 22nd after the first day, but his stellar round today jumped him up to a tie for 7th. His net 71, was just two strokes off the low net of 69 shot by Phillip Guerriero, who sits in 2nd, two strokes off the lead.

Clay, that bounce back after the 10 was spectacular. Clay moved up from 32nd to 28th with today's 5-shot improvement. Randy, can you teach me how to draw the ball? Randy and I shared the fate of dropping in the standings, but he hit some beautiful draws today.

Randy Meadows for birdie

Bottom line folks, is that although I’m not the golfer I had hoped I was coming into this tournament, I can’t imagine a better event to play. This last makes my 10th World Am round, and I have had 10 terrific foursomes, on at least eight great courses, and two good ones.

My hope coming in was to win my flight and make it to the final day. After yesterday, my new goal was to improve upon my first day’s score and position. Goal unmet. I dropped from a tie for 30th to a tie for 31st. It's time to develop yet another goal.

Craig Forbes & T. A. at 2013 World Am

Now I’m thinking, “How low can you go?” as far as hopes and expectations go I mean :). Given my last two scores, I guess I should be hoping to break 90! Or maybe I'll just shoot to finish ahead of Craig (Forbes) one of my playing partners from last year. He's sitting in 14th, 18 slots ahead of my 32nd ranking. Heck, he's only got me by 10 shots. Three years ago I shot 81 in the final round. Last year I shot an 80 in the first round. Perhaps I’m saving my best round for Day 3 this year. We’ll see tomorrow. 

Kevin McGuire (right) & staff member 

As usual, Steph did a spectacular job! If I could shoot as well as she can, they’d be scribbling my name on that trophy already. She even had to do a little pushing to be able to do her thing today. Glad that Head Pro Kevin McGuire came around and helped us get this done. We appreciate that Kevin! Hope the folks at Hackler are as cooperative tomorrow. Until then…

 Additional photos can be viewed here

Steph & T. A.