Written: October 7, 2010
This is a long one guys!
Today was the second round of the Philippine Golf Tour event in Northwoods Country Club. With that morning wave tee time for the first round on Wednesday to an afternoon wave tee time for the second round today, I was able to get some good rest in between. After yesterday’s round, I took a nice nap in the afternoon, then went across the street with roommate and coach, JR Tanpinco to a restaurant that has WIFI connection. In order to legitimize our presence, I ordered buko juice straight from the buko itself – sipped the juice out of the straw as I used my right hand to scrape the buko fillings inside with a spoon. Get the picture? Yum! Then in the evening, we took our traditional SM Mall stop at the food court then headed back to our humble abode, Sunrise Inn. Leisure activities in this no internet, no T.V. hotel included reading this book on body language, watching Mad Money saved on Podcast, reading the entire business section of Star newspaper, watching one of my favorite comedy television series Big Bang Theory, and of course writing this blog.
Anyway, back to today’s golf. Prior to playing and since we had a lot of time to get ready this morning for our 11:20am tee time, I continued to read a book my friend lent to me: Putting out of your Mind by Bob Rotella. I won’t go much into detail as to which parts I paid attention to more and which I used. That’s for a personal discussion, but lets just say it has been working.
Prior to warming up, I got a hearty brunch at the caddie’s cafeteria with Peter, Sonny, Dante, and coach JR. 2 orders of menudo, 1 order of rice, 1 order of vegetables was the meal of choice. As for the drink: Mountain Dew. Yeah, you might say that for the first meal of the day, a softdrink as a beverage doesn’t sound too healthy. But in Philippines, you’d like to stay away as much as possible from the tap water. Without any mineral water available, Mountain Dew in this case was in fact the healthiest choice. Besides, it gives you a nice caffeine boost to get you warmed up.
Warming up, I was hitting the ball solid, not fighting the swing and no particular swing thoughts. With a previous round of 1 over par 73 that put me in a tie for 28th, just one stroke clear of the top 40 cut line, I knew I had to play a solid round to make the cut. In my mind, another 73 and below type of round would do the job.
First hole, par 5, I had a decent tee shot leaving me with 240 yards to the pin. The out of bounds that was staring at me on the second shot was lurking literally only 10 yards left of the pin. The hole was cut 4 paces from the left and another 6 yards, what looks like it should be a hazard with tall grass is actually out of bounds. So I aimed at the right edge of the green with my hybrid but with my brain that seems to always know where the pin is, I pulled my shot just a tad, ended up in the center of the green. 2 putts later from 40 feet, and a birdie to start the day.
Second hole, I hit a hybrid off the tee leaving me a lengthy 170 yards away for my second shot on the par 4. I hit a hook off my 7 iron and short sided myself to a pin that was tucked 4 paces from the left. Downhill lie, about 20 yards from the pin, all I wanted to do was put it on the green. I hit a 54 degree into the slope, it popped up perfectly and trickled to about a foot. Bonus par save!
I went on to hit fairways and greens on the next two holes. Par, par, still 1 under through 4. Then on hole 5, a longish par 5, I hit driver, hybrid, left myself with 115 yards into the wind and an elevated green, and I put it to a foot for a tap in birdie. 2 under through 5.
Throughout the round, in the back of my mind, I thought to myself, “yes, I’m getting farther and father away from that cutline (on the good side).” But I never let it adversely affect my play. In fact, having the cutline as a barometer made me focus better.
On 6, a routine fairway and green two putt par. 7, a short par 3 playing only 155 yards downwind with the pin 5 paces from the right. Mind you, 17 of the 18 pin locations today were placed 6 paces or less from the left or right of the edge of the greens. Some of them were a bit intimidating, just because I’m not used to seeing pins being placed like that all day, but I guess that’s how pro golf is. Suck it up!
Anyway, between a hard 9 or a soft 8, I with the easy 8 iron because I couldn’t count on the on and off downwind to take my ball 155yards with a 9. With water just right of the green, I push my tee shot that looks like its headed for the right edge of the green, it takes a big first hop to the right as if its going into the water, but its saved by the heavy rough about 3 yards from the water. Safe! I play a pretty good chip from there to about 6 feet and make the putt for par.
Next hole I hit a big drive to the left rough. 105 yards to the front pin, ball nestled deep in the rough, I couldn’t make good contact and it ends up short 15 yards. I chip it to about 7 feet past the hole. Tough to read, but I firmly decided on my first impression which was left inside. I let the putt go and it trickles in the hole. Still 2 under through 8.
On 9, dog leg right I hit my tee shot in the right rough. Left with a 6 iron from 170 up the hill to a back left hole location, I tug my iron shot just a little bit, it takes an awful kick left and ends up 15 yards from the hole, short sided no chance for an up and down especially with a bear lie in the dry rough. I make sure I get it on the green. 30 feet for par, and 2 putt bogey. 1 under 35. On ten, I hit two good shots to have a chance for birdie from 20 feet, miss, make par.
On 10, bomb another drive, left with only 80 yards on a 400 yard hole. I put my wedge to about 20 feet again, this time I read the putt correctly and put a good stroke, made the putt for birdie. 2 under through 11. On 12, I hit an 8 iron downwind from 172 on a par 3 to 30 feet in the fringe, I took the fringe into account too much thinking the ball would slow down but it didn’t and it skipped through the fringe and the putt went by 6 feet. With a tester from 6 feet, right edge allowance, I calmly roll in the putt with perfect speed, dead center.
On 13, pulled my drive left, layed up with a 6 iron, on my 3rd shot, from 110 yards just 2 yards off the fairway, I had to chop it out with a PW onto the green, ball rolled to the back fringe. From 25 feet away, which seemingly looked like a downhill putt, I tapped it only to have it stop 5 feet from the hole. Another tester, another right inside allowance, and I holed it again.
On 14, I hit a big drive on a 430 yard hole downwind, Had 98 yards left to the green. Like this hole where I outdrove my playing companions by 60 yards, there was a lot of that over the last two rounds playing with them. For some reason, this week I’ve been unleashing all I’ve got and not holding anything back. It must come from the confidence knowing where the ball is going. Anyway, 98 yards, downhill lie downwind, I hit a soft 54 degree wedge, perhaps a bit too soft this time as it doesn’t even carry the green and sticks into the ground short 14 paces from the pin in the fairway. Again, I decided to putt it. The ball rolls past about 5 feet. With another tester and a slider left to right, I hole it dead center for par. On 15, I hit a good drive, good 3 wood to set up a 70 yard wedge shot to a back pin location. Into the wind, I visualize an 80 yard lob wedge shot, worrying about the howling into the wind, I shut the clubface at impact, thus driving the ball into the wind. My ball ends up over the green, but still in the fairway about 12 paces from the hole. I use my putter once again to put it to 6 feet. A straight up the hill 6 footer for par was again holed.
On 16, long par 3 playing 205 uphill and into the wind. The 3 iron fans out right, even right of the greenside bunker. With an uphill lie and only 5 yards of green to work with, I make sure I hit it the lob wedge solid to get over the bunker. Turns out I hit a pretty good one, 8 feet from the hole. Left edge allowance and perfect speed necessary, and I deliver another par save.
On hole 17, the dog leg right downhill hole with OB on the left and hazard on the right, par 4, 391yards I was debating between driver cutting the corner and leaving myself with less than a 100 yards or taking the 4 iron to ensure keeping it in play off the tee. At first, I held driver, but after pausing and taking my time on the tee despite having the honors, which I practically held all day on each tee shot, I asked the caddy for a 4 iron. I hit a skanky 4 iron in play, at least it was better than a hook hybrid I hit the day before out of bounds. With about 160 left to the hole and the pin tucked 4 paces from the left of the green, which was water, I again, played to the safe side, leaving myself 40 feet for birdie on the fringe, 2 yards away from the green. I decided again to putt it. The ball rolled a foot past the hole for an easy tap in par.
Last hole of the day, dog leg left par 4, I hit a drive through the fairway, just 1 yard off the fairway, with 110 yards to the pin. I caught the most awful lie, buried in the 2 inch Bermuda rough. I even asked the spotter if my ball had rolled to this point or if it plugged, just to make sure. She said it had rolled to that point. With a front pin 7 paces from the front, bunker covering the front, I hit a pitching wedge with an open face cut shot to get the ball in the air. It popped out just fine, but the ball looked weird in the air traveling with no spin, no idea of where it would land. Luckily, the ball carried 2 yards past the bunker, on line with the pin, and rolled about 9 feet past the hole. Perfect shot! The pro in my group was like, “wow!”
Staring at a 9 foot, downhill putt, my initial read was left edge, my caddie’s was too. Not spending much time analyzing it, I stepped up over the ball, thought of making the putt, saw the target, looked at the ball, and made the stroke. Fittingly, it went in once again, dead center. Yeah, that downhill putt might have gone 3 feet past if it didn’t hit the hole, but I wasn’t thinking about that at the time. I wasn’t thinking about ensuring a 2 putt, being afraid of a 3 putt, who was watching, what was the putt for. Basically, all I thought about was line, ball, and hit the putt.
With a 3 under par 69 today, it vaulted me up to 10th place at 2 under for the tournament. The cut ended up at 5 over par after 36 holes, much higher than I had anticipated perhaps because of the tougher pin locations and windier conditions.
Looking through the leader board through 2 rounds, there are a bunch of names who I’ve played with growing up. Guys who I’ve idolized since my junior golf days playing against them in Villamor. I’d once bet against them as my training knowing all too well that they would be taking my money. But now, I’m pretty much beating them all. It sure feels good, although I know there’s still a long journey ahead.
Tomorrow, I tee off with Benjie Magada and another guy at 7:30am on the first tee. For low amateur honors, Jobim Carlos sits at 3 under, Dante Becciera at 3 under as well, and I’m 1 back of that. Peter Villaber follows at 5 over.
But the main goal tomorrow is to put together another solid round. Stay in the right mindset and trust that my natural ability will do the scoring.
I’ll admit, this was a long one, probably the longest one I’ll ever post, I’m new to this so you know how that gets.
‘Till next time, so long!
