Mercedes Benz Tour Indonesia 3rd Round

Written: October 29, 2010

            Greetings! I’m writing this from the lounge area in the clubhouse.  Taking a break from my post round practice session.  Not many pros here practice after the round.  Juvic the other day told me that most of the players on the ASEAN Tour pack their bags and head back to the hotel after their rounds but its completely different on the Asian Tour where you’ll see almost everyone on the range or putting green after.  Today, it was Rory Hie, who happens to be quite a star here in Indonesia, and myself hitting balls on the range.  We got to chat about our amateur and junior golf days in the U.S. and about other things too.  He’s one of the few foreign players that you can have a normal conversation with without having to pretend like you’re speaking slow and simple English to a baby.  Haha, perhaps that sounds a little too mean, but that’s how it is.  Anyway, you get used to it.

            This morning, I got up at the usual 4:50am and had breakfast in the lobby before waiting to catch the 5:30am bus.  The problem was, the bus never showed.  All of us players were piling up in the waiting area in which a bus should come every 15 minutes.  Instead, the organizers handed us some cash to pay for taxis.  Jay, Mars, Gene, and I took the taxi ride over to the course.  The swing felt a bit funny on the range this morning.  In shots that would feel perfectly solid and normal, I would look up and see a sweep hooking ball flight.  I countered by relying on my trusty swing thought, which is to feel like I’m taking the club down the line rather than dropping it inside.  Through the first 8 holes, I kept the swing in tact, made one or two good par saves for 8 pars in a row.  On 9, I hooked a 3 wood off the tee into the deep rough, advanced the ball about a 120 yards and left myself with 50 yards. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get up and down from there costing me my first bogey.  For the next five holes, I continued to make pars.  One was a good up and down for par after pushing what should be a simple 165 yard 7 iron into the lip of a bunker.  On hole 6, 470 yard par 4, playing the toughest this tournament, I hit a solid drive to the left center of the fairway.  Ball below my stance on the second shot from 205 yards, I pulled a 4 iron thinking that even if I can’t get it to the green, I’ll leave it just short in prime position for an up and down.  As I was taking a few practice swings, the wind started picking up into my face.  I stuck with my decision to hit the 4 iron.  My tempo felt good but I came out of it. A push fade in the middle of the creek.  There were many shots that I miss hit throughout this tournament but this one cost the most.  As much as I wish I could have had that shot back, that’s golf and you have to move on.  Dropping from about 130 yards left for my 4^th in the rough, the sticky grass grabbed landing short of the hole and in the bunker.  The bunker shot didn’t even make the green but I still managed an up and down for triple.  

Then on the 7^th, as calm as I could possibly be, I stood up on the tee and swung a solid driver down the right center but the wind kept it from drawing back. The ball ended up landing in the flat bunker but the ball so unfortunately rolled as close as could be to the 1 inch lip leaving me with no shot but a 20 yard play out.  With 240 to the green, I hit a 3 wood just short but couldn’t save my par.  5 over par with two to play.

            I credit my caddy Wulan for helping me stay upbeat through those holes.  We managed to par the last two holes that were into the wind with 3 solid swings. A hybrid on the 215-yard par 3 and a drive and a 5 iron from 185 on the 440 yard last hole.  Immediately after signing the scorecard, I hit the range to get a better feel for my swing.  Now, I’m taking a break but I’ll walk over to the putting green right after.  Still contemplating if I should get a massage in the locker room before taking one of the buses back.  We’ll see.

            I still haven’t lost sight of the big picture.  Every little experience, every round, and every tournament is part of the process. 23 shots away, Juvic looks to be so far ahead in that process, but I’ve seen what he does and I know I’ll get there.  I’m continuing to enjoy the ride and I’m ready face whatever comes. 

My caddy Wulan