This week's Golden State Tour event at La Purisima was not was I was hoping for. It is one of the toughest courses I will play all year, but a very fair course at the same time. My scores of 84-78 were the highest I have shot in years in a tournament but I am not as down about my game as one might think. My putting was atrocious as I had 36 and 38 putts. Obviously I need to figure that part of my game out. But as for my swing and tee to green game, it is as strong as ever. The biggest weakness in my game lately is being able to ignore off-the-course distractions. It is easy to get down being on the road by yourself and I am having trouble focusing on only golf while on the golf course during my tournament rounds. This was a very strange week in that regard as I am striking the golf ball beautifully, yet put up embarrassing scores. I just had no intensity and had trouble focusing and getting in "the zone". I need to keep assessing my game and working hard. I know I am headed in the right direction as sometimes 1 step back helps you go 2 steps forward.
Upcoming are a couple 1-day events at The Bridges GC in San Ramond, CA. on Sunday May 2, followed by a pro-am at Callippe Preserve GC in Pleasanton, CA. on Monday May 3. Hopefully I can fine-tune the game over those rounds, put some cash in my pocket, and head down to Rancho Mirage, CA. with some confidence for the Golden State Tour's next stop May 5-7 at Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort.
'Til next time...long and straight...and don't forget to make those putts.

2010 season is underway

My 2010 competitive season has begun. After spending 7 months working at San Juan CC in Farmington, New Mexico, I returned home in March and got my game ready for competition. My first tournament back was the Nationwide Monday qualifier for the event being held at TPC Stonebrae in Hayward, CA. I was confident but nervous going into this and ended up playing very strong. I made a couple untimely swings and just missed qualifying, but was very encouraged by the differences I could see in my game. After this, I decided to sign up for the Golden State's Roel Series event held at Boundary Oaks GC in Walnut Creek, CA. later that week. With the pressure of putting a $1,000 entry fee on my credit card, I was confident, excited, and very nervous heading into this event. But with the work I put into making changes to my game, I knew I was a different player than the previous year. I knew I belonged out there and knew I could compete with the best. The field was very strong as it attracted many of the players attempting to qualify for the nationwide event that same week. Instead of letting this intimidate me, I looked at it as a great challenge to see just where my game stood after some big changes to my game in the off-season. After rounds of 69, 72, 70, I found myself in 7th place and taking home a check. I showed some signs of rust at times, but I was incredibly happy with how I played as a whole. To see the changes in my game producing under great pressure was very encouraging.
Next up is the Golden State Tour Roel Series event being held at La Purisima in Lompoc, CA. April 26-28. After a week off to work on my game and spend some extra time in the gym, I am excited to compete in another event. Look for daily bloggs/updates right here during the event!

Pepsi Tour-Napa GC @ Kennedy Park

I wrapped up this weekends tournament today at Napa GC at Kennedy Park. I fired rounds of 71, 72 (-1) to take 2nd place once again! I had a rough start the first day 3 putting the first hole and hitting it out of bounds off the tee on the 2nd hole. +3 thru 2 was not the ideal start. I continued hitting it sloppy for the rest of the front 9 but made some key putts and some good up and downs to make the turn at +1. After making a 10 foot curling putt for bogey on 11, I settled down a little to make an eagle on 14 and a birdie on 15 to get the round in the red. I missed birdie putts of 15, 10, and 7 feet on the last 3 holes but was still happy to shoot a round under par after struggling for much of the round from tee to green. I was in 2nd place, 4 behind the leader, and 1 ahead of 3rd place, going into the 2nd and final round. After a good practice session Saturday afternoon with good friend Rick Reinsberg, I came out today swinging much better. On the first hole, I had 6 feet for birdie. I was definitely confident I could get the job done today. Unfortunately I missed that putt and struggled to make putts and save those same type of shots I had saved the day before. I swung so much better on today's front 9, yet I still made the turn at +1 again. I stayed patient as I was 3 off the lead. I made routine pars on 10 and 11 and finally made my first birdie of the day on 12 when I ripped a drive and hit a sand wedge to 13 feet. Unfortunately the next hole my 5 iron got taken by the wind and missed just right of the green and nestled down in the rough. I failed to get it up and down and was once again over par. It was frustrating because I felt like I was swinging well enough to be 4 or 5 under but it just wasn't happening. The next hole, a par 5, I missed a 4 footer for birdie. After 3 routine pars, I finished with a nice up and down on the par 5 18th for a birdie. Although not the score or finish I wanted, I feel better about my game today going into this weeks event in San Diego, than I did 2 days ago. I look forward to improving off this finish and having a solid upcoming week. Thanks for the support and come back soon.

Alta Sierra & Morgan Creek

This past weekend I played at Alta Sierra Country Club and Morgan Creek Country Club. I fired 70 (-2) at Alta Sierra and 74 (+2) at Morgan Creek. I hit 16 greens in regulation at Alta Sierra which resulted in a bogey free round. Although I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens, I didn't hit many close shots. I played solid but nothing that had me too excited. I made a poor par on the par 5 18th hole to lose by 1 to Stan Matthews who finished birdie, birdie. It was a very tough 2nd place finish to swallow as I walked away with $400 while Stan walked away with $1250 (my entry, skins, and low gross entry added up to $325). The course was short in yardage on the scorecard but lined with out of bounds throughout much of the course and many of the holes took driver out of your hands. I hit 2 drivers the entire round! Ironically the 74 the next day left me much happier. Although I finished 4th and lost money on the day, I hit a lot of good shots, and made a lot of good birdies on a very challenging golf course. I had not played this course before and my playing partners said the direction of the wind made it play as hard as they had seen it play. I made 2 quick double bogeys with some bonehead chipping and putting and had a hazard ball on a par 5. I made another bogey on my 10th hole from 77 yards out in the fairway on a par 5. I was 5 over par thru 10 holes and just disgusted at the lack of focus and the number of shots I had thrown away. I buckled down and made 4 birdies coming in but still had a sloppy 3 putt from 20 feet on my 16th hole. I look back and realize I need to get focused from the get-go and stop throwing away shots. The level of competition is too high to be throwing away strokes. Overall, I look back and see a lot of good things in my game and some easy-to-fix weaknesses. I feel very confident and prepared for my upcoming events.

Colorado, New Mexico, San Diego

I returned home Friday the 3rd after being on the road for almost 3 weeks playing events in Durango, Colorado, Farmington, New Mexico, and San Diego, California. The trip was filled with many highs and lows and my golf account is higher than it was before I left!
First off, I want to say thank you to Randy Kahn and his family for their incredible hospitality and additional support throughout my stay. It made it very easy to be away from home staying with the Kahns and I continue to be in debt to them. Thank you Randy, Terri, Cory, and Carrie. Second, I would like to say thank you to San Juan Country Club's staff and membership. The San Juan Open was an incredibly run event put on by the staff and membership, and I think I speak on behalf of the entire field when I say thank you to all efforts put in to making it such a fantastic event. Thank you to my amateur partner, Gary Moffitt. It was a pleasure playing with Gary and I look forward to bringing home some hardwear next year with him. Also, thank you to Gary's wife Fran. She was a life saver taking care of my finger and keeping me in the competition. I should probably send her part of my winnings! Thank you to Dr. Crider and Dr. Breeden for helping me with my cut finger. The stitches are out and golf is a lot easier once again having all 10 fingers.
As for a recap of the San Juan Open, I finished t23/80 by firing rounds of 74, 64, 71, 69 (-6). I definitely came in with higher expectations, but after severely cutting my finger and having a bulky putter, I am lucky to have made the cut and cashed a check.
It was such a fun event starting that Monday when participating amateurs got to pick their professional partners. I was fortunate enough to land a great partner in Gary Moffitt when he selected me first overall. It was a fun event to watch and a great opportunity to meet many of the clubs members, the tournament staff, and participating amateurs. That wednesday was the night of the Calcutta. This is a big event where players are bet on. I was the biggest purchase of the night at $3650. Flattering indeed, but I had a tough time not thinking about this throughout the week. I don't think I hit one shot that first round without thinking about the Calcutta and wanting to come through for the people who bet on me. After that first round of 74, I was able to realize that the best chance of coming through for those people was by focusing on golf, 1 shot at a time, and firing as low a score as possible. It still bugs me I didn't perform better for those who bet on me, but am greatful I was able to experience such a pressure. To spice up the week even more, I cut open my left index finger 20 minutes before my tee time prior to the 2nd round. I was changing old spikes and using a knife to loosen up the thread before unscrewing them. The knife slipped and went straight into the base of my left index finger, facing my thumb. I caught a small artery and struggled to get the cut to stop bleeding enough to even attempt swinging a golf club. After cleaning and taping the finger over and over, I hit 7 balls with a 9 iron as my group was waiting on the first tee. So not warmed up, in the rain, with a cut finger, I proceeded to go out and shoot 64 (-7). I went through many band-aids, tape, and gloves that day, and was able to shoot a low round with the help of some good breaks and a sharp short game. With the help of Dr. Crider and Dr. Breeden, and some stitches, I was able to tee it up the final 2 rounds. The next 2 days I struck the ball very nicely and fired rounds of 71, 69. I missed 11 putts inside 15 feet to shoot 69! What a week!
The next day I drove 11 hours to San Diego to play in a Golden State Tour event I signed up for while in New Mexico. What a mistake and learning opportunity! I was on the road too long and just flat out exhausted. I struggled on a fairly easy course by firing rounds of 72, 74, 76. Still it was a fun few days spent with my Uncle Bill, Aunt Val, and cousin Carolyn. Thank you very much for the hospitality, good meals, and great family stories! I definitely learned that 2 weeks on the road is fine, while 3 is just too much for now.
Wrapping things up, this was a great trip filled with some great golf. I was fortunate enough to meet and spend time with a lot of great people over my 3 weeks and I feel like this was the launching pad to my golf career. Thank you to my sponsors and all the support from my followers.

Navajo Trail Open

The Navajo Trail Open wrapped up yesterday and I fired a final round 72 to tie for 2nd place. It was a very disappointing finish to such a fantastic week of play. On the bright side, an amateur came from behind to win so I was able to share first place in the pro division and cash my biggest check as a pro. After a $300 entry, I can't be too upset with a lot of good play, and a check for $4,000. It is nice to see my game back to it's old form now for quite some time. I fired rounds of 67, 65, 72 for a 9 under total. The first 2 rounds I played smart, solid, and my putter was on fire. I had a 3 shot lead going into the final round and was looking to notch my first win as a professional. The front 9 I played well. Definitely fought some nerves in the beginning, battled some bad breaks, bad lies, and a couple missed short putts, but still fired even par on my front 9 and had a 1 shot lead. The altitude finally got me on number 10, a par 5 into the wind. I hit a 350 yard drive right down the middle, into the wind. I was left with 196 yards and hit the best iron shot of the day. A pure 5 iron drawing RIGHT at the flag. It was way too much club, and I walked away with a par when a birdie was much needed. Still, I just focused on making smart decisions and good swings. Unfortunately this good thought process was not executed and I hit my next tee shot out of bounds on the drivable par 4, 11th. I made birdied on my next ball to only drop a stroke but was now 1 off the lead. 12 is a 198 yard par 3 over water with a pin tuck on the right with wind coming out of the right. I hit a hard 8 iron to 7 feet, leaving me a perfect uphill putt. Again, another short birdie putt just missed. Things would only get worse when I would hook my next drive into a creek and make double bogey on 13. The next few holes I hit a lot of good shots that just didn't end up as good as they easily could have. At this point I was 2 down to 2 players with 2 holes to go. 17 was a dogleg right 565 yard par 5 into the wind with out of bounds to the right. I put my drive in the fairway and left myself 245 yards, slightly uphill, into the wind, over some trees. I hit a high, fade hybrid to 30 feet pin hi. Before I putted, the amateur, Luke Tanner, chipped in for eagle. I knew the tournament was his but I wanted to give the other pro a run for his money. I made my 30 foot curler for eagle and experienced the most exciting moment ever on a golf course. 18 is a challenging par 4 and it was getting dark and some rain began to fall. I left myself a 20 foot birdie putt uphill for the win in the professional portion of the tournament, but the ball veered right at the end. Although it was disappointing to not win the tournament, I was pretty excited to eagle 17 and split first place prize money.
Looking back on the tournament as a whole, it was such a positive experience and a great learning opportunity in my young professional career. It is nice to walk away with a nice size check and feeling good about my game.
This was by far the biggest event I have played in throughout my entire golfing career and I will take away nothing but positives from this. Although I would have loved to share this week, and father's day, with my family and dad, I was able to spend this final round with Randy Kahn and his family. There hospitality and support have always been incredible, and this trip has been nothing but the same. I would not be where I am today in my golfing career without Randy so it was nice to show him where my game has come and to have a good showing in his hometown.
Again, thanks for the support and hope you enjoy following my adventures. This week I will be playing in the San Juan Open in Farmington, New Mexico. It is a 45 year old tournament which will draw 80 professionals from all over the country and will award the winner with a $16,000 check and a Rolex watch. Stay tuned to see how the San Juan Open unfolds. Feel free to email me if you would like a daily update.

New Mexico/Colorado

I am currently in Farmington, New Mexico visiting my good friend Randy Kahn and his family, while playing in the Navajo Trail Open and the San Juan Open. Prior to this, I played in a 2-day Pepsi Tour event at Callippe Reserve and took my P.A.T. The first round at Callippe was very solid. I shot a 2 under par 70 which included 2 missed 4 footers on 2 and 3, and bogies on 15-17. 15 is a 505 yard par 5 so I threw away a bunch of strokes at the end. Still, I was glad to see my solid play was continuing. Unfortunately I followed up the 70 with a smooth 80. I double bogied 2 driveable par 4's and made a 9 on my last hole. I try not to make excuses but I think working 45 hours over the 3 days prior to the tournament took its toll on me. I felt very tired and weak and my swing felt out of control. This was very frustrating but I knew what really caused the 80 so I was able to let go of the score and move on.
Since arriving in New Mexico, I have had a couple solid days filled with plenty of practice and 2 rounds at San Juan Country Club where I will be playing the San Juan Open. Although my putter has yet to show me anything better than it's C game, I have fired a couple solid rounds of 68 and 67 on a course I have never seen before. My game feels solid and I am excited to play in the 2 events while I am out here. Tomorrow is the pro-am round for the Navajo Trail Open in Durango, Colorado, with the tournament actually taking place on the 19th-21st. You can follow my progress on www.golfhillcrest.com or wait for an update blogg after the tournament concludes. Thanks for the support and stopping by to see what's been going on and check back in soon.