Tour Stop #10
Back in the States/Worlds/Madison
So we made it back to the States and headed to the Am Worlds in Kalamazoo. I taught a putting clinic and signed autographs raising money for ALS and turned in a full bucket of cash. We then headed back to Chicago and flew to Delaware for the Delaware Challenge A-Tier. Did I mention when we landed in the states they lost our luggage and I taught in an outfit from the local sporting goods store? I did get a nice pair of shoes! Our luggage somehow arrived in Delaware when we did and was at the baggage office in BWI.
We did get back to some home cooking and great family treatment from Synthya's family who are from Deleware and they came out and watched me play all weekend. With that kind of support, I was able to break the course record in the final round on the hardest course in the world, and win my first A-tier of the season! Thank you to the club, Synthya's family, my caddy, and of course Synthya who also played her first tournament in her home state.
We headed to Pro Worlds and practiced the very challenging courses all week. Synthya and I started off the week taking 17th in mixed doubles. We had fun and improved from last year! Next up were the field events where I had a good day winning the mini golf and SkillShot world titles. I lost a playoff to Wysocki for the putting title so I finished runner up. I also threw distance and finished 10th. Overall a good day and I finally got that elusive mini world title. I had six second place finishes prior to this year.
Finally the Worlds started and I got off to a bad start. Not the best idea since it was only a six round world championship. After the first two rounds I was in 33rd place. Was my top ten streak over? I buckled down and shot a great third round of -11 catapulting me up to tenth place. I battled hard the rest of the way, but it was not my week. I did manage to keep my streak alive and finished in 9th place. According to Stokely, I wasn't going to crack the top thirty. He really knows what he is talking about... we watched the final and headed down the road. I had an awesome caddy named Thim Reed. He was one of the nicest guys I have met out there. Kind, funny, and respectful.
After Worlds I like to have a big Monday fun day so I took us to Cedar Point, the world's greatest amusement park. We had fast lane plus passes and never waited more than 5-10 minutes to ride a ride. They have added some new coasters but the Millennium 300 and the Dragster 420 are still the best. I mean 0 to 120 mph in 3.8 seconds! It is exhilarating to say the least and we had a blast.
We then went to Peoria for a day to practice some courses for the LedgeStone Open. They were shorter than I thought they would be, but tight with tons of OB. After practicing I drove us to Chicago and dropped Synthya off at the airport so she could go see her grandma for a few days, I was jealous, her grandma can cook!!
I then headed to Madison for the Mad City Open, an event I had played 12 years ago. After practicing the courses and teaching a clinic for the Glide store, I felt I was ready. I played an average first round, and I was still in the hunt. Right before the second round with zero percent chance of rain it started pouring on us and I had no umbrella or towels. A veteran unprepared? Yup! I struggled in the mud and rain and then continued my funk the next morning and finished in 6th place. A very disappointing performance. I think I need a little rest which I will get after LedgeStone next week.
I had an awesome caddy and I really enjoyed camping at Token Creek again. It brought back memories of the old tour. I am going to refocus and get ready for the biggest payout of the year this week. I had a tire blowout on the way to Peoria, but that is a standard on Illinois roads. I am already here now on Sunday night getting ready to practice all day tomorrow.
I played in Peoria in 1997 at my first out of state tournament. Back then McNaughton was one of the toughest courses in the world. It is so funny how different the course plays now with the technology, and how I see the course in my mind now that I have played for so long. Certain shots I remember being nearly impossible to deuce are must deuce on today's tour. Now time to focus.
Back in the States/Worlds/Madison
So we made it back to the States and headed to the Am Worlds in Kalamazoo. I taught a putting clinic and signed autographs raising money for ALS and turned in a full bucket of cash. We then headed back to Chicago and flew to Delaware for the Delaware Challenge A-Tier. Did I mention when we landed in the states they lost our luggage and I taught in an outfit from the local sporting goods store? I did get a nice pair of shoes! Our luggage somehow arrived in Delaware when we did and was at the baggage office in BWI.
We did get back to some home cooking and great family treatment from Synthya's family who are from Deleware and they came out and watched me play all weekend. With that kind of support, I was able to break the course record in the final round on the hardest course in the world, and win my first A-tier of the season! Thank you to the club, Synthya's family, my caddy, and of course Synthya who also played her first tournament in her home state.
We headed to Pro Worlds and practiced the very challenging courses all week. Synthya and I started off the week taking 17th in mixed doubles. We had fun and improved from last year! Next up were the field events where I had a good day winning the mini golf and SkillShot world titles. I lost a playoff to Wysocki for the putting title so I finished runner up. I also threw distance and finished 10th. Overall a good day and I finally got that elusive mini world title. I had six second place finishes prior to this year.
Finally the Worlds started and I got off to a bad start. Not the best idea since it was only a six round world championship. After the first two rounds I was in 33rd place. Was my top ten streak over? I buckled down and shot a great third round of -11 catapulting me up to tenth place. I battled hard the rest of the way, but it was not my week. I did manage to keep my streak alive and finished in 9th place. According to Stokely, I wasn't going to crack the top thirty. He really knows what he is talking about... we watched the final and headed down the road. I had an awesome caddy named Thim Reed. He was one of the nicest guys I have met out there. Kind, funny, and respectful.
After Worlds I like to have a big Monday fun day so I took us to Cedar Point, the world's greatest amusement park. We had fast lane plus passes and never waited more than 5-10 minutes to ride a ride. They have added some new coasters but the Millennium 300 and the Dragster 420 are still the best. I mean 0 to 120 mph in 3.8 seconds! It is exhilarating to say the least and we had a blast.
We then went to Peoria for a day to practice some courses for the LedgeStone Open. They were shorter than I thought they would be, but tight with tons of OB. After practicing I drove us to Chicago and dropped Synthya off at the airport so she could go see her grandma for a few days, I was jealous, her grandma can cook!!
I then headed to Madison for the Mad City Open, an event I had played 12 years ago. After practicing the courses and teaching a clinic for the Glide store, I felt I was ready. I played an average first round, and I was still in the hunt. Right before the second round with zero percent chance of rain it started pouring on us and I had no umbrella or towels. A veteran unprepared? Yup! I struggled in the mud and rain and then continued my funk the next morning and finished in 6th place. A very disappointing performance. I think I need a little rest which I will get after LedgeStone next week.
I had an awesome caddy and I really enjoyed camping at Token Creek again. It brought back memories of the old tour. I am going to refocus and get ready for the biggest payout of the year this week. I had a tire blowout on the way to Peoria, but that is a standard on Illinois roads. I am already here now on Sunday night getting ready to practice all day tomorrow.
I played in Peoria in 1997 at my first out of state tournament. Back then McNaughton was one of the toughest courses in the world. It is so funny how different the course plays now with the technology, and how I see the course in my mind now that I have played for so long. Certain shots I remember being nearly impossible to deuce are must deuce on today's tour. Now time to focus.
