The Men's Met

The last two days were not so good, especially yesterday. I played Terrace Park Country Club in Milford, Ohio and just absolutely hit the ball everywhere. I mainly had a few bad holes, but I just couldn't get anything together and ended up shooting a horrible 87. The first three holes there I went, par, double bogey and quadruple bogey (5-6-8). Starting out 6 over par in the first three holes never helps the occasion. I thought I might have a chance to get some birdies, but just left everything short on the greens, which seems to be a re-occurring theme over the past week.

Today at The Ridge Club near Montgomery Road in Cincinnati, I hit the ball much better, but missed a few greens on the back 9 and the ones I did hit, I seemed to be in the wrong position on the green (above the hole). The greens were really quick and I just couldn't get the ball to stop around the hole on the downhill putts. Even though my score was 78, I felt I played much better than that indicates. Hopefully next year will be better...

US Public Links Qualifier

So today wasn't that good. I struggled all day and it didn't help that I got off to a very slow start bogeying the first 5 holes. I didn't have a par on the first 9 holes and shot 39. I just don't know what to say other than hopefully my next tournament will go better. I ended up shooting 81-79 and finished T-36 out of 61 that finished (some people didn't show up and others withdrew).

My next tournament is the Tony Blom Amateur Championship (the Cincinnati Met) on June 23 and 24. I'll update after that...

108th US Open

Tiger Woods, now that is a name that will go down in history along with Rocco Mediate. These two golfers gave us an absolutely amazing playoff yesterday (6-16-2008). The front 9 was fairly even with Woods going up right at the end, but the back 9 was very, very dramatic. Woods went up by three shots with 8 holes to play and I have to think that most people watching thought it was over. Rocco proved us all wrong.

Rocco ended up making birdie on three consecutive holes (13, 14 and 15) to take a 1 shot lead with three holes to play; the same situation as Sunday. Woods and Mediate traded pars on 16 and 17 and the US Open came down to number 18 once again.

Woods put his tee shot in the fairway, giving him an opportunity to go for the green in two, which he successfully did, while Mediate knocked it into the left bunker. Mediate played smart and just hit it down the fairway. Mediate's third shot came to rest about 15-20 feet from the hole while Woods had a 45 foot eagle putt to win.

Woods missed his putt by about 5 feet or so and then Rocco had a chance to win the US Open. His putt missed just left. They both made the next putt and we got to see extra golf again!

The sudden death hole was #7, a slight dogleg right par 4. Woods had the honor and put his tee shot on the right side of the fairway while Mediate put his tee shot in the left bunker again. Rocco's lie in the bunker was not all that good and thus he didn't hit a good shot. His next shot went well left and into the gallery. He received a free drop and knocked it on the green about 20 feet away.

Woods, meanwhile, hit his second shot just outside 20 feet and had that putt to win...he missed. Mediate had to make his putt to extend the playoff but just missed making Woods the 2008 US Open champion.

One Legged Wonder

Tiger Woods is amazing. Playing on basically one leg, he has managed to get into a playoff for the US Open. After the start of double bogey, bogey, I didn't think that he would actually get into a playoff. I mean, I didn't doubt him one bit, but it's the US Open for gosh sakes!

Rocco Mediate played a great four rounds this week. Unfortunately for him, he couldn't make a birdie on the last hole. He still has a chance, I wouldn't say great, but a chance no less, to win the US Open and be his first major championship win in the 40-something majors he has played in.

Tomorrow should be a great round of golf for these two. They tee off at 12:00pm EST (9:00am PT), so hopefully by 5:00pm EST there will be a winner. Enjoy the golf!

Golf League - Dedicated to My Puppy

Last night's golf league was dedicated to my puppy. She passed on the other night (June 9, 2008). I miss her a lot.

The Memorial Tournament

Congratulations are in order for Kenny Perry. As I predicted back on May 19th's AT&T Classic post, Kenny Perry is starting to play really well. This win puts him in the company with Tiger Woods in that they are the only two people to have won The Memorial three times. Woods won three in a row while Perry's wins were spread out. He did have a solid week, but he had at least one thing go right that enabled him to win.

That one thing was Mike Weir not being able to make a putt all day Sunday. Weir seemed to burn the edges all day, but just couldn't get a putt to drop when it mattered most, like hole #17. Had Weir made that putt on #17, he would have had a lot less pressure on him going into #18. Only having to get birdie would have put him a little more at ease, in my opinion.

Golf Round Today

Today was a good day. I played at Miami Whitewater Forest Golf Course in Harrison, Ohio. That course is in great shape! The greens are fabulous there (considering they were not so good last year).

Getting to my round...it was a good one, except for one hole. I was -2 for 17 holes, but ended up shooting 74. I took an 8 on hole #7. I hit my tee shot in the trees, took a penalty shot. My third shot was right of the green leaving myself short-sided. There was absolutely no room to work with. I tried a high flop shot, but ended up short of the green. My second chip was duffed...then I got upset and just hit the next on one the green. I ended up two-putting the green for an 8. I went from -1 coming into the hole and left that hole +3.

Other than that hole, I played pretty well. I hit 14 greens, had 31 putts and ended up with 6 birdies. This round gives me loads of confidence going into the US Public Links Championship Qualifier on June 18.