State Match Play

Wow - what a fun week I've had on vacation at home.

On Tuesday I played the seeding round for the State Match Play at Hazeltine. Conditions were very tough - the course played long due to recent rains and the wind was really blowing. I played o.k. except on 4 holes where I had 2 doubles and 2 triples! I ended the day with a four putt... and limbed in with an 87. The field had much the same trouble... so I ended up in a playoff for the 32nd spot of the championship bracket. It took 5 holes - but I finally won. During the playoff I wondered if it would be better to lose. If I lost, I would be the #1 seed in the First Flight and would tee off the next day at 10AM. If I won, I would be the 32nd seed playing against the defending champion at 7:30AM. My competitive spirit won over and I finally made a putt to end the affair.

I left the golf course at 8:30PM - quickly got home and went to bed.

On Wednesday, I took Peaunut with me as my caddy. It was early waking her up at 5:45AM. But she jumped out of bed. She was excited.

The defending champion just completed her freshman year at Nebraska. She is almost half my age. We tied each of the first 7 holes. Then I 3-putted the 8th - but then won 9, 10 and 11 to be 2 up. By 16, we were square again and it wasn't looking so good. But I just tried to stay calm as I had nothing to lose. I was the 32nd seed playing the 1st seed. I kept telling myself to be patient. We both made pars on 17. And on 18, I hit a good drive down the fairway and she hit into the rough. I hit a good heaven wood up to the pin and that was the match. I was thrilled - especially to have Peanut there pushing my bag on a cart. (She was approached by many many ladies asking her how old she is, etc. - I was so proud of her. It was very fun showing her off to many ladies that have watched me grow up.)

I didn't get to enjoy my victory for long as the next match was scheduled 1 hour after we walked off 18. Peanut and I grabbed a quick lunch at Culvers and we were back at it. This time my opponent was a young lady who will be a freshman at Oklahoma in the fall. She was a very long hitter. She out drove me on every hole by over 50 yards. I tried to challenge her... and I did make a couple of putts to get to only 2 down at the turn. But frankly, I was hot and tired... And by 12, I was 4 down and the writing was on the wall. So we left in defeat. 6 and 4.

It was a super experience though. I'm very excited that the State Am is in a couple of weeks. I really think that my best golf is yet to come. To God's Great Glory.