Puerto Vallarta Check Out

As I get to pack my suitcases I feel ready to come home. I had a great time in Mexico, the food was great but I'm tired of it and I learned a great deal over the last two weeks. Despite shooting my worst round ever as a professional (I can't even remember the last time I shot higher than 80) I was able to pick away at all the positives that I did this week.
To touch on day 4 I can say that again I put myself at a disadvantage at the first hole of the day (10). I was no longer focused on shooting a score, I was focused on getting myself higher on the category 6 ... so make more money, say like $1,000 or more. Instead of trying to shoot a score that would help me. That helped me get off to a poor start, even though I hit some great shots early (first 4 holes) and was payed off terribly. On hole 13 (my 4th) hit right at the pin, hard bounce and kicked up into a tree foot off ground. I managed to try and get it all back and for the next 5 holes I gave myself great looks at birdie. Then I made a terrible bogey from 105 yards on the par 5 #2 and then it seemed to blow away. My tee shots were already poor on this day, and when I got to the open windy side I couldn't get my ball in play, I was steering the ball which is a no no. I lost 3 balls to OB and then that was it I just wanted to get into the clubhouse and get out of there.
It's tough to shoot a score like and see it on the scoreboard after you have worked and played so well to get yourself in a great position but these things happen. It's a learning experience out here and I've been taking in all I can. I'm really excited to come home and work on a few things so that I can be ready for the Victoria BC event. I think it's best to forget about what happened yesterday and just remember all the good things that have happened these past couple weeks. I did what I set out to do, I needed to make a cut and I did so I'm happy. I get to learn more now as I have a few more events I will be confirmed for. That's all I need is more tries at tournaments. I know that the Canadian Tour is where I need to be to take me to the next level and I can already tell it's working.

JS

Day 2 : 71 (-1) Puerto Vallarta

Well if you've been following online you already know I made the cut. What a relief that was considering the nerves I had coming in. Knowing you are near the cut is a bit of an experience, I wanted to play aggressive but didn't want to miss more. My back nine the body was stiff I was steering it off the tee which was out of my control. I tried to be calm and patient but it was just an experience I had never had before in my career. Remember this is truly the 3rd "tournament" I have played that has a cut after 2 days as a pro and my first ever cut made. I now have a "career earnings" HA! Either way a lot was riding on making this cut. I now am guaranteed a start in the Times Columnist in Victoria BC and hopefully everyone else. I hope this week I get myself some good money where I can get ahead of a bunch of the guys who were in my category and made cuts. This is a crazy event though, so many guys are going low. I mean a -4 cut is crazy. The course isn't that easy I can tell you but it's teh greens, they are basically straight putts on a 7" stimp. (Stimp is the speed of the green and 7 is very slow) The one good thing is that they roll pretty true (as good as 7s could I guess. So guys really don't have to fear running a putt by too far so the guys in teh lead are basically ramming these putts in. Hell, I may be the guy making the best putts on the golf course this week. I made so many great (pressure) putts coming in on the back nine today including a 25 footer for par, and a 15 footer for par save on the last (9). As all of us golfers should know it's putting that makes your round and I'm glad it's there so hopefully tomorrow (9:40 am off 10 tee) I look to be loose and ready to shoot a score and get myself closer to the top of this leaderboard.

JS

Day 1 : 68 (-4) Puerto vallarta

Today was a very big surprise for me not because I didn't think I could shoot a round like 68 but because no more than 10 hours before my tee time I was freezing cold with a fever and feeling terrible. I took some Pepto Bismol yesterday and have progressively been feeling better but Mexico is definitely getting the best of me. Tomorrow I tee off at 2:30 from the tenth tee and hope to have another great day on the greens and get closer to these leaders. I had a couple bad tee shots today which led to my double bogey and my bogey but again, I feel like this course suits me and I think I can do well in this event. Stay tuned at www.cantour.com

JS

Day 2 : 76 (+4)

Heading says it all... Can't compete in a tournament when you're over par and unfortunately for me I was only able to make a couple bogeys and pars. The afternoon proved a little more difficult for me and the rest of the players with the p.m tee time. Very windy but most of all tough putting conditions. The grass had grown throughout the day and proved to be very challenging to get a putt to stay online. I missed 6 greens, missed 7 putts within 6 feet, and the other pars on the card were putts from no more than 15 - 20 feet, I just couldn't get that ball in the hole. It's very frustrating when that is happening. In my case I was hitting the tee ball very well, always in great position and was hitting great shots into the greens considering the wind. But frustration begins to mount after a you make it through the back nine and you hadn't seen a putt drop of any length. The back nine I got the ball even closer to proximity which was great (it was the more difficult side), I managed to play it superb, 6 of nine holes were 15 feet or less in proximity to the hole, but alas, no birdies... until it was too late, hole 17 rolled my first 15 footer in on the 611 yard (wind in face) par 5.
It's unfortunate that I didn't make the cut especially when I look back at my two rounds. I know I played well enough to be competing in this tournament if it weren't for a couple poor tee shots at the wrong time and a putter failure... But you learn. For my first event I have proved my ball striking is in form and I can compete in these events. I plan on regaining some confidence with my putter over the next few days and go into next week with a good attitude and a desire to be in the red. The key is putting and I know it's there, I just have to retrieve it.

JS

Day 1 : 74 (+2)

Day 1 is in the books and despite a round of two over par I feel somewhat happy about the round. I teed off the 10th hole to start which is the more difficult of the nines (very tight). I had a few good chances at birdie to start but was a little nervous, as you can probably imagine. As that nine went along and I turned to the back I felt great with a score of even par through that tough side. Unfortunately I hit a really bad shot off the 1st tee (my 10th) and found water and had a long shot in where I made a double bogey. Next hole par 5 I hit a great second shot and almost made double eagle, missed the 15 footer and took birdie. Then on the only tight shot on this side I knocked my ball out of bounds and was left with a double bogey again. Bogey on the next and then felt enough was enough and I came back hard with three great holes and birdie on them. missed another birdie on my 17th hole by nothing and on the 18th hole missed a tough putt to save par on my 18th. All in all I was happy with my play, the first round of my Canadian tour didn't start off guns a blazin but I feel like it was respectable enough and I didn't get blown out... it really could have once I got to 4 over par. I'm happy I battled back and look forward to putting a good score in tomorrow afternoon and playing the weekend.

JS

Mazatlan

Well I have arrived safe and sound in Mazatlan Mexico. Since I arrived Monday evening I have had one 18 hole practice round and managed to get about 6 holes in this morning before the Pro - Am started at 8:30 am. The course is an interesting design, somewhat open on the front side and pretty tight on the back. The entire course is surrounded (in pretty close proximity) by Out of Bounds which demands a very strategic game plan to make it through the course effectively. On two occasions I played a 3 iron off the tee on par 5's and then a 3 wood (or 3 iron) to set up the hole. My thought behind it is, if I can eliminate the penalty strokes all together I should gain at least 2 strokes on the field easily. The other thing I have been focusing hard on is which way the grain is facing in certain locations on the green. These greens are very grainy much more than what i would be used to, even in the southern states. Same is true with into or away from grain, they will be fast or slower and also may pull side to side if going across it. I have marked as much as I could down in my course book to help from the fairway navigate to a down grain putt for different pin locations on the knowledge that the down grain putts will be faster but will also hold it's path or line to the hole much better which hopefully means I make more putts. I feel good this week though, my ball striking is looking good and my wedge game has improved. I'm hitting the tee ball very well as usual and as an added bonus I will be paired with my good friend Barry O'Neill for the first two days which hopefully will bring us both luck with a lower sense of urgency and pressure. We will be able to play golf the way we usually do everyday in Houston, light hearted and always very competitive. It's definitely a great way to start off the season (when making a cut is crucial) and you're playing with the one guy who would be able to alleviate any negative pressure you may be feeling. I look forward to this first week on tour. I'm going to relax the rest of the afternoon, maybe have a swim and maybe even listen to a few waves crash in on shore. I'll be in touch with more results but you can follow at www.cantour.com

JS

Mexico Bound

Well it's been a while since my last post and I do apologize for that. I've been up and down with my game but seem to be on the up now. I have been working hard on my short game after losing it a little bit and have been seeing my putting come around really nicely which helps the entire game. Since my last post I had the chance to speak with a past Masters Champion (Jackie Burke II) and he said you have to be great at one thing in golf, that being putting. Pretty simple idea really but it's true, if you're a great putter it will either save a bad game or make a good game great. It really allows you gain confidence on the rest of your game when you feel confident with a putter in your hand. You feel like you don't have to get it as close to the hole which relieves pressure on chipping, then back to approach shots , then back to tee shots, which in turn usually makes you hit it closer all together anyways... golf is a funny game like that.

So Monday I make my way to Mexico to begin my season on the Canadian Tour. We begin in Mazatlan and then we move to Puerta Vallarta. It should be a great time and I am so excited to get started on the tour. It should be a great experience and I hope it brings my golf game to a whole new level. One of the things that I hope will help along my path is the support of Galvin Green Clothing. They are an amazing brand and have agreed to clothe me in shirts, jackets, and sweaters for this season. The product is gorgeous and unbelievable quality. It gets me excited to play right off the bat from how good this stuff looks, and when you look good, you feel good. So I truly appreciate the help they have offered me for this year. You can check out the catalogue at http://www.galvingreen.com .

One of the things I did want to mention was the removal of a couple events on the Canadian Tour in the beginning of the season which has left some gaps in the start of our schedule. This means I will have some free time after Mexico and the Times Columnist in Victoria, BC. I plan on coming back home for a couple weeks to get some practice in at Wooden Sticks and hopefully enjoy some home cooking. I don't know if it will work out but I'm going to find out if it's possible that I open myself to some instruction and maybe a clinic or two in hopes of fundraising a little bit. It could be a great opportunity just as the season is about to start. If it all works out look for an ad or some notice of it in the local paper (Cosmos).

Until then I'm off and if I get a chance over the two week period I am out of country I will try and blog as often as I can with an inside look or response to how I am doing out on tour. I look forward to competing and am thankful for all the well wishes I have received, it is what helps me dig in when times are tough.

JS