Wednesday, December 31, 2014

LGC Club Championship - Rd 3 and Rd 4 - 5 time

Aug 2 - 3:
18 hole lead: 1 shot
36 hole lead: 2 shots
54 hole lead: 4 shots
Final: 2 shot victory
Scores: 69-78-74-76 = 297 (+13)

I won my 5th club championship, which I believe is one off tying the club record!  It was no easy feat as I struggled in the final round.  My 4 shot lead was cut to 1 within the first few holes.  I never relinquished the lead and the tension was high as ever during the tournament.  My championship moment when I truly felt like I was in a dream, everything around me was still and non-existent, as I made a hard swinging right to left 20 foot putt to save par on 16 (back right pin putting from crest of ridge).  As I prepared to putt, I envisioned making a very similar putt years back when I previously won in front of friends (Brandin) and family and at that moment the meaning of the putt disappeared and it was laser focus on making a good putt.  This penultimate putt came after my tee shot went into the trees on the 17th tee box, barely giving me enough room to punch out.  It was an incredibly emotional hole, I was shaking after.  I went on the win by 2 shots over S. Keegan and B. Douglass.  Keegan and I played head to head the whole final round.  He is a true competitor and a great friend.  What a rush and I am honored again to have my Dad caddying for me again (and for all the victories!).

And to do it wire-to-wire is special.  You go through so many ups and downs in 72 holes.  My Dad and I are pushing and pulling so hard.  From an almost flawless 69 in Round 1, to battling to shoot mid-70s tests resolve and determination.  We drew on experience and teamwork.  I'll leave it to an excerpt from Pacino to Any Given Sunday (I added golf),

"You find out life's this game of inches, so is football (golf). Because in either game - life or football (golf) - the margin for error is so small. I mean, one half a step (swing) too late or too early and you don't quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast and you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They're in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when add up all those inches, that's gonna make the f*&king difference between winning and losing!" 

As the golfers say on Tour, its culmination of a lot of work that puts you in a position to win.  With a combination of skill, luck, and positive attitude, anything is possible.

Feeling grateful,
K


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