There is honestly a lot to say about our match today. As you’ll see later, we made a really good run today! Now to the round.

I hit range balls beforehand, and from my very first shot (a striped 8I), I could tell today was going to be a good day. Good shot after good shot on the range, and I was building confidence with each one. After putting for about 20 minutes, and hitting some really good putts, I was ready. I’ll do a hole by hole analysis. Yardages from the tees we played, but the fourth hole, a 478-yard par 5, was played from the red tees, and we made it a 345-yard par 4. Here we go!

No. 1; Par 4, 365 yards. After hitting some draws with hybrids on the range, I pulled the 5H and played the draw. Played it perfectly, and I got some great roll, finishing a few paces from the 100-yard marker. I hit a nice gap wedge that landed on the green and stopped about 20 feet out. Two putted for par. E

No. 2; Par 4, 337 yards. Despite being a driver hole, I decided on a 3 wood for my tee shot. Heeled it a bit, and I was only able to get about 190 out of it. I hit an 8I for my approach, and it finished just short of the green. After I gave my chip a bit too much gas, 15 feet long, I two putted for bogey. +1

No. 3; Par 3, 140 yards. Wind in our face, so I tried about an 85% 8I. As soon as I hit the ball, the wind died. But I hit it well, and it landed on the back of the green and rolled off. I hit a bump-and-run 6I back up the slope and about ten feet past. Another two putt. +2

No. 4; Par 4, 345 yards. This was the narrowest tee shot on the course, and I chose a 5 wood for my tee shot. Down the middle, leaving me with about 170 in for my second shot. I hit a really nice 6I that finished pin-high, 12 feet right of the hole. Then I made a solid two-putt par. +2

No. 5; Par 4, 377 yards. Never a driver hole for me, I decided on a 3 wood. Well struck, but a bit left and I didn’t really have a shot to the green. So I hit a chippy 6I that stopped about 85 yards out. Green light distance for me. With the coach watching, I hit my best shot of the day, a 54 degree with a ton of spin, and it landed on the front of the green and bit hard two feet from the hole. Easy cleanup for what is easily one of my top-five par saves. +2

No. 6; Par 4, 303 yards. Fueled by momentum, I pounded my drive down the left center of the fairway, the perfect angle from which to approach. With wind in my face, I took a little off a PW and hit another very solid shot, about 15 feet long. A tough downhill putt, but I two-putted for my third straight par with minimal trouble. +2

No. 7; Par 3, 150 yards. With a back pin, I decided on another 8I for this one. Another well struck shot, but a slight miss to the left, and it didn’t come back. It hit the slope left of the green and kicked hard until it finished near some roots a good seven feet below the level of the green. I did well to keep my shot on the putting surface, and another two putt later I had my bogey. +3

No. 8; Par 4, 318 yards. With about 170 yards to the stake in the middle of the fairway, I chose a 6I. It drew again, and I got another very friendly bounce. I was less than 100 yards out. I hit another slightly heavy shot that finished in the bunker, but thank my luck that we were playing them as ground under repair. After the drop, I had a shortsided chip, which now had to go over the bunker. I hit a nippy little 54 degree that landed on the front and trickled to about four feet. Barely missed that one, tapped in for a five. +4

No. 9; Par 5, 444 yards. It was at this point I realized I was only four over. I was in such a zone that I was able to block out all distractions, and unlike many other times, this did little to change that. I pounded my tee shot, nearly taking the tree on the left completely out of play. I was thinking about going for it, but eventually chose to lay up with an 8I. Still sort of unsure about whether that was the best play, I chunked it.

I still only had about 110 in, but with nerves slowly taking over, I thinned my PW third shot over the green and into some pine straw. My ball was also resting against some pine cones, but I didn’t move them for fear that my ball would move as well. I managed to hit another really solid chip shot that finished about five feet out. Now very aware that I had that par putt for a 39, I rolled it in. +4

Final score was a four-over 39, and despite having a few lower nines (a two over 38 and a few 39s that were three over), I considered this one the finest nine hole round I’ve ever played, having made nothing over a bogey and with crucial saves on the fifth and ninth holes.

Our team effort was also outstanding, one of the best, if not the best, we’ve ever had. In addition to my 39, we had a 38 from our no. 1 player, another 39 from the no. 2 player, and a 41 from our no. 3 player, making for a total of 157. Good news for us was that the team we needed to gain ground on shot a total 190, with two 46s as their low scores. A 33-stroke swing that we desperately needed.

The day before, the coach predicted that we needed 156 to catch the leaders. He was very close. As far as we know, we’ve shot from fourth place and absolutely nowhere to second place, only four strokes behind. 153 would've done the job. With two 18-hole matches to play, we’re right back in the game.

We also got word that as of today, only one team is going to regionals, but we’re not worried about that now. Momentum is with us, and we’re looking to ride it all 18 holes on Thursday!