Stage 1, Round 2

[Ben]

Well, a little bit of misdirection today. Shot 2 over 73, which puts me at even for the tournament so far.

Started of blazing hot! Birdies at 2 and 3 to get 2under through 3. Then, the 4th. Hit a good tee shot, but these fairways seem to be getting more and more firm. A 3 wood to exactly the same spot the two prior rounds put me in a good position for a solid par, today, that same 3 wood, shot off the fairway into a hazard. The drop gave me nothing and I had to chip out sideways. 4 on, 2 putt, double...

Gave myself a good look at birdie on the next hole, and fell victim to my on-going struggle with these insanely shlow greens. Left my 20 foot birdie putt in the heart, 2 inches short. Lame. I really dislike having to hit putts, I like a nice smooth roll to the hole. When I need to force a putt I seem to have trouble starting a putt on line.

Hole 6, firm fairway misfortune again. Terrible bounce into a hazard, pretty much sideways off a slope. I was able to play a shot from the hazard, but had to chip out sideways to the fairway with hazard protecting the front of the green. Hit a stelar shot from 110y to about 3 feet, missed the par putt. Ouch! So, now I find myself 1 over after 6 holes, and finish the front at 1 over.

Hole 10, driver, 58*, 2 feet, birdie. Par, Par, Par. Hole 14, two foot putt, Zoink, pull, lip out. Nice bogey. Furious! Hole 15. More hard fairway diarrhea. Chip out to 105y, Good lookng 54* in the air, lands 4 feet, spins back to 15 feet. Again, putt right on line, but short. Now I'm 1 over on the back, 2 over for the day. 16 and 17 blah blah pars. 18th hole, par 5. I'm thinking time to get a shot back! I'm going to play smart and hit 3i off the tee to avoid hiting my 2h into trouble (fairway gets really tight at 235y with water long, left and right). Block my 3 iron, looks alright in the air. What do you think happens? It jumps forward, then jumps forward again and into some thick junk. Slash one out to 125y, PW to just off the green, 20 feet. I ain't making putts from length, you think I'd make a chip? Nope.

So overall, 2 over was about as bad as I was going to do today. Just sucks that it did after a nice start. I'll get it back tomorrow.

[underparnv]

Don't try to get it all back right away. Play solid like you know you can do and the birdies will come!

How many rounds is the qualifying?

[RIduffer]

Hang in there Ben. You'll go low in the next round. Thanks for the update and best of luck.

[kleraudio]

Great update, you'll be fine man. Rooting for you all the way!