Round 2

Round 1: 69
Round 2: 73

I was reassured by my course and game management yesterday, so today, I tried to take a similar approach. But, I lacked the imperative self management that needs to be in game management's corner...

When you get an afternoon tee time before a tournament round and have to spend the morning waiting, your routine during that time can be as important as the time spent on the putting green. I played at 12 today and after an early wakeup, had an early breakfast. I tried to spend the morning in hibernation to avoid building anxiety. The tournament transportation came twenty minutes late, left 25 minutes late, and got caught in traffic, leaving my plan to have lunch prior to warming up, abandoned. Instead, my warm up consisted of practicing my 100 meter dash with a golf bag on my shoulder, from the parking lot to the tee.

I started off steadily with three pars. Number four is a 180 yard par 3 with water a few yards from the green's front edge. The green slopes severely towards the water. After playing an approach shot 30 feet past the hole, I putted my ball down the slope to two feet past the hole where it nearly came to a stop and then started picking up speed. It rolled faster until it was off the green, rolled down the slope and stopped just short of the water. I had putted it off the green; a dreaded scenario for any golfer and finished the hole with a double-bogey.

I was back in grind mode on cut day. I was able to make three consecutive putts from over 10 feet on 12,13,14 that saved my round from excessive disaster. On 15, my body began to feel like I had just spent a few hours in the gym and not eaten after. My hands began to shake, my legs felt lacked stability and my swing responded accordingly. I dropped three shots on my final four holes; a costly reminder that without gas in your tank, you can't drive anywhere.

So it was another disappointing second round, although still better than Shanghai. My two round total is even par, and inside the cut line by three strokes. Tomorrow, I play at 8:10...the perfect time, right between breakfast and lunch.