Round 2, TCO

As the morning rounds ended and I was over an hour away from my 2:20 tee time, I overheard a player that had just completed his round say, "you guys are getting screwed." He was talking to my playing partner Barry O'Neil of Ireland, and he was referring to severe winds that kicked up around midday. The morning saw rain sprinkles and nearly non-existent winds. Then the sun arrived and with it came blustery, swirling winds that held steady at 25 mph.

I was resilient and determined all day, hitting the "low ball" to keep it under the wind. My chipping and pitching from the deep cabbage around the greens was spectacular. My putting improved slightly and although my ball striking was not in peak form, the windy conditions made this aspect of the game very challenging for everyone. I finished with a score of 70, but the total score of 144 for two rounds left me 2 strokes outside the cut line.

I've had tee times that have been very advantageous in the past, but round 2's was not one of them. Those breaks likely average themselves out at the end of a career. All I can do is focus on the fact that I played determined and focused golf in the second round, never quit on myself, and hit some quality shots in tough conditions.

The next event is the ATB Financial Open in Calgary, three weeks from today. Like the Terminator, "I'll be back" with guns ablaze and robotic precision.