Canadian Tour Conclusion

I posted 67 at the final round at the Canadian Tour Championship to finish tied for 24th place. Today was a big test for me: I've had a few very poor final rounds on tour this year which have cost me respectable finishes and important dollars. Today was an opportunity to prove to myself that this year on the Canadian Tour has been a great learning experience and I'm improving.

I've struck the ball well all week but my wedge play and short game have held me back from shooting low scores. Today, I lacked the control over my swing I had in the first three rounds, but my short game finally shined. I added an exclamation point on the short game spectacle by making a 15 footer at the 230 yard par 3 17th and holing a 30 yard bunker shot in front of the gallery at the 18th, finishing birdie-birdie.

After the crisply struck sand shot landed softly and bounced in the hole, did I throw a few dramatic fist pumps and take numerous bows??...you bet! I've been waiting all year to birdie the last in front of the crowd and took full advantage of the last hole at the Tour Championship.

It's been a great summer on the Canadian Tour. I've improved, learned a great deal about how to manage my game and my energy levels for consecutive weeks of competition, and will be in the top 50 on the order of merit, gaining my tour card again for next year (top 80 retain their tour cards).

I head back to Florida tomorrow, where I'll continue to hone my skills and fund raise for a possible Q-school bid this fall.

Round 3 Canadian Tour Championship

If I could take back two swings today, it would have been my best round on the Canadian Tour. I played very solid, but suffered a triple and double bogey and shot 70. The bad swings came from terrible lies in the rough and overly aggressive decisions. While my score hasn't quite reflected it, I've played better with every passing round. I'm tied for 38th going into the final round at -1 for the tournament and am 4 strokes outside the top 10. If the trend of improving play continues and a few more putts fall, a very respectable finish is in my future.

Making the Cut at the Falls

After an inconsistent day, I finished at +1, 71 leaving me with a 2 round total of -1, 139. I've made the cut at The Canadian Tour Championship and am 9 back of the lead, 4 back of 5th place heading into weekend play. I had 5 severe lip outs on the speedy greens, leaving me contemplating all the potential the round had. If those putts drop tomorrow, I will find myself back in contention heading into Sunday.

Canadian Tour Championship Round 1

I got off to a solid start at the Canadian Tour Championship next to Niagara Falls, by shooting -2, 68. The course is a ball strikers paradise and with soft conditions today, players were able to take advantage. I'm tied for 18th going into round 2. I will write more tomorrow after a great round.

Wedge Woes

Last week's struggle extended into today as my wedge play was glaringly terrible. Everything else was bad, but my wedge play continues to hold me back from being a successful pro golfer.

Tomorrow is my 27th birthday and I will need all the magic and birthday bounces August 20th can offer if I am to make the cut.

Artistry in Seaforth

Among the last Canadian Tour events of the year is this week's Seaforth Economical Insurance Classic. The small farm town of Seaforth is 2 and 1/2 hours outside Toronto. Surrounded by meadows rich with corn stalks and cows, and barns with handwritten advertising saying "storage space available," the tournament isn't likely to attract deep rows of spectators or ESPN coverage.

The course is short with reachable par 4s and 5s and par 3s requiring only short irons. The greens are undulating and as receptive as metal counter tops; rock-hard. Last year, twenty-six under par won the tournament but veteran players are spreading the word that the greens were more forgiving then. Scores will be slightly higher this year.

This will be the final tune-up event before the Tour Championship next week. I'm staying with two pottery artists on a farm ten minutes away from the course. They mold clay into a variety of beautiful shapes and sizes. I plan to be an artist of sorts this week as well, shaping shorts of various lengths beautifully close to my targets. It should be a fitting match to a great week.

The Bad and The Ugly

Bad swings, worse course management and ugly short game lead to scores like I shot today. Missed the cut at the Jane Rogers Championship. Will spend the next couple days moving past this performance to be ready for next week's Canadian Tour tournament.

Clublink Jane Rogers Championship

After a great opening nine of -3, I hit two arrant shots making double bogeys and left me played defensively through the remainder of the round. In challenging conditions, I finished the day at +2, 73. While it was a frustrating end to what could have amounted to a good day, I have my favorite two days of the tournament week ahead of me. I've played some great second rounds so far this year and intend to add another second round notch on the belt. I play tomorrow at 12:30 pm and after some great results during a practice session this evening, am looking forward to going low.

Next Stretch

Ontario plays host to the coming three weeks on the Canadian Tour. This week's event is the Club Car Jane Rodgers Championship at Greystone CC in Toronto. I fly into Toronto tomorrow afternoon and play the pro-am on Wednesday. While my arrival is a bit later than usual, it is part of a new strategy that helps me remain fresh and energetic throughout the entire week of competition. My goal is to win the next event and move into the top 10 on the money list. If I can improve every week I play this month, I will be prepared for the challenge of PGA Tour Q-School in the fall.