Unfortunately I write this blog from the Qantas club at Narita!! That means I am heading home early, a far too regular occurrence this year up here.
It's not all doom and gloom though as I had a great week this week. I played really well around a tough track, one that Stephen Leaney rates in the top five courses he has ever played. He has played all around the world so that is a massive wrap for this course.
I hit 11 greens on day one but managed 15 yesterday, the third best in the field for the day. Once again my ability from tee to green shone and that's something I am very excited about. A tough driving course this week with very narrow fairways but length meant driver was still required. That is a tough proposition, made tougher by the brutal rough awaiting your ball should you miss!! Pressure!!
I really enjoyed myself out there today despite things not going to plan. I started well with a par and birdie but then went on a poor putting run. Three putts on 4 and 5 followed by a terrible kick off a tree on the edge of the fairway right onto a cart path and then into the trees 50m right and dead on the 6th lead to a double bogey followed by another 3 putt on 6 for bogey. I had gone from -1 to 4 over in the blink of an eye having hit 3/4 greens in reg looking at birdie.
It was time to make a call, continue putting left handed or go backwards in its development and pull the broomy out. I am happy to say I decided on development and stuck with the lefty. I can say it was the right time to do it, yes I was still alive in the tournament but there was lots to do. I was playing well and just kept telling myself that and believing I would have plenty of chances.
I was right I did have plenty of chances and made 4 great birdies coming in the last 11 holes but 2 bogies hurt my charge. I could look back and say that without the 4 three putts I would have made the cut, which is true but I would rather look at the 5 great birdie putts I made and think about how exciting my putting feels. It's more and more hours on the putting green to complete the change from right handed to left handed, something that simply A: isn't done and B: requires serious time, commitment and patience. That is the challenge as one would question whether I have the time to make this sort of a change when I have tournaments all the time deciding my future on tour up here and being the source of provision for my family. That just gives you a little insight into what life as a pro golfer is all about.
It's brutal, it's not the easy life that everyone thinks, in fact it's probably one of the hardest jobs on earth to make a dollar in. Next time you are about to tell a pro golfer they have the dream life, stop and check to see if it's Adam Scott or one of the other crew at the top of the tree. For every one of those guys there is a thousand guys like me working just as hard if not harder to try and make it and support their family. I love what I do and can't wait to reach those heights!! I look forward to those times ahead, just around the corner, just hrs of hard work and commitment away.
I am heading home just for a week, have my 39th birthday on Tuesday and can't wait as I reckon turning 39 will be my turning point!! Hope so anyway!!!