This year the Masters is at Victoria golf club and I have to say that this golf course is now in the very top drawer of courses I have ever played. The quality from tee to green is sensational and the actual design is superb too. The is no place to hide out there and really no easy holes. It requires precision from the first shot to the last with perfection in between!!
I arrived on Monday in a fairly ordinary state, unwell after a rough weekend battling illness. I lost 5 kgs in less than a day and was struggling to eat at all. Fortunately I ate on Monday night woke Tuesday feeling much better and then felt better again today. Hopefully by tomorrow I will be back to 100%.
I played the pro am today, which was a first for me in one of these big events. It was great fun. It all started on the range when I heard a voice say "Hey Matty, Hey Matty!" I looked over and it was Brett Ogle. I have never met him before in my life. Anyway I politely went across and said hello to him and he proceeded to chat to me for 5 minutes about my win at Wollongong and then wish me all the best for this week. As I went back to Rushy who is caddying for me again this week, I said to him, "well that was weird, he just chatted to me like I was a long lost mate?" Rushy said, "Well isn't he? It seemed like it to me!" I then told Rushy that I had never met him before!! He couldn't believe me. Anyway it is amazing what a "W" on the resume does for you.
I had a great group today in the pro am with my group consisting of a gang from the club next door, Cheltenham, which is a little 9 hole course that give up their course for the week so we have a practice fairway. What a classic bunch, and the 3 of them all came with caddies and a bunch of their members too. The club Captain was there and he copped it from all directions from both the other players and also the members following us along too. One member who will remain nameless actually brought a sketch pad in which he had pre-written some sledges in so he could just hold them up whenever it suited best. I have added a photo down below! Anyway it was a great afternoon and I happily got involved in the banter and before long they were all giving me ammunition to try and take the mickey out of each other. I didn't disappoint, managing to drop little comments here and there sending the boys into laughter! Good fun!
I used the day also to have some more time practicing certain options off tees and also different options on and around the greens. It is typical sandbelt golf where heart of green is always great and attacking just doesn't happen that often. I really enjoy the course and think it does set up pretty well for me. I am looking forward to really enjoying the week and playing myself into a good position for the weekend. I would love to end the year on a high note. See ya after round one tomorrow!!