Great weather for the final round which was one thing I didn't have to worry about. No rain for a week up here is a minor miracle!!
I start both well and disastrously today. How you may ask? I hit the ball awesome the first two holes and had birdie chances on both holes, sounds good I'm sure but the fact that I three putted was the problem. On a day where I needed birdies that really wasn't the ideal start particularly as I missed two short putts when I had been so solid on those all week.
My next three holes were awesome and through 5 holes I hadn't missed a long game shot. Unfortunately I was 2 over through 5. To add to that I then hit a poor shot into the par 3 6th. Faced with a very tough up and down, I hit a great shot but it left me an 11 foot par putt. I had barely made a putt outside that length since I holed the 100 foot putt on day one. I made it thankfully.
After missing out on the birdie on the par 5 7th I hit an awesome shot into the par 3 8th and finally made a birdie. I backed that up with a birdie on the 9th and had my round moving in the right direction.
The back nine was much like the front, quality ball striking without making the birdies until the 13th. So with 5 to play I was 5 under for the tournament, thinking I needed 2 birdies in the last 5 to have a chance.
The 14th was amazing, out of nowhere I hit a hook, into the tree left. After hitting two more I finally had a ball in play. When we got down there I found my first ball in a rock bed in the hazard. It was dead, one foot behind two rocks with no shot forward, sideways or backwards. To take a drop meant playing my 3rd shot and no chance of par. The dilemma I had was that a bogey was not good at this stage, I needed par but my only chance of par meant hitting the ball, smashing my club on the rocks and the ball would need to go through a tree and hopefully come out the other side giving me a chance at par. I needed to do it, par was the only option. So I went for it, smashed my club on the rocks and watched the ball fly into the tree branches......it came out!! With 103m left I hit my wedge to 6 feet and made it for a miraculous par.
As I walked to the 15th I thought to myself, I'm through, that wouldn't have happened if I wasn't going to get through. I still thought I needed 2 birdies but believed I would make them. Par on 15 and two great shots on 16 left me with 8 foot for birdie. Despite hitting a great putt it didn't drop. Another chance on 17 without the birdie left me needing birdie on 18 or eagle. It was a par 5 but with the second over water I wasn't going for the green. I played two good shots and had 103m to go for my third. I thought to myself that I need to hole this wedge. I hit a great wedge just missing flying in the hole by half a foot. I made the birdie and went to the clubhouse on 6 under.
After signing my card I checked the scores and was in an ok spot but lots of players to still come in. As we were flying out we simply needed to leave for te airport. So for 2-3 hrs we drove not knowing the outcome. When we arrived at the airport we checked the internet but still there were no scores. When we were in the queue to check in it finally updated and to my absolute elation I got through with the last spot!! Wahoo!! What a relief after a really solid week of golf. So through to finals in December straight after the Aussie open. Now though it's back to the Gold Coast for the Aussie PGA, can't wait!!! Thanks for following this week and I truly appreciate the support!!y