Today I am going to share with you about the difficulties of a Q school and the pressures it places on a player. Before I do that though I will quickly say that I am 1 over for the tournament after a 2 over 74 today.. I am still placed ok in tied 9th well inside the mark at the moment. A solid day tomorrow and I should be fine.
The story is about two guys I played with today. The first is an older Japanese guy than the mass of young talent that tee it up in these events each year. When I say older I mean, maybe my age!! Anyway he wasn't a long hitter and didn't hit his irons with much conviction but boy could this guy putt!! He was amazing as soon as he got onto the greens. It started early on in his round and didn't stop!! He was a lovely guy, whom I found quite amusing, he was right into the day. From the 4th hole where he holed a great par saving putt and gave a fist pump, I knew he was right into it!! I was then treated to many more fist pumps as he continuously holed both par saving and birdie putts all day long. By the time we reached the 18th hole, an he had just holed a bomb on 17 for birdie, he was 2 under for the day and 3 under for the tournament. The 18th is one of the more difficult par 4's I have played. It is 420m and is downhill from the tee shot but you can't get to the bottom of the hill so the second shot is off the downslope to an 11m elevated green with multiple tiers! Oh and I forgot to mention that there is out of bounds both sides off the tee!!! Anyway he took 3 wood for safety which he hit perfectly, and followed that with another 3 wood up the hill to about 20 short of the green and left with a 40m pitch shot. He duffed it into the bunker where it plugged into the face. He had no shot and just hacked at it but left it in the bunker. One more bunker shot and two nervous putts added up to a triple bogey 7 and back to even par!! He will get through I think although if he plays the same and doesn't hole the putts, who knows. One thing I know is that I hope he is well inside the mark by the time he reaches the 18th tomorrow!! The other guy in my group was a very young guy from India I think. He started the day at 1 over but after a nice front nine of 1 under was going well. But as it the case with q school the pressure is like no other, he made one bogey on 12 then another then another, all of a sudden he was two over and sliding...dangerously sliding. He managed to somehow par the 16th and 17th before another bogey up the tough 18th and all of a sudden he is now at 4 over and only 2 shots inside the mark. I was watching him and I could just see him getting more and more stressed and tight, what a horrible feeling it is!! At least in a tournament if you make some bogies in round three, well there is always tomorrow and worst case you are getting paid anyway. Here that isn't the case, you are playing for the chance to play for money!! Big stakes!! Anyway that's it for me, one round to go, for those of you reading who believe in God, say a prayer for me for tomorrow and for those that don't believe in God, have a look around you and then say a prayer!!
1 Comment
Jen Guyatt
11/18/2011 02:53:45 am
Well written, Matt - could almost feel the tension your playing partners must have been feeling. Praying for a great day for you and them and that you all get through today.
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