Today, to give you a little insight, was a very tough day in many ways. I wasn't playing that well and the wind was swirling and its also cut day. I started at 2 under and then after a couple of birdies found myself at 4 under. A tough wind gust sent my ball long of the green on 12, my third hole, where I was left with an impossible shot and a certain bogey. From there it was a slow slide down a slippery slope. I turned in 1 over and after a bogey on the 2nd hole all of a sudden found myself at even par for the tournament.
The pressure on a Friday afternoon when the cut is looming large for you is enormous. I had 7 holes to go, arguably the toughest 7 hole stretch on the course and here I was, one maybe two shots inside the cut line. Every shot was going to be crucial from here to the end and would require me to give them my all. The problem was that I wasn't driving the ball that well and as a result of that the pressure on my iron play was building and it was starting to crack. Basically I had my C game out there with me and I really needed my A game. It didn't arrive but fortunately my A+ short game did. I got up and down from everywhere coming in and on the last green I had a 45 ft putt right across the top line of a ridge in the green before it was to break hard left down the slope and try and stop somewhere near the hole. I was now one over and the cut line was two over. But going through your head in this situation is this....."I need to two putt because if I three putt I will be on 2 over, but what if the cut comes in over the course of the next hour and a half and you miss.......better get this job done.....no pressure at all!!" I hit a great first putt but still had a 4 foot downhill right to left breaking putt to stay on one over and be safe. All the work I have been doing on routine paid off as I simple went through the process and routine and pulled the trigger on the putt and watched it go into the centre of the hole! The relief was enormous as I realised I had made the cut and the tough day was over. There were some casualties out there this afternoon with the main names missing the cut being, Charle Schwartzel, Nick Cullen, Kim Felton, Stephen Leaney, Craig Parry, Johan Edfors, Matt Griffin and Adam Crawford just to name a few tournament winners that won't be playing over the weekend.
I am looking forward to the weekend now and hoping to go low!!! I feel like I have two low rounds in me and I will be aiming to hopefully crack the top 20 by Sunday afternoon!! It is all before me and I have been waiting and practicing a long time for this moment so I am ready and can't wait!!