Welcome back to tournament golf for 2015. A cyclone is bearing down on Qld and it certainly felt that way despite being a considerable distance inland and not directly in harms way.
The morning round today for me wasn't going to be a calm one with very very strong winds greeting me and all the other players. My parents arrived minus their caravan, and thankfully no it hadn't been blown away, they just erred on the side of caution!
The day was going to be tough, the wind was severe, the greens covered in junk from the trees, the threat of rain and my golf game certainly a little short of a run. On top of that in this was the first 18 holes walking on my foot since the Aus PGA last December.
On the whole I controlled my ball flight very well and this controlled my scorecard too. 9 straight pars to start my year before a birdie on the short downwind par 5 tenth hole. A poor drive on 11 cost me a bogey but solid play the next three holes saw two pars and a birdie on 15.
In the difficult conditions I was managing. With 3 to play my foot was certainly yelping that's for sure, but just a strong ache without any sharp pain. I was certainly going to make it through 18 but knew the afternoon was going to be spent acquainting myself with an ice pack.
I found the left rough down 16 and undortunately I got a flyer and ended up long and not good! I made double bogey. I ripped my drive up 17 to the approval of my playing partners only to watch it land in the fairway and kick right straight under a bush! Another double bogey. Wow, I was certainly back playing pro golf again. Things are cruising along but in a blink if an eye this game jumps up and gives you an uppercut just to remind you who's boss!
I followed those double bogies with a poor tee shot down 18 meaning all I could do was pitch out and try and get up and down from around 100m out. As was the order of the day my wedge shot was solid without being great and I had around 15-18 foot for par. I made it to make lunch taste a little better but the two previous holes certainly put a dampener on my round.
As I sit here and look back on the round I am pretty happy despite the 3 over score. I got through the round with my foot which is an important step in recovery, it might be too sore to play four days this week but then more score may not be good enough to play 4 days anyway. Tomorrow will be another day of recovery and hopefully another 18 holes into my foot I preparation for the year ahead. Not sure I can play all year with how it felt today but hopefully I won't have to! Heal foot heal.
Looking forward to controlling the ball better again tomorrow and enjoy watching a few putts roll end over end! If we play that is, with the rain forecast!
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