Friday's on tour are tough days. So much happens, so many stories unfold and as I've mentioned before more than half of the professional golfers out here are sadly packing up their travel covers with their clubs and heading either to next weeks venue or home......unpaid
Before that happens however there is no doubt a roller coaster of emotions that have been gone through out on the course. There are certain groups of players that arrive at the course on a Friday. Let me explain them to you:
Leaders - these guys have started the week well on Thursday and look at Friday being a day to get their nose in front heading to the weekend.
Solid performers - these guys are the week in week out cut makers. They aren't necessarily at their best but are playing well enough to be comfortably inside the cut line. Friday's happen without too much stress for them, they are comfortable all day without being excited about their form.
Cutliners - these guys have come from multiple directions, some from inside the mark but are playing average on a Friday and scrapping with all their might to hang on, and some who played poorly on Thursday but still have a chance to make the weekend with a solid under par round.
Dreamers - these guys are exactly that, bad bad days on Thursdays mean these guys have to dream of season low rounds to make the weekend.
I wishers - these guys wish they were somewhere else on this Friday making money from a real job.....trust me there are plenty of these guys out there!
Today I was in the middle somewhere between the solid performers and the cutliners category. I had scored well on Thursday, but due to some poor golf early on Friday I was in a serious battle to make the weekend cash rounds. Incredible things happen on Fridays and I wish I knew all the stories to share them here. My own story ended with me in that picture up above, sitting by the beach having a beer and watching the scores throughout the afternoon.
My story was that 4 bogies in a row on the front nine meant I was in a solid battle. I was sick but not willing to lie down at this point. I scrapped an amazing par on the 7th and said to my caddy that I thought it was a turning point. I birdied the next two holes and another on 13 meant I was back in the "safe zone". I couldn't quite get another and then with bogey on the tough 16th I was left with two holes to try and secure my spot for the weekend. It wasn't to be and such an afternoon at the beach having a swim and checking the scores occasionally followed. I was involved in a Guyatt family group chat as we ticked off the final players that could impact the cut one by one....I had made it on the number and was amazed to be around for the weekend. I had been sick for two days and played really poorly off the tee but somehow had scraped through....pumped
One story from the day was that a former winner on tour was shaping as a guy that could knock me out of the weekend. He was on fire on his back nine and was coming home very very strong. He closed with a 5 under 31 which included two chip ins and only 11 putts. He finished 1 shot short of weekend golf and despite shooting a 6 under 66 he had to pack his gear and head to next weeks venue. Another player I know was going ok but made a triple bogey with 5 to play and couldn't quite pick up the shot he needed to make the cut, also missing by a shot. There are so many of these stories out there each and every week. What an extremely tough way to try and make a living, brutal, so brutal!
This week the cards fell my way but I have certainly been on the other side more times than I can remember too. Here's to hoping I actually get some sleep tonight and feel a thousand times better tomorrow. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain so I am planning on having a red hot crack this weekend. Time to go MG!