George III and GIV's Blogs
5/26/09
The Gamecocks, in my opinion, have one of the best golf teams in recent hirstoy. Four wins speak volumes and I'm very optimistic. They have had several good tournaments but not yet one great one. Maybe they're saving their best for last. They sure are deserving and I feel like they've certainly have earned a few good bounces and a few good breaks because they haven't gotten that many despite a great season. I'm looking forward to Inverness and Toledo, Ohio. Hope you're keeping up with the Gamecocks, too! If not, check them out on Golf Stat:
http://www.golfstatresults.com//public/leaderboards/team/static/tdetail23_1495.html
4/28/09 George's Latest Visit to Mike Bender
4/13/09 (g3)
The US Collegiate Championship at The Golf Club of Georgia was exciting, fun, and unbelievable with a little disappointment mixed in! The event featured one of the strongest fields of the year on a solid golf course with quite possibly the toughest weather conditions for three days I have ever seen a college or amateur event played in! Wind all three days featuring mid-40s temperatures with 30mph gusts on day two, which we thought was cold until the final day with 15mph winds with low to mid-30s temperatures! With snow!
The Gamecocks were in good shape after the first two rounds and I thought the horrible conditions would benefit them in the final round. However, a rough start by two of five players was tough to overcome. It was a learning opportunity.
The highlight was the atmosphere. There is just something different when the best payers gather. The pre- & post-round habits are totally different. The practice areas are filled! There is spark, intensity, and spirit before and after the rounds when 40 to 50 great players are together versus regular events where there are 10-15 good players.
And great players work smarter and harder. The last two teams I saw practicing in terrible conditions on Monday evening were Stanford and Clemson. Phillip Mollica (Clemson), Luke Hopkins (Clemson) and David Chung (Stanford) and other Stanford players were grinding late.
Guess who won? Guess who played well individually?
4/4/09 (g3)
Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday were certainly a lot of fun! Augusta State caught fire and won the Hootie Collegiate Invitational at Bulls Bay which is in Awendaw, SC just outside of Mt. Pleasant. Bulls Bay has a most unique beauty and my suggestion is you just have to go see it. Even if it is to visit the Clubhouse, it is a “must see!” The Clubhouse, #1, #10, and #15 tees are at the highest elevation points in the region. The golf course is fun while challenging for all skill levels which is extremely unusual. The architect, Mike Strantz, will be remembered as one of the best ever, I’m sure.
The field was strong and included several of the nation’s ranked teams.
During the second round, I had the privilege of watching Brad Schneider from UCF (University of Central Florida) play golf and he is truly amazing. He had an unfortunate accident a couple of years ago which several damaged his left leg. He has a brace, a limp, and the heart of a lion and is one of the nicest young men I have met in college golf. And he can really play!
It was encouraging to see the Gamecocks struggle but still contend. I know this sounds strange, but typically if four out of five players are outside the top 25, the team does not contend but going into the last round, there was hope and a third place finish is solid in any event!
12 wins and 2 losses including wins over North Carolina, Wake Forest, LSU, NC State, Kentucky, Clemson and Maryland is GREAT in every sport. Just go check records in basketball, baseball, and football for starters!
G IV is definitely getting better. And I can tell you by the time a young player is in his freshman year of college, it is extremely tough to improve. Much more difficult than in Junior Golf. But G4’s attitude while playing is beginning to reflect his day to day friendly, light hearted easy-going approach on life. I suggest the reason for his dispositional change when he has been playing in the past is he is so passionate about the game. His expectations of performance have been rising with age and skill development. During this same period, Freshman, Sophomore, and now Junior year his acceptance of the game has been gradually decreasing.
It bubbled over in August of ’08. Musgrove Mill brought it to the surface and beyond! He currently is engaged in the best course of study he has been on in three years and I know for a fact Katie is the primary reason!
For three events his attitude has been great and his first four rounds, 76, 80, 76, 74, would have been reason enough to abandon the program, but he stayed with it! His last 5 rounds have been 70, 68, 69, 67, and 65!
The Gamecocks have five players that want to win and can. This weekend is a great set up for the Conference Championship at Sea Island! Heading to Atlanta for the US Collegiate Championship…
3/28/09 (g3)
Between hundreds or even thousands, or Junior Amateur Collegiate and Professional events I have played in or watched in person, it is very easy for me to recognize appetite and passion for the competitive culture. It is especially easy if I can speak in person before or after events!
By the time a young player gets into college golf, it is easy to see their nerves, excitement, and energy. College golf is the last frontier for the youth to display energy and emotion. Combine this with an unnecessary level of stress which is mostly “self inflicted” and it is a combustible combination! Playing for the coach, the team, the university, the community and in some cases the TRADITION can weigh heavy on an 18-21 year old.
To compound even further the recipe, is the fact that most are out of the nest for the first time completely managing their own time and schedule and this for most young golfers is quite the task. These junior athletes are “covered” quite well in high school and youth golf. And I don’t care how independent or self sufficient these young “studs” and “studettes” think they are or parents say they are, there is quite an adjustment and transition to make. In addition, all those who think the golf is about the same between junior golf and college, I have news for you: It’s not!! Maybe it was 30 years ago, but now these courses are set up more difficult than PGA Tour courses! Beyond that, the weather seems to stink!
So the point I’m making in this entry is there has to be quite the appetite with plenty of passion that is sincere and unconditional for tournament golf to endure the first two or even three years of college golf, especially if the athlete is conscientious about academics.
My suggestion is go watch a college event, because it is more fun that I can describe. You can get up close and persons and those lads will talk with you sometimes even during the event!
This weekend is the “Hootie Collegiate” at Bull’s Bay. Hopefully there will be fun stuff to watch and write about!
3/23/09 (g3)
The gamecocks win for the third time this year! Wow! The victory was extremely sweet because number one, winning from the last group and leading is much tougher than most know, and the number two reason it was a little extra special was the head to head matchup with Tennessee and Florida in the last group, on the last day, and it came down to the LAST HOLE! University of South Carolina does not get to compete and beat Florida and Tennessee on the same day at the same time in many sports!
And I cannot say enough good things about the spirit of competition! The players for Florida and Tennessee, along with the coaches, were all first class gentlemen. Of course, our Gamecocks handled it great and were gracious and humble.
It’s too easy to write about the great shots or last hole heroics.
The event in any opinion was won on the first 9 holes during the first and second rounds. A rough start and mistakes plagued several players, especially my two boys. Even though GIV was 3 under after 4, he lost four or five shots before he made the turn and this 9 on this day was the scoring 9.
Through 9 holes of the second event of the year, GIV has had the best attitude for 3 ½ rounds since he has been playing golf. He played well below his ability the first event but his attitude was great. He got some bad breaks and bad lies, and still maintained a great attitude in Myrtle Beach and even though his mechanics are much better during the first 9 holes, the ball was bouncing bad and funny and the score result was the same: below standard. But his attitude may have even gotten better by the turn! His putting speed is so much better, and despite the ball not going in, his speed is the best it has ever been!
So Wesley is in front of George, playing #2 and hitting the ball everywhere, which is normal. And his attitude is great while every hole is a new adventure. He plays golf all of the golf course, and figures out what he needs to do from wherever he ends up. Even though he’s everywhere, I feel no stress! He’s in his element. His ball on this day is not going in the hole is unusual and he turns at two or three over.
George gets tough on this final 9 while Wesley birdies his last 3 holes to shoot 71, one under par.
Sam Braver also shoots 71 in his college debut and what is really neat is that Wesley and Sam are great buddies and also very competitive. Wesley asked me several times how Sam stood and the more over par Wesley got, the more under par I reported Sam’s score. Yes, that’s right, I told Wesley that Sam finished at 3 or 4 under when Wesley was on his 16th hole at 3 over!
Mark Silvers was cruising along and made a big number which was more bad luck, but Patrick Rada posted 75 for “team score damage control” so the Gamecocks finished their first day in 3rd place and definitely in contention.
After six holes in the 2nd round, it looked really ugly. The Gamecocks had given up many, many strokes on some of the easiest holes. The coaches stayed cool as did the players and kept the damage to a minimum, then their hearts kicked in! Then their games followed.
In my opinion, it was the patience, belief, spirit, and hope instilled from the coaches that influenced the entire team and the momentum began to change. GIV went from four over for the tournament after 27 holes, to even par at the end of 36 holes. Mark Silvers had a great rebounding 69 while Wesley and Sam shot 3 and 2 over so the team shot -2 for the day and were then tied for the lead!
Golf is an attitude and so is winning. Coach Bill McDonald knows how to win and in my opinion what he “wears” daily.
All of the young players are winners at any college level and all of the Gamecocks are winners. The attitude, belief and trust are tested when you are in the last group in the last round paired with two great teams like Florida and Tennessee.
Kids have great instincts, especially when they are on the “big stage” in a big situation and they are hyper-sensitive. The Gamecock coaches are cool and comfortable with the lead and the players know this.
This is what Coach McDonald brings to the Gamecocks. He is the one that influences the atmosphere, especially during tournament time.
When playing great, leading and winning is what you are accustomed to, it is powerful and it is wonderful to watch Coach McDonald work his magic!
3/19/09 (G3)
Having the chance to play in the “Sage Valley Member-Pro” with Fred Johnston was beyond a privilege and a lot of fun, it was a learning experience!
I teed it up in a field with a number of budding young professional golfers while I was unprepared and also fighting allergies, 50 degree temperatures, rain, mud on my ball in the fairway, brick hard lightening fast greens with shaky hands and a nervous stomach.
From 140 yards, 120 to the front edge of the first green, I made double bogey, three putting from 20 feet.
After sticking a 5-iron in the ground on #2 and luckily escaping with a bogey, I was three over after 2, and I began to settle down, I guess because I began to laugh at myself and this game!
The first thing I thought about is how many times I have asked George or Wesley about making ____ with ____. “You were in the fairway only ___ yards or _____!”
Their mom always has the correction reaction and if we are walking together she gets furious with my comments! And she should!
But after I shank my drive into (luckily!) the 3rd fairway, I really start to chuckle, even laugh eventually, because my thoughts and comments in judgment, not only about my children but other players and students, were “coming home to roost or ‘fester’”! Wow! What goes around comes around!
And after sitting in the dining room with the master scoreboard present, in last place by several shots, my judgmental thoughts really began to marinate. And they went well with the food and spirits!
The combination put me to bed early and modified my evening behavior!
Because I have no regrets about my inability to prepare for the event, I was forgiving, and thank goodness Fred Johnston was, too! And this leads to another lesson I learned: When there is room to grow and even make mistakes, the freedom can be exhilarating! Cut yourself some slack! Treat golf like a game, enjoy creating shots, one after another after another and your ability and skills come flowing in like troops to the rescue!
Treat golf like a war, like there are worldly consequences to your performance, and take the game or yourself too seriously and natural skills and abilities are simply suffocated and suppressed!
Once I decided to simply take each shot and have fun with it, I began to hit great shots! It was weird! In the last round, I hit more of the best shots I have ever hit in my life and physical practice had nothing to do with it!
I played with a couple of young golf professionals, David Steele and Jerry Richardson. The biggest difference between college players and professional players to me is short game. These guys flat made some spectacular “up & downs.” To give you an example of how I define spectacular I have been to 2 Amateur events, the US Amateur and the Jones Cup, which featured the best amateurs in the world and five college events. In 2 rounds at Sage Valley watching just 2 players, I saw more crazy, wacky up & downs than in the seven events and over 30 rounds of amateur golf, totaling 50 or so different players.
The Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational is this week and what a great event! So hopefully, there will be fun stuff to write about! The Gamecocks are showcasing a brand new starting five. Sam Braver from Atlanta, GA will make his college debut and join Patrick Rada, Mark Silver, GB4, and Wesley. G4 is the individual defending champion and he is excited!
3/16/09
Golf Tradition at its Finest!
One of the most interesting discoveries I have made since being in the business of golf is how attractive the traditions and customs of golf can be to golfers, especially to juniors.
This past weekend I had the privilege of playing golf with my good friend, Fred Johnston, at Sage Valley Golf Club which is in Aiken. Sage Valley is a private club and honors the traditions of golf and places etiquette at the top of their priority list, as it should be.
If you reference a “U.S.G.A. Rules Book”, after the table of contents you will find the “Rules of Etiquette” chapter.
As an educational tool, Sage Valley offers a small card with their traditions which address in order cellular phones, attire, and smoking. The parameters are nicely outlines. Mostly it’s just common sense and courtesies.
I even enjoyed the reminders and I had forgotten how it can be without cell phones going off! There was not one conversation interrupted by a cell phone. There was not one “high priority” distracting conference call to contend with for 48 hours!
Hats were not worn in the clubhouse and jackets were required for evening dining!
It was a lot of fun playing 36 holes on the weekend with caddies and great fellowship.
Fred and I partnered up great the second round posting a best ball gross & net 141 but my rust and untimely double bogeys in the first round lulled our contending chances. Fred can flat-out pound on his golf ball and out drove the group several times.
And since there was a steady rain, your ball was sticking beside where it landed.
It was neat that Vaughn Taylor, former Ryder Cup player and PGA Tour Star, was in this “Member-Pro” field as were numerous other professionals with great game.
My play was character building and inspiring; my game needs polish!
This week is the Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational in Statesboro, GA so stay tuned!
3/12/09 Spring '09 (G3)
The Gamecocks got their spring season started in Myrtle Beach and it was a “character building” opportunity. The TPC Myrtle Beach Course won! And I had a front row seat!
The only thing tougher than seeing one son make a double bogey is watching both sons make double at the same time! TPC of Myrtle Beach is a monster with brick hard and undulated greens, plenty of water, and the water hurt more than just Gamecocks feelings.
UCLA, the defending National Champions got hammered! East Coast, specifically the South East in early spring, presents a unique set of challenges to the climate. Dormant Bermuda grass trying to “wake up” around the greens plus in the rough, and lush rye grass fairways, make predicting ball flight impossible. Soft fairways and rough combined with hard greens is a most challenging combination. Then add in 10-20mph of wind and even the best college players in the country get beat up!
The benefit of starting the season on a course like this is everyone gets a taste of the “NCAA Tournament conditions” to go along with a total game assessment. All weaknesses are exposed and the best time of the year to figure out a weakness is early!
Coach McDonald also pushed back the spring opener three weeks and back in August and September, I had not even realized but he was thinking ahead! I love the idea because each of the last two years, the Gamecocks strongest golf was about three weeks before the NCAA championship.
Here is another point that will never make media headlines. Most of the Gamecocks took 8-week spring classes and their finals were the week of this event, so their preparation was definitely affected. Believe it or not, the team cumulative GPA was in the 3.5 range for the fall and there is no questioning the Gamecocks’ priorities. They are truly student-athletes, and most of the players’ class loads will be lightened during the peak of the spring schedule!
Coach McDonald has great instincts and is, in my opinion, one of the best game coaches I have ever seen. First, he was a player in golf and one of the best. He was the number one ranked junior in the country back in the eighties and he knows exactly what the players are going through in competition. He also knows exactly when and how to approach his players during competition and knows who needs his help and anticipates when they will need it. The Gamecocks will get stronger each tournament!
8/18/08 George III's 2008 US Amateur Blog
Pinehurst is one of the most special golf destinations on earth. There is nothing but great golf courses, tradition, and a population that is addicted to golf. There is nothing to do in Pinehurst but play or talk about golf. There are no distractions- I absolutely love it!
To have GIV and Wesley together in this event is incredible. There is no Amateur event that compares. In 2005, both boys participated in the US Junior at Long Meadow. Three years ago at ages 17 & 15, they were young and easily led. They could not drive so I was in charge of the schedule and transportation. They were very quiet and really easy.
Hormones, age, and experience has changed all of this!
Their pre-round and post-round routines are totally different. Their practice round routine preferences are different. I’m underqualified to be the caddy or I’ve aged out one. George has mentioned me taking the bag in the match play. Wesley’s caddy, Det Cullum, is doing a great job.
Det, George, Wesley and I are house guests of Paul and Becky Jett. What a privilege! Their son, Paul Jr., graduated from Irmo in 1982 and most people don’t realize this fact, but Paul Jr. won the 1982 State High School 4A Championship! Incidentally, Paul Jr. is the course superintendent for Pinehurst #2 and the course is immaculate.
Wesley is leading after the first round with 67 on #2. George IV shot 73 on Pinehurst #4 which I think is harder than #2. Both played well and Wesley just got hot with his wedge and putter. 18 year old in his first US Amateur to have the lead is very, very cool! (The lead at the time of this entry, which is about 6:45pm on Monday)
The Gamecocks have 5 players, as does Florida, and maybe even a couple of other teams.
What is most special about this even to me is how much support the family has gotten. A number of people have driven to Pinehurst to watch the match including: Dennis and Tiffany Hicks, Chuck, Hunter and Joe Medlock, Lou and Kay Miller, and even more.
07/30/08
The last 3 weeks have been really long and I kept forgetting to do the blog after each week, so now I am combining the last 3 weeks into one.
So here is a recap of the last 3 weeks:
The Players Amateur, which was held 3 weeks ago in Hilton Head, went alright except my putter went kind of cold for about half of the tournament. I shot 72 69 66 66 to finish in a tie for 13th, which was not bad considering I was pretty far off after the first two days. It took 22 under par to win this week, and I only ended up at 7 under so the scores were low. If I would have had just a little bit better week with the putter, then I would have contended for the tournament. I did have a lot of fun for the week because Katie was on the bag (that’s my girlfriend for those who didn’t know) and she did an excellent job keeping my head straight for the most part.
Two weeks ago, I was in sunny Orlando, Florida playing in the Southern Amateur. I played solid for the entire week except for one day. I shot 70 70 73 63 and finished 4th. This tournament tested my patience because there was a 2-3 hour rain delay every single day. I learned I still need to be more patient and more positive during the delays. Now about the 63. It was an unbelievable round of golf. It all started with me making birdies on the first 5 holes and then shooting 29 on the front. I then birdied 11 then holed out for eagle on 15 to get to 10 under for the day. I started 9 back of the lead and cut the lead to 1 after 15 which is not bad. I ended up shooting 9 under and 2 strokes back of the lead which was not to bad for where I started. I mean, this was a day where the hole looked like a bucket and there was no way I could even come close to missing. This week really showed me how big a role attitude is in the golf game. I came to the last day with no expectations and really dedicated my round to having just a good attitude. I think that mindset worked out alright in the end.
This past week I got to spend the entire week in Niagara Falls, New York for the Porter Cup, which is one of the biggest and best tournaments in amateur golf. This was an especially fun trip because the whole family went, minus dad, and plus Katie. The first thing we did when we got there was we went and saw Niagara Falls and that is one spectacular sight. Anyways onto the golf. This tournament really did not go how I would have liked but I still had a bunch of fun. I shot 72 73 70 68 and finished 21st. Here I did get beat by my brother who finished 5th, but it is alright-- he played well and he deserved it. My short game was definitely on this week. I made at least 2 to 3 putts a round over 20 feet which is pretty good. If I would have had my normal ball striking rounds the first 2 days I would have been in the tournament but I just got a little too far behind going into the weekend.
Next week I go to the US Amateur qualifying in Atlanta, GA and then straight to the State Amateur in Clinton, SC. Hopefully I will have updates sooner so until next time, keep it in the short grass.
Sincerely,
GBIV
7/29/08 George's Blog about the U.S. Public Links
Championship in Aurora, Colorado
Major championships are truly special. There is nothing that parallels the excitement, enthusiasm, and competitive spirit in the atmosphere. Without a doubt, the big events are more fun! And, there is no doubt everything is ramped up a notch! The course is at its toughest to test the skills of the best. And, there is no substitute for experience and preparation. For those who are short in either area are exposed and subject to humiliation. The USGA takes pride in making sure their champions are in top form!
Unless I come up with a better approach and mindset, my days of “Daddy Caddying” are numbered. Wow, what stress! I have played in these events, and it was nowhere near as taxing. The caddie has a big role, and the player with the caddie form a team. Children seem to have a special sense of what the parents are feeling, and there is no doubt I was working harder at covering my nervousness than doing my job as caddie! I have learned over the years to handle being a spectator and quite enjoy the role. To have more available adrenaline and nervous energy as a caddie than ever as a player is strange to negotiate.
Thank goodness my player was solid, had plenty of experience, and this week was on his game! What thrilled me most was how much fun he had in the event and how he studied the course during the practice rounds. He managed his time and schedule like a seasoned professional. He had a definite plan, and he stuck to it. Most react to the event and allow other players, activities, dinners, etc., to dictate or influence their schedules. Most underestimate the value of rest and nutrition, but Wesley did great.
The altitude with no humidity was quite an adjustment, and I was just barely becoming comfortable when it was time to leave. I now fully understand why world class athletes allow several weeks to acclimatize. Oxygen levels are considerably lower at altitudes over 5,000 feet so the body, specifically the heart and lungs, have to work harder under extremely dry and sometimes very hot conditions. The amount of water required is amazing, and the weird part is you do not sweat or feel thirsty!
One of the most enjoyable aspects of these events was to see all of the great players and personalities. These are the best amateurs in the country and world, so watching them practice, prepare, and compete are special.
Billy Horschel and Derek Fathauer are two great young players I know, and with whom I enjoyed conversation, a meal, or both. I have watched them both play over the last couple of years, and they are really good. Horschel is a Walker Cup hero and All-American. And Fathauer, along with being an All-American, made the cut in the U.S. Open and got some air time.
I have watched Ricky Fowler, the number one ranked amateur in the country, for a couple of years play but did not meet him until this event. Fowler also made the cut in the U.S. Open.
As great as these players are, they all were eliminated by the third round. Even the stroke play medalist and number one seed Aaron Goldberg, an All-American from San Diego State, got beat in the first round!
Match play can be brutal!
Another great story for me was running into a young man named Austin Love from Anderson , California . I met him two years ago at the U.S. Junior in San Diego . This is a special kid who does not play in 30 big events a year traveling the country to hone his skills. He works 30 hours a week and targets a few big tournaments a year in which to compete. Even after playing in the U.S. Junior, he was not offered a scholarship so he entered Chico State with hopes of walking on the golf team. An 8-birdie performance and a score of 67 were not good enough to make this team. I had not even heard of Chico State so it is highly unlikely that the Chico State golf coach is heading for the Hall of Fame!
While Austin was at this event (U.S. Amateur Public Links), Long Beach State offered him a spot but no money his first year, which is crazy, but this kind of stuff happens in golf. Watch out for this young man in the future, because he has talent, enthusiasm, passion, and maybe an “ax to grind!”
Wesley played a practice round with an Irishman, who for me, could have been the story of the week! Last year, Gerard Connolly, who is from the southwestern coast of Ireland near Shannon , qualified for his first U.S. Amateur Public Links and first ever major championship. Since he did not start golf until he was 18, this 37-year-old was so excited about his opportunity he asked his wife, within a few hours of the arrival of his first child (named Phillip), if he could leave for the airport! Amazingly, Martina granted the request because it was a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”
This wonderful family of three, led by “Sir Phillip” now one year old this week, was the life of the Championship for me – all smiles, very friendly with the best stories, and lovely accents. They were all over the course and Crown Plaza , and nobody enjoyed the trip more than the Connolly family!
Gerard plays maybe once a week at Beth Page in New York and still figured out how to get into two of these championships. If it was not for a couple of putts, he would have made match play!
Wesley had a great pairing in the stroke play qualifier. Michael Brown from Cheltenham , Pennsylvania , a former professional who regained his amateur status and now owns a bakery, stumbled a bit on the last two holes to barely miss match play. He handled his finish with dignity as Greg Norman did at the British Open.
Lucas Lee is one of the best amateurs in the country. He attends UCLA and is part of that National Championship Team. He is a small guy, a lightweight that flat pounds on the ball, and he can putt. He is a short game magician and fun to watch.
Speaking of lightweights and small guys, Ricky Fowler is tiny and one of the longest hitters! We played behind him in the third round, and the spotter pointed to where his drive on number 3 ended up – some 400 yards plus from the tee!
Wesley elevated his game a notch, and for the week played some of the best golf I have ever seen him play. He got some terrible bounces, more than his share, to go along with some of the worst lies imaginable in perfect fairways. Almost every lie in the rough was bad to awful, and he had numerous lip outs.
His even par 142 tied for 20th in the stroke play. His first match was a little sloppy against Brad Nicholson from A-Z, but he chipped in on 16, then hit a 250-yard Hybrid to 10 feet on 17 to win the match. Incidentally, Wesley has made the cut in each of his major championships, and in this event went the farthest to date!
His second match was against Kevin Foley, who plays at Penn State , and Wesley shot four under to advance.
He drew John Chin from Temecula , California , in the round of 16. What’s great about this is John lived in Columbia when he was 9, 10, and 11 years old and was in our junior programs. I taught him when he was a pup! His smile is just as wide now as then, and he has a special passion for the game. He works out, swings great, hits it extremely long, and has a magical short game. And, he plays fast!
Wesley played well as did John, but Wesley did not capitalize on his opportunities on Numbers 8 and 9, and John closed strong – extremely strong.
I love my son and do not like to see him get beat, but I truly admire great golf. John hit it longer, straighter, closer, wedged it great, and putted great. Unfortunately, he lost in the finals, and I was truly pulling for him to earn The Masters Invite!
John is in the U.S. Amateur by virtue of his finish in this event, and I can assure you he can win on Pinehurst No. 2. He has another shot at Augusta!
07/08/08
Well, I decided to skip last week’s blog because there was not much to write about. Last week was the Dogwood Invitational in Atlanta, GA where I happened to miss the cut. I shot 71 75 72 and just did not have anything going for me. This past week, however, I was playing much better. I had the North and South Amateur at Pinehurst #2 and #4. This tournament is different than most of the others because it is 36 holes of stroke play and from there the top 64 move on to match play. I played pretty solid in the stroke play and shot 71 71 to finish in 12th during the stroke play. I won my first round match 2 up and I played good and shot 69 on number 2. The second round was the best I played all week and I shot 67 and still lost 1 down. I hung in there and kept hitting good shots and putts but my opponent wouldn’t go away and he birdied 15, 17, and 18. It was heartbreaking but I managed to move past it and take all the positives away from the week’s play. I was very disappointed that I lost while playing that good, but at the same time it gives me a lot of confidence going into next week’s Players’ Amateur in Hilton Head.
May all the putts fall,
George IV
06/15/08
This week I was in Columbus, Georgia for the Southeastern Amateur. I played very solid for 3 of the 4 days, and just had one not very good round. I shot 73 64 71 67 to finish at 9 under par and in 2nd place. I played plenty good enough to win, but it just came down to the putts not falling for me the 3rd and 4th round. It was a lot of fun the last round because I was feeling the heat trying to win a golf tournament, and I performed for the situation but things just did not turn out in my favor. I guess the positive that came out of this week was that I did beat Wesley for the tournament while he shot 68 70 69 70 to finish up in 4th. Well, I am in action next week in Atlanta for the Dogwood Invitational.
FORE!!!!
George IV
06/09/08
My next stop on the summer amateur circuit was the Sunnehanna Amateur in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. This is the tournament of champions and it boasted a very strong field. The golf that I displayed was not some of my best and I ended up shooting 74 72 71 71 to finish up in 27th place. I was disappointed with my finish, but I was pleased with how I played. I played very solid, probably good enough to win, I just did not score very well. I had too many three putts and I did not take advantage of my wedge yardages that I had. So, I have one day to buffer on my wedges and short game before I leave for the Southeastern Amateur in Columbus, Georgia where my brother and I will tee it up and hopefully one of us will bring home the trophy.
Until next time,
GIV
06/02/08
Well, I just got through playing in my first US Open sectional qualifier. It was 36 holes, all on Monday, for two spots to play in the US Open at Torrey Pines. I was playing good coming in to the qualifier and I had a really good chance to qualify, but I couldn’t get any breaks the first round and none of the putts would fall for me. I wound up shooting 73-69 and missed it by only 3 lousy strokes. It was a good learning experience for me and I will be ready for next year. Also, I definitely should have let my girlfriend, Katie, caddie for me the whole time because when she was on the bag the second round I shot 69 and birdied my last 4 holes! Well, now we are off to Johnstown, Pennsylvania for the Sunnehanna Amateur. This is one of the best tournaments in the country with a history of great champions and players such as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. This tournament will be on golfstat.com so you can follow all of my birdies and eagles online.
Keep it in the short grass,
George IV