Today was
dreamlike.
The
feeling and experiences of today are something I want to bottle up and be able
to feel over and over again.
It’s hard
for me to put into words how much today’s performance meant to me. Five years as a professional golfer. I’ve won
a few times in the past on the Cactus Tour in Phoenix but this was my biggest
win to date. And finally my biggest paycheck to date! (The prior one was my
first ever-professional tournament in May 2009!) This was a long time coming and how it
happened was exactly how I would want it to happen. I truly believe God wanted me to wait and
taste contention, taste nerves, go through some poor decisions and
disappointing times to be able to APPRECIATE today and this weekend’s
performance. Everything happens for a reason. I’m a truly believer in that
statement.
I’ve had
a small amount of important people in my life tell me to walk away from my
dream…To go get a real job…that professional golf isn’t a job. But I have had a
HUGE amount of people believe in me and understand what I am trying to achieve
and because of them, I carried on and pushed forward. This victory represents those people who have
remained unconditional and supportive.
My
college Coach Carol Ludvigson told us that we should always be prepared to give
our victory speech. She even went on to
say we should practice it in the mirror everyday so that when we give our
actual victory speech we will have already been there a million times. For some reason, I thought of her early in
the week and wrote out a speech so that I would be prepared. I put it in my golf bag in a small moleskin
journal and didn’t know when I would pull it back out for it to be used. The creases were hardly permanent…it was
hardly in there 5 days. Maybe I
should’ve written that a long time ago!
Another
neat story concerning today is about Carl “Caddie Machine” Laib. Carl is pretty much my grandpa even though he
probably thinks he has a chance at dating me : ) Carl caddied for a number of
years on the LPGA for names such as Patty Sheehan, Betsy King, Wendy Ward and
many other well-known, talented players.
He took me under his wing when I moved out to Phoenix in 2011 and taught
me so much about course management, what to look for on a golf course, how to
fix my yardage books just right, and how to believe in myself. We have gone through a lot together and we
are each other’s family. Carl decided to
show up to one of my Cactus Tour events early this spring, unannounced. He handed me this old, flattened, folded $2
bill. Carl wanted me to have it because it had been in his money clip the past
25+ years. He received it at a Ft.
Lauderdale airport snack shop and went on to win that weekend with Betsy
King. Carl never took that $2 bill out
of his money clip and went on to win 35 times with it. So he thought I should have it. I was more than humbled and it’s been in my
wallet ever since. I’m so scared to lose
it! I almost always leave my wallet in
my car when I play (Don’t break into my car people!!!) Last night I decided to risk it and put that
$2 bill in the back pocket of my yardage book cover. I’m a Jesus believer but this $2 bill thing…I
don’t know whether to be scared of it’s power or to carry it with me every
single day of my life. It’s got unreal
mojo!
I was
caddy-less heading over to Florida two weeks ago. I had no clue who was going to carry my bag
or if I was going to have to carry it myself so I took a chance and just
brought my Ping Hoofer carry bag. I
ended up having Upstate Jay on my bag last week in Lake Wales and of course he
had wished I brought the staff bag. But
like I said, I had no clue if I was going to have a caddy the second week! I was having dinner three weeks ago in Phoenix
with Courtney Trimble, friend and Head Women’s Golf Coach at the University of
Louisville. She used to coach at UCF in
Orlando and knows a ton of people in the golf world. I begged her to find me someone to tote the
bag in Longwood. She and her assistant
coach Mary Bryan thought of the most wonderful, skilled, experienced woman
caddy, Debbie Raso, “Ras.” I thank God
for her. The stars aligned for us to
meet. I knew right off the bat it was
going to be a fun week and no matter the final result, I was going to learn a
ton. Debbie played in the 80s but
caddied more in her days. She gave it up
a number of years ago to work in corporate America. I met her last Thursday as she caddied for me
in a pro am. I played solid and we got a
game plan down. Words can’t explain how
thankful I am for her dedication and belief in me after only meeting for a few
days. I know we will be friends for life
and I sure hope to have her on my bag a ton more in the future. Ras wore her Louisville Women’s Golf t-shirt
underneath her sweater today so I know that brought us good luck. She won’t claim it but I owe so much to her
for this win!
I started
the final round three shots back of the leader.
I’d like to think none of the focus was on me. I was paired with a Gator and a Longhorn…I
think God had something to do with that as well. The Gator put it in the junk
on the first swing of the day and I belted one day the fairway. I missed my 10-foot birdie putt but knew
there was so much golf left. Patience. I stuck it on the second hole with a 9 iron
and made that for birdie. Solid start.
The third was my unforced error of the day….98 yards into the wind. I tried to hit my 55 degree up there but
tugged it and missed it left of the green.
I short sided myself with an almost impossible chip. Bogey. Danget. Oh
well, tons more golf left to be played.
From holes four through nine I hit fairways, I hit greens and I left
almost all of my 10-15 foot birdie putts short and in the heart. I wasn’t thrilled and knew that if I was
going to contend in this thing I had to make putts. I was hitting it way too good for some to not
drop.
Then the
back nine occurred.
The tenth
is a par 5 that I decided to play three shots to get to the green. I can play
conservative yet still birdie with a wedge in my hand. I laid up to a nice 85
yards but there wasn’t a whole lot of green to work with with a false front and
a short right pin but I clipped it perfectly and stuck it inside my playing
partners to a foot or two. Birdie.
Eleven is
a longer par 3 that I hit a solid 5 hybrid (yes I use a 5 hybrid to all you haters
who make fun of me.) Two putt par.
Twelve is
when things started to change. Gator hit it OB. Door started to creep. I truly had no clue what anyone was shooting
even though I kept all of our scores. I
didn’t know what I was even shooting!
Ignorance is bliss to me. I hit a
drive down there center of the fairway but had a thin lie. I needed to hit a solid 9 iron to carry the
front (131 yards) and be below the pin for an uphill birdie putt. Otherwise I
was going to miss short and most likely plug into the front bunker. Shots were
plugging all over the place this week so I couldn’t miss short. Mission accomplished and guess what? I
FINALLY MADE A PUTT! That was nice. On to the par 5 thirteenth.
Yesterday
I got greedy here and tried to go for the green in two. I don’t miss my fairway woods left but there
was mud on the ball and it missed left. Water. Bogey. So today I knew that
unless there was a strong wind with me I was going to play this hole in three
shots. I hit a nice, choke gap wedge 98 yards (choke means gripped or grip
down, NOT choke, flop, suck, which some people consider) and made that 10-foot
birdie putt. At that moment I had the
first inkling that “hey, maybe I could contend and give this tournament a go.”
I really,
really had to pee but my caddie Ras has this theory that if you pee before you
hit a tee shot, bad things are to come so I got up to the tee box quickly and
hit a great drive down the fourteenth fairway and then I was able to pee! I hit a 7 iron that I started out right of
the pin and it never drew in. Bunker. I
love bunkers!!! It was my first time to get in a bunker for the tournament and
I proceeded to hit it to inches. Tap in par. No stress. Move on to fifteen.
Par 3,
170 yards, slight breeze into. The pin is tucked right over a 10-yard carry
from the front. I hit a 5 hybrid and hit
it a little thin but right at the pin.
It turned out perfectly and finished two feet away from the pin. There are no pictures on a scorecard! Made that putt for birdie. I had to pee again
but couldn’t use the Porto potty in between the holes because I had to go tee
off first since that was Debbie’s superstition and it was way too far to go tee
off and run back to the pot. I’ll hold it I guess to keep my attention on my
bladder and not on golf. There are more
issues going on out there than what the spectators see :)
Sixteen
is not an easy par 5. It is a demanding
tight tee shot and the hole moves big around a corner left to right. I hit one of my best drives of the day there. Laid up with a 5 hybrid that I kind of
skanked again to be honest. I am
slightly a perfectionist when it comes to ball contact so it was actually a
pretty good shot to the normal eye. I
hit it too far and ended up 75 yards to the pin instead of my preferred 85. I had a little wind with me and the Longhorn
had already stuck it up there to a few feet left. Ras told me to aim at her ball and see it
suck right and go in. My balls suck left but I said “ok!” I was a little torn whether to hit 60 or 55
degree but thought I’m going to have no regrets. I chose the 55 knowing if I hit it good the
worst thing is I’ll be past the hole putting back, no biggie. Well, when I hit it, it started out right at
the hole. One bounce. Bottom of the
cup. I gave her the hardest high five, a
smile and a few adult words in celebration.
I never hole out from the fairway for eagle. I’ve only had 3 hole in
ones and two double eagles so I didn’t know the rule…was I to run up there and
go get the ball before the Gator hit or should I leave it in there and if she
holes out on top of me, does she get extra points? Oh wait, we weren’t playing a putting game.
Gator said “this is overkill.” Both playing partners were extremely gracious
and complimentary of my shot.
Seventeen
is a good par 4. Tight off the tee. Trees on the right with some white OB
stakes and left is water. I hit one of
my best 3 woods hard down the fairway. I
didn’t know scores until I walked down seventeen fairway and saw that I had a
four shot lead with two to play. I
discussed with my caddie that from previous experience I have adrenaline and
that we should possibly factor that in.
I had about 170 yards to the pin with a tiny breeze into me. I thought of 6 iron but she said “no that’s
not going to be enough” so I choked a 5 hybrid and hit it about 178 yards and
it stopped on the back left fringe. Par.
Gator chipped in. Three shot lead. One hole left.
As I’m
making the walk to the 18th tee, volunteers are giving me high fives
saying “congrats, way to go.” Now I know
better than to surrender and celebrate then.
I saw Annie Giangrosso and a few other rules officials watching from
afar giving me hand gestures and I knew they were happy for me. That was cool.
The
eighteenth is a par 3 that I had stuck close the previous two rounds. Ras and I
had put it in our appointment books that we were going to ace it to
finish. After seeing the shot go in at
the sixteenth, I had a ton of belief. I
told her “I’m juicy” on eighteen tee meaning, “I’ve got some juices flowing, a
tiny bit of adrenaline.” We hit the 6 iron but I threw it way too high in the
air and came up short. The Gator and Longhorn followed me short. I had about a 10 yard chip and I could feel
with my feet that the green was soft. That definitely worked in my favor
because I had to carry quite a bit of grass before it needed to hit and
stop. I threw the chip to a foot and I
marked. Gator and Longhorn finished with
pars and I made the one-foot putt. Done.
Breathe.
I had
Sara Brown, Calle Nielson, and Mallory Blackwelder run up on the eighteenth
green and douse me with a ton of water bottles.
I was in a white polo and clearly did not think about that this morning
when I got dressed. I was honestly down
to my last outfit since we finished on Monday.
This day
was special and a day I will never forget.
Shooting six under on my final nine holes, having only nine putts in my
final nine holes and winning by three shots is cool. I have watched so many
people do it. I thought all week “there
has to be a winner in this tournament, why not me?” Lately I have noticed how
nerves and fear can affect the brain that affects the body. We hit great tee
shots and great iron shots all day everyday. We hit great chip shots and great
putts all the time but when we do it a lot in a row, sometimes we put ourselves
in contention where everyone so desires to be.
Why do nerves automatically go down the path to negativity, which leads
to the body reacting in a different and tight, negative way? I played a ton of
mind games with myself this week and I can proudly say I could feel my hands
and extremities on the final hole, on the final putt.
I am so
thankful for the wonderful, crazy amount of people who are in my life. It’s
ridiculous how many of you there are and I am so, so, so appreciative. That is the word to sum up the week.
I thank
my Lord, Jesus Christ. My dad always said my brother and I had God-given
talent. I want to use my talents to the best of my ability for Him.
I thank
Billy, my rock, my support, my heart. I
cannot wait to come home and celebrate.
I wish more than anything that he could’ve been here this weekend. He will experience it one day I hope.
I thank
Charlie and Cassie. My number one supporters.
Their generosity has allowed me to live out my dream for so many years
and I will forever be indebted to them.
Truly some of the best people I know.
I thank
Harold Copeland, Gregg Wadley, John Semcken and Pacific Palms Resort for being
tremendous supporters. I could not have done it all these years without you and
I am so grateful for your friendship.
I thank
the Crew for ALWAYS being there for me. They are my backbone, my sounding
board, my venting system, my everything!
I thank
Ping for equipping me with the best clubs in the business. No doubt I have the
best tools in my bag and I have so much faith in them. Thank you for your support and friendships!
I thank
Titleist for suiting me up with the best golf ball in the world. ProV1 has been my stability all of these
years and I really appreciate the ongoing support and relationship.
I thank
the Greens Country Club and the Raven Golf Club for allowing me to have a golf
home. The Greens in Oklahoma City has
been my home since 1995 and it is where I learned to love and improve and grow. This win is for you all!
I thank
Brent Cryer from the Greens Country Club.
I’ve known him for nearly twenty years and he has believed in me since
day one. We shared a pretty awesome
moment earlier today that I’ll never forget.
I cannot wait to celebrate with you when I come home next week!!!
I want to
thank Carl Laib for being my CFM and my biggest cheerleader. I have learned so
much from you and cherish your friendship.
Can’t wait to celebrate with you Wednesday!!! Am I bringing you lunch?
I want to
thank Ras for being the most awesome caddie this weekend. What an experience that was for me to have
you next to me all of those shots! I
learned so much and had such a blast with you.
Let’s do it again!!!
My family
and friends who have believed in me and have never given up on me --- THANK
YOU! I LOVE YOU!
Boomer!
