Today I played in the US Amateur Pub Links Qualifier at Murphy Creek. It’s playing as a par 71 and 7378 yards — long but due to the Colorado altitude it plays a bit shorter. Now to my round, but first you need to know that I played two practice rounds there:
Practice Round 1: 81, 5 double bogeys on the back nine.
Practice Round 2: 87, 5 more double bogeys, and 0 (zero) GIRs on the back nine. It was ugly, but I was taking a an allergy pill and felt a little light headed (excuses I know).
To say the least, I was not feeling that confident heading into the qualifier … so here you go …
- Hole 1: 4 iron of the tee, 8 iron to 8 feet and sank the putt for a birdie! Great start for me.
- Hole 2: Driver, 5 iron short of the green, chip, missed a 10 ft putt. Bogey
- Hole 3: 3 wood, 4 iron into the bunker, PW out of fairway bunker, chip, missed a 9 ft putt. Bogey
- Hole 4: 3 wood in the fairway, 8 iron to the green, 2 putt. Par
- Hole 5: 9 iron off the tee over the green. Chip to 1 ft from the hole. Par
- Hole 6: 3 wood off the tee, 6 iron lay up, wedge to the green, 2 putt. Par
- Hole 7: Hybrid off the tee, 7 iron left of the green, chip up, sink a 10 ft putt. Par
- Hole 8: Hard 7 iron on the green, 2 putt. Par
- Hole 9: 3 wood into a fairway bunker, PW over the green, chip, miss a 6 ft putt. Bogey
38 on the front. Feel real good going onto the back even with the bogey on 9.
- Hole 10: Driver into the wind, stick an 8 iron 4 inches from the cup. Birdie
- Hole 11: 5 iron to the right of the green. Tough chip. 2 putt. Bogey
- Hole 12: Driver over the bunkers, 3 iron just to the right of the green, chip up and 2 putt. Bogey
- Hole 13: Driver right, 5 iron out of the rough, wedge short of the green, chip up to 4 ft, make the putt. Bogey
- Hole 14: 3 wood in the fairway, PW over the green, chip, missed a 18 ft putt. Bogey
- Hole 15: 3 wood in the fairway, 7 iron layup in the fairway (in a divot), 54 degree wedge to 18 ft, missed putt. Par
- Hole 16: Great 3 wood, 9 iron left of the green (dang it!) in the bunker, 2 putt. Bogey
- Hole 17: 3 iron to the long par 3 goes left into the bunker. Get out and 2 putt. Bogey
- Hole 18: 3 wood off the tee, 5 iron just right of the green in the rough, chip an 8 iron just past the hole, make a downhill 4.5 ft right-breaker for par.
40 on the back nine
78 total, make the cut and tee off tomorrow at 7:09 am — check it out here.
And yes, I am a big enough golf dork to remember every shot I took today.
By the way, fellow Oxonian DJ Stewart fired a 75 and is in contention for one of the top 5 spots. I think he’ll shoot a 69 tomorrow and have to play in a playoff for the final spot. You heard it here.
Last note, the course was in great condition. Kudos to the staff. The rough was thick, the greens were fast and the tees were back. Great tournament setup. I can’t wait to see it in July for the championship.
