Round 1

Well, today was an adventure! Bryce shot 80 in the 1st round of the 2nd Stage of Qualifying School for the PGA Tour. We started with a double bogey on the 1st hole, but came right back with a birdie on the 2nd hole by hitting an approach to 2 feet. It felt like we had dismissed the jitters felt on the 1st hole as he made par on hole 3. Another double bogey on the 4th did not phase Bryce as he responded with birdies on 2 of the next 4 holes. A missed up and down on hole 9 left us heading to the back in 2 over par (38). The driver was a little loose on the front 9, but Bryce was happy to turn in 38 considering some of the places we found ourselves on the front nine. Our goal was to just play solid golf on the back, knowing even par (72) would be a good first round. On the par 5 10th hole, we misjudged our 2nd shot that left Bryce in a peculiar spot and he couldn't quite get his par putt to drop. It was the beginning of a stretch in which we struggled to crack the code on the greens. Missed birdie putts on 11 and 12 from inside 15 feet was frustrating but Bryce was hitting great shots to have birdie chances on these tricky greens. Tree trouble on 13 left us unable to avoid a triple bogey 7. Bogeys on the next 3 holes put us on 17 tee needing two birdies to break 80. After draining a 20 foot birdie putt on hole 17, it was time to take advantage of the closing par 5 18th. A 350 yard bomb off the tee left Bryce an 8 iron from 175 yards. His approach just missed the green and left him a delicate chip down a slope which ran 8 feet past the hole. A solid putt caught the left lip and horseshoed right back at Bryce. It was just one of those days in which this great game is oh-so-humbling. As Bryce and I rehashed the round over dinner it was easy to see just how close he was to shooting a good round. Eliminate the double and triple bogeys and we shoot 73! Bryce hit a lot of great shots today, just 3 or 4 loose swings cost him. We are excited that he has a lot of golf to play, it gives us the chance to build on the good holes he had today and chip away at our deficit with greater patience than we exercised today. The weather looks like it will be turning to be more like that of Minnesota than Arizona, and for a couple of guys who grew up playing golf in jackets and stocking hats, we know that will play right into our hands. Its time for a few laughs as we tune into ABC's Modern Family. We will make up tomorrow refreshed and ready to take on whatever challenges will face us.

Goodnight from California!