D.A. Weibring
I played in the U.S. Senior Open at Prairie Dunes in Hutchinson, Kansas last week. It was a great old-fashioned, links-style golf course built in the late 20s or early 30s by Perry Maxwell and later updated by his son. It was an event that I've been pointing towards all year because I played so well last year shooting 68, 71, 71, and 68. Naturally, I felt like I had real a chance to win a major championship, and for a while it looked like it was going to happen.
I got off to a good start even though I was a little bit under the weather with a sore throat, and a little problem with my foot (I think that's part of being 53), but I felt like I was close to putting it altogether, and by Sunday I was still in the hunt. That morning we had a little rain delay, the sky was overcast; the wind wasn't that strong starting off, however it built as the day went on. Again, I got off to a great start making birdie on the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th and the 7th holes, and I had about a15 footer for 29 at the 9th hole that I just missed.
I started the backside with birdies at 11 and 12 to get to 7 under and take the lead - then we ran into a little bit of a delay. The group in front of us got all tangled up in the tall grass and we had about a 20-25 minute wait in the middle of the 13th fairway. Delays are never good especially when you've got momentum. I was playing very aggressive positive golf and a delay can cause you to lose your rhythm, and that's exactly what happened. I wound up knocking it over the green then three putting. I hit two more poor tee shots at 14, and 16 followed by a couple of other bad shots. Obviously, I had lost my momentum and it wasn't coming back. I struggled to the finish with bogeys at 13, 14, and a double bogey at 16 out of the bunker. In the end, I finished with another bogey from just off the fringe at 18 to shoot 68 and still tied for 8th, and wonder what could have been. Still, I felt good about the way I was playing.
Next week I want to focus more on how I played the first 12 holes. Momentum, rhythm and delays are part of the game and the roller coaster culture of playing golf. There are no excuses, only next week, which means Dearborn, Michigan and the Ford Seniors Players Championship.
This will be the last time that this event is played at this venue; next year it will move to Baltimore. It's a Jack Nicklaus designed TPC golf course, and interestingly, Steve Wolford, the lead architect for D.A. Weibring Golf Resources Group, was the onsite designer for this project a number of years ago. Our Golf Resources Group has another golf course in play this week, the TPC at Deere Run for the John Deere Classic. I understand that the golf course is in great shape and the players have been kind with their compliments through the years and it should be a great championship.
So, I'm off to Dearborn trying to win the Ford Senior Players Championship but rest assured that I'll be keeping a keen eye on the activities at the John Deere Classic.
