Exciting News + Update

First of all, I am proud to announce a new partnership with LEFT HAND BREWING COMPANY. I am so excited about this as it something I love from my hometown and cannot wait to promote around the country! I will be sporting their logo on my hat, as well as my shirt. Thank you Left Hand for your support!!

Things have been going great lately. I spent some time on the course on Tuesday before it snowed. A quick nine holes followed by some technique on the range until it started raining sideways. Since, I have been writing some sponsor letters, and honing my mental game. I finally finished Your 15th Club. In the book it says to write down affirmations so I have been compiling something that I can take on the road but still colorfully displays the positive things that should be flowing through my brain at all times. By reading them every day, it is a small reminder what I am supposed to be focused on while I practice/play. 

My new sticks should be here any day. I got my balls and gloves on Tuesday. I am so excited to get them and take them down to Robert so he can fix them up for competition. It will depend on how they perform on the golf course if I will take them down to Texas. The FUTURES Tour does require conforming grooves but the actual rule isn't in effect until July.

The countdown is just a mere 22 days away. I will be doing the drive in two days, stopping and relaxing in Ft. Worth with my best friend for a day/dinner to hang out and catch up. I will need to stop anyway becuase the drive is 22.5 hours. Yikes!

What I am reading: Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
What I am listening to: Mercy Me - Spoken For

Not A Cloud In the Sky....

Man, the two weeks have just been amazing outside. So sunny, creeping up to 60* temps, couldn't ask for better weather in March! Yesterday I played Fox Hill, my first full 18 holes there this year and shot 67. I was pretty jazzed about it. I have been playing really well lately and of course LOVING IT! I have put in some hard work the last two weeks and will continue to do so, weather permitting. The countdown is on till my first event in Rancho Viejo, Texas.

Meanwhile, I am still raising money and looking for sponsors so I can make this happen. This has been an exciting journey so far, and it really hasn't fully started yet. There are so many people that have been awesome in supporting me and I just wanted to say thank you. You guys rock.

What I am Reading: Golf's Sacred Journey by Dr. David Cook
What I am Listening To: We Are Loved - David Crowder Band

Heat Wave!

The last couple days have been out of this world in terms of weather. I played 18 at Green Valley Ranch on Wednesday afternoon and it felt like a warm summer evening. A little break from the arctic we have been enduring for the last couple months. There was a front that moved in and out this morning so I spent some time at the gym while it was chilly.

Wednesday I spent some time, and by some time, I mean some time at Colorado Golf Academy getting fit for some new conforming grooves! I got a full fit from Hot Stix. It was really fun and super informative thanks to the guru, Robert. I was finally open to the idea of a hybrid, I'm an iron girl myself, but not anymore! I am super excited to get my new sticks in my hands and start grinding with 'em. I'm ordering them hopefully next week! Titleist will definitely be loving my business seeing as I am using everything but their driver, including glove and ball. It is fantastic equipment and can't wait to start using it when I play.

Welp, off to go play and enjoy the sunshine!

One Great Philosophy

"Strive to be the best that you can be in your life and your pursuits. Make a commitment to always be better tomorrow than today. Accept that failure is part of life and is an opportunity to find a better way of doing things. Accept that the pursuit of excellence is a life long exciting journey of continual improvement and constant positive change. Pursue your dreams and your passions."

-Brian Willis CEO, Winning Mind Training Inc.

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For The Good of The Game

As the Olympics draw to a close I am saddened. Saddened becuase for these two weeks people see hard work pay off, dreams come true and character revealed. The Olympics display this better than any sporting event simply becuase they are founded on what sports are about. They are about heart, hard work, determination, perseverance, and the ability to side step and overcome obstacles whether they are personal or athletic related . If this doesn't inspire you, well you need to check yourself. There is no better feeling to an athlete than to see hard work pay off. It is one of the most indescribable feelings you can feel. You can't comprehend it until you feel it. For two weeks now, the world has seen these feelings captured on television. Watching from home, I can't help but feel restless and BEYOND excited to display my hard work. As an athlete there is no better feeling. I want to feel it again.

Don't get me wrong, it is not only these two weeks that I feel inspired. My goals are always on my mind. If you want to attain something greater you have to work constantly toward that goal covering all bases. There are times where giving up seems easier, or things you cannot control start to happen but that is not the time to give up, it is simply an opportunity to make you stronger. That is what the athletes in the Olympics go through. If you are an athlete it is what you go through to build these characteristics that complete you as a player. They are all necessary to mold you into the competitor you are when you compete.

There is no greater feat than to watch an athlete conquer his/her demons. The things that help you stray from your goal are essentially demons. Throughout the Olympics, athletes are stacked against their competition, people's expectations, their own expectations and it gets heavy to carry all of that without knowing that the way you have trained, and almost numbed yourself to get through that training, has helped create an armor to unleash your talent at the moment when it is all on the line. When you have it all to loose or all to gain. It is not the time to play it safe. All those hours grinding are not meant for a time where you try to just get by. They are meant for you to put it all on the line and take what you've worked for. When athletes fall it isn't sad, it seems empowering. Not because they lost but because they weren't afraid to fail. Things happen that are out of our control but the relentless pursuit of victory does not allow competitors to go in half hearted.

That's what I love about sports.

Typical Tuesday

Today I had a great session down at the Colorado Golf Academy. My swing is feeling really good, but more importantly I am fundamentally better than I have ever been before. I am really happy that all my hard work has solidified a great swing and it can just get better. I have never moved the golf club so efficiently and I am really excited to put this into contention and see how great it can get. I hit so many balls today I have blisters on my hands. I have never been so excited to see them.



What I am reading: The Fundamentals of Hogan by David Leadbetter and Lorne Rubenstein
What I am listening to: Flyleaf

Comeback 2.0

I am a huge fan of Lance Armstrong. His story truly inspires me. I have read all of his books and follow his Tour de France campaigns closely. I just got his newest book Comeback 2.0 about his 2008/2009 comeback to competitive cycling. I read it in about 2 hours. Ha. It's awesome. His work ethic and drive are incredible.

Best quote in the book: "For me, living life to the fullest is about testing myself, accepting challenges, training hard, and then going for it." -Lance Armstrong

Yes, please. 

Update

I got in some great practice last week and it has been showing in my lessons with Eli. He is a fantastic teacher and we connect well which helps a lot! I always look forward to the challenges he gives me during our lessons because they aren't easy. We are working on some great stuff and I have really noticed a difference in my ball striking. It has been a huge decision trying to find an instructor and the first one I tried has worked out beyond what I could have imagined!



I have also been trying out various Sandbagger Inc. shoes. They are so comfortable and look really edgy. I have been wearing them in the wet weather here in Colorado and they are holding up great. Here is the pair I am favoring right now.


My first event looks like it is going to be in Rancho Viejo, Texas April 19-25. I am really counting down the days till I leave. All the preparation during the off-season has me giddy to get back to tournaments. I have been working really hard on the course and off to be ready to go. Mentally it has been my strongest off-season so I am very pleased and beyond excited!

Art

My older brother Aaron is an esteemed artist (among other impressive talents) and a doctoral student at Princeton University. Here is his guinea pig cartoon of me playing golf. I love it.
[drawing by Aaron Hostetter as seen on his blog]
He drew it 2 years ago, but I just found it and figured I'd share. Enjoy!

Result vs. Process

Awesome day in Colorado today! I was on the range by 9am! No frost, just a little sunshine to keep me company. It was fantastic. Hoping for some more days like today!

When I was working on the range today, I was thinking to myself that if people were watching the drill I was doing right now, they would be thinking to themselves, "what is she doing out there?", "might as well not hit balls". Haha. Well I just laugh to myself because those people are RESULT orientated.

Golf requires practice right? Yes. But why would you practice your strengths? That is what silences people when they criticize someone who isn't hitting it well or not making every putt, especially if they are a "pro". Well this was written with them in mind. If you have read any sort of mental game book they will tell you it is about how good your process is, not how good your result is. You can't control your result! Playing a game on natural surfaces might be one the most inconsistent and frustrating things about the game. However, it is what makes the game truly unique. It can cause a well executed golf shot to go wayward or end up in a hazard. That is simply why being mentally tough will get you to the highest level (along with some skill, no doubt).

So I'm there on the range doing my drill, and laughing at this phenomenon because you go to any proshop in America and there are guys playing cards or having a drink in the pub talking about this kind of stuff. But for any golfer it is not about your result it is about your process. So right now, as you might have guessed, I am working on my process. That's what is required of all good players that want to improve. Working on weaknesses and improving the process. The process is important. It saves you when your mind might be in an uncomfortable place. It has come through for guys down the stretch in majors on the PGA tour and the same with girls on the LPGA tour. Every good player knows that if you are in that unfamiliar territory your process/pre-shot routine will save you....if you have put in that work.

This was one of the hardest things for me to learn as a golfer in college. All I saw were results and before you have that mental turnaround, you are not going to play to your potential. Like I’ve said, I’ve seen it in almost every mental game book I’ve picked up but I don’t think it is emphasized enough. It’s a shame because when you have a round that is not result orientated, it’s so much easier to go out the next day and perform consistently if not better. Being process orientated will get you focusing on things that only you can control and that’s all you can do on the golf course. If you let yourself worry about things you can’t control, you might as well hang up the clubs and take up a new hobby.

For me, it is one of my goals to always stay with my process and perfect my process, not worry about my results.

Michael Jordan, one of the world's finest athletes in his day said, “I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come.” It is one of the most solid statements an athlete can hold on to because it’s true.

February Golf in CO

Today looks like a perfect day! High of 44*! Perfect!
I am just waiting for some frost to melt and I will be heading out to Colorado National to get in some practice. Things with my swing have been going really well. Eli and I are still working hard on it building a solid foundation to carry me through the year. I am beyond excited to start playing and for the weather to start cooperating! Hopefully some more of this snow can melt. In the meantime, I will be playing around it! Yippee!

The Tough Part of My Job

Getting started has been tough. A lot has been required of me in terms of putting myself out there and cultivating relationships with different people. I have normally been a shy, modest person especially around people I barely know, but this has helped me to become more outgoing. However, not only am I working on my character, but meeting and forming great relationships. Support has always meant a lot to me. It helps like those times when you are out on the chipping green, rounding off hour 6 and you want to go home and take it easy. I remember people saying the occasional, 'great job', 'way to follow your dreams', or 'good luck with your season!'. Tiny things like that are not so tiny in my mind. They help tremendously!

It's hard being out there by yourself, sometimes. That support means a lot.

It's also great to have that support when things get rough or mentally exhausting. I've always said, you can't do something you love running on fumes. You just can't. There is no will or perseverance to get through something you don't truly have you heart set on.

It is also a challenge financially. I hate asking my own parents for money, I hate asking myself for money! It's just something I have a hard time doing. However, Central Elementary Spell-a-thon's helped a little! Haha. The fact is, I need a lot of money to travel around and play. There have been many that, by the grace of God, have given and I am so grateful for their contribution. However, to play a full season, I need the rest. I don't feel like it's my place to ask for money especially amidst catastrophes (Haiti) and the economic fiascoes going on in the US. I know I am facing a hard road financially in the economic state of the country, yet I will still press on.

A great family friend, who has been following me since I picked up a club at the ripe old age of 4 years old, has given tremendously thus far and couldn't be a bigger cheerleader. He is set on getting me out there and achieving my dreams. It is neat to see him giving back to someone, becuase he wished someone had done the same for him. I can't wait for the day when I can show someone the same grace and sense of giving he has shown me. I am eternally grateful.

Although, this road is hard, I am beyond excited to commence my journey. I hope that people will feel a need to help, anything helps, becuase I NEED HELP! I am not afraid to ask for it. :)


What I am reading: Modoc by Ralph Helfer
What I am listening to: Ke$ha - Animal

Tweet Tweet!

For all of you that haven't seen the side bar on the right, I am on Twitter!! Follow me, I love followers :).


TWITTER/TheRachelLarson


What I'm Reading: Your 15th Club by Dr. Bob Rotella
What I'm Listening To: Late Night Alumni - Of Birds, Bees, Butterflies Etc.  

Duramed FUTURES Tour 2010 Schedule

***Click to view schedule***

 

Rachel Alexandra: A Filly with a Whole Lotta Heart

What a great holiday season it was! Spending time with my family is always a great time and around the holidays makes it very special. I received a very cool gift this year. It is a 2009 bottle of Rachel Alexandra wine. If you are not familiar, Rachel Alexandra, besides being my first and middle name, is a Thoroughbred filly who won the Preakness Stakes in May 2009. She was the first filly (a female horse) to win in 85 years. She is a front runner which means she likes to either run out front the entire time or a stalker which is following the leader.

[Christmas Eve with my new bottle of Rachel Alexandra wine!]

I took notice of her in May when she had won the Grade I Kentucky Oaks (contests on Friday before the Kentucky Derby) by 20 lengths. That margin of victory is incredible. She went on to be a sleeper pick in the Preakness Stakes, the 2nd leg of the Triple Crown. All odds were against her, but whoever put money on her hopefully went straight to the bank with it! She competed from the 13th gate and currently is the only horse ever to win from the 13th gate. She went on to win 9 races in a row until her off-season.

It was so much fun to watch her race this summer. She is big for a filly but stands shorter than most of her fellow colt competitors. Following her campaign made me think of the sleeper pick which I might be in some tournaments this year. There are many parallels to how I have worked and the possible results that could become of this next year and to Rachel Alexandra's racing career. She is somewhere else I can draw confidence and inspiration from and to receive that gift meant I can look at it everyday. It was very special.

Too bad I have to let it age for 5 years....

What I'm Reading: Nancy Drew - The Bungalow Mystery
What I'm Listening To: Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster

Status

I have received my status for the 2010 Duramed FUTURES Tour. I will be a Non-exempt, Category C Rank #41. This essentially means I will get in to a majority of the tournaments and get priority over category C #42.

I have a lot of paperwork to do for setting up my membership but I am looking forward to it!

Early Mornings and Global Teammates

Since finishing college, one of the hardest things that I still have to adapt to is being a self-motivator. Playing as a team, working out as a team and doing things with a team constantly rid my habit of this. However, when I was on the team I still needed to be a self-motivator becuase of poor coaching my first three years. Before college, I was out at the course when it was 20 degrees out and there were only three cars in the parking lot. Now, after graduating, that doesn't sound to tempting if 4 or 5 other girls don't have to endure it either!

This thought process was sparked by my early wake up call at 7:30am this morning. My plan was to get to the gym by 8am and leave by 9:30am. I had a workout planned all I had to do was get up! Well, knowing myself like I do, I heard the alarm and slowly rolled out of bed at approximately 7:50 and got dressed and headed over there. In college, we had workouts at 6am, three days a week. I loved getting up early for those workouts. The great thing about them was that there was a trainer to have the workout planned and tell you when to do what. It's hard that early to get your brain moving as fast as our legs were!

Anyway, to workout so early today, made me miss enduring those hard workouts with my teammates. It definitely pushed me to be in better shape and get better rest at night. Now, I usually workout in the evenings becuase they aren't filled with school work (thank goodness!).

I guess you could say that now, after graduating, there are only a select few that are still playing maybe at an amateur level but definitely a select few that are playing at a professional level and those girls around the country getting up early and working out and then practicing or whatever they are doing to help their game, are my new teammates. We might not workout together or practice together, but I know they are working hard, and in order to keep up or pass them, I have to work just as hard if not harder. That is a great feeling knowing you are a part of a select few doing something that you absolutely love.

I think my self-motivating skills are coming back and being honed more than ever. Gotta keep practicing them though! :)

What I'm Reading: The Golfer's Mind by Dr. Bob Rotella
What I'm Listening To: Breaking Benjamin - We Are Not Alone Here 

Week of Giving Thanks

I love Thanksgiving because it always leaves me to think about the things I am very thankful for. I do this way more than just during the holidays but in November it seems more special.

I have been blessed with an athletic talent that has earned me a free education, led me to travel all around the country and even to Canada and Mexico, has taught me more about life than life will ever be able to, and has connected me with some of the most beautiful people in the world.

I have a family that makes this all happen with their utmost support and I am so thankful that I have a family that believes in my dream as much as I do. Without that, it would be a hard swim upstream.

I have a roof over my head and clothes on my back and arms and legs to run and jump and skip! I could go into very small detail but you get the idea.

Down at Q-School, I couldn't help but just feel this overwhelming feeling of thankfulness. Thankfulness, not only that I have the ability to compete, but that I was even there! So that leads me to be thankful to the members of the Longmont community who say good job, or good luck, or play well, or give your money, or an ear to listen to. None of your actions go unnoticed. I am so blessed with the support!! Thank you!

This is definitely what I will be thinking about this week. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Not-So-Off-Season

People hear the term "off-season" and think of time off, naturally. Well, for me, it means, "work-harder-season". Off-season is typically the time for changes to your physical routine in the gym, any swing changes and mental routine. I have stepped up workouts from 4 days a week like they were when I was playing, to 6 times a week. I have also upped the weight in all exercises. Upping the weight means upping the stretch time and yoga. I have created a workout plan based on some of the things we did in the off-season in college and added some of my own things I need to strengthen in the gym.

Off-season is also a time to work on some habits that may have hindered you in the last year or just some things you want to change about your game that you couldn't really do during season. For me these tweaks started in September with Eli and had to be put at a halt due to FUTURES Q-school. Now, those tweaks are back on track and I have been working really hard on them in the last week. When there is snow on the ground, I am working in front of a mirror and doing a lot of mental practice. Essentially, I am swinging, then imagining I am striping it down the middle. When more snow melts, I will be chipping and putting like a madwoman!

There are many different ways to work on your mental routine. One I practice is visualization. The good news is, I can work on this when there is snow on the ground and when there isn't! Some of the best books for the mental game I have read in the off-season include: Mind Gym- this is my favorite and every chapter is like gold; Every Shot Must Have a Purpose- also a go-to; and pretty much any book by Dr. Bob Rotella, especially The Golfer's Mind. These books of mine have been read many, many times and highlighted and written in as well.

One of the pinpointed things I am working on on the mental game is the art of positive thinking. I just made that up but it is an art and it is something EVERYONE needs to work on! Essentially, it is taking ANY situation and drawing ALL possible positives from it. Example: Before Q-school I was working on some swing mechanics, when in reality, before a tournament a player should be looking to find feel. Well, all the changes I was making to my swing were good for my process, and not so good for my result. This essentially means that people shouldn't be focused on the result, because there are too many variables that can reek havoc on the result. If you focus on the process, and it is constantly the same, things can rarely go wrong. SO, with those swing changes I wasn't hitting it the way I would have liked before the tournament. I had two choices at that point, pout about not hitting it perfect or taking what I had, trust in it completely and go to work! Needless to say, I chose the latter, trusting every swing in Florida and my mental practice paid off! My goal was not to play well because that goal is result-focused, my goal was to trust in my ability, no matter what my swing looked like because I know I have a solid short game and a very strong mental game. Well, I achieved my goal and that is what I am most proud of. Now, during the off-season, is the time to focus on those tweaks and work on them without having tournaments.

"Off-season is a time to work harder because someone, somewhere else is working harder than you."

Check It Out!

What Is the Duramed FUTURES Tour?? Watch and find out.....

"If you would attain to what you are not yet, you must always be displeased by what you are. for where you are pleased with yourself there you have remained. Keep adding, keep walking, keep advancing."


-Saint Augustine

Q-school: The Aftermath

Whoa! What a long two weeks I have had! First let me break down the last round.

I started out alright. I played the par-5's awful, which is usually a strength. I had to hit a lefty shot and hit in two hazards on the day which is very uncharacteristic for me. Played the par-4's awesome. Was -1 on them which is something I have been working hard on. I have always been able to murder the par-5's but par-4's have been a different story. It was incredible to have Kathryn on the bag helping me stay positive, I would have gotten pretty angry at my par-5 stat had she not distracted me around the golf course. She was pointing to pine trees around the course calling them "CRIMA TREES" which had me in hysterics. A good laugh does wonders for my golf game. I tried to make a run the last 3 holes but had a terrible break on my 18th. After the round, it was like I was hit by a train. Mentally I was SHOT. Physically, I surprisingly felt pretty good! I guess it helps training at 5,000 feet!

I finished T78th. Started the day out at T73rd. The last day played pretty tough becuase of the 20-30mph wind so I'm glad my worst score of the week didn't put me too far back. Making the cut, (top 90 & ties) put me in a place to earn a great status on tour. I will know for sure by mid-December after the Final Stage of LPGA Q-School. A lot of FUTURES tour players are doing both so some could earn status on the LPGA or gain exempt status on the FUTURES Tour.

Attitude was KEY this week. I had a great attitude and stayed so positive. Playing 9 rounds of golf in 10 days is unbelievable, throw in some big time pressure, and 5 straight competitive rounds you have one tired girl! It's definitely a lot to ask out of a golfer. There is a reason why they call it a school, it'll school you if you aren't careful! There were so many outside variables occuring this week that can really play with your head if you don't have the right defenses. I mentioned playing 9 rounds in 10 days but they were all 5 hours PLUS. They were some of the longest rounds I have ever played yet I stayed in the present, being so content where I was, and not anxious. I could tell it was really bothering some of the players and it showed in their rounds. I am proud to say that not once, did I let a short fuse ruin a round. Not once, did I get down on myself or think of the actual task at hand [gaining a good status], and not once did I think I couldn't get through it successfully. I am so happy that my mental practice has paid off in this regard. Those are the fundamentals to playing great golf on the road constantly. However, now I am exhausted. I returned from Orlando last night and got some good rest. I plan on taking a little time off, since this will be the only time I will have that luxury! I will be hitting the gym hard for the next couple months and getting sharp for March!

My winter plans are pretty simple. I will be going back to Florida at some point to visit my old teammates just to get out of the cold/snow and get some golf in, and/or possibly going to visit a friend from junior golf in Arizona to play in some Cactus events. Nothing is for sure yet but those the next issues to be addressed!

Thanks for all the support and stopping by for an update! If you have any questions/comments leave them!! I love hearing from you guys or you can email me at rlarson11@gmail.com

Day 5: Q-school

Lake Region Yacht & Country Club:

I shot 78. Finished decent though. I'm not sure the exact place but I heard 78th. I'll write more about it later when it doesn't take an hour to write on an iPhone!! :)

Day 4: Q-school

The Golf Club at Bridgewater:

Today's wind takes the cake. Windiest day all week. Fortunate enough for me, I am played the course that has absolutely no trees; links style. I started horrible. I was +3 through 4 holes then the next 14 holes I was -3 to shoot an even par 72. This is a big step for me because like I have said before I would get down on myself or pout about the way things were going but, today I did something about it! In the 14 holes that I played well, I made 5 birdies, but missed about 6 putts from 5-15 feet that skimmed the edge of the hole. This is rather frustrating but to have 8 legit looks at birdie on the back nine, is awesome. I am very pleased with those 14 holes.

This leaves me at T73rd. Made the cut. I started the day at T120th and jumped that high which is awesome. I am very excited to play tomorrow, my good friend and old teammate Kathryn will be caddying for me at Lake Region Yacht and Country Club. This will be awesome to have her to talk to and to settle doubts on yardage. I really like having someone there to help me decide. As long as I can decide on a club/yardage, I can made a great swing at it.

Tomorrow will be a great day and I have survived my first professional cut. Gotta keep making good decisions and get some putts to drop tomorrow!!

Day 3: Q-school

Ridgewood Lakes Country Club:

Today was windy! Again! Shot 76! Again! I started off #10 and played the front nine alright. Made one birdie and one par. The back nine I made some course management mistakes but kept them to bogeys. Played solid until my 16th hole when I hit it OB by about 4 inches. But that is the way it goes so I hit a drive in play and made double. My bogey putt stopped about an inch short in the heart of the cup. Went for some birdies on the next two holes but just barely missed my attempts. Overall, attitude was good again. Can't complain when you hit it in the water and OB and you are +3 on those holes. Other than that I was only +1 so overall an okay day. I really need a number tomorrow to sneak into the top-90.

Right now I am heading to my last course to play Golf Club at Bridgewater to putt because the greens I played today were pretty good greens and the greens tomorrow will probably be the opposite. Gotta get used to hitting it pretty hard at the hole.

Moving day wasn't so much a moving day but to stay pretty consistent is something every golfer wants to see. Although I am making one or two big mistakes, those will go away pretty quick with some competition and more practice. Like I said yesterday it has been tough with swing changes but my focus is on the big picture, just trying to get through the week with a good status on tour.

Gotta light it up tomorrow!!

Day 2: Q-school

Lake Region Yacht and Country Club:

Today was windy! The cold front moved in last night and it was a little chilly this morning, about 75 degrees. Tough eh? The front nine was not so good. I started out well getting up and down my first two holes and a close birdie opportunity on my third. After the front I was +5 and not happy about it. I lipped out for birdie on #10 and made birdie on the par-5, 12th from 3'. I had a great up and down on the next hole and lipped for birdie again on #13 and #17. Threw in some solid pars and a bogey and birdied #18 to shoot 76. One under on the back really saved me. That is something I have worked endlessly on; my attitude. Before college, I would get really angry if the front wasn't going so well and kind of give up, but in college you have to grind for ALL eighteen holes. I think I even referenced this in the summer at the Colorado Open to the Times Call. Grinding is about not giving up and always thinking you can get that ball in the hole, NOW. If you asked me what the biggest difference between amateurs, college players and professionals are, attitude would be a big reason why amateurs are amateurs and not becoming decent professional golfers. Of course, there are many other reasons why they might not be, but to grind out five tournament days like I am this week, you need a good head on your shoulders!

The girls that are on my course rotation are sparse at the top of the leaderboard. Hopefully they left some low scores for us at the next two courses. I will play Ridgewood Country Club tomorrow at 9am EST.

Currently, I am in T118th and two shots out of T83rd. It's been hard not to get frustrated at some of the mistakes that I have made over the last couple days due to swing change growing pains but I am taking them in stride and know that they are temporary. Aside from that, I am very pleased with my short game and mental game. I really didn't know what to expect coming down here and have met a lot of really nice, helpful people who are also on the road traveling solo. Overall, I am still having an absolute blast. I feel very blessed to be where I am right now. It feels like I belong here.

Day 1: Duramed FUTURES Tour Qualifying School

Huntington Hills Golf Course and Country Club:

Things went pretty well today. Shot 75 with 31 putts. Not the most ideal amount of putts. The greens were a bit slow but smooth. I hit the ball well today with the exception of a few drives. Had two birdies, on two par-3's. We played in about five and a half hours and the weather was cooler than it has been this week, 80. I played with fun girls and we had some camaraderie going.

Low score from my course was 70. Not scary low, but it was definitely doable. I left about five putts heading right to the heart of the cup but stopped short. It was hard to get the speed, becuase you had to hit it so hard!

Had a blast and enjoying this to the maximum. I mean...I get to play here tomorrow [Lake Region Yacht and Country Club].
[Photo by Kathryn O'Rourke]

Hot, Hot, Hot!!

It's been pretty hot down here in central Florida! So far, been grinding away learning the tricks and breaks of these courses. They are pretty average as tournament venues go, but the two country club's greens are very true. All the girls I have met have been very nice and fun to play with. I am staying with two of my old teammates in Orlando before the tournament starts so it has been a blast catching up with them and having them show me around their stomping grounds!

Everyday has consisted of playing a golf course, getting a little practice in, then heading back to the crib to get a little R&R in to recharge for the next day! It has been a blast just playing at different courses and being in the warm weather!

I am really excited to start playing tomorrow. I played solid in the practice rounds now it's time to let go of expectations go out there and have fun! My old teammate Kathryn and I were chatting on the range today saying, "Now is the time you either have it or your don't!" True statement. We are ready to go and put up some numbers.

You guys who aren't enjoying the 90 degree weather (a cold front is coming through don't worry, it'll be 80) can follow the tournament here. We are playing in foursomes and in carts, so the rounds will be long and a mental test!

Here's a video Kathryn and I watched tonight. Some last minute motivation.

Countdown...

3 days till wheels up to Orlando!

Preparation

I published this two and a half years ago. I remember writing it in a hotel in Hattisburg, Mississippi. I had a decent amount of mental training through Marylin Norcross, a sports psychologist out of Greeley, CO. What she taught me will forever be pertinent in my life whether it is in the workplace, in relationships or on the golf course competing. This is something that fits nicely into to this week as I get ready to leave for Florida.

<30+15


A champion gets up even when they can’t.

When I am on my game, I am unstoppable. I spend so much of my time reaching for perfection, when perfection can never be reached. I choose to work hard. I exert a considerable amount of energy in weights and run so many miles to build a dominating force. My focus is intense and abundant. I wait patiently for my time to come when all the variables will be in place to crush the field. I have already won. The countless hours poured into my game have gotten me where I am and that in itself is a victory. I want to be able to come off the course knowing I put it all out there; I used my tools in the best way I know how. I am not looking for acceptance from other people but only from myself. I am playing for me and only me. I am trying to prove that all the sweat, hours, sacrifices, aches and pains were worth it. I aim to please my God in Heaven with the gift he has instilled in me for eternity. Everything I have been through, has prepared me for this moment. The obstacles and victories I have been through possessing the appropriate characteristics to allow me to execute this next shot with everything I have. I loose myself in the moment. Everything goes quiet; I know I am in the zone. I have one opportunity. I will not let it go, no matter how hard the conditions. I only see where I will hit my shot, how far, how hard; I have extremely good touch. I own the qualities to become the best this world has ever seen. I have a dream. I have determination. I have the will power to overcome anything. I have a support system people would dream to have. I have it all. Most of all, I know how to win.

Less than thirty; by fifteen.

When I won state my senior year of highschool, four and a half years ago, I had a saying; <30+15. It meant, less than 30 putts (you will usually play well if this goal is reached) and by 15 shots I will win it. Well, I did have less than 30 putts at state but I only won by 1. If one proves true, good things will happen.

What I've Been Up To...

In the past two weeks many things have evolved. I have come closer to presenting a proposal to potential investors or partners to help me with my professional career; Some of my leads for endorsements have come back positive, some negative; But probably the most important is I have started working with a new swing coach, Eli Haskell at the Colorado Golf Academy. In two weeks, my swing has slowly evolved into a more efficient motion. Trying to break old habits is hard work. I have been working at it everyday for those two weeks, sunshine or snow, to get it grooved for Q-School. Sitting at about two weeks till Q-School, I have stopped working so much on the mechanics and finding something to lock and load. I have been playing a lot, played 29 holes yesterday, and grinding with my wedge game and putting.

Most importantly, I have been doing some mental practice. I believe this is the most vital part to the game and it has certainly proved true this past summer. I stepped out of college with a very positive, can-do attitude, and with total belief in myself. If I don't believe I can do it, I'm wasting my time out there.

Members of the community in Longmont have been so encouraging with their words and their actions to get my FUTURES Tour dream off and running. I have been so thankful to and proud to say I am from such a solid community where the members within do whatever they can to help others. It is something, not just for my professional aspirations but an incredible example of how a citizen should conduct their behavior. This has been very encouraging and such a positive thing to talk to people about. It has shown me people who love to see others pursue their dreams as well as the dream crushers out there that must have given up on a dream of theirs along the way. It is amazing how, talking to some people who have pursued their own dreams, confidence just radiates off of them and its contagious! This is an amazing quality to have. I am working on that myself.

FUTURES Tour Qualifying School is November 2-6, 2009. I leave on October 27th. I am very excited because I will be staying with two former teammates that I haven't seen in awhile. It will be great to get to some warmer weather and play some awesome golf with some amazing company!!

After Q-School, I will be working extremely hard on my iron accuracy to improve my Greens In Regulation, or GIRs. This is a stat I have always had trouble in, and when I am swinging it well and my putter is on, low numbers will come. I will also be working hard on my short game to ensure if a green is missed I make par or better. Needless to say, this winter, snow or not, I will be swinging a club every day.

I can't wait!

Played bad??....

...There is no such thing as a bad day on the golf course.

State Team Pictures

The Sycamore Hills clubhouse

The locker room

#5 tee box. Tough dog-leg right par-4. There is water before the green as well.

#8 green. One of the best shots of the course. This was the toughest hole on the course.

#18 green from the fairway. An challenging finishing hole. It was where my 2-under round was turned into an even round. Ha.

#9 green late in the day. Tough hole with that blaring sun in your eyes!

Scoreboard after the 3rd day.

I am posting US Amateur pics here.

Final Day

Played great today! Had it at even par making the turn, missed a 10', and lipped a 45' on #10 and #11. Made birdie on #12, 13 and 17. I was heading into #18 at two under and my drive clipped a tree and fell into the hazard. Almost made my 12' for bogey in front of a big crowd but it skimmed the edge. Had a blast though. Finished at even par, 72, for the day and T6th in the tournament. Colorado finished a first ever top-10 at T6th! We were really excited about that!! There were about double the fans out there today which made it really fun.

I played with a girl from Maryland, who I will spare her name, but she said, "How did you guys get in this group?" I said, "Excuse me, what?!" and she replied with, "well you just don't expect Colorado to be up there. I mean, it's not like you guys are Florida (which we beat) or Georgia or Alabama or something". All I could do was laugh at the high school senior and think, wow, get out more! We have two CO Golf Hall of Famers on our team! I told our captain that at dinner and she said too bad you didn't tell me earlier because I would have gave her a piece of my mind. Ha. I wish I would have told her earlier because I would have loved to watch her rip into the 17-year-old. Haha. Priceless.

It was sad to say goodbye to the Sycamore Hills staff and their beautiful layout, as it always is. They were great to us and couldn't have done a better job. When I arrive at a golf course, it's like meeting someone for the first time. You are trying to get a feel of what they are like, how they respond to you, and get a feel of their personality. As the days go by, you learn new things about your new friend and have things you like and things you don't like, but by the time you leave, you are old friends. It is sad to leave but the memory will always be there. That is the thing about USGA Championships, they grow on you like friends.

Fort Wayne continued to hand out surprises this week and it will be a place I hold in high esteem. I throughly enjoyed myself and will reccomend it to whoever will be passing through!

Day 2

What a grind! I played decent except for that "snow bastard" as my playing partner from Montana calls "snowmen" (8). Other than that quadruple bogey and a double, I was even par for the day. One of my teammates from CO was disqualified because she signed a wrong scorecard but my other teammate shot only one more than her so the impact wasn't bad. We had some fans out on the course which was nice! People seemed to be excited that we were in Fort Wayne and happy to see us play. Gotta go get 'em tomorrow and make a move up the leader board! We are in T8th with Maryland, and Cali and I'm in 9th all alone again.

Made the News!

Day 1

Mornings at Sycamore Hills must come from heaven. It is the most beautiful place. On the first hole, I could not hear a thing except our group rustling around the greens. It is just incredible. Played very steady today missing some 10-15' putts, I hit all but two fairways and thirteen greens. Made three birdies, three bogeys en route to a even-par 72. No complaints there. Comfortably sitting in 4th all by my lonesome. CO is tied for third. Colorado has never finished in the top-10. We hope to bring home a trophy this week.

Spent the afternoon at the pool and had a brilliant dinner at O'Charlies.

Gotta go, the tv awaits.

C-O-L-O-R-A-D-O

Fort Wayne, Indiana. Home to 251,591 people (wow) and the 73rd largest city in the US (what?!). Surrounded by mature trees and corn fields, this oasis is home to a fantastic golf course. That course would be Sycamore Hills Golf Club. It is amazing, check it out. I thought I played a great golf course in St. Louis, this course about matches it! The USGA knows how to put on a tournament. They've had 109 years of experience, they better know! Fort Wayne has seemed to have a surprise for me around every corner, hopefully on that list is the Judy Bell trophy, named in honor of the 1996-1997 USGA President. That would top off a week in corn country!

GO C-O!

Side note: Carol Semple Thompson (Pennsylvania) is here...check out her credentials – 1973 U.S. Women’s Amateur; 1990 and 1997 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur; 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur; 1974, 1976, 1980, 1982, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2002 Curtis Cup team; 2006 and 2008 Curtis Cup captain.

During our formal dinner tonight, people clapped after the Curtis Cup team years and thought the announcer was done. Carol sat down after about half of it. Wow...

USGA State Teams

On Saturday, I am headed to Fort Wayne, Indiana for the USGA State Teams tournament. I will be representing Colorado along with two other amateurs. We earned these spots from play throughout the year. It is an honor to represent your state against every other state including Puerto Rico. Here is a preview for the tournament:

Sycamore Hills Golf Club

Yardage: 6,095 yards

Par: 36-36—72

Defending champion: Arizona

Opened: 1989

Designer: Jack Nicklaus

USGA championships: This will be the first USGA championship for the club, but Sycamore Hills has hosted numerous state events, including three Indiana State Amateurs.

Designer notes: The course meanders through property first deeded by Andrew Jackson in 1835 that consists of mature trees, gentle hills and the Aboite River.

Nicklaus on Sycamore Hills: "Sycamore is one of the finest sites we’ve ever had the opportunity on which to design a golf course. [Owner] Jim Kelley says I tell all the owners that, but Sycamore Hills truly is a very, very fine site. It has gorgeous trees, great movement of property, and it had some existing lakes that really functioned quite well. The site had a little river moving through the property which really afforded a lot of opportunities to create different shots."

Indiana and USGA: This will be the 17th USGA event held in Indiana and the second of 2009, following the U.S. Senior Open at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel. In seven previous Women’s State Team Championships, Indiana’s best finish was a tie for ninth in 2003 at Wellesley Country Club in Wellesley Hills, Mass.

Elite company: When Golf Digest named its top new private courses for 1990, Sycamore Hills fell just behind Shadow Creek in North Las Vegas, Nev.

WEBSITE FOR WOMEN'S USGA STATE TEAMS.

Colorado has never come in the top 10. With the team that we are taking, we hope to bring home a National Championship. We have a hall of famer - Kim Eaton and another decorated amateur in Janet Moore. I will be in great company on our team as well as our tournament. Many past US Amateur champions will be there as well as other accomplished amateurs.

I am excited.

Tea Time

"It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do."
-Jerome K. Jerome

"Tiger at the Tee"

By: DJ Gallo

The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Hazeltine crowd that day;
Tiger led by two, with but one more round to play,
And then when Padraig took an eight, and more did much the same,
A pall-like silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

While a struggling few got up to go in deep, intense despair,
Some others stayed right in their seats, sensing something in the air.
They thought, "If only one could make a move, I probably would not flee
I'd like to see them challenge Woods -- however unlikely."

But Westwood preceded Tiger, as did also McIlroy,
And the former was a loser, while the latter was a boy.
So upon that stricken multitude came thoughts of boring play,
For there seemed but little chance of catching Tiger on that day.

Then Yang uncorked a booming drive to the wonderment of all,
And next up was his eagle, a perfect chipping of the ball.
And when the pin was lifted, and they saw what had occurred,
There was Y.E. safe in first ... and Tiger nearing third.

Then from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
How would Tiger come right back? They couldn't quite yet tell.
They clapped their hands together and yelled with utter glee.
For Tiger, mighty Tiger, was coming to the tee.

There was ease in Tiger's manner as he took his usual stance;
There was pride in Tiger's bearing and a swoosh upon his pants.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly touched his cap,
No fan there in the crowd could doubt that he would close the gap.

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he put his tee into the dirt.
Five thousand tongues applauded when he adjusted his red shirt.
While Yang hit his drive a ways, to a place where he could score,
Tiger hit his all that way -- and some twenty yards or more.

And now again the small, white sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Tiger stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
But close by the sturdy flag, the stubborn ball it sped --
"$@!%&*^ @%^&," said Tiger. "Get down!" his caddy said.

From the bleachers full of people, there went up a muffled roar,
They were waiting for the comeback, and they could hardly wait much more.
"Catch him! Catch that Yang!" shouted someone on the stand;
(Although he soon piped down, lest he get beat by Stevie's hand.)

With a bit of golfing charity, Yang left his next putt short;
But Tiger did not capitalize with his usual deft retort.
And so one hole was left to play and Tiger swung with might,
But Yang erased away all hope: His approach went nice and tight.

"Yang!" cried the surprised thousands, and then they yelled out "Y.E.!"
There walked a disappointed Tiger, a sight few hardly ever see.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain.
And they knew that Tiger wouldn't let one get away again.

So the match was all but finished, it had slipped from Tiger's grip.
You couldn't help excuse him if he let some curse words slip.
And now Yang confirmed it as his putt fell out of sight.
And the gathered crowd was shocked to see Woods fall without a fight.

Oh, somewhere in South Korea the sun is shining bright,
A band is playing somewhere, and there the hearts are light,
And in Seoul the men are laughing, and little children shout;
But there was no joy for Tiger as he meekly putted out.

Wow.

US Amateur Pics

The clubhouse.

From #13 tee box. Beautiful par-3. The picture doesn't do it justice.

From #11 tee box. Great view of the St. Louis skyline the entire hole on a clear day!

From #17 tee box.

The Cox Cup was presented in 1896 by Robert Cox, of Gorgie, Edinburgh, Scotland, a member of Britain’s Parliament. It is the only USGA trophy donated by a person from another country and is the oldest survivor among trophies for USGA championships.

The backside of the clubhouse where our banquets were and we ate breakfast/lunch. The scoreboard is on the right side of the picture.

#18 green. Fantastic finishing hole.

One Great Week

July 31, 2009

TRAVEL

Man, what a long day! I woke up at 4am just exhausted. I made breakfast, packed up the car and left at around 4:50am. I drove four hours and was pulled over. 86 in a 70. Dammit. I continued to drive through extreme tiredness artificially covered up by Starbucks. Arrived at my host family’s home around 6:30pm. It felt good to be there! Met her for 5 minutes and she left for some plans she already had and I had her entire house to myself for the night! It was weird being in a strangers house without them there but very inviting and encouraging that someone would trust a complete stranger in her home!

August 1, 2009

1^st PRACTICE ROUND

I arrived for registration to a room full of smiley volunteers. They were very nice in showing me the clubhouse and our locker, and dining room. I got my gift, a backpack and a local boutique’s necklace and signed two autographs (Ha. I was excited.)!! I went to breakfast and was just taking it all in. Meanwhile I was being waited on by some of the best waiters I have ever interacted with! Everything in the clubhouse was soo fancy and nice. I felt like I was in a Victorian mansion or something. I saw the trophy and it is one of the most beautiful trophies I’ve ever seen. I met my caddie, Tim, while I was warming up. He seemed nervous but I eased him by trying to make him laugh. We got out on the course and it started pouring. It rained for 7 holes just non stop and got everything wet. After hole 8, it cleared up a bit and was a nice afternoon! I played with a girl who was on the National Championship USC team of last year, Morgan Pressel (LPGA Pro)’s sister, and the girl who beat me by 1 at our qualifier in Denver! It was really fun meeting some new friends. Interesting getting to know their personalities behind the cutthroat competitors that they are on the golf course. My friend Alison and I practiced a bit after our round and headed to the fancy dinner they had for us at the course put on by the USGA. They had all kinds of yummy stuff there! Sushi, roast beef, pasta and bite size desserts!! They introduced all the past USGA Champions the president of the club spoke as well as the USGA president. It was a short program. Alison and I sat by a girl from England and a girl from Scotland. It was fun to meet them and hear about their stories of coming across the pond for the 18-hole qualifier. Wow. I only drove an hour to mine and they spent $1500 just for the qualifier!! I was so tuckered out so I headed home to get some much needed rest!

August 2, 2009

2^nd PRACTICE ROUND

Alison and I played together today and went off early. We played with a junior golfer from California and a girl from I don’t even remember where who only spoke Korean, but then when I said nice to play with you, she said, yeah it was fun thanks. She spoke English. Ha. We had fun playing and my caddy and I had good report. I played well and made some birdies on this tough course. The ball was flying a little better due to less humidity. We finished our round and headed to lunch where we had a hot thanksgiving dinner! They had pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes (I hate mashed potatoes but these were heaven -- that's how good this food was), chicken, peas, carrots, and rolls! It was great!! Alison left me so I went down to the locker room to watch some golf on the big flat-screen they have. Tiger was especially inspiring and I made some new friends. Possibly with the oldest competitor this week (54 years old)! She is from Jamaica and has won three USGA Senior Women’s Amateur titles (2005, 2006 and 2008). I chatted with her about USGA State Teams which is another championships that the USGA puts on that I will be going to in a month. We watched Tiger and rooted him on for about 2 hours. I decided I had rested enough so I went out to practice in the St. Louis heat. Our BBQ was at 5pm so I practiced some 6' putts and hit some drivers. Alison came back to get me and we sat together. They, once again, had amazing food topped off by an incredible ice cream sundae w/ peaches and blueberries! SO yummy! After dinner I did some lag putting then headed back to my home for the week for some chatting with my host mom and a shower!

August 3, 2009

1^st ROUND

I woke up around 8am for my 1pm tee time. I went to the club for breakfast and went to see the hole locations on #9 and #18. Moseyed on back to my family’s house and wrote some emails, checked the weather. When I came back to warm up, I was hitting it awesome, putting okay, and I was SO excited to play. Got up to the first tee and they do equipment checks. They look at the brands of your clubs, bag, ball, clothes, shoes, hat, glove etc. If you have ever watched golf, commercials come on that say, “Titleist. The #1 ball in golf.” It’s true and that is how they can say that. I saw on twitter that Titleist was the #1 ball at the Am 129 and the nearest competitor was 7. Ha. I teed off first and just ripped one down the middle. It was so exciting. Lots of people were on the tee watching so it was awesome. After my round, I had felt a little bittersweet about it. I had a great group of girls that I played with, but missing some short putts really killed my score. I didn't see a shot that I didn't have or have ever hit, it was just a matter of executing the right shot at that particular time. I had a double, which really frustrates me because I have had 3 in the past month and a half, which for me, has been a huge part of shooting consistently under 78 for the summer. I figured, even with the double, it was an OK first round but we gotta come back and do work tomorrow morning to make match play. I putted for a while and hit some balls until about 7pm then headed home. On tap for the night was a BBQ at my host mom’s brother’s (host uncle if you will) house with some other girls from the tournament. It was great chilling outside with some great company, great food at an incredible house. The conversation was fun and making new friends is always enjoyable for me! I was exhausted and the only one there who didn’t get to shower so I requested to head home about 9pm. Had to talk to the paparazzi (haha) and then the parents then headed to bed after watching some Golf Channel.

August 4, 2009

2^nd ROUND

Morning came too soon, but I woke up excited as ever to get back out there. Had an amazing breakfast at the club and headed out to warm up. This week I made a great warm up mix with a little Britney Spears- Radar and Break the Ice and some Miike Snow- Cult Logic. Can't forget the MGMT- Kids and Electric Feel and Newpoint's cover of In The Air Tonight. Needless to say it was a sick mix. Like the previous day, I was hitting the ball very solid but I was putting a lot better. Got up to #10 tee and ripped it down the middle again. I was thinking, "man, this is fun, I could do this for a living!" I got off to a rocky start, double bogeying the par-5 that I had birdied the day before. Anytime I bogey a par-5 it feels like a double so it was a hole where I lost a lot of ground. With my length and short game I should birdie them all! This golf course was demanding on every shot and I pushed my drive a little too far right so

it was out of position. Finished that nine well with a birdie on #16 (made a 12’), birdie on #17 (drained my 3’ – par 3 185 yards hit 5 iron to 3’) and made a great up and down out of the trees for a par on #18 (made an 18’). I was heading to the back nine at 2-over and beaming with confidence. Made a 45’ on #2 for birdie and had so many chances on my back nine to make a charge and get under that cut line but nothing fell.

I limped into the clubhouse with a bogey-bogey finish and had to wait to see if I made the cut. Never a good place to be. I knew that those last two holes were going to make a difference but I dwelled on the fact that I missed some putts on those last two I should have made and that is the only difference. I also gave credit to the fact that I had a great time playing, possibly the most fun ever and of all the friendships that I had made. Around 7:30pm is when I found out I would miss a 6-for-1 playoff (6 girls for 1 spot). I was pretty devastated. I came into the week very confident. I had spent the previous week buckling down and working very hard to fine tune the scoring parts of my game – putting, wedges and long irons (because of the course’s length) not to mention the previous month working hard on my game as well. It was a good first USGA event and Alison’s dad made it a little better by saying he’d buy me a drink if I missed it. Ha. We spent the night watching the playoff and heading to Fleming’s Steakhouse for a celebration dinner. Good way to end the week.

August 5th, 2009

TRAVEL HOME

After eating at the club, paying my caddy and taking some pictures, I started home around 9:45am. At approximately 10am I was pulled over again. Ridiculous. The speed limit on the highway was 60mph. Who woulda thought?! After that I was drove 5 below, in my cruise-control-less car all the way home. It was a good drive home and I even maxed out at 490 miles for a tank of gas! My car is awesome. Got home around 10pm and my bed felt great, although the whole day I was playing the course in my head. When I passed Denver International Airport, there was a huge storm hitting Denver and I was on the outside of it. I snapped some pictures. I have never photographed lightning before. It is one of my favorite things to photograph now because you don't know what the picture is going to look like until it comes out. This was one of the better ones I got. Pretty sick.

I told the paper it was a dagger to the heart that I didn’t make it. I didn’t cry (many girls did) but I couldn’t have been more disappointed. On the same level, I was competing at the top level of amateurs. The best 150 girls in the country were here and I was T76th. It was a great accent to my amateur career. I made note yesterday that I wasn’t nervous. I believe a person gets nervous because they don't believe they should be playing at that certain level. I know I have felt like that in previous national competitions. This past week, I didn’t feel that. I felt like I belonged and that I was at the right level. The highest. It was a monumental week for my game (I have kept it below 78 all summer, which I have never done…ever) and my mental game. I am home with so much learned in St. Louis. I couldn’t have spent the week better if I tried.....well, yeah I could have won but I guess this will suffice. :)

Thanks for following! The support is forever appreciated!!!

Hilarious.

Sergio hit 36% of dudes and 64% of fairways yesterday at Firestone in Akron.

Haha.

Day 2

Yesterday went alright. I teed off late and didn't really know what to do with myself. I started off great. I was a little nervous but thrived off of it. I had an awesome group of girls I was playing with, one from Australia and one from Michigan. I had a rough patch about 5 holes in but on the back I grinded it out to shoot 1-over. There are some damn long holes out there! If you are in the rough you can forget about getting to the green! I made a couple up and downs from about 100 out and was really pumped.

Today was a little better. My front nine (the back nine) where I played well yesterday, wasn't as good, but finished birdie-birdie-par. Made three 1-putts to stay 2-over for that nine. I chipped it to 10' on #16, then hit a 5 iron 185 on #17 to 3' and made an 18' on #18 to get some momentum into the back (the real front). Made a 45' on #2 to stay at 2 over then played pretty steady until the last two holes. On my 18th, I hit into the opposite fairway and had a clear shot to the green. It came to rest in the sand and I had a brilliant shot out of it to about 4' but I missed the putt. Overall it was good. If I would have not bogeyed those last two, 74 would have been pretty solid and I wouldn't really have to worry about staying at the course to avoid any playoffs. But I'm chillin with my Australian "mate" and we're about to watch Across the Universe. Gotta keep an eye on the scoreboard. I am T110th right now but there are about 50 people that still have to tee off, or have but just don't have scores updated.

I believe some weather is coming in, at least some wind (hopefully). Still having a blast though! I hung out with Tiger Wood's niece and an LPGA pro's sister last night so I am in great company and enjoying myself to the max!

Update from St. Louis

Greetings from one of the oldest golf championships in the country! 109th US Women's Amateur is the most prestigious amateur tournament in the United States for women and I have the honor to play in it!

The last three days have been incredible! Filled with amazing food from Old Warson Country Club to meeting USGA officials who have officiated numerous US Opens, both men and women and being in the presence of past USGA Champions. It has been awesome!! I have met people from all over the world and made some new friends!

I am just killing time now, waiting for my tee time at 1:25pm. I believe they are doing live scoring on the US Women's Amateur website. I still have an hour before I leave for the course.

I am staying with a host family about 10 minutes away from the course and it is such a great experience. A lot better than staying in a hotel!

Anyway, pray the weather holds off (it poured our first practice round and they are calling for 70% chance at 1pm) and the putts fall! It is a great course!! I have been blogging on my computer in my room (my family doesn't have wireless) so I will post all of that when I'm home. Thanks for following and I hope you get to all week long!