Now I know the excitement wasn't there prior because I have been numb due to how fast this has all panned out for me. But I am golfing at Pebble Beach! I can't believe it. This is crazy.
Today I have noticed the wind is swirling, the last few courses I have been on, it was calm or just coming from one way. This wind is crazy.
Hole 1 - Par 4 - I drive it 268 yards, leaving myself 113 from the pin. I then hit it 107 yards, leaving me on the green and about 6 yards from the hole. I sink the 19 ft putt for Birdie. I am in the lead by 1 stroke and I am at -1.
Hole 2 - Par 5 - 294 yards off the tee leaves me about 227 yards from the cup. I then hit 211 yards and right into the bunker. I am about 17 yards from the hole. I chip out of the bunker going 22 yards and I am left with 6 yards from the hole. I over shoot my putt and miss it by a total of 7 ft. I drain the 7 footer for par. I am still in the lead by 1 stroke and at a -1.
Hole 3 - Par 4 - I drive off the tee and hit a tree and my shot falls out of bounds, lateral hazard. I then drive again, this time thinking I did enough to avoid the tree and I still hit it, but land in bounds. I have 295 yards to go. I hit it it about 60 yards out of dense brush and I am now around 232 yards to hole. I drive it 162 yards, leaving me 71 yards to the pin. I wedge it 61 yards leaving me 9 yards to the hole. I miss the 27 foot putt but tap it in, I quadruple bogey on the hole. I am now at a +3 and tied for 6th place.
Hole 4 - Par 4 - I start off sending it 265 yards off the tee, leaving me with about 70 yards to the pin. I hit it 48 yards and I am left with 22 to the pin. Wedge it about 24 yards leaving me with a 6 ft putt. I drain the putt for par. I am still tied for 6th and I am at a +3.
Hole 5 - Par 3 - I drive it 171 yards and into the bunker. It leaves me about 27 yards from the cup. I dig it out of the trap and it lands at 24 yards but rolls to a stop, about 10 inches from the cup. I tap it in for Par. What a recovery. I am now tied for 2nd, at +3.
Hole 6 - Par 5 - 259 yards off the tee leaves me with about 261 to the hole. I use the 3 hybrid and push it 174 yards leaving me with about 90 yards to go. I hit it 88 yards and leaving me with almost 3 yards to the pin. I miss the 10 ft putt for birdie and tap it in for par. I am now tied for 1st with a +3.
It appears Pebble Beach is starting to gather the victims close to her chest.
Hole 7 - Par 3 - I drive it 170 yards leaving me about 9 ft from the hole. I miss the birdie putt by inches. I tap it in for Par. I am still tied for 1st with a +3
Hole 8 - Par 4 - Tough hole to hit, I drive it 172 yards off the tee. About 254 yards to go. I hit it 131 yards leaving me with around 170 to the pin. I crush the next shot 168 yards landing it about 7 ft from the cup. I hit the putt for par. I am now the sole leader at a +3.
Hole 9 - Par 4 - I boom the drive off the tee, a perfect shot and it goes 301 yards, leaving me with 175 yards. I hit it 179 yards with about 9 ft left from the cup. I sink the putt for birdie! I still lead, but I am now at a +2 and I am in the lead by 3 strokes.
Hole 10 - Par 4 - 251 yards off the tee sees about 192 yards left. I over shoot this one at 206 yards, I am left with 14 yards to the pin, but I am on the edge of the green. I try the 43 ft putt and only miss it by a ft. I tap it in for par. I hold the lead by 4 strokes now with a +2.
Hole 11 - Par 4 - A deceptively short par 4 because of the shots that you have to take. I drive it 204 yards off the tee, leaving me with about 170 yards to the pin. I hit it 152 yards towards the hole, there is now 22 yards left. I chip it 17 yards and it rolls to about 5 yards from the pin. I miss the 15 ft putt for par and tap in for Bogey. I am still in the lead though with a +3. I am still leading by 4 strokes.
Hole 12 - Par 3 - This is a longer par 3. I drive it 216 yards pulling up about 14 ft from the pin. I am to soft on my putt, pulling up 2 ft short. I tap it in for par. I am leading by 4 strokes and a +3.
Hole 13 - Par 4 - 245 yards off the tee sees me about 163 yards from the pin. I then hit it a little harder than I wanted to and it rolls to about 9 yards from the cup. I sink a 27 ft putt for Birdie! Charge! I am in the lead by 6 strokes now with a +2.
Hole 14 - Par 5 - Unless I self destruct on the final four holes, I should be ok. 252 yards off the tee leaves it at around 333 yards to the pin. I am able to take it 212 yards with my 3 wood and leave it with about 123 yards left. I use a wedge and land it in a bunker about 17 yards from pin. I dig out with an 18 yard shot, leaving me just under 2 yards from pin. I sink the putt for par. I am in the lead now by 7 strokes and a +2.
Hole 15 - Par 4 - I need to maintain par golf and let the course do the rest to the others. A rocket from the tee with wind goes 309 yards leaving me with 95 yards to go. I wedge it 84 yards and rolls to a stop on the edge of the green. I have an easy path to the hole and drain the 33 ft putt for a birdie! It is loud with the cheering that erupts around me. I am in the lead by 9 strokes and I sit at a +1. The championship is now mine as long as I do not double bogey each of the final 3 holes and others birdie.
Hole 16 - Par 4 - 290 yards from the tee sees the ball at about 120 yards to the hole. I hit it 119 yards landing the ball about 4 yards from the hole. I missed the 12 ft putt and tap it in for par. Leading by 9 strokes still with a +1.
Hole 17 - Par 3 - I drive it 193 yards and land it close to 10 yards from the pin. I have a tough 30 ft putt. I line up, send to the hole and...it drops! Birdie! I am now in the lead by 10 strokes and even. The tournament is mine and I have all of the gallery watching me at 18. The cheers are loud as I am walking up to the tee box.
Hole 18 - Par 5 - I have only seen this hole on television. It is amazing live, breathtaking I would say. I tee off and send the shot 228 yards, leaving me roughly 292 yards to the hole. I then go for the gusto with a 3 wood sending it 196 yards but landing it in the rough, 104 yards out. I dig it out of the rough going to the hole, landing it about 3 yards shy of the cup. a 9ft putt goes in for birdie and the place goes wild. I finish with my 3rd straight win, this one by 11 strokes and a -1.
Everyone is there. Ryan flew out with my kids and they witnessed it, my EA Rep and then I notice a hint of green. A green jacket. The man approaches me and extends his hand.
"Amazing play, what a recovery, you didn't lose your mind out there. It was good to see. As you are well aware, the winner of the this championship is awarded amateur contender status for the Masters. I am here to extend that invite and look forward to seeing you there."
"Thanks" I stammer out and shake the gentleman's hand.
My EA rep notifies me EA is fully invested in me and he already has swagg sitting back at my apartment waiting for me. He also notifies me that I need to think about getting a house close to a course, because after the Masters, I will be on the Nationwide tour.
I finished Pebble Beach with:
92.9% Fairway in Reg
61.1% Green in Reg
25 Total Putts
1.4 Putts Per Green
When I get home I have more clubs, Series 3 & 4 as well as gloves, grips, button down shirts, driver caps and argyle socks.