A MAJOR Letdown

So close, yet so far away!

The AAGT held the Florida Open regional major tournament at Grand Cypress in Orlando this past weekend, July 1 and 2. Saturday's play was on the New Course, while Sunday's action took place on the North/South Course rotation.

The New Course is a links-style layout, with a few Old Course replica holes thrown in for good measure. Wide fairways with pot bunkers. Double greens. All that was missing were the kilts and bagpipes.

I had been looking forward to this event for some time now. My fitness regimen is nearing its end, and the results have been showing up on the course whith more consistent play. I started the day with a three-putt, but recovered enough to be two under after 11 holes. Still one under on 17, I bladed an approach under the lip of one of those pot bunkers and had to settle for a double bogey. A 73 left me tied for the lead with two others. Not a bad start. In fact, it was a great start.

For the second straight major I get to play in the final group!

The North/South nines are typical Nicklaus designs with dogleg fairways framed with trouble, and a good share of elevated greens.

My final round started with a solid par. Then reality set in. A flared drive into the water led to a triple on the next hole. A drive in the junk on 7 led to a double. Made the turn at five over, still in the hunt. A missed tap-in for par on 11. Topped drive on 12. Cotton mouth. Finished strong with double, bogey, double which adds up to an 84. Lost by 4. First to tenth. Takes talent to fold like that!!

We don't have leader boards on the course, which is a good thing, but all I needed to do was par the last three holes for the win. Which is exactly what I was trying to do.

Chalk it up as a great learing experience. I've always said I can count on being at par or better for 12 holes during my rounds, and that my success rides on how I play the other six holes. Trouble is you never know which six holes are going to give you trouble. This was the case for me Sunday: three doubles and a triple equals nine over. Limiting the damage to bogeys on those holes was the difference in winning and finishing four back.

I can't wait until the next one.