I GOT THE LAST SPOT! | QUALIFYING FOR THE OKLAHOMA STATE AMATEUR MATCHPLAY | GOLF

Yesterday I played in the Oklahoma State Amateur Matchplay qualifier at Lincoln West Golf Course. A course I'm quite familiar with. We played it a lot in college and also covered its history on one of our THIS IS OKLAHOMA GOLF podcast episodes. As golf history in OKC goes its one of the most fascinating, definitely worth checking out. 

So I tee'd off at 7.40am. I really like the early tee times, the course is fresh and I think its the best time to post a number. Plus it wasn't too hot at that time. I started off ok, made a par on the first but failed to get up and down from green side for birdie. Opportunity missed. 

2nd I missed it 30 yards right with a 7 iron, hit a terrible second and then made a 20ft par put. 

3rd I chose to hit driver which was NOT THE PLAY! I was telling myself on the tee box that its not driver and to go back and grab a 2 iron but I didn't listen and proceeded to launch my drive 40 yards right of the fairway into the weeds. Lost ball = double....

NOT GOOD!

For the next few holes I seemed to scrap it together, made a few pars but no real looks at birdie. 

7 is a short par 5. I blocked my tee shot, not in bad shape. Hit a 5 iron from 210 to 12ft or so. This was my chance to get my double back and made eagle.... NOPE. Lipped on the high side. Birdie, back to +1.

The 8th isn't the most inviting tee shot on the course with OB left and trees right. I with only 1 fair hit in my previous 7 holes I wasn't feeling too confident. So I teed it down a little and drilled it across the floor, fairway found. 53 yards left in, which when I was in college playing everyday would have been inside 5ft with ease. Nope rusty golf game left me 20ft for birdie, no real chance there. 

9 I hit 7 iron to 15 ft and made it for birdie. This is where I really started to believe that this could somewhat be a good day. On Sunday I listened to a podcast with Conor McGregor and Tony Robbins and one thing that stuck in my mind was the Conor always believed in himself and constantly reminded himself that he could do whatever the task was in front of him..

This is going to sound really strange, but when I had the putt for eagle on 7 I told myself and repeated it constantly under my breath "you can make this. you can make this. you can make this" I didn't but I hit it exactly where I wanted to. 

Fast forward to my birdie putt on 9 and I said the same things, made it. 10 I had 20 ft for birdie same again, constantly telling myself I can make this. Left it 2 inches short right in the middle. Par. 

Made a stupid bogey from 30 yards away on 11, again rusty short game and lack of concentration. 

12 hit it close, kept repeating to myself positive affirmations, missed it on the low side. 

13 Hit a bad drive, thinned my second shot to the back of the green but had 2 putts for birdie from 50ft away, lagged the first one. Now I'm left with a 5ft birdie putt to make sure that I don't three putt and make par. Again repeating to myself, I can make this I can make this. In for birdie. Even with 5 to go.

14 is drivable but I hit it left in the trees, I had a 50 yard pitch that I left 20ft short. ( pitching was so bad ) par. 

15 hit a 7iron to 15ft but hit a bad putt 

16 hit a terrible drive, had to lay up, hit a bad lay up and then a bad 3rd. Made par on an easy par 5.

17 hit 2iron so far left in the trees, hits the cart path and somehow finds a gap. Hit it to 10ft above the hole, and the whole time I'm walking to my ball I'm repeating. You can make this you can make this. Again it sounds so silly but I'm telling you it worked. IN FOR BIRDIE -1.

18 SMASHED it up the middle and almost to the edge of the green, up and down for birdie and I'm definitely qualifying.. NOPE another terrible chip shot left myself 15ft and missed it. 

SHOT -1 (70)

FAIRWAYS 3 / 13

GREENS 12 / 18

PUTTS 31

UP AND DOWNS 2 / 6 

Not a great day but mentally I fought hard and then I had to watch the others go out and play and hope that i'd done enough. Constantly refreshing the leaderboard throughout the day. It all came down to the last group, if someone in the last group shoots better than -1 I'm out.. THEY DIDN'T :)

So now I go to The Patriot to play in the state amateur matchplay 20th-23rd of this month. I love matchplay, you just have to face one person at a time. Win and you go on to the next, lose and you go home.

Wish me luck. 

Mike

RESULTS

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