Just got back home from the Missouri Open in Columbia, Missouri. It was the tale of two nines for me this week. I played the front side in 13 over par for the week, and the back nine in 3 under par for the week. The weather was absolutely perfect. It was sunny and hardly any wind to speak of. For whatever reason, I could get nothing to go right on the front nine, and everything seemed to work well on the back. I am moving my things down to Orlando this week for the Winter. I can not believe how fast the summer disappeared! Starting on October 8th I signed up for an Adams Tour event in Meridian, Mississippi that will hopefully last 4 rounds. From there I will attempt my final Monday qualifying of the year in Chattanooga, Tennessee on October 13th. I will then have a gap of time to really get things in place for the First Stage of Qualifying School in McKinney, Texas (just north of Dallas) at Stonebridge Ranch, which begins October 29th. The key for me will be to treat this tournament no differently than any other. I am really looking forward to getting a full months preparation going into that week. Talk to you all soon. Things are coming together, and it is a great time for this to start happening.

Sorry for not updating within the past few days. I just got back in town after a marathon tour of the south. I started my adventure by flying into Jackson, Mississippi for the tour qualifier as I said on the previous post. It took 6 under to get through on this day. The greens were the best surfaced bermuda grass greens I have ever putted on plus they were very receptive, thus yielding low scores. I was on a great pace through 7 holes as I was 3 under. However, my swing failed me over the course of the last 11 holes as I shot 75. Just was not a comfortable day out there for me. I flew into Charlotte, North Carolina that night, before driving over to Augusta the next morning. The Hooters event in Augusta was a pretty decent track. However, for how good the greens were in Jackson, the greens in Augusta were the complete opposite. Absolutely terrible condition. It made putting more luck than skill, and for that matter it was absolutely ridiculous. They converted two of the Par 5's for the week to Par 4's to keep scoring in relation to par from being absurd. The course was very simple. I hit the ball better, but had 7 three putts during the course of the first two rounds. My putting is my bread and butter, so when this fails me, my scores tend to suffer. I finished with 71-70 (+1) to miss the cut for the final time this season. My Hooters Tour experience this summer got me some valuable experience. What I learned is no matter where you go in this country, there are really good players everywhere you turn. I also learned that this summer inspired me to get off the mini tours as quickly as I can. It just isn't very glamorous being stuck in a city like Hawkinsville, Georgia or Joplin, Missouri for a week. I am paying my dues now knowing that someday in the bright future I will be able to look back on this small roadblock and chuckle. I am off to the Missouri Open tomorrow in Columbia, Missouri. I have had this highlighted on the calender for some time now. I really would like to get my first professional win this year, and my old college stomping grounds would be a great place to do it. Two round tournament that starts Friday. Keep you all posted!

Unfortunately I did not get into the Boise Open this year. I missed Monday qualifying again for the event by one shot. I shot a 68, but needed one better. It is hard to complain about a 68 ever, but these Monday qualifiers are so cut throat you need to make a lot of birdies. I am headed back home tonight. I am entered into next week's Monday qualifier for the PGA Tour in Jackson, Mississippi. It will be 78 guys competing for 4 spots. The odds are tough once again, but I am playing well enough to do it. My backup plan is a Hooters event in Augusta, Georgia if I do not get through. This will be the first time I can honestly say I do not want to go to Augusta for a golf tournament. After being down in the dumps Monday night after the qualifier I had a fortune cookie of all things cheer me up. It read "You will climb the ladder of success one rung at at time. Stay patient". I hope that next rung is a successful Monday in Jackson, Mississippi.