And all it took was nearly a full year on the Master tees and the longest 282 yard driver in the game* to get there ROFL.
IIRC I began the weekend with a 63.15 avg. I have far exceeded the number of ranked rounds for tiering up, the only thing stopping me was the score avg. I had noticed recently that any score of 64 would be GG enough to lower the average by exactly 0.03, meaning I just need 5x more rounds of 64 to advance.
So Saturday, I decide to enter a bracket tourney at St. Andrews. Got off to a hot start with a bird at the first. And then the second. And the third too. And even the fourth!!!!! A 2 putt bird on 5 put me at -5 under after the first five holes!!!!!! I couldn't believe it, as that type of start is just unheard of for me. Staying true to form, WGT decided to bring me back to Earth quick, and I mean real quick. A beautiful approach on 6 left me inside 5 feet, but the powers that be decided to rewarded me with their version of the Montreal Screwjob.
I was pretty pissed about that, but a great wedge on 9 left me with a tap in bird. -6 under after 9 holes, and with any luck, not only is a 64 possible, but I just might finally get the Crystal St Andrews Triumph award. Started off nicely with a bird on 10. Back pin on 11 thankfully, and I make par. Drive on 12 hit an upslope and stopped dead, Grrrr. Hit a semi decent flop to 5 feet, and then naturally the Yips returns. I was pretty pissed about that one too, but since it had much more break than my miss on 6, it wasn't quite as rage inducing. But sometimes it is better to be lucky than good, and on lucky 13 I managed to steal one back. Had a tough little 35 footer, but drained it near dead center to go to -8 under after 13. On 14 I came *THIS CLOSE* to reaching the green in 2 for an easy 2 putt Bird, but it wasn't meant to be. Hit a fairly poor 3rd shot, but thankfully found myself in a flat spot on the green and my 8 footer finds the Bird. -9 under. My fourteen footer on 15 missed by a few inches, but a nice wedge on the following hole had me back to makable putt range. I make the putt to go to -10 under after 16.
So now all that is standing between me and victory is the infamous road hole 17th. Are you freaking kidding me? Making par on the 17th with a damn starter ball?!?!?!?!?!?!? Thats nearly a surefire recipe for disaster, especially with the putter in my hands. Mercifully I draw a tailwind off the tee, so I knew the green would at least be reachable. Only question now is, would I be able to hold it. I didn't hit a bad drive, but still found myself in the first cut rough. I hate the 17th fairway, or lack thereof, more than any other hole in all of golf. Standing 152 yards away I pull out the 7 iron, and crank off one of the pinnacle shots of my young career. It actually held the green!!!!! Huzzah!!!!!!!! Thats a nasty little downhiller from back there in the corner, but thankfully my 3 foot knee knocker found the cup for par.
That puts me at -10 at the 18th tee. All I have to do is not miss short on my approach, and its an easy 2 putt par. After numerous 64s and even one or two 63s, can Inigo finally bring home that coveted 62?
Well that sweet little round at St Andys dropped my avg to 63.03. Just one more 64, and I'm movin' on up like George and Weezy Jefferson. Sunday night I decide to enter the single play at Congressional. Seven under is difficult, but still doable. Made bird on 1. Bunker bird on 2. Got up and down for par on 3 and 5. 2 putt for par on 4. Made par on 7, but Birds on 6, 8, and 9. -5 under on the front, wow. Was not expecting that. Missed left on 10, but still saved Par. Headwind on 11 - *&^%!!!!! - but still saved par after a great punch left me with a tap in par. Par at 12 and 13 before finding a Bird on 14. 15th is tricky, but I 2 putt from the fringe for my par. Got a Bird at 16 after a good wedge. -7 under, yahoo!!! Just gotta survive 17 and the difficult 18th now. Nearly pissed it all away on 17, but I managed to survive. Laid up well short of the rough, but my 5i to the green was badly sliced. Nearly found the bunker, but it stayed clean, and I managed an up an down for par. So now that brings us to 18...........
YES!!!!!!! VICTORY!!!!!!! Its taken me quite a while to get here, and I've had MANY missteps along the way, but at long last, I've made it to Tour Master. Been rough sledding so far at my new tier, as bogeys at 6, 17, and 18 gave me a 69 at Merion, but at least I'm here LOL.
*Callaway owners may disagree. Individual results may vary. The depicted properties and attributes of items only approximate their performance and may be modified.