2015 Lewis County Amateur at Riverside. Sure, it’s Lewis county, but we get players from all over the west side. I’m back into golf for the first time in years. I started the year at around a 15 handicap, and play my way down to a 7. Riverside for the Am is tricked out and playing tough. The greens are rolling around 13, the rough is long, and the course is in great shape.
The first round starts solid. 38 on the front, and I started the back par par par bogey, so I’m 3 over through 13. I have 80 yards in on the par 5 14th for my 3rd, and I blade that bitch into the Chehalis river and 3 putt for quad. I limp home with an 8 over 79. Not terrible, but that quad on 14 stings. My buddy hit an ace on 15, so the free beer eases my pain.
The final round is kind of a blur. I have the scorecard somewhere, but I have no idea where it is. I hit the green in two and made a 50 foot bomb on for eagle on 7 to put me one under. I two putted for birdie on 16 to get back to one under, and at that point, I was doing everything in my power to bring it home under par. I’d shot under par once in high school, and never in a competitive round. I have two short par 4s left, both have OB and water, so the driver stays in the bag.
I hit 5 iron into the trees on 17 and have to punch out. I hit a wedge just on the edge of the rough next to the green. The grass is laying down towards the hole, so I decide to putt it, and bang the 20 footer right in the heart to stay 1 under. On 18, I hit 5 iron a little sketchy, which barely clears the pond, but ends up in the fairway. I have 150 in, and I’m amped up, so I hit 9 iron to the back left of the green. The pin is back right like 4 feet from a slope that will funnel every ball off the green, and I have a 40 footer straight towards the fall off. If I hit this putt 2 feet too hard, it’s ending up in the rough. It’s a diabolical pin, especially for the final hole with two decks full of people watching. It’s the most nervous I’ve ever been over a putt in my life, but I lag it to a foot and tap in for par and a one under par 70, tying the guy who won the tournament for low round of the day. I finished 7th gross out of 140+ guys, won net, and won a bunch of cash in the Sunday honey pot. Drinks were consumed.