[POKEROMGLOL]

In junior golf we had 2 types of tournaments, the regular ones and the "Masters" ones, which is what all of the really good kids played in.

I was 18, my last year to play junior golf, and usually just played the regular ones because I really only played for fun and they were a lot cheaper. Also, the Masters ones were all over the state (Texas) and I wasn't interested in traveling. But this one was in my hometown at an awesome course (Shady Oaks Country Club), so I figured I'd play in it.

My tee time is at like 9:30 and so I show up about 8:45. I am pretty happy with my game tee to green and putting, but have been battling the chipping/bunker shanks for way too long. It is horrible, if i hit greens I can shoot mid 70s, if i don't i can shoot 90s.......not a good thing to have going on. My goal was to break 80 and I honestly didn't think it was going to be happening.

So I am on the putting green assessing my opponents. Obviously I see about ~10 guys who are well known, scratch, college scholarship guys. They all look like tremendous douchebags. They are super serious and I see lots of popped collars and giant David Duval Oakley's on even though it is overcast. I make fun of this by acting super serious, popping my collar, and putting balls from the top of an extreme hill WAY too hard to where my ball goes about 90 feet. I tried to act like it was an accident and I just misjudged the speed of the greens. Screwing with overly serious people is something I just can't resist.

So anyway, I tee off and hit my approach to 4 feet on the first hole. I obviously lip out the putt because I am nervous and the ball hit a sand granule that was on the face of my putter. I par #2 as well, which is a great start for me. I go onto hack the next 4 holes, making >10 foot putts for bogey on all of them. I par 7, hitting the green and 2 putting. Then #8 is a disaster. 2 great shots on a par 5, bladed chip from 30 yards, chunked sand shot, 2 putt double. I rebound with a scrambling (putting from way too far off the green than i should) par and end with a 40.

I am happy with the way I am hitting it and start to execute a bit better on the back. Easy pars on 10 and 11. No12 is a 230 yard par 3 and i hit a terrible worm burner shot that finds its way between two bunkers and rolls up to 15 feet. Very lucky....2 putt par. #13 is a tough, long narrow hole and I hit a great drive and 4 iron to 30 feet. And drain the putt...Birdie! I start to think about it and I realize I am now +4 thru 13, which is way better than expected. The next two holes are par 5s and I play them well with the exception of a nervous, yippy wedge from 60 yards that led to a 3 putt from 50 feet, and a good par save from 8 feet on the next one. +5 thru 15.

The par is 71 and all I am playing against is breaking 80 really and have been enduring this kid who shot -2 on the front talking about how great he is. He doesn't seem to be doing so hot on the back, but I am not really paying attention. 16 is a tiny par 3, but it is devilish with no room for error. I stick it to 6 feet and make a tough left to right straight down hill slider for another birdie. back to +4. I am getting pretty nervous now because I have never really played well in a high profile tournament like this. On 17 I nervously slice my ball into the trees. I slice an AWESOME shot through an opening that is going right at the pin. I start to freak out thinking it might be stiff and one of my opponents tells me it is good. I get to the green and my ball obviously is 10 yards over the green, an impossible chip for even a good chipper. Oh crap...I can't chip. I completely duff the first shot. Then I chunk the second shot and it lands in the rough and trundles onto the green and 10 feet past the hole. So incredibly lucky. I drain the putt for bogey (light fist pump). I had been thinking I might be able to sneak into third place if others had bad days, but figured I was out of it now. The last hole I striped the ball down the middle on a 420 yard par 4. It is downhill so I only had an 8 iron left, but the second is back uphill and the pin is tucked in between two bunkers. I aim 25 feet right of the hole right at where my friend is sitting after finishing just in front of me. I hit it dead perfect and am 25 feet for birdie. I hit the putt dead perfect and the last revolution drops in the cup for a -1 35 on the back 9 and a +4, 75 overall. I do a nice solid fist pump and am pretty pleased with myself.

As the scores came in, I thought I might have a good chance at that third place. After all but 1 group had come in, I was still in first. They right the first two scores down, a 79 and an 82, no problem there. The last guy is a good golfer and I am sure he had me beat. They write down a 7 first real slowly, and a 6 after it. I won? I had won a golf tournament? I was pretty much shocked.

Obv. my girlfriend(now fiance) was on her way to becoming a DI golfer and had about 40 of the cool Crystal trophies, but mine meant a lot to me.

I have always been a passionate golfer with what I believe to be some natural talent. To finally win a bona fide real tournament was definitely the best golfing experience of my life.