Rounds 1 & 2 at the BMW

Hey all! The storyline halfway through this week's event in the Carolinas:

1. JUSTIN--A very nice opening round of 66 at Bright's Creek Golf Club in North Carolina. His score of 6 under par put him 2 shots back of the leaders. He's playing quite well and managed to get some putts to fall. He followed that up with a round of 65, also 6 under par today at Thornblade Club here in Greenville. That puts him in a tie for second at the moment only 1 shot behind the leader. We both feel pretty good about thing but realize that there are still 2 more rounds to go, and lots of guys are capable of shooting some pretty low scores. Positive but staying in the present. A special tip of my cap to Justin for not only playing great but for being mentally strong during a couple of pivotal moments in each round that kept things going.

2. ME--I'm beat! Bright's Creek is up in the southern part of the Great Smokey Mountains, and lugging the bag up the hills in 90 degree, humid conditions was a challenge. Today at Thornblade was less hilly, but it was near 90 again and super humid. Water, water, water! No complaints though as I'm getting my legs finally, and a nightly soak in the hotel hot tub helps! I'm having a great time, learning my way, and love what we're doing and the direction we're headed. We are really beginning to gel and communicate what we need to play the best golf possible. The nickname voting has "Miyagi" and "Chow" in the lead for now, with "Bruce" (in honor of Bruce Lee) and newcomer "Mr. Lu" (a player who almost won the British Open in the 60's) close behind. Players seem to like "Miyagi" and "Bruce," while readers are seeming to like "Chow." I'll of course keep you updated on what sticks. Fun!

3. RANDOM--As mentioned in earlier posts, this week is a celebrity pro-am event in which each group has two pros, one amateur, and one celebrity. And we couldn't have two nicer people in our foursome, Phil and Paula. Paula is our group's celeb, of Baywatch, The OC, and of numerous other television shows. Both have been super nice, fun, and don't take things too seriously, which while making rounds long keeps things in perspective. I'll say that the format hasn't hurt Justin's play!

That's it for today...watch us on the Golf Channel, check the links for the leader board and Justin's scorecards, and some interesting articles and even a video that features highlights from J's play for the first 2 rounds. I'm off to dinner, a soak, and bed. Our earliest day is tomorrow, so gotta get some rest for what is sure to be another long, hot, and fun day!