Go Win My Friend...

Hello those of you still reading!

It's been a while, and I apologize.  Since our missed cut in Raleigh, I've taken our week off, been to LA, and back home.  It's nice to be home after just a short while on the road!

To cut to the chase, I have made the decision to step down from my caddying duties.  I felt that I could not be the caddy that Justin needs in a short enough time frame to achieve the goals we set out when I got on the bag...finish 1st on the money list or win two more times.  The last thing he needs right now is to think about the job his caddy is doing.  With such a fast start, he needs (in my humble opinion) to be able to focus all of his energy on hitting each shot.

I fully intend to continue to serve as one of several who keeps his game on track as an instructor.  In fact, I'll fly out to some events to provide that service to him.

Anyway, it was a short, awesome, beautiful experience that I don't regret for a second.  What a great time...from grinding to making a cut, to winning, to missing a cut.  All great times in their own way.  I am very grateful and humbled.  So I probably won't be updating the blog anymore.  Or I'll find a way to blog differently.  We'll see.  Thanks for reading and until next time!

Day 1 At The Rex

72 today. Which is gonna mean a god round is necessary tomorrow. Nothing crazy, but a good solid round in the 60's. Justin actually played quite well today tee to green,but we just couldn't get any putts to fall. We could speculate as to why or what, but sometimes in golf it just goes that way. I didn't have my most stellar day as a caddy either today, dropping the head cover once and losing my positive in the moment vibe for a few holes. But I'm gonna learn and move forward. There is a learning curve and I'm making my way. Our first early day off in a while so I think I'll get away, take care of some odds and ends, maybe read, maybe watch a movie, maybe go for a soak. Whatever it is I do, it'll be chill! Let's get it going tomorrow and get that energy going in the right direction again! Until tomorrow friends...Miyagi out.

Let's Get In On In Raleigh!

Hey all! Hope all is well, and you're looking forward to following us and rooting us on again this week at the Rex Hospital Open. Early time tomorrow, 7:40, so a short one tonight. No TV coverage this week, so keep track of things on the PGA Tour site. Feeling re-energized and ready to go! More tomorrow with hopefully a good update. One shot at a time, the best we've got on each stroke. Til tomorrow friends and send your positive mojo! Yellow bib for the first time tomorrow this season, and we plan on keeping it that way! Gnite...

Wednesday Pro-Am Day in Raleigh

Now no one really thought that last weeks winner wouldn't be a part of this week's Pro-Am, did they? It's actually quite an honor, and means that the Tour is deeming Justin one of the guys worthy of representing the tour! Cool! We'll see who we get this week, but I'll give anyone 1000 to 1 odds that we won't have anyone as smoking hot--or as funny and nice--as Paula Trickey! You know, make that 100,000 to 1!!

Other than that, I'll be re-checking some numbers and elevations, and rolling some putts on the back nine today, which I didn't do yesterday. Beautiful golf corse with some meaty holes. We'll see how it plays today...the course was designed to roll out and with all the rain it's NOT. But the drainage was pretty decent and as long as we don't get more rain, it should start to play firmer. Time to go get ready, caffeinate myself, and have some fun!

Golfweek Interview With Justin...And He Remembered Miyagi Too!

Check out the nice piece in Golfweek about Justin's win. He even remembers the little people too! A champion and winner. Thanks my friend!

www.golfweek.com/news/2010/may/18/nationwide-notes-hicks-road-pga-tour/

More Info...

For more info and updates (like you want more to read, right?), be sure to join my Facebook group "Tom's Summer Internship 2010" on my FB homepage. You can click on the link or try http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111631348868091

Tuesday And Back To Work!

Well it's still overcast and sprinkling in Raleigh this morning. The forecast is for things to clear up this afternoon and a high of 75. What a difference from last week's heat and crazy humidity! Today's plan is for us to head to the TPC at 9, practice for Justin while I walk the course and do my pacing, layering, and charting. Justin knows the course pretty well, is still tired, and plans to ease back into it today. That's just a bonus for me as I'll get to walk bagless for a day and save my legs, as I have to admit that I'm still a little worn out as well. It'll give me a chance to hide away a little too and will give Justin a chance to do talk with all the folks who will mwant a word from him about last week. I'm eager to see the course and it's green complexes,which Justin says are worth a look see.

On other notes, it looks like "Miyagi" is emerging as the nickname of choice...apologies to those who preferred others, especially fellow pro Joe Affrunti and his caddie Emmitt who were strong advocates of "Bruce," the Trickster who has pushed for "Chong Wang," and you readers who liked "Chow." I personally liked "Mr. Lu" but Miyagi it is!

I may check in later to tell you about the course. We'll see how the day unfolds. As we will not be on TV this week, I'll try to keep you updated with short posts more often. Til then, enjoy your day and back to work!

We've Got A Winner!

Good afternoon everyone! If you don't know by now, Justin won the BMW Charity Pro-Am yesterday! He shot a great round of 66 playing in the final group with 3rd round leader Fabian Gomez and his celebrity amateur partner Jennifer Mills. There's not much to say other than it was an incredible day, one of the most exciting experiences of my life.

Our playing partners were a pleasure to play with, Justin stayed focused and patient all day, we worked great as a team, and I didn't throw up on myself! Although he made a great birdie to seal the win on 18, his pars on 16 and 17 were the keys to victory. On 16, a par 5, he hit his second shot from a difficult lie and his ball plugged into the lip of the green side bunker. I have never seen a ball so buried, and after consulting a rules official, Justin had to gently brush away sand until first, we found it, and second, confirm that the ball we found was his. After brushing about two inches of sand away, he then had to brush sand back onto the ball to recreate the original lie. He then swung as hard as he could to just get it on the green, and two-putted from 40 feet, draining a 6 footer for par. On 17, Justin hit a perfect 7-iron--one of the best shots he hit all day--and the ball hit a concrete green and bounded over the green. From an awkward lie, he chipped it to 8 feet and drained a hard right to left breaking putt for another fantastic par. Awesome. I can still remember the goose bumps after both holes. Little did we know that at the time, the par saves made the last hole much easier to play.

After an hour rain delay, during which we sat in his car listening to music, we warmed up, and went out back to our drive on 18 fairway. After watching Fabian, the only player left who could beat us, miss the green with his second, Justin hit a 7-iron to 3 feet from 173 yards and made the birdie to win by two. A winner finishing like a champion!

We are now on the way to Raleigh for the next event, still savoring the victory but beginning to focus on this week. We are happy, tired, but very excited to keep it going! This post has already been extra long, so I'll wrap up, but thanks to all of you for all the support...the emails, texts, calls and Facebook posts are overwhelming and moving. Thank you, we are grateful and will keep on trying our best!

After 3 Rounds at the BMW Charity Pro-Am

Hello everyone!  For those of you following the tournament, it's clear that Justin has put himself in great position for tomorrow's final round.  He currently stands in a tie for 4th, with only three players ahead of him going into Sunday at 15 under par.  We posted a 69 today.  A good round that puts us right in the chase.  Justin is playing as well as I've ever seen tee to green, just did not capitalize on a couple of birdie chances today.  But overall, everything balanced out in the end.  Got a few unlucky breaks, got a few good ones, and hung in there.  We will be in the final group tomorrow, playing with Fabian Gomez from Argentina and his amateur partner, Jennifer Mills, a one-time anchor woman for the Golf Channel.  I love that we're in the final group, and we feel good about things.  We had an early start but an early finish today, so got in the requisite post-round practice, rest, and dinner done early.  Because we tee it up in the final group tomorrow, we start at a reasonable 10:10 am, so no 5 am wake up calls tomorrow!  

So we look forward to tomorrow with anticipation and are thinking good thoughts.  This is the time for a few cliches because nothing else fits...we'll do what we've been doing all week, take it one shot at a time, not get ahead of ourselves or dwell on the past, and take what the course gives us.  I sound like I'm being interviewed on TV!  But that's the way we've gotta approach it, so that's what we'll do.  We're playing to win and going to try our best, and we'll accept whatever shakes out by tomorrow afternoon.  Please watch us on the Golf Channel starting at 1 pm and root us on!  We'll take all the positive energy we can get!

And most importantly, we've had a good time and we're gonna have a good time no matter what tomorrow.  I'll be back tomorrow with another update!  Time for the hot tub and some rest.  Let's go have some fun! 

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!