It has been a while since I have updated you on my golf progress this year. This summer has been challenging on my mental game. I have been playing well and I am very happy with my ball striking. However I have not been getting anything out of my rounds. I feel like I could count on one hand the amount of rounds I have had less than 30 putts. Also in most cases I have been in contention after the first or second rounds and have dropped back in my final round. You can see this with my final round scores below. I am very confident with where my game is heading and believe even more in my potential to make it to The PGA Tour. I have a very good feeling about the rest of the year.
On another positive side yesterday I advanced through the first step of PGA Tour Q-School finishing 7th in my first stage. Once again my ball striking was really good and I managed to hole a couple of putts in the final round to make this stage stress free. I ended up making it through to the next stage by 8 shots. In comparison last year at the same stage I had to shoot 31 on my back 9 of the final round to make the cut on the number. This provides me with a lot of confidence, knowing I have a great chance to make it all the way through Q-School this year. In what has been a weird year competing I know if I stay patient the Putts I have been waiting to drop for so long, will hopefully drop at the right time for me in these next stages of Q-School.
Here is a list of the results from this Summer where I have made the cut
T7 – PGA Tour Pre-Qualifier, Nebraska City, Nebraska 74, 71, 68 = 213
T17 - The Dakotas Tour Championship, Sioux Center, Iowa 72, 69, 70 = 211
T5 – The Dakotas Tour, Millbank, South Dakota 68
21st – The Dakotas Tour, Fargo, North Dakota 69, 71, 73 = 213
35th – The Dakotas Tour, Rapid City, South Dakota 66, 72, 73 = 211
T5 – The Dakotas Tour, Mitchell, South Dakota 72
T27 – The Dakotas Tour, Yankton, South Dakota 67,69,74 = 210
T3 – Minnesota State Open, Minneapolis, Minnesota 70, 68, 72 = 210
T18 – The Dakotas Tour, Vermillion, South Dakota 68, 69, 74 = 211
T38 – The Dakotas Tour, Westward Ho, South Dakota 75
T26 – The Dakotas Tour, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 66, 76 = 142
T18 – The Dakotas Tour, Arnolds Park, Iowa 71
9th – Tapemark Pro-Am, Minneapolis, Minnesota 72,71,66 = 209
10th – Minnesota Golf Champions, Minneapolis, Minnesota 72,76,71 = 219
In each of my other events this summer I missed the cut by one shot each time. These events were: The Dakotas Tour, Marshall, Minnesota, The Dakotas Tour Yankton-Hillcrest, and The Brokers Iowa Open.
These were very frustrating times but I did learn from my mistakes and now realize the importance of patience and each single shot I play in each event. On a positive side it is nice to know my hard work has improved my game to a point where if I am not playing well I am still in contention to at least make a check.
I do not find out my next stage for PGA Tour Q-School until Tuesday, however based on my high finish yesterday I will most likely be playing in Pinehurst, North Carolina at Pinewild Country Club of Pinehurst-Magnolia October 25-28 as I selected this site as my first choice.
I plan on playing in one event in Phoenix, Arizona in preparation for this stage. I will be playing in an All-American Tour Event October 12-14 to keep the game sharp.
Over the next three weeks I will be based at home in Minneapolis, where I will be working hard practicing at The University of Minnesota Golf Teams awesome facility and playing courses around the Twin Cities.
Last Winter I went down to Phoenix, Arizona from November-April, however this year I have a change of plan and will be heading down to Orlando, Florida from November-March. I will be primarily playing on the Bridgestone Winter Series (Formerly know as the Hooters Winter Series). I will also play in smaller one and two day events in between each event. I will keep you updated on my Winter plans closer to the time.
“Great putters believe they are great putters”.
Thomas Campbell
