Let’s start with some Denver golf math: on the final hole of the day, a 615 yard par-5, I was left with 246 yards to the green from the rough after my tee shot. My Callaway ball was perched on top of dry rough, and the wind was blowing 10 mph over my right shoulder. I wanted to land the ball three paces short of the green, 11 short of the flag (pin was eight yards from the front edge) at 235 yards. I took off 10 yards for the wind, another 10 for the potential flier lie, and 21 yards with the altitude of 5400 feet above sea level. I was trying to carry the shot 194 yards, trust it would fly 235 and roll out to 246. These are the types of unnerving calculations players made all day at the Colorado Open (I hit a 7-iron at the last and pushed it just short of green in the rough).
It’s late and the last thing I want to write about is a golfer who shot 1 over in the opening round of the Colorado Open, especially when that golfer is me. If given the choice, I’d write about someone else in my group who played well, or who was intriguing. But I’m short on options tonight: the two players in my group, both accomplished and talented pros, shot 1 and 2 over. It felt like gravity was working against us on the greens.
The leaders are 6 under and this is a four round tournament (for those who make the cut). If there is one positive thing about today’s round, it’s that I didn’t dig a hole too deep to climb out of. Speaking of holes, I hit two long bunker shots on my back nine that led to saves and kept the round from spinning out of control. In this game, more often than not, the putts don’t go in and the ball doesn’t bounce where you want it to. But might they tomorrow?
