June 2010
My European Tour debut
SUNDAY
Feeling really excited as I am on my way to Gatwick Airport to play in my first professional tournament, the Madeira Island Open BPI - Portugal at Porto Santo Golf. I don’t see any other players until we board our connecting flight from Madeira to Porto Santo. Then I notice Sam Hutsby and Oliver Fisher and we start to talk and I feel right at home with these players.
MONDAY
I saw the course for the first time which has 6 par-3s, 6 par-4s and 6 par-5s. I had a good practice round and had designed a good game plan to take on the golf course. After that I had to register in the European Tour Office. They gave me my players badge which gives you access to the club house and players restaurant.
TUESDAY
I played another practice round but this time with a caddie and it reassured me that my game plan is spot on. I did some practice on my long game and putting afterwards so that I feel comfortable with the surroundings.
WEDNESDAY
I had a nice long sleep as today is the pro-am and I'm not a professional so I am not playing. I did a lot of practice on my short game to make sure it is razor sharp for tomorrow. As I was finishing my putting practice Jamie Spence came up to me and asked me if it was alright to go to the media centre and do an interview. This made me feel like I was a real touring professional.
THURSDAY
I get to the course at 11:00am to have some lunch as I have got a late tee off time of 2:00pm. I had a good lunch and started my warm up at 12:30pm. As it approaches my tee time I am feeling ready to take on this golf course. I got off to a flying start with birdies on my first two holes, leading to a front nine of four under. I hit one poor shot on my back nine, resulting in a double bogey and end up shooting two under. I was delighted with my first ever round of golf in a European Tour event.
FRIDAY
I got off to a poor start bogeying the first two holes but I didn’t let this affect me. I eagled the 6th and birdied the 8th to go out in 1 under. A shot in the water on the 10th and a bogey on the tough par-3 17th mean I end up shooting one over but I'm not too disappointed as I know I have definitely made the cut with my 36 hole total of one under.
SATURDAY
One of my playing partners today is Richie Ramsey who is the highest ranked player in the competition. I played absolutely fantastic today but no putts were dropping. I was two under through 15 holes without a bogey and came home in an ambulance. I finished bogey-par-double to shoot one over. I was fuming as I had a good chance to move up the leader board.
SUNDAY
Today was disappointing as I didn’t play well at all. I wasn’t striking the ball as well as I did the first three days and every par saving putt kept scraping the edge of the cup instead of dropping. I ended up shooting three over today but I still take a lot of positives from the week.
Overall
It was my first European Tour event and I made the cut which proved to myself I definitely have the game to compete with the best professionals in Europe. I am very grateful for having received the invite by winning the Faldo Series and I enjoyed every second of the Madeira Island Open.
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