My Last EVER Competition?! – My First Win Ep9

My Last EVER Competition?! – My First Win Ep9

163 days ago, I started my journey to try and get my first win as a professional golfer. The journey so far has been unsuccessful, but this round of golf could change that. Could it be the one where I finally sit on top of the podium? In today’s round, there are highs, there are lows, and there are moments that will make any golfer shudder. And today’s venue for the next episode of my first win is here. Hilston Hall Golf Club located in the northwest of England stretching over 6,600 yards at a par 72. This is actually my final competition of the year. So, no pressure to go and get that first win under my belt. Just normal stuff really. Just been keeping up my practice routine. Fridays was at the uh the short game area. Been in the sim hitting balls. been again in the gym stretching. So yeah, let’s see if we can we can get it done last comp of the season. If it isn’t a win today, I think there’s a lot of positives to to take from this series, which we will get into at some point later down the line. But I’m excited. I’ve not actually played the course. That’s the only one thing. I played seven holes last time when we got rained off last year. There’s quite a lot of dog legs and um brooks running through a lot of the greens. So, I’ve got to really pay attention sort of from eight onwards as to where I need to be hitting it off the tea to give me the best chance. New uh new driver shaft as well that so far is working. See how this thing performs today. And next on the tea, Matt Fryer safely away. Throughout this round, we will also be keeping track of three golfers. One of them, I think, will be the eventual winner today, if it isn’t me. They are Paul Caner, Andy Palmer, and Ryan O’Neal. We’ll be updating you after holes six and 13 to see where they are and where I am on the leaderboards. It’s not the worst miss up right here. And we’re not going to have that far in. Just a nice n iron. Sit. Sit. Wow. It’s gone a long way. Just off the fringe, I think. Got a way up the hill here. Big break left to right. will about pace this out. Did well for his first few jumps there. Cheers. Nice little settler there. Always good to hold a little tester on the first, which was nice. So, I think that’ll be the key today, holding those four or five footers. Go. Playing longer than it looks in it. Never got going. That thing just gripped. Well, it’ll do. Bit shaky. The winds are slow. Come on. Down the middle. Don’t do too much with it. Sit straight in front of the shot tracer. Joe. Straight in front of it. We’ll have We’ll have to educate these fools. 100 yards. 54 3/4 and get at it be a good number. Well, was one that I was nervous about because it’s tight and fiddly, but got a birdie chance. Got a birdie chance. Up and left to right. M struck that out the heel. That’s why I didn’t get there. Oh well. Keep doing what you’re doing. Just over the corner. Oh wow. Safe bit of a stare. Didn’t quite get through that bad boy. Lucky that we get to uh play ball in hand today because of the flash floods it felt like the other day. 130 to a flag that looks very much perched at the back. It’s going to be a picture wedge slightly left of the flags. The pins just on the right. Just a 3/4 pitching wedge. Oh, that has come out a little bit funky just on the back fringe. Don’t know whether it’s cuz it’s getting hot, but like the ball’s actually going further than I think it would do today. Chip through this bit of rough. Get it on. Just land it around here and let it just bumble up. Basic stuff. This one. Thought he would just bounce a little bit more than that. Well, it’s a good effort. That’ll do, donkey. That’ll do. Need a bit more pump on this. Get it over that water at 260. Yeah, far away. Need to dial in the distance here cuz actually giving myself some good looks at stuff here. 116. 116 is going to be a three just shy of 3450 or a full 54. And the greens have been soft. So, I’m going to go 50 just so if I did hit the 54, it’s right on its limit and it’s got the potential to zip back. So, 50° and just go a little bit left and try and give myself a chance that to go. It’s too safe with that. It’s on the fringe, but I just left the blade open. Trying to be too cute. It’s at least 10 yards beyond it, annoyingly. The play on this one’s just to hit it down the opposite fairway, down the other fairway, and let it fall. other side of it. That’ll do. 195 up the hill. It’s weird that one cuz the brook runs across. It starts at like two I think it was 275 down there. Goes out to the best part of 300. It’s gone down there and just cut it back. Got 195. Good luck at it now. But first things first is uh need a little sandwich break before we heave this one up the hill. Incredibly this morning it was like 5° wiped ice off the window. Now it’s like 123 feel like I’ve whacked with sunscreen but cheese and pickle. Food of champions 210 back. So if I hit five iron, this gets all the way to the middle travel. Yeah, I think I underestimated that slope a little bit, but it looks like we’re safely on the green. This would smarten up the card if we can get this there. That was seriously slow up there. I thought that was going to drop. Tapping bird though. So after six holes, this is how it is lying. Currently Paul Caner sits at minus two. Andy Palmer is at minus one and Ryan O’Neal is level. myself. I’m currently one under par after six. Right. 183. Just a 7. Just hold it straight. Such a bad swing. Go on the green, but no turn. It’ll do. That mistrank has cost me. Take your break. Place was good. It just didn’t move. Left. It’s annoying. Iron shot did me there. All right. Come on, Matthew. Just release this one. Release it straight down the middle. Don’t do much. That will do. Straight down the banner. Good after a bogey. Just shame. That first first put didn’t swing. It was perfect pace. Got it whole high and then the next one I just had a little look and just lofted it. But keep on moving. I’m very happy so far. 190 down the wind ever so slightly. Front’s 185. Go six. I think it looks looks like there’s no heaven to the left of the flag. So just go a 10 foot right and try and just middle of the green job here. It’s a bit more downwind than you think that I can hit a full seven at that. Oh, good shot, Matt. That was weird. I sort of went up clubs cuz it was blowing and then stood over it and it dropped and I thought right just give this everything and just mist time the whole swing and shanked it. This is now interesting. After that little shank, we’ve got a 60 yard bump and run. Got to keep it low. If I get this on the green, it’s going to be a wonder shot. Clear intention needed for every shot. I’ve got a gap. Just got to avoid this tree. It’s always going to be tough through that wet rough, but we’re back in play. That’s all that matters. Chip and a pot. Limit the damage of that wild swing. on this near the front and just let it bumble on up. Played it how I wanted. Can’t do much more than that. And now I test it for par after having seven iron in. I knew that was going to jump out there. That’s a soft bogey. Anyway, move on down the middle. Keep doing what you’re doing. Seen a little bounce, so should be okay. Went over those furs. Tiny pull. Interesting. I’ve made back to back bogeies there. The three put. Yeah, whatever. Well, that one was just that poor swing and then diddled. Just need to pick a few up now. Keep doing what we’re doing. We’re okay. Come on. 3/4 58 fraction left of it allowing for your miss. And that’s a good one. It everyone’s just been out on us. I don’t know if it’s hold on, but hit it exactly how I want to. It’s okay though. Pretty much on the green with 12 ft to go. That breaks. I’m glad I looked that from the other side cuz that is swirly. Cheers. Rises the shank. We’ll do halftime tree galaxy. Don’t get a body like this. Just eating pure healthy food. Very happy. bar obviously that one whole par five where I bogeied but pretty pretty good driver’s going nice hitting some nice iron shots and staying very calm nice to get that little birdie there at halfway so just keep trying to find the f of the two make it easy from there I guess bit off the right just going to go slightly right a bit n iron just a comfy one of these Really? Come on, wind. What the? I thought that was going to be 10 foot away, but again, I’ve hit it past my intended target. It was 145 and the wind’s sort of across the right. And I’ve flown that N I 155 maybe. Awesome. Right. Well, can’t do anything more than hitting it good. So, let’s go and chip and put. That’s literally flown the pitch marks there. That’s flown like 15 yards further. There you go. What are you going to do about it? Right. Try and play a little pitch over and land it in close. Hit two better shots there. That had so much spin on the soft green. His put moves left to right. Mine didn’t move. I flushed an I and hit a great chip. I think that sums golf up sometimes. That last hole. Three perfect shots. Didn’t miss them. Exactly what I wanted. And I walk off with bogey. But just keep on going. It’s still in a good place. It’ll all come together. [Music] Stop. Stop. Hoping that cut wouldn’t travel that far, but today it does. I don’t know what is going on, but I’m hitting it like 10 further than I normally do. Cheese and pickle. Right. Well, this could be a broken club. Broken club or broken wrist. One of the two. Say it’s do not. It’s not bent. The only bit of luck we’ve had. Class. I just love that it’s pitched in the fairway back there, I managed to take three bounces through the rough. Come on. This is dig deep time now cuz actually hitting it how I want to hold your line and be great. That should potentially be rather close because it kicked to the flag if it’s made the green, which is to be honest with you what I deserve down this hole. Don’t leave the hole. Don’t leave the hole. Can’t buy a pot. I’ll do hold it. Such a bad pot. All right, fairway found. We need to make some of our opportunities cuz feel like I’m hitting it nice. Just not doing much at the minute. 103 yards. 103 54 3/4 swing straight at it. Let’s go. That’s the [Music] Terrible thought there. Actually thought the ball was about to move as I got up. It wasn’t, but I thought it was for some reason. And clasp chip bits in. Standard chip onto that white bit. Four. Lovely right angle bounce there. It’s a parked should have had a good look at there. We’ve now played 13 holes and this is how it’s looking for the three to watch. Paul has raced ahead at minus5. Andy is at minus2 and Ryan is at minus one. myself after that sloppy bogey on 10. I’ve gone to one over par, but I’ve got a little bit of a feeling that the tides might turn and a few birdies might come my way. Right. Tough. Get the fairway. Find a route. Get higher softly. Dear first bad T-shot with the club that just goes high and straight and I just pushed it ever so slightly sevenwood. Should be okay though past that brook. Hopefully we find it and give it a little chip through it all along seven wood. Chop it into the gap. 140 wet rough going to get a fly. I’ve been hitting everything further. So I just hit pitching wedge. pitching wedge straight at it. Let’s make a birdie. Should be a good yardage, please. Dead at it. Just short. Perfect. Pitched and come back slightly there. That’s just exactly what you need. Chip her in. Come on. About time you did something special. Tiniest bit skinny, but it’ll do. Two, four, five to get over the trees on the right down the middle. Just trust it. That was such a bad strike. Yeah, I heard it clipping and sort of go so it’ be fine. Right. Found a bit of grass underneath the preferring 172 165 middle. It’s downhill and downwind a bit. So punch an eight. Came out all right. Such a weird little flight that I would have popped and then lost it but couldn’t see it high in the sky. Come on. Just try and hit it to one inch. That does go. Well, I can safe to say I’m not winning today. Just gave it everything for 14 and now the wheels have come off. Obviously missed. Couldn’t buy a putt. Can snap a putter, though. All the wheels have truly fallen off now. Not hit a drive left all day. But the only time you can’t hit a left, guess where it’s going? 115. And there’s a huge tree in the way, obviously. Right. 54. Dead at it. Let’s see what happens. That’s about my I don’t know, maybe probably 10th attempt for a birdie from 20 foot. And I don’t think I’ve made I’ve made one. Made one. Just not been a re awarding day today. Finished birdie eagle to be respectable. First one I’ve not lined up in 10 years. Mental. Try something completely different. It goes in. Te’s have been nice today to be fair. Come on, Tonill. All right, that was a terrible drive that I sort of not hit my best drives on the back n it great on the front nine, but a bit loose on this nine. 240 down the breeze. Could be sevenwood. Could be choppy 7wood. this down the grip at the clock. Let it just float in. Everything I’ve done to calculate for the wind today has been bobbins. So, this goes 230. So, this should be should be spot on. Get higher. Go on, wind. Do your job. It’s gone all of 180 out of that. Cheers. Thanks for coming. I would like to up and down this 40 yards 58° slammed it. Turn on. Stop. Stop. Stop. We’ll take it. We’ll take it. Oh, that was some of the first that ball. Well played, Mark. Cheers, Mark. Good round. That well done. Cheers. Cheers. Enjoyed it. Enjoyed it. Well, as we can see, the final score was one over par. This is the shot scope dashboard here and I just want to go over a few stats in a moment. But overall my thoughts on today are uh I’m a little bit disappointed in the end result, but also I’m proud of how I hung in there and actually I saw a lot of good stuff throughout there. So, let’s just dig into some stats and see also where the guys came to see if I was right if one of them won. Now, along this journey of the my first win, I feel like I’ve done something that I wouldn’t have said was possible a couple of years ago, and that’s actually get back to competing and enjoying it, which to be honest with you. I’m I’m absolutely shocked by it because like I say, I just don’t think it was on the radar a couple of years ago. But I’ve really enjoyed it. playing along with some of the pros that we’ve played within the PJ Lancasher and open qualifying. It’s been a really really enjoyable experience at times. Sometimes I’ve been a little bit annoyed and that’s sort of where today was at points of the round. But I’ve also been quite impressed because I’ve been putting in a lot of work in terms of going to the gym actually practicing, taking lessons, speaking to people like KL Morris about the mindset and it’s been a it’s been a really fun journey. Now, looking at today’s round, there’s there’s two things that really stand out to me from today. Number one, the uh the short game, and that’s probably the area where I’ve been practicing the most of late. I’ve been going up to Warrington and hitting lots of chips. Um probably been visiting the short game area once or twice a week, and it’s something where we can see I’ve gained two and a half strokes nearly around this round of golf. And I did hit a lot of good chips, especially early on. I got up and down very well. I hit a lot of fringes, which is why the approach shot um is down a little bit, but they weren’t too far away. But hit a lot of good chips. The other stat that has let me down is this one, the putting. And I feel like I’ve had a seasonl long sort of run of not really holding anything. There was a few early on in the round, holes one and two, which I hold really good puts. Ironically, they were the worst struck puts. hit them a little bit out the heel and they went in. But later on, missing that short put on 14, missing the one on 11, missing the one on 10, and only really hauling one on nine and 17 for birdie. I felt like I had more opportunities and just didn’t hole anything. Like I say, I feel like that’s been a recurring theme throughout this season. And as we can see, I’m actually half a stroke worse than I was last year, which isn’t isn’t ideal. The driving’s getting to where I want it to be. I would like to see these, you know, ideally getting up. But I think the big thing was that during the round and where the work’s come over the season and playing in competitions, especially on holes 14 and 15 where I got a little bit hot under the collar, said that the round was over, it was done. Well, I can safe to say I’m not winning today. I was able actually to give myself a bit of a talking to walking off the um 16th green and say, “Right, come on. There’s still there’s still some golf. We can at least finish, you know, with our head held high and managed to actually finish birdie birdie, which was great, which got me down to one over par.” Now, that wasn’t good enough to win. As you can see here, I’m tied 15th. Not my best result of the season. That was a tied 10th position, I think it was. But it was something that yeah, a little bit annoyed by that because I’ve not managed to break par in any of the competitions this year, but you know, I’ve only played eight of them and even learning to do that in competition. We’re going in the right direction. We are going in the right direction. Now, one of the players that I did actually say was going to win didn’t win, but he finished second. So, well done Paul. Another fantastic performance. He finished five underpar. Craig Corrian actually won at six underpar. If I held a few more puts and didn’t shank it on the eighth hole, I probably could have been three or four better at best. So, I would have maybe got to three under par and would have been even three off. Which leads me to the, you know, the decision of do we carry on this journey next year? Do I carry on trying to compete? Well, I think I need a little bit of time to think of whether I really want to do it because at times it has drove me insane. But I think the positives outweigh the negatives. But comment down below. Should we carry on with this journey? Should we see it through throughout next season and make it our mission to try and win one of these PGA events? Guys, I hope you’ve enjoyed it. Why not watch another video here where you can see me actually break par for once.

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