Stonehedges

I played like garbage yesterday, plain and simple. I'm done making excuses about preparation and all that jazz: For the first six holes of the round, and on No. 9, I just could not strike the ball. Period.

I liked playing a course that required a bit of thinking. The course is tougher than most, not necessarily because of the terrain or hazards (no sand at all), but because the configuration requires creativity and ingenuity when planning shots.

I just couldn't execute what I wanted to do, plain and simple.

Honestly, I probably should've lost by even more than I did. As has become tradition, I played much better on the back nine, and Alex handed me a four-shot gift after hitting into a hazard, taking a drop in a tough spot, and then immediately hitting back into the hazard.

I also made some good putts, which I think bodes nicely for the stretch run here. Of course, neither of us have played Conklin -- which I hear is difficult -- but at Traditions, I am very familiar with the greens, which, for the most part, are not the most difficult we've seen.

What it comes down to is this: I need to take advantage of my knowledge of Traditions -- having played there dozens of times -- and regain a lead heading into the final course. When Alex can take his driver out of his hand and hit long iron off the tee, he's able to play pretty consistent golf. I need to have him taking chances with the driver for me to have a chance, and if he goes into Conklin with a lead, despite his nature as a choke artist, I'll be worried.

As he noted, technically, we are now tied for the entire season. However, when we started the competition, I proposed the idea of dropping our lowest scores. When that is taken into account, he is winning by five shots.

It'll be unfortunate if one of us wins with all scores accounted for, and the other wins with the lowest score dropped. At this point, it's a definite possibility.