Driving home Sunday I needed to get enough rest and recovery to be able to compete in Santa Cruz ready to play by Thursday, I finished a few things on the home front Monday and Tuesday, and decided to head down to San Jose the next morning before eventually landing in Santa Cruz. Baltazar at A-Game Disc golf hooked it up, and had me styling on the weekend. Thanks bro, I stuck around & played the Triples at La Raza.
Thursday I had to qualify into the tournament, a new feature this year. Now, coming in off just two events, and an extended break from playing, most of the time i would be a little more apprehensive about a qualifying situation, but at DeLa I feel pretty close to home and comfortable in my skin there. In unconvincing fashion I ended up shooting a one under for 18 holes, but i was in and stoked to play on the weekend so i went back to Harding Ranch for some rest.
FRIDAY ROUND 1
The round was carded with the 3 other qualifying players, Shane, Mike and Chris and I basically were beat down by DeLa. I had the minimal damage at -1 for the second day in a row, this time on the 24 hole championship layout. Even most of my good shots throughout the day were just a little bit off here and there, I didn’t get many numbers out of them, uninspired result.
SATURDAY ROUND 2
I came out of the gates hot, playing with Avery, a former world champion and Max Nichols from San Diego. it was a moving card and I made the most of it, getting the first three in a row at DeLa, at that point I shut it down and decided for the rest of the event, i would play each shot, and play to win each one, no other expectations. From there I didn’t necessarily get it all clicking, but i finished the next 21 holes of the second round with 6 more birdies, and only one bogey on 14 to shoot an -8 and jump from the 6th card into the lead card tied for third place with 4 other guys. Turns out Rick and Paul were playing great golf (who would have thought!?) and they were 8 and 9 ahead of me, and now it was a race between those two, and i am racing the other guys for third place.
SUNDAY ROUND 3
The first ever masters cup on the new Delaveaga golf course overlay was pretty surreal, being back on the lead card at an NT after the long break and rehab really lifted my spirit, just knowing it is a legendary day for Disc Golf in Santa Cruz, I tried to rise to the occasion. I came out with long drives that missed my intended landing zones, but luckily since the course is newer i think the ob’s were a bit forgiving. I made good getting up and down almost all day, carding no bogeys and only two fours en route to a seven under par 52. Good enough to nab third by four shots. What an incredible and memorable weekend it was!