I wanted to first thank everyone for their great phone calls and e-mails this past weekend! Unfortunately I can't say that I was there watching in person but I was glued to the TV and internet for 4 days straight.
The week before Parker called me after missing the cut in Greensboro, NC. He said that even though he missed the cut, he was just playing too well to come home and wanted to see what my thoughts were on playing in the Nationwide Tour event instead. We decided that he should of course keep playing if he was feeling on top of his game - so he drove out to West Virginia to catch up with the Nationwide Tour. He also told me before the tournament started that he was going to "play to win" this week...instead of playing just to make the cut, as he had felt he had been doing recently on the PGA Tour. I loved hearing that passion in his voice and was eagerly anticipating the week to come.
Thursday was amazing - I have seen the potential for this round, but to actually see it come to life on a scorecard was such an incredible feeling. I got the chance to see that last 30 ft. put drop on the 18th hole on the golf channel, and knew that it was going to be a special tournament. Since I am always watching the leaderboards on the internet, i know that statistically it is soooo difficult and rarely occurs to follow up a 9 under par with another solid round of golf. I can't tell you how many times I have seen the 1st round leader end up down the learderboard the very next day. So when parker ended with a solid 4 under par on Friday, I personally felt that this was one of the biggest accomplishments of the week.
Another 4 under par on Saturday was so much fun to watch. He made so many up and downs to save par - which I know are often more important than a putt for birdie. I have never had the opportunity to see him this much on TV before... what a treat. Afterwards, I was joking with him saying that I could really get used to this. Having the camera following each hole... each shot even ...all from the comfort of our living room! :-)
Sunday obviously was not what I was hoping for... I was in such shock that I even had to giggle a few times when things weren't going his way. How could this tournament have turned out this way???? At times I was wondering if it was harder to watch on TV than if I had been there walking with him...? It is funny how a rough day of work for most people can go relatively under the radar, but a rough day at work when its on TV seems so magnified.
However as Sunday progressed I realized that each round and each tournament are building blocks helping you learn how to succeed. Winning on Sunday may have earned him the trophy, but not winning on Sunday may have taught him things about himself and his golf game that could contribute to even greater successes down the road.
He called me after his round and was surprisingly in really great spirits! We realized what an amazing accomplishment it had been to lead a tournament for 3 days straight... and finally play to win!
-Kristy
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Week Off
Growing up, I lived in a neighborhood with a handful of extremely talented musicians who were constantly on tour. They would come home and then we wouldn't see them for days or even weeks at a time. I have since come to realize why they liked to be so secluded when they first came back. It hit me the other day when Parker came home after a 7 week stretch. The windows were closed, the house was dark and he didn't have any obligations to go anywhere or to do anything... he was just enjoying his moment of "hibernation."
After laying low for the first few days, we had a great week at home, relaxing, cooking, and catching up on the odds and ends that are left when we are gone for such a long period of time.
We had the chance to go to the Arizona Diamond Backs game, courtesy of my younger sister who is an intern for the team this summer. Later in the week we also went to see Paul Thorn in concert. He and his band are managed by a long time friend of ours who first introduced us to Paul's music earlier this year. He is such a great live entertainer - funny, witty, and a gifted artist. (he is the one in the Dbacks jersey)
I am hopeful that the relaxing week off gave Parker the opportunity to recharge and regain his strength and energy for the upcoming event in North Carolina!
-Kristy
After laying low for the first few days, we had a great week at home, relaxing, cooking, and catching up on the odds and ends that are left when we are gone for such a long period of time.
We had the chance to go to the Arizona Diamond Backs game, courtesy of my younger sister who is an intern for the team this summer. Later in the week we also went to see Paul Thorn in concert. He and his band are managed by a long time friend of ours who first introduced us to Paul's music earlier this year. He is such a great live entertainer - funny, witty, and a gifted artist. (he is the one in the Dbacks jersey)
I am hopeful that the relaxing week off gave Parker the opportunity to recharge and regain his strength and energy for the upcoming event in North Carolina!
-Kristy
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Change of Plans
Last week's Reno Tahoe Open was a very memorable week for us. It was extra special because we had about 20 family members and friends to share it with.
The week started out with a crazy flight experience on Sunday night before the tournament. After leaving Toronto 3 hrs late, missing our next connection at about midnight, then having to spend the night in Denver, and flying standby the next morning... Parker finally made it to the 12:00pm shot gun pro am on Monday at 11:50 am. He changed in the parking lot and then hopped in a golf cart and was off!
We are very thankful to have made it on the morning flight because this Monday pro am was a particularly special one. Parker was paired with a junior golfer who has become a close family friend of ours. They had such a fun time together and the whole family came out to watch them.
On Thursday Parker started the day, accumulating 4 quick bogeys which honestly just came out of no where. He was playing well and then you looked and he was 4 over? But he had such a great come back and played extremely solid the rest of the round to finish at even par.
The next day started out great and looked like the round was going to have potential to finish well under par. Then as the last 3 holes approached a few shots here and there resulted in bogeying 2 out of those last 3...deflating hopes of having a weekend of golf to look forward to. At that time we thought that the cut was going to be -2. (Parker at Even).
We took a while to leave the golf course, he packed up his locker then sadly said goodbye to everyone who had been out there cheering him on. Parker and I drove back to our friends home, talking about the day, when we were going to change our flight, etc. Then as we were driving we noticed it was quite windy outside and Parker and I jokingly said...keep blowing wind :-)?
When we got back to the house Parker took all of his frustration out on the family's poor Pacman machine for about an hr. Then we decided to look at the scores, just in case the wind was doing anything to the cut line. To our surprise, when we pulled up the tournament on the computer, the cut was EVEN! We were shocked. We couldn't believe that it had changed so much since we left. We had to wait quite a bit longer to see what the final result was going to be and then at the end of the day...the cut was officially Even par! We called all of our family and told them that there was more golf to be played on the weekend! It was amazing turn of events that gave Parker a whole new look at his week.
He had a great Sunday and moved up the leaderboard 23 spots to finish T37!
It was an amazing week to lead into his week off after 7 on the road.
-Kristy
The week started out with a crazy flight experience on Sunday night before the tournament. After leaving Toronto 3 hrs late, missing our next connection at about midnight, then having to spend the night in Denver, and flying standby the next morning... Parker finally made it to the 12:00pm shot gun pro am on Monday at 11:50 am. He changed in the parking lot and then hopped in a golf cart and was off!
We are very thankful to have made it on the morning flight because this Monday pro am was a particularly special one. Parker was paired with a junior golfer who has become a close family friend of ours. They had such a fun time together and the whole family came out to watch them.
On Thursday Parker started the day, accumulating 4 quick bogeys which honestly just came out of no where. He was playing well and then you looked and he was 4 over? But he had such a great come back and played extremely solid the rest of the round to finish at even par.
The next day started out great and looked like the round was going to have potential to finish well under par. Then as the last 3 holes approached a few shots here and there resulted in bogeying 2 out of those last 3...deflating hopes of having a weekend of golf to look forward to. At that time we thought that the cut was going to be -2. (Parker at Even).
We took a while to leave the golf course, he packed up his locker then sadly said goodbye to everyone who had been out there cheering him on. Parker and I drove back to our friends home, talking about the day, when we were going to change our flight, etc. Then as we were driving we noticed it was quite windy outside and Parker and I jokingly said...keep blowing wind :-)?
When we got back to the house Parker took all of his frustration out on the family's poor Pacman machine for about an hr. Then we decided to look at the scores, just in case the wind was doing anything to the cut line. To our surprise, when we pulled up the tournament on the computer, the cut was EVEN! We were shocked. We couldn't believe that it had changed so much since we left. We had to wait quite a bit longer to see what the final result was going to be and then at the end of the day...the cut was officially Even par! We called all of our family and told them that there was more golf to be played on the weekend! It was amazing turn of events that gave Parker a whole new look at his week.
He had a great Sunday and moved up the leaderboard 23 spots to finish T37!
It was an amazing week to lead into his week off after 7 on the road.
-Kristy
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