Playoffs

I can't believe that the playoffs are already here! As much as it seems like we have been on the road forever, it also seems like this year is flying by. Last year Parker was outside the top 144 going into this part of the season so he didn't get into any of these events. This year we were very excited to come to New Jersey for the Barclays.

Each player had their own parking spot

Everyone got BMWs to drive for the week! - Players parking looked like a BMW Dealership

It has been a crazy couple of weeks since the win, but we have been truly enjoying every minute. This week Parker did play well, it just seemed like he was trying to get back into his grove.

Even though he missed the cut, we definitely still made the most of the week. Parker's Aunt and Uncle joined us and we had a great time with them off the golf course. We went into NYC on a couple different days and actually drove in the city! That was quite the experience by itself. Early in the week we went to see the Jersey Boys on Broadway (which is one of our favorites) and were seated in the very front row. That night we also ate dinner in the www.meatpacking-district.com which is a trendy little part of the city with cobblestone streets, great restaurants, and fun boutiques. On the weekend we went to window shop. We ate lunch in Little Italy and walked around SoHo and visited Greenwich Village! It was a perfect New York Day.



Another highlight of the week was visiting Harriman State Park. Surprisingly we were actually staying very close to a beautiful open space area. After the long days of golf we went driving along Seven Lakes Drive and stopped at a lake for happy hour and to just hang out. It was an awesome get away.



We have since arrived in Providence, RI which is where we are staying for the Deutsche Bank Championship. This is another first for us so we are looking foward to the week.

1st PGA TOUR WIN!!!

Parker and I just got settled in at our host families home in Bloomfield, MI. It is Wednesday afternoon and Parker is at the golf course getting a practice round in for the PGA Championship! It was 7 weeks ago when he made the goal of getting into the PGA this week! And he did it the last way possible - TO WIN THE RENO TAHOE OPEN!!!Little did he know that by accomplishing the goal of playing in the season's last major, he would also accomplish a lifetime goal....to win on the PGA TOUR!

I still can't quite say that it has sunk in, there have been so many hugs and tears of joy in the last couple of days! We first both want to thank everyone for all of the wonderful phone calls, txt messages, and e-mails!!! We know that this was a victory for everyone who has been a part of Parker's journey as a golfer!

Looking back, it is funny that I didn't get to write a blog after Canada. Because that is where most of it started. We had a wonderful time up in Toronto, spending time with some very special friends. On the golf course, this was the week where Parker found his rhythm. His words to me on Sunday after the tournament were "I got my instincts back this week." He had always planned to take Reno off because that would have meant 6 weeks in a row. But after getting into his grove in Canada, he didn't want to just sit at home. We flew home on Monday and by Wednesday he had made his decision to play and was on his way out to Reno. He played in a Pro Am Wednesday afternoon (which was the only opportunity he had to get out onto the course before the tournament started).

Another great story of the week was the caddy. Travis has been a long time friend of Parker's and has been his caddy at very momentous points in his career. He has caddied for Parker at first stage of q-school both in 2004 & 2005 in Dayton Valley, where they got through each time. After Canada, Parker and his tour caddy, Scott parted ways and Parker gave Travis a call. Now living in the area with a career in Commercial Real Estate, Travis got the week off so that he could come out to caddy (all again, very last minute)!

Another ironic part of the week was ...this was my first week off all year! After spending 5 weeks in a row on the road (one being out of the country). We decided that Parker was going to go on his own to the tournament and I was going to catch up on things at home and possibly meet him out there on the weekend. Well I think I can say... I should stay home more often!!! :-) (j/k)

By the time the weekend rolled around Parker had managed to tie the course record with a 10 under par on Friday. This put Parker in the lead going into the weekend. My first instincts were of course, jump on a plane right now! But I knew better. Most importantly I needed to keep constant and neutral for Parker. We had great phone conversations, not even really talking much about the golf. We both knew the routine he was in this week was working and not to go and change that.



Then on Saturday night after a follow up round of 6 under par, Parker was holding his first 54 hole lead. That night, in so many words, we decided that instead of me coming out to give him a hug on the green, I had really given him my 18th green hug and kiss when I dropped him off at the airport on Wednesday. It was that day we knew he had it in him to win this week. We just didn't want his emotions to interfere with the goal he was trying to achieve. We both knew that we were on the exact same page, physically I wasn't there, but I was always with him.

Watching him walk up the 18th was the moment I will never forget. I have always visualized what it would be like to be at home watching him win on tv and I actually got to experience it. I jumped off the couch and cried my eyes out when he made that last birdie put on the 18th! As much as I had dreamt about it, not thing could have prepared me for those emotions, it was incredible.

The greatest part of the week was that so many of his family members and friends were able to join him for this accomplishment and celebration. He is so fortunate to have so many wonderful supporters who have always believed in him and have known that it was just a matter of WHEN this was going to happen. Amazingly enough the event was on the west coast so so many people were able to make the trip!

I hope that you can enjoy all of the great photos of the celebration after his first PGA TOUR Win.

Parker's Grandpa and Aunt Laura
(drove in from Chico, CA)

Parker's Dad with Parker's godfather Nick & daughter Dolly
(who came in from Florida)

Parker with his Aunt Marylyn & Unlce John,
(drove overnight from San Clamente, CA)

Parker with my mom, sister, and dad
(Drove from Novato, CA)

Parker with his sister Bekka & her husband Jason
(came from Yucca Valley in Southern CA)

Parker with one of his best friends, Andrew
(flew in from Phoenix, AZ to surprise him on the 18th green)

Parker with Don, his sports psychologist and great friend
(flew in from Phoenix, AZ to celebrate at the 18th green)

Milwaukee

Towards Friday late afternoon, a friend asked me... so what do you do if you happen to have the weekend off? Well, first of all, I have to share that Parker and I never really talk about that. Truthfully, it is not even in our vocabulary. But the reality of being on the PGA Tour is that it can happen.


So this weekend we decided to stay and make the most of being in Milwaukee. Parker felt like he needed a mental break from golf so we took the 2 days off completely and he didn't even go out to the course. He was tempted to go home and not play in the Canadian Open but after sleeping on it Friday night, he decided that a couple days rest would be just what he needed to prepare for one more tournament week.

We had the chance to catch up on the British Open and had a fishing trip planned for Saturday with some friends on Tour. Unfortunately, the weather changed our plans so we all went and saw The Dark Night and then went bowling. Basically just a nice "hanging out" couple of days, something that we don't get to do too much of when we are on the road.


This week wouldn't have been complete without some Wisconsin Cheese! On Wednesday before the tournament I went with a friend to visit the Wisconsin Cheese Mart, which holds the largest selection of Wisconsin Cheese - my absolute weakness.




We also visited the Miller Brewery. This was my first experience with a Brewery, I couldn't believe how much beer gets produced & shipped out everyday! The warehouse was 5 football fields long (And yes, it was full!) It was nice to visit the facility when we did because Miller has recently merged with Coors and they will begin expanding the facilities to produce both brands. A tour of a brewery was a unique experience to Milwaukee (even the Baseball team is named after the history of "breweries" in the area).




















Parker and I visited one last Milwaukee staple last week - Kopp's Frozen Custard & Jumbo Burgers! It was kind of like an In n Out - with amazing burgers and and old school burger joint feel.



We have finally made it to Canada, after our flight was canceled last night, we spent an unexpected evening back in Milwaukee. I guess with the amount we travel, we can't complain too much when things like that happen. But then again it is hard to always be at the mercy of the airlines. It's situations like these that really can test our patience on the road. We always try to stay savvy and ahead of the game as much as possible, but sometimes you have to just roll with the punches!

From the East Coast to the Midwest

On our drive to the Congressional Country Club

Parker and I just arrived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It has been a great last few weeks on the road... It is hard to believe that we are embarking on week #4!!!





Two weeks ago at the AT&T National we enjoyed a festive 4th of July week in our Nation's Capitol. We were really looking forward to this year's tournament because he was actually in the field. (he was the on site alternate last year and didn't end up getting in). We didn't fit in quite as much site seeing as we would have liked this year but still were able to enjoy a night out in Georgetown and spent some great time with good friends who were also celebrating the holiday in D.C. On the 4th of July Parker didn't walk off the golf course until about 8:00pm because of the rain delays, but we made it back to the hotel just in time to see the view. We actually watched about 6 firework shows from our hotel room that night.

An Evening in Georgetown

Dinner with Friends in D.C.

This past week at the John Deere Classic we enjoyed a nice change of pace. Moline, IL has such a great small town feel. It was nice to escape all of the chain restaurants and surprisingly Parker and I found some incredible exotic cuisine in this small Midwest town. Our favorites were a Thai Restaurant on the way to the course and and Indian Restaurant that we happened to find last year. Moline, IL is also home to some of the best ice cream in the US. One of the highlights of the week was that we were treated to Whitey's Ice Cream in the club house after his rounds. They are famous for their shakes that are so thick that they can be turned upside down with nothing spilling out!

One Last Whitey's Ice Cream Shake

The John Deere Classic

Today Parker played in a Pro Am in Rockford, IL. After Sundays round we all got on a bus that drove us about an hr 1/2 to Rockford. Instead of a typical bus it felt more like and RV...It was a great way to travel! All of the guys hung out and played cards and were able to relax... and I was able to take in the views of miles and miles of cornfields between the two cities.

-Kristy

Staying in the US

Today Parker had his British Open Qualifier in Dearborn, MI. It was another 36 hole day! Since he missed the cut at the Buick so at least he had a bit more time to prepare for this qualifier (compared to the US Open one a few weeks back).

Maple St.
I had the day to myself since it wasn't much of a spectating type of tournament. For me, it was that ultimate "living on the road" day. I had to pack up and check out of the hotel, after checking in only late the night before...(I don't even think we were there for a full 24 hrs?). Then I drove to this quaint little town called Birmingham about 30 minutes away. It had great little boutique shops, lots of restaurants, and coffee shops. I just loved getting walk around. Then I did little errands (I guess just like I would have done at home). I found a tailor to mend something for me in a couple hours, I got a birthday present had it gift wrapped and shipped, and then found a fax machine to send urgent materials before the end of the day... I thought to myself - those tasks seem so normal when you are home, but when you are practically living out of your car in foreign town... you have to be a little creative and resourceful in order to get everything done.


Unfortunately Parker missed qualifying only by a couple of strokes. I think we were both really hoping to get into this tournament, but I guess the positive side is that he can really focus on his upcoming schedule here in the US. He shot seven under and nine under went into a play off. I am just really encouraged with how well he is playing and am excited for it to all come together in a tournament round very soon.

Now it is off to Washington DC for the 4th of July!

First Week Back

Grand Blanc, MI at 9:00 pm!

Parker and I were both looking forward to getting back on the road after our very enjoyable 3 week break. It was the longest break of the year so far... one week is just never enough, by the time you get unpacked and get everything put away, you have to pull it all back out again! Three weeks was just right! We had the chance to relax, cook at home, and even got to see his entire family for his cousin's wedding.

The McLachlin Family

At first we felt a little rusty with our packing, but we got back into the swing of traveling very quickly. The hardest thing for us this week was adjusting to the time change. Coming from the West Coast, adjusting to East Coast time is hard enough by itself, but since Michigan is so far north, it stays light sooooo late. It didn't get dark until 10:00 at night there.

Even though he didn't get the chance to play on the weekend, Parker is feeling great about his game and is enjoying getting back into his rhythm. On his time off, he visited the Titleist facility in Southern California and has put a new driver in the bag for these upcoming weeks.

Off the course pretty much consisted of movies and working out. They had a great gym nearby where I went with the girls and took cycling classes and pilates classes. Both were a first for me, and I loved it! It was great to have a group of us that motivated each other to go everyday. There was also a movie theater right by the hotel and we saw three movies this week. I think that there might be something with movies and golf...It is one of our favorite hobbies on the road. I know that Parker loves movies but it is also great way for him to get out of the sun, the heat, and away from golf crowds. Just a cool dark place to escape and enjoy.

Back to AZ

The US Open Qualifier is finally complete and now we can plan out a schedule for the upcoming months. I know that it was disappointing when Parker missed at the qualifier but somehow this break might be just what he needs to prepare himself for some solid summer tournaments. I didn't go to the qualifier but I knew that the course was either going to seem really easy after the long weekend at Memorial or he just wasn't going to have enough steam to battle through a 36 hole day? Even though it would have been great to play at Torrey with a hometown crowd (all of the So Cal relatives), being able to going home for more than one week is going to be a first for the year. We are both looking forward to some down time and going to enjoy being back in Arizona.

"Rough" Week at the Memorial

I sit here patiently waiting back at the hotel, I am supposed to pick up Parker in about an hour from his US Open Qualifier. We have been in Ohio for over a week now. And the results of today's qualifier, somewhat determine our schedule for the upcoming weeks. This past week was...how shall I say it... quite a "rough" week!

Parker and I managed to sleep through our first tornado warning. There was a storm that came through overnight, with lightning striking down hitting a nearby hotel. The thunder was so loud that it woke us both up, however somehow we fell back asleep as the city sirens went on full blast... (telling everyone of a possible tornado). I have no idea why it didn't occur to us in our half asleep state that we should get out of the room and go to the lobby of the hotel??? Thankfully it was just a warning and the very next morning brought sunny skies and I didn't hear of any major damage or injuries from the storm. It is good to know for the future...next time we hear those sirens, we will get downstairs!

This week was very special to be in the presence of Jack Nicklaus. It seemed like he was deeply involved in every aspect of the tournament. I would often see him around the club house or on a golf cart driving around his course. Oh but his course...as I am sure some of you saw, his course challenged everyone out there. Parker had a nice Thursdays round (looking back that +1 looked awfully nice) but on Friday his allergies got to him and he battled through the entire day sneezing and sniffling as the cottonwood trees blew what looked to be like snow through the air. I am not sure if that is what even got to him, but the site of the little cotton balls blowing around is enough to make you sneeze just by looking at it. The weekend brought more difficulties. Parker managed to find his way through of the rough and out of bunkers but definitely paid a price. It was a long day on the golf course on Sunday and I am starting to think that the excitement of AT&T, the heat in TX and the treachery of the course in Ohio is starting to get to him.

Even though it was a difficult week on the course, we had a great time in Dublin. It was a quaint little town with some fun restaurants. We loved our dinner at Tucci's Italian Restaurant, however after the really long days, Chipolte seemed to be the dinner of choice. We also had the chance to meet up with my cousins that live up in Ohio. We visited them back when Parker played the Nationwide Event in Cleveland, and then this year during the Memorial. Next we hope that we will be back one of these years in the near future for the World Golf Championship in Akron!

Fort Worth, TX

Fort Worth, TX came as a surprise to us. I think we were expecting a bigger city like Dallas, but we were pleasantly surprised with a small downtown with lots of character. It felt like we were truly in Texas. It seemed like everyone drove huge trucks, and it was very common to share the elevator with people their wrangler jeans, cowboy hat, and boots. We loved it! Not far from where we were staying were the Stockyards. On one of the first nights we headed over there and went to a place called Billy Bobs, it is apparently the world's largest Honky Tonk. I am still not really sure what that truly means, but it was this huge indoor facility with music, food, bull riding,and more. That night we saw Travis Tritt in concert and tried some local food (and were even served calf fries)... I didn't eat it and neither did Parker. We will try pretty much anything, but that went beyond our limits!

Later that week we went to dinner with some friends at a place called Lonesome Dove. www.lonesomedovebistro.com. It was an awesome experience. They had quite a bit of game on their menu which was a little intimidating at first but we decided to try it out and had appetizers which included kangaroo nachos! The food was phenomenal! The chef and owner Tim Love, was actually a winner on Iron Chef America. He is know for his signature desert...Warm Ancho Chile Chocolate Cake. WOW it was amazing!

This was the first year that Parker had the privilege of playing at the Colonial. I know that it was a special tournament for him because of the history with Ben Hogan. Looking back, we called this week his Cruise Control week. I think that both his body and mind were pretty exhausted after the excitement from Atlanta. Yet, he managed to play well enough to successfully play all 4 days. I am sure that the heat didn't help with the energy level. It was close to 95 degrees with humidity!!!! (Which made it nearly unbearable to walk the course, and I am sure even more difficult to play.)

We have already made it to Dublin, OH. Parker snuck into this tournament just before the cut off. You had to be top 70 after the week of Atlanta and because of his great play there, Parker was 69th on the Fed Ex List. This morning Parker had the privilege of meeting Jack Nicklaus. Parker saw him when he was at the course registering for the tournament. Parker was in his street clothes because we had sent his luggage through the luggage transporting service (to avoid all of these extra charges & hassle at the airlines). Well Parker introduced himself to Mr. Nicklaus and thanked him for the invitation this week. Parker told me that Mr. Nicklaus shook his hand and politely said "Your welcome, thank you for being here"... with this extremely blank stare on his face. I am sure he thought... now who is this???? Parker and I got a little laugh because we thought, with some more hard work on the golf course, maybe one day soon Mr. Nicklaus might get the chance to know who this guy from Hawaii really is.

It Must Have Been the Pants!

If you can believe it, only a few hours after Parker finished on 18 at the AT&T Classic in Atlanta, we were already on a plane in two middle seats (one right in front of the other) on our way to the next tournament in Fort Worth, TX! WHAT A DAY! On the plane was where I did most of my reflecting on one of the most exciting days we have ever experienced on the golf course!



When Parker got ready Sunday morning I saw him starting to iron his pants... oh yes, the wild ones. I looked at him and said... "REALLY!?!" Normally he only wears these pants during practice rounds? But we looked at his alternative outfit and he wasn't really into wearing the more classic khaki and blue that day, so we said... "Go For It!" Little did we know that this would be the most media coverage Parker has ever had on the PGA TOUR. After dropping him off I went back to the hotel, packed up and checked out (my usual Sunday routine). I met up with Curt who has been his long time sponsor through his company Tee Time. Curt came in from the Nationwide Tour BMW Charity Pro Am in SC where he had been playing in the pro am the last 3 days. Curt and I caught up with Parker at the 7th green. We saw his 2nd shot land about a foot away from the hole, at that time he was already 3 under for the day. Parker continued to make another birdie at the 9th hole and I knew this was going to be a very special day.

As Parker approached the 12th green, I saw my first glimpse of the leaderboard and I had to stop for a quiet moment and take it in. For the first time on the PGA TOUR I saw Parker's name T1 at the very top! It was an amazing feeling. I knew that there were a few other guys tied at that point so I didn't know how long it would last - but it is a moment I will keep with me forever. That very same hole, Parker birdied again and he was in sole first place. Then came 13, I was disappointed that the ball landed in the bunker there because from our view it looked like he hit an incredible drive. You could barely see Parker in the bunker because it was so deep. When that shot went in, I could barely believe what I was seeing. I even saw on pgatour.com that it made the #1 shot of the week! From that point on Curt and I just tried to stay as calm as possible and take everything one hole at a time. It was unfortunate to see him not able to save par on 14 & 16... and almost made birdie on 15 & 17 for that matter. The 18th hole wasn't what any of us were hoping for, but looking back, Parker would have had to make eagle to even get in a playoff. I still know that he wouldn't have changed his decision to lay up. I don't know where that wind came from, but it just wasn't meant to be. I just keep reminding myself, that he shot 5 under par to even end up were he was, and on any Sunday that is an incredible score.

On the plane, I was still processing it all, as he was too, I am sure. Wow, he really had a chance to win! I know that we can look back and see a shot here and a shot there...and how it could have added up in his favor. But more than anything, he now has the experience of playing in the lead on under his belt (both on Thursday and on Sunday), and I know that this is just an indication of greater things to come.

Right after the round I ran into Kenny Perry's wife in the clubhouse. She has been a great friend to me during our first two years on tour and we had a chance to catch up about both of our husband's dramatic rounds of golf. After I was telling her about Parker's day she said to me... "Oh, this is your first time in the lead!" She was so excited for us that this was our very first experience in this situation. It really made me think... because to me, today felt like this was "IT"...like everything came down to this one day, this one 18th hole. When you right there in the moment, I think it is only natural to have those emotions. But what I realized after talking to my friend, was that Kenny Perry has been in this situation, many many times in his career, and so will Parker. It is all part of the process and his development as a successful PGA TOUR Professional (and for me as his supporter & teammate, I am always developing and learning too!)

Birthday Dinner at Canoe

Besides all of the excitement on the course, we had a great week in Atlanta. We celebrated both of our birthdays at an awesome restaurant called Canoe. We had the opportunity to get together with Parker's management group, Career Sports, who is also based in Atlanta. (They had a very busy week since they also represent Ryuji Imada who won the tournament). We had the chance to go to an incredible Thai food Restaurant called NAN...(twice) www.nanfinedining.com! This was actually the restaurant that catered Vijay Singh's Champions Dinner at the Masters.

I also had the opportunity to be a part of Golf In the Garden which was a day of fun for the children at Children's Heathcare of Atlanta. It was a very special day where we got to hang out with the kids and give them something to smile about during this difficult time in there lives.






This week in Atlanta was a very memorable one. It is hard to believe that we have already moved on to the next tournament. Another great thing about Parker's T5 finish last week is that it moved him up to 69th on the FedEx list. Top 70 get into the Memorial in Ohio so we are very excited to be a part of that tournament as well.

Thank you to everyone for all of your phone calls, e-mails, and txt messages! I can't believe how many people were watching! It means so much to know that so many people are behind him. It is just a matter of time before it all comes together!