As I stood on the ninth tee I was one up on Cory. I felt good. I felt cocky. Number nine is a par four, not partially long. I chose a driver. I felt confident, especially after my last drive. It’s better to be on the left side of the fairway on this hole. I crushed my drive just like I wanted. But it hit the rock hard ground and went into the rough. I was pissed. Cory hit his perfect down the middle. On this hole there are no trees in the left rough. But I had a terrible lie. There is no way I can get to the green with this lie. I was able to blast out of the rough about 40 yards from the green. Cory hit his approach shot 10 feet from the hole. My third shot was too strong. I hit on the back of the green. I had about a 70 foot putt. The pin was on the front of the green. The greens are super fast. I three putted for a double bogey and Cory knocked in his 10 foot putt. A three stroke swing on this one hole. He is now has me by two strokes.
As we were walking off the green to the 10th hole, I could see it on Zack's face that he knows that the drives are the key today. He just did not want to say “I told you so” when I hit a driver on a short par four. On the tenth hole Cory hit a good drive, but it kicked out of the fairway. So advantage me. “You don’t have to tell me” I said smiling at Zack. “Mostly three wood from here on out” I said as I pulled out my three wood. We both parred the tenth hole. Same thing for and eleven and twelve. I was able to win the thirteenth hole with a birdie, so I was one off the lead.
We battled it out the next few holes. I stuck to my plan. I hit my three wood off the tee and kept it in the fairway. I was able to block out the outside distractions. Especially when I got over the ball. I blocked out everything for those few seconds just as Gus had taught me. “Make that nice pendulum swing with a good smooth tempo," was the only thing I was thinking. I was hitting the ball great. The last few holes I started to notice the gallery was huge. They were getting to witness a great battle between Cory McCullough, the number one player in the world and me. I cannot believe I am here. I am just some unknown guy who came out of nowhere this year and now in position to win the Grand Slam.
I start to look at the faces in the crowd and I start thinking about Dafford Hilton again. And then that stupid voice in the back of my head started to come alive again. I did not even notice until just then. But that the voice has been mostly absent today. Now the voice was freaking out. It kept telling me it is time to come home. It kept telling me that this is the end is near. I never heard that stupid voice say that before. As we were walking down the fairway, “The end is near?!," I spoke out loud. Zack looked at me. “What?," he asked. “Ah, nothing, nothing," I said nervously. He just gave me a confused look.
The next few holes I really started having a strange feeling. I kept seeing this picture in my mind of a finger on the trigger of a rifle. I tried to rationalize in my mind that it may be normal to think about this since all this is going on with Dafford Hilton. But the picture was was so clear to me in my mind and it really bothered me. However, when I set up to hit my shots I was able to block everything out and make a good swing. I was still hitting the ball well. I was thinking about what Jerry Churchill told me today that it is OK to freak out between my shots. But when I address the ball, to block out everything.
By the time we got to hole 16, I was really sweating. I do not know if it was the hot sun or if I was just nervous. Zack is concerned about me and made sure I drink plenty of water and a sports drink. Cory and I both par number 16. I am still one off the lead with two holes to go. As we go to the 17th tee, I watch the crowd. I am starting to get Paranoid. I worry that Dafford Hilton is in the crowd. This is a 472 yard par 4. It is critical to be in the fairway on this hole. The fairway is tight and the small green is well protected by bunkers on the left side of the green. Cory crushes his drive. However he pushes it a little. And with the hard ground, it kicks way out of the fairway close to the trees. I work hard to block everything out. I hit my three wood and keep it in the fairway about 190 yards from the pin.
As we approach my second shot, Zack and I size this up. I do not think I can carry the green and make it hold. The green is hard and we have a little wind behind us. There are sand bunkers to the left and if I go over the green, it is thick rough and will be hard to chip up and down. But to right there is plenty of room. There is slope and if you hit the ball to the right, it may kick onto the green. We decided on a six iron. The plan is to hit it high and land well short of the green and play that slope and hopefully kick left upon the green. Two holes to go and I am one off the lead, I have to make something happen now. This is a high percentage shot and Corry is in the rough with tree trouble. I am really nervous at this point. I do not know if it is because of all that is going on today with a possible sniper out there somewhere, or if I am just nervous because of the pressure of the competition. I address the ball and block everything out. I make that good pendulum swing and hit the ball just like I wanted. I immediately think of Gus. He would be proud of the way I made this swing. I hit it just exactly like I wanted. The ball hit about twenty-five yards short of the green on the right-hand side just as I planned. It hit that slope bounced to the left and gently rolled on the green about twenty-five feet from the pin. That felt great. Zack and I were happy. That is a makeable putt.
We watch Cory as he is sizing up his shot. He has serious tree trouble. From what we see the only shot is a low cut shot and slice it into the fairway and maybe end up a few yards shy of the green. Otherwise it would be just punch it out of the rough into the fairway and have a full iron shot to the green. We could tell that he and his caddie were having a disagreement. His caddie was pointing left. But Cory was pointing over the trees. And both of them were not happy with each other's answers. “He’s a fool if he goes for the green," Zack whispered to me. “Yeah, but don’t underestimate him I replied.” We could see that he was going for it as his caddie shook his head in disagreement. I was thinking this will be fun to watch. If he does not hit it perfect, he will hit the trees and be in all kinds of trouble. But if he pulls it off, it will be interesting to see what happens. When you are the best player in the world, I guess you have a few shots in your bag that no one else has. He would have to get it up fast to have a chance.
He made his swing and how he did it I will never know. He hit his shot so high that it cleared the trees with no problem. And the ball carried all the way to the green about 10 feet from the pin. He and his caddie laughed and high fived each other. I was impressed.
As we were walking down the fairway, we passed them up and they were coming back in the fairway. He looked at me and just grinned. “Good shot!” I said to him sarcastically. I was smiling. He knew that was a compliment, and I was just kidding with the sarcastic tone. We have both built some respect with each other this year, and little ribbing comes with the territory. But this hole was mine. I had a twenty five foot putt. It had a slight right-to-left break. All I had to do was hang it out there and let it break into the hole. And that's what I did. When it dropped I was really excited and did a huge fist pump as it dropped. And the gallery went crazy, it seems I have some fans now. Advantage me. Now the hole got smaller for Corry. He made a great putt, and he gallery cheered in anticipation. But the ball did not drop. He just put the putter shaft to his forehead and closed eyes in disbelief.
We step up on the Eighteen hole. We are tied with hole to play. This is an incredible finishing hole. It is a 542 par five. For the drive landing zone, there are sand bunkers on the left and water to your right. So you have to hit a good drive in the fairway. This hole is reachable in two and you can make up some ground here. But there are lots of opportunity for disaster. Bunkers are in front of the green. And the green is a horse shoe design wrapping around the bunkers. Zack and look at our options. If I can keep it on the left side of the fairway I will be fine.
I tell Zack that I have to go for it here. “No three wood here," I tell Zack and I take out my driver. As I tee the ball up, I have the strange feeling that I am being watched from afar. I see that same picture in m
y mind like I did earlier today which is finger on the trigger of a rifle. I have the strong feeling that I am being watched through a scope of a rifle. It feels so real to me and I am really nervous.
But then I decide there is nothing I can do about that. It is probably just my imagination. And if I am about to be shot there is nothing I can do about it if I choose to finish this hole. I decide that I will finish this hole no matter what happens. I have a chance to make history. I really have to block everything out for a few seconds when it is time to hit the ball. I concentrate as I address the ball. This is the most important drive of my life. I make a good swing and I crush the ball. One of the best drives of my life. It was 320 yards down the left center of the fairway. I feel relieved. Cory is not a big guy but he has tremendous power. He crushes the ball down the ride side of the fairway about 335 yards.
We walk off the tee and towards our second shot. Cory and I ignore each other because we are in game mode. This is the final hole of the final major tournament of the year. And we are tied. I feel confident as we are walking to my ball. I do not feel any outside distractions at this time. I am relaxed and confident. We get to my second shot and take a look. I am in good position. I am 222 yards from the green. It is decision time. This is a very odd approach shot. The green a horseshoe shape. From front to back it is very narrow. But it is very wide. It is wrapped around the huge sand bunker at the front of the green and a small bunker on the left. The pin is on the right side of the green. Also the green is on a hill that slopes towards the front of the green. Zack and I discuss our strategy. I can reach the green in two from this distance. I am 222 yards out. But I will have to make sure I carry the bunker. If I hit it in the bunker then it would be very difficult to get out and keep it close to the hole since the pin is on the front of the green.If I am too long and go over the green, I will be on that hill and that could be trouble for sure. From behind the green you will be chipping downhill and will if you are too strong it will not stay on the green. I have a little wind behind me and I do not believe that I can carry that bunker and make the ball stick on that narrow green.
“Lay Up short on the right side is your only real chance for a birdie” said Zack as he pointed to the right side of the green. “From there, it and easy chip and a good chance for a birdie." That will put the pressure on Corry. “He will not know whether to go for it or lay up as well. I betting he will go for it and that may find him some trouble” said Zack. “Sounds like a plan to me," I replied. A four iron will be the club if I can keep it on the right side of that bunker. I will be in good position. I feel focused as I line up and hit my shot. I hit it just as planned. The ball landed on the right side of the bunker, about 25 yards short at the green. And the pin is on the right side of the green which slopes towards me. This is right where I want to be. I should be able to get it close. We stand back and watch Cory. He is an aggressive player. He is 207 out and that will be a mid iron for him. Zack and I both feel that he will go for it. We do not think he can make the ball hold on that narrow green. But if anyone can make this shot, it would be Cory. He has every shot in the bag. An aggressive shot will give him an Eagle opportunity if he pulls it off. But one bad bounce would be disastrous. To our surprise. He had the same logic as me. He hit his shot in the same area that I did. He was about 10 feet in front of me. “We will see who is the best chipper," Zack said as he picked up the bag and we started walking to the green.
The walk seemed like it took for ever. I really started to feel weird. I was starting to get paranoid again. I felt like the end was near. I kept seeing that same picture in my mind of a finger on the trigger of a rifle. I kept waiting for a bullet to pierce my heart. At the same time, I was taken back by the huge gallery. They were lined on both sides of the fairway all the way to the club house. And the huge gallery wrapped about the green just below the majestic clubhouse. I was looking at the people in the Gallery for anyone that looked like Dafford Hilton. The two security personnel that was walking with us seemed to be on heightened alert. They were continuously scanning the gallery for anything suspicious.
Meanwhile, Jerry Churchill and Agent Phillips were at the 18th Green and they were watching us come down the fairway. “Somehow I do not feel good about this” Jerry said to Agent Phillips. “We got this place covered. We have checked out every possible hiding place on this course," he said confidently.
Jerry took a deep breath. “Maybe so. But standing here something just doesn't feel right to me. And I noticed that building over there," Jerry said as and he pointed toward a white two story building to the left about 300 yards past the clubhouse. “I do not know much about what it takes to be a sniper. But from that building there is a good view of this green. I would think that would be perfect place for sniper to be waiting.
“Yeah, we saw that” replied Agent Phillips. “We determined that would be an opportunistic place for a trained sniper like Dafford Hilton. That is an old maintenance building and we have cleared that building. We even got an agent stationed there just in case," he said confidently. “I don’t know," Jerry Churchill said shaking his head. “Something is really drawing me towards that building."
“If you will make you feel any better I will call our agent now," he said as he put his right hand on his ear piece and spoke into small microphone. After a couple of tries he was not able to get the agent. He called to have someone check it out, but no one was close. Agent Phillips was the closest agent or police officer to that building. Let's check it out” he told Jerry. They headed towards the building.
About that time I was walking up to my ball. I was really breathing hard and sweating. Not only was I feeling paranoid about being shot by a gun, I was having all kinds of strange feeling. That little voice in my head was no longer a little voice, but it was a loud voice. It seemed to be freaking out. And kept saying that it was time to come home. I could hear other voices which seem to be the same voices that I have been having in my dreams. It was my wife and children crying and telling me to come home. At this point, I felt like my mind and my body was splitting apart. I felt like something or someone was trying to leave my body. As we arrived to my ball I was not really paying attention to it. Zack was talking to me but I was not listening.
Finally I felt a tug on my arm. “Are you alright?” Asked Zack. He had a concerned and confused look on his face. Somehow I was able to get ahold of myself. “Ah, fine, I’m fine," I said sharply. I noticed that Cory and his caddie were watching me. I am sure they were thinking I was freaking out under the pressure of this tournament. Zack handed me my wedge. For a few seconds I did not know what to do. Everyone was wondering what is going on with me.
"Concentrate!," I said to myself as I stood behind the ball and looked at my shot. I know the shot I need to make. But my hands are trembling. I do not think I can make this. I really want to quit. I just feel like something else is going on with my mind and my body. I am wondering what to do. I do not think that I can pull this off. And this has nothing to do with the pressure of the tournament. Or the pressure of knowing that I may have a bullet rip through my body at any second. I just feel that I need to escape. I just have the overwhelming feeling that I need to go home. My mind is confused.
And then for some reason I start thinking about what Jerry Churchill always tells me. He always says “Keep it Parallel Jim, Keep it Parallel." I do not know why. But when I hear that phrase in my mind on the golf course it seems to calm me down. All of a sudden I am relaxed and back in control.
I lined up from my shot from behind. I looked at Zack and smiled as I was walking up to address the ball. “We got this” I said in a confident tone. Zack nodded his head. I have a 25 yard pitch shot. All I need to do is carry the ball to the green and the ball should hold because the slope of the green is towards me. Hopefully I will have a makeable birdie putt. I feel confident now. All that time I have put in practicing on my chipping the last couple of months should pay off here. I address the ball and block out everything. I want to keep
the ball below the hole, so I will have an uphill putt. I make my swing and hit the ball just like I wanted. But it took a strange bounce and rest about 15 feet from the hole. Not as close as I wanted, but a makeable putt. The good thing, is that I am below the hole putting up hill with a slight left to right break.
Cory looks over his shot for a long time. He has about the same shot I had. But he is a few feet closer so he does not have a lot of green to work with. He hits his shot and lands on the front part of the green. But the fast green did not hold. His shot went about 17 feet above the hole. He has a downhill putt. Not an easy putt, but a very makeable one.
Zack hands me my putter and I walk to my ball. It is a clear bright sunny day. Not a cloud in the sky, and it is hot. I feel different now. I am not freaking out anymore. However, my mind races. I think about all the things that have happened to me recently. I think about how my golf game has transpired. I think about how Jerry Churchill arranged to have lessons with Gus. I know if it was not for Jerry and Gus I would not be here in a position to be here to win the PGA Championship and The Grand Slam. I think about all the strange things that has happened to me with the voices and the dreams. And now I have this overwhelming feeling that I need to go home.
Golf In A Parallel Universe Page 33