Hi all...
As things stand right now I would make it - with my 71 - certainly this may change and I will keep practicing.
So now that we are in the throes of the Qualifying Round - a thought ocurred to me. I have certainly practiced plenty. To some degree it feels like it is somewhat expected that any one of us can "learn" to engineer a respectable score on Bethpage.
We have - to some degree trained ourselves through the qualifying round to have a bit of a trial-and-error "do-over" try-it-again approach- which can (ARGUABLY) result in a bit of a robotic/formulaic approach. THE ONE VARIABLE IS THE WIND - which is never necessarily the same twice in a row. This forces some thought and adjustment.
We have learned to have thoughts SUCH AS:
"On this hole you click just short of the line because the slight pull helps"
"On that hole you use backspin every time and you are within 10 feet of the hole"
MY POINT IS THIS: Will WGT test us - our true adaptability and our TRUE SKILL in the final? THIS IS WHERE THE POTENTIAL RUMORS MAY START. That is not my intent - but I think my points are worthy of thinking about.
WHAT IF?....we wake up on the day of the FINAL ROUND and find one of the following:
1. All of the Pin Placements have changed on every green.
2. It is POURING RAIN.
EITHER of these situations would surely introduce a new and unknown factor and FORCE everyone to fiddle around with their club selections and so on. Something like this would TRULY TEST the ability of the Final Round Qualifiers. In a certain way it certainly would "re-level" the playing field - FORCING us to "think on our feet" and adapt. Everyone would be presented with the same set of circumstances and come what may.
It might be wihful thinking that anything like these (or another) scenario might occur. BUT IT COULD. (Don't email me - I know NOTHING - I am just surmising.)
Think about it...and I guess we will see on June 22.
Best Regards, AtlantaCoaster