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Just got back from two weeks on the road.  Spent some time in Gainesville, GA and Hickory, NC.  Made both of the cuts and felt pretty decent about the state of my game.  Unfortunately, in Gainesville, we had some major rain storms over the weekend and weren’t able to finish the tournament…still cashed a check, but I really felt like I could have made up some ground on the weekend because my game was sharp and I really liked the track.  The rains followed us up to Hickory and we really weren’t able to get too much practice in before the next event started.  I had played the course before so that wasn’t too big of an issue, we just didn’t have too much to do in the town of Hickory!! Lots of downtime…  I played decent there as well and it was nice to get two solid weeks in a row under my belt.

I’ll be practicing down in Jupiter for my next two weeks off.  Jupiter is such a great, relaxing place to spend a couple weeks.  All the guys will be around, Keegan, Luke, Jamie and Nate so I’m sure we will get a game or two going over at Dye Preserve…Going to be great preparation for my next series of events, can’t wait!

Just wanted to give an update on what has been going on…Last week was the first stage of Tour School in Kannapolis, NC.  In the weeks leading up to the event I had been practicing hard at the Dye Preserve in Jupiter, Fl, which is where I currently am living.  Its a great place to be, there are a lot of pros down here so it’s real easy to get a good game, and the weather is nearly perfect. Tour School is know for its horror stories and its immense pressure.  I haven’t yet seen much success out of it but at the same time I feel like it has shown me that I am very capable of playing at higher levels.   This year I put myself in decent shape going into the final round and that’s really all you want to do.  In the end my performance wasn’t enough to move on, but one really positive thing I take from the week is that on the back nine in the final round I made 3 birdies in a row to get one stroke off the cut line. Unfortunately I couldn’t pick up another shot in the closing holes and ended up missing out by just a shot.  When it comes down to just one shot all you really can do is shrug your shoulders, because if you start thinking about where you could have saved one shot, you’ll go crazy.  So in the end I didn’t get to second stage, but i have a great place to play next summer on the Hooters Tour.  I know I can get better out there and I’m really excited to get it going.

My plan for the remainder of the winter is to play in some winter series events in Orlando, make some money, and have fun working hard on my game here in Jupiter.  I’ll be sure to keep you posted with what’s going on!!!

So as you may have heard, I qualified yesterday for the US open in Pebble Beach, California.  It was my third attempt at sectional qualifying and I’ve finally broken through.  I’ve been having a lot of close calls in my young professional career so far and now that I’ve made it to the big stage for at least one event it feels really great.

So I shot 71 in the morning and was pretty sure I was around the cut-line.  I didn’t think much of it because I knew the course was playing tough and that I had to stay focused or else I had no shot at making it.  At the beginning of the second round I looked at my caddy Kevin and said, “this is the first round of the tournament, lets just get off to another good start and give ourselves a chance on the back nine.”  Well I didn’t get off to the greatest starts, I shot 1 over on my front, but I kept telling myself that the course was playing tough and that I was right in the mix.  On a side note, I hadn’t made a putt all day but I was staying patient, I knew some would end up dropping.  And that’s exactly what happened.  I made a 20 footer for birdie on number 1 (which was my 10th).  Made another long one on 3 (my 12th).  I’m not afraid to admit it, but i did give an involuntary fist pump when that one went in… I don’t think I ever given even a fake fist pump in my entire life let alone one on the golf course!  Anyway, that birdie got me to 2 under par and I knew that was in decent to really good shape.  Long story short I parred in and ended up carding another 71.  Good enough for a playoff.  First playoff hole was a 450 yard par 4 with maybe a 10 mile an hour breeze in the face. I hit the best drive of the day. 164 to the hole, 7 iron, 30 feet up the hill.  As I was over the 2 and a half footer to advance I just told myself, don’t regret this. That sounds a little strange I know, but the only way I would regret that putt is if I let my mind stray on the possible outcome instead of looking at it and executing the shot.  It went in and it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders, great feeling.

Going forward, I know I should relish this moment and take it all in, but it’s game time now.  I would really regret this if I went out to Pebble and was just wide-eyed all week long.  I’ve never been there, but I think the course fits me and to be honest, I’m looking to tear it up.  Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not downplaying this at all, I’m going to enjoy myself and all that, but when it comes down to go time, I’m going to treat it like anything else.

Follow my new Twitter  www.twitter.com/joncurrangolf .  I’ll be posted all sorts of stuff from Pebble so be sure to check it out!!

So, I’ve had a bit of tough luck in the past month…But all the hard work and patience has started to payoff. This past week I was just outside of Charlotte playing in a TarHeel tour event.  The courses were very scorable and the condition couldn’t have been better.  So when I shot 72 in the first round I knew I had to really get it together the next day to make the cut.  Fortunately I did.  I shot 68 in round two and I made the cut on the number.  I went on to play some really good golf the final two rounds and snuck into the top 10.

While I was going through a rough patch to start the season off I was lucky enough to be able to talk to a Vandy alum that now plays on the big tour, Brandt Snedeker.  I tried to pick his brain about whatever I could.  Some of the things we talked about have really stuck with me and I contribute some of my recent good play to our discussions.  The biggest thing I can tell you about what we talked about was how positive and professional the guys on the PGA Tour are.  He was telling me that the main thing that everyone has in common out there is that they are all super, super positive.  It’s kind of tough to explain over a blog but, if you want to make it in this business, you have to be more positive that anyone out there.  I have found that it is very easy to fall into a negative position on things on the minitours.  There can often times be an overall heavy kind of feeling that blankets the putting green or the driving range.  You can’t get sucked in by it.  This is basically what has stuck with me the most from talking with Brandt.

Headed home tomorrow to play in the US Open local qualifier on Tuesday.  I’ll be in Mass for a week to see the family, friends and get a little bit of rest before I head back on the road again…thanks for stopping by.

It’s been a little while since I’ve written last, I’ve been busy out on the Hooters winter series.  Overall it went decently, I wasn’t totally pleased with my performance in terms of money earnings etc.  I’ve learned though that you can’t take anything out here for granted, if you think it can’t get any worse, it can.  So I apply that theory to the recent stretch of events in that I made cuts and made enough checks so that I didn’t put myself in too big of a hole.  One of the first things I learned when I turned pro is that as long as you can make cuts and continue to maintain, you put yourself in a position when you have a great few weeks you’re flush.  That’s what I did at the end of last summer and that’s pretty much what I did at the end of this winter series.

Basically, it’s a grind if you’re not on top of your game.  The money is just not deep enough to get away with placing outside the top 20.  I am however, really excited about my finish in the last event and how it will carry over into the pro series event starting in March.  I’ll take most of February to prepare for those events, hit the gym, work on my wedges, putting etc.  I have a great feeling about the beginning of this season, and I’m looking forward to it.

Thanks for checking in!

So I was even for the tournament with 7 holes to play.  I birdied 12, 13, 14 and 15 to get myself on the cutline.  I wasn’t very nervous as I was making those birdies, but once I stepped on the 16th tee, it really hit me.  I happened to play the next two holes really well though, I gave myself birdie opportunities on each of them.  I made a great swing on 18 off the tee, drew it a little too much and ended up in the left hand rough.  I knew par was going to get the job done. I picked the right club and felt great over the ball, I just happened to catch a flier lie from the rough and flew it over the green, hit the cart path and that was that.  There was no way really to make par from where it ended up.

It was a pretty devastating finish because I had worked so hard on the day and came so close, but after the six hour drive home and many conversations with friends and family I’m beginning to find peace in this mess of situation.  I truly believe that this is the best case scenario.  I’ve found out that I am a better player than I thought I was.  What I mean by that is, I made 4 birdies in a row in the heat of battle on the back nine of what could be the most pressure packed tournament in the world.  It is definitely the best golf under the circumstances that I’ve ever played.  Making it an awesome experience.  I also know that I’m going to grow as a player and as a person from what happened to me on the last hole.  I know I’ll come back stronger than ever.

I want to thank everyone for all the support they’ve given me.  I wouldn’t be where I am without it.

Im in between winter series events right now and I’m in  Orlando preparing for 2nd stage of Qschool.  The weather has been great to play and practice in so I’ve been getting in a lot of great work.  My wedges continue to improve and I feel great about the how and what I am practicing.

It felt great to get past first stage of Qschool a few weeks ago, but I know the journey doesn’t stop there and although it may feel great to get through and advance, you have to continue to stay focused at what lies ahead.  I’ve been working on some different types of shots off the tee and into the greens and the winter series events give me a platform to test those shots under the gun.

All in all I feel great about where my game is going.  It’s difficult to subside the pressures of Qschool, I think about it often and the impact it could have on my life.  I’m certain that once I get to the actual event all my preparations, both mental and physical, will take over and I will be at ease.  I have total belief in my game, and most importantly, I have total belief in my head.

Ill keep ya posted…

Go CELTS!!

If we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently – Romans 8:25. This has been the motto for the past couple of months.  It has gotten me through some frustrating times as I’m sure it will in the future too.  I was patient throughout this fall swing, knowing that I was close to having a good week, and I finally did in Columbia.  I played well from the start.  What I was particularly proud of, was the way I played in the final group on sunday.  I didn’t end up winning but I played really well and showed that I can hold my own.  

The  week showed me nothing that I didn’t already think I could already do, but it was nice to finally do it.  I can call on the experience in future and it will make the situation I am in more of a comfortable one.  

After Columbia, I headed to Chattanooga for the Nationwide Monday Qualifier.  I had a late tee time and never got a chance to play the golf course.  I ended up shooting 68 and missing by a shot.  I played well and couldn’t be too dissapointed with the result.  I have come to realize that when you shoot 67 or 68 in a Monday Qualifier your fate is left up to the rest of the field and how low they go.  

As for right now, I am in Orlando practicing and preparing for Qschool.  Qschool can be a scary proposition if you let it be.  I chose not to, I’ve heard too many stories about great players not getting through because of the mental pressures.  It’ll be a good week and I’m looking forward to it.  

Thanks for keeping up!

I”m playing in Columbia, SC this week where the weather has cooled and the sun is shinning. There shouldn’t be much wind this week and the course is in great shape.  I’ve gone through the usual practice round routine and feel.  I go off at 1:33 tomorrow and 8:48 on Friday.  

The game feels good and has felt good for the past few weeks, I just need to relax and let it happen.  I don’t feel like I’ve gotten anything out of my rounds and last week was about as high as I could have possibly shot.  I’ll look at that in a positive way because my game is right there and close to producing some good scores.  

After this week, I’m headed to Chattanooga, TN to monday qualify for a nationwide event.  I played in this qualifier last year and am looking forward to getting out there.

I’ll keep you posted,

Thanks for keepin’ up!

I am on the road again after a couple days off.  After advancing through my Pre-Qualifying in Tampa, I went back to Orlando to get ready for two hooters events in Georgia and South Carolina.  

The experience in Tampa was good.  I had a strict game plan going into the week and I executed it to perfection.  I could have scored better, but I put myself in a good position by being prepared for the tournament.  All in all, Q school is about advancing and I will take each stage as it comes.  I feel ready.

For now, I’m in Augusta, GA for a hooters event.  The typical week at one of these is a monday or sunday arrival, play nine holes and maybe putt a little.  Tuesday is a full 18 hole practice round early am.  My travel buddy Keegan and I have collected a pretty substantial array of golf cart keys, so we never struggle to find one that fits…anyway to cut down on a few expenses.  Wednesday, we play the other 9 holes usually around 8, putt, hit some balls and take off to rest up for the afternoon.  

So tomorrow at around 8 I’ll be on the back 9, making last minute preparations.  Thanks for all the support, and I’ll keep ya posted!