The Back Nine: Gaining a foothold on the PGA Tour

Kevin Streelman is off this week (he's getting married - Congrats Kevin!) but he's hoping to get into the Memorial next week. Worst case, he'll make his homecoming at the Nationwide Tour's Bank of America Open at The Glen Club (which don't be surprised if he wins, by the way).

Kevin had some interesting things to say about his rookie year on the PGA Tour, most notably how to approach certain holes - and realizing when par is your friend.
"You just play what it's front of you. The pins are a lot tougher on the PGA Tour than any other tour in the world. Every pin is four steps off an edge, tucked in a corner. Last year when I was playing the Gateway Tour and Hooters Tour I was playing well and I would shoot low scores and you get in a comfort level where you almost expect to shoot in 60s, 6, 66, 68.

On the PGA Tour I was maybe trying to push that a little too much early in the round and all of a sudden you shortside yourself and you make a double or a triple and you're like 'man.'

These last couple weeks, especially (at the Shell Houston Open) in particular I stayed really patient. My caddie Mikey and I were saying if you shoot 1-under each day out here, you make a lot of money. Not only do you make every cut, but you make a lot of money. It's not that you're trying to shoot 1 or 2 under but if you shoot 4, 5, 6 great, but if you play smart - if you have a 230-yard par 3 just hit the middle of the green, two putt and get out of there - stuff like that.

Like (at Houston) I went even, then 3-under, then 2-under then 3-under and it was pretty much stress free because I didn't put myself in too many positions where I was grinding to save pars or grinding to save bogies just because I played really smart. That's been a big part of the learning process as well. If I can shoot 2, 3-under most rounds you're going to keep your card out here for awhile. 8-under each week is almost a top 10 every week, it's crazy. When you walk the course it doesn't seem like that hard of a thing to do, but when you can consistently do that type of golf, that's guys like Fred Funk who just hit it straight, hit it smart, it's all it is. If your putter's really hot you win, if you don't, you can still make cuts and make a little money.

Streelman went on to say that he's now begun to figure out what works well for him in terms of finding success on a week-to-week basis. This is an important element to not only keeping your card for the next year, but even shooting up the leaderboard when it counts.
While he was a little frustrated that it took him 15 events to find that rhythm, when he returns to action next week he'll have six more months to make a lot more money - or even find that life-changing victory.

Especially on this level, one week can change everything. Like Johnson Wagner (at Houston). He made three cuts all year and just grinding and all of a sudden he gets a hot putter and he's in the Masters. You never know when it's going to strike.

You just have to stay patient, keep practicing hard and keep learning a little bit and hopefully it works out. I'm pleased with the start. I'm pleased with my start. Before the Masters my reshuffle number went up a couple more spots so from here out I shouldn't have a problem getting into too many of the events that I really want to, and we'll see how it goes.

Other golf news
If you're looking for a couple of golf outings to get into this summer, here are two worth your time and your dime:
The 3rd annual Mironda K. Heston Memorial Golf outing on Sat. Aug. 23 at Silver Lake Country Club in Orland Park. Click here to register at $85 a player, which includes all kinds of goodies. The event benefits the Heston Medical Clinic in Papaye, Haiti, as well as the Mironda K. Heston Scholarship for Public Service at North Central College in Naperville.

There is also going to be The 5th annual Liberty League Golf Tournament on June 14 to raise money for junior golfers at George Dunne National in Oak Forest. Cost is $90 a person/$340 a foursome and includes all the requisite goodie that comes with an outing. Call Michelle Ewers at 708-754-2436 or Jered Wieland at 708-429-6886 for more info.