After seeing news reports over the last few weeks of sever flooding in the Czech Republic i must admit i was not expecting the course to be in very good condition but, somehow, it was looking even better than last year. The rough was exactly as it should be, you could locate a ball without too much problem but you had to take your medicine and play conservatively from it. The players I saw that didnt respect the severity of the rough, and tried to play silly shots got punished severely and a few high numbers were scored on some of the more challenging holes.
Again, upon arrival everyone was greeted by the heart of the CZDGA Jana Brabnikova and Miroslav Lidinsky and all the players were made to feel at home straight away. This allows you to concentrate on the tournament as you know all arrangements have been made and as usual things will work like a well oiled machine.
On the second day we played a sponsors pro am tournament and i was paired to play with a local husband and wife team and Dutch disabled golfer Tinneke Loogman. We had a really enjoyable game and i had a good look at the course ready for the first competition round the next day. I was striking the ball nicely and was looking forward to putting my title defence into action. the competition was going to be epicly strong this year with Manuel de los Santos, Hans van Elven, ex pro Phillippe Pee, Mick Horsely and the ever talented Frenchman Maximillian Puget all wanting to take the title themselves. It was going to be a battle but it was going to be fun whatever the result.
CZECH MASTERS ROUND 1
I was paired to play with French Golfer Phillipe Pee in the opening round. Phillipe was a professional golfer playing on tour for 15 years in France before loosing his foot and becoming a prosthetic user last year. I hadnt played with Phillipe before but he was a really nice guy and we had a very enjoyable round.
the opening hole at Darovansky Dvur is a tricky little par 5 slight dog leg right that is lined with penal rough, trees and a couple of well placed bunkers to catch hold of any errant shots. A good opening tee shot is imperitive on this hole if you want to be able to maybe attack the green with the second shot or at worst not have to negotiate trees and rough and a complete blocking out of the fairway. i hit a solid opening drive and was just off the fairway on the right, about 265yrd from the green. as i had a nice lie, and a great angle i was able to get a sweet 3 wood on the back of the ball and sent my second shot down to pin high, just left of the putting surface, with a reasonably simple chip and a nice birdie chance. I played a crisplittle chip and run and dribbled the ball upto about 12" away and then tapped in for a solid Birdie to go -1. I certainly couldnt have asked for a better start. I made 5 straight pars from there to the 6th but on the 7th, my ball decided to make friends with a tree on my tee shot at the tough par 5 7th and was never to be seen again. 3 off the tee was the solution and i made a solid par with the 2nd ball and an ugly double bogey 7 was the score to go on the card. With my score now at +1 i went off to the 8th and scraped a par before dropping a silly shot with a 3ft missed putt and the front 9 was completed in a +2 score of 38.
on to the back 9.
I unleashed a huge drive on the 10th and found myself greenside in 1. A birdie must come from this tee shot i thought but alas, a par was my reward and on to 11 i went. Another great tee shot and again i was only 25yrd from the flag in one on a par 4. Another great birdie chance surely, alas, again no. after a nice chip, i made the cardinal sin of leaving my Birdie attempt short and another Bird goes begging. a solid par followed on 12 and a tap in birdie on the par 5 13th took my score to +1. I then, through sheer silliness dropped three further shots on the last 5 holes and signed for an opening 76 (+4). I had done all I could do and had to then just sit at the clubhouse, drink coffee and see where i was when the rest of the scores were posted.
Day one leaderboard
76 Andy Gardiner, Manuel de los Santos
78 Hans van Elven Maximillian Puget
81 Mick Horsely
With the top 5 seperated by only 5 shots and the weather forcast for heavy rain for all of the 2nd round. I was in a good position but with incliment weather coming and a last grouping of me, Manuel and Hans van Elven, the pressure was going to be on and i would certainly need my A game if i was going to pull it off. A good nights sleep and good preperation was the order of the day, ready to go out and fight the next day.