As I said yesterday, we are conscious of the toll, physically, mentally and emotionally that this week could have on Dan. With that being said, we have been relatively diligent planning our week and trying to ensure that he is ready to rock come Thursday morning.
We had a few objectives for the day, mainly planning for the back nine and continually trying to calibrate the green speed. The greens aren’t overly quick at the moment by major championship standards, but I suspect they will speed up as the week goes on.
Dan hit the ball nicely today and seems to be getting more comfortable with the environment. Which includes signing autographs and being asked for selfies. I expect the crowds to grow each day, so it’s nice to have a chance to acclimatise and build in slowly.
One thing we noticed yesterday, was how quickly Foxy was able to get his chip and pitch shots to grab. That prompted some conversation about the grooves required this week and those sorts of shots will be a necessity.
One of the benefits of being at an event like this, is that each company have these massive trucks that are mobile workshops. They can do anything for you, from re-gripping a club to changing loft and lies, right through to getting a whole new set!
Dan was able to get 4 new wedges today, the same as what he had but with the bonus of new grooves. What a wonderful luxury that is. He literally walked in to the trailer, gave them his 4 wedges, went and had lunch in his fancy players lounge (I have heard its fancy I am not allowed in there!) and once lunch had finished he had four brand new wedges.
Another reminder this morning that this is not a regular event, Dan came walking out of the player’s locker room, looking slightly red with a beaming smile, “Tiger and I just said hello to each other, I saw Ricky too and said hello to him as well…”
This is cool to see, Dan is good, very good and he belongs here, that I am certain of but seeing his face when he was recounting, this was priceless. He has an uncanny knack of not getting overwhelmed but is also able to appreciate some of the special things that he is privileged to experience this week and that is a massive asset.
Oh, and yes, he did get his haircut in the players lounge today!
