Details about my participation in the LPGA Q-school
Hi all, For all of my fans and supporters who have been emailing me inquiring about Q-school here is the info: I am playing in both sectionals:The West Coast sectional on September 19-22 at Mission Hills CC in Rancho Mirage, California. We are playing both courses, the Palmer and the Dinah Shore. The top 30 and ties will make it to the final qualifying tournament. In the event I don't make the top 30 and ties in the West Coast sectional, I am also registered to play in the East Coast sectional on October 3-6 at the Plantation Golf & CC in Venice, Florida. We are playing both courses, the Bobcat and the Panther course. Same deal - top 30 and ties make it to the final qualifying tournament. The Final qualifying tournament will be on Nov 29 - Dec 3 at LPGA Internatinal in Daytona Beach, Florida. 2 courses: Champions and Legends course. The final tournament is 5 rounds instead of the typical 4 rounds. The cut after round 4 is set for the top 70 and ties to move on the to final round (R5). There is no real-time scoring available for the sectionals. Scores and pairings are posted at the end of each round, depending on the timezone of play. Scores can be found at this page of the LPGA website: Q-School scoresAnd my scores and tee-times will be posted daily on the scores update on my homepage.Thanks for all your wishes and support. It means a lot to me. Cheers, Megan
My season is over; I am preparing for Q-school
I am back in Los Angeles and loving the time that I have back at home. My caddie Andy and I had a great time in Gettysburg. I shot 74 the first day missing a couple short putts, came back the second day and shot one under par to move up the leader board quite a bit. I was very happy with my round on Saturday and was ready to move up even more on Sunday. I was satisfied with shooting 73 on Sunday because I thought that the course was set up difficult to play all weekend. The greens were by far the largest and most undulated that we have played all year so you really had to be precise with your yardages or you would leave yourself a challenging 2 putt. I was actually very impressed with how low the scores were for the tournament. I am proud of myself for coming back at the end of the season and playing well in my last 3 events. It gives me a lot of confidence going into qualifying school. So the time that I have at home for the next couple of weeks I will be practicing, working with my swing coach Bryan, playing practice rounds and, of course just enjoying my time at home with friends and family. Cheers, Meg
31; 1 off my 9-hole record
I had a lot of fun in Queenstown Maryland last week. Of course you always enjoy the game of golf a little more when you play well. Birdies galoreThe first day I took advantage of the par 5's and birdied every single one of them but had a couple bogies to finish with a 2 under par 70. I was very satisfied with that score for that day because I had only hit 3 fairways. I hung in there though and put in a real grind because I knew that I had left a lot of birdies out there that I could get the next day. 31 on the back nine, 1-off my 9-hole recordI worked with my driver on the range after the round and got a lot more confident with it. I hit 13 fairways the next day to shoot 69 for a 5 under par 2 day total for 4th place. I shot 69 with a triple bogey. An errant tee shot into the hazard for a 7 on a par four to shoot 38 on the front nine gave me a little more determination to go low on the back nine. And I did just that, with 5 birdies for a 31 on the back nine. My lowest score for nine holes was a 30 which was during a high school match. That finish gave me a lot of confidence going into Sunday. It's funny how difficult this game is but when you play that well it just seems so easy. You just know exactly where every shot is going to go. Comfortable at the topOn Sunday, I unfortunately made another big number by hitting the ball in the water twice on number nine to finish the tournament at even par. Of course that was a disappointment but I wound up finishing 13th, my best finish this year. Unlike Lima, Ohio on Sunday when I was very nervous, Last week I was more determined and comfortable at the top of the leaderboard. That is an accomplishment. Ready for Q-schoolThis week is my last tournament of the season in Gettysburg Pennsylvania before Q-school in. My friend Andy is caddying for me this week so we are going to go out there this weekend and play hard but most importantly have fun! Cheers, Megan
The keyword this week is TRUST
 I left at dawn and drove the 11 1/2 hours from Concord, New Hampshire to Morgantown, West Virginia. Even though it was such a long and draining drive I really enjoyed the beautiful countryside along the way. I took the evening off to rest and regain my energy for the following day to practice and play the golf course. I really enjoyed playing the Pines Country Club. I think that it is one of the best courses that we played this year. It was in fantastic shape and was set up to where you could be aggressive and really fire at the pins. But in order to set yourself up for those shots, you have to be able to hit fairways. Knock on woodMy driver has been a nuisance for a very long time. My miss has been a snap hook left. That miss caused 6 penalty shots for me off the tee last week in Morgantown. I was very happy to make the cut and play on Sunday but 6 shots is a giant leap from 60th to 25th place. I was satisfied with every other part of my game last week, and guess what? I made every putt within 5 feet (knock on wood). I'm putting great right now which is a huge confidence booster. AlignmentI had a great conversation with Doc after the first round. I thought that it was necessary because of what was happening off the tee. I always knew that the main problem has been my alignment. I have been lining myself up too far to the right which will cause what I think are blocks but are actually good shots because I hit it exactly where I was aimed. And then of course, it causes the brutal snap hooks from coming too far from the inside and flipping the clubface closed. So the main thing that Doc and I talked about was getting used to the feeling of my feet and body being lined up more left and trusting the alignment, letting go and also trusting my swing. On Saturday, I played much better and hit a lot more fairways. I shot 75, 73 and made the cut. I had a couple more bad tee shots on Sunday for a 75. But overall, I was happy with how I played all weekend. This week we are playing in Queenstown, Maryland at the Hunters Oak Golf Club. The greens are extremely undulated and the fairways are narrow. This week will be challenging both off the tee and on the greens. It's a shot makers' golf course but the keyword this week is TRUST. Set up to my target and trust it. I only have 2 more weeks on tour so I am going to make the most out of the time that I have left before LPGA Q-School in late September. Cheers, Megan
My Patience is wearing a little thin...
 It was an unfortunate start to the last stretch of the season. I missed the first two cuts and put up two of my highest rounds of the year. I was disappointed yes but just more shocked than anything. I think that the goals that I had set for the last 5 events put too much pressure on me. That's when I start trying to make things happen instead of just letting go. I am still learning everyday. To be honest my patience is wearing a little thin but this is the time of the year when I really need to hang in there, grind even more and stay as patient as possible. Niagara FallsAfter my visit to Rochester, I took the time to drive the extra hour east to check out Niagara Falls. It was spectacular! I took a boat ride to the bottom of the falls and got soaked. I also took the " cave of the winds" walk and got drenched from standing directly under the Bridal Veil Falls. It was so much fun. There was so much force at the bottom of the falls from the water that you had to hold onto the railing or you would get knocked over! Everybody was laughing, screaming and having a great time. It would actually be a great place to vacation for a few days because there are so many great things to do there. Mets, Yankees, Shea StadiumAfter the Syracuse event, we had a week off so I went to Manhattan to try to get a little relaxation and of course enjoy the city. My good friend Dave decided to take a few days off from his job in Los Angeles and visit me in the city since he had never been there before. I had been there once before and couldn't wait to go back. I actually stayed right in Greenwich Village so there was so much to do within walking distance. Dave and I went to a couple Cubs vs. Mets games at Shea stadium and a Yankee game on Friday! I got to meet Mr. Met and got a picture with him which you can see in my 19th hole section! I Love NYThere is so much to do in New York, but Dave and I fit in as much as we could in the four days that he was there so then I could have the weekend to rest, and boy, did I need the rest! We went to Ground Zero, Battery Park and saw the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, the Museum of Natural History, Central Park, the Empire State Building and of course, we enjoyed as much of the night life as we could. We got to hear some great jazz, and eat some fantastic food! I think I ate too much of Ray's famous pizza. But it was so good! New York was a blast and I can't wait to go back and visit again. Good holes for my lengthI drove up to Concord, New Hampshire early Tuesday morning, got a good practice session in and survived the heat and humidity. I played a practice round on Tuesday and played great; so I felt really good about everything. I like the course and how it's set up. I figured that I could really take advantage of my length off the tee on some of the holes. There was a double shotgun pro-am on Thursday so I got another great practice session in and was feeling really confident about everything. Where is my Short Game?This morning there was a three hour delay because of the rain. It didn't bother me because I would much rather wait then have to play in those kinds of conditions. I was lucky that I had the first tee time because I got to finish my round unlike some of the girls that tee'd off in the afternoon and will have to finish in the morning, and then will have to play another 18 holes for Round 2. Today I hit the ball great and hit my driver even better which was the best feeling because I have been struggling with it for so long. It's like I said before: I was more aggressive with the driver today than I had been in a long time instead of trying to force it in the fairway, I just let it go and hit 13 today! I don't know where my short game went though. It was nowhere to be found. I didn't get up and down once today. The combination of that and leaving some birdie putts short in the heart makes it hard to score. Breathing & VisualizingOverall I can't be upset because I think I played well and hope that some putts will fall tomorrow. At this point I am just going through my same routine over every single shot. I am trying to make good habits like keeping my head still on those short putts and, breathing and visualizing. My concentration was lost for a few weeks but I am back and ready to attack! Cheers, Megan p.s. check out my feature at ladiesontour.com
Keep your head in the game and always stick to your routine
 I had only been off for the 4th of July week but it felt like forever since I had played in a tournament. I think I have really gotten used to this constantly traveling business. I flew into Hartford on Tuesday and played practice rounds Wednesday and Thursday and surprisingly the jet lag didn't even bother me on this trip. A wonderful host familyThis week I stayed with a wonderful host family. I just want to let them know again how much I appreciated their hospitality and letting me stay in their beautiful home. And I can't forget their adorable dog little Freddy who always made me laugh. Hitting like a champI really wasn't hitting the ball great for the 2 practice rounds that I had gotten in but when I played my first round on Friday, I hit the ball like a champ. Strange how that happens. Even though I shot 75 the first day I felt like I played much better. I just got off to kind of a rough start with a double on the first hole and then a bogey on the second. Overcoming First Hole JittersI definitely had the first hole jitters. That's when I have to go back and remember the drills that Doc Parent has giving me for my warm up on the driving range right before I tee off. It's a great strategy. You play the first 3 or 4 holes on the driving range figuring out what clubs you would hit off the tee and for your first, second, or third shots so then it's like you have already played those holes and gotten over your jitters. I didn't do that drill this weekend but will definitely remember to do it when I play in Syracuse this week. When your mind just wanders offThe second day I was completely distracted for the first nine hole and finally pulled it together for the back, but I have no excuses for that round, it's just that my head wasn't in it for some reason which calls for a nice long conversation with Doc Parent. Off to Niagara FallsSo I headed up to Rochester, NY to visit a friend for a couple days and relax. I had a great time and got to sight see a little but really just enjoyed the countryside. So it's Tuesday morning and I am headed to Syracuse for my next event but can't pass up the opportunity to see Niagara Falls first. GOLFBUG.TVOn another note, I just partnered up with the folks who run Golfbug.tv, which is an online internet television channel that is exclusively about golf. They show previous tournaments and will soon start webcasting tournaments from the Asian and European tours. Click on the image above to check them out. Bye, Megan
Winds for windsurfers, not golfers
 The drive to Hammond, Indiana from Lima, Ohio was short and sweet. I took Monday off and relaxed. I did my usual check-in to the hotel, went to find out where the golf course was, and checked out the town. I actually went and saw Click, the movie starring Adam Sandler. I loved it! I found myself laughing out loud and yes I'll admit trying to fight back a couple tears too. But overall it's a great movie and I recommend it to everyone. Winds for windsurfers, not golfersFor the first day of the tournament I shot 78. I have no excuses, I just played poorly. My driver was giving me trouble all day. I only hit 2 fairways that day which makes it difficult to stay focused and keep grinding for pars. On Friday the wind started blowing first thing in the morning. I had the second tee time of the day which come to find out later that afternoon was an advantage. The wind really picked up about the 5th hole and then made the golf course almost impossible to play on the last nine holes, with winds up to 30 miles per hour. With the wind blowing across the hole, it forced you to start shots so far right or left of your target that it was extremely uncomfortable. The golf course was challenging enough with narrow fairways, a lot of water and extremely undulated greens that the wind just tested your sanity, and especially your patience. Happy to be out there on SundayI thought that walking away with another 78 would keep me from playing on Sunday but because of the wind and the impossible playing conditions, the scores were through the roof in the afternoon and I actually made the cut! I couldn't believe it! So all day on Sunday I was just happy to be out there playing and came in with a 74. I played great all day. I hit a lot more fairways and made some putts. Unfortunately on the last hole of the day my first two shots got caught up in the rough and I wound up with a double bogey. It was disappointing of course but I can't forget about how great I played during the other 17 holes. A well deserved restI am really enjoying my time off, back at home in L.A. I had a great time celebrating the 4th with a barbecue and fireworks with my friends. I love being home but also love being out on the road seeing new places and meeting new people. I am really looking forward to my next stretch of events on the East Coast. I have already scheduled to meet with friends and see some concerts during my week off at the end of the month. Then I am back at home getting ready for the LPGA qualifying school. Next week, Connecticut. Cheers, Megan
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