April ended up on a good note for me with my third consecutive finish in the money at Jones Creek in Augusta, Ga. I did not score all that great but was able to finish 6th with scores of 77-78-76. I have concluded that I am unable to read bermuda greens very well! I hit the ball beautifully all week and putted well, but was unable to make anything as I only had 3 birdies all week. I should have done better, but can't complain too much. I believe all of the events remaining this year will be on bent greens so I should have my putting woes behind me.

I was able to catch up with some old friends this trip; I played golf at Augusta CC and had dinner with Bill Gibbs and his family, and also saw Dick and Stevie Weldon, old family friends from New Jersey who moved to Aiken, SC several years ago. We had a wonderful meal with the Weldons in downtown Aiken, a lovely town just northwest of Augusta. I feel so fortunate to have friends in many places that I play; it makes the travel more enjoyable for sure!!

I am off this week and then play in Pinehurst the following week in the biggest purse of the year on the Sunbelt Tour. I have moved into the top ten on that money list...a good indicator that my game is improving.

April continues to be a good month for me!! I played well in Atlanta this week at Towne Lake Hills with scores of 70-70-73 which was good for 4th place. Three under is my best 54 hole score so far, and I feel pretty good about the state of my game right at the moment.

I played in the final group for the first time, and I was a little "nervy" and opened with a 3-putt on the first hole. I never made anything until a 30 foot birdie on the last hole, and only had 2 birdies all day compared to 10 the first 2 rounds combined. When in the last group again, I will be better I promise!

I had a weird thing happen to me the second round that I might never forget. I played the front 9 in good form with a 33, and arrived at the 10th tee obviously feeling great. The hole is a par 5 that is reachable. I pushed my tee ball down a slope but had a swing but no view on the hole. I was about 230 out and hit a good rescue. I ran to the top of the hill in time to see my ball land and kick a little right. I figured it was just short or in the green side bunker short right. Anyway, we got up there and could not find it, and figured it went into a lateral hazard to the right; the hole did slope that way and the ground was bare.

I took a drop, chunked my 4th shot which rolled back into the hazard. I was able to play that shot onto the green, and when we got up to the slightly elevated green my original ball was on the fringe less than 20 feet from the pin!!! It must have gotten a great kick we could not see, and the ball was in a depression between the bunker and the putting surface. It cost me 3 strokes because I made 7 instead of a most likely 4. I kept it together by shooting 1 under the rest of the way but turned a 67 into a 70 just like that. Instead of being tied for the lead going into the last round I was 3 back. Oh well, in the future I will always go up to the green and look for a ball... I should have been more positive!

I am off to Augusta next week to play at Jones Creek. (wish it was Augusta National!! Ha Ha!) I feel full of confidence and ready to contend. The time to win is here!

April has gotten off to a better start than March finished!! The first Sunbelt event was in Peachtree City Ga, which is just south of Atlanta. I finished tied for 5th with a 219 total on rounds of 69-73-77. The last day was a little frustrating because I was 2 under through 4 and had two 3-putts to turn at even par. The wind really kicked up the back nine, and I got on the bogey train and shot 41. Nobody in our group shot better than 40 the last 9 holes! I had shot under par the other two days on the back, so the 20+ mile an hour wind really did play havoc with the golf ball.

It was nice to finish in the money, and I would like to finish stronger next week as I return to Atlanta to play in Woodstock at Town Lake CC. I will stay with Andy and John Reeves, my sister-in-law, so I should be good and relaxed.