It’s RMO week! The Rocky Mountain Open is held in Grand Junction, Colorado and played at Tiara Rado Golf Course. This will be my 4th time playing in this event but second year as a professional. I went to school here at Colorado Mesa University and played in this event while on the team. This is where my first start as a pro was and I’m looking to redeem myself after last year.

Last year resulted in a MC by 2, so we are definitely looking to at a minimum make the cut. It’s a nice course with a tale of two 9’s for sure. The front 9 is very tight with tall trees overhanging and houses lined up on the sides of the holes. The back 9 however opens up in a more traditional layout where the holes run back and forth of each other. Both sides lend themselves to post a good number but at the same time you need to be in good position to take advantage. Precision and distance control will be a premium this week.

The game feels good, certainly better then the week of the Arizona Open. The main focus this week will be to stay in the routine and get into the mental “loop” and often as possible. This was the main focus of practice since the Arizona Open. What I came to find out was if you can get into the “loop” and the mind is clear of thought, hitting the golf shot is simply a reaction. Instead of controlling the shot or worrying about where it will go, the swing and shot just happen without a thought or care of where it goes. The mind isn’t concerned about where it will end up because it is so focused at the task at hand in the moment. That’s the biggest key, the moment, can you stay in the moment and just be.

I’m looking forward to the week and mentally feel confident to be in the mix. Early this year I was worried about making cuts or wondering if I could hang out there. Through events and experiences I’ve realized I’m good enough to make cuts, now it’s about contending and becoming comfortable being in the mix. I believe if the mentality is there and I can stay in the mental loop, there’s a good chance I’ll play well this week. The 3 day event begins Friday with a cut after Saturday. Stay tuned!