Saturday
Let me say first of all (and you read it here first), whatever happens, I'm taking driver off the 18th tee tomorrow in the last round of The Open and hitting it anywhere left!
I got myself into a really good position today for the second day running and then hit my tee shot out of bounds (again) and spoiled what could have been a 68 and in the top 25 with a round to go.
But more of that later.
I made the cut on the mark last night at one under par but almost immediately - playing with American Fred Funk - I dropped a shot at the second hole when I just missed the green and failed to get up and down.
Birdies at the fourth and fifth, when I hit wedge to three feet and chipped and putted from the back of the green at the par-5, got me back on track.
Then two more bogeys at the 6th and 9th were disappointing and didn't reflect how well I am playing, because I only missed where I wanted to be with my approaches by inches and the balls kick off into the rough.
I was enjoying my round playing with Fred - another great guy like Mark O'Meara, with whom I played yesterday. Fred and Mark have both been there and done it and it was great just to hear them chatting about the US Tour and the places they've played.
Fred's also a fast player like me. If we'd been first off we would have been round in two and a half hours, I'm sure.
It was also good to have my mum and dad from York (Anne and John) and my girlfriend Sarah in the gallery, urging me along.
I got back on track at two under par on the par-5 tenth hole with a birdie. I hit driver then rescue club to the edge of the green and chipped and putted for my four and then had a run of four threes from the 12th including birdies at 12 (where I chipped in) and 14 where I hit my rescue approach to six feet.
A four at the par-5 16th - two putting from 15 feet - put me in a great frame of mind at four under par, standing on the 18th tee and with my caddie Guy we discussed which club to hit off the tee, bearing in mind I'd hit driver OB yesterday.
We agreed on driver again then at the last second I decided to go with my 3-wood to leave me the chance lay up to the corner of the out of bounds.
I swung very smoothly and absolutely nutted it and you can imagine the agony as it bounced over the out of bounds ridge at the corner of the dogleg!
I re-loaded hit driver down the left and got a birdie with my second ball (bogey 6) to finish on three-under par.
If I'd battled round and then hit my drive OB I would have been really cross with myself but I played lovely and had six birdies and four bogeys and if I can do the same tomorrow, or better, I'll be well pleased with my performance.
Playing in the Open and playing really well has already given me confidence for the rest of the season, all I need to do now is finish as high as I can - and not make any more silly mistakes at the last!
