Open Diary: Day Four - I'll be back

Jeff Overton - determined to be at Turnberry next year

Jeff Overton (25), who won the US Tour qualifier for the Open by six shots was making his Open debut at Royal Birkdale and after a first round 72 and second round 75, to make the half-way cut, the Mizuno staff player from Indiana, recorded a disappointing 75 in round four. In this exclusive diary he continues his Open story.

Day Four

A closing 79 to finish 21-over par and in a tie for 70th - not all I've was looking for at the start of the day when I tee off a couple of hours before the leaders. But at least I didn't shoot in the 80s and picked up around $20,000.

I rolled a few short ones over the edge to drop a couple of early shots and that set me back for the day.

The wind was a bit different to the previous rounds and a tough, tough track finally got the best of me, I guess. In the end I’ve got to admit it was a brutal but pretty cool, experience.

It was my first major and fantastic to play in front of such huge crowds and I certainly want more.

Really enjoyed playing with the English amateur, Tom Sherreard. He holed out for eagle on 17 from the fairway and birdied 18 right in front of his home crowd here and the noise was something I’ll remember for a long time. He did a great job and the crowd were great to me, too. They were so knowledgeable.

Looking back on the week, I had my own little win in a sense by making the cut in my first major and this is going to be a great help to my career.

Cool shoes, Jeff! Overton found putting very tricky

I’m going to take everything positive possible I can from this week, look at it, analyse it and then the next time I come here I hope I’ll know more what it’s about.

In the end it’s all about the short-game here. Iron play is so different here. It’s crazy. You can twist it just a little bit against the wind, the ball doesn’t do much. But if you get it going with the wind, it moves a lot and goes a lot further. See, I’m learning!

I kinda already knew that from coming over here but when the wind’s blowing 30 mph and stuff, you don’t have much of a decision in hitting it in there.

The putting is a big thing on the links. It’s so exposed. You’re scared the ball is going to move when you’re standing over it and that it’ll move a few yards further away. It’s fun – am I really saying that?

It got the best of me this time but next time I come back, it won’t!

Now it’s back to the PGA Tour. I’m playing the Canadian Open next and I’m right on the bubble to get a place in the US PGA Championship at Oakland Hills from August 7-10. I need a good week.

But as for the British Open I’m absolutely determined to be at Turnberry next year. Britain's a great country and I’ve met some good ‘lads’ – I guess that’s what they call each other over here. Thanks to Mizuno and Golfmagic for letting me share my experience. It was fun.