I can verify that there are some very large iguanas at the Puerto Rico Open, having encountered a few myself. This guy isn’t even that big, but I’d sure not want to mess with him!
I’ve just uploaded another batch of photos to the HOG 2010 Puerto Rico Open Photo Gallery, bringing the total to almost 250. In this batch are a bunch of shots from when I followed John Daly around. Boy was that fun. This guy has so much raw talent it is sick. Just looking at his technique in some of the still images I captured shows very well why this guy is so good. When he hits the ball it makes a different sound than when other players do.
I called this post “Part 1” because I plan on doing a few updates today. But I’d rather spend my time on the course seeing the action and taking photos, than sit here in the press room looking at the backs of golf writers’ heads. With that in mind I won’t be in the press room for extended periods of time writing for hours. I’ll do that later. Time to gather content.
Tournament Status
Even though it is Saturday and the action has been going today for a few hours, the first round hasn’t been completed. In fact, some players haven’t even started their first round.
Above: Rocco Mediate chips close on the par-5 5th hole, en route to birdie.
Rain
By 2pm on the first day of play Thursday over six inches of rain had rendered the course uplayable. There are unconfirmed reports that there’s been over 14 inches of rain this week. Just to put that in perspective, the YEARLY rain fall for my home state of Utah is just over 15 inches.
The play I did watch yesterday was greatly affected by the standing water. I saw players’ drives hit the fairway and bounce backwards. They’re playing preferred lies due to the massive amount of water in the ground.
Notables
Skip Kendall is in the house, leading after his first round with a -7 65. There are a handful players sitting at -5. John Daly is in the field. His first round is done and he’s at -3. (Pictured right: Steve Flesch ponders his last shot from a greenside bunker.)
My Status
I have a terrible cold and cough. I feel like I’m going to hack out a lung soon. I went roughly two days without sleep and nearly 24 hours without food, getting here and doing the gig yesterday (Friday). Then I had a few too many adult beverages at the cocktail party. I was weak from being so tired and having not eaten. I woke up at 4:30am with a massive headache. I was obviously dehydrated this morning because I chugged about a gallon of water and “cramberry” (local spelling) juice. I’m good now though. I’m uploading about 90 photos from yesterday to the HOG Puerto Rico Open Gallery right now and then I’m off to hit the course.
12:14am: I’m waiting for my 12:50am red eye flight from Salt Lake to Atlanta. Just getting to this point was difficult. The agency which booked my ticket had my first name wrong, and misspelled my last name. Over 1.5 hours on the phone with Delta Airlines and they were no help. It was looking like I’d have to bail, or cancel the ticket and pay full fare at the window.
Fortunately a red jacket Delta guy helped out and fixed my name at the ticket counter. That part was great, but I’m very disappointed in the fact that I was on hold for over 1.5 hours on the phone with no results. Not cool.
The plain is boarding. Time to go. See you in the ATL.
7:30am ET: In Atlanta. The red eye flight has produced… red eyes. I’m trying to decide if I should have a Latte or not. May sleep on the flight to PR. Flight leaves in an hour.
Next post will be from Puerto Rico. It has been raining hard there. Yesterday’s opening round of the Puerto Rico Open was suspended due to heavy rain. The forecast is for rain the next three days. I packed my rain gear.
I’m happy to announce I’ve been confirmed to attend and cover the PGA Tour Puerto Rico Open. I’ll be down at the Trump International Golf Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico next weekend.
Being that I consider myself a blogger and not a journalist, I’m going to try and cover this in a way other than how the regular, stuffy and predictable golf media would. Anyone can tell you who birdied #15, and I probably will do some of that. But I want to find some angles which normal press simply doesn’t cover. Feel free to comment here if there’s something you’d like to see or hear about.
Stay tuned. I’m very excited for this opportunity. I’m going to try and get a round of golf in at one of the Trump courses there too, obviously for the pleasure of playing but for more content as well.
Notables
I’m happy to announce I’ve been confirmed to attend and cover the PGA Tour Puerto Rico Open. I’ll be down at the Trump International Golf Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico next weekend.
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