Player blog: Sean O'Hair
Editor's note: Sean O'Hair has been writing a blog this year for PGATOUR.COM. He's at THE PLAYERS Championship this week and took time out from his preparation to file another installment. O'Hair took the lead into the third round at TPC Sawgrass last year but finished 11th after a water-logged adventure at the 17th hole.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Obviously, it's great being back here. It's a great golf tournament, and it's basically a major championship. The golf course is in great condition, too. I think the greens might be the best I've seen -- ever. And I really think my game is in better shape than it was last year. I think my mind is better, and I think my game is definitely better. So I am really looking forward to getting started on Thursday.
The Stadium course is a great course for me. I really feel like I will win here sometime. You step on certain courses, and it just seems to fit. It's like a shoe. Sometimes you'll get the same size shoe that you wear in a different brand and it won't fit right. That's kind of the way it is with golf courses.
You think that certain golf courses fit you, but they don't. Take Quail Hollow, which hosts the Wachovia Championship. You'd think it would fit me, but it doesn't. This golf course here at the TPC Sawgrass, I get on it and I just feel comfortable. I feel comfortable with the way it looks and the way it plays, the greens, everything. If I don't feel confident coming in, I seem to feel more confident on this type setup.
It's just one of those funny things in golf. You either feel good or you don't, and this is one that I really like.
I came here for a few days to practice before the Masters. In case you were wondering, I spent most of my time on the range. I only played about four holes -- and none of those was the 17th. I wasn't avoiding it, though. It's just that the greens weren't in great shape like they are now. They were longer and slower, and the fairways were a little bit shaggy. So it just kind of worked out that way.
I did play No. 17 in a practice round yesterday, and I made par. I hit it about 20 feet and two-putted. I don't think it's going to bother me. Last year is last year. Even if you win, like Phil Mickelson did, last year is last year. You've got to focus on this week. We're playing the '08 PLAYERS, not the '07. And, obviously, it's something you want to learn from, but you can't dwell on it. So I feel fine.
The first couple of days after THE PLAYERS Championship was over last year were difficult. I'll admit it. But you just try and learn from the greats. The greats -- they learn from bad experiences, they learn from good experiences and they just try to continue to get better and better.
Life's too short to dwell on the negative stuff, and it isn't going to make you a better player, either. These guys are just too darn good and they work too hard to sit back there and give them an edge. So I want to try to get as good as I can and get stronger mentally and physically. What doesn't kill you makes you strong -- that's what people always say. Losing is not something that you want to go through, but it's definitely something you want to learn from, and I have.
I talked with Tiger and Steve Elkington after THE PLAYERS Championship last year. I just wanted to get a different player's perspective on it, and I respect their opinions. I was just curious to see what they would have done. So I just called and said, "Hey, can I use some of your time? I just wanted to get your opinion on No. 17 -- what would you have done? Here's the scenario, what do you think?" I was just looking for some advice.
They pretty much said the same thing -- not so much play it safe, but just pick your times. If you were to ask me what it takes to win out here; well, on this golf course it takes patience and it takes knowing when to fire at the pin and when not to fire at the pin. They basically just said you have to know when to be aggressive and when not to be aggressive. Next time, pick your time a little bit better. And I can't wait for that next time.
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