Just as I did with Rob Labritz during the PGA Championship in May, this week I’m turning my column space over to Top 25 Instructor and LPGA and PGA Master Professional Alison Curdt, who competes in her sixth consecutive KPMG Women’s PGA Championship June 20-23 at Hazeltine Country Club in Chaska, Minnesota. Each day Alison — who teaches at Wood Ranch Golf Club in Southern California, is a licensed psychotherapist and in 2018 became the LPGA’s Teaching & Club Professionals Vice President — will tell us what it’s like preparing for and teeing it up alongside the world’s best female players.
By Alison Curdt
Conditions were a bit better today for the second round, but the wind kicked up pretty fiercely for the second nine.
To give you a picture of how strong the wind was—for a 183 yard par 3 I hit a solid, strong 3 hybrid to about 160 yards. Then when we were downwind I cranked a drive 287 yards! So it was definitely an obstacle to manage on the course.
Holes 16, 17, 18 are a true finishing test, and the length of the course is the longest in history for this championship, over 6,800 yards. There were certainly a lot of hybrid shots hit into the green.
Its amazing how this golf course maintained excellent condition with the amount of rain that fell the previous day. The putting greens were so pure that I felt like any putt that was started on a decent line was sure to drop. Fun to play on a surface that is so extraordinary.
With a mid-morning tee time I was hopeful for a solid round of play, but sadly started off struggling. I finished my second 9 fairly strong, leaving a better taste in my mouth.
Although I didn’t make the cut for this championship, I’ll be staying through the weekend to present a trophy to the low club professional from the LPGA T&CP division. As the National Vice-President it will be an honor to stand on the green and represent my fellow club professionals.
I was happy my parents came up to watch me play and spend some time with me, and still enjoying catching up with my college teammate.
Tomorrow we will go and follow some friends who did make the cut, and check out The Mall of America — a Minneapolis landmark! Sunday will be tied up with prepping for the awards ceremony and seeing who will take home the title of Champion.
See Alison Curdt’s tip on pulling off two cool trouble shots
