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Mental Slip Costs Me the Lead - 14.08.04       

One mental slip cost me the lead at the halfway stage of the US PGA.
 I’d worked on where to aim during practice and the approach on the par five 11th, my second after playing the back nine first, was to be sent towards a television tower.
 I thought I’d hit a perfect three iron and when I said it was, my caddie Billy Foster said he thought it was a bit right.   “It never left the tower,” I replied.   Halfway down the fairway he said:  ‘You do know which television tower I was referring to?’  The one on the right, I said.   ‘No, it should have been the one on the left’.
 It really was my fault because I didn’t really pay that much attention, but when we got to my ball it really was in a horrendous spot.   I pulled it left into a bunker and the ball finished in te middle of a hole and I couldn’t get it out first time.
  An early double bogey had not been in my plans, but all in all a one-under-par 71 was pretty good especially after the start.  I stayed patient throughout and didn’t go at any silly flags.
 Now I’m really looking forward to the weekend.   The score that wins it very much depends on the weather.   If it blows hard like it did at the start of the week then two level par rounds may well be enough.  About 10 under would win in those conditions, but if it doesn’t blow then we’re looking at minus 14.
 Somebody asked afterwards if I thought it was a compliment to be considered the best player not to have won a Major.   It is not at all derogatory, but I think there are a few other guys who have a better claim to that title than me.  Whoever wants to say it, however, is all right by me.
 Hopefully by Sunday somebody will be asking if I am the best player to have won only one grand slam title.

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