First, it's a 72-hole tournament.  Although his 2nd and 4th round scores weren't his best, his first round 62 and third round 66 were outstanding, and enough to separate himself from everyone in the field with the exception of Darren Clarke. 

Second, you can't force things on the course.  Clarke was -4 through 5 holes Sunday, and Peter was +1.  He could have easily packed the tent, or tried to take some big risks in an attempt to catch up quickly, but instead plugged along, didn't make any big numbers, and took what the course gave him.  Yes, Clarke blew his lead, but the bottom line is that Peter won at -7, and no one else was able to beat him. 

Third, and maybe most importantly, you can't be afraid to change things up in an attempt to jump start your game.  Peter was really struggling with his long-putter, and just two days before MCI, decided to put the short putter in the bag.  Sometimes a radical change can be just the antidote for your ailing golf game, so don't be afraid to change putting styles (or putters) if you aren't rolling the ball the way you want. 

For all of you, what can be learned is simple.  A club championship, or city tournament, or member/guest, etc... often is 36-54 holes.  Any tournament will offer a golfer various highs and lows, and the key is to stay "level" and keep plugging along, one shot at a time.  Stay in the now.  And at some point, a stroke play tournament could come down to a match play situation.  At that time, you might begin to adjust you strategy to fit what your opponent does.  Until then, play your game and worry only about the things you can control.

© Golf In The Now, Jim Williams. All rights reserved.