My shoes wore out. Following the Scheffler/Day/Lee group for the final 6 holes of their 2nd round was like being involved in some sort of mass movement. People jockeying, outsmarting, speeding ahead, staking out their spots. It was orderly and deliberate, outside the ropes, quiet and muttering, uptight and awkward. I bailed for the final hole, enough is enough, the heat was picking up, I was out of water, it was almost noon, I was hungry.
Then, the Theory Of Proximity was validated once again. Big Cat Chuck sends me a note regarding a suite ticket for the 17th Choctaw Casino Par 3, the most preferred ticket at the tournament, the most coveted, right by the green, lit and tricked up, short and unpredictable. He knew a somebody that knew a somebody else that knew the right people for the right reasons. Evidently, I wasn't his first call, but I was on the semi-short list, and on a Friday my flexible occupation as a writer served me well, I was already on scene. He appreciated my "responsiveness".
The air conditioning was cranked to the maximum in the Choctaw Suite, immediately I felt God Himself was involved. Iced down Hawaiian Lagers with limes, roasted chicken slathered in mushroom sauce, sliced pork bellies, cold crisp cucumber salad, delicious brownies, chewy chocolate chip cookies, TV monitors, and staff. We stayed put for 4 hours, we saw group after group, the hole won most of the time, lots and lots of pars, several birdies, and a few mopey bogies, I ate twice, I drank a six pack. Professional Scott Piercy visited after his round, doing his endorsement rounds, hung out like a champ for half an hour, gave me insights, gave me scoop, answered all my question, all my follow-ups; I pressed and pressed, he was completely poised and unflappable, courteous and classy. He's in the Top 10 for the weekend at -9, Scheffler leads at -14, Noh shot a 74 and fell back to -8.