Join us as we take a tour on the PGA Tour with Parker McLachlin, a former Punahou athlete. McLachlin earned his PGA Tour card for this season. He joins Castle alum Dean Wilson as the only Hawai'i golfers on the PGA Tour. McLachlin, Waikoloa's touring pro, will write his impressions on events that he's just completed and tournaments that are upcoming on his calendar.

Aloha from Scottsdale,

This is my first week off in a month, and my second week off in eight weeks. I've played six out of the last seven weeks, and I'm excited to be here in Arizona for a few weeks to get some much needed rest. It never hurts to sleep in your own bed. That's a nice change.

Last week was Jack Nicklaus' tournament, The Memorial, and it was one of the toughest courses I have seen all year. It felt like a U.S. Open. The rough was 7 inches thick and the greens had to have been rolling at 14 or 15 on a stimpmeter. It was probably some of the thickest rough I have ever, ever seen. It was a major championship setup ... which in turn definitely doesn't make it that much fun for the players! Instead of having to make a 10-footer for birdie, I found myself having to make 10-footers for par. That is never fun.

I got to play Saturday with Dean Wilson. That was really fun. It was the first time we have ever played together in a PGA Tour event. We had already played a practice round together on Tuesday, and there we were on Saturday paired together. Dean and I are good friends, and we spent time on Saturday talking about what was going on in Hawai'i. Because the course was such a grind, we didn't get much time to chat. We were out there fighting for our lives. I think I shot 77 and Dean 82. If this had been any other tournament, we would have spent more time relaxing and talking about Hawai'i.

Then, after a rough Sunday, I went to U.S. Open qualifying right there in Columbus. We had to play 36 holes in one day and there were 80-plus players competing for 23 spots. Now that I look back on it, it would have been better had I missed the cut and been fresh for the qualifier. I didn't have my best stuff that day, and when you are out there for 36 holes, you just can't skate by without your best stuff. While I missed qualifying I did get to play with Jay Haas, who had won the previous two weeks on the Champions Tour and who is the father of one of my friends, Bill, another PGA Tour player. Neither of us succeeded, but it was really enjoyable playing with him. As for the U.S. Open, my pick is Matt Kuchar. He's playing great golf and drives it really straight. I hope he has great success at Torrey Pines.

I'm looking forward to three weeks off. I may head out to Carlsbad, Calif., to the Titleist headquarters to get fitted for the new Titleist driver, which is debuting during the U.S. Open. Also, I may head back home to see you all in Hawai'i for a couple of days.

Mahalo for now,

Parker

Parker McLachlin can be reached at www.parkermclachlin.com