Reasons to be cheerful playing with the big boys

At last, tangible evidence that I have what it takes to play with the big boys on the US Tour. I won't say that I have finally discovered the secret of success, but my performance in the Canadian Open - where I finished in tied-13th place - shows that I've learned from some of the hard lessons of the first few months of my rookie season on tour.

God, I was on cloud nine walking off the 18th green at Glen Abbey in Ontario on Sunday after shooting a final round of 68 and, wouldn't you know it, there was a chap from Portumna waiting by the recorder's tent to inform me that Offaly had just won the All-Ireland. A double reason to walk on air.

The bottom line is that I collected over $35,000 in prizemoney in Canada - and, would you believe, that if I'd finished just one shot better, it would have meant another $20,000. That's the sort of money you're talking about at the top end of the leaderboard. I was thrilled, nevertheless, with my pay cheque which is the biggest of my career so far and gives me plenty of incentive over the next few weeks to retain my card. I figure I need around $200,000 to keep my tour card, so I have another $90,000 or so to go. But my spirits have never been higher.

What's the secret? Well, it is nothing that you can put your finger on immediately but it has a lot to do with self-belief. I've always had confidence in my own ability. However, there are other things you can only learn from the hard knocks of life. And I'm convinced that I am a tougher and better player now. The most important aspect of playing professional golf is to do well over the weekend. For the first time this year, I can genuinely say that I did that in Canada, putting together rounds of 70 and 68 on a tough course. I had started off with an opening round of 70 and followed up with a 75 which may sound like a bad day. However, the winds were blustery and reaching up to 40 miles an hour in force, so I scrambled well and was pleased to make the cut by a shot.

There was a time when I believed it was great to be just around for the weekend. My targets are now higher, and that probably helped me last weekend. I now realise that there are basically two tournaments in one: the first to survive the cut, the second to get among the movers and shakers where the real money is on offer.

I also acquired a new putter and I adopted a softer, slower swing on my putts. I was thoroughly focused on the greens and I made more than my usual share of putts. You know the old adage, "drive for show, putt for dough". It's true. Apart from putting well, I also used very good course management - opting to use the 3-wood off the tee far more frequently than the driver. It was a long, tight course and I liked it.

I'd played with Fuzzy Zoeller on the Saturday and he is one of the best friends that I have made on the tour. I was relaxed, he got the crowd going and we chatted the whole way round. So, I was in pretty good form heading into Sunday's final round and set myself a target of finishing five under par, and I did. Making the putts makes all the difference.

This performance comes after a relatively frustrating spell for me. I failed to capitalise on my good position heading into the final round of the Pebble Beach and was fortunate to make a cheque at all; then I missed the cut by one point in the Sprint International (which is run on a modified stableford system). I was on the front page of the leaderboard on the second day of the Greater Vancouver Open but finished with three bogeys in three holes and had a double bogey early on in the third round which took the wind out of my sails. I had 66 good holes and six bad ones and only made around $5,000.

However, I am pleased with the way I have responded and I must admit that Travis, my caddie, has been top notch. He encourages, and yet works me hard.

I'm in a good mindset at present and looking forward to this week's tournament in a place called EnJoie, which is upstate New York. I arrived at the course yesterday and played in the pro-am and will play another few holes today and then hit the range. Last weekend's performance has come at a good time because it will help me in the reranking and should ensure that I get into most of the tournaments to the end of the season.

I estimate I need to win another $90,000 and I obviously require more weeks like the one just gone to achieve that. I'm going to play in the BC Open this week, then the Texas Open next week followed by one in Georgia, the Las Vegas International and finally the Walt Disney Classic. It is a good run of tournaments and retaining my card without going back to the tour school is very much in my own hands.

The top 125 at the end of the season keep their cards - but there is also a zone between 125 and 150 who go straight back to the final qualifying school without having to go through pre-qualifying I and pre-qualifying II. That, at least, would be a cushion.

However, I am adopting a far more positive approach. I realise that there are two separate tournaments in a tournament and the second one is the pay day. My form in Ontario has confirmed that I can do it, play with the best, and I'm going to try hard to make it.

(In an interview with Philip Reid).