Gosh, I wish I could start this post from the end of it!!! What a weekend!
Friday after lunch, Nico and I headed south. Both of us were looking forward to leave Berkeley for the weekend, but for different reasons. He wanted to meet his (now our) Venezuelan friend Marco, and surf and party hard with him in Monterey, while I wanted to get some fresh air and watch Pedro play the Western Intercollegiate at Pasatiempo Golf Course.
The trip was fine and relatively short, which gave us the chance to enjoy a late afternoon and evening in Monterey. We went to the beach and stood by a bonfire, chatting, drinking bears and eating hot dogs and s'mores (ew!!!) - exactly my idealized idea of an evening in that area. That was the only thing I did in Monterey, apart from being awaken and made fun of by tipsy Marco and Nico both nights, around 2:30 am, when the clubs closed and they went back home.
My ride to the golf course both on Saturday and Sunday was with my favorite Pinizzotto family, meaning Matt's mom and dad, the ones who welcomed Pedro and me in their place in my the first weekend in California last summer, and who took us out for dinner in El Pastaio in Beverly Hills during spring break. However, on Saturday, we arranged to meet at the 101 Highway entrance so I made Nico wake up at 6:45 am to take me there. He did it. Gracias amigo!
Let's move to the most important part of the weekend now: Pedro's performance in the tournament. The tournament took place in an amazing golf course close by Santa Cruz, Pasatiempo Golf Course, designed by the same architect that designed Augusta. Coincidence of the coincidences: this tournament took place during the Masters Weekend! Who cares about the Masters if they have a champion playing another tournament during the same weekend?!
Saturday, they played 36 holes without stopping between rounds. They arrived at the golf course before 7 am, had breakfast and practiced for a while, played from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm, had dinner at the golf course, and went back to the hotel to rest and get ready for Sunday's 18 holes. Fans like me did pretty much the same, except from the fact that they arrived slightly later and did not hit amazing golf shots.
UCLA and Cal, respectively my favorite team and the team from my university, played together both days. Pedro played incredibly well throughout the weekend but mainly between holes 4 and 20 of the first day and holes 2 to 18 of the last day. He shot -5, +1 and -2, behaved like a gentleman and made me super proud. There are some interesting facts of the weekend that I would like to point out. 1) Pedro played in the same group as the #1 player in college golf, Michael Kim (and, yes, he beat him!). 2) Pedro started the last round of the day in second place, one stroke behind his teammate and friend Pontus, and made double boogie on the first hole, which made the scenery look not so good. 3) UCLA started the last round leading by quite a few strokes but lost to Cal by a lot of strokes. 4) I don't think I have ever been so nervous in my entire life. 5) Michael Kim started the third round four strokes behind Pedro but he made it to hole 17 only one stroke behind. That was the hole in which, in my opinion, Pedro won the tournament by making a great putt for birdie, pressuring Michael and making him miss his putt, which was shorter and easier. 6) It was the first time I watch Pedro win live such a good tournament, and I couldn't be more proud. Way to go Figgy!!!!!
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