No one really knows what happened but the truth is that third ranked UCLA, after 54 holes, were 26th in the NCAA Championship. In a tournament were only the 8 best teams could advance to the match play phase, the bruins had to go back home earlier than expected. What would be the best way to comfort them (specially my favorite senior in the team) for the bad result? Probably going down to LA for the weekend...
I flew down on Friday, and arrived there at lunch time to have a great weekend. Friday was Jonathan's birthday and we celebrated by having the best sandwiches in town for lunch in Bay Cities Deli, mexican food and margaritas for dinner at Pink Taco, and some more drinks at Matt's, Preston's, Manav's and Anton's place in Westwood. Saturday was study/work out day for me and study/practice day for Pedro. To make the day less boring, we went out for dinner with Bob and Kez - sushi happy hour in a Japanese restaurant in Westwood.
On Sunday, it was time to go down to Newport Beach, where Pedro would play the sectional qualifying for the US Open, one of the four golf majors in professional golf, the following day. I spent the day studying, first at home and then in a Starbucks next to the golf course where he played the practice round. Later in the afternoon, we did some shopping with Jonathan, and had an amaaaaazing dinner at Fleming's, sponsored by Jon's and Jake's parents. Jonathan and Jake were playing the qualifying too and, since their parents were in town to caddie for them and watch them play, they invited Pedro and me for a fancy dinner. One cannot believe how exciting it is for me to have fish here in the US...
Jake invited us to stay at his place so that we didn't have to pay for a hotel room. Actually, we decided not to look for a hotel before dinner exactly because we were expecting him to invite us to stay over. #lifeofacollegestudent. Haha.
On Monday, we woke up at 4:45 am. At 5 am, we were the only ones at iHop, where Pedro had an omelet and an orange juice for breakfast. I decided to eat just before his first round started, at 7 am. Pedro played pretty well, made very few mistakes, but did not qualify for the US Open by two strokes. It is the second year in a row that he is that close to qualify for that tournament. Maybe next year! (À terceira é de vez.) I was proud of him anyways. People keep complimenting him while he plays, because he is such a gentleman. The day was very nice, I got to walk many, many miles, as I like, and we got to spend the day together. Can't complain
Everytime I go down to the Newport Beach area I think of my parents and how they would like to go there. It's a golf and beach paradise in a still quite urban and very wealthy area. One day, I will take them there for some nice vacations.
Monday evening, we arrived in Westwood pretty late, packed and went straight to bed. Walking 36 holes is not a joke and we had to wake up at 4:15 am the next day to go to the airport.
A week from now, I will be back in LA for Pedro's birthday and graduation. Two weeks from now, I will be back home, celebrating Mom's 50th anniversary!
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