Daily Log - Friday

8:42 AM

Park in Lot A. We’re on a totally different side of the church today. Where it was park and get on the shuttle, now it’s park, walk to the other side of the church, go through security get on the shuttle and wait for it to fill up. On my trek to the security tent, I notice that you can already feel the bass from music on the golf course. Gates don’t open to the public until 9:30 AM. 

8:59 AM

Walking into a nearly empty Media Center. Is three hours too early for a shotgun start? 

9:12 AM

TJ Eckert and Michelle Montaine (KTUL) arrive. They are my table buddies for the week.

9:25 AM

Brekkie. Sausage and egg biscuit. Flat White from my favorite coffee machine to wash it down.

9:30 AM

The music starts for real and the gates open. 

10:05 AM

I head out for the first time. Not many participants are out on the range, but there are plenty of people filing in early. 

10:45 AM

I leave the practice green to take a call, and two rent-to-hire security guards won’t let me back in. Apparently, I don’t have the correct media credentials. 

11:02 AM

Back at the Media Center to write. 

11:55 AM

Meet wife and baby by the entrance gates. They wanted an idea of what we’re getting into before we bring the entire family on Sunday. 

11:58 AM

We make it to the first tee just in time to watch the Frog X parachute team landing on the No. 1 and No. 18 fairways. 

12:01 PM

Talor Gooch is now on the first tee. A sizable crowd is filling in around the tee box. Music is loud. Vibes are high. 

12:15 PM

We step over to 18 green with Peter Uihlein, Charles Howell III and Matt Wolff are putting out. The video board on the south side of the green is MASSIVE.

12:25 PM

Over to No. 2 for a minute before it begins to rain. Wife and the baby aren’t having it, so I walk them back to the front gate so they can catch the shuttle. 

1:15 PM

Lunch. Waldorf salad. Refreshing.

1:25 PM
Write.

2:15 PM

Back out to catch more action. I head over to the Birdie Shack behind No. 9 green. Ian Poulter has moved into the top 10 at -3. It’s beginning to drizzle again.

3:20 PM

Media Center. I’ve sweat through two hats today. Talor Gooch, the (kind of) hometown kid, has dropped three shots and is back to even before a nice birdie putt at 13.

3:50 PM

Snack time. Milky Way and an espresso. Gooch just rolled in another to get to -2 with five holes to play.

4:30 PM

Head to the breakout interviews. Dustin Johnson, Talor Gooch, Brendan Steele and Branden Grace have great things to say about the Tulsa crowds.

5:15 PM

Chat with Mal Baker on the range. Has some great thoughts about the day and how he and Talor Gooch can position themselves for a run on the weekend.

5:30 PM

Back to the Media Center to write. Lainey Wilson is BLASTING across the main lawn. Good crowd. 

6:45 PM 

Find the shuttle back to Lot A. More to come tomorrow.