THE Open!!!

What can I say... I am high on life right now.

To say that I had fun watching The British Open in person would be an understatement... It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!

Last Monday I drove down from Glasgow to Southport (just outside of Liverpool). Four hours of driving on the "wrong" side of the road, but this time I had some experience so I did awesome! ...Oh well, there was no one else to rate my performance so you all will have to trust me on this one. The drive was beautiful, the Scottish landscape is much like England's, but with less towns around, so you see bigger pastures and for longer periods of time. Rolling hills, fog, sun at times, rain... you name it, everything was going on in that drive. Made it fun!

I finally made it to John Lennon Airport in Liverpool, where I returned the car and was picked up by Daniel Reilly. Danny also went to the Uni of Central Arkansas and I was one of his coaches when I first started working as one, with the guys' team. For those of you who know Danny and haven't heard from him in a while, let me tell you he is doing great! Finishing school here in England, living with his mom in a nice, cozy house, still working out lots, and with lots of projects and business ideas... which of course I cannot disclose! He is doing great indeed.

Danny lives 5 minutes away from Royal Birkdale, the host course for The British Open this year. That monday he literally took me from the airport straight to the course where he plays now, Southport & Ainsdale, which is in the same piece of land where Royal Birkdale is, to play some golf ourselves! Let me tell you why this was so exciting for me (for all you non-golfers). I'll try to be as brief as possible to not bore you guys to death. S&A is a links type of golf course, just as Royal Birkdale (and every course that hosts the British Open) is. They are called "links" because the golf courses are built in the pice of land that "links" (conecta) the sea with the land. So it is basically sand dunes, and scruffy patches of land, pretty worthless for farming or building towns, but perfect for golf! So S&A was my first ever encounter with a true links golf course... and it was very humbling experience to say the least. I absolutely loved it!

On Wednesday Danny and I went to Liverpool for a little sightseeing. So I visited the docks, and the Mersey river, and the Liverpool stadium, and of course The Cavern, the place where The Beatles first started playing. It is literally a cavern... I mean, you go down through some stairs like 3 floors underground to this hole with no ventilation and smelling of booze and sweat. I can't imagine how it must have been when the allowed smoking in there. But there was the stage where The Beatles played and memorabilia everywhere. Pretty cool stuff.

And then it was time for THE Open...

The history of the tournament just floats around in the air. The scruffiness of the course together with the elements (rain and LOTS of wind) made it very hard for the players and so much fun to watch. I saw pros hit "lateral" shots... saw balls roll off the green because of the wind... I was part of a "search" party for a pro who hit his drive in the "bundai" (I always saw that happening on TV, hilarious)... balls hitting people in the crowd... impossible bunker shots (and a couple of those that went in the hole)... crazy greens... crazy lies (where the golf ball ends up resting)... and I could go on and on telling about little things that drove me bananas, but I will stop. I think you all can get the picture.. I was having the BEST time ever!!! Together with the Fish&Chips (fried fish with french fries) I ate around the course I was in golf heaven.

I got a decent spot on the 18th hole the final day to watch the Open come to an end. I fought this old lady for like an hour to keep my spot... she kept pushing me aside! But I came all the way from Chile.... or Arkansas... or Poland, Spain, Finland, France, Scotland, Germany or WHEREVER to watch the winner lift the trophy and I was not about to give my spot away!!! And I won!!!

Monday I went with Daniel Haughian (my friend from Manchester) to play in Wales! a true links course called Royal St. David's. The course was so much fun, and the place was gorgeous. There was a hill next to the course with an authentic medieval castle overseeing it. Cool stuff. I will post the pictures on my facebook as soon as I can.

And now my friends, I have gone to Chile.... yep, that's right. I came down to renew my passport and spend a little time with my family and friends before returning to the golf scene in Sweden with Felipe the week of Monday August 11th.

My cel phone in Chile is +56-99-291-8968

So the adventure halts for a couple of weeks. I will keep everybody posted when I return to my travels. Please keep me posted on what is happening with you!

see you soon!!

Mo