That Guy

• By Big Break
• Oct 5, 2012 9:29 AM ET

What a roller coaster. Being out on tour getting a call to be on the show, then two weeks later being in West Virginia and starting to stare at the reality of being part of well....reality television that is. Things just happened so fast.

I had many emotions running through my head of how I wanted to go about this 'game'. But really, I just wanted to play golf. I couldn't quite wrap my mind around the fact that this was a one and done deal. I mean you’re not playing 18 holes, or even 9. You are hitting one, maybe two shots for all we knew, and hoping it was good enough. So I just wanted to develop a solid swing right away and hopefully parlay that into good things.

I wasn't nervous about hitting the shots, or even having all the people and cameras around. As you can see I put great swings together. I think it was more the first show and just trying to get in the rhythm of how the day goes. On the glass break challenge I was last and had to wait for what felt like days, just thinking, and over-thinking, and doing it all over again. If you saw, the first four guys are the ones that had the best scores. That was an obvious advantage for them.

I'm aggressive by nature (I take aim at the pins) and looking back on the second challenge, I wanted to knock it stiff and be done with the competition, when really all I had to do was hit to the front yardage with the wind, and the slope of the green. That was a mental error. In a "normal" round of golf, I more than likely would have thought it through! In the playoff here, I tried to outsmart them and I felt just as comfortable with the 190 yard-shot.  So looking back, I should have taken that.  But it was a strategy that backfired.  Nothing I can do but tip my hat to Stu and Squatch!

That is how golf is. It sent me to elimination and being the "nice guy" that I am, I wasn't expecting to have to pick another friend to join me. Talk about tough. When playing someone, I want to beat them in every aspect of the game, but calling them out in front of everyone else is an entirely new ball game.

I picked Isaac. Let me say I love this guy. He's a big teddy bear. It was nothing more than I had to pick someone, and Stu was “puring” it better than ever on the range.  Brian, I hadn't seen play a whole lot so I didn't know what to expect from him. Isaac is the only one where I knew what I was getting into. Long, consistent, touch.  I knew he had it all. But if you want to be the best, you got to beat the best!

I hit the drive a little bit thin but good enough to keep it straight and still in a good yardage to go for it in two. Hit a really solid approach right where I was aiming, and didn't get the wind I thought I had. I didn’t hit a good enough bunker shot to run out, just poorly judged on my part as I thought it would run out down the side hill more. And finally, I left the putt just a roll short of falling.  That was the story.

Bottom line is I am "that guy" to America. I hate losing, but I am OK with it this time, only because I had to be.  I got a chance to meet great guys and Golf Channel selecting me was something I felt blessed by.

Just know that golf is not who I am, golf is what I do.

Have a great day!

Derek Bohlen