Kyle MacLachlan's Dunhill Links blog: Day three - Kingsbarns

Published on Thursday 1 October 2009 18:02

Desperate Housewives star Kyle MacLachlan has agreed to blog exclusively for scotsman.com throughout this year's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship . . .

Sunday 4 October, 1715hrs

Kingsbarns

There were just moments where Paul (McGinley) and I just didn't quite deliver the way we're supposed to but, that said, we felt like we played very well and delighted he'll be in tomorrow's final. Sadly for me, the tournament has come to an end for another year.

The course (Kingsbarns) played beautifully today and the weather was fantastic so we can't complain about that. This is one of the more picturesque courses of the three that we play. I had some really good shots – and a few really bad ones. My driver was behaving itself today for the most part but my irons, in particular short irons, were a bit off. I think lack of play and lack of practice took their toll. My caddy, Simon Holt, gave me some good tips today – it helped me make a couple of putts and was able to contribute on some of my stroke holes. As an amateur that is what you want to be able to do.

There was one good birdie played at number 10. I strung together three good shots in a row which, as an amateur, is what you strive to do and what you most appreciate in how the pros play the game. I also made a really terrific sand save on number two, the par three. I knocked it to within just a few feet away and sunk the follow up putt from the left. I felt that was the shot of the tournament for me.

David Howells and I closed down the driving range last night and he kept saying to me 'just get the club head past your body.' That little tip worked as a trigger for me, improving my release and preventing me from pulling the ball to the right quite as much as I had been.

So it's back to the real word but I am excited as I'll get to see my wife and little boy, who is 14 months - I really miss him. He's got some plastic golf clubs and he also got hold of my wedges last week which he seemed to like. As long as he doesn't do any damage to the house, he's welcome to use them.

I'm back to work next week, filming Desperate Housewives in Los Angeles over the week ahead.

You get such a sense of tranquillity playing golf in Scotland which is always such a great experience for me. I hope I'll get an invitation for next year. I will be back without a moment's notice.

Friday 2 October, 1730hrs

St Andrews

I played poorly yesterday at Carnoustie but fared much better here today at the Old Course. Before the round I had a short lesson with Bob Torrance over on the range and he got me thinking about something that was missing in my swing.

So for the better part of the day I was able to incorporate that into my game but towards the end of the day – apart from number 18, where I had a very good drive – I slipped back into my old habits. But overall I played better and it felt better today.

As far as highlights today, along with some of those decent drives I hit early in the game, I also hit a delicate little pitch on hole seven. It just set in nicely and then I made the putt in. That was certainly one of the very nice moments today.

We were quite lucky with the weather. We were expecting rain but it held off. It was quite chilly but I thought it was a great day for St Andrews. We were all talking about the light here and how it is so specific to Scotland and specific to this course. The quality of that light is all part of what makes the Old Course so special to play.

We play Kingsbarns tomorrow. It's a spectacular course, Paul (McGinley) and I always partner well there. Two years ago we picked up 10 strokes there and played some wonderful golf. Hopefully Paul will be able to continue because he's hitting the ball so well.

When he hits his irons it's like he's throwing darts at the holes. I definitely feel a surge in my game when he's playing so well. We've known each other for a long time and we fire each other up on the course. Hopefully I'll be able to contribute tomorrow so we end up somewhere near the final cut.

Thursday 1 October, 1655hrs

Carnoustie

In terms of how I played my game, I have to say it was a frustrating day for me on Carnoustie today.

We held at minus four but it was all down to Paul McGinley, my playing partner. I was only really able to help him on just one hole. He had taken a bogie and I was able to make a par and then we shared birdies on the 10th and that was the extent of my contribution today.

I really hit the ball poorly and only hit two or three shots where the ball really behaved the way it's supposed to but otherwise I felt I was all over the place.

It was just one of those days where I was hitting it very well on the range but unfortunately I was unable to carry that through to the course. That has really been my Achilles Heel.

While there weren't a lot of high points in my game today, I did hit a very nice drive on hole number one, to within about four feet from the green and then putted in. That was the only hole where I felt like a real golfer!

I always look forward to Carnoustie – it's a challenging course where you need to place the ball perfectly. If you mess up it is very difficult to recover and, sadly for me, I am a testament to that today.

On the plus side, the weather was spectacular today and playing conditions were excellent. The course is immaculate. These are my favourite greens in the world to putt on and they were really rolling beautifully.

This is an event that I look forward to all year. The day after we finish the tournament I'll start thinking about next year and how I can get here. I work very hard to get here. I work on my game, my fitness level and I put a lot of pressure on the people at Desperate Housewives to let me get the time off.

Kyle MacLachan

• Full report on all today's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship action

Wednesday 30 September, 1700hrs

St Andrews

Playing in this tournament is like going to heaven as far as I am concerned, and after practising on a beautiful day at Kingsbarns today I cannot wait for the action to start.

This is my fifth Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, and having to miss last year's event really made me want to come back again this time. I'm so glad I am here now.

I am partnering Paul McGinley once more, as I have in all my previous appearances in this tournament, and that is also special because he is a good friend. I understand he did a wonder ful job as captain of the Great Britain and Ireland team at last week's Seve Trophy.

Paul and I came third in the team competition in the very first Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, back in 2001. We were actually leading after the first three days.

Then, two years ago when I last played, we finished right on the cut line after the first three rounds but missed out on getting into the top 20 (who then play on the final day at St Andrews) on countback. So, this time, it is a real aim to try to get to play on the last day again!

How did my practice go today? Well, it was my usual stuff: some really good golf and some really bad. I have a handicap of nine, but I certainly didn't play to that today! I was many, many strokes over. But I still had a string of pars at one stage, so it wasn't too bad overall. That's me, though: a run of pars and then a couple of disasters!

I think that people who watch me for the first time, and see me do a couple of pars, might think I am a bit of a bandit off nine. Then they see the next few holes, and realise that I'm not.

One of the real joys of this tournament is standing next to the pros on the practice range and marvelling at their rhythm and tempo. I was next to Rory McIlroy at Kingsbarns this morning, before my round, and he made a huge impression on me. He is so supple and strikes the ball so magnificently.

When I'm hitting balls next to those sort of guys I'm just hoping some of their rhythm and tempo rubs off. I think a bit of it must do, to be honest, and it was playing in this event back in 2001 – after about 25 years of not playing very much – that reawakened my love of golf.

It made me realise just how a golf ball should, and could, be struck and it brought me back to golf. Again, that's why I love coming back to play here.

• Fairway to heaven: Kyle speaks to Lee Randall ahead of this year's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship