Following the Rising Career of Professional Golfer, Brooke Baker: I can see Detroit!

Hey y'all, I'm back in the grand ol' U.S. of A! Back from where they dip beavers wearing toques in maple syrup before calling on the Mounties to round up the polar bears... or something like that.

After a loud shaky flight from Toronto, I arrived in Windsor and could literally see Detroit across the river. My local volunteer caddy for the week's CN Women's Canadian Tour event was nice enough to pick me up from the airport. We went to lunch at Swiss Chalet... helloooo yummy chicken everything! Not focused on fried chicken like KFC, it had tons of dishes that combined the delicious bird in pastas, salads, soups, and the French Canadian version of chili cheese fries called "Poutin." I mean, when in Canada, do like Canadians... right?

I had a great practice round at Ambassador Golf Club and was glad to be working well with my local caddy. It was also fun to catch up with my former high school teammate from Oklahoma there competing. Heading into the 1st round I felt extremely determined to stay patient in the very windy conditions and commit to every shot before I hit. Knowing now again after the event near Montreal that telling myself to commit is NOT the same as doing it, I worked hard to literally clear my mind, look at the target, feel committed, and let athleticism take over to hit the shot. By doing that process much more successfully and staying patient I finished the round at Even Par. Yes, I did stop the 1st round self-sabotage pattern! I was especially proud of how I managed my feelings of frustration when I got to the 17th tee. After making back to back bogies on #15 and #16, I refused to succumb to having a round-killing finish in the wind. I took a few deep breaths, making myself feel calm and in the present, on the way to making back to back birdies on #17 and #18. Every round can always be lower, but it was a great feeling to know that I stuck to my plan, kept it simple, and managed my emotions to be more consistent. Still in the hunt entering the final round, I was ready to take it low and challenge the top of the leader board. I made a few "boondoggle" swings, and didn't get all the putts to fall, but finishing at even par again placed me 12th overall at the end of the tournament. It felt great to rebound from the event near Montreal and apply what I learned in my process. "Hey Brooke, guess what? Par is STILL your friend!" I bet it always will be.

Time to practice before stamping my passport again for the Women's Canadian PGA Championship!

BB

"Go in the hole!!!!" Just kidding... kind of...

#15 at Ambassador Golf Club in Windsor, Ontario

Flying over the Caribbean? Or Lake St. Clair near Windsor?

Worst part about Canada? They don't have ESPN anywhere on "U.S. Open/ NC State vs UNC College World Series" Sunday evening, so you have someone videochat broadcast the baseball game to you!