Aloha,

I'm back in Phoenix area after seven weeks on the road. It's funny to say this, but I think my more enjoyable week was the week I spent in Washington, D.C. at the AT&T National as an alternate where I didn't end up getting into the tournament. It was special because it was the first time I had ever been to our nation's capital, and my parents were able to see Washington, D.C. with me.

I made the cut this past week in Reno, and I'm continuing to learn each and every week. Going through swing changes in the middle of the season is something that was needed to be done, but that means that I have to go through a few weeks here where I have to swallow my pride and not hit the prettiest of shots. As many of you amateurs know, it challenges you mentally when you initially don't trust your swing in competition. But the last three weeks I've really felt like I've seen the improvements with all of my ball striking, and I know that I am ready for that breakout week.

Ideally, it would have been nice to have spent this past off-season working on my swing, but I didn't really have that option. Now, though, with my changes, I feel that my foundation much more solid. It's not so much that I'm changing my swing. It's more about changing my setup.

I've tried a few different things throughout the year to get ready for competition. Sometimes, I'll play 18 holes Monday, nine holes Tuesday, and play nine more holes on Wednesday before the Pro Am. Sometimes, I'll just put on my running shoes and walk the course on Wednesday to get a better feel for the set up. Because of my success last year on the Nationwide Tour, I think I developed a good system where I know that I have to have a good routine every week. It's important to realize that you don't have to go out and play 18 holes every day in the practice round. You always want to find a way to have a full tank of gas for Thursday.

I'm looking for a Top 20 next week at Greenesboro. I feel that with a Top 20, I can move into the Fed Ex Cup, which starts in three weeks.

The PGA Championship is this week at Southern Hills. For my pick of the week, I'm going to go with fellow rookie Anthony Kim. I think this is his second major of the year, and I think it's all about if he can hang in there mentally. He's been playing well recently, and I'll be looking out for him.

Mahalo,
Parker