2005 Open Championship - Round 2

I'm going to a place on Sunday that I know I'll enjoy. Unfortunately, it's not to the first tee at the Old Course since I've missed the cut in the Open after my 75 in the second round. I'll be heading to Tuscany in Italy for a five-day holiday with my wife Bricia. I've never been there. I can use the holiday, because I didn't have a very good time the last couple of days. It wasn't fun, for sure.

Everybody's been asking what's wrong with my game since the Masters, a period in which I've missed six of the last seven cuts. The way I look at it, there's a little bit wrong with every part of my game. It's not one thing in particular, although I do think the major problem is in my short game and putting.

I'm just not striking the ball as solidly as I'd like, so I'm hitting the ball too far from the hole. The problem compounds itself because I try to force things and hit the ball closer to the hole, because I'm also not putting that well. So I start to force things, and the result is the scores I've been posting. I made only four birdies in 36 holes this week, not near enough. And I made way too many bogies, a lot of them on three-putts. You're going to three-putt at the Old Course because the greens are so big, but I missed a lot of five and six-footers.

But still, I started in the second round with what I thought were some good birdie chances. I left a few putts dead centre, and then I started missing the shorter putts.

I'm not feeling as good over the ball as I'd like, especially around the greens and when I'm putting. I don't know how to explain this, except that I'm not as freed up as I'd like. I'm not seeing the line as well as I normally do.

When you don't see the line, you don't hit real solid putts. Here you have to hit solid putts, otherwise the grain catches the ball and sends it off line. The ball has to track here to stay on line.

I'm concerned about how I'm playing, but I know I'll work it out. My coach Mike Wilson will work with me in Utah after my holiday. He might stay there a couple of weeks or I might play the second week. I'll see how I'm doing. I might not play until the PGA Championship next month, or I might put a tournament in there.

A few people have asked me whether I'm worried that I might not make the Presidents Cup team this year. I love that event, and I want to make the team. But given the way I've been playing, I've put myself in a position that it's not certain I will. The Presidents Cup is a nice bonus for playing well, so that's what I need to do. If I start to play well, it will happen.

Anybody who knows me knows that my career has always been about struggling, from the time I was on the Canadian Tour. It took me time to battle through things, but I always did. That's what I'll always be about. I'll consult my notes�I'm a great note-taker�and I'll watch videos to see where I might be going wrong.

I think back to 2003, when I won twice before winning the Masters. That was a great year, but it came on the heels of my having a poor year in 2003. I believe the reason I had such a successful 2003 is because of my struggles the year before.

There's a reason why I'm not playing well now and when I break through it I'll be better for it. I look forward to the challenge, although I wish things were different. I came to St. Andrews expecting to play better in a place and tournament I relish. That didn't happen, but I know one thing for sure.

I'll break through this. I'm frustrated, and I don't like the feeling. So I'll do something about it. I'll figure it out, and I'll come back stronger than ever.

As always, thanks for your support.

Mike Weir