June 2, 2005

DUBLIN, OH — Usually when Tiger Woods and Ernie Els arrive to Dublin, Matt Pritchard is ready to make the one mile drive to relax and watch the best players in the world at Jack's tournament.  Unfortunately, the 2004 Cervick Outfit runner-up has picked the beginning of June to stalk the bottom of the leaderboard.

"I don't know what his problems might be," says weekend partner Jason Ridgeway.  "It is not Spaulding-type hacking, but his gestures on the course sure resemble a melt down."

Pritchard finished last season shooting 89 in mid-November.  He opened this season with 97 strokes and broke 100 in mid-May.  Last weekend, his round touched 105 strokes at Clover Valley where his back nine included two doubles, two triples, and one quad.

"It is bad.  Really bad," said a depressed Pritchard.

Ridgeway was asked further about the mental state of man just days away from this 2nd Major Championship.  "I do not have pictures, but I think Matt was trying to hide tears on Hole 16 after missing his putt for triple bogey.  The entire round was a colossal disaster and Hole 16 pushed him into showing his female emotions."

Rookie and playing partner Jeff Miller isn't worried about Pritchard, but himself.  "I wish someone would tell me what is going on," said a frightened Miller.  "These outfits next week must be absolutely dreadful.  Although Pritchard is crying like a man, he is crying, and not over a simple hacking episode.  There is something much larger at stake and now he has got me worried about my own game."

Pritchard is now expected to skip the PGA Tour Event and hit the range for 2 or 3 hours per night.

In other news, the Memorial Day Weekend received 59 submitted scorecards in a four day period including May 27, 28, 29, 30.  Those kind of numbers changed the On Tour Championship considerably including big moves on the leaderboard and expansion to 56 players with 3+ rounds.

The 2005 On Tour Championship takes a back seat next week as the 5th Annual Carl Spackler Open begins play early next week with the practice rounds.