On the Green with Matt Kuchar

Hello everyone,

It's been a while since my last blog. I'm back home in Atlanta after playing seven events so far this season, and taking three weeks off to recuperate and get ready for the rest of the season. So I'm done with what I like to refer to as the "first quarter" of the season, which consists mostly of the west coast events and a few Florida tournaments.

Now that I've completed the first quarter and reflecting back on the first seven events of the season, I feel like my offseason work has really paid off. I've had a great start, finishing in the Top-25 in four of my seven tournaments, including a T6 finish at the FBR Open and a T12 finish this last week at the Transitions Championship. These next three weeks off will give me ample time to re-evaluate my game, my health, fitness and get ready for the next set of tournaments.

I just turned 30 last year, and until then I'd never really had any problems with my body. But it was almost like clockwork, and when I turned 30 I really started to feel the grind of the PGA Tour on my body. So this last offseason I worked out at the Terminus Club in Atlanta, which is an all-encompassing golf and fitness therapy training center. Going to the Terminus Club was a huge factor in getting me ready for the new year. Their trainers and therapists were able to pin-point my weaknesses and help me work on specifics rather than just getting in shape at a regular gym. They found specific areas to target, specific areas to get stronger or make looser and freer. It was a great game plan to get ready for this season.

I'd have to say that the west coast swing is my favorite part of the PGA Tour season. We get to visit some of the most beautiful places in the country. And of course, the weather back home in Atlanta is usually still cold and gloomy that time of year, so I always feel grateful to be in places like Palm Springs or Hawaii.

Looking forward to the rest of the season, I'm just trying to continue the season in good form. My main goal this year is to make the field at the TOUR Championship. Since you have to be in the Top 30 in FedEx Cup points, I've got a little bit of work to do to move up from 42nd where I am currently. With some solid play and strong performances, I feel like I'm in good shape to make a run at it. Putting well means good tournaments, so that will be a big focus for me when I pick up again at the Verizon Heritage in Hilton Head, S.C.

For now, I'm enjoying my time at home with my wife Sybi and son Cameron. Sybi and I are expecting our second child, who is due in July, so we are very excited about that.

I'll be sure to check back in soon,
Matt

Hello from Boston.

With one event in the playoffs under my belt, I'm feeling good going in to the Deutsche Bank Championship. Unfortunately, I've missed my last four cuts by one stroke, which is really frustrating. I feel like right now, my game is in an in-between state, but I'm getting better each time I play. Hopefully I'll have a couple good rounds this week and that will bump me up in the standings.

Speaking of the FedEx Cup standings, the PGA Tour changed up the points system for this year's playoffs after reflecting on how everything went last season. After missing the cut at last week's tournament, The Barclays, but just one shot, I lost a lot of ground in the standings. But just like they did last year, I think they'll look at things this season and make the necessary changes. Right now, there is such a large gap between missing and making the cut, which means a lot of movement.

But being here in Boston has been great so far. This is such a great city, and my dad actually grew up here in New England. I was a Boston Red Sox fan growing up, so I'm trying to make it out to a game this weekend, though with my tee times, it's not looking too promising. I've also been invited to attend a dinner party Saturday night by the tournament's title sponsor, Deutsche Bank.

I'm hoping to get my game back on track this week and make a nice push in the FedEx Cup standings. Hopefully I can write back next week with good news!

Thanks for checking out my blog on the new MattKuchar.com. Hopefully you will enjoy reading my periodic posts, documenting my travels on the PGA Tour. This week, I'm in Ridgewood, NJ preparing for The Barclays, the first of four events in the FedEx Cup Playoffs. I've taken a couple weeks off to relax so that I could be ready for the Playoffs and hopefully make it back home to Atlanta for the Tour Championship. Unfortunately, since this week's event is at a new course, I need to go and get a practice round in. I'm going to try and update this blog as much as I can, and I hope you'll come back to read it too. In the meantime, check out my new website and let me know what you think!