How do I back up last week's 74? Early signs were not good as the forecast called for rain and my hook has returned off the first two tees. But the weather and my game was to take a turn for the better.

I patched together a 40 on the front nine with a closing birdie on the par 5 ninth. After a thinned greenside bunker shot led to a triple on 10 and having dumped my tee shot in another bunker on 11, things seemed to be unraveling. But I saved par out of the bunker and ripped my next tee shot down the tight 12th fairway resulting in a par and felt my swing returning.

The shot of the week came on the next hole, athe 450 yd par 4 13th, playing mostly uphill. I hit my drive well but left so my line to the green was obscured by several tall trees. The green was too far to play over or under, so my only chance was to curve my approach around. I set up for a big hook, aiming some 30 yards right of the green. I smacked it. Just like I envisioned, the ball drew right around the trees and took a big hop on the front of the green rolling all the way to the back 20 ft from the pin. My playing partners watching behind me both said, "Wow." The putt: Draino.

I had three birdies the rest of the way, including "nobody-birdies-17" and 18. I finished the back nine at 34 despite my triple on 10. That makes 74 this week.

And that's one way to back up last week.