Benzel Blog: Loving these blue skies and warm weather!

All this week, Ryan Benzel of Bothell, Wash., a PGA teaching professional at Battle Creek Golf Course in Tulalip, Wash., will provide an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the 24th PGA Cup. This is his second installment.

Benzel Blog Archive: Wednesday

LOCH LOMOND, Scotland -- How great is it to be having beautiful blue skies and some heat in Scotland! We just hope that we can save it for the weekend.

I'm pretty tired, and need a good couple more hours of sleep. The Welcome Dinner was great last night. It ran a little longer than anticipated, but was a great evening.

I do know the guys are all feeling that they will need more rest.

Today, it was a bit more education about this golf course. My yardages were off, and for seven to 10 holes I really needed to figure out distances.

The Carrick is an interesting golf course in all respects. It's got fescue grass but it's not a links course. It's tree-lined and yet has pot bunkers. It's a mix of Scottish links with American features -- trees, mounding and big greens.

I would call this an interesting blend of both cultures in the game.

I can see the play of the team picking up with cleaner, crisper shots. Most of the guys have the yardages dialed in.

Captain [Brian] Whitcomb has split us into pods, which have been a good thing for us in practice.

I'm in a pod that includes Lee Rinker, Mark Sheftic, Eric Lippert and Mike Small. We have all learned a lot from each other.

When you are as tired as I am, you tend to hit a few "squirrelly" shots. I had a few of them out there today.

My wife (Stacy) is having a ball. She's working on less sleep than I am.

Playing in my second straight PGA Cup, I know what to expect when it comes to the events and the competition, but you still have to be prepared for the unexpected.

Captain Whitcomb is looking for me to be someone who can lead, and I know what's at stake, and what's going on and what is needed to get some points for the team.

We are working together well as a team after just a few days and I believe that we can build confidence in each other in helping read these greens. The greens are rolling well, but it is far better to have two sets of eyes are much better when it comes to making decisions in competition like this.

I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep. That is foremost on my mind.