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If a couple more putts had dropped last weekend in the RSM Classic, Andrew Landry would have pulled off one of the most amazing one- week-to-the-next turnarounds in PGA Tour history. But don’t ask him to spell out exactly how he resurrected his game so quickly.

“I’d be a multi-millionaire if I had that secret,” he said. “I was really confused early last week.”

The Port Neches-Groves ex, you may recall, limped away from the Masters on Friday the 13^th after rounds of 78-82. His 16-over-par-160 tied for the high score in the field. Nine days later he departed Sea Island, Georgia, with a check for $244,125, which was the reward for a fourth-place tie after rounds of 68-68-65-64.

Landry’s 17-under 265 was only two shots off the winning pace, and he did it despite finishing 44^th in the all-important strokes gained putting stat. Narrow birdie misses on the final two holes kept him out of a playoff.

“It’s pretty crazy,” he reflected Monday from Austin. “Sometimes one thing clicks and you get on a roll. My swing got off so bad to quick after I left the Houston Open and went to Augusta. By the time I got to Sea Island, I was just trying to find something that would help me go out and compete.”

Landry’s teacher, Chuck Cook, told him to get on Trackman and send some numbers. Once that had been done, it was determined he needed to tweak his swing path and angle of attack. Midway through the second round, a swing thought fell into place and Andrew got on a roll.

“It’s complicated to explain,” he said. “My swing is so unique and I have a tendency to get too laid off at the top. I wind up hanging back and that leads to two-way misses. My fix was to try and stay on top of the ball, make a sharp turn, slow my lower body down and keep my left foot from coming off the ground.”

Landry started the week just hoping to make his first cut in the last three starts. After rounds of 68-68 secured that, he sat down with a cold beer and mapped out a new game plan.

“I told my caddie that I was not going to relax on the weekend, that I need to have a strong finish to end the season on a high note and get me motivated for the off-season. I said we are going to go out and play really smart golf, aim at the middle of the greens and see what happens.”

What happened was rounds of 65-64, sparked by solid driving and terrific iron play. Landry hit 32 of 36 greens the final two days, played the final 40 holes bogey free and climbed into contention after going eagle, birdie on the 69^th and 70^th holes.

“I was feeling it,” he said. “I thought I could birdie the final two holes and either win or get into a playoff. It was like when you dream as a kid about finishing with a bunch of birdies to come-from-behind and win. I almost pulled it off. The last two birdie putts were really close.”

For Landry, who had not finished higher than T27 since winning the American Express Championship last January, the strong RSM showing gave him a clear vision of what he needs to do before his next start at the Tournament of Champions in early January.

“I have to improve my putting,” he said. “I need to find myself a putting coach who is out on tour a lot. My putting, for the most part, has been poor the last two years. I have a good stretch here and there but I have no consistency.

“I figure I have maybe five to seven good years left, perhaps a few more, and the only way I can maximize them is to putt better. For a guy with my height and stature, it’s getting harder and harder to keep up with the big hitters. It will be very tough to do if I don’t putt better.”

CHIP SHOTS

Bridge City High School baseball coach Chad Landry scored his first ever hole in one Monday at Babe Zaharias. Landry sank a pitching wedge from 151 yards on No. 2 – that’s right a pitching wedge — to score the ace.

Witnesses were his dad, Clint, and cousin Shane Landry.

In the Monday Senior 50 Plus 2-ball at Babe Zaharias, there was a tie on the front at minus-3 between the team of Doug LeBlanc, Bob Luttrull, Larry Johnson and Dan Flood and the foursome of Joe Gongora, John House, Steve Wisenbaker and Charlie Perez.

Minus-3 also won the back for the team of Ron LaSalle, Roddy Richards, Larry Reese and Richard Malone.

The Super Saturday 2-ball at Zaharias saw the team of Price Youngs, Rick Pritchett, Larry Stansbury and Randy Trahan win the front with minus-4. On the back, the Youngs team tied with the team of Ron LaSalle, Joe Gongora, Don MacNeil and Darrell Mouille at minus-3.

In the Friday 2-ball there was a three-way tie on the front at minus-1 between teams captained by Earl Richard, James Vercher and Bob West. The foursome of Mike Brown, Brad Royer, Keith Marshall and Larry Foster took the back with minus-3.

Format for the Wednesday Zaharias DogFight was all points count. Taking first with 26 points was the team of Bobby Wactor, Glen Judice, MacNeil and Everett Baker. Teams captained by Jim Cady and Ed Holley tied for second with 25 points.

Closest to the pin winners were Danny Robbins (No. 2), Raymond Darbonne (No. 7), Cap Hollier (No. 12) and Jerry May (No. 15).