Blog: Insurance agent to play Allianz Championship

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Mike Podolak is playing in the Allianz Championship from Feb. 19-21 in Boca Raton, Fla.

Editor's note: Insurance agent Mike Podolak of Oxbow, N.D., qualified to play in the Allianz Championship. Podolak earned his spot in the tournament by qualifying for an exemption offered to the more than 100,000 insurance agents that offer Allianz products. In order to meet the agent qualification standards, Podolak had to satisfy three criteria: the agent must be over 50 years old, must have a scratch handicap or better and must shoot a one-round score of 1-under par or better at The Old Course at Broken Sound. Podolak shot a round of 1-under when he played The Old Course at Broken Sound in December 2009.

How do you prepare for a major golf tournament where you'll play alongside all-time greats and compete for $1.7 million?

Avoid walking on ice.

While honing my short game is a priority, when you live in Oxbow, N.D. -- where the current temperature is minus 2 degrees -- it's an equal challenge to avoid a nasty slip on the ice.

In between busy days running my insurance agency, Podolak and Associates, and busier nights following my daughters' basketball and volleyball teams, I try to sneak in a trip to the Sports Bubble to work on my swing. It's probably not the practice regimen that won Mike Goodes the Allianz Championship last year, but it's the best I can do.

Having played in major tournaments in the past -- including the 1985 Walker Cup and 1986 Masters -- I have a good idea of what to expect. Unfortunately, that doesn't make the preparation any easier. I keep telling myself that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, but I think I'll be better served by concentrating on having fun and soaking in the experience.

I'm still pinching myself that Allianz Life made this tournament spot available and that I was lucky enough to qualify. So while the past few weeks have certainly been busy getting ready to play, as long as I can avoid large patches of ice between now and Feb. 19, I'll be ready to make my Champions Tour debut.