Jim Furyk...Mr. 58

With the Olympics starting, and golf part of the games for the 1st time (play will start next week), there was a lot of hoopla for the American players at the weekend Traveler's Golf tournament in Cromwell Connecticut.

However, the golfing fireworks were not provided by any of the US Olympic golfers (Bubba Watson, Matt Kuchar and Patrick Reed were playing), but by veteran Jim Furyk who rode a birdie trend on his way to a record score of 58 - 12 under par for the day. Unbelievable.

The play was in contrast to his first three rounds of the tournament where he shot 73, 66, and 72 over the par 70 course. That performance - although lackluster - allowed him to make the cut at the end of play on Friday and play on the weekend. In other words, he did not blow up. If he does not make the cut, he does not play on Sunday (he is watching the Olympics on TV instead). He does not get to ride the birdie trend on Sunday. He grinded out a -4 under par 66 on Friday and gets to play two more rounds.

Trading is like that.

We as traders could take big chances and risk blowing up, hitting the ball into the water, and failing to make the cut in our trading career. So many traders take this route and never know what their "Sunday round" might bring them.

One of the goals of traders should be to make the cuts. You may not make a lot on some/most of your trades (i.e birdies - it is hard to make a living when the price action is not helping) but what you don't want to do is make double bogeys or worse and not get to trade tomorrow.

The market is non trending for the most part, but there are also some trends, some low risk trades that can keep you in the game. That will allow you to catch a "trend of birdies" when the opportunity presents itself.

So stay alive. Be patient. Look for low risk opportunities. Play your game.

Take pars, maybe a birdie here and there. Make the cut.

You may never come close to a 58 on the golf course (I would take an 88), but you can shoot your own 58 on the trading course. Stay in the game.