EDITOR'S NOTE: Jay Haas (Stats | Bio) , a 28-year PGA Tour veteran, is compiling a daily diary on his experiences in the 68th Masters Tournament. Haas, 50, has three top-10 finishes this season on the PGA Tour and is 22nd on the money list. The Greenville, S.C., resident is sharing his thoughts with staff writer Chris Gay.

It was kind of hit and miss. I was defensive most of the time. I did manage to make a birdie on No. 8 to get back to even. I was pretty fortunate to be even through eight holes. Then I had a bad putt from the fringe at No. 9, and that cost me a bogey.

Then on the back nine, I started to play a lot better. I hit a lot of greens. I had an eagle chance at No. 15 and then just mis-hit an iron into No. 18. That's going to cost me a top-16.

(Haas shot 73 and finished at 1-over-par 289, tied for 17th.) That's disappointing. I thought 1-over would be good enough. I really wasn't thinking so much about that. I was aware I wanted to do that going into today, but once I drove on 18 ... I don't know. I just mis-hit a shot in there.

But it's been a great week. I couldn't ask for much more, other than maybe nine or 10 less shots.

We didn't know about the pin placements on the back nine. We didn't know there were going to be so many birdie opportunities. Nick Price (Stats | Bio) and I, neither one of us played great. He played a lot better than I did on the front nine, but we both turned at 1-over. But at the same time, we thought, ''Hey, you never know.''

You get lightning in a bottle and make an eagle or two, and obviously they are out there, and a lot of guys can come back. We kept plugging away. I can't say I'm real disappointed. I can't say I'm elated in the way things went today, either.

It was a struggle for me. I didn't play as well today as I had been playing. I didn't drive it as good. And I just didn't have a hot putting day any day this week. That's what you need to have around here. You need to hit some 15- and 20-footers. I don't think I made a putt outside of 15 feet all week.

Overall, I don't think I could've asked for much more. It was right there for me, to be 3-under early in the week and giving it back a little bit and coming back again. Moving around that leaderboard all week was a treat. To have Jay Jr. on the bag was pretty special. I kind of look back on it and say it was a pretty neat week.

(Youngest son) Bill came down and watched me today after he won his tournament yesterday. He tied the all-time Wake Forest record with nine career victories with Gary Hallberg. He won't be an amateur next year. He's going to turn pro this year. He'll have to get in (the Masters Tournament) another way.

I'm going home tonight, and I'll probably leave Tuesday morning for Hilton Head. I'm kind of whipped right now. Emotionally drained after this week. I always am after a major tournament, being somewhat in the hunt. It'll be nice to sleep in my own bed tonight and relax (today). I think it's supposed to rain, so it'll be a good day to sit home and do nothing.

(The rest of this year) I'm going to play some selected senior events. The Senior PGA Championship will be my first event. I'll play the Senior U.S. Open and a few other senior events.

I'm trying to continue to work toward getting on the Ryder Cup team. That's kind of my focus. I'm not really obsessed with it, but it's certainly something I want to do. If I fall short, I fall short. But I've got to give it my best opportunity. To put it bluntly, no, I don't think I will be a captain's pick. I want to be in the top 10, so there's no question about it.

Golf's still fun. It's my job. And until I can't do it anymore, I'm might as well keep going.