Fairway Rollin' - Jon Rahm Drops Out, Final Betting Cards, and Inside the U.S. Open Ropes With Mark Hubbard

Episode Date: June 12, 2024

The U.S. Open is right around the corner, and House and Hubbard are here to give their final thoughts ahead of the tournament. They start off with the news that Jon Rahm has dropped out due to an injury (02:22) before discussing which players they’re high on after the interviews (05:24). They also offer their final betting cards (20:11). After, Mark Hubbard joins the show to share his view of the course, his strategy for the tournament, and his outlook on his PGA Championship performance (26:49). The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Hosts: Joe House and Nathan Hubbard Guest: Mark Hubbard Producer: Eduardo Ocampo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey there, humanoids. It's the Maskman David Shoemaker. It's a new era in professional wrestling, and that means a new era here at the Ringer Wrestling show. Kaz here, every Monday and Thursday hang out with me and my guys' shoes on the Masked Man show. And Ben Cruz here. Come kick it with me, Cal and Brian on Tuesdays for Ringer Wrestling worldwide, where we hit on the most interesting headlines and even react to some of Maskedmans and even your hottest takes. Don't tap out. Tap in to the Ringer Wrestling show feed now on Spotify. or wherever you get your podcasts. Worldwide. Friends and welcome to this golf podcast unlike any other. Oh, yes, my friend, we continue to preview this United States Open here on Farroway Rowling, a golf podcast on the Ringer Podcast Network.

I am your starter Joe House, joined by my incomparable. Accomplice our PGA tour boots on the ground. Nathan Hubbard, my birdie buddies, we're very excited. We have a tradition here on Fairway Rowland. When Mark Hubbard is playing a major championship, he comes on this program. He's very generous with his time. He tells us about what that venue is playing like and what his forecasts are for how the week might go down. Mark Hubbard is here to join us.

second half of the show. But Nate and I are going to go off as a two ball. There is some news of the day that we want to treat. We want to give some final thoughts based on some observations around the press conferences and so forth and what the forecast for the week feels like pegs are in the ground and off we go. Nate Dogg, are you doing better than John Rom? Yes. I... Yes. am continuing about my business despite having disgusting toes. Do you, you don't have a case of I don't give an F-I-IS. You don't have, that's not, you're not suffering from that?

Did you see him out there in a flip-flop and a shoe supposedly practicing? It's just strange to me that he came and did the interview stuff and he did the whole routine today and then dropped. I would have thought he'd either drop at the beginning of the week or at least wait until the end of the day to tomorrow to drop, but maybe he was being a good guy and letting an alternate, you know, at least know that he was in the field. I don't know. Whatever it is, we don't have John Rom. It looked like shoulder injury in Houston?

Definitely not. Sounds like it's just a weird foot infection. Or his head isn't in the right place or both. And I will stop. They asked him in the press conference. They said, are you happy? And he gave like a psychotic, almost joker-esque answer. he was like,

no, of course I'm happy. Everything's great. You guys said that I'm not playing well, but I've played well. I've played, you know, unfortunately, PGA and the Masters

were the two places where I didn't play well, but otherwise I've been top 10. I'm super happy. It was that kind of a response. It's like when you ask somebody who desperately wants out of a relationship whether they're happy,

they just don't want to admit it yet. I love that take. We are not going to cast aspersions on John Rom. We're John Ron fans here on Fairway Roll. I wish he was playing this U.S. Open healthfully. Me too, me too. And with his head in the right place, because honestly, this should be a golf course. Speaking of the word creativity comes up quite a bit on today's podcast.

He's capable of some creativity. His short game when it's firing is really something to behold, but we're not going to see it this week. So other big takeaways from the press conferences, news of the day, Nate Dog, hit us with the other. really big, significant, prominent bit of news. Rory McElroy is no longer single Joe House. Oh, no. He has... He's not available for me.

He is not available for you. He has reconciled with his wife, which is wonderful news for him and his family. And it is only strange to me that on the Tuesday before the PGA, the papers were filed. And on the Tuesday, before the U.S. Open, they were withdrawn. I'm not exactly sure the timing, but he seems extraordinarily light and seemed happy in the press conference, was loose, and just up and excited about this. Now,

you know, we didn't see a whole lot of greatness in him at the memorial. I mean, he was top 15 in a small field. That's Rory stuff. But I don't know how, I have to say, coming out of these press conferences, we always change the way that we think about a couple of players. And there are three for me that we were not as high on our preview with Justin Ray that I am very high on coming out of these press conferences. One is, I do think Roy's going to play this extremely well. And I do think back to that shot he hit at the Ryder Cup, that nip-spinny thing that just blew everybody's mine. SEP Strachal almost fell over watching that shot on the 16th hole there, that I just feel

like this is going to be a place for him to express that artistry. The second came from two. Let me. You want to stop there. I do only because I just want to interrupt you with this. This is something that I encountered in my own Rory research. And it's from Ron Close at PGA splits 101. He has been.

And look, I'm still betting Rory to top 10 and top 20. I'm backing off of my top 5. He's terrible putting from 5 to 10 feet. And I didn't really have my head around it until we saw these numbers. His make percentage, the last five years in majors, from between 5 to 10 feet, which are, that's your U.S. open putting distance. He's 51.7% south of 52%. He ranks 133rd.

in majors. His make percentage from that same distance, the last three years, overall, just under 56%, he ranks 170th on tour. He gave Scotty Schaeffler an incredible putting tip. This is the distance. This is the distance that you win from. And it really has given me pause. I don't mean to over-emphasize any particular, you know, sort of attribute. But that is, that's the number that you see guys make when they win this golf tournament, Nate, Doug? Yeah. Well, it isn't the distance that cost him the British, and it isn't the distance that cost him the U.S. Open last year. The Cam Smith, the famous Cam Smith duel at St. Andrews, and then, you know, the LACC event last year with Wyndham, those were the 10 to 20 footers,

where he just had won after the other. after the other. But I think to your point, as we'll hear from Mark, like, he's going to have a lot of 20 footers this week if he hits, if he strikes the ball extraordinarily well, but it's, it is likely he's going to have a lot of five to 10 footers for par this week. So if you don't believe that he's got that part of his game under control, then you should back off of Rory. I just think we're going to see some spectacular short wedge around the green play from him that is, I think he's going to be inspired by this place in the same way as, I love it.

You know, you hear a little bit of anxiety from Victor Hovland this week. You hear inspiration from Scotty and from Rory right now. There are two other people who you hear some inspiration from, and we were a little bit down on the live guys on the call, or on the pod earlier in the week. Johnson Wagner did an interview with Bryson and an interview with Cam today, and Cam Smith loves this place. And Cam Smith was thrilled with what he's going to be able to do,

both with his putter, which is superhuman, as you and I know, but also with his wedges and short game just seemed to really be, again, inspired by the challenge. Bryson, I just come back to thinking about Valhalla and how great he was around the Greens. And on top of that, you know, you and I have been, dingin the live guys for maybe a little bit perceived lack of motivation that don't give a shititis.

Bryson gives a shit. Bryson got that, he got the bug at Valhalla remembering what it's like to be loved. That's the first time that guy has been on a golf course and truly sort of loved and the center of attention in years, probably since his last U.S. Open win. And I'm telling you that guy, listen, he's doing it for the content, he's doing it for the girls he meets on Instagram,

whatever the reason is, he cares. And I think he's showing up with this place. He is a scientist, but he is also an artist. And I think this place is going to allow him to be creative as long as he doesn't overthink it around these greens in ways that really benefit him. So I came away from hearing those conversations and the way those players were talking.

They seemed to feel extremely positive heading into this week. So I like Bryson and I wanted to make a significant investment in him. Here's what's giving me pause over his last 24 rounds, notwithstanding the stellar around the green play that we saw out of him at Balhalla, his strokes gained around the green is in the 50s, the mid-50s. His strokes gained approach also not very good. But the thing that is good is bogey avoidance, excellent bogey avoidance and excellent top five proximity between 75 and 100 yards. But, you know, I feel like there are a lot of 185 to 215 yard shots out here.

And he's only meh. He's only meh at that distance. But I couldn't agree more with your assessment about the lightness, about his. his disposition, his demeanor, where his head seems to be at. And he is absolutely right for the stage. The question I have is, what's the body of evidence? This is, you know, I was so impressed with how he played at Augusta. And to me, that was a breakthrough.

It was a kind of revelation that he was able to take what a golf course that requires artistry. Now we're back in that same spot. Does he have enough loops at this place to capture the, the artistry that that's required. That's the reason to temperate. Look, I think you got to take a look at somebody like that this week because with Rom out of the field,

Sheffler's down to plus 280 right now. And so, you know, Bryson's sitting there at 20 to 1. Brooks Kepka, who we've talked not a lick about, is sitting there at 20 to 1. Ludwig, who I really like, if it's not Scotty, is sitting there at 22 to 1. If you're going to do to win bets, Rory at 10 to 1 doesn't feel great.

Neither does Zander. Collin at 14 to 1 to win a U.S. Open doesn't feel great. Even Victor, with what we saw at the memorial sitting there at 18 to 1, does not feel great. So your Hadecki pick at 40 to 1, those are the kinds of odds that we're interested in. He's sitting there with J.T. and Cam Smith at 40 to 1. So if it's not Scotty, I do think you've got to decide who's the kind of player that you think is going to be able to handle these conditions and these courses

and this mental challenge this week. and you got to pick a dog here because it gets pretty interesting after Victor on the odds board, doesn't it? Well, let me ask you this. If we have to pick a dog, why aren't we picking Brooks? Why aren't we on Brooks Kepka? He's masterful at the U.S. Open. His record at the U.S. Open is nearly unparalleled. The only guy who's, you know, close is Zander, but Zander doesn't have the wins that Brooks has, obviously. Zander just performs extremely well at the U.S. Open. But like if we're looking for somebody with some dog

and he seems like he's flying below the radar, are we sleeping on Brooks? We probably are, but with Brooks, there's been just this manic performance, right? He either shows up and does what he did at the PGA last year or he doesn't really show up. And I think that the master's coming out of that, he certainly talked like he was a little bit embarrassed. His play at the PGA had some glimmers of possibility, but ultimately it was a fairly mad performance.

And I just think coming in, I've seen him at a lot of Florida Panthers games. I've seen him at a lot of SI swimsuit events. And I haven't seen them win and live events in ways that, you know, some of the other guys coming in have. Now, you bet against Brooks at your peril. That's not me saying I'm betting against Brooks. I just think if you think about recent form of guys who are roughly the same odds on the board,

I really like Ludwig second at the Masters and top five last week and, you know, competitive at PGA. I like Bryson and just the energy that that guy seems to be drawing from these moments. And much as much as he's a lightning rod, he does tend to rise to the occasion in those. moments. And I can't, I can't get the winged foot, even though it's a completely different course, completely different time. I just don't think he has been loved since Wingfoot, and he felt it at the PGA. Undoubtedly, so maybe we're in this market. I'm on the Fandallando's sports book right now, and they have a prop. It's winner without Scotty, Colin Moracawa, Rory, and Zander. So if you take those four guys. Yes, take those four guys off. And interestingly enough of the names that we're talking about, Ludwig, Bryson, and Brooks are all at the same number. They're all sitting available at 14 to 1. Now, the guy that is also in this class that I'm looking at that really does interest me, Victor Hovlin's at 12 to 1. Victor Hovlin is a do not bet under any circumstances. In fact, I will tell you right now, I'm going to be looking for Victor Hovlin. Now that we lost,

John Rahman, my missed the cut parley with Tiger. Yeah, I'm going to have to look this up and see what kind of number I can get. But Tommy Fleetwood is available at 22 to 1 in this same prop of, you know, you take those four guys

off the board. And man, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Ray reminded us when we were together. He just loves hard golf courses. Like, if you think about how he played at Shinnecock, and this is the thing that also sort of resonates it's me with me with Brooks.

It's like it feels like we're going to have that style of golf tournament where we're going to be, you know, guys going for par. Par is going to be, you know, paramount. And something right around par will be the winning score. That, that Tommy Fleetwood, you know, ability to just come out, especially on a Sunday. Like, you might feel like, oh, my God, I lost this money on Tommy. But let him get to Sunday. He could shoot six shots clear.

of all but three people in the field on Sunday. Exactly right. Exactly right. So if I, if I, I'm, I'm, I'm in here, though. I'm in, I'm in the fan of dual sports book because I want to do this parlay of, um, Victor Hawland. Yeah. So here we go. Victor, he's only plus 260, um, in terms of, of, uh, missing the cut.

So if you put those two guys together, Tiger to miss the cut, Hovlin to miss the cut. Are you still Tiger to miss the cut? Tiger sounds pretty happy, man. Oh my God. Oh my God. Come on. Come on. He's got Charlie out there giving him swing tips, telling him how to put. It's the best thing ever.

He feels pretty good. He's just got to go do it. You think it's just. I want him to be great. I want it to be great. I want him to like pull up some of those old. No, no, he's just not physically able to do it. Even on a golf course that's like relatively flat, it's just just too hard right now.

He doesn't have the reps and he can't get the reps. So, you know, other than Augusta, there isn't, I don't know, where else? Like Bay Hill, would that be the other place where you feel like he could channel it if he went and played Arnie's tournament? But yeah, so Tiger and Victor to miss the cut plus 376. That's on my dance card. I'm telling you right now. Okay. Yeah.

Anything else catch your attention today? No, I just, I think, I think that the Wyndham comment, which if you go from Monday, day, which was that the, you know, and we ask Mark about this. So we'll let the birdie buddies hear from themselves. But that Wyndham comment people really, really jumped on. He's the defending champion. And if you look at it in context, he wasn't criticizing the course. It wasn't like he was like, this is out of control. He really said, you know, if it gets borderline. And then he just sort of as an aside was like, I mean, it's already borderline. It's kind of borderline already. Yeah. Yeah. He was, in context, it wasn't as much of a criticism

or a statement about the actual state of the Greens. And the more that you talk to some people and listen to what some of the players were saying, and even Mark himself is going to tell us, it's not as bad as he laid it out. I mean, the balls in the wrong spots are going to roll off into these collection areas. But to the right spots, you're going to have a chance.

Now, it might be just chance to make par. But I think the notion that this course is already baked out and unfair and everybody's fucked, was stemmed from sort of a media gasm around taking some of Wyndham's comments out of context. And that only makes me more excited for this tournament, because when you really listen to the full context of the comments that we're getting from some of the best short game players in the world, they are excited. I think we're going to have a really great tournament that doesn't feel like a course

lost, this is not even fun to watch baked out kind of U.S. Open, but feels like a true test of skill that we don't get week in, week out, where players from the exact same spot might hit literally four different clubs and it's going to be about who

executes the shot as opposed to who gets screwed because the greens are baked and the ball went two inches further and now it's off the green and this isn't fun anymore and Phil's running around playing ping pong with his putter. I don't expect to see that although the John Daley, we will see a couple more times of John Daley making an 11 as he

hits the eject button. Here's my card right now. Here's what I'm going through. You can try and talk me out of it. I have Tommy Fleetwood to finish in the top 10 plus 300. I have Tommy Fleetwood to finish in the top 20 plus 130. I have Colin Moracawa to finish in the top 5 plus 320 I think I see, plus 150 in the top 10, minus 140, top 20. I'm playing them all three ways. Hadecki top 10 plus 350, Hedeky top 20 plus 140, playing both of those. Brooks top 20, this is probably going to be a sizable bet for me, minus 105. Bryson top 205, same price, minus 105.

And these were all, you know, available at the time of recording. So these numbers might move a tiny bit. Smith was on my card, Nate, dog. All I want to do is a nice top 20 plus $160 plus money for a guy with the around the green and putting skill who expresses that level of enthusiasm.

We're for sure on that. I'm playing Xander to top 10 because of his U.S. open prowess. I'm playing him to top 20. Top 10 is plus money. Top 20 you have to lay. It's minus 190, but like who's playing better in the world

than Zander Shothley. than Scotty Sheffler. So that's how my card looks as we head into this, this Wednesday. I reserve the right for adjustments and maybe another couple of names. Who have I left out? Who's not on my card? I have Fleetwood.

I have a little Fleetwood action on here also. I think you've left out Ludwig. Okay. Okay. His name is right here. It's right here. I just haven't bet him yet. Yeah, it's just at that point you'll have bets.

If you've got a Rory bet in, then you'll have bets. on everybody at the top, the top 10 guys at the top of the board, except Victor. Okay. Well, yeah, I'm not Victor. I'm out on Victor.

Yeah, so, I mean, but that's it. You got to pick who are these guys in the 20 to 55 to one range you're out on, right? It sounds like you're not excited about Fitz or Homa. You are excited about Tommy and Hedeky who are sitting there in the 40 to one range. That kind of means you're out on guys like JT and Fienow and Hatton and Wyndham and Speed. right those those are guys you're out of feet out can Tony can always do it um it just yeah you know i think i think i think there's a couple of those guys in that in that longer odd range in the in the 40 to 80 to one let's call it who for your dance card just to get some coverage you ought to pick out right

we know is beny on gonna who's got a very high ball flight one of the highest trajectories on tour and has been striking it extraordinarily well. He's sitting there at 75 to 1. Is he an interesting top 10, top 20 play, based on what we've been seeing? Did you see anything from Sung Jay last week, sitting there at 80 to 1 in terms of winning odds, but you can get something that's going to pay you decently well

for a top 10, top 20 for him? I want you to focus a little bit further down the card as you think about how to wrap this up and pick a few of those guys who you might be in on because I do think the top of that board, you know, you got yourself covered on the top 10 players, okay. But you know, you make that money on those top 10, top 20s of the guys a little bit further down the card.

Well, you know what's fun? I'm glad that you put both those guys. So Benny on, we liked him a lot going into the memorial. Minus 115 to finish in the top 40. So go on the fandom sports book. that's worth a couple units. Interesting. For me, top 40.

Sung Jay sitting there nearly even money, minus 105 to finish just top 40. And another name I will say that I like, and I especially like the bounce that I feel like he might get. Again, let's just stay in this top 40 category. We're not asking for the guy to be a hero. Adam Scott is even money, plus 100 to finish in the top 40. Interesting.

As a last entrant into nearly last entrant into the field. his gratitude for, you know, I can see him expressing it. He's played this venue and, you know, finished, finished well back in 2014. So Adam Scott on the card. Well, Nate, Doug, speaking of gratitude, we are very grateful once again to have as a guest, literally boots on the ground, a guy inside the ropes with golf clubs in his hands to give us the real up-to-the-minute breakdown of how this golf course is playing. It's none other than Mark Hubbard.

Let's jump over to Homeless Hubbs and hear what that man has to say about how Pinehurst is playing. My PAR saving pals, Fandul wants you to join in on all the carnage, all the crazy shots, all the major action this week at Pinehurst. Right now, all customers get a profit boost every round. of this U.S. major. That means you can boost your outright winners, your longest drive bets, and so much more. Plus, bet on finishing position and get paid in full for ties.

You will not see any other sports books doing that. We are using our profit boosts. Me and the Nate Dog, Nathan Hubbard, here on Fairway, rolling. We love Ludwig Aberg to finish in the top. 10 and the top 20. That's a profit boost. I love Tommy Fleetwood this week in the top 10 and the top 20.

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RG-hap-Help.com. Opt-in required. Bonus issued is non-withdrawable profit-boost tokens. Restrictions apply, including any token expiration. See terms at sportsbook.fandul.com. Okay, we are back with my brother Mark Hubbard. And we, I want to talk to about two things today. I want to talk to you about the course, obviously, because it's getting a whole lot of chatter at the moment. Some good, some maybe not so good coming out of some of the press conferences today. And I want to talk to you about you because we heard,

I mean, you and I haven't even talked about this week. And we heard from you right before PGA. and you had on balance a pretty good week there and just curious about how you take that for good or bad into this week. But let's start with a course. Is it all about the Greens this week? I mean, is it Victor in his press conference today was like, I feel like the play is aggressive off the tea

and massively conservative on the approach, but it's going to be about the lie that you get around the green, whether the Greens actually get completely baked out, and keeping your head on straight because this is a tournament made to turn men into cry babies. But you've been out there. You've seen this course for the first time. Have you seen every hole? Yeah.

Yeah. Seen every hole. I played 13 yesterday and the back night a day. And so as you sit here right now and you still have another day to get ready, but what is your strategy as you approach this thing? Yeah. I mean, it's really hard. I think I am in love with it because I think it's really good.

hard. It's very fair hard. Obviously, the greens are the focal point. They're way more demanding than the T shots. I will say I'm a surprise Victor said aggressive off the T because if anything I've found, especially the front nine, for the longer guys, it seems to pinch in a little bit, especially if you don't have the exact right shot shape. So for a guy like me who hits it pretty average, I kind of like it off the T. I think it's almost wider for me than those guys. I think his point was like having the ball flight coming in.

Yeah. Is just paramount and just aim for the center of the green. Do you think about that? I mean, your ball flight has changed a bit, right? So you've got a little bit higher, hit a little bit higher than you used to. No, I think especially for a guy like me who I do hit it higher, but than I used to, but not high by tour standard. So I definitely have to play from middle of the green.

That being said, I do think where I'm going to differentiate myself this week is going to be around the greens because it is very, tough and that's a strength of mine. My kind of creativity and and just kind of try and be an artist. Yes, exactly. Exactly. So I think, you know, you've seen guys in the past

struggle so much that they've just decided to put everything and so I really feel like that's an advantage for me. I can still wedge it up there. But that being said, I am going to. Will you use putter a bunch? Like, will there be a variety of clubs that you end up using around the green? I know you told me it will be a lie dependent, but

yeah, there will be a variety of clubs. I would say more wedges than putter for me, mostly because I'm just better with wedges than I am from putting off the green. I've never been a great putter from off the green. But it is super lie dependent. You've been a really good lag putter. What's the difference? I don't have as much loft on my putter as most guys.

So when I'm off the green and yeah. So when I'm off the green and the grass is longer, it's just harder for me to get it above the grass. But there's some tight enough flies out here where it's not a huge disadvantage. inches as it only is. Yeah, I just, I don't know. I just see the shots. I like playing those little bump and run shots into slopes.

And I can spin, you know, I can hit some nippy spinners with my lob wedge here. So there's a ton of eyes out there that are really, really tight. There's a ton that are like super awesome, just perfect for spinners. And then there's a bunch that are really grainy. So it'll be kind of three different shots. I think the really tight ones, I'll obviously put the ones that are really good. I'll use my lob wedge and then the grainy ones are more like, you know, using even something like an eight or a nine iron to bump it into the slopes.

And as you walked off today with the greens and the condition that they're in, high 80s, maybe even low 90s this week, are there positions where you can hold the ball in the green? Is it, you know, unfair, Zach Johnson, they've lost the course kind of shit? Or what's your read on? I mean, historically, you love when the greens are hard and fast. You've sort of begged for this. Yeah, 100%.

And I think the main thing is that this course is designed for it. We play a lot of courses where we get those conditions, but the course isn't really meant to be played that way, so it gets a little goofy. But I feel like this place is designed. Exactly. This place is designed to play like that. So I think it's good.

And honestly, the greens are very, very, very fast. But I haven't been, like, overwhelmed by how firm they are. And that's coming from a guy who plays a pretty low-spin golf ball. I've found them pretty easy to hold, actually, as long as you're landing it in the right spot. Because they are so crowned, as long as you're landing them on the upslope or flat of the crown and not the downslope long, basically. They're holding just fine. I mean, obviously it's only Tuesday and they're going to get firmer, but I haven't been

blown away by their firmness, but they are definitely the fastest screens we've put it on this year. Look, I hit 16 is a par five converted par four. I think it's 536. I hit driver seven wood to three feet. Like you can absolutely hold the greens. Like it was a great shot, but I mean, I landed it in the proper spot. You know, you're just trying to land it. Each green has a false front that's five to eight paces long,

and you're trying to land it between five and ten paces onto the green and hit it to the middle of green. And if you're doing that and not taking unnecessary risks, they're super easy to hold. Yeah. And do you now, having seen every hole, have a sense for where the misses have to be and where they can't, or are you still going to learn a little bit tomorrow? I'm still going to learn a little bit tomorrow. I overall think that the green complexes on the front are a little bit more challenging.

I think the crowns are just a little more severe. The runoffs are a little lower. Whereas the back, they're, I mean, they're still there. are abundant, but they're a little more subtle. So I'm going to play the front again tomorrow and figure it out. But it's, you know, it's very pin dependent too. Like 17 is a perfect example. And the part three before that, I believe it's 14 or 15,

where the front pins, it's good to miss short because of the crown. The back pins are, it's actually fine to miss long because you're kind of chipping back uphill back into the grain. So it's going to be more pin dependent than anything. But yeah, the practice rounds have been. I think today we played in three hours and 50 minutes for nine holes because they're just, they're so complicated. You know, everybody's hitting triple the amount of shots around the greens that they normally do.

So it's taken forever, but, you know, it's been fine because it's been necessary. Yeah, I definitely feel like I have three or four holes out there, eight and nine, especially, that I got to, you know, do a little more work on. Will you hit a lot of drivers this week? Or is there a chance that you'll club down as it gets firmer and faster? No, I mean, the front, there's a few holes, the back nine. But yeah, I mean, I will hit a lot of drivers. I will hit a lot of drivers, I think.

I think I like to shape the ball. So you really, you can hit drivers as long as it's got the correct shape. And I feel like it's a pretty good faders golf course overall, which is my shot shape. So that'll probably get me hitting more than some guys. And is your vibe that the wiregrass in the sand will produce a few? rescue opportunities that make it less penal than the traditional. I mean, listen, the other U.S. Open that you played was at Wingfoot, which kind of kicked your ass at the time and was basically a golf course constructed

for Bryson to Chambon to win the U.S. Open. This feels very different in that regard, right? Do I have that right? That just what this is going to reward is a very different thing than when Bryson won. When I, yeah, when I played Wingfoot, I wasn't hitting it. as far and when I missed the fairway it was an automatic chip out like I had nothing whereas he could hit it further and gouge it out this this course I really truly love it one of the reasons I really truly love it is because I do feel like anybody can play well here um you know if you're great off

the tea you can overpower some holes if you're great around the greens you can make up strokes there if you're a great putter you can make a strokes there if you're you know an awesome iron player and can hit it super high you can attack more pints like you can make up strokes any area of the game. So I love it for that regard. As far as the like wispy native stuff, I've played 18 holes, or I guess I've played 22 holes.

I've probably hit it in there five times and every single one has been a perfectly fine lie. They say it's 50-50, but I really, it's not as penal as thick rough. It just is in which I guess, again, to Victor's point, you can be a little more aggressive about the T.

And even not even the native stuff, like the Faireway bunkers, the ones I've been at least have been pretty benign, like not super huge lips that you just got to pitch out from and stuff. And the way that they rake them, they're pretty firm on the side. So everything is definitely collecting in the middle. So you're not going to see a ton of balls

right up against the lip, I don't think. So I have my nine wood, my seven wood in the bag. Like I've been easily hitting those out of the Faireway bunker. if I need to. Interesting. Yeah, I mean, look, what Scottie said was the reason this is interesting is most courses we play just have a shit ton of rough around them and you're in it and you're just trying to hack out of it.

These, because there is almost none of that around the greens, requires a lot of artistry and thinking and you probably could use at least three different clubs with each shot. And that's where most of the sort of separation of the field. is going to come from this week. But it sounds like you think sort of, yes, that, but that it's a good leveling setup as opposed to what Wingfoot was, which is it probably winnowed down the field

to about eight to 10 guys that year, right? This one, it feels like, depending on what your strength is, you can play to it. Yeah, if you're playing well and you're, you know, and you're playing this course smart and you've done a good prep work, I definitely think a lot more people have a chance.

And I mean, I agree with his assessment. Like that's why I love this place so much because it just it allows you to be so creative and hit so many different shots. And I don't feel like especially the newer golf courses that we play really do that. And so, yeah, I'm obsessed with this place. Mark Hubbard, I am interested in your opinion of how many holes are legit birdie opportunities on this golf course? I mean yeah legit legit I think 10 as a par five I think that one you know we've had a north win the last couple days so I haven't checked the wind forecast but that one's been a little downwind it's long but it's pretty straight away pretty wide entry point into the green so that to me sticks out as like probably the most variable hole I think there's two holes that they make drivable on the weekend So those are up there. But yeah, I mean, it's hard to come by.

Like, you got to either hit a good shot and maybe take on a pin that you probably shouldn't have and get away with it or you're going to have to make some 20 footers from the middle of green. Yeah, the prevailing wisdom coming in was it three and ten were kind of the opportunities. What does three feel like to you? Oh, that seems like a long time ago when I played three. trying to remember one two yeah I don't even know

oh three is the short one yeah it is it is but it's a it's a pretty brutal green so that's going to be pin dependent I think the the front pins are definite birdie opportunities the back pins I mean if you miss the back right pin long it I mean it could go 45 yards down into the fescue so

those back pins are absolutely even though you've got 100 yards in They're absolutely like hit it to 25 feet below the hole in the middle of the green. And as you step back and think about winning score this week, you had a pretty good sense at Valhalla, and it sort of pissed you off because you said this is not a major setup, although you love the course. You just felt like they could have narrowed the fairways a little bit

and had the greens be a little bit faster and the rough up a bit. But on this one now, understanding you've only played 22 holes, but do you have sense? What does good look like? What does winning look like? Yeah, I mean, I don't know. What were the last winning scores? For me, I would love to shoot.

I would love to just make 72 parts. That sounds super awesome. And I would also love it if that won because I think, you know, I don't want it to be crazy, but I think like a one or two under here would be really fun this week because I don't think they have to get it like insane and unfair to get that. The only thing that might keep it, you know, might make there be a few more birdies than maybe lower scores, I don't think we're expecting really any wind.

But yeah, I mean, if this place, if it was blown 15 to 20 every day, this place would be insane. So, yeah, I would love to shoot even every day. I don't know necessarily where that would put me. I know I had a really good conversation with Aaron Obelhozer the other day, and he was telling me, given it was a while ago, and it was back when the greens were, I think they were bent and they had more rough. but the green complexes were pretty much the same.

He said he just hit it to the middle of the green on every hole and shot seven over and finished T9. And he was going over a stat with me about the winners. The last three, I think their greens and regulations were something like 41, 42, and 44 out of 72. So with all that combined, I would love to shoot even every day. And so how do you mentally prep for that? Like how do you get yourself to a place where is it just because you love the course and you're ready for the challenge?

But how do you prepare for, you know, in all likelihood there's going to be a ball that comes back to your feet at some point over 72 holes, right? How do you get ready for that? Yeah, I mean, definitely patience like that, like you're talking about is going to be important. I think for me, I'm just so excited because like I said, there's very few courses we play that allow me to be as creative as. this one does. So it's just, it's going to be a lot of fun out there. And for me, usually when I'm having fun, I play pretty well. And as you've seen when I'm not, I don't. I've seen both of those cases. Yes. Yeah. I think I think the other thing almost more than patience for me is just going to be discipline. And maybe that goes with patience is when you do have bad stuff happen to not like

immediately press and try and get it back. Because then you're just going to compound mistakes. So for me, I just, you know, I definitely am going to have a game plan going into it. And I just need to play super, super disciplined to that game plan. Yeah, so 72 PARs would have you in the top three of both 2005 and the 2014. Only three players shot under par combined of those two iterations. But there is this notion that the golf course now with post-renovation with Core and Crenshaw is finally in the, the spirit and the vision of what they hoped for in terms of putting it back on the Donald Ross platform.

And what I'm most interested in, that the thing that has been emphasized is the fact that there's like the wiregrass has been planted and is mature now in landing areas. So that like for you guys, when you're hitting off the T's, you're going to hit off of if you miss, there is now enough. of wiregrass for it to make it a true kind of possible penalty. As you went around on your like 22 holes, you don't have to say how many fairways you missed. Because folks say that you don't miss very many fairways.

You know that, man. When you miss, what are you finding in those landing areas? Is it indeed like this, oh, God, it's a true, lottery ticket as to whether or not you're completely lost, or do you feel like you miss a fairway and you can still get to the front of the green? Yeah, it's been more of the latter for me, and maybe I've just gotten good lies.

It definitely is 50-50. And those, they're not wrong. Those bushes have mature. They're there, but there is quite a bit of room in between each bush where it's just kind of sandy hard pan. So, I mean, unless you're just like stymied right up against one, you can always manufacture something. And I think most of these holes allow you to chase something up or use a slope or at the very

worst, you know, kind of feed it down into a collection area where you know isn't okay up and down. So, you know, we talked about earlier, you know, compared to my last major at Wingfoot, I've found the off the T to be way less penal. I also think, you know, I think this course. is a good job. The really long, tough holes have wider fairways, and the shorter holes have narrower fairways. But overall, yeah, I mean, I feel like off the T, the targets are probably bigger than I thought they were going to be. But the, you know, the green, on the greens,

the landing area is about the size of the top of my head. So that's where it's going to be a trick. So a month ago, coming into Valhalla, you were feeling pretty good about the course. You were feeling good about your game. And you went out and you played really well Thursday and Friday. And there were parts of the weekend where you played really well, too. There were parts of the weekend where you wanted to break your clubs over your face and probably over mine. But you played a weekend with Scotty Sheffler, literally, you know, 24 hours after he was in a jail cell. And you played both days with him.

You played the same score-wise that he did on Saturday, and then Sunday hung with it, and then he did some Scotty things down the stretch as you began to lose interest, I think. But it feels to me like a month out. My guess is you look back on that, and there are some things that you take away. I mean, objectively, you've been in it now.

This is your fifth major. It's not your first go-round. So I wonder, like, when you think back on that weekend, A, big takeaways, that you might apply to this week, did it help you work through, like were there nerves that weekend that will not be there this weekend?

Are there always nerves? But then nerves aside, I'm just curious on that front, really, what do you take away from that pretty big experience at a major that you'll pull forward this week? Yeah, I mean, there's always a little bit of nerves.

I think more than anything that's Saturday, I know Scotty definitely had a let down after his whole experience. and not like I'm blaming him because we, we didn't do anything. But just our whole group couldn't find much momentum that day. Yeah, we just, all of us were just kind of. Guys in orange shale shirts and it was weird vibes. And he, who there was the pastor was the caddy, right?

It was his pastor. Yeah. Who was his catty? Yeah. Different. Different one on Saturday. Yeah. So yeah, the whole day was, you know, just a little, like I said, we just couldn't

find any momentum. And then, yeah, I felt like I played pretty well on Sunday. He just obviously played better. And, you know, I walked up. the course and I said that to you. I was like, well, that's why he's the number one player and I get to go to Dominican every year. But no, I mean, that being said, that, like, that is my takeaway is that I, you know, I am right there. Am I the number one player in the world? No, but I can absolutely compete with him and there's things that I do better than he does. And there's

things that I do better than all these guys. So I hope to get a chance to show that off this week. Like I said, around the greens, I'm very excited to just be that artist. And, and, And, you know, yeah, my takeaway is that I'm good enough. And, you know, I'm not just hoping to make the cut at a major anymore. Like, I'm here to compete. Last nerdy kind of technical question, hopefully. We'll see. I can't promise.

But Wyndham Clark on Monday, and I know you played with him today, talked about the green speeds. And he said that he found them already sort of approaching the borderline, might be borderline already. and there has been some sentiment shared that it seems like the USGA will want them around kind of 13. How have you, in terms of the speak, green speed, how did you find the green speeds thus far as you've been around on the holes you played? Yeah, they're like 13 uphill and 43 downhill. No, the, yeah, there's just, you know, the slopes are pretty severe and you get it.

I think with the grass change to the Bermuda, I think that's probably made the biggest difference because with the grain, those downhill putts just become that much faster down grain. So, yeah, I mean, borderline, I don't know, like incredibly challenging, yes. I think probably what he was referring to is, wow, they're already this fast since only Monday, is where the borderline comes from because you just expect them to get faster

as the week goes on. I don't really know that they're going to get them any faster. I think they're perfect right now. I think the borderline where if they do lose the course will come from the firmness, because as we talked about, it is firm right now, but it's not overly firm. They're still, like I said, if you land it in the proper spot, they are receptive. So it's really just the speed. And then, you know, if you land it in the wrong spot, you're going to get penalized.

So, but if they, yeah, if they try and bake it out over the, weekend and yeah i could see it getting a little crazy for sure on this podcast before you've talked about max homo before max played his best you've known about windham well before he won the u.s open are there any guys out there right now that hover under the radar where you know they're going to be great but not everybody talks about him right now that is a great question i love this question the homeless hub sleeper. Yeah, man. Yeah, no, I just, I wish you would ask me this earlier

because I would have had an answer for you. Because they're definitely, I would say they're definitely are, but off the top of my head, I can't necessarily think of one. Have you been out with Ludwig Oberg? I haven't, no, but I mean, I don't think anybody would call him a sleeper.

He's not a sleeper. Right. He's pretty on the radar. Highly awake. Very, very, very, very, very. Him, it's like we keep seeing him show up to these golf courses, these venerable venues for a very first time and like, you know, go play Augusta and finish solo second. So, right, the talent, you know, kind of shines through and it does defy what, you know, conventional wisdom would say, you got to like get around a little bit. You've got to experience this a little bit.

It for sure feels that way at Pinehurst, right? Yeah, for sure. I mean, I think in terms of trying to pick somebody out too, I mean, I know I said that, you know, length definitely isn't even close to the most important here. But if you're looking for a superstar, you know, they do have to have length. So, I mean, I do look at like a Jake Knapp. I haven't played with him enough. But it seems like if you had the thing like the thing with Wyndham, the thing with Max, like to have that length, you know, even Rory around the green sometimes, Jason Day when he's been playing really well.

to be able to hit that far, but then still have the incredible touch that those guys do. Like, Windham's chipping is just as good. Like, I fancy myself to be an amazing chipper. And Wyndham just as good as me, but he also can hit it 80 by me. So that's not really fair. That's when it becomes, okay, this is why this guy's going to be the next superstar. So I haven't played enough with Jake to know if he has that. It seems like A-Bird does have, you know, kind of the full package as well as the length.

So I think that's why he's got the hype and is, you know, for the most part, living up to it. But yeah, I definitely will have a think on that as to who I think the next up and comer, because there definitely are a few. If you let us know, text your brother. Actually, Nathan will be with you and then you can text me and then I'll put it on the Twitter Xbox for all the world to see. This is the homeless hubs sleeper. Homeless, I am very, very, very happy. I will tell you the time thus far today, there is nothing but positive vibes coming out of you.

Like I felt like we had to like get you a little bit revved up. You were ready. You showed up like ready for Valhalla. But all I've heard out of you today are the best vibes. And I am thrilled for what you are going to do at this venue this week. Nate dog, can you please not fuck it up this time? Just get in there. get the man in his position and you know what's the breakfast place at the at the horse

track that that's you know that's the underrated have you been over there no i haven't i haven't we got a we got a house with a simulator and a poker room and it's like a a couple of scoff trip house so we've been hanging out here yeah a couple screaming kids for sure but yeah no we haven't ventured out a ton but yeah i don't know Nathan was supposed to come for just Thursday Friday at Bell Halle and he stayed the weekend. So I think this time around, he has to go home on Friday. So I like our chances. Well, I like our chances here. You know, this is our tradition. So the only, this is a modest request, a modest goal. All you have to do is qualify for the Open Championship so we can talk to you again in a month under the same,

you know, these pre-tournament circumstances, buddy. Yeah, I would very much like that. But I'm definitely going to go over to the Scottish either way, and I'd really like to stay there for two weeks instead of one. So that's definitely high on the list. But I don't know, what place do you have to finish here to get into that one? Let's take care of that this week. Yeah, just go kick-ass. It'll be fine.

Don't worry about it. We don't need to think about the place. 72 bars, baby. There we go. Let's do it to it. See you. Yes, thank you as always for your generosity and all the grace with your time, friend. Anytime, boys. Thanks for having me.

All right, my Eagle Enthusiast, my Bertie Buddies, my Par Saving Pals. There we have it. Enormous thanks, as always, to Homeless Hubbs, our guy, Mark Hubbard, rooting for the best this week. So we shall be back Sunday night right after. Somehow the U.S. Open has the most boring name. We have the want to make her for the PGA. We have the green jacket for the mask. We have the Claret Jug for the Open Championship. The U.S. Open Trophy will be given out. But we will be ready to rock here on Fairway Rowland podcast overnight, Sunday night, the show, Recap Show on Fandual TV, first thing Monday morning.

It is Father's Day weekend. Lots of clubs out there are having their member guest tournaments. So I hope all of you out there, whether you're in the member guests or not, got on certainly the opportunity to play on Father's Day. We reserve the right. If anything dramatic happens in this golf tournament, it requires an emergency pod. We might do it.

But I'm planning on getting a peg in the ground. And I hope all of you are able to, please, hit them straight out there. You must be 21 years old or older, 18 years old or older in Washington, D.C. And present in select states. Bandul is offering online sports wagering in Kansas under an agreement with Kansas Star Casino LLC. Gambling problem?

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