Fore Play - Green Coats, Pinehurst Tears, & Inside Baseball

Episode Date: November 5, 2020

Doug Ghim (4:00), Kirk Minihane (55:50), and Jeff McNeil (106:02) join the show. It’s a jam-packed one. First, PGA TOUR youngster Doug Ghim takes us through the behind-the-scenes of finishing low amateur at the 2018 Masters and getting through the Butler Cabin ceremony, hilarious high school golf stories, and the windy conditions in Bermuda. Then, Kirk Minihane goes deep into the one true thing he loves: the Masters. We talk favorites, who’s likable and who’s not, and also revisit Riggs’ emotional Pinehurst departure. Finally, New York Met all-star Jeff McNeil discusses the upcoming Barstool Classic Championship at Pinehurst (which he’s playing in), the Mets new ownership, and some inside baseball on anticipating pitches!You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Prime Members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. For more, visit barstool.link/foreplaypod

Hey, 4Play listeners, you can find us every Tuesday and Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Prime members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. Yet again, we are joined by several guests. We've got three guests. I don't know if we've ever had three guests in a show, but we got three very good guests, very different guests. We start off. First, we're going to hit you with former low amateur at the Masters. It was 2018 Masters, finished low Amateur, was number one ranked Amateur.

in the world, just finished tied to 14th in Bermuda, Doug Gim, who we had on live. We did a little bit of 2K with him last week. He's very funny. He's got great stories, high school golf, being in Butler Cabin with Patrick Reed after he won the Masters. So we have a fun conversation with Doug. Then we hit you with Kirk Minahan, our coworker who loves the Masters. He knows more than that Masters trivia.

He knows every winner over the last like 40 years. Trent was just hitting him with random years. Boom. He knows the winner. He knows how it went down. And he loves Augusta. So we have phenomenal, fun, anticipatory master's talk that's going to get you jacked up for next week. And then we have Jeff McNeil from the New York Mets.

He's playing the Barstville Classic Championship. He qualified last year, then shattered his wrist. So we have a pretty fun conversation about the Mets, the ownership, that injury. He actually gets into a little inside baseball about, you know, being one of the better hitters in the game, pitchers, sliders, all kinds of good stuff. What are you pointing at me for? That's where inside baseball works. It just works there. Remember we had that discussion about whether something, if it wasn't baseball,

if it could be also called inside baseball, behind the greens is very inside baseball. Like with the video at Wingfoot, is very inside baseball. Yes, it is. Yes. Yeah, could it be called inside golf? I even asked Dave that, and he said, no, inside baseball, there's a term you use for everything.

Yeah, general term. I agree with that. I think a general term you apply to something, and people know what you mean. It's almost like a micro, like a, micro look at a certain topic. But anyways. Yeah. So we have some interesting stuff with that. So again, we got Doug Gim. We got Kirk Minahan and we got Jeff McNeil. So it's a pack show. We're going to get to it very quickly. You should get to Owensmixers.com and you should load up on the best mixer company

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They have a margarita mix and they got other flavors as well. So Owensmixers.com, barstool 15, gets you 15% off. We're now going to hit you with Doug Gibb. We've got Doug Gim on the show, low amateur at the Masters. He was number one ranked amateur in the world at one point. DJTor, but we're going to get into all that. But we're starting with this, which is great, because I walk out of that fucking plane. And, like, you know, we do the golf scene.

We cover golf. We're at majors. We're trying to talk to players in the range. But, like, the Bermuda Championship isn't the same thing, obviously, as U.S. Open. So there's a million tour guys on the plane and caddies. I'm seeing, like, you know, golf hats everywhere. People have different logos from clubs. But everybody's got a mascot.

So, like, I kind of recognize some people. And I'm trying to be like, oh, that's this guy. and then you were like rigs and I turned and I'm like I think I know who that is but also everybody's wearing a mask so I didn't know and then you take the picture and I shared it and a bunch of people are roasting you and were like is Doug gim in a middle seat and coach going to a week? Yeah I mean that's what I could definitely tell because the guy next to me was catty and he staring at me like why are you in a middle seat and then I'm pretty sure I was sitting next to Luke Donald's wife which was savage because Luke Donald was sitting in first

class and I was like bro that's that's not cool as a mother of your children you probably should have her sitting in first class but again that's all good he made the cut so at least at least he's got that going for him but yeah I mean it was pretty crazy I mean the same thing that's kind of why I said your name out loud because I wasn't really sure if it was you because of the mask and I was like I think it's rigs and then you looked up and then I took the picture mainly just to like show my buddies I was like, you won't believe if you're sitting in front of me and believe it or not,

they were roasting me for being in a middle seat too. They're like, come on, man. It's like, you wear Nike on your chest and you're in the middle seat right now, but it's all good. That's how you know you're real friends. We're all grinding a coach,

so it is what it is. And then it was the flight, like at the gate, they're like, yeah, they overbooked the flight by 18 people. And I was like, well, it's going to be a free fraud. Like, these guys have to get to,

to the tournament playing in a PJ tour event in Bermuda. I think they ended up leaving like three guys and three caddies. There's something that didn't get on the plane. Yeah, the craziest thing too is like usually when you hear that, they're like, we're looking for some volunteers and like, you know, we'll pay your voucher for one day and then you'll be on the first flight out tomorrow. But they're like, the next flight won't be until Thursday.

Like Thursday, the tournament starts Thursday. What are we supposed to do? And then there's a court, like you have to. quarantine for eight hours after getting tested, we'd get there. And it was like, this is, this is absolute chaos. And I was glad just to be on the plane. So, just the way it worked out. I was trying to think what my number was. Like, if they're, they're like, we're asking for volunteers and we're going to give you, like, an American Airlines voucher. Like, what does that number need to be for me to get off of this plane and sit in

Miami for multiple days until I can go to Bermuda? And it was a, I think, is a pretty high number they would take. I was talking to Will Gordon. I was talking to Will Gordon's caddy, and I was saying, like, because the PJTor gives 75K for a positive COVID test, and I was like, it has to be 75K. There's no way that I am not getting on this flight,

or literally, like, purposely not getting on the flight. I would have to be the same 75K, and all net jets my ass back over to Vegas if they were to do that. That's what I was saying. Based on who is on the flight, I feel like they should offer, like, sponsor exemptions for another tournament. Like, it's all players anyways.

Like, don't offer money. Just offer, like, you get a free year in this tournament next year. Like, if you just bump off this one. Yeah, no kidding. It was definitely the strongest field of Bermuda we'll ever see because it's not an opposite field this year. So there's no chance that, like, Pat Perez shows up next year. There's just no way.

So, Henry Stenson, no chance. At one point, like, we're playing the pro ad. and we play with Chesson Hadley. And, you know, like, he's a nice enough guy with chatting his caddy was kind of into barstool, so we're having a good time. But he's, like, quiet. And then I look up and I'm hitting like an approach shot on the par five, seventh hole. And Henrik Stenson is just standing right behind me all of a sudden.

He had like, he's walking with his cat. He's walking the course. I guess he was injured. He ends up withdrawing. But at the time, this is Wednesday. it. And he's just standing there with his, like, machine-like, you know, look with his shades on, just waiting for me to hit. And I hit, like, a pretty good layup out of a bunker. And then he goes up, and he's standing on the side of the green. I've got, like, a 70-yard wedge shot into this

par five uphill, kind of a weird live in the rough, obviously. And he's standing the edge of the green, like, not looking for me at all. And I just blade a little way. A missile goes, like, just over him. And, I mean, almost kills Henry Extensive. And then he walks over. And then he walks over. and he's kind of walking on, and I, and I see my ball goes, where are we going? You know that eight, the seventh green is like super elevated from behind. And Stenson's caddy is like, yeah, man, we went like way down there. And I was like, yeah, I don't, I think I'm just not even going to go get it. And then Stenson's like, probably didn't help that somebody was just standing in your,

in your line of play, which was him. He's like, I didn't even know you were hitting. And I was like, no, I know you didn't. So I was like, just don't kill Hendrick Stenson. and then I hit a missile and almost killed you. And then he just walked away and was gone. So, like, the fact that he was in Bermuda was, I don't know what he was doing there.

He withdrew. And then same with Pat Perez. Like, he made the cut and then he just withdrew and left. He thought he was going to miss the cut. So he, because we have the same swing coach and Drew Steckle. And I talked to Drew. And he was like, yeah, he 100% thought he missed the cut. So he just was like, I'm not staying another day in Bermuda.

So he just left. And we all looked. He's like, he made the cut. him and Robert Garriggis both made the cut and they both WD so it's pretty insane. Why go then? What's the reasoning? Just to get like, what's the reason to go? I honestly don't know. I mean, for Henrik, I assume, is to get ready for the Masters. And so he hasn't been playing a lot. So I think it's just him to get some reps in. And unfortunately, I guess he got hurt. But I think he's playing this week. So it couldn't have been hurt too bad.

And so we'll see how he does this week. But, yeah, I think Pat had like a mediocre season last year. And so he's just playing in anything he can get in and trying to get off to a good start this year. And he's playing all right. So it's just unfortunate. I don't think he meant to withdraw. He just thought he was going to miss the cut and he got home. And so he made the cut and was like, well, obviously, I can't get back there.

So I had the WGET. Incredible. So good. Just a disrespect to that tournament. is just all that starts. I mean, yeah, I mean, as nice as Bermuda is, as nice as like some of the islands we go to, it's just so hard to get to,

and it's so expensive to be there. So it's like, if you think you're going to miss the cut, I understand the desire to go home because you're like, I don't want to pay like $500 for this hotel fee and then have to pay like $80 for like basically, you know, a five. dollar foot long and and have to be here and there's not even really that good of a practice facility out there so it's just kind of like like other courses where if there's like an insane practice facility

then you could like come out and practice and get some stuff done but that range is so small we were basically hitting out of the rough in the back of the range before round four just hitting flyers down the range I was dying at the practice bunker is like the the practice bunkers that they could actually, you guys could actually work at, is not even a real green that you hit shots onto. Right. A fair way. Yeah.

Last year it was an actual greed. And this year, I guess they were just like, everyone just chips on the putting grade. So we're just not even going to cut it. And so there's just like a sea of golf balls in this tiny putting green that's like a straight 10% slope towards the range. And like you're trying to like weed in your golf balls right before you're around. But yeah. I mean, for Pat, I was just like, I couldn't believe that he had left because of the wind. I mean, I just don't know how you think you're going to miss the cut when there's like 60 mile an hour winds out there.

Yeah. So, I mean, I love Bermuda too. Like, we're not to shoot on the tournament, but it's very, it was laughable. Like when you go to your guy's typical PGA tour venue, it is as perfect as it gets. Like you said, the practice facility, the range can hold like 100 guys. It's pristine. I mean, it's a PGA tour. course and event. In Bermuda, just like, they just, their best option is, you know, Port

Royal, which is a sweet course, but it was, you know, just a little bit, whatever. And you said, like an apple there because of importing, it costs like 25 bucks like an apple. So it's just, it's pretty expensive. But the wind, I famously shot 102 last year in the Gossings of a rotational and it was similar to Friday the whole time. And you and I were talking about a couple of your shots on Friday because I was looking at your. scorecard, couldn't watch your round. And I saw you birded like 18, you're birded 11, and you were giving me some hilarious numbers and irons that you actually hit. So Friday, on like the 11th pole, for example, talk me through the wind and like your shots.

Yeah. I mean, Friday was pretty brutal. I mean, typically like on 11, the way the wind was blowing from the practice rounds and everything, people were hitting it pretty much right by the green and so it's this huge drop from the first cut fairway and then there's a second fairway that's about like 40 yards past the first fairway so like runs off and it goes straight down a cliff and there's just rough my ball is in the rough and I'm like 120 yards away instead of like 40 yards away that we were the whole week and you're you don't really know how to play it because it's going straight down downhill and it's blowing straight into the wind and so you're like I don't really know if I's supposed to play a downhill or not. And so we had like 120 yards and my catty's looking at me

and he's like, what do you want to hit? And I was like, well, obviously no wedges can get there. And we ended up hitting eight iron. And I chipped it and the ball was in the air for probably like 10 seconds. Like we were just sitting there. And the craziest thing is I saw Anabon Lahiri hit this shot that was on the downslip of the bunker. So it's even worse downsook than I was. He probably he hit like a seven or a six iron and he hit it and it took off like a missile so as soon as i see in the air i'm like oh no that's like that's in the water that we could see behind like 300 yards away and he's just on the ground kneeling like praying that this ball gets hit by the wind and it doesn't look like it and then it lands and it lands like five feet behind the hole and i'm thinking to myself

like oh my god how how much wind is up there and so my caddy is like looking at it and like out flyer lie and it's straight down slope. And I was like, I don't really know what to do here. And he's just like, just hit like a chip Adair and see what happens. If it comes up short, it's fine. It's easy chip. And then it ended up like pin high like 10 feet. And I was like probably one of the few birdies of the day on that hole.

And 18 was like the same thing. How far is your A-DAR unusually go? Like stock. A-RR and usually goes like 166 yards. So it was just like. like hitting it and like my roommate and he's like my coach he's like my second set of eyes when I'm out at tournament so he helps me a lot on the road but he was watching and he's like your ball was basically 20 yards past the green and I watched it fly 20 yards backwards onto the green and then it came

backwards as it hit the green so it was like it was just an insane and it was like this left to right put which would normally be like a cup out and it played like five cups and it like snuck into the right edge and I was like this is stupid I couldn't believe how much it was blowing out there. What were the gusts? Like, do you know what the, like, what was the wind and what was the gust? So the wind was probably a sustained 20 to 25 miles an hour. And when you're right by the ocean, it's even worse because there's just nothing to block it from the wind.

But I think the gusts were getting up to like 35, 40. So, like, we were standing on seven on Friday. and I had like 205 front and I hit three wood that normally goes like 270 and it didn't even sniff hitting the green. I hit like the best three wood of the day and they landed five yards shorter rolled back another 30 yards and I was like this is so stupid. That's amazing. Jesus Christ. I know you and Riggs played a couple video games. It feels like pretty much right out of it.

I mean at least in a video game you have a sense of what the distance is. no one playing in the real world it was funny because we were talking about it and we were playing rib and i was like in these conditions like especially that first round in bermuda was pretty much no wind so like it was pretty easy um i was telling him that i felt more comfortable on the golf course than i did in the video game and then we get out there and i'm like oh no i probably shouldn't have said that and then you wish that i was going to miss the cut so that i was yeah well you're being in dirt you're being in my game in 2k so So you said something mean to me, so then I said, I hope you missed the cut tomorrow.

And then when I saw you were like, I was talking to Luke, who's your guy, your coach, and I was like, dude, I felt bad. You were like three over through seven or something after shooting seven under the day before. I was like, oh, no, he might actually miss the cut. That would suck. Yeah, I was looking at the leaderboard and like gladly the cut started moving back so that I like kind of started to get more comfortable. But like in the beginning, I was like, because sometimes you get to

probably guys just end up playing really good even when there's a lot of wins. It was just for a while, it looked like it was going to hang on to like one under a even. I was like, I need to get, you know, I need to get it together before I start shooting like 42 on this front nine. And then the cuts started to come back. And I was like, all right. I made it like one birdie to get to two over for the day. And I was like, okay, we're planning the weekend.

It's just a matter of am I going to actually have a chance to win this tournament or no. And so we went in. For you, I mean, you know, you all need your career. T14, you kind of got a little bit of a stretch going. I think you've got a T14, a T-23, and a T-14 in the last month and a half, couple months. Like, how big is a T-14 for you right now at this stage? Yeah, it's big. I've, my rookie year was just, it was kind of a circus, obviously, with COVID and everything. And, yeah, I kind of lost my game there for a little bit during the Corn Ferry playoffs, like right before corned prairie playoffs that took a week off and then I couldn't figure anything out and then I ended up

somehow getting my card I don't know how I did it but I got my card and then literally was given like three days off and then we had to show up at the greenbriar and so I just never really had any time to to figure the game out and I was just like and then obviously the courses get harder and the players are even better and so I just kind of kept getting hit in the nuts over and over and over again at every tournament. It was just wishing for a break so that I could get something going. And then obviously, not to say that COVID's great, obviously it's affected millions of people. And, you know, it's been such a difficult time for everyone. But in terms of my golf game and personally, it was like almost the best thing for me. It gave me time to kind of figure out what I needed

to do and kind of reassess my goals. And yeah. All that's showing. I mean, I changed a lot of stuff coming out of COVID. I changed some equipment and everything. And I showed up to Napa and I was so glad that wasn't like 205th in the FedEx Cup anymore. And I could start back to zero. And yeah, it was a nice feeling to finish 14th and be like 14th in the FedEx right off week one and not feel like I need to shoot like 63 every single round I play.

Yeah. I mean, when you said like I lost my game, like we lose our game every round. Every single round of golf I've ever played, there's a point where I'm like, I've lost my game. I don't have my game. I don't know. I have no idea what to do. Yeah, I mean, it's the same for us. Obviously, like, it's just relative, obviously, compared to who you're playing against and what you're playing for.

And for me, like, obviously, I've gotten to play against some of the best players and so the biggest tournaments. and to know what it feels like to have your game and actually have an idea what you're trying to do, it's already hard enough when you feel like you got everything going for you, at least off the golf course. And then you try to tee it up, you're like, I need to somehow replicate what I can do on the range out there. But when you can't even do it on the range and you show up to the first tier, you're like, well, I mean, I could probably scratch that even part, but I know this cut's going to be three or four under. So it's like, I might as well just go home. Like there was a point in time where I remember a year ago in Bermuda and that year it was an opposite field event.

I told Luke, because Luke wasn't on the road with me yet, that I literally just unpacked two outfits because I probably knew I was going home. So I didn't even like think about what I was going to wear on the weekend. I was like, if I end up playing the weekend, that's great. And I can dig it out later. But it's like I'm not even going to dangle that over right now because I can't. can't sniff the ball. I think the tidalist guys when I showed up last year in Bermuda were giving me lessons and trying to help me hit the ball because my caddy couldn't even show up because it's quite what was canceled. I didn't play a practice drum because I didn't want to lug my own staff bag

for 18 holes by myself. So then I was just on the range trying to figure my swing out and I shanked like five in a row and the titleless guy was like, oh, why don't you be the cut? And I was like, it's pulling 50 like to left. What do you want me to do? And so, So in full circle, it's been nice this stretch of golf because it tells me. And I don't even feel like I'm playing the best that I can. And that's probably the most uplifting part is that once things really start to click, then I feel like I can go on a run at tournaments. Yeah, because, I mean, you were literally the number one ranked amateur in the world.

So it's like you would think on some trajectory, it's like he's going to be getting out there on tour. But people probably don't realize just how hard it is. I mean, we hear horror stories from like Monday qualifying all the time. People shoot 65 and aren't even close to getting in tournaments or, you know, the ability to go out and shoot in the high 60s very consistently and like, no, no, that's not good enough. So it's, I think probably something people don't really realize is like how good everybody out on tour is and how difficult it is to actually make it. And like I said, like you have a phenomenal resume and not that like your struggle. It's like you're still very, very young, T-14, the PG-H-D.

tour and Extenson was in the field for a little bit, which was a surprise to me. But like, you're still able to play some damn good golf. That you can just be really tough out there, I feel like. Yeah. I mean, if you look at the cut for the Shriners this year, I think the cut was seven under. And so, like, obviously the game's changed a lot and guys are just getting really good. And, like, you used to never see guys come straight out of college and get their card with the starts they get.

And then in the last, like, five years, we've seen, like, six or seven. of them happen like with John Rom, Speath, you know, it seems like the web.com, like, or the corned fairy tour, I should say, going out on that tour is like almost like expected. And then like, if you're really good, you end up, you know,

becoming a Matt Wolfe and winning in your third start or something crazy like that. And you're like, I was sitting there on the corned fairy tour last year and I was playing okay. I was going to make it to the corned fairy playoffs, but like watching that and I was like, wow, I have so much to catch up on because, like, Collins won, Matt's one, and, like, Scotty's winning the Corn Fairy Tour altogether, so I'm sitting there like, I cannot be on

the Corn Fairy Tour one more year. I need to get my cards and I need to figure it out, or else I feel like I'm getting lab. You're like getting lessons from the titleist equipment guy on the range and what is going on. Yeah, I just like, I can't, I can't catch a break at that point, and it was just not in a really good mental space. So, like, right now I feel a lot better about where things are. But, yeah, it's just tough because if you think of it, like, everybody was conference player of the year at some point in their career out there. And if they weren't, they're, like, these really greedy guys that work really hard.

I'd probably have a better work ethic than you do. And, you know, you get some guys that have seen, you know, many different mini tours and had to sleep out of their car at Monday, qualify, like Patrick Reed one year qualified eight times and then ended up like doing super well and obviously is a major champion and everything. So everyone has their own backstory and no one really cares if you're number one in the world anymore when you step on that tea. In 2019 alone, 126 people were killed. 635 people were injured in collisions at railroad crossings. From 2014 in 2019, there were 798 fatalities involving motor vehicles at railroad crossings. By law,

trains have the right of way at railroad crossings. They cannot swerve. They cannot stop quickly or change directions. So we are here to inform you, to alert you to make a little announcement that when you're approaching a railroad crossing, please slow down, look, listen for a train on the tracks, especially at passive crossings. While active warning, do improve safety at railroad crossings, they do not prevent all collisions. Approximately 60% of all collisions at railroad crossings occur when active warning devices are present and functioning. So again, be cautious, be aware of what's going on.

We do not want anyone to get hit by your train. You're probably in your car right now listening to this show. It's a podcast. Popular place to be listening to them is in your car. So if you're approaching a train track, you have a railroad crossing on your route. Be careful. Slow down. Trains can't swerve. You need to stop because trains cannot stop. That's really the situation. So again, please be careful. Please make sure that when you approach a railroad crossing, you are cautious, that you go slowly, that you do not just drive in front of the train because they don't have many options. You have more options than they do. So please exercise those options. Exercise caution. Be extremely careful. Thank you very much. I was going to say, is that like equate to being like the number one draftic being the number one world amateur ranked player? Yeah.

Yeah, it can be. I mean, so the year that I came out was the same year that Norman Zhang term pro. And Norman was like the absolute guy. Like everyone wanted him. Like Nike wanted to sign him. Calloway was all over him. he got like paid a ridiculous contract apparently record breaking and so like people were saying that he was as good as tiger woods his coach casey morden was teammates with tiger at stanford and he was

telling people that he was the most talented player that he had ever seen since tiger woods and you know obviously like that type of stress is it's pretty difficult to deal with i because of Norman was kind of a little bit more under the radar which was kind of crazy to say because like i was number one in the world. He was like number three and like he had way more because he was so much younger than me. He was like years younger than me and only played a year and a half at school. But it's interesting in like an individual sport because it's like you might feel pressure from like sponsors or endorsements possibly or maybe even your own parents or agents. But like at the end of the day it's just like you doing you. You're not playing for a franchise. You're not playing for a team owner.

it's not like you can get traded. Like there's nothing like that. There's everything is just solely based off you. And like I said, when you get there, they're all kind of like, that's cute. You're a number one in the world. But like you're now like number like 5,780th, like try to earn your spot. We don't really give you any credit until you get your card or win something. And that part is crazy.

Yeah. I think when I first came out, like the only thing that I had on my resume, was being T-50th at Augusta, and that kind of gave me something to work with, but like, not really. And so, like, I was ranked, like, 4,000th or something. And, like, I finished, I know it was bad because I made my first cut at Quicket Loans since my second tournament out. And I finished tied for dead last out of the guys that made the cut, and I moved up, like, 2,000 spots in the world. I was like, that's how you know you're way behind. So it's pretty nice.

I want to talk about high school. Yeah, I only played one year. That's sure. That's a testament to how bad we were. There was rumors because I actually got recruited. It was kind of like a college process. I got recruited to play multiple high schools. There was a bunch of private high schools where I was from,

like rich Catholic private schools that were giving me scholarships to go play in high school. And like I took visits. I took an official visit and I shadowed guys on both teams. And I decided that because I knew with AJGA being such a big thing and like this new upcoming tournament tour circuit, you know, and names like Spieth and like Kepka and all those guys that were playing in those tournaments at the time, it was like, well, that's why I want to play in. And some of the biggest tournaments, like the junior players,

we're going to be during high school season and the way that Illinois high school rules were is you can't play outside tournaments during high school season. And I was like, well, I want to play in those tournaments and I don't want to get a scholarship to go to a high school that's going to force me to stay in those tournaments. And so I end up going to Buffalo Grove, but because of that, our athletic program was so bad

and it's still pretty bad from what I hear. And they were going to cut spending on certain sports and golf was definitely going to be one of them because it's like a really expensive sport. And because I decided to go there, my coach was able to convince basically the board of directors to keep golf in because I was going to make it to state

and it was just like a known fact that I was going to make it to state. It would be the first kid that made it to state in like 10 years or something. And so I show up and I was like, yeah, I'm going to have fun with it and it's just going to be fun. I know we're bad, but like I'm sure it'll be fun just to hang out with guys.

and, you know, be treated like a normal person for once and not like this up-and-coming player. And, yeah, we were awful. We only had one shirt. Our school only gave us one shirt in, like, a hammy-down bag that was ripped. And right off the bat, my teammates hated me because we would get to practice and he would show up and everyone would get golf balls, a sleeve of like NXTs,

and then I would get like three dozens of Provee ones because that was like good. So the senior is absolutely. I just as they hated me right off the bat. Not because they didn't like me, but just because, like, my coach really didn't make it easy on me because he played so much favorites on me. And, like, he would give me a cart to drive during practice

and everybody else had to walk. And so it wasn't a good look on me. Yeah, and so, like, and we get to tryouts, and I find out that there is not even a cut at tryouts. We're just playing, and we're just seeing how good everybody is. but everyone who tries out makes the team. And if you're an underclassman, you are on JV. And if you're a junior or senior,

you're automatically on the varsity squad. It's in there. I'm like the first freshman that's going to make it to the varsity squad in a while. And I'm playing and I'm playing fine. But this kid that I'm playing with, his name was Andrew Van Wazer. And he's got like this painter cap on.

It's like the yes spur like this. And he's got like platter. shorts on with like striped shirt and I was like who is this guy and uh he's waxing me like through the first seven holes he's like he's probably like three under and I'm like one under and this guy like the way he putted like he was so bent over and his toe was like six inches off the ground it looked like he was actually making contact with the ball the bottom of his putter and like he was just waxing me I was like what is going on and then he blows up he shoots 80 and I shoot like 66 or something.

It's like a really easy muni course, and I'm coming off the golf course, and Coach Duffer, that was our coach's name, by the way. It was Pete Duffer. And so Duffer gets over there, and he's looking at all the scorecards, and he's like, 104, like 97, 93,

and he goes, Van Wazer, 80. He's like, that's the best round of your life. And I was like, that's the best round of his life. And I was like, and he shot 80? He shot like a 48 in the back nine. He shot like 200 in the front and like a 48 in the back nine. I was like, oh, no. And he was like, yeah.

And he's like, I guess Doug just brings out the best of me. And he's the first good player to play with ever. And I was like, oh, no. And that's kind of how the season started. Yeah, because like, you know, you and I were talking about it. You were saying, like, I would shoot like 66. And our team, which you had to take, what, four or five scores? Yeah.

So our high school was six players played. I think scores counted. And every day in school, they would announce the scores from the day or from the weekend if we played an invitational. And so they'd be like, they would just do like the roll call, like, you know, Padilla, this, this guy, this. And then you'll get to like the best, though, it was the discrepancy between the two guy and me.

It's like Van Wazer was always this two guys. He's like Van Wazer like 87 and then Gim 68 like 68. They're like, what? I mean like it was just like amazing. We were just sitting there and like all my buddies like they know a little bit about golf. They watched a little bit of it and they're like sitting there and they're like, there was like a 30 stroke difference between you and the next guy. And I was like, yeah.

We came in dead last and I won by like four. It's pretty insane. I was telling him that our, our, uh, our, our, uh, our, regional the year that I came in, the regional we hosted at our home golf course. So we are the hosts. It's a course we play every day, every day. And I come in and obviously I know the course super well and I shoot 66 to win the regional. I think I won by like two or three. And we came in dead last. There was a team called Granite City that shot a million. Like not one of them broke 80. And they still beat us by like 20 shots.

And I shot 66. Like, they're just super 11s everywhere. I just know that the buddies that were on that team, like your high school guys and guys who played against you are going to be listening to this being like that fucking Dougman, they can't stand you. Like, I just know they. They still hate me.

I know they could. Like, we had a buddy on our team who we love with this kid Tim. And he was just like, he always worked with the first team program. And then he like went to like golf management school and like played a little bit. at Ole Miss, I think it was. Like, he was a good golfer, but I remember just like, man, like Tim gets every, like you were saying, like he gets the best bag. Like, he looks like, where are the kids that came from the baseball team and, like,

just jumped on the golf team and, like, we love the sport. And Tim died here fucking practicing wedges and like, like, he's in the bunker. And we're all like, what the fuck is Tim doing? But then he's just, like, better than us. And you, I can't imagine being, like, third or fourth or fourth in that team and, like, showing up the school. Like, oh, how did you do a golf? I said, oh, 96.

Like what Doug should, 66? Like, it's almost like why even participate on the team when someone is just that much better than you? Yeah. The practice is nothing like four guys just trying to make ball contact and then Doug's over there stuffing wedges. So it's like the practices of like what people are working on and trying to accomplish for the day. Like somebody's trying to get a driver on the ballpark of playable. And then Doug over there trying to dial in a wedge from 62 to 64 yards. How nervous you think his opponents were facing?

him like showing up it's like playing the best football team like holy fuck we got to play against jim today this paid put up a 65 yesterday like holy shit our number one can barely break 80 what are we gonna do that yeah like one guy didn't one guy in your team just couldn't hit it over water like you couldn't yeah so this is where the super 11s came out is like in in illinois high school golf if you make over 11 if you hit your 11 shot and it doesn't go in the hole, they immediately take you off the hole. Like, you're not allowed to play the rest of the hole for pace to play reasons. And so we get in this one course, and we're playing a shotgun,

and his last hole is part of three over the water, and he has no prayer. Like, he can get around when there's no hazards anywhere, and you don't have to make any force carry, so he can just roll it on to the green. He would, like, put it from, like, 60 yards away. And he gets on this hole, and he's like, he, like, tells us the story. he's like, I have no chance. And I was like, you have no chance. What you mean you have no chance?

He goes, I can't get the ball in the air. You're in there, and he's just like hitting each ball in the water. Like he hits like seven in the water. He's just in there, and he's just like, let me try this club. He goes, oh, no. It goes, oh, about this one. He was like literally hitting driver from 180 yards, but it still goes in the water. And he's in there.

The Real's official drives down the hill, and he gives him a ride back to the clubhouse because that's the last hole. And we're just seeing him, you're like, why are you getting a ride? like your hole was like not that far from clubhouse he goes I was taken off the hole I made a super 11 it was like that's the best term I've ever heard like a super 11 if you can't if you can't do if you're going to do more than 11 it's just a super 11 and they remove you from I think that must be like the most insulting thing is someone saying that you're now allowed to play the hole anymore that you're so bad that you just have to leave

Dude, the contrast between this guy, this fucking guy, you, a couple years away from being a low amateur at the mass, every stroke counts, it's amazing. Yeah, it was insane. I mean, for me, though, that made it more fun because, like, when it, like, obviously I had a lot of fun of E. And it was really fun to be a part of a group that was really motivated to win a national championship and all that stuff. but to kind of just be like a normal guy and be around guys like yeah like they knew that I was really good and they knew that I had a chance to go D1 and possibly the PGA tour but like they were so much older than me at that point in time too and they treated me like a normal guy so like none of them like cared because like they didn't really care how we did like they were just out there just goofing off because they liked golf a little bit and there was something to put on their college like application so they're out there just having fun and like we're out of out here and like, like, we were riding short buses to tournaments and, like, our coach is, like, making us eat pizza in the back of the short bus.

It was just insane. And, like, to me, it was, like, the first time, like, while playing golf that I was treated like a normal person, like, and not, like, some sort of prodigy or something. Because, like, especially in Illinois, like, golf is not, like, a big deal as it is in some of the southern states, like, Florida, California, and Texas. like it's very much kind of like something you just do for fun so then like when someone's good at it they make a big deal out of it but like when I got to my school like it was just like it was kind of funny just to be like one of the guys and it's like it doesn't matter what you shoot like you're still

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And so, like, as soon as I finish playing the final round, I finished early because I teed off early. I didn't play very good on the weekend. But they're telling me that I can go and hang out in one of the cabins and watch the tournament finish out until the trophy ceremony. And there's two different ceremonies. There's one by the cabin and one on the putting green. And I'm sitting there and the guy, like the green coat comes into the cabin and he's explaining to. me what's going to happen. So they're saying like, hey.

Yeah, one of the green coats. So like one of the members of, uh, it might be army like the red honor. Um, it comes a group boat. I mean, the green coat, they walk around. Yeah,

someone with a green jacket comes towards you, you're like, what did I do? Or what do they want me to do? Like you just kind of stop it. It's like, I didn't do anything that, that I don't know what you're referring to,

but I'm just, uh, I'm trying to, to get out of the way essentially. But yeah, he comes up to me, and he's got, like, a clipboard of, like, pieces of paper with all the stuff drawn out. Like, this is where you're going to sit. This is how you're going to walk in.

And, like, I was like, wow, this is crazy. And they're saying, like, you have to walk at this sharp angle so that the camera won't see you coming into Butler Cabin and all this stuff. And I'm sitting there like, uh, okay. And so I guess. in there and like a tournament is still finishing up but they tell me to get there ahead of time so i'm sitting there in butler cabin but not in the actual like room where they're filming because jim nance is in there doing his thing and nick fado's in there doing his thing as well and so i'm standing in

like the room outside and they're like putting makeup on my face and stuff and Sergio is there and he's got his jacket on and then he's just like sitting there and he's talking to me and we're talking and we have to whispered because they're still on the broadcast. We're watching the tournament. And yeah, the guy comes up to me and he goes, he talks to Sergio and he's like, this is when we say this, this is when you have to stand up and like give him the jacket, put the jacket on him and whatever. We're going to ask you a couple of questions. They come up to me and they said, okay, when you get in, he's like, you're going to be the first person to walk in because you're going to be the closest to the camera. So I was like, okay, so I'm going to sit down. And they're like, you cannot lean forward

when you're sitting because if you lean forward from the angle that our camera is you will block Patrick and I was like okay so I was like so that I just like lean back and he goes no but it needs to look natural so I'm sitting there like well what so I'm sitting there like immediately when I get in I'm like really uptight so if you ever see the photo of me like in the chair I'm like trying to glue my back because I don't want to get in trouble I want to be re-invited back obviously and I want to be the guy. They're like, they're like dead dog guys couldn't sit. Like he just couldn't figure it out.

Yeah, I get a text for my girlfriend. He's like, why do you look so uncomfortable? And I was like, because I am. Like, this is a wooden chair. It's not a comfortable chair either. It's like this stiff wooden chair. And I'm like this glued. I like feel like I'm trying to like show off my chest or something.

And like the other thing too is like they're like, now it's time. They say some line. I think it's like now it's time for or like. Sergio, if you would do the honors and put the green jacket on Patrick. And so, like, that's my cue to leave. And they're like, you need to leave as fast as possible, like at an angle. And I was like, okay. But they don't give me any rehearsal for this.

So it's like, it's first try, first take. So if I knock over a chair, I just knock over a chair. I stay in there and like I jump out as fast as possible. I come out and like the chair like kind of lifts up. I'm like, oh no. And then it kind of like balances out. Like, it doesn't, you don't see it or hear it on TV, but I'm like, Nick Fado is just laughing at me in the corner and I'm sitting there like mortified.

Like, oh no. And, yeah, I mean, it was definitely like, there's probably the most nervous I'd ever been, like, doing something so like mundane or something so simple is just sitting down and answer a couple of questions and getting out of the way. But like, just because the Masters, it's like, obviously something we hold sacred to us as golfers. It's like you don't want to mess it. You don't want to be known for someone that messes it up either. It's just like trying to do everything they ask you for. There's a sick part of me that wants to ask. Like obviously it's an incredible achievement, right? Low Am at the Masters. But is there

any part of you because you are so talented and you are the number one ranked amateur in the world and you have all this ability that like your first time in there, you'd rather it just be like when you won one as opposed to like being the guy that's like on the right. Like your first experience walking to Butler's Cabin is not like winning it. It's like being the low am there. Is there any part of that that's like, oh, like my first time walking through those doors, I'd rather it be like when I'm getting the green jacket on me or no. Is it like that good of an accomplishment in your mind? So to answer your question, the low AM thing is really cool. Right. Like that part of it like was the fact that I went to Butler Cabin as a low am,

I was very honored and it's going to be something that I cherish for the rest of my life. The thing that, like, eats away at me that I wish when I had the opportunity is that I just had played better. I didn't feel like I played as well as I wanted to. But the experience of being in Butler Cabin as a low am did not take anything away from it because, like, no one really gets to sit next to somebody who had literally just won a major, like, literally 10 minutes ago. You could sit next to somebody who's won a major a year ago or, like, 10 years ago, 20 years ago. And like you could still feel that greatness, but to like, I basically got to experience what it would might be like as close as possible without actually doing it. And so like listening, like when they went to commercial break and we were like already sitting in there, Patrick was breathing so heavily. And like I can only imagine.

I'm just imagining what he's thinking to himself. Like because I can't imagine. And I'm sitting there and he's like gritting ear to ear. I'm sitting there and I'm like getting all the residual emotion. I'm just sitting there like this is crazy right like I've never been a part of anything like this before in my life and so just to sit here and like kind of get a taste of that and and and know that like I will never rest until like I'm going to always work my butt off for the rest of my life to ever try to get that feeling especially here especially at this tournament and so I think that part of it will never leave me I just felt like I was playing

well enough at the time and I had opportunities to score on especially on that weekend with little pressure because I was the only amateur to make the cut I had wished that I could have finished higher and I honestly was very disappointed when I left which is crazy to say but I left like pretty disappointed in my performance but I was like at least I won the low am and at least I made a couple of pullouts here and there to get my name out there but yeah I mean the low am part of it was really cool yeah that's awesome yeah You mentioned the holeouts. Like when you get, so when you make eagles, they give you the crystal goblets.

Is that right? They give you two for each eagle. Where are your crystal goblets? Where are your master's crystal goblets at? They're in Chicago. They're where my parents live. And like for me, like, it was important for me to keep them there. But it was pretty crazy.

They tried to give it to me while I was still in college. and it was an NCAA violation NCAA professional gave a value for how much those goblets cost and how much the Silver Cup costs, but they don't. They say it's priceless. Like, we're not going to tell you how much it costs. So therefore, they can't quantify what it is.

So Coach Fields is like, Doug, I'm sorry. I was like, it's not a big deal. As long as I eventually get them. He's like, I want to see that trophy as bad as you do, but like we can't have that here yet. And so they were sent to Chicago instead of Austin, which is fine. And I remember when I finally got to open it, it was pretty crazy. Like they kind of, they personalize it.

So they tell you what whole, what round, and they put your name on it for each set of goblets. And they're pretty crazy. And then the silver cup itself is really, really cool, too. It's definitely something I'll keep forever. That's awesome. Yeah. I'm not thinking you send me pictures of those guys. Oh, sure.

I want to see the guy. Definitely, definitely. I mean, if you decide not to keep it, just send it our way. We'll take. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'll be banned from the tournament. I never let them get into somebody else's stance. Those for play idiots have your goblets from the mast? Yeah, that's one way to never get re-invited back.

All right, Doug. Well, look, man, we really, we very very. much appreciate. What are you playing again? I mean, whenever I get in, hopefully Sea Island, possibly we'll get in there, but we'll see. Oh, yeah. Well, good luck. You get a little time off, you get the grind, make sure you don't lose that swing again, and we'll have to have you back on. We got Jeff McNeil from the Mets in like five minutes, so we're kicking you off right now. Oh, dang, dang. All right, well, thanks for having me, and thanks for the reminder of not losing my swing. I hope you keep finding the claw on two,

My claw on 2K is I've got to change my whole fucking strategy on that game. You would barely make the BG high school team on 2K, by the way, because you shot 97 when we played. I broke 100. It was a miracle. Thank you, Doug. Awesome. Thanks for having me.

Enjoy. Appreciate it, man. Thank you. See you.