No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - 1030: Keegan stuns Tommy in Cromwell, Minjee Lee claims 3rd Major!

Episode Date: June 23, 2025

Oh Tommy! Join us as we break down the week in golf: Minjee Lee wins her 3rd Major Championship at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, and Captain Keegan shocks the world on the 18th hole at the Travelers Championship. Lots of leaderboard talk, news and notes, thoughts on the week, and more! Presented by High Noon. Support our sponsors: High Noon - Sun's Up! FootJoy - shoes for every player! ServPro - Like it never even happened Join us in our support of the Evans Scholars Foundation: https://nolayingup.com/esf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Be the right club. Be the right club today. Yes! That's better than most. How about the end? That is better than most. Better than most! Expect anything different. Ladies and gentlemen, it's not a funeral. Welcome back to the no leg podcast live show presented as always by our friends at high noon.

I'm thankful to have some high noon for tonight. I am Sally joined by my guy, Big Randy. Hello, Mr. Big. Hey guys. Um, we're going to get to the KPMG. I'm Solly joined by my guy, Big Rainy. Hello, Mr. Big. Hey guys. We're gonna get to the KPMG. It was a little boring, but man, flipping it to the PGA Tour after the KPMG ended was, that was a lot. I assume we're gonna get into it,

but Solly, hello, good to be with you. I don't have to introduce my next guest. Biggest news of the day. I mean, just everybody on the social media apps have been talking about it. TC hit both his one and done this week. He hit Minji Lee and Keegan Bradley and I just want to take away. I want to congratulate you TC on a masterful, masterful week. Thank you. Thank you. Um, I feel like somebody ripped my heart out and then stuffed it in my mouth. And yeah, that's I don't know, I've been to a bunch of World Series games that the Braves lost,

I lifted the 28 to three Falcons loss, some other Tommy losses, but no, I think that's the that's about as tough as it'll ever get. So I don't know, just gutted for him and Fino. And like, yeah, it's but it's you know, it's a PGA Tour event. It's not a funeral. I still think he's gonna win a Port Rush. And we go onward. You know, we'll get there. You can make the day a good day. High Noon's got a big task ahead of us tonight. If we're gonna make this a good day for me, but make the day a good day with the all-new high noon day pack this new variety eight pack will be available year round to keep the sun shining and good times rolling this is probably good this might be rolling this is my favorite set of flavors in one single pack there's usually one every pack has got one flavor i'm kind of like

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Footjoy's shoes for every player, whether you choose on style, performance, traction, stability, or comfort. Find the best shoe for your game at footjoy.com. Tommy Fleetwood entered the final round of the Travelers Championship with a three shot lead over Russell Henley and Keegan Bradley after a 63 on Saturday, opened with a nervy bogey, but then birdied the second, we're fine. But bogeyed three and four.

Looked out of sorts, but made birdie on the 11th hole. Keegan bogeyed the 10th. It was back up to a two-shot lead. Everybody birdied the 13th hole. Then a bogey on 16. Trimmed Tommy's lead back down to one over Keegan. They made it to the last. They both parted the 17th hole after Tommy drove in the fairway bunker.

Both hit it in the fairway on 18 Tommy has 147 has nine iron doesn't like it doesn't like it backs off backs off switches to wedge comes up short Plays very quickly after Russell Henley had chipped in it comes up short after Keegan Bradley had stepped up and stuffed it to five feet Eight inches Tommy's putt come just sits directly outside Keegan's mark, misses the putt low, Keegan steps up, makes the putt and wins the tournament. And TCI, I don't even I don't know where, where do we go from here? Yeah, I think, you know, drove in the rough on one, I think that was that was a little jarring after he hit 14

fairways yesterday, I think, you know, magical round three played his butt off. I think he drove it well, but I think his speed on the putting was awesome all day. I had me thinking, all right, this is this is different. Right. And then gets out, you know, bogey on one, whatever birdies to like wedge in his hand fairway to use a cool hole. All right, we're, we're good there. And then we get to three, you know, three and four back to back, back to back bogeys.

I think three was, you know, just not a great, not a great wedge in there or nine iron or whatever. And then, you know, three putt Mrs. Four or five footer and then And then you know, three pot Mrs. four or five footer and then for you know, similar thing. For your for your own sake, I can't have you do all 18 holes because I'm worried about you right now. No, I know. But then after that, Sally, I think, I think where

it really turned around was five, he like hits a really bad shot long 240 yard par three hits a really long one and then ends up getting up and down like really good up and down there and you're like, all right, like this is this is good and then kind of studies himself and has a couple good birdies. You know birdie looks eight and nine, but studies it and then you know, 10 down the hill 11 birdies 11 you're like, all right, we're cooking and then 12. You know that that was the one that the pots hanging on the lip but I thought at that point Henley, you know Henley I thought was going to be the one to really worry about today.

I thought after Henley, I mean what he, he was birdied one bogeyed two, but then I thought Henley was going to come for throats early and often you knew he was going to be there towards the end. I thought if anything, you were going to have to get to 17 or 18 for, you know, 17 for a playoff 18 to win it. And yeah, just, I don't know, man, you know, birdie on 13 and then coming down the stretch, you know, bails out on 15. Sally, you can talk about that with, you know, shaving down the rough on 15. No, really no balls in the water this week. 16, you know, puts it long over the, you know, over the water, coming chips coming back and gives too much, misses the putt. And then 17, I thought was a really good shot. He was in the fairway bunker there and that's a pretty

nervy spot. Water short, a pretty fluffy bunker there. That's when I thought he had it won. I mean, that shot in the 17 was like, dude, this is this is hard to hard to lose it from here. But the like blowing that putt as far by as he did was I mean, made the comebacker but that was like, dude, you're just not yourself right now like the speed all day. Oh, it's just it was like he was, you know, he just didn't have his hands all day. And, you know, which was extra disappointing after yesterday. And then yeah, and then 18. I don't know, I guess you got to go with first instinct, right? Which was nine and get it there and take a little bit off of it instead of trying to shove the wedge in there. I think like the drive is the tough part. But a couple like tour pros, tour winners for the last couple of years text me and they're like, dude, the drive is the tough part there. Like, you know, shoveling in behind the pin and hope

for a little bit of spin or whatever there. And then yeah, then a pretty feeble effort up there and shows shows Keegan the line and that's that. So yeah, I'm good for Tommy. I'm good for Fino. I don't know. It's it's yeah, it's like, at the same time, I don't know, like you want to feel something, right? And it's it's why you believe in something. It's why you watch, it's why we play, you know, like roll the balls out there. And, you know, I know I've been very vocal about Tommy. I'm not bailing on that. I still believe in him. It may take longer. I think this is hopefully in the long run, this is a good thing for him. It leads to greater victories down the line. But yeah, it sucks right now. And people can have all their fun and tee off all they want. But I don't

know, pretty human story. And I think he looked like he saw a ghost afterward and still did a little interview and everything. And I don't know and then obviously, there's the other layer of Keegan and all that I don't like Keegan, I can't stand him, but I respect Keegan. And, you know, and I think, I don't know, like, he was my pick for this tournament in our winners draft at the beginning of the year, you could triple up this week. I mean, like it was consolation here was like meant to be right, like it's, you know, so, but all, you know, bottom line is Tommy was the only guy in like the top 20 or 25 part a day. And I think, you know, you can take some solace in the fact that he was even par on the back or even part his last 14 or 15 holes. But the end of the day, like, he's two over his last three. That's what counts. So sucks. Speaking of teeing off, is there any, any teeing off you want to do here, Randy? Any crowing you want to do about Tommy? No, no, no, no, no, it's, it's not crowing.

I feel for TC. I feel for Tommy. I feel for Finno. I, you know, but I think we got to call a spade a spade. I mean, that was a slow motion choke job. Just not a killer. I think, man, that was, as somebody who's pretty agnostic and has, I think, gotten a little bit radicalized just noticing how much we picked Tommy to win and he doesn't win. And that's the source of it for me. We get so fucking close.

We, I know. Always we. So. And Neil's picked me. We get so fucking close. We. Always we. So. Neil's picked him. Other people have picked him as well. For sure. For sure.

Uh. Listen. So from that viewpoint, I want to be very clear about that. From a totally agnostic viewpoint, holy shit that was a fun ending to the tournament. I think that was, I mean, a fun ending to the tournament. I I think that was I mean a hell of a lot more drama than what was going on at Frisco. Um you

know, 42 I think now top tens without a win extends his lead over Brett Quigley. I I bet Brett Quigley's a little pissed. He was he was excited to have that record back. Yeah, I just, you know, what else can you say, man? The guy just didn't do it in the most like not spectacular fashion, but it was pretty damn close to

spectacular. I mean, I got people like checking on my checking on like my mom was like, Hey, Todd, like, I hope you're all right. Like, you know, I got people, you know, telling me that they're here for me right now, like earnestly, like everything's fine. All right. It's a golf tournament. And I guess the upside is like, this was the reverse backdoor. Top 10. This was the front door top 10. Top five top two. You know, but but yeah, I don't know. I just it's just

sports man. It is Tommy's like the easiest guy, I would probably say with Tommy Max, maybe ZB probably like of all the people we've met, like the easiest person to root for just like the most real human. And like somebody we've greatly enjoyed following and rooting for and and like really, just really freaking wanted this for him that says a lot like knowing what we would have to put up with with TC tonight if he would have one should speak volumes about what I think of Tommy and how I uh you know root for him and it

just it this is such a hard one to recover from and that it lined up really really really well for me he just had to walk through the door and he stubbed his toe in the door and like, dude, just that look on his face after he three putted 18. I just, I felt like truly felt for him. And it just felt like we don't see guys consistently bottle opportunities in, in pro golf really anymore. Like other than unfortunately Tommy. And like that, like pains me to say, like it just did not look like normal behavior from him down the stretch.

Just a really uncharacteristic shot on 16. Yeah. But he, but he, he strained it out, man. I thought he had it and it was just, I just wanted to see him hit the middle of the green on 16 and I think he would have been fine, but went way long there and it was a tough shot. That's an asking shot down wind, like with the pin on the left. There's not like an easy bailout spot there. And he didn't pass that test. His chip was not good. That bogey was tough.

And then you just, if you, you, you are a professional golfer playing that well this week, you do not make bogey on the 18th hole of travelers from 147 yards. Like you just don't ever do that, but it's, it's solid. I think to that point, like, you know, I think that's where you can really throw it back in my face. And like, he's a know, I think that's where you can really throw it back in my face. I'm like, he's a flusher. He's a proper player. And like, it came down to like, you know, a ball off of a tee from a hundred and what, 16 is what, a hundred and, you know, 155 yards. That's a nine iron. Like you came down to a nine iron.

yards. That's a nine iron. Like you came down to a nine iron. Wind's not doing that much. I mean, it's downwind, but it's not like it was earlier. You can't really go for that flag, but man, you got to hold that green. And then to have that shot into 18 and that result, I think, is into 18 and you know that result I think is almost unfathomable I think. So yeah I don't know. There's not like yeah there's just not a whole lot I can say to like I was really like man I thought I thought he conquered it after like 11, 12, 13. Like that was really good golf that he was playing on the back nine there and he was starting to run downhill, get momentum and then, you know, it just went from there. But yeah, like I'm gutted. I don't know. I mean, it's just like, a it pisses me off when people say like, this is a bit like, it's not a bit whatsoever. Like, sorry, we were there when Tommy wanted not a bit. I can assure people it's not a bit what 2017 or 2018. And like, honestly and like honestly like that's I don't know.

I just there was something there and then partying with him afterwards and Fino and if they become like good friends and I just I don't know I think that like I texted it to Trevor yesterday he said on the broadcast I'm like hey like Tommy's the kind of guy that like you hope that like your son grows up to be like he's just like a, he's a fucking class act and he's like a wonderful, wonderful human being. And he treats people with respect and he treats people really well and carries himself class. And he's so freaking close, man. And I think, I know it's in there and it's going to come out and it may not be on our timeline, but I think the guy's 34 years old and I think he's got four or five great years of golf left. And then probably some stuff after that. And I think there's some major venues that line up really well for him moving forward. But he's got to get over the line in a regular PGA Tour event first, or it's going to be

I don't think he has to do it first. coolest thing in the world if he gets it done in a major too. So, you know, Port Rush is a great fit. Birkdale is a great fit. Like, I don't know, it is in there and it's not like, I think, but part of the charm for me is it's not easy. It was never going to be easy. He makes it harder than it needs to be on himself. It's almost like watching Neil. It's the same fucking reason that people like watching Neil, right? It's like, man, like it's's just, you know, it's part of the part of the joy is the journey and the chase and like, he didn't get it done today. But like, I don't know, I, I know that when he does get it done, like, today is gonna be something we look back on, and

that's gonna make it sweeter. So I know that's corny as hell. But no, that's, that's why you watch sports, right? It's it's a very nice eulogy. It really is. It truly is. Sali, I think you said something that I wanna pick up on about, you know, Tommy, we just don't see guys kind of bottle tournaments that much anymore, right?

Like it just seems like everything's optimized. Everything's so just cut and dry, maximized. And I really enjoy, and this is a perverse joy, I will admit it, but I really enjoy a person like Tommy out there right now who reminds us that this is a very human game. And sometimes, you know, whatever's going on in your head, in your mind, in your hands, in your body,

when you get in spots like this, it's really difficult and it doesn't always turn out great. And I truly, I enjoy the role he's playing because I think it's a very necessary role in professional golf. I think having that side of the spectrum along with you know the Scotty Schefflers and the people who make it look easy and win all the time. Uh that's man having that whole tapestry is what

it's all about. Yeah. And Keegan's part of that too, right? I think that Keegan Keegan's like this. I don't know. It's it's become a punch line or a bit this year, but like, I think it started as something real. Like I legitimately thought like, he can, for whatever reason, he has a fucking dog in him, you know, and it's, it's, he made a bazillion feet of pots or chips today. And like, this just felt inevitable from the start of the season of even if he doesn't

make the rider cup team, it was going to turn into a big discussion. Right. of even if he doesn't make the Ryder Cup team, it was going to turn into a big ass discussion. Right. And I think that's, that's almost the opposite of, like, I think with Tommy, it's, I think the most frustrating part is like, we've seen him do it in the Ryder Cup, seen him do it in like high pressure moments and all of that. And it's, but that's with a teammate or that's with plan for a team, you know, and it's like, man, why can't we get out of our own way, just counting them all up, you know, instead of match play. So that's where I'm most confused because like, guys got all the shots like to me, like part of the reason I love him is because beyond all the personal stuff and how he carries himself. It's because like, I like the way he plays golf.

I like the way that like, he's like, he's not overly reliant upon driver. He's not over rely upon a distance. He's an iron player. And he's in the pot, like he's, he's not overly reliant upon driver. He's not a rural eye upon a distance He's an iron player and he's in the part like he's he's had to make the putting better he's had to clean up the edges, but like in there is just like a good golfer who knows where the bottom of the swing is and that's what makes me most disappointed when he when something like this happens when he chokes down the stretch is because the reason I like him is because I know because he knows where the bottom of the swing is and like that should be what he relies upon on 16 or on 18 it's like that's what makes me so fucking confused man it doesn't make sense and I think that's part of the beauty of it you said it's it's sports right like eventually I have no doubt eventually Tommy's gonna win one of these I truly believe that

Just like the Chicago Cubs eventually won a World Series just like Rory eventually won another major You know like all good things come to an end, but Fina one of course we're still you know I don't know if Ricky's ever gonna win one though But until we get there we get days like this where again, you're just reminded it's human. It's sport You never quite know what's gonna happen. It's a rich mix of characters. I Loved it. I'm very sorry for Tommy. I'm very sorry for UTC, but goddamn that was a good golf tournament and Randy I think you can like I think both things can be true, right like you mean sorry, but like Yeah, that was good theater. That was like that's what that's part of reason. things can be true, right? Like you mean sorry, but like, yeah, that was good

theater. That was like, that's why that's part of the reason I love this tournament, right? It's a like, I mean, Sally, we've talked about it before, like, some of the most proper venues give us shitty endings. And because the tournament's over for the Pac Nine on Sunday, and then sometimes it's just about setting up the final nine. And then you get get you get some drama and you get a good stage for some theater and there's water and it's short but you got to hit the shots and good arenas that that's the that's a big atmosphere like travelers it delivers man it's it's like not a perfect golf course it's not an amazing golf course it's short it's different but man it delivers the goods it really does and just seems to like thread the needle really well of like what makes for a really good professional golf tournament. Enthusiastic crowd, like always jazzed up, always make a great environment around those

last four holes. Like it's just always a fun watch. The people in New England, like they show out, man. And they come from hours away. And so props to them, you know, props to the toward for making this a signature event, I think. And just, you know, you look at the, at the variety of winners over the years, from some of the shortest players on tour to some of the longest players on tour and everything in between. And it's just like a really interesting menagerie of players. So I don't know. Yeah, like that's, I don't know, like today was why we watched golf, right? It was, it was, it was great. So hat off to, hat off to Keegan. Yeah, we'll get to Keegan here shortly, but just as we put a wrap on Tommy here, Surf Pro is the number one brand in cleanup and restoration.

It is known for making any mess like it never even happened. Thanks to Surf Pro, over 2,200 locations nationwide. They're faster to any size disaster. This is a big one. This is a big disaster TC. What do we have to clean up? Yeah, this might be a super fun site. What's the one, what's the one? Yeah, I know we've kind of talked through his round,

but man, if you could go back and be like, replay that shot. Honestly, weirdly, I think it's even before 16 and 18. I think it's, I think it's the drive on 15. I think if he bird even short left and ships it onto that back left pin. He's, you know, he's playing with a three shot lead at that point instead of a two shot lead. And then I think it's a lot less white knuckle down the stretch. And, you know, I got to hit the shot at some point, you know, exactly. So just take it on and solid your point like they've shaved down or like they won't shave down the rough there and like that's so take advantage of it. Right. Yeah. It's not a risk

reward hole. It's 278 guys played the whole this week. 10 total balls went in the water. That strip of, I think roughly 30 balls stopped in that strip of rough. So if, even if you pull it a little bit, that rough is going to stop it. Like you almost have to hit one destined for the water for it to go there. So, and if you pull it into that rough, you to stop it. Like you almost have to hit one destined for the water for it to go there. So and if you pull into that rough, you can still easily make par and par is likely from bailing way right anyway. So you're not gaining much of anything by bailing way right on that shot. So that was, that was definitely a mulligan I'd like to see him

take and you can visit surf pro.com or call 1-800-SURF-PRO today. Like it never even happened. I do want to say too, like, like, I don't want anybody to say like, oh, he's explaining this away or whatever. I'm not. Like there's no explaining anything away. Like he's fucking choked.

That is what it is. Like you can love the guy and call a spade a spade, right? But you know, I'm just saying I think he's going to be better for it in the long run. And I think he's a, I don't know. I think he's been on the stand long enough. But me flip it back on me. Obviously, I'm gonna have some things that I'm gonna need to address tonight. You've been on for long enough here, the prosecution rest. Now it's the defense's turn here. Whatever you want at

me. It was a triple the triple the, you know, I may not been as much pain as you TC, but at least you have this bit on the other end to look forward to to make it more fun. This was a nightmarish nightmarish evening for me. Yeah I mean I think Saliah the the whole like Ryder Cup bit, hey it's not a bit like I just thought all right like I think Keegan's like nobody else is really rising to the occasion to his level and he goes back to DJ's astronauts or drillers point from Armageddon of like, hey, it's tough to teach astronauts to be drillers, but we can teach some drillers to be astronauts. And I feel like you could probably roll

somebody in there to be the captain and he could still make some of the decisions. And they could they could guarantee him some sort of captaincy in the future, which would be a no-brainer. Like, hey, you're going to do Ireland, let Tiger do this one, and Tiger hasn't had to do any of the media. That was the whole reason he didn't want to do it in the first place. Sorry, I'll ask you this.

Can you say with a straight face that this team is better in September with Keegan being the captain versus Keegan playing, assuming he continues his current level of play or something thereabouts? At this point, if you value the captaincy at all, which I know you do, like you've talked a lot about Luke Donald and Dodo Molinari and what the Europeans have done for decades of how they've led that team, how they've organized things if you care about and value the There's a lineage there.

There is not just a single individual needs to start on the US side, there needs to be a plan. What has the US done many, many, many times is when the like things change, they just change the plan like inserting Tiger as the captain three weeks out before the three months out before the event and now making Keegan up like that would be changing the plan. Like the plan was a surprise one. I was surprised when they took Keegan. I was like, okay, but surely they wouldn't be dumb enough to walk themselves into this trap of should he play? Should he pick himself? They already have. That's what I'm saying.

Right? Yeah. I a hundred percent agree. Like this was an avoidable thing. And I frankly, this is not what anybody's going to want to hear tonight about Keegan is like, honestly this is like poor leadership from Keegan standpoint. I think this should have been, Hey

if I'm taking the job, I'm not going to play. Like we don't need to talk about any of this. We don't need this to be a distraction. If Keegan was not the captain I would be very stoked right now about him being a part of the 2025 team. He's been really, really good. It's been sustained. It's a very different environment from the last time we did the Keegan debate. And this is consistent with everything I've said over the last several months. I don't regret leaving it at home for Rome, but we don't need to

rehash all of that. But I just, I can't in good conscious live in a world where I think the captain's job is like very, very, very important and also suggest that Keegan like could or should at somewhat of a last minute toss aside his captaincy for a playing role. He would have to be playing at a honestly for me, like close to a Scotty level to justify that, like the difference between Keegan and like the 13th man is not enough to justify such a drastic change from what you said you wouldn't do from the jump, which is pick yourself.

All right. I think the counterpoint, Sali, is what about, A, Keegan didn't choose to be the captain. They just out of nowhere foisted this upon him and thought it would be a cool PR stunt. So that's that's that's a I also think Keegan is the kind of guy that probably will be a good captain and will be in the future. But what's to say like, all right, Steve Stricker, you come on in here, you've captained a winning Ryder Cup team, seemingly you were pretty glowing about him him after whistling straights at home, all of that.

Let's say they let Steve Schreger or Brant Snedeker is currently in the process with the President's Cup for 2026. If Brant Snedeker, let's say he were the captain, it's June 22nd, we have three months till the Ryder Cup. I think a lot of it's choosing what the uniforms look like, choosing what the catering menu is. That's not the important part for if you win or lose. Yeah, but I think the US has whiffed on the important part anyway. And I think the most important part is having the right 12 guys on the team. That's the fucking-

I very much agree with that. I just cannot not get to a point where I think the U S captain actually matters that much. I, or I just don't think it matters as much as having like, like I would say he's like a top eight guy, not a top 12 guy right now. Like he's playing legitimately great golf. He's like his game, seemingly suits Beth page really well. He plays well in the Northeast. He plays well on these cold season grasses. It's like, I don't know, to me, it's it's like, man, like, why don't, why don't we just do the obvious thing here?

Well, okay, let's flip this the other way. You you had a field day on the way Zach Johnson captain the team. Right. You had a field day on the way Zach Johnson captain the team There's there's there's value in the role of the captain being Important in this like there's value in that role. There's a captain that's taking stuff off the table Yes and there's a captain that's bringing stuff to the table like when when Zach Johnson is bringing in Kelly James on Saturday night to like and the and the guys are in Kelly James on Saturday night and the guys are rolling their eyes and wanting to go to bed, that's taking stuff off the table. Or when guys don't know who they're going to play with.

I don't know. I just think we're talking about two different things here. I think the baseline is to be like, hey, let's get the right 8 to 12 guys on the team here and then go from there. And that's where I keep going back to the decision. Shouldn't then he shouldn't have never been captain. Right. And if you were going to take the job, you shouldn't have let it get to this spot. You shouldn't have let it even be like, no, I'm not even the PGA of America. Yeah. Like later on in the show. Like, hello, so I, so I got a question for you here.

Sure. All he ever talks about is his love of the rider cup, much like yourself and him wanting to be a part of this team. When they asked him more than likely, he like yourself and him wanting to be a part of this team. When they asked him, more than likely, he thought, I will never going to be a playing member of this team. Of course, he's going to accept that. And he's going to say whatever he needs to say to make people confident in his ability as a captain. But he has a lot more pressure on him and the United States team losing on home soil, then winning. Right.

And I think that's where it goes back to ZJ and everything. Like he is not a wartime captain. You don't that guy doesn't take you overseas. It's true. If if you're expected, you're expected to win if he if he plays or not. Right. Why if you're Keegan, why would you want to be the play? Are you expected to win?

You win it, like the home teams win this thing by a huge margin, they're favorites, they're likely to win as it stands right now. What's the odds right now? Either way, we know the home teams have a massive advantage that one home team or one road team has won this event since 2006 and it took the miracle at Medina for that to happen.

They're minus 135 right 135. Yeah, so is very slight. Like we haven't there's not been a playing captain since I Keegan Bradley also I'm not saying playing captain. Yeah. I'm just saying like he's changing the captain more this late. I think that's an unnecessary complication to improve your team by, as the numbers would say, about a quarter of a shot per round by him over the 13th guy. That seems like an unnecessary move.

That's where I'm like, if he was playing like Scottie, I get getting to that point of being like, how the hell do you leave this guy at home? But he's got, he's got, he's played in two of these before. You got guys on the bench that like, I think there's a lot of intangibles there as well of He's you know, I don't know I just think there's there's a lot more there than just the straight the straight strokes game stuff and also like I Don't think that they're doing a bunch of fucking rocket science in the US team room with scouts ink or whomever that like you're like you're gonna have to start from scratch. Like he's a, he's a, like, you know, like the numbers are the numbers as far as, so they would

say, let's have the best. But that even if you're not starting from scratch, doesn't that feel like because they made the wrong call in the first place, but that doesn't mean you chase it with another wrong call is where I don't think it's the, but I don't think it's the wrong call. You're like the so solid only people who actually get points are the people that are playing the statistics would say this is like this is akin to you saying like the smart play is the conservative play. Like you bitch about that all the time. You're like the smart play isn't always the conservative play. Sometimes it's just to send it. And like, I don't know. I just feel like it's, it's, I think it's a lot harder to find. I don't think there's anything that we know of at least that makes Keegan this exceptional mind, like galaxy

brain captain moving forward. But I do know that like, versus the alternative, he's going to pick the US team up shots, even not even counting his experience. Where I've said this before, where I thought Keegan's best value could be, would be in transforming or evolving the team room from, it's like almost like having a player represent them versus having a Jim Furek level captain. It's just a different thing. This is a player leading this team. I've long thought that the US team needs players that be leaders, like Rahm is, like Rory is, that check their ego at the door and are just willing to run through a wall. I thought Keegan could accomplish that as captain. That's where I'm like, okay, I like where they're going with this versus doing a stricker thing or doing a Davis love thing again or whatever. I kind of like where this is

headed. So I- It feels like Snedeker to be that guy. I should commit to that. And again, I go back to when asked about it from the jump, he's like, yeah, I'm not going to pick myself. Now we've entered a spot where he's in the biggest conflict of interest you could possibly have for it. Totally. And what's the timeline for when the deadline would be to find a new captain? Is it tomorrow? Like is it this week? I don't know. It's a great question. But at the end of the day, I don't know. It also feels like the guys played pretty fucking hard for Tiger in Melbourne. He's got experience being a captain and

they would be pretty raw and like, hey, let's trot out the best guys. I think you've, you've talked about speech, speech, starting to play great golf. Spees also having a kid like his wife's having a kid in the next couple of months as well. That's right back to where we were a few years ago, right? Two weeks before the writer cup last time. That's a little, that's a different thing. But, but you know, point stands though of like, you know, Zala Torres is hurt. Who knows if Kim Young is sticking around? Who knows if Ben Griffin stays hot? Like there's just, there's all sorts of X factors here and it feels like, man, like

the thing is, and then like we've got like, that's even looking forward. Like this to me is the start for Keegan. Like I think Keegan's gonna play really freaking well at Caves Valley. That course sets up exceptionally well for him up in Maryland. I think he's gonna play well at FedEx. I think he's gonna play well at a few other events. And he could well just straight up play his way onto the team. And then what do you do then? Let's say he plays his way onto the team in six to eight weeks, you're even closer than, and who knows? That's where I think they're closer to making playing captain than they are finding a new captain. Like I don't, I think that's a more likely scenario here than, than trying to find

somebody else to take over. I mean, Trevor said it on the broadcast yesterday and he kind of animated it today. He was like, Hey, like playing captain is like, damn near impossible. Trevor's one of the most, uh, no, I know that's what I'm saying. So let somebody else be cat. That's what, that's the whole fucking point. What happens if you change captains next week and then Keegan plays poorly the rest of the year? Then what? Do you still pick him? I think you commit to it. Or why can't he just Then what do you still pick him? I think you commit to it or why can't he just have his assistant captains like can Webb Simpson take over or the decision-making yeah he can still sit down with him and give him Keegan with this win so you guys have been screaming at me for months that he's gonna

qualify on points I told you he has to win two signature events he's still he's still like another one might not still do it. He moves up in the night. But sorry, like three weeks ago, you were also shitting on him for like being behind like Joe Highsmith in the in like, I think everybody's seen this coming. That's not actually. Oh, in the point standings. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. And I think everybody's kind of seen this progression coming. It's like,

it's been a pretty steady, obvious thing that like, Hey, this is flashing red lights. This is happening right now. And that's where I, I, I've trusted his words when he said it specifically, I'm not going to pick myself. I'm going to, if I qualify, I'm only gonna play on the team if I qualify on points. And now he's asked about it point blank on TV And responds with go usa So he's gonna soak the fuck out of this being the lead narrative on golf channel and every program including this one For the next three months. I'm of the opinion that that's a completely Necessary distraction for this team. That's that is totally that's bad leadership. Yes. It is bad leadership

It is 100 bad. So you should you should tell them, hey, you know what, you're in the mix. You're no longer the captain. You're the captain at a dare manner or Hazel Tienover the fuck they're having it next and we're going from there. Well, America, that's fucking it's a great talk. The one thing that I've learned definitely in the last five years in professional golf is that people mean everything that comes out of their mouth all the time. They never change or pivot or anything or go back.

But yeah, Keegan, he won the damn tournament. I didn't think that this would create a spiral for team USA here. The fact that Tommy ended up choking it away, but anything else to talk about the travelers. I think he shot 63 in the third round, like bogey, bogey free. I mean, like I was glazing Tommy for shooting bogey free 63 in the third round and King and did it as well so and as clear as I can say it TC if he was not the captain he would be as As bold as I possibly could put a potential captain's pick at this point like I again I couldn't couldn't be more in on how he's playing. I think this whole situation has been very important. Let me ask a question.

I admittedly have not kept up on the ins and outs of the Ryder Cup, but I'm sure I'm asking this for several people listening. This is good action. What is Keegan promising to do or what does the Keegan presidency entail that we wouldn't be getting from somebody else? That's what I don't understand at this point.

I don't, I don't, and I don't have, I have no info at all on how things are going behind the scenes, what, what the planning process of this looks like. But again, I can't live in a world where we glaze Luke Donald for how he sets up his practice groups and how he pairs guys up at different tournaments to learn about their playing profiles and- Keegan can still do that as an assistant playing captain, right? sets up his practice groups and how he pairs guys up at different tournaments to learn about their playing profiles and still do that as an assistant playing captain. Right? Sure. If you I guess. Yeah, I guess so. Let's make Michael Jordan the fucking captain. Sure. And to be quite honest, that's never the way the United States teams ever gonna work.

It's how they work at a certain level. I mean, they they are looking at things at a very analytical level. And so like, that's just like, basic, it could really bring over like, Stacey Lewis, and she can read the data and make the groupings and like, I think you just need somebody, he's gonna get fed the data. And then you just put the groups together and send them out. Like I think a lot of this, I think a lot of this is a commentary on how irrelevant and incompetent Zach Johnson was. Correct. And I think this is where I'm surprised you won't meet me closer here, Randy, of the human element of this part of like human elements of being a good leader, like airing out

our behind the scenes stuff like Neil is an excellent leader. He's very good at like having tough conversations. He's good at taking ownership of things. He's good at dictating where you're messing up where you can help the team where you can blah, blah, blah. And like that, like the I've done enough of these interviews with past captains on the European side of like, learning what makes a good leader what makes a good Ryder Cup plan what makes what what how they continue to get the best out of players

that are usually not as talented as the other side and overachieving this event is like where I've spent hours upon hours to the point where, and my brain is not capable of throwing that part out and just putting anybody into that spot to be able to do that. I have no idea if Keegan's doing it well or will do it well. I don't, but I, but I think I,

I would feel better about somebody who's been in this role for a year. He's had the job for a year than I would just like subbing them out because he's had a hot stretch of golf. That's my stance on it. Like, I don't think I go back to like the, the selection process was literally Seth Wabin, like, you know, it'd be neat. Be like Keegan, right? And like, that's the whole thing. And that's, that's not a slight on Keegan. Who knows? He, it would be neat. Be like, he's Keegan, right? And like, that's the whole thing. And that's that's

not a slight on Keegan. Who knows? He he could be but much like Tommy in the 18th Fairway, you got your club. You you made the commitment. You gotta swing. Nope, we're not going back for wedge. You've you got your nine iron. Just swing it.

It's like cutting your nose off to spite your face. Now, I will I will I will agree with a lot of what you said, Tali. I think it sounds great. I do question in a three-day event where it's an exhibition. I don't know if we can compare it to some other team sports and team aspects. I plead ignorance there.

But I do think like the US is going to set the course of how they want like you like you said it took a miracle for the Europeans to beat him at Medina like to me it feels like man we're going to roll the balls out of Beth Page in the US is

probably going to win. I just can't if Keegan is playing good enough golf. I'd much rather have him as a player than I, I, I just cannot get myself to care about like, well, he needs to be the captain. We said he was going to be the captain. Also, when the captain is in charge of making the decisions on who's going to be on the team, that's where the problem lies big for me. Like it's not some overarching person above them being like, Oh, he should be

on the team and I'll make it's his decision to make there's only some at some point the strength of the European team Lies in the fact that it's decentralized and it's not about who the captain is It's about the framework and the philosophy and how unified everybody is and how consistent it is. And so I think From a hey, maybe it's a it's a short-term loss But I think like let's say Branson it's a short-term loss, but I think like, let's say Brandt Snedeker is the captain or Tiger is the captain. Let's say Brandt's the captain. Brandt's the captain of the President's Cup.

We've bitched about how little connectivity there is between the President's Cup and the Ryder Cup as far as testing out younger guys or getting younger guys experience. Hey, that could be a win right there. Or you're still using the same analytics team. You still have the same team of assistant captains, which probably have already been assigned, hey, these six guys are your guys. These six guys are your guys. And there's out of a pool of 24 guys or whatever. I don't know. I just think it's like, I don't think you're throwing the baby out with the bath water. I think you're just, you're just putting a new figurehead in place. Ideally, if the team is set up coherently at all, but maybe they're so early that like they don't have a coherent hierarchy yet.

I don't know. It seems like we can go around like the point we can go around in this for 20 minutes. I don't disagree with what you're saying that we can do that is kind of like, this feels unnecessary. I don't know why we're here. The easiest path from here to me is no, here's what we're doing. Like this is this eliminates all other aspects of it. And I think it's like, ideally, like, I think, you know, we talked about Luke, Donald, I think Luke, Donald's great at this subjective stuff. I think D Dodo Molinar is a fucking genius. And I think he's a big reason why Europe's done so well. And he's the connective tissue between Thomas Bjorn and Eduardo, who's going to be a future captain, and Luke and Paul McGinley and all those guys. And I think that the fact that his opinion matters is part of the reason why. I don't think that's been the case on the US side because nobody can set their ego aside and let someone else make the decisions. I would respect Keegan a lot more in all this if at the opening press conference he would have said, yeah, I might pick myself. And then it'd be like, okay, that's fair game. And now it's like, I just think those words should have mattered.

But like, even if he picks himself, that's the whole, like, I don't, I don't, like, I would never begrudge him for changing his mind. I think the whole argument is, can you be a playing captain? That's the whole, like, that should be where the thing is. Like, if he said, I'm going to pick myself, cool. Like is that even feasible to be a playing captain? Yeah, I've gone under the assumption that if he's playing, it also means he's still the captain. I did not, I've not heard it or felt it feel like that there's somebody else is about to take over the captaincy duties, but I could be wrong there. I don't, I'm not working off any information there. So I would just love to know who's Pagan's right hand man too. You know, yeah. Hey, you know what? Or woman. Hey, my aunt, Pat, she's like, I mean, truly like surprises or, or, or said somebody,

Hey, you know what? They're going to handle some stuff and it's going to be a consortium here. And I do like, sorry, the fact of where you want this team to go and the U S captaincy and having a player that moves into that. And I think that what you're searching for and trying to find a comp for Luke Donald, I don't necessarily think Keegan is that guy either. I think Luke has the respect because of hard work and dedication to a lot of those guys For a lot of years leading up to it and I don't think Keegan even though he's been thrust into that position

Maybe not thrust but asked to be in that position. You know, he rightfully says I'm not that close with them You know, and I don't know even though though he's in that position, if they have that amount of respect for him, as a person, let alone for the position that it is if there there is people second guessing him or or whatnot. But anyway, guys, Russ, you know, last thing, last thing, no super last thing, if you tell me now that Keegan's gonna be even like an average or mediocre captain, like I beg, all right, well, fucking go ahead. Like just go ahead, fly it out and go play. Like I don't care. Like I have belief and faith that he would be better.

Like I just, I've been in on the Keegan captaincy for that reason and think that he has the passion. I like that it's a curve ball. Yeah. I think it can be really good. I think this mode can be really good and lead to a somewhat good system. That's just a gut. Fuck it. Let's let's bring in Don Reed to be the captain or Mickelson Randy. Love that. The hood man. So but again, just

mathematically Bradley being a part of the playing team makes a ton of sense at Beth page like just from from a, what makes the best event. Like I would love to see him given his current form play up in New York. Like he's, they love them up there. I think that adds to the event. They love them up in New York. So is it in the Northeast broadly. He's a Johnny. He's a Johnny. Come on. All right. That was great. It's good cuts. It's fun. It just is like, maybe I shouldn't be this. I know I shouldn't be this invested in the US winning this thing. But I just, I'm amazed at the discourse of it all. But I guess I should not be at this

point. But but so just like truly, if we're going by his word, he is 23, by my math, 2300 points short of the sixth place, which is $2.3 million. So you have to either win the open, which you get one and a half points for. You gotta also not get passed by Matt McNeely, Brian Harmon, and you gotta jump Ben Griffin and Colin Mikawa, and

Harris English is right on your tail. It's going to still have to be a sprint. He's going to have to win probably one more, a playoff event or the open or multiple second place finishes in the big money events to qualify on points. Just get for the listener's sake on the call. For the record, let me be the devil's advocate here. He's also the 17th ranked data golf player in the world at the moment.

I'm sure his running 50, if he continues to play well, we'll balance up in the- I'm talking top six qualification aspect only. He's easily within the top 12 of any period you look at of his play, which I've long since acknowledged and read into the record every single week. And I think. I think back to Travelers, I think Russell Henley, again, was disappointed in what he shot today.

I think overall, like Neil said earlier, he's a contract killer. He missed today, he he's a contract killer. He missed today. He missed on his contract killing. But, you know, we saw the chip in at the end. We saw some putts there. He was he had four rounds under under 70. He played great. Harris English played great.

He for kind of a back door there, but 67, 68, 67, 65. And I'll say for Henley State, I think he moved up to fourth in the rankings by my math, but. And Lisa, 36 year old, who's won five times in his career. I don't know if he gets contractual, but if you were going to, you know, be relative to his talent level or relative to his draw ability. But like, Sally, like if you were going to like setting all of this aside, if you had to win the Ryder Cup to save your life, would you choose Russell Henley or Keegan Bradley? Be on the team.

Like the last singles match? All of it. Like, I mean, because all right, like let's say Keegan only teased, let's say Russell only teased it up twice. That's putting pressure on other guys and all of that. Say Keegan plays three times, all of that totality. My hesitation should speak for my respect for Keegan's game. It's close. It's too close to call. I don't, I don't feel strongly either way. I think they're both in the same around the same bucket. I like him a lot because I think he is a really good pairing for Scottie Scheffler. And I think that eliminates us having to do the Burns narrative stuff. They were great together at the president's cup last year. And that felt like it felt like we are. We have a

partner for Scotty. I think they pair really well. And I think that's one you could send out three times. Okay. I just getting a new update here. I believe Keegan was just on golf central said I will play if I feel like I will help the team win. Wow, he changed his mind. Captain Mike. Imagine that. Leadership baby. People are capable of changing their mind. Leaders baby.

Oh my gosh. Not meaning what they say when they say things. I'd love to hear that from the captain. Yeah, yeah, I'm sure that'll go over well. Scotty was a third round 72 away from this thing. I mean, Scotty probably should have won this thing in his sleep. Rory, you know, weird second, third round, but some signs of life Rory after bad, bad stretch. Brian Harmon, he's doing stuff, continues to do stuff. Harry Hall, I didn't know he was in the field. Finished up in the third round, but some signs of life from Rory after a bad, bad stretch. Brian Harmon, he's doing stuff, continues to do stuff. Harry Hall, I didn't know he was in the field, finished T9. Justin Thomas, with one of the more befuddling third rounds I've

ever seen before. You had nine on 13 on Saturday or else you would have been... And hit a volunteer, almost hit a volunteer you apologize profusely twice though Appreciate that the pat in the hat finished t12 Yeah, other than that I think that's that's kind of a rap on on travelers speed WD From round one Hovland wd with a neck injury unfortunately on Sunday. Not to go back on Fleetwood stuff but Adam Schafter comparing to Dak Prescott. Honestly that might have been needed

to be your mollican thesis. No, no, no. Schafter's a mouthpiece for agents. And my guy Shep he might've nailed that or Jack would have shit on himself. That shit on himself and he wouldn't have come back from like he wouldn't have gotten to the Superbowl. That wouldn't have, whereas I feel like Tommy got, got there. So not gonna, not gonna do that. Uh, I love the, uh, Nick Dunlap got the fire emoji on the app on Friday afternoon while being tied for dead last which was sick. Not dissimilar from Tommy getting the fire emoji today on Sunday afternoon while

being plus one for the round. I think he made one birdie on back nine and 11. It was sick. So I mean, it's Wyndham apologized profusely and owned the moment really, really strongly from the US Open when saying, I've had a lot of highs and lows in my career, especially this year, some lows, I made a mistake that I deeply regret. Very sorry for what happened. But I'd also like to move on, not only for myself, but for Oakmont for the USGA and kind of focus on the rest of this year and things that come up. I still want to thank you for your time. I'm going to be back in a couple of

weeks. I'm going to be back in a couple of weeks. I'm going to be back in a couple. But I'd also like to move on, not only for myself, but for Oakmont for the USGA and kind of focus on the rest of this year and things that come up. I still want to try to make the Ryder Cup team. I still am on the outside looking in for the FedEx Cup. So I'm starting to move on and focus on those things. So I think that's kind of done and dusted then. Honestly, I don't even think we need to say anything else about Wyndham. It was like, I don't it wasn't, I don't know, it was just like reporting the news. I thought that was newsworthy. And I think Wyndham showed us very, very clearly who he is and what he's about. And that was the second major in a row that he's caused a kerfuffle. Like he damn near decapitated a volunteer at Quail Hollow and had another. volunteers had another shitty and shitty apology and then made an activation out of it with one of his sponsors. So just do better my man and

just generally speaking there's a lot of other stuff floating around do better. Some not noteworthy weeks Xander shot four over this week. That's not great. Big tone, nine over Max was two over. Akshay two over Kim Young one over just kind of some lingering Ryder Cup names there. Sep and Shane Lowry had some tough weeks as well. Ryder Cup locks though for sure. For sure. Nothing could possibly happen to change that. Let's move over to the women's side. Randy, why don't you take us to Frisco, Texas for the KPMG Women's PGA. Yes, thank you. Not near the drama today. Your headline, Minji Lee wins the KPMG Women's PGA, a very, very deserving win.

She actually kind of won it Saturday and finished it off today. She shot a bogey free 69 Saturday, which I think is probably the round of the week. She was in the final group. She started, I think she was four shots back of Gino Saturday morning and was the only player up into that point to not make a bogey. Found herself entering Sunday ahead.

She had a four shot lead going into Sunday and she did not play great today, particularly on the front nine, few early bogeys. I think she went out in what, 40, 39. I thought the turning point for Minji, you know, that the lead did get down to two strokes at one point. Minji was three over par I think after her tenth hole and you had Austin Kim who was started the day nine shots back Had a fabulous round of golf. She would end up shooting 68. She got it to one under I think at times Gino was still there at like one under to Minji's three under, but nobody could get closer than that. I thought the shot of the day or the turning point, the key moment for Minji was on the par 313th. Players were struggling to get back to that back

left pin, kind of surrounded by bunkers. You had a hard win left to right as you're looking at it. Which Randy, like they did a great drone shot of that one. And like, that's one of my favorite holes on the entire course. And I'm sure like that would be one that like they would have issues with. That was like a defining moment of like you either have to hit a shot back there or you have to hit a really good lag putt to get it and then make a six footer. Yeah. And that's, that's what Minji did. She played out right. It was like the slowest putt on property, kind of uphill into the wind, probably into some grain.

She left it eight feet, 11 inches short. She had a par putt. Gino had a par putt kind of just outside of her. Gino missed. Minji rolled it right in the center of the cup. So she pars 13. She flips over to the par 5 14th. It's just a nice tidy birdie there. Heads to the short par 4 15th. Again gets up and down for a nice birdie and that was kind of the the icing

on the cake for Minji. So we can dive into the rounds. The this was Minji's third career major championship, depending on how you feel about the Evian of course. She went from one to three today. She went from one to three. I think that's a good way to put it. Yeah. She won the Evian in 21.

She won the U.S. Women's Open in 22. And now the KPMG here this year, it's her 11th LPGA title. I think what's probably most interesting, she she joins with her third major now she joins a group that includes Lydia Ko, NG Chun and Anorquist. Yanni Tseng is still out there doing it. Yanni's got five majors but hasn't made a cut since 2018. So I don't

really consider Yanni Tseng. I mean, doing it might be. Right. She keeps getting the best out of the draw. She's teeing it up. She's lucky. But this major, you know, Minji now vaults ahead of Nellie who has two, Lilia Vu who has two, Brooke Henderson has two,

Yuka Sasso, I mean, take your pick. There were a lot of women of kind of the current generation. Like she has one. With two majors, one major. And I think this puts Minji up there in the class like with Lydia Ko. She doesn't have the Hall of Fame, the totality, the Hall of Fame career that Lydia does. But I think Minji, like, there's, it's not a coincidence that I think Minji was, was kind of the cream that rose to the top this week at a difficult course. There was a premium on on both, you know, you had to hit the ball well, but man, the long putter has has done wonders for Minji Lee.

She has looked so comfortable on the greens, made a number of clutch par putts, some really good birdie putts. And so I think it's a great result. I'm curious, we, you know, we can go a few different ways here. I think one of the big stories is like, was this a good tournament? What did we think about Fields Ranch East? So you guys tell me what direction you guys want to go here. We can, we can highlight some other players as well. I think I think Randy I think where I'd like to take it is I think that we don't see the best of Minji because we don't see the ladies challenged enough. Real golf. Yeah and I think that like I think that when the going is tough like I know it she was bummed about US Women's Open, just not getting the job done there. And I think she put the work in and everything and made it happen here. But this was

a war of attrition for sure. Was this too difficult? Yeah, we could probably talk about the Kerry Higgs setup and all that. I think we're talking about a golf course that was built to, Harry Higgs set up and all that. I think we're talking about a golf course that was built to like, it was almost Gil Hans's dare to the governing bodies of like, cool, if you're not going to do anything about the golf ball, you're not going to regulate anything or govern the game, then like, this is the shit that we have to do to challenge the best players in the world and namely the best men in the world who have 120, 130 foot apexes on stuff coming into the greens instead of like, I do think there's set up stuff. And I think, you know, a, you know, eight's probably an example. I think setting us like, I think there's a differentiation

between set up stuff with teas and set up stuff with pins as well. Like there was a lot of intimation from Bethann Nichols and others that the PGA of America or the LPGA is arbitrarily trying to get it to a certain yardage number. I don't think I could tell you what the yardage number was for the last like any of the last like 10 women's majors. If it was 6,300, if it was 6,500, if it was 6,800, I don't give a shit. Like nobody's trying to, it's not like the men where it's like, Oh, this is sub 7,000 yards or this is sub 7,400 yards or whatever. But I think it just feels like there's, there's this whole undercurrent of why

would you make us look bad or why would you, you know, why are we making bogies when like, like the shit that Sophia Popoff who I like, well let's should we read some quotes the other night like that, like that to me, like if a guy posted that you get like, you get vilified and laugh laughed out of the building. And I think that like, like this, like women's golf needs to, I think it needs to go both ways. Like, cool, you want this 10, 12, 15 million dollar purse? Cool. Like we're going to set it up. This is a major championship. This is probably the second best major of the year. Yeah. Yeah. So it feels like what was, I'll start by

saying a big thanks to KPMG for continuing to support and elevate the women's game, increasing purses and making every event bigger than the last. With that said, the PGA managed to set up the golf course to make us look silly and incapable, silly and incapable the majority of the time out there six hour rounds in brutally windy conditions with pin placements that were mostly inaccessible playing 30 to 40 feet away from the pins all day is not enjoyable to us nor to the spectators and viewers at home. Unfortunately, I barely missed my spots both days and

ended up being very costly. So yeah, there's there's from close for you. It's tough, but there's there's pieces of it that I think can explain some of the disconnect here like Stacy Lewis had some comments. And the early part of the week, she said, like, today was whole locations on sides of hills, then you throw the wind in there, there was no way to stop it on number eight again today, we should be playing from the front of that tee probably 120 yards can't hold the green. We had such a good run with this championship

at very good golf courses. And then we come here. This the issue of all this is make us look good. We're trying to get more people to watch women's golf and setups like this. They don't help us. This is when we have our biggest stages network TV and all that we're making very good players look silly. And I think like, if I can, where this gets tough is I think there are legitimate criticisms to be made of the PGA of America, both in the history of how they've

treated this event and the way they swoop in and set up one women's event, essentially the top level per year and don't get everything right. Just generally about, you know, Quill Hollow, Correct. like Egan Brad. Like I think the PGA of America has a larger leadership issue going on here. They don't get the benefit of some of this. Whereas like, I don't love these comments from either of them.

But if I was to say like Stacey is of course sponsored by KPMG. And as important context here, I spent nine years of my career working for KPMG. But this is more of a sponsor-led event than it is treated like a major from the PGA of America. Like KPMG saved this event. They've taken the person, tripled it over the course of the last five years, whatever that might be. There's summits there. There's leadership conferences. There's a pro-am. Like it's treated, it's like, it's KPMG's event.

And I think there's not a ton of trust between the players and the PGA of America. First, when some bad things happen with the setup or things they view as bad, are gonna take it out on them. I think some of this, of what Sophia is explaining here, is windy conditions, having to play 30 to 40 feet away from pins all day, to me, that's major championship golf.

But some of it's also, what Stacey's saying on number eight, that's stuck out like a sore thumb. To me, that's major championship golf. But some of it's also like what Stacy's saying on number eight, like that stuck out like a sore thumb, like you should play that all from farther up. And if the pins down if the winds down off the right, you don't need to put the pin in the front right, like it just you're not really there. That's set up. But like, but like, but but Stacy saying, Stacy's also saying bad golf course. And she says we've been

to some great places. And then like, that's where I that's where she loses me. And then Sophia is not the right person to be making that statement after she shot 76, 80, right? Don't, don't disagree. I think that's where like an important conversation or element. This interesting part of this conversation is like, I look at how chambers Bay and Heron Hills were vilified at like the, the barrier. The barrier to entry to becoming a major championship golf course, if you're a new golf course, it's massive. There's just not that history.

People come in suspicious and are used to a certain thing. And it looks very different. It's aesthetically not the most pleasing. And again, to be fair, this tournament should not be here in late June. Kody, you were out there. It's just not a good spectator experience. So are we doing out there. Oh, like, it's just not. It's not a good spectator experience. So like, are we doing this for the spectators? Are we doing this for the television audience? Are

we doing this for the players? Kind of seems like this one's didn't really Yeah, didn't really hit any of those, which I think is unfortunate. And I don't know, it's hard because I do think this is a very interesting golf course that I think is very aesthetically unpleasing to the eye. I'm usually one to discount that, but again, just watching travelers and watching the arenas set up around those holes and how well that was framed and how big that atmosphere was. I struggled to picture that. I know the men's

audiences would be bigger on that course, but I struggled to picture that. I know the men's audiences would be bigger on that course, but I struggled to picture that site delivering Great all-around major championship experience in the same way. I don't know. I'm curious how you guys feel Yeah, I mean Cody. What do you see out there this week? It was hot. I saw a lot of people struggling with the heat and wind That I think first of all I think the one element that you touched on, Sally, that would say probably is happy this week is KPMG. They got all their activations in.

It was a success for them overall. Uh, pro-am was filled. They had people on wait lists trying to get in there and, and you know, for it's wild to think still, uh, in my fourth year covering the LPGA tour that there's this high profile Pro-Am's on weeks of majors, but yeah, they're happy. They got all their activations in and everything else like that, but it was that celebrating because it's a Tuesday Pro-Am, not a Wednesday Pro-Am. Yep. But the issue is, is that Tuesday Pro-Am, literally there was four tee times available

before that Pro-Am and there was four tee times available before that program and there was 40 times available afterwards because they shut the golf course at five o'clock for maintenance. So players were practicing offsite on Tuesday. You couldn't even go out and do any major prep that you wanted to do. And then was the West course open or no? Nope. Couldn't even the whole week West was closed, which I thought was like, okay, that kind of makes sense, I guess, for competition days, but even like, just for people to go out and play and hit shots. So it didn't seem green surface, everything off like that.

Everything. Yeah. You know, it's, it's, I don't know whose decision it is on where it falls in the calendar, but this is coming back in 2031 and it cannot be at this date. Absolutely cannot. It's to the players, it's hard for them, it's hard for spectators, it's hard for TV, it's hard for everyone, man. It's just very freaking hot, you know, when you're looking at triple digits and, you know, when that's not going to stop. And I talked about this last night, but May, when the PGA championship comes in here in two years, you know, it's going to be very

soft. The temperature is going to be easier, but we get afternoon showers all of May and the humidity is going to be super high and it's going to play completely different than we saw, you know, this week. So I don't know. I think there's a lot of like on course You know complex setup things that they're gonna have a ton of lessons learned from that they'll improve and it will be bigger Because it'll be a more substantial build out for the men But once you leave like kind of the 18th ninth hole around here this week You're really just out there with the bottle of water you have in hand and that's it. It looks like the desert almost.

Well, it is. I mean, it's North Texas. Prairie. Yeah. But I think the, I don't know, it just seems like a lot of things are being rolled into one snowball going down the hill. It's like, Hey, this wasn't a good week. And why wasn't this a good week? Because the

stuff you said with accessing the golf course, the heat, not being aesthetically pleasing, the coverage stinks. They can't even be bothered to tell us what ladies are putting for. Sol and I were watching today and they're flashing a 12 footer from Gino up on the screen. We have no idea whether it's for birdie or bogey. And that's basic stuff. All the people tell me if it goes left to right, right to left, nothing. Not to mention all the subjective commentary and Tommy Roy not having all the toys. There's one or two drones out there. There's no, there's no tracers or anything like that. But add to that, it's not an aesthetically pleasing golf course. I think it's an interesting golf course. Like I enjoyed watching people hit golf shots on there. I think the other kind of, you know, unspoken thing is like, I think there's just a much larger variety of players on the LPGA Tour

than there are on the PGA Tour. I think week to week, so many of these ladies can get by with bunting the ball around or bringing it in at a super low apex and running it in from the front of a green. And when you, you know, Nellie said it in some of her comments of like, when it's, you know, she hits the ball as high as anybody of like, when it's, you can't run it in, or they're elevated greens. And then, you know, it's, and then, all right, so you got to have a high apex, but then it's windy as shit. That's, that's tough. That's a tough combination. Right. Well, I think that's where points get mixed. You know, I think we take a little bit of what Bethann said. We take a little bit of what you just said from Nellie. And

then Mel had a really good point and on golf today or golf central, whatever it is. And she was like, yeah, okay. So the, on the LPGA tour, the average seven iron goes 150 yards on the PGA tour, the average seven iron goes what? 180, 185, 190 probably. This week at Travelers, they played at 6,700 yards. This week at Frisco, they averaged 6550. It was the shortest all week today. All right, so if on average you add that up

throughout the bag, between the men and the women they're playing 1,100 yards less than the men why is that not there there has to be a middle somewhere when they're when they're looking at t-boxes and distance and those are and what they want to actually like Greens are meant to accept a proper shot, right? Some are short iron summer long ir long irons. And it's not just a distance thing. That's a bad comp. This is the shortest course on the PGA tour. They grew the rough up like crazy. Like I don't think that is what they should LPGA

tour needs to just get to a number. And I don't think that this place is wide and you can wail on driver and it's firm place shorter than the stated distance. But at the same time, you know, I think that whole locations and yardage are different things, right? Or Bethann is also someone who's just argued for like more birdies week to week, like more birdies and Eagles are shorter par fives or whatever. And like to me is like, that's de-skilling. That's making it to where Minji Lee or Gino Titicum or Maya Stark, they are behind the eight ball or even Lydia Ko. And that is working

against what the LPGA Tour needs more of is we need stars. We need players with very, very discernible skill sets to separate themselves and do it consistently and regularly and throughout the season. There's too much parity. And I think some of that is due to the setups. And I think part of that is due to the setups. And I think part of the the backlash this week was because a lot of these ladies, they just don't see this like the US women's open, they expect it. Lancaster, you know, really difficult golf course set up pretty fairly, but otherwise, like, the wind was just another variable this week. And I think if they get similar thing with that wind at Aaron Hills, if it was that windy,

I think we're hearing similar stuff. And then I think there's a certain, maybe 20 or 30% of it is like, yeah, some bad setup stuff from Carrie Higg and the PGA of America as well. I think the USGA is just straight up better at setting up golf courses for all genders, all age groups. I mean, shit, they do a US adaptive championship, right? Like they're pretty conscientious about how they choose venues and how they set up golf courses and all of that. And so I think that overall, I'm drowning on here, but overall, like, there's, there's, there's just a, it's a big, which is brew of like, five or six different issues going into one thing here. I think that's right. I, you guys have talked about the setup. Yes. Could they have done specific

things better on the setup and on specific holes, specific days? Of course. I don't think we ever saw like goofy golf to where that's where like what Sophia Popoff was saying. Like I just, yeah, okay, you gotta play 30 or 40 feet away from a flag. Like that's the proper shot. That's the test, right? And then, you know, who can make bloods whose short game is better?

I felt like- test, right? And then, you know, who can make short game is better. Um, I, there's two sub two 75 yard par fours out there. The part, like three of the four par fives were very, very gettable. Um, and I think like six of the top 12 ladies in the world, we're in the top 10. Yep. It's a heading into the head into the final round. Like I'm not sure what else you could ask for as far as identifying the right players. You can't just go back like the these new venues just don't get any benefit of the doubt. If this was, you know, wing foot and the scores were like this, I don't think this would be the same reaction. No, I well, and I think some of that's it's not aesthetically pleasing around the property So whatever I gotta figure out I think my my big issue going back to what Stacey said I think it was really easy to direct frustration

At the golf course at the setup this week, but when Stacey says, you know the issue make us look good, right? We're trying to get more people to watch women's golf. I good, right? We're trying to get more people to watch women's golf. I wish she would because she's not afraid to speak her mind. She she has spoken her mind before she was very adamant. A couple years ago, the Solheim Cup and the Ryder Cup should have been more jointly connected, right? That was a big missed opportunity for international golf. I wish Stacy would use this platform to talk about

from a fan perspective, like, listen, Stacey, the broadcast doesn't do a lot to make you guys look good, right? The setup, the amount of people there or not there, like there are so many different things and week to week, right? It just, if we wanna really have a conversation about getting more people to watch women's golf,

it's not because of the setup at Fields Ranch for the KPMG women's PGA. There are much bigger issues that I wish I could see this passion on. Start a dialogue, you know, get the ball moving on some of this other stuff. Beyond that, Randy, Stacey's the same one who's lobbied for Carlton Woods to be like the home of the LPGA. That place has nothing going for it. And like, I would argue that more people tuned in to see Fields Rancher to see like wind and carnage than otherwise, right?

Yeah, cause we don't see the best of the best men and women. We don't see them get tested. We don't see them struggle like this. We saw it at Oakmont. I thought the US Women's Open was fantastic. It wasn't as, you know, quote unquote unfair maybe as this, but like, and you put this right alongside of it. There's three weeks where it's like, yeah, PARS are really, really, really good number. And it doesn't have to be every week, but there's enough room to have it a couple times a year. And again, I just, you know, as I'm talking, I'm thinking like, Stacy, let's talk about

why are the Evian and Chevron majors? Like, let's talk about how that cheapens stuff. Let's talk about the schedule and how disjointed the schedule is. Let's, you know, there's so many things that I wish you would speak on. And for this to kind of bubble up and be the story of the week, I just think is, um, it's short-sighted and I don't think it really matters. Uh, do why we got such other big issues if we want people to watch the women's game? Why isn't this held in the fall?

There's nothing going on in the fall. They're not like worried about this is shit about NFL. Right. Buck and play it. One playoff fall anyway. I mean, they go to Asia. They have it be like the last. They have their tour championship in November or something like that.

Or I don't know. That's what kills me. There were there were good scores every day. It's not like the low score one day was 74 either. The whole that they were complaining about, eight, you know, Tenencom birdied it three of the four days and then parted today. It's not like it was impossible. The score is out there. And I think this is a great opportunity for Craig Kessler, the new LPGA commissioner to step in. He's coming from he lives in fucking Dallas. He's coming from Fields Ranch, working at the PGA of America

as their CEO for the last two years, uh, to LPGA. Like that's that to me is like, cool. Like there's, there's your solution right there. Figure out how to, how to fix this. So your top 10, I should have probably led with this. Obviously Minji wins Austin, Kim, Shanette, wanna say on finished tied for second at one under par each. Tied for fourth, Gino Titikun and Chisato Iwai. Tied for sixth, Angel Yin and Miyu Yamashita. Tied for eighth,

Somi Li and Heejin Choi. And then tied for 10th, you had Pauline Rusin-Bouchard and Y. Ling Su. A couple other notable finishes. for 12th Lydia Ko Charlie Hall, you leave me know and Lexi Thompson were in that group. Nellie Korda finished tied for 19th Leona McGuire was another name in that group. Ronnie Yen did not play that well today. She finished tied for 23rd and our US women's open, Maya Stark, she ended up finishing tied for 47. But man, if you scroll down through the KPMG leaderboard, it's, the very good players are in the top 25. Like, you weren't faking your way around,

they weren't making, you know, the very best look silly. I think a lot of women got exposed this week, and I understand being upset and frustrated by that, but I don't have much patience for simply blaming it all on the setup because I think that's misguided. Randy, I do have patience on being pissed about pace of play because that sucks. Like being out in the heat for six,

six and a half hours sucks. I gotta take on that. They played twosomes, which is- Smaller field. That's really rare for an LPGA major. It's rare when they actually get off in twosomes on the weekend. I was happy to see they went off on twosomes Saturday morning. The final group ends up playing in just under six hours.

I don't, somebody smarter than me is going to have to explain like how, I guess everybody was within time par. It just, did we take that many more strokes. I don't understand how we can get that much of a backup. Today they want to often threesomes. They were within the window. You know, I think it cheapens a major a little bit sending split T's threesomes. When we talk about this event though, where I will agree with Sophia is this event has grown

in stature like kudos to KPMG, kudos to the PGA of America I guess, I think it's a lot KPMG if I'm being honest but we had more of this event on television than we've ever had. Now you needed a Peacock subscription to really take advantage of it. But there was a lot more of this golf tournament available to view. You had featured group coverage.

And the quality of the quality of the broadcast was better in what we had as well versus Baltus for all a few years ago or a little, I still think like when you get to network TV on Sunday, I still don't think it's a dynamic broadcast. I don't think NBC golf channel puts on a good broadcast. I say, do you want to hear the, the us women's open? Yeah. I, I, I'm not sure any of the personalities in the booth really bring a lot like, man, all good people. I'm sure I just, I've heard enough to kind of make my mind up that we need some new blood in the booth. Um, other than that, like, truly I complain about NBC broadcasts. I feel like they check boxes.

I don't, we don't need to do that, but it's not a great broadcast. It just, it simply isn't. It doesn't meet the moment time and time again. Any reason from a normal weekend, unfortunately, any reason why they don't. Man, this would be June 22nd, basically like two days after the, or, you know, a few days after the summer solstice at chambers Bay on the West coast in prime time that becomes a, what is KPMG? Where does KPMG want to take their clients? solstice at Chambers Bay on the west coast in prime time. That becomes a, what is KPMG?

Where does KPMG want to take their clients? Uh, more than, more than picking a golf course, unfortunately. Yeah. Yeah. It's a bit of the tail wagging the dog. So they're going to Hazel teen next year. Um, cool. They'll be back here to fields ranch in 2031.

Um, but yeah, it's, it's a lot of Baltus Royal Congressional, Hazeltein, Ball Hallas in there. Those are fine. I think those are fine, like all in. And we can get into it on like a future pod of like what we learned about the men's PGA and the Ryder Cup based on what we've seen through two events here between the senior PGA last year, a couple of years ago and this event. Like I think it's going to test the guys. I think it's going to be cool.

I think they're going to get it. I think it's, I'm concerned honestly about like what fans are going to think. I think it's going to be a good spectator experience. Yeah. Well, I think it in watching on television,. I think it's going to be a bad spectator experience. Yeah. Well, I think it in watching on television, like I think testing, testing the players and it being something people want to tune in to watch

to see the golf course are two different things. And if they don't get the aesthetics figured out, I mean, I had pros texting me this week like, Hey, is that course ass? I was like, no, it's not. Like, it's really not. like it's a very good golf course, very good golf holes. Very good, just a ton of great contouring going on and play a lot of different wind

directions. It just Yeah, the second you flip it on, you're just like, what are we doing here? Because it just all of the exterior to your stuff just does not look filled in natural or it just doesn't look, um, like it's, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's a, it's, I have concern for it for 2027 and beyond.

I mean, um, just from what I think people are going to think of it. Cause I think it's that those hurdles are bigger to clear than we probably talk about much because you don't have to concern yourself with it for so many golf courses. Cause they've been there a while or we just don't see new golf courses very often on the professional stage. And, um, when you don't, some of that stuff can really stick out. Randy, I think a couple of MCs to call out. Yeah. Lynn alone, that one we're getting near the point with Lynn that I think we

need to get to see something or we got to, yeah. Yeah. Amy Yang, defending champ, mouse. I think we're going to have to see something or we got to yeah. Yeah. Amy Yang, defending champ, mouse, I go, Lillia. I actually, I think Lillia played pretty well relative to what she's been playing. Like yeah, yeah.

Madeline like this was, I thought Madeline was going to thrive here. Lauren, uh, I, Akif, Furewe, Celine Boudier. But again, I think like, Ilimino, Minji, all right, just seemed like the players that we expected to play pretty well for the most part played well. Zali, how do you, I think one of the maybe discussion questions from this week is,

what grade would you give Gino for the week? If we're grading her in totality. She was your 36-year-old leader. She's obviously awesome, awesome player week to week on the LPGA Tour. Has had good major results. But yeah, T4 here, but I think I'm just left a little disappointed. I think B plus is fair. The premium of all the things we've talked about of what was on being tested here this week gives it a bigger bump. I know she went backwards on the weekend, but a T4 finish when the golf got real, I think is a good sign for Gino more than it is a disappointment that she didn't get the job done.

I mean, Minji was that good, like very clearly separated herself from the field. And I know it wasn't a great final round, but overall final result. I mean, for some of it, it's just had a little week of a major championship record. Um, I think this was a good result for Gino. What do you think? Well, I'm curious before I answer Cody Cody, how would you grade it? I would give her a B- Sarah. It's shocking. She was really, really sharp and on top of everything. Her ball striking and specifically her putting through two rounds and then absolutely let go of everything Saturday and then today. If you look at it, you know, she

picked up a ton of strokes usually on par-fives and she's sitting at t40 for par-five scoring average total for the week but really in the weekend she was close to like dead last in the field. She just didn't pick up anything when everybody else was and that's because she lost control of her clubface. She didn't putt very good this weekend but putted amazing. We called that out on the sustainability models of that continuing through, but she put herself up there and she was in the hunt.

And that's more than we've been able to say for so long, but Minji was rock solid and she was no get up in her. And we called that out all the way in the preview and that's what came true for this weekend. So I think she's a B minus but yeah, way better, way better showing than you know, she has up to this point. If that doesn't go in for Minji on thirteen. Like I think those last few holes become a

much different tournament. I did too and I should say Austin Kim. Yeah. Damn near ran in a birdie putt. I think that was on seventeen for her. Uh that would have gotten her to two under par would have made things really more interesting.

I think Gino. Yes. Gino made almost 200 feet of putts in round one. I think Gino, yeah, Gino made almost 200 feet of putts in round one. I think probably made her whole entire week look a lot better than her weekend performance did. But I think it's a good thing for her to be in the final group on Saturday, be in the final group on Sunday in a major, be up close, see Minji, see how she goes about it. I think it's a good stepping stone for Gino.

I've been pretty impatient wanting her to kind of win that major. Like let's, come on Gino, let's go ahead and take that step. Like let's really establish that you're a threat in these biggest events. But I think maybe that's just on me to be a little bit more patient. Solid, real quick.

Yeah, go ahead. What was your, I don't think we ever came back to it. What was your slow play solution? Oh, I mean, hey, I got something there. Is it just the gaps between times like USGA did a full study of, of which to be fair, I think they did 11 minutes. They were nine minutes. We did nine minutes Saturday on Saturday. That's where on Saturday. Okay. On Sunday, they did threesomes but at 11 minutes, three some 11 minutes I'm looking at it. On Saturday. On Saturday. That's where the six hour backup was. Oh, on Saturday.

Okay. On Sunday, they did threesomes, but at 11 minutes. Threesome 11 minutes still isn't enough. It still sucks. Yeah. Like that's, you're just literally guaranteed traffic. And especially, I didn't look at the T-shirt either, Cody, but I'm guessing they didn't leave any tee time gaps in there.

Like do they do 18 minutes with it? Yeah. That's, like just textbook, how you would do it is one, you would at least do 10 minute tee times, if not 11 minute gaps, and then also leave different gaps. Otherwise, one single ruling, one single lost ball, one single search is going to back up to drive all fours on one on the front, one on the back. Yeah. Which is also like the longest week of the year.

The light then is hopeless. Like we can't, we just can't hold pro golf turnovers with more than 120 players. Bottom line. I think there's a lot of fat you could trim out of these, these majors. Sorry, Cody, were you? Yeah, I was just gonna say it's weird how they went with a nine minute interval because even like PGA championship goes with the 10. I don't know why it was thrown off. I have eight players probably didn't try to get in the TV window as well.

And they probably didn't want to go three. Some that's probably why. I mean, that was a, they blew through the honestly, I feel so bad plus anyway. Right. On Saturday. Yeah. They weren't even close. Uh, I think the other thing I think Judy Rankin mentioned I did not catch this live

But I think Judy made a comment that listen when we talk about Nellie She's there's no way to say it other than she she's been a bit under performing given her talent level I'm just curious. No, I you know She had a totally fine week. It Didn putt that great, still finished top 20, et cetera, et cetera. But we're getting deep into the year now. Nellie hasn't won. I'm just, she's another one where I'm just wanting'd be nice to just get a little bit more from her. I think I, I, there's, there's just something there in her game on,

on these major weeks that it's usually the putter. Um, but we're, we're just not getting her. I don't think at the height of her, of her game enough right now. It feels like it was just kind of retreated back into just like really good Nelly, not superstar Nelly, which is a fair regression but kind of Not quite as interesting as it was last year With what she had going on. That's a that's a good way to I think overall too. It's like

Like her putting was and she was hot and cold but like overall was fine. It was just her iron place stunk Yeah, this is I think more concerning than the putter Hey? Like she's not doing the stuff that she does really well. Yeah. She putted really well Saturday. She putted okay today. The first couple of rounds, not great. Gave shots. I guess round one, she was plus a half a stroke. Yeah. Just, I don't know, kind of like a C C minus if I were grading Nelly this week. Um, but I thought she showed up to the tournament and was like, yeah, you know, I tweaked my neck. It's, it's not good. So I had the snazzy one Tuesday. When you're starting out the week that way, you know, you're not really helping,

helping much there. Putting overall TC mentioned 35th for the week but really gave up a ton approach to the green and then she just was not good at scrambling at all yeah yeah so yeah any anything it was I think it was a great winner a totally valid proper proper winner a good leaderboard, I think it was a great winner, a totally valid, proper, proper winner, a good leaderboard. But I think there's, yeah, obviously a lot of interesting discussion around this major tournament. I think the other thing was like statistics matter and having

stats to validate, like I feel like we watched NG play great golf, but like it's fun to know why, or it's fun to get it validated. Right? So good on KPMG for continuing. No, like I think KPMG. Yeah, I think it's a good tool. I think it's good to validate. Nice to have when you don't really have it. It's really nice to have. If you don't, if you thought this week was too hot, there's another golf tournament in Dallas this coming week at Maratow. That's right. That's right. Yeah, they had the, Cody, they had the plane up, right? They were, they had a banner. Yeah, absolutely. Welcome, welcome to Dallas. Come, don't, don't forget to come through Live Maridot next weekend.

What you know is, I'm trying to remember, there's going to be a ton of indoor hospitality. That's an issue this week too at KPMG OnSite. Outside of the KPMG village that I'm sure, I don't even want to know if that was even open to the public or not, or if that was just for KPMG clients and partners, whatnot. I get you. There's just, there's just no place to escape the heat. That won't be the issue at Merida. And probably it'll, I'm sure that it'll be packed because, you know, nobody ever gets to see Merida and Bryson's doing activations on top of street lamps and who knows what else, but yeah, I'm sure, sure people will be all about it. Hey, speaking of Merida. Is uh I think the US senior open is this week. Well Andy's defending is he skipping marito to go to the US senior open? It's down in my backyard at the Broadmoor too down in uh Colorado Springs.

We'll see yeah I mean no they don't let you out of that stuff. Do they? I don't know. It's tough. It's tough. I feel like when you're the defending champ of a major that gets you into it, like a senior major that gets you into a real major in the US Open. He won't defend the US. Not defending? This is from a LiveG article, May 20th. You won't defend his title because of live Dallas contracts, man. Oh my God. What are we?

I will say a couple of things. Uh, very much to serve pro may a call for the week. Not, not, not to get completely down the road of live Dallas and setting that thing up. But just judging off of how Maya's round or really her tournament went last week in Meyer and how she kind of followed up her US women's open kind of impressed on how her week went. And then major shout out to her. Did you guys see the video of her kicking her putter and it broke the head of it? Yeah, I like seeing that, you know, show a little bit of personality sometime. Which Cody, on that note, too, I forgot to do this, but shout out to JJ Spahn for finishing T14,

shot 66, 63 on the weekend and like showed up in Hartford and after the most whirlwind weekend of his life and, you know, unexpected victory and then shows up and kind of, you know, unexpected victory and then shows up and kind of, you know, plays well again, like plays really good golf again, like props to that. That's, that's big time. Anyway, it's crazy. Sorry. I'm just looking at the LPGA. They are going to play in the span of eight events on the LPGA calendar are going to be four of their majors. Yep.

Yeah. You're right. But only one of those three real ones, the three real ones in the Evian. Yeah. In, in an eight tournament span. It just, I don't know. That's my other guy. Our guy, Craig

has some work cut out for him. They played. They literally go January to late November and we're we're still squeezing four majors into uh the tightest possible time frame. I just, yeah, there's a lot of stuff that doesn't make sense. Uh on uh we talked a little bit about this on, but there was some major news on the men's professional golf front this past week with Brian roll app being introduced as a new PGA tour CEO, Jay Monahan announcing he will likely be leaving the role at the end of his contract in 18 months at the end of 2026.

Leaving leaving his role as commissioner. So this is a different role. Correct. This is allegedly a different role, but it sounds like the Commissioner role might be changing in its own way going forward. That's not necessarily news that came out with this other than the number two man in line at the NFL. Brian Rollap comes over, not a huge golf guy, but guy knows his way around media and around the single most valuable American sport and the media market there and is represented. We kind of got hit with the news this week and kind of just like sat with it for a little bit of, for as much as we've talked about a change of guard at the top, we have new leadership at the PGA tour and it's all of these, it's kind of just hitting me later on even in the

week since we talked about it Wednesday of like all these things that we've considered not possible for the variety of reasons. I'm hit with a little bit of optimism TC of what could be since we are unburdened by what has been now or are we? I think it's still a fair question. Yeah, no, I mean, I think this is essentially what we've been begging for for the last four years. Yeah, no, I mean, I think this is essentially what we've been begging for for the last four years in, you know, I mean, really five years since Monahan just was asleep at the wheel, heading into even just the discussions, pre-live with with from here, Golf League and those guys just like wanted to have a conversation

pre Saudi and then, you know, and then he used the nine 11 families as cover, like just some really reprehensible stuff that happened. And then here we are three, four, five years later. And like, Jay Monahan's made close to a couple hundred million dollars. And he's just going to ride off into the sunset after 2026. And so it doesn't even feel real that we have somebody else leading the PGA tour moving forward and a real adult who by all accounts like Joel Beale had an awesome ride up. I think James Colgan had what was like really, really insightful from just looking back at a fortune magazine feature, I think from 2015 or 2016 about roll up and like, he's not a guy that seeks out the spotlight. He's not a guy that that is trying to self promote or fluff himself.

And it sounds like he like this is one of the few positions that he would have left his role at the NFL for. He was kind of the mastermind behind Thursday Night Football, a lot of the NFL's international stuff. He ran an NFL network and they've had plenty of bad shit happen in the NFL and NFL networks covered it very objectively and like you would expect a journalistic entity to do. I don't even think that's been the case at Golf Channel with certain things that have happened with the PGA Tour and they're not even underneath the umbrella of, but that's how heavy-handed and kind of tail wagging the dog the PGA Tour has been with Golf Channel and probably going to buy them here in the near future. So I think bottom line

is you're getting a guy that is a media, he's media savvy, he's media rights savvy. He knows how to, you know, he knows what to do with capital. He knows how to negotiate contracts. Shout out to Jay. He, he got the money coming in the door. I just don't know if he knew what to do with the money once it got in the door. And I don't know if he knew that. Yeah. And I think that's the thing that I get most excited about with rollup is it sounds like, you know, he like he was basically like, hey, if the games aren't good, then like none of this other stuff that I'm doing matters. And, you know, based on everybody that you talk to, whether it's NFL front office people or, you know,

journalists who cover the NFL, like to a man, everybody's like, no, this is like a very serious adult, very serious individual who's like, he's, he will give you like the best of what, you know, kind of management has to offer. So, I don't know, I'm hopeful. I think, and I think it's cool that like he's product focused, but he's not a traditional golf guy to where, Hey, we'll see what happens moving forward. If they, if they have to break some stuff, like we've kind of broken a lot of the stuff that matters. We haven't broken a lot of the stuff that doesn't matter.

Hopefully we can kind of move it back around, but have some malleability with the schedule and. Broadcast and meteorites and all that stuff. So, um, go back and listen to our Wednesday podcast. I'm sure Matt can clip some of that stuff as well. Probably more cogent explanation, but overall, I think they nailed it. And I know I've shit on Arthur Blank at times for leading the search committee and all of that, but I think they got the right guy by all accounts. So yeah, I hope he can come in and be himself and, and, and, you know, impose

his will and not get sucked up into the Pond of Idris machine of doing things. How it's always been done. Um, I was just thinking though, you know, I, I feel like I'm so much more, um, what's my, I, I'm more positively associate PGA tour golf these days because of how much CBS has improved. It's just like half of the telecasts and Sundays are like very pleasant viewing now and don't leave me like wanting to run through a wall just so frustrated that like, I don't know, it's been a bounce back year I feel like for the PGA Tour in a lot of ways and I think CBS is to be credited with a ton of that. And I think CBS is to be credited with a ton of that.

And I did not expect to be saying that halfway through this year. They've had great winners, I think, first and foremost. And I think it helps too that like CBS seems to cover a lot of the events that matter, at least on the PGA Tour. Yeah. With they have most of the signature events. Yeah, they really, really do. Any other news and nuggets you want to hit here on the way out, TC? I think, yeah, we'll see what happens with Monahan. I imagine they work with him on possibly a buyout before the end of 2026, but a lot of

players unhappy there that he's just going to ride off very, very relaxed in the sunset. FedEx founder Fred Smith passed away. I don't know, seems like a pretty interesting dude. Did a lot for the PGA Tour, done a lot for golf generally speaking, regardless of how you feel about the FedEx Cup. Sounded like he was a great citizen of Memphis. Created a pretty world-class American business. So, you know, shout out to that and like raised a, raised an NFL head coach. I think that's kind of a cool, I don't know, just feather in your cap of like,

hey, I raised kids that still worked hard. And yeah, so I think it'll be interesting to see what happens with FedExCup moving forward, just how that sponsorship works and, you know, how long those ties are and everything. Yeah, so, you know, thoughts and prayers to his family and yeah, sounds like a great man. Otherwise I just had some random kind of, I don't know, just like old fashioned. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It looked like, Hey, your son just won like the little community golf event.

We threw together. I'm so proud of them. It was delightfully earnest and kind of old fashioned. I'm totally proud of them. I'm so proud of them. I'm so proud of them. I'm so proud of them. I'm so proud of him. It was delightfully earnest and in kind of old-fashioned. I'm totally with you there TC. Yeah it was basically like hey my son won the only US Open. Like how cool

is that? Did you guys see this? Check it out. Here's the putt that my son won the golf tournament. Yeah. Otherwise, Team Rose was at the races. He was at Royal Ascot, uh, in over in England. He was stunting. He was not at that at the race. Yeah. He was, he was the race. He looks good in that top hat. Looks like the fucking monopoly, man. Um, hate seeing him have to skip the travelers for this, but man, love, love team Rose. Like just, that's just good stuff right there. What else? I played, I played Medina number three this week and I just wanted to shout out my, my,

my playing partner staff bag. This is the big dog, Mike Gillespie. Awesome guy. I was blown away by Medina number three. I loved it. I thought I was going to hate it based on just everything I've watched with Ryder Cup and everything. And I'm really, really looking forward to the President's Cup next year.

I think it's truly like angles matter. Mike Cocking and OCM did an awesome job. So Roger Steele, shout out to everybody up there, like cool golf club and cool mix of like North Side Chicago and Western suburbs. I wanted to shout out the cats sunglasses. These were just, you know, yeah, like, yeah, just I think they're doing, you know, they're doing stuff at the patch Augusta national released some photos from the muni there that they're, that you know, they're putting in the Tiger Woods Learning Center there but the cat, he almost had his belt right the belt was slightly off center of his, his, you know, pant line or whatever but the sunglasses

are just always dialed with the cat he looks like he's always about to go, go real in a Marlin or something like that. Always in that power stance at every site, located every, every, uh, you know, visit location, visiting banks. I don't know if somebody just takes a bunch of photos of him and he waits for him to make that pose, but he's always making that pose. Tiger, tiger, give me your serious pose. Uh, I wanted to shout out Dustin, but he's always making that pose. Tiger, give me your serious pose. I wanted to shout out Dustin, sorry, Dustin Johnson, he had a chain commercial for the four

aces. They, I guess this is like the official chain of celebrities and in the four aces, just generally speaking, Jackson, these chains. So very, very cool stuff there. I think I'm just to the point where he just needs to like, I think, I think it might be time each. And then on to like the real delights, KBV's daughter Keegan, she broke 80 for the first time. Awesome stuff there. I think she's, she's, she's on a real heater. They want to a father daughter thing or not even a father daughter thing just the best ball competition at the at the club last week. Should she pick herself for the team come come September. hoteling won a club championship out in Kansas City in some adverse conditions. Shout out to him. And then yeah, just wanted to give a shout out to Wichita. They had some big ass storms roll through and they still managed to stage in reconstruct a lot of the

grandstands in what's one of the better corn fairy tour events of the year. So they've had flooding a few weeks ago and then massive thunderstorms here of the year. So they've had flooding a few weeks ago and then massive thunderstorms here this past week. So chopped the miles Creighton won the Kansas Wichita open which I was supposed to do right. First Canadian shoot 59 on the corn fairy tour. Anybody a hole in one I think this week. It was very nice

week. Could have that run. But since putting a bow on the Keegan Bradley conversation he did did say on Golf Central, we'll play if I feel like I would help the team, added that he would not relinquish the captaincy in that scenario. He would just put more on his assistance. Selfish, huh? What's he in a tough spot, Sali? I just know I just love that the guy that has not been good enough to be on the team

or a captain for the last decade is not going to be both of those things going to be in 2025. What could go wrong? What could I love? I love it. I'm giving a shout out here on the way out. Go swing by the no leg up pro shop is a restock of the Imperial performance dad hats that has hit the shop got earth tones is the way we're driving at Navy white and gray with the Wayward Drive and No Laying Up script logos. More hats coming this week too.

Stay tuned to the NLU Pro Shop Instagram to see them when they drop. NLU's also joined forces with the Evans Scholars Foundation to enable us to work together with our community to establish the No Laying Up scholarship at Miami University. They'll be given out every four years and funded in perpetuity. So big thanks to everyone who's already donated, who's collected a ton of money. More than

$75,000 of our $500K goal. Is that the most up-to-date number? I thought I saw it even bigger. I think we're higher than that. We're creeping in on six digits, I think. It's unbelievable. I thought I saw many. Thank you to everybody. It's been incredible. So over the past 10 or so years, many people have asked how they can get involved to help make the Gulf world a better place. The No Laying Up Endowed Name Scholarship is how, if you want to help us in donating, you can go to nolayingup.com slash ESF. That's nolayingup.com slash ESF to donate directly through our portal.

If you have any questions about donating in any other ways, like donor advised funds, send a note to Casey at nolayingup.com and she can help you out. It's going to be amazing to change a bunch of people's lives through this scholarship. And we have had a blast working with the Evans Scholars for many, many years, and it's great to kind of formalize this in the way that we have. So it's the best, best charitable organization at golf.

I got to spend time with some Evans Scholars Saturday. We had our roost major here in Denver, the Rocky Mountain rollers, and we had Evans, Evans caddies out there helping us with the event. It was wonderful. Coming up this week, we have Detroit on the PGA tour. We have the Dow on the LPGA tour. DB World Tour is off. Live Dallas. I don't think they are off. I think it's actually the Italian Open. I think I got that wrong. Okay.

Wow, National Open. National Open. What happened to you today, TC? We had dropped the Seve, the many feuds of Seve Ballesteros this past week, late in the week. And if you happen to have mentioned that one, me and KV did a deep dive on that one. And then we're going to hone in on DJ this week. We're going to do another golf spotlight episode

coming up this week with the pine man recording that tomorrow. So I can't wait to hear what big brain ideas he's working on in his game. I believe he's got, he got hands laid on him in his short game. And I'm excited to hear about that. So nice. And then we're gonna have a trap draw be out midweek. We had some good chop sessions the last couple weeks. So find that wherever you get your podcast. So TC for about an hour. I forgot about how that event ended today. As I shut down, I'm gonna I just heard that Halliburton also blew

out his Achilles. Oh, are you serious? Yeah. Oh, God, that's awful. Unfortunately, I think they probably mean Tyrese. That is not good. So, all right, thank you everyone for tuning in. Massive week with the Travelers and the KPMG Women's PGA. Cody, I appreciate you hustling your butt out there and sweating it up like I know you were. And yeah, we're gonna

we'll bounce back from this TC is not the end for our guy. Beginning, I feel bad for pressuring you into making it one and done pick for port rush. I think I might need to extend that one for you because I feel so so so bummed on this. I didn't know how bad I wanted this as well until today. Because but here we are. It's a new world. People can change their minds too.

Sorry, this is my favorite. Hold on, this is my favorite type of time in summer. We're not live for a long time, brother. We're not back till. Open. It's gonna be nice. It's gonna be nice to break them. Live is hard. nice. Live is a lot of people don't know this. Yeah, especially on Cody's end. A lot goes into making these

shows live. So we would appreciate if you subscribe to our YouTube if you're not already. There we go. There's 2600 of you here right now. I doubt all of you subscribe. We greatly appreciate you watching and following on live. Well, plenty of content. So to come, but little down tick in significant events, which comes at a much needed time for all of us. So let's have a great week. Thanks for tuning in. We'll see you back here soon. Cheers.

Cheers.