No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - NLU Podcast, Episode 101: Peter Uihlein

Episode Date: October 15, 2017

Peter Uihlein joins the podcast for the second time to talk about obtaining his PGA TOUR card, his future plans for playing both tours, and his insane travel schedule. A lot has changed for Peter... The post NLU Podcast, Episode 101: Peter Uihlein appeared first on No Laying Up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A quick story before we get started with Peter Uline, I ran into Emiliano Grillo on the chipping green this week and he tracked me down, got my attention and said, hey, saw another video from scratch, they're kicking your ass. The most recent video of scratch is Adventures in Golf takes them to a some crevice, some ravine that they play through in Nepal, they weren't even supposed to do it to be at, it is awesome. Be sure to check it out. And then also a bit later in the show,

we're going to talk a bit about Calaway's golf live series. They're profile of Arian Foster and rap legend scar faces really, really good stuff. So, but for now, let's get to the podcast with Peter Uline. I'm going to be the right club today. That's better than most. I'm not in. That is better than most. Better than most.

All right ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the No Laying Up podcast. Re-circle you're entering an elite club of two-time visitors. Mr. Peter Uline, we're here in Malaysia. How much has changed since February when we last spoke? Well a lot I feel like I'm playing on the PGA tour now so that's kind of cool. Yeah that's a little bit of a change. It's a little different. So you were a late addition to the field this week.

How's that process work? Patrick Harrington with Drew. Yeah. You apply for a sponsor's exemption. You just received an invite from the sponsor. How's it work? Yeah, I was fully planning on going and playing Italy this week. I played playing in Napa last week and just kind of heard.

I had asked for a spot, didn't get it fair enough. Then they said, hey, Harrington might be pulling out. Do you still want it in that? Absolutely. I've been out here a few times and I like the course and I figured it was perfect to a new travel, bro. Yeah, I'm good at it. I'm used to it by now.

So yeah, I figured it was perfect. And yeah, I can't really say no to these events, Kenya. Well, I was going to say, are you at the point where you're currently with your PGTOR status, you're not turning down any invitation you get? I wouldn't really. There aren't many events if I can get into. I'm going to turn down just because I've played them. I want to play on the scene

on TV. I want to play them. And yeah, the fact that they're all big purse really kind of help. No cut. You guys love no cut. Yeah. It amazes me how much you guys like one of the first things you guys mentioned is no cut. My final five events now are no cuts. Just Christmas bonus money. So it's unbelievable. Next week is absurd. I mean, did you apply for a spot in Korea? Yeah, well, not really. I was going to, I was gonna ask,

but then I was told Alex Noren didn't get one. And I'm sure that surprises you. Top 10 players in the world. Yeah, it doesn't, didn't get a spot. So I was like, all right, maybe, maybe I can hold up. Like, I'm in China anyway. So I figured I could take and go home next week. You're, so yeah, you're gonna go from Malaysia.

You're gonna go back to Florida and then fly to China. Yeah, explain that one to me. You could go to like Thailand and chill for like a week on the beach. I know. Well, we've begun. Your girlfriend is looking at you right now. Like, why aren't we doing this beat?

Well, we have, I don't want to be on the road for seven weeks. A we have two dogs. Could it be seven weeks? Yeah, Napa here, week off, foreign row. Okay. So that's fair. I didn't really want to do that. And we have two dogs. And we got to go back and see. Okay. They pretend to like us. So it's fair and just happy. What is. So guys seem to kind of get excited for this event. What so explain kind of what to kind of get excited for this event. And what, so explain kind of what, and that's why part of the reason why I wanted

to come over to this stretch was see what these events are all about. Can you explain in your own words kind of what the appeal is other than the no-cut thing we've already talked about? What the appeal is of this kind of Asian swing? I think it, it gets guys off to a good start in the fall. I think that really kind of helps. And I was chatting to Morgan Hoffman.

I think he's just playing this week next week and then not playing the rest of the fall. So it gives guys an opportunity to get some FedEx Cup points up while not really, while after finishing a long season, get some FedEx Cup points off and then shut down for a little bit and get ready for Hawaii, or California, or whatever. So it's ready for you know Hawaii or California or whatever

So it's almost like you do the Asian swing or the US like there's three events through US events three Asian events So you kind of choose ones that right exactly I think that's kind of the the perk of it. So I think guys will you know play these and then just kind of shut down for the rest of your So it's it's it is the common word. It just seems like Christmas bonus Christmas money That's kind of what it is because Because it almost, to you guys, it doesn't feel like a new season, I'm sure. And you just kind of, the shutdown really happens in December and essentially, and then you pick back up in January, right?

So I'm trying to feed off momentum. You got going. Are you exhausted at all? I was out playing it. I was out at the Paris Club before. I went out to NAPO with Lovemark and Twa, and they're both on track, man, hitting and it's just the ball speeds way down. There's like it's power off-season power outage.

That's good. They kept saying the whole time. Wow, the ball speed decreases that much. I guess they were. I mean, you just finished a really long season. And it's like, yeah, these are obviously big events, but you're kind of, you're a little tired, you're exhausted. So you can see that guys maybe kind of get more sluggish this week than usual. Does it feel more like I need to play in this time, or is this something like you're excited

to be playing at this time? It's different for you, probably, with you being a new PJ Tour member. Yeah, it's totally different for me, but no, I think I need to be playing just because, you know, it's obviously new. It's nice to get some points up early and then obviously I have a big finish coming over in Europe or coming up in Europe. So I still need to almost feel like I'm still I'm revving back up kind of thing whereas guys seem to be, you know, they might just be winding down or shutting down a little bit.

So you mentioned the big finish you have coming up in Europe. What is, I mean, obviously that's the race to do by. You are now a PGA Tour member also. So you're in a weird, you're in the next PGA Tour season, you're in a current, I guess, European Tourism. So when you say you have a big finish coming up, what's the main goal for finishing out the European Tour season? If you finish top 10, I think that gets you into the open, gets you into

Mexico. Are you in the open yet? Yeah, I think I think, because I think I'm 15th or 16th right now, so I think I'll be in it, or I think top 30 might, or top 20 might get in. Okay. I don't know. But if you finish the first. We're going to get to how you don't know how the system works.

I'm very, very sure. I'm really not good. But no, I think so. But it's just their big events, big world ranking points, and obviously big money. So if you finish inside the top 10, I think you get a nice big bonus. And then if you've, I think if you finish inside top 15,

you get to Mexico, which would be huge for me because I count towards both tours for next year, which is ideal. So the less I have of have to kind of glow up a little bit the better for me for next year if I'm going to try and play both tours. So that was the next question.

So what is your plan for kind of going forward and now that you have a PGA tour card and we're going to get into how that happened, what the strategy was behind that. But going forward, how are you going to make out your schedule? Do you do you plan to maintain both cards? I do, yeah.

I don't think there's, I don't think you can really just fully drop over in Europe with the events they have now with that Rolex series. I mean, they are really good events, you know, went worth and French Open, Irish Open, Scottish Open. Unfortunately, I had to miss this week and it's not only open, but when they're getting them bigger and stronger and feel to getting better, money's getting bigger, so it makes it just so much more enticing.

So I'll definitely try and keep, I'll definitely play both tours, get both, as many starts as I can, really kind of worldwide and try and go about it that way. So I don't think I'd ever really fully abandon the European tour with how good it's gotten with the events. So how did you, let's hypothetically, why did you choose Malaysia this week over Italy then?

Like if this was Napa versus Italy, would you have gone to Italy? I mean, it's like the no-cut run to field thing was part of the reason. cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut.

Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut.

Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah, I mean, it's like the no cut. Yeah what I asked you I think off of off of my category because I'm under the web category It's based on how many points you make then I think you get re-ranked so if somebody has a really good fall They'll they'll pretty much jump me. Yeah, if they make more points if that makes sense

So they'll be next on the entry list so for me You know, I was I was for me only really playing Napa and HSBC, sacrificing where guys are going out, maybe playing five times in the fall. You know, it kind of puts me at a little bit of a disadvantage, so that's why when I got the spot here, it's like, well, that makes it a no brainer, because then it helps me get more points up,

that way I can still kind of stay up on top of the re-rank, so I can get into all the West Coast events and things like that and then be able to kind of play out where I want. Okay, so that makes it easier. Okay. So, what you missed the cut last week in Napa, did it feel, you've played PGA Tour events a lot in the past, did it feel different being out there for the first time as a PGA Tour member?

Was it a different kind of pressure, a different kind of, you did not feel like you were like on a guest spot essentially? Yes and no. That was only I think the third golf course in California I've ever played. I played more courses in Malaysia than I've played in California. So I'd never really put it on point. I greens before and I just really really struggled on them. And I feel like I better ask in everybody this week like talking about Pond and I just saying just trying to pick everybody's brains on like what they do and things like that.

So, because I know the West Coast obviously is all puh. So that was just kind of what it was. You know, but I mean, it was a great golf course and really cool week, chill vibe week, a lot of concerts at night and obviously the wine was really good. So, is that why you missed the cut and the wine was too good? No, no, no, no, I wish. But no, I just, I had no idea what I was doing on the great. But no, it, it, it, it, I'm, it's glad I played. It was, it really was a really cool event,

but it was nice to be a part. I still haven't got any of my credentials. So I'm still basically having to go get my photo and say I'm a part, but I'm, at least I feel like I'm a part of the tour now, which is nice. So when you, when you were on the pod in February, I was, I know a lot of people walked away from that kind of surprise that how much you talked about, how much you loved the European tour, that you weren't, again, a hurry to get back to the PGA tour, and you know, you're just kind of really enjoying travel

in the world and see, and the experiences you got out of the European tour, and it sounds like you still want, kind of keep those part of your life and your career, but this summer I run into you in England England and you just like sneak in the conversation that you're planning on going to the web finals. So what changed as far as your approach towards the PGA tour? It's funny.

We were in, I got a spot in Puerto Rico this year. So I guess that was April time here for you. Yeah. So April time. And so I top 10 there got into Houston. So Sunday morning was bad weather. And they sent us out, I think 730. They were trying to get everybody done by 2 o'clock or 1

o'clock or whatever. So we're second group off or something off one. And I think Luke Donald was right around me keegan, the front of me and half was right next to you know we were all very close we were all talking about getting home that night. So you know after the round we you know we all fly home together and get home and you know we're home what you know home I think Sunday night having dinner and I just sat there thinking I'm like man this is the first time I've ever made a cut in a tournament and been home for dinner on a Sunday night.

Like never once had that happened to me. So, you know, five years or whatever. So it's like usually you make a cut, you don't have to wait till the next day, fly, fly, 24 hours to get home on Monday or Monday night, whatever, and then be home. But that was the first time I ever played golf on Sunday morning and then was home for dinner.

So that kind of like hit home a little bit. That is like, hey man. It's pretty sweet. Yeah, this is pretty convenient. Guys, they do you are in Malaysia now, really far from home. I'm trying to get home on Monday. So I mean, do you anticipate any complications with kind of trying to play to play both tours? I mean, I don't think so. The way I was explained a little bit about was, you know, with the whole release thing, I guess, is kind of, you know, what you might be asking. But I think, I think they have like a criteria where you have to play an event every four years or something. But I don't think it really counts towards guys who are, you

know, basically play their first, second, third year, because they're just kind of playing wherever. It's maybe more drawn towards guys like, you know, Rory or Rose guys who play both tours kind of thing. It makes them play the event every four years. So I don't think in my situation, it's really going to be that big of a deal. I think I'll be able to kind of play where I want to get the release and all that stuff.

So it wouldn't be an issue. I just see, I mean, it's hard enough when I look at like the PGA tour schedule and how good the calendar is on that. I find a hard time, you know, I always picture myself what I want to play, what would I do, et cetera. And it's hard to, like, say, I want to skip these events and usually it's never two in a row that are like, all right, we're skipping those two to add to take that factor of finding a hard to skip PJ Torvents and add in European Torvents that you want to play and kind of

the deadlines and when you need to notify tournaments and what you want to play, that doesn't stress you out at all. I'm stressing out of that for you. No, that's why I pay people to do that. They're supposed to handle that stuff. No, I've gotten, I've gotten better over the years that, if I kind of haven't made up in my mind, that's where I want to play.

I tend to do well. If I'm kind of told I need to go this, play this, be there, and I really don't play that well. I haven't had a full breakdown of the schedule. I have looked at both schedules, but I haven't really sat down and made up my mind of what I want to do and where I want to go kind of thing. So, but I mean once I do that in the off season, I'll have a better understanding, but I do know I want to play more out west just to just to get another crack

of those greens and those public greens. So, I'll probably play most of the west coast, and then there's just so many good events in Europe in the summer. So that's a pretty good gig that run off 4, 5, 6 and a row over there. I'm trying to get my crew to go do that. I was hoping Scott to show up and open and stretch every year. I mean that was just as a fan and kind of semi. I didn't work very hard in the line this week, I played a lot more golf than that. I remember seeing you were playing every night or something.

I saw you in Ireland and you were like, shouldn't you be playing right now? That's right. I pretty much did play every day, but no, it's kind of a fun stretch to follow the tour and then play around that area from a fans perspective. But yeah, I mean, all the, I mean, you guys, it's just kind of the nature professional golf.

You guys follow the money, follow the pur's and like the Rolex series now that Irish Open was getting like two and a half million euros as of like two years ago. And that's like a seven million year old event. But that, but everybody was still playing that though. Yeah. I know, I know, I obviously already played it, but I remember when it was that cart now, so years ago in Paul Casey wanted, you know, you know, but that's still at an unbelievable field. Yeah.

I can't remember where it was the following year, but that's always been a strong staple one. And the dates have moved. That used to be like in May. That wasn't May. And even as in 15, it was in May. Yeah. This year was the first year that it moved up

to, to, in front of the Scottish open, which is perfect time for it. Yeah, and then, well, it is, but they were kind of hoping, I think, that they would get more American guys to come over and play it. And it's tough to ask guys to come over and play three weeks. Three weeks. I mean, I don't think anyone did. It's hard to get guys to play three weeks in America a little longer.

It's true. Right. So I mean, some guys want to come over and play the Scottish just as a warm up, but a lot of guys didn't last year because Dunne Donald was not a great warm up for Burkdale. Next year is Gullin for the Scottish Open and then up to Karnu Stee. Have you ever played Gullin before? It's East Lothian, it's kind of near North Barrett

and Mirfield. Yes. I think I've played there. The Scottish Open was there a couple of years ago. It was in 15 or 14. We're a Ricky one there. Yeah, all right. I play there. Okay. Soldiers dead straight up. Yeah, it's the whole course is like based on this one hill. Essentially. Yeah, I've played there. But then you got to car news to you. It's not a far. It's not a far trip. And they're,

I mean, not similar courses, but I don't think it's as different. Now what goal is at least a little bit more lengthy than than this one was. What was done? Donald likes. Yeah. Did you play that one? I did. Yeah. Smooth with MC. I was in a big fan of that course. That whole area is unbelievable for golf. Yeah. There was like two courses next door that looked amazing. Western Gales is unreal.

It's so good. I don't think it really has tournament holding capacity. Yeah. It's too short. Everybody was saying it was short. And I just don't know if it can manage a crowd that but they had the they have the Scottish women's open the following week at Dundal, as well. They did. They hosted it back to back. They did. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. With I don't know if there was any controversy

on on the driver's party. I didn't do it, man. It wasn't me. The PGA tour also tweeted a video of like everybody warming up all over the course. So yeah, so how it works this week, there's not really a driving range. Have you seen the concrete driving range or like the left on nine? Yeah. No, I've been there before. I've seen the netting. So supposedly when the European Tour, it was the Maybank. Yeah. That one year, I don't know what year that they used that as the range and like players were tweeting about as the worst range ever and whatnot. So now they use like a hole from the East course that the women are going to play in two weeks. It's kind of

for you guys to hit this week, which I mean, the two years I played Maybank, it's we've used this. Yeah, these holes as a range. Right. And then so yesterday when there was, so we're recording this on Saturday afternoon, there's the rain delay. You guys all had to go back and warm up. So guys were just sprawled out across a couple extra holes, hitting balls and warming up and some LPG players were nuts. Yeah, I did see people in front of the chipping green hitting over the trees. Yeah.

Yeah, a couple of spots. Yeah. But I don't know. You guys play ball in hand. I would assume the women are going to play ball in hand. Some people were DMing me saying that they never play ball in hand for some reason, but like for this week, can you imagine not playing ball in hand? No, it'd be terrifying.

I mean, the fairways are mud. Yeah, they're soft. And the fact that it's been raining every night done health, but the greens are firm, at least. Yeah, the greens are a card. But yeah, no, that'd be terrifying. A quick break from Peter. You line to talk to you guys a bit about golf lives, which we talked about the beginning,

which is a new docuseries from Callaway Golf. You may remember Rap Legend's Scarface was in the very first episode that they profiled. The most recent episode shows Aryane Foster, which is really seriously very good video content. Ariane Foster swings the club at 115 miles an hour. And he's always been a very insightful person, so to watch him kind of talk about golf and kind of talk about how, you know, he didn't have golf growing up as a kid and how now he's retired with money at age 31, how much of a role golf plays. And if you listen to this now, Monday, October 16th is going to be the debut

of the showdown between Aryan Foster and rapper, Scarface, back in their hometown of Houston. It's a highly anticipated event. You can watch the entire series now at calwaygolf.com slash golf lives. I promise you won't be disappointed. It's honestly very good stuff. But for now, let's get back to Peter E. Line. So what do you think of TPC,

QualMpoor? I tell you what, once TPC got a hold of it, they've pumped some money into it. Yeah, they've dealt incredible condition. Yeah, they've dalled it up. Just the all the cuts around the water and the bushes and the flowers, they've done a really good job over because we went, I guess it was like three or four years ago, it was the last time I was here. It's, you gotta make a bunch of birdies. It's a wedge fest. Yeah, you just gotta make a ton of birdies.

And I didn't really see what Perez is at. I know he's 21 under, he's 23. He's excited after the news, he's up 4, 21 under. He's good, yeah. I mean, it's just an app, Yeah, it's just a wedge fest every. I mean, ball in hand with wedges. You guys are gonna tear it up. There's a couple strong holes,

but, you know, it's still their driver eight irons, really, if they're considered real strong, but no, it's a wedge fest. And yeah, you just gotta get it after the greens, or like a nice speed, that you're not afraid of it getting away from you. So you can really be aggressive and wholesome puss. The narrow fairways are what makes it not appealing to me

visually, but I don't know. I've watched a lot of golf for less three days. You guys don't miss the fairways too often. I'm never. When they're soft. I know. It makes such a difference. Like that.

That's six-hole. I hit driver every time. And it's fairways 10 yards wide. I hit the fairway every time. And it's just because it hits on top and just sticks there. Yeah, but I played the pro-amp and I did not hit a fairway. Did you not? I did not hit a fairway.

Did you go for a 14? Just assume the answer's yes. Yeah, I got it over on 14. I did. It was left of the green and it plugged and we almost never found it. And then I got found it. What's not so bad? I cleared it.

That was my badge of honor. I'm shocked. They didn't move that to bad. That's how I cleared it. That was my badge of honor. I'm shocked. They didn't move that to you. It was 320, I think. A little downhill, but I got it. I was pretty excited about it. But man, I hope, I play with Patrick Rogers.

I hope he doesn't start spreading word about that. I lost like seven balls. Was it, so it was worse than when I played with you at, yep, we're in Cleveland? Yeah. Wow, I didn't think I played that bad. It was that bad of an impression. I shot like, I didn't think I played that bad. It was that bad over the pressure I shot like 79 for the back back tease with you guys. It wasn't like horribly embarrassing. It wasn't good

What do you think of Wolfhammer? Well, famer was awesome. I just wish I knew out of like I wish I wish you like if I played with you You knew how to keep points because like I just couldn't do it right, but the games are awesome Yeah, like it's not that hard once you once you get it. Right, but the games were awesome. Yeah, like, it's not that hard. Once you get it, once you get it, how many rules can you remember? Like, quiz you'll under in the middle of the round, you did pretty good, but I did all right. I remember like, I remember some of it. I like the the fairway grade point, the polling point. Yeah, the up and down or the bunker, what's that?

Same. Yeah. Junk man is if Mr. Fairway, Mr. Green make par. Make par. Which one's the Saddam? Saddam is bunker to bunker. bunker bunker. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, eight off two shots in one bunker.

Yeah. They've been lot and bunker to water. Bunger water. That's right. The OJ double digits, double murder. It's, yeah, it gets, it gets pretty, it gets out there. But yeah, you took like 60 bucks off of me. So that's why you like it. I did like that game, yeah.

All right, so, web finals, we got to tell, we got, the story needs to be told of, so you show up your first, show up the the web finals the first web final event at Scarlett course in Columbus came out and watched and you won you won the very first event just showed up and just won It's no big deal, right? Yeah, and And what what what did you tell me when you walked off the 18th grade? My mind at that point was like man I can go play now. I can go play in Switzerland and British masters. I don't need to play anymore. Like, I got my card. I'm out.

You know, but yeah, you were like, no, you should probably stick around. You came up and you were like, my web doc, I'm torn. I'm torn. The rear is over. Yeah. One start. I was one and done.

And that's not true. I played twice in college. But yeah, I was one pro event. I had web done. Yeah, I was thinking in my head. I'm like, I can go back back play some in Europe, you know Whatever no big deal. And they're like, you're like, no, no, you should probably you should probably look into that You should probably keep playing

Obviously you have a gold it to get it done, but then Chesson kind of lits it and Well, it's just oh, yeah, you could you could you had your tour of the card locked up But to win the finals you get into the players Yeah, you're probably already goes skyrocket and it of the card locked up, but to win the finals, you get into the players, you're just, your priority goes skyrocketing. It wouldn't have been hard for you to win the finals. If you kept playing, did you now wish you didn't keep playing, so you didn't end up with it? I kind of wish, yeah.

I kind of skipped the torch championship. I did, yes. Yeah. I felt bad about it, but I wanted to have a week off before nap, and then because I was going to play six out of seven, I needed another week off, so. I think because I was going to play six at seven. I needed another week off. So you would. So I negatively affected you then. You could have just.

No, it wasn't your fault. Well, you were going to go to the like to your press conference or whatever and say that you were done. I was done. Yeah. You saved me a little bit because I would look like an idiot. It's so I would have been bad. But yeah.

So that was, uh, yeah. So that was, that was my web career. Oh, I mean, hopefully that's my web career. But I've, I've got to play boys, boys, he's a great city, great city. Cool little golf course. It's funny when we did the pod in February, we were laughing about like, because like part of the reason why you wanted to play the European tour, is because you just weren't that keen on playing the Web Tour full time, because you didn't necessarily want to go to Boise.

But it turned out Boise is an extremely nice city. Yeah, I really enjoyed Boise. What do you think is gonna be, like what do you, I don't know, I was gonna ask kind of what are you gonna miss most about playing the Euro Tour full time, but it doesn't sound like you're gonna, it's gonna feel that different to you.

No, I probably, the only things I'll skip are, I don't know if I'll skip. I'll have to, like I said, I'll have to look at the scheduling with like Aubrey Dabby new bugs. I really like those events. It helps my coaches out there as well. So it kinda adds, it's like a little extra bonus to Sam.

And I'll probably miss the events that I can think about the top of my head that I've played this year. I think Shwani open all miss, Indiell miss, I'll miss a couple of events in China. I'll probably miss. But it just depends what I can get in stateside as well. It's a nice kind of like, I don't want to use the word fallback, but it's a nice thing to have. That hey, it's like, oh, well if you can't get into Riviera, well, there's an event in Europe going on I can go play over there, right? Which is part of your use to jump in that travel. It's not a big deal. Yeah, because like I spoke to

Kevin Twey when I was in Puerto Rico and This was before he had you know a great run. I think he finished three straight top fives or something So he was he was well down on the re-ranking. He said he'd mundane into Riviera, but other than that, he got into Toria, I think he said. And he hadn't played for six weeks up to Puerto Rico. And it's like, man, that sucks. Yeah, that's rough.

You know, that's why I was trying to tell you, you got to go in those finals, man. Right. But, um, so at least I can kind of look at it that way. It's like, you know, if, you know, if I'm not getting into these events and it's like, all right, well, I can still go play in Europe and keep my game sharp and, you know, try and, you know, I guess just jump up the world ranking, things like that. So that makes it nice. Do you have like goals necessarily for the PGA tour next year?

I mean, is that? No, because I'm still, like I said, because I just don't have to worry. It's a fan what you get. Well, because I've still got what you get. Well, I still have to finish this year. Right. You know, so it's like this year to me is my year is not over. You know, it's like everybody's, you know, next year started for them, but my year still hasn't finished yet.

So, um, you know, I'm still trying to complete the goals for this year. And then starting up and I think Sony's first off, so starting up over there will be starting with new set of goals. So it's kind of a tough question to ask or to answer out and imagine, but it's got, well, it's like you've had a lot of success on the European tour, but it's not like you were dominating the European tour to the point where it just just you had to graduate to the PGA tour. So where do you kind of feel like you slot yourself into when it comes to your where you belong on the PGA tour? Because I know internally some friends and I we've discussed we're already excited about the rider cup next year.

We're talking about potential guys. I would consider you in that category. I wouldn't consider you a favorite for that at this point. So do you think that far ahead or is that kind of way more result thinking and not process thinking? Yeah, I think that is, I think my first, I guess, gold finish out this year. I want to get top 15 in the world. That way, I can kind of, you know, get into the players, masters, things like that, get into majors. And that's, that's how you make those things is once you're in those majors, WGCs, that's how you get what you're ranking right now, like mid 70s, I think. So that's how you get into those, the whole Ryder Cup discussions and things like that. So I don't know, the way the US team played this year at Presidents Cup, that's pretty impressive.

So it's tough team to crack. Yeah, it's a tough team to crack. Good. Every US golf. Yeah, it's going to be good for a long time now. So it's pretty exciting. We just spent the entire last podcast just just raining and celebrating in 2018. And the Euros were not that excited about that.

But now they'll be good as well, especially in France. It's always tougher to play on the show. Yeah, it's definitely tougher to play there. But I think, I don't know, that last one was such a beat down that I know people were away, people were all over me for getting way too excited about that one, but that's aside the point. But I just didn't know where you felt like kind of where you belong. Because I mean, I've talked to guys, and I know you guys never want to want to put yourself

too far out there in terms of being too outspoken about your confidence. But just in talking to guys in the past, you know, someone like JT saying, like I was watching Speedwin' all these tournaments and felt like, you know, I'm as good as him. And then he has this kind of breakout here where he kind of proved that. So I didn't know if there was something where you're kind of like, you know what, I grew up with these kind of guys and feel like I'm on this level. Now I just got to go prove it. But it also kind of puts you in a tough spot to answer that,

understand that. Yeah, I'm not, yeah, there's no, yeah, I guess that's all I can say. Yeah, but I mean, I do play with those guys a lot. Right, I know where my game stacks up. And although I didn't win a lot in Europe, I felt like I contended more over there than I would have here in the States at an earlier age.

I feel like I've gained a lot more experience being in tension. Like I said, I'll be it didn't win a lot one one time. But at least I got in that position a lot. It felt like to me a lot that, you know, if I come over here, I can feel a little bit more comfortable in situations like that. I feel like you belong when you show up. Exactly. Yeah.

And that, I would imagine that makes a big difference. It does. If you come out at 22, 23, or whatever in your painful time on the tour, there might be an adjustment period where you're kind of figuring out a few belong. Yeah, it's almost one of those things where you guys come off first year out, and it's like, oh, it's a heck of a job to just keep your card. Well, now that I'm, you know, my first year on tour, that's not really my mindset, just to keep my card. I'm trying to win.

I'm trying to get top 50. I'm trying to, like you said, make the rider cut. I mean, that's what I feel like, you know, what you want to try and do. How many tour events did you play this past year? And like, were you trying to get the non-fed, I mean, I'm sure you were trying to get, so you could, you could qualify with your sponsors

exemptions if you got equivalent to the previous years top 125 points FedEx Cup points. Yeah, it's points now. Yeah, I think Porter like Puerto Rico and I think in I think I had a top 25 and Houston Memorial and I made the cut and Saturday cut and Memphis and But kind of after that, like when I, I guess maybe I was thinking that at that point, but when I played well with the French and kind of jumped up the race to Dubai,

I kind of put trying to get my coat that way, kind of on the back burner. Because you had the web finals to fall back on. Exactly. I knew I figured I already had that locked up and then obviously with the race to buy it, I got like I said I want to try and finish high up that way so I felt like that kind of, that allowed me to play those web finals which was a nice little perk to have.

I feel like you're as good of a guy to ask about this as any, what do you feel about the future from a world tour perspective? You know? You probably want it right now. Yeah, you know, I, do you fear, like my fear on it is, it makes a lot of sense for like top 100 guys. Yeah. That next year, those guys don't sound too crazy

about the idea. It sounds like it's going to happen. I could see it happening. I can almost like for the, I don't want to say for the betterment of golf, but like, it could be like to help grow the game. Right. Like the money is like over in Asia. Like, this is kind of where the cash is. Like the next week in Korea. 9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9.9. players. This is Asian. Asian's where like they want top players. Yeah. This is where it's going. And you know, you kind of have, you know, I think the PGA tour China, I don't know if that's falling off or not. I don't know if that's still around. So that's become basically a free market.

You know, if Europe pounces on that, and I know there's been talks with Europe China join with the Asian tour and all these other tours and basically trying to get a global tour. And then PGA obviously has America and Canada in Latin South America. But yeah, I just feel like for the betterment of the game, I think maybe a global tour wouldn't, would be great.

It just helps grow the game, get more people involved, get more people interested. I mean, if you can get a country like China that has that many people involved, and I mean, that'd be huge for all the companies in all the industries. Well, I just look at, I think this Korean event is going to change things. I really do. I think it's a big deal. I've heard guys buzzing about it this week and I think, I don't know, I have no idea what

their future plans are for, it's tournament in Japan, but I think that would make it on a set and yeah but they have their own tour they do great the Japanese tour is really really good but I mean this is what a co-sanction of in with the Asian tour one-a-week or this week this week this week or next next week's one-a-jir right or this or as a Korean tour you must be it's got to be Korean I don't know how that works I'm not gonna lie it's my first time over here. Yeah. But it's like, yeah, why couldn't you co-sanction one with, I guess that's not the same network.

It's funny. I was, I was a chance. I was chatting to somebody last week about doing a co-sanction like PGA, European tour, like if they would ever do it. And I forget the answer, but it kind of just came up in a conversation that it's like, hey, that actually could technically work. But they do that with the WGC's. But there's also PGA Tour events in European Tour events

in the same week. So there's two issues in the game I want to talk to you about. One we've talked about a bit to start. It's easier one. Don't I see your eyes? Sorry, good. Backstopping, What I'm calling backstopping. It's when you guys are playing and you've, let's say you've chipped up two feet past the hole. I saw you all talk about that.

Yeah. The phenol thing. Yeah. Wow. And yeah, people are right in there. They're all down on that. You fit your ball behind the hole and not marking it while your player, not like your opposing player, your playing partner is chipping.

I can see both sides. I can see, yeah, obviously it doesn't look great. It could come off as looking, wow, you're helping that, you're not protecting the field, blah, blah, blah. But I could also see it like, if it was my I and I chip it close and somebody's in the bunker I don't want to run up there because then they'll think wow you're a dick, you know Yeah, obviously because it could be like it could you could be playing with a buddy like I don't know who you know I was playing with I don't know what was Jason co-crix ball

And supposedly he was like 30 yards down the fairway. He was hitting it's yeah, I just I it's a gray area It is a very gray area I don't know I don't know there's some instances though when you guys have plenty of time to get up there yeah I totally agree so the question is it Jeff shackle for his made this point go ahead so so if it's me if I'm in the bunker and I see the guy I'm playing with you know going rather quickly up to all that I'm in the bunker and I see the guy I'm playing with, you know, going rather quickly up to the, I'll let him go. Yeah.

You know, if his hands in his pocket, I'll let him go. But if he's kind of just stood by the side of the green and staring at me, just play. Yeah. I'm just going to hit it. So yeah, the rule, the technical rule is if player A has stated that he wants to mark his ball, you have to let him. Right. Yeah.

But no one ever does that. There's something funny with that. I remember thinking in junior golf, I was playing somewhere, and once you, if I was going up there to mark it, and I asked him if they want me to mark it, they can't, like I have to mark it at that point. Like if there's something like that, I remember, I don't know,

I remember thinking I was in like a canning cup thing and I got a penalty or something or I lost the whole because I asked them to not mark or, or I don't know, there was something weird but there is, you can't ask them to not mark it. Yeah, I don't think, I don't think that that was what it was. And if they want a market, they have the other machines. Yeah, they have the market. Yeah. So that's why if like I see a guy, even if he's 10 yards off the green, if his hands in

his pocket looking like he's going to mark it, yeah, I'll just wait and let him go market. But if he's just kind of like stand by his bag or just looking at me, and it's like, all right, well then I'm just going to hit. So I've seen the point made, and I've heard Jeff Shackle for make the point of like in college events, you don't, with your teammate, you wouldn't leave your own ball there. That's the argument against doing it. And then you don't see it really with Ryder Cup presidents, cup guys leaving their own ball close by a hole to potentially be used. I mean, I don't, I guess I never seen that like in four balls, right? Like,

but you don't see guys even do it. You don't even bring that into question. You don't even see like the fishy thing of like a guy like hitting it too far by to get my line kind of thing. Right. You don't ever see that. So that's where kind of, do you, it's kind of a little bit of a buddy system. So I initially rolled my eyes at it and the more I've kind of paid attention to it, I'm like, just in general, and the fear, obviously you play with playing partners to keep score and for whatever reason.

But in theory, a player's ball should not affect your own ball. And I know it may seem minuscule, but that it kind of culminated into the phenome moment, which it costs Chess and Hadley and Phil. I don't feel bad for Phil, know it may seem minuscule but that it kind of culminated into the phenol moment which it costs Chesson Hadley and Phil I don't feel bad for Phil but for Chesson FedEx Cuppoint $100,000 and could have been a T-Set T2 if that ball doesn't hit Co-Crax ball and I just think it's kind of a hot button item and I've heard some players weigh in on tour

and just kind of wanted to hear a player kind of talk about that. I've seen a few people talk about it in there. I don't know. It's just kind of like what I said. If somebody's running up there. Yeah, absolutely. It's not outside the rules to do it. And that's where some people will play.

Look, I'm going to you. I don't like the phrase use the rules to my benefit, but say I'm still playing within the rules of the game to do this. And I think by all means, you are. The thing that I find kind of funny. It's like people are like, well, we're using it as a backstop. It's like, well, if I'm going to hit that golf ball, you think I'd aim at the whole.

Like if I was good enough to hit that right, I should probably like, right, but it's if you miss it could help you. Yeah, it's, I know you're not aiming for the ball. Nobody's aiming for the ball. Right. It could potentially help you. Yeah. So yeah, I don't know. I know. I don't know. It could potentially help you. Yeah. So. Yeah.

I don't know. I know. I don't know. It's a gray area. But some, I've talked to some players that are like, it's totally within my right and technically it. Yeah. Technically it is.

Yeah. And I've talked to some players who are like, now that that wouldn't fly with me. Like, I hate that blah, blah, blah. I hate what I'm seeing out of some of this stuff. So that's right. That's right. You can kind of, yeah, you embrace debate.

Yeah. You could see guys hating it. And then you put you, I don't know. That's right. You can kind of, yeah, you embrace debate. Yeah, you could see guys hating it, and then you put you, I don't know. Like I wouldn't. It just depends on your playing with as well. Yeah, that makes a difference. But it makes a difference. But it kind of goes down to, if it's 72nd hole, and your playing against the guy that has beaten you by one,

and your balls right behind the hole, you're probably not. Ooh, I just got you. Maybe. I don't know. But all right, thank you for indulging me for these hot topic issues and catching up on everything going on with your career, best of luck, the rest of the fall series, the race to Dubai, and of course next year on the PGA tour, and I'll have to have you back

again soon. I appreciate it. Thanks for having me. You got it. Let's give it a big club. Be the right club today. That is better than most. How about him? That is better than most.

Better than most. Better than most.