No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - NLU Podcast, Episode 656: LPGA Storylines + Asian Swing Recap w/ Kate Burton + How Pros Set Their Schedule w/ Lauren Coughlin

Episode Date: March 16, 2023

Great news! We're inching closer to the LPGA season unfolding in earnest! On today's show Cody and Randy kick things off by discussing their most compelling storylines of 2023 thus far. Then, two guests join the show. First up is Kate Burton, broadcaster and Singapore-resident, to breakdown and discuss the recently completed mini-Asian swing as well as a few other topics (begins at the 32:52 mark). After that, NLU Young Hitter and LPGA regular, Lauren Coughlin, joins the show to discuss how she goes about setting up her schedule. It's an insightful look into the hectic schedule of an LPGA player, including the difficult decisions of where to play, how often to play, when to rest, and how this season's schedule is a doozy (begins at the 1:13:16 mark). Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm going to be the right club today. Yeah! That is better than most. I'm not in. That is better than most. Better than most! Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the NoLang-Up podcast. My name is Randy. I am joined right now by my associate, my good friend Mr. Cody McBride. We're thrilled to have you guys tune back in. It's another LPGA episode. So let's get started. Cody, good morning to you.

How are you doing? We are great, big, excited to talk LPGA golf again. We had a phenomenal event on Singapore. And you know, the season's finally starting. It feels like we've done like preview after, preview after another preview. And now we can finally like get the meat of the schedule going,

and I'm pumped to talk about it today, buddy. Amen. Amen to that. Well, before we dive in, let me thank our good friends at Titleist. This episode is brought to you by Titleist. And one thing that we have learned through our partnership with Titleist is the importance of getting fit. The fitting process is critical

to playing your best golf. Every golfer can benefit from a proper golf ball and club fitting. And the order is important. On tour, Titleist will start with irons. So dialing in the proper model choice, the shaft, the specs, and then this results in the right distance gaps that you can trust all the way through to the right loft bounce and grind with Vokey designed wedges and then the next step once you get that all dialed in is fitting your golf ball from the green back to the T Scoring shots are the focus once your irons are dialed in Titles can help determine which golf ball produces the right flight, spin and feel for every shot. And then Cody, after that, once your golf ball is properly fit for the scoring shots, that's

when it's time to fit the big dogs, the woods, the driver, the various models and sure-fit hosel settings can be finally tuned to maximize distance and dispersion. What it all means is properly fit, equipment suited to your game. Cody, I've gotten a play now. Oh gosh, 6-7 rounds with the title of skier. The driver, I'm wowing folks with the window that the ball is launching out of with my TSR1. I use the ProV1X. It's a big difference and it's exciting. I never felt like I could really launch the driver or trust that the ball would launch off my driver face. And now it's without really tinkering my swing very much. I feel like I'm making the same move on the ball, but that ball is getting

up there. Have you had much of a chance to play your new titleist equipment? No, when you just said those numbers of the amount of rounds you have already this year, from a guy who lives in Denver, I'm absolutely impressed. It's nuts. I think I've gone out and to play three times so far, but that's because of scheduling everything else. But I could not agree with you more. The importance of getting fit from the green back, dialing in that golf ball,

and then really trying to get people in the irons that are best for them. And I think you can find a titleist authorized fitter, basically wherever you're at. They have a phenomenal website where literally you can find all this stuff at to get you tuned into the clubs that are best for you. Yeah. If anybody is interested in learning more about the fitting process, finding a fitter in your area, go to www.titalist.com slash fitting. You have all the information right there. We think our good friends and partners at Titalist. And now let's jump in.

Yeah, Cody, you mentioned man, we still got, people are gonna be listening to this. We don't have a tournament this weekend, but man, we're ready. The drive on championship from your old neck of the woods, superstition golf course in Arizona begins Thursday, March 23rd. And then I believe we have six events in seven weeks, seven events in eight weeks. So the, yeah, the LPJ season, it's, it's going to officially get rolling downhill. I'm very excited for that. Yeah, it's a, I could not be more excited again for this schedule to actually start. There is an event this week, not LPJ tour event this week. It's the first, the first Aramco team series of Man of the Year.

And World number one, Lydia Co is playing in it. So I'm very keen to figure out if the form that she showed in Saudi Arabia is gonna carry over, and then hopefully, you know, we'll see her arrival in Arizona and just start beating everyone up because that's what it seems like her games out right now. She's truly like just peaking, which from being like in the doldrums of 50th,

whatever she was in the world to where she's at now, seemingly like in the last two years, it seems like she's figured everything out, and it's so awesome to look at. Yeah, great, great call on the LET playing this week. Of course, they are in the midst of their schedule. And I also want to note the Epson Tour, they have kicked off already,

but they are playing their second event of the year this weekend, the Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic in Mesa, Arizona. And it's kind of a fun one. It's one to keep an eye on the leaderboard for sure only because there's a number of women with LPGA status that are playing in the Epson Tour event this week as sort of a warm up, you know, final prep before the LPGA season really kicks off in earnest next week. So that will be, that'll be a leaderboard to keep an eye on. Do you know what I love seeing on these Epson Tour leaderboards is that you have all these

LPGA players that come down and like, oh, we're going to play in these warm up events and, you know, do back-to-back weeks in Arizona. And then you have like the Epson Stauwardards like Jillian who just blasts everyone out. She's like, I'm number two on the list already this year. This is my tour. This is my status. Nobody's taking this away from me. I love it. Yeah, I know. I did too. It's, and just I'm always struck by the talent on the Epson tour, you know, I think as we talk about the top end talent just growing and it's in such a good place on the LPGA tour. What I mean, what that means is you have really good players that, you know, I'm looking like a Gabby Ruffles who won a USAM and almost won a second time. She's on the Epson tour.

So it's really, it's really getting deep, which is great. And yeah, it should be a really interesting weekend this week. But enough Epsin Tour for now, Cody, we have a great show planned for folks today. Yunai are going to chat a little bit here off the top. And then we have two guests. The first guest is gonna be a recap of the Asian swing, the mini Asian swing that just concluded with our friend. She's a delightful personality. Kate Burton is gonna join me for a conversation. So I'm looking forward to that.

And then our second guest of the show is gonna be our very own young hitter, Lauren Coglin. What we wanted to get into with her is exploring how she thinks about her year, right? She hasn't made any starts yet. She'll she'll tee it up at the drive-on. Just talking to her about building a schedule, how she thinks about her calendar, how she makes decisions, where to play, when to play, et cetera. So I'm looking forward to that chat as well. Oh yeah, buddy. I'm pumped.

I'm always jealous about Kate. She seems to have like the best schedule in the world. She's based out of Singapore. So predominantly Asian covers the majority of L.E.T. events doing their telecast, but man, she gets to travel to some really, really cool places. And if you follow her like on Instagram, she's always getting into something awesome,

whether it's culture, food, you name it. It's truly a joy to watch. Yeah, yeah. I think she's somebody we're gonna have to hopefully make a recurring guess because her energy, her golf knowledge, it's just top rate. So really enjoy the conversation with Kate and I think everybody will too.

Cody, what I wanted to do before we get to the guest segments and I listen to a lot of Bill Simmons, you know, shout out Bill Simmons. I really enjoy his basketball pods. I think, you know, he runs a good shop over at the ringer. But he started doing something that I'm just shamelessly going to steal. And I want to use it with you and I, he does like a, he'll do like a storyline draft, right?

So like, what are the biggest stories of the NBA season? And he and his guests will just kind of pick, you know, somebody will have the first pick and they'll pick one and then they'll go from there. So I wanted to do that, but talking about the biggest story lines thus far in women's golf. And you can take that, you know, if you wanna make it LPGA specific,

if you wanna make it international, what have you? And being the guy that I am Cody, I'm gonna offer you the top pick. What is? Ooh. Yeah, for the number one overall pick, I know we're not too deep into the action yet, but just from what we've seen so far,

you know, we're two and a half months into 2023. In your opinion, number one overall pick, what's the biggest storyline thus far? So it doesn't need to be LPGA, it doesn't need to be L-E-T. It's just strictly women's golf. That's my box. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I wanna give you, I wanna give you leeway, I wanna give you range. For number one in my world right now, where I think we're going with this, has to be, and this is more looking at the future, but this has to be, again again a group close to us the Stanford women's golf team. Wow.

Wow. Number one overall pick. Number one. This is why Rose, everybody knows Rose, phenomenal player. She's going to be a certified superstar in the world of women's professional golf. When's their ninth career individual college championship, ties a school record there. All right. Stanford continues to win everything as a team.

They're doing this without Rachel Heck, just had surgery on the road to recovery. She ended up getting like a rib removed, which seems wild to me. And obviously wish her nothing but the best in her recovery. And something close to my heart continues to do all over JROTC stuff.

So phenomenal work by Rachel there. You have Megagana who is a certified stud finishing her freshman year. All of these girls, and this is why I'm really focusing in on the Stanford's women's team. Almost the entire Stanford's women's team is going to be playing in the onwa. And I say this leading up because I know that the LPGA season is kicking off, but if you want to look at what the future is and we talk about how the depth of both

LET LPGA, everything going on right now, you don't have to look very much further than two weeks from now when we're watching the Anwa and seeing Rose, Meg, you have both like the the last two champions teaming it up again in Anna Davis and Sabusa, like it's phenomenal. Ingrid's back, like, the field there is truly, truly special. And a lot of these players outside of the college ones, the last two championships, champions won the Anwa, or both juniors, which is crazy to think. There's a massive junior event going on this week at Sage Valley, the junior invetational there.

So we're really getting to look and see what form these, these women are bringing into the anewa. And that is by far Rose domination. She is my selection for the anewa. That is where we're going today. Starting it off with college. I don't care. That's where I'm at, big. Wow, that is a surprise number one pick, but I love it. I am so excited for the Anwa. They've put all three rounds on TV this year, which is excellent. We're going to do a big Anwa preview. So, wow, I got me a little flustered. That was not my, you know, I was kind of mocking out our selections. That was not my models you know, I was kind of mocking out our selections. So that was, that was not my models. I will say this real quick. One last thing to add there is that a friend of the program,

a friend of you and I, a long time listener of the NoLang Up podcast, somebody that's part of the NoLang Up community, Joseph Wickel, Pinehurts or a Cadi at Pinehurts, moved to band and doings last year. This is going to be his second year cadding in the Antoine. He's had the same player, Antoine Morgan, and the fact that like one of my friends gets to carry around a weekend, a gust of national, is like so crazy to me.

Like we usually like share beers and like, you know, complain about everything going on in the world, a professional golf golf and Joe just gets to go Caddy at Augusta like it's phenomenal and I could not be more excited for him More excited for her and like to see this whole thing that that's why it's just it Tana feel good stories out there biggy. What do you got? Oh, okay? Well before I make my selection, I do want to say Shout out to the San Jose State

women. They actually defeated on February 21st in a little preview competition. They defeated Stanford three and a half to two and a half. So any any Spartan faithful listening, I'm sure would want me to point that out. But yeah, it's all pointing to the the NCA championships later this year in May should be phenomenal. All right, that said, I can't believe this storyline is still available. I feel like, you know, this is Michael Jordan sitting there. I can't believe he didn't go number one. So I'm happy to draft. Listen, it's got to be Jin Young Co. It's got to be her winning in Singapore.

She had not won since a year ago when she won the HSBC in Singapore. So she went almost a full calendar year without winning, which was very unlike her. Obviously, we all had tons of expectations for her in 2022. And it just didn't materialize. And she was fighting a wrist injury and it was a very frustrating year for her. And so it's great to see her. Not only win again, she held off Nelly Corda. It was a statement win in my opinion.

And so, Jin Young co, back in the winter circle. Hopefully it portends to a massive 2023 and big things to come. Yeah, I agree. It's a great call. I feel like that's like the easy layup. The only thing that I have concerns there and could not be happier for genuine co to get back in the winter circle. It seemed like Nelly did not have for best stuff. And Nelly, like getting that second place finish and playing the way that she did, I think like this is truly,

a Nelly Lydia, like just duels constantly all season long, which I'm pumped to see. And hopefully, you know, that's what comes out. Yeah, I got to admit, I was thinking about Nelly too. You know, she's what comes out. Yeah, I got to admit, I was thinking about Nelly too. You know, she's played three events this year. So 12 rounds and she has shot 69 or better in 11 of those rounds.

I mean, her worst finish is, I believe, a tie for six in these first three events. It just feels like big things for Nelly. And you're right. We're saying that about Lydia. We're saying that about Nelly. We're saying that about Jin Young Co. I mean about Nelly. We're saying that about Jinyunco. I mean, God, if all of them could really reach the height

of their game, we're gonna have some unbelievable battles this year. I cannot wait. Absolutely. All right. Third pick, back to you, Code Man. All right. This is just strictly a timing thing.

And you wouldn't expect us to be this hype for an event That's still like a couple months away, but literally two weeks away the final team selections will be made for the international crown I love it. So for the final the as soon as we are done with play at the LA open April 3rd That's when the final teams are selected their announced they go off the Rolex rankings everything's looking pretty good so far So obviously if you want to look at favorites team wise United States a Favorite Korea a favorite Japan a favorite followed by I would say Sweden holding down the four spot But when we look at where we're at rankings wise in team USA, Daniel Kang based off her performance in the first little mini Asian swing, jump leaped over

Jennifer Cupsho. So we're just, we truly have this battle going for the four spot where it looks like Nelly, Lexi and Lili, Lili have like the first three spots locked up, but it's something to keep your eye on as we start looking ahead to this awesome event that thankfully is back on the calendar, could not be more happy to see that come around. Yes, amen. And if anybody's listening, they're like international crown,

what are you guys talking about? It's a team match play competition. So essentially it's gonna take match play competition. So essentially it's going to take the best qualifying eight countries and then on those eight countries are going to be the top four players through the qualification process, assuming you know no injuries or nobody decides not to play. And it's essentially kind of a round robin, a bunch of teams. I have to look exactly how they're going to set up the tournament, whether it's like two pools,

and then they get some winners from that. But essentially, it's going to be a ton of match play. The teams are set by country. We haven't had this event since 2018. It was supposed to be, it's been in every other year event typically. And so the 2020 event was canceled obviously because of the COVID pandemic. And then they just, it wasn't ready in time in 2022. But it's back in 2023. It's at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, which I think is a wonderful venue for it. And yeah, I can't wait.

As Bethann Nichols and I used to often joke, it's like earning one of those top four spots on the Korean team is probably the hardest thing to do in all of women's golf, typically. And so, should be fantastic competition. Of course, without a women's version of the president's cup, I mean, this is really the only time we're gonna get to see in the near future

that the Korean women compete as a team against other countries. So it should be a great event. That's a really sneaky good pick there. I think you got great value with that pick, Cody. Absolutely. And you nailed it on the competition. So the first four day event,

the first three days they're playing four ball, Each, the tournament is broken down into two pools. So pool A pool B odds and one, evens in the other based off of Rolex overall team rankings there. And then they play, you know, four sums of first three day and then at the end, it's, it's going to be awesome. I'm so excited for this event. It's nuts. And if you look at like the other four teams that we did not mention so far, England, Thailand, Australia, and China, like England and Thailand, like they really could bring it here. I mean, I know Rolex rankings aside, they might look like a long shot. But it's, I mean, just the players. There's something about this English team when you talk about Charlie and Georgia and

Jody and Bronti. Like, they just, it seems like they just bring it every single time. And I think match play is truly going to be like team England's time to shine. You're exactly right about that. I was so impressed with both Charlie Hall and Georgia Hall at the Soul Heimcup. They have an ability to grind and really get into a match. I was so impressed. Oh, God, I can't wait for this event.

On the sweetest team, I know we say this all the time too, but like this is truly putting like a fence, a flagpole down and saying like, okay, like is Link Grant playing in this event or not? We know we've talked about everything going on, whether that's visa requirements coming in the United States, are those finally going to get waived? What's going on there? This seems like it would be something where her representing her country in this event that she would be 100% in on, I just don't know if the political side of all this is gonna catch up in time.

Which would be a real bummer. Don't have hope that Lingerians gonna be able to play, but hopefully I'm wrong. But still, Sweden's deep, right? I don't think that necessarily disqualify Sweden, but man, it'd be awesome if if Lynn were participating Not only that are very own young hitter mad on sex dream holding down that second spot if Lynn doesn't place She's gonna move up into the number one spot. We're pumped. We're pumped for this. Oh great pick great pick all right

With my second pick fourth overall, you know, I think we've had a little too much excitement. I got to go the other way, and I hate doing this, and I hate that this is a continuing storyline, but it seems like 2023 is still a struggle for Paddy Tabetana kit. Oh, I know.

Of course, she was the 2021 LPGA rookie of the year. She won the anwa or not the anwa the a and a inspiration. I mean, somebody that we expected to be a stalwart in the in the top five and lost her way last year. I've heard mixed things, you know, I think some of it is mechanics, some of it might be off-course stuff. I don't know exactly how we can assign blame or causation for this, but yeah, in just this short 2023 season,

she's had four rounds of 78 or higher in three events, which is just, it's hard to fathom Cody. I think it's time, maybe, to be worried. I don't know if you feel that way. And I think more than anything, it just bums me out because she's such a prodigious talent. I love her personality. I think she's very introspective. I have had the chance to interview her. I thought she was super thoughtful. So I just hate seeing her struggle like this. And I hope she can turn it around. I just am not sure if we're close to that yet. No, I agree. It truly is. You talk about it there, but like it breaks, it breaks our

heart seeing this happen because the other scary thing about it is that when you talk about rankings wise, her and a win that's kind of been bolstering her Rolex rankings is about to fall off. And she's still been holding on like that 50 to 70th spot overall rankings wise, but as soon as that win falls off her rankings, like she's she's kind of gone. And now it's strictly based off performance. And I know she's grindin' her tail off. That's the thing is and now it's strictly based off performance and I know she's grinding her tail off That's the thing is that like she's working on stuff. She had some injuries last year There's some other off course stuff that's going on and we just got to put it together We just we just got a manness

Hopefully that's what this year brings but man you're you're right about this pick kind of being a bummer man But it's because patty like we love you. That's why like we want so much for you. And you know, based off everything I'm hearing, she's putting in the work for it. So hopefully it'll come through. God, I'm on her Rolex world ranking page and they show a little graph right over the last year. And it's just kind of a linear line from the top left to the bottom right. It looks like one of those ski slopes you go on all the time. Yeah.

It's not, no bunny hill. This is like a black time and straight down. Yeah. So yeah, I hope that she can get it sorted and we see her again, you know, routinely in the top 10, but I'd be remiss not to mention that as one of my biggest storylines. All right, you're your third and final pick here. I'll send it back to you. All right, well, you kind of touched on the an A everybody's getting geared up for Chevron.

It's a new, they sponsored obviously last year's event, but this year is a new location, the club at Carlton Woods. I'm excited for it, but I did a little deep diving and figuring out what are they trying to do to kind of bring a little bit of what they had going on out of Palm Springs to Houston. And if this is a thing, well the answer is yes. So I guess the grounds crew went out and dredged

and put down nets and lining and everything at the pond directly off 18. So they're not saying we expect whoever wins to jump into the pond, of course, thinking back to Poppy's pond, but the option is there. And I guess tournament organizers are also gonna have the robes and the slippers and everything

available just in case somebody decides to jump into that Houston swamp. So we'll see what happens there. God, that is such a great call. What pressure on whoever ends up winning this year, you know? It's incredible. It kind of made me think honestly. Remember the first NIT down at Jackson. We're like jumping the ponds. You don't know. I was like, no, don't, don't do it. There's like shards of glass and everything out there. It's kind of what made me think. But the grounds crew tournament official is everybody's putting in the work

to make sure that it's, it's a okay. The second part about it, they're continuing the tradition, which a lot of people don't talk about this because the masters gets all the run, but the, the, the, and, excuse me, the chevron has a champions dinner. Now this champions dinner is, is not just like a normal champions dinner like they have at Augusta National where it's like, you know, Augusta National chefs preparing whatever the the tournament winner wants wants to have done. No, this is like the champions dinner made so Jennifer Cup show this year as defending champion is orchestrating this menu and the meal is cooked by Thomas Keller the chef proprietor of the French laundry, which I didn't realize was a tradition, but he's coming to Houston. He's bringing his staff to Houston. They're still making the champions dinner happen. And I love it. I hope it's well attended. I know in years past, it's been a bit spotty, which seems

like a big miss on the part of the players, quite frankly, you know, that they, it's up to them to really turn this into a tradition and something that could be there, you know, their idea of the master's champion, Stinner. Could not agree more. And we give, we talk about this on the men's tour all the time about how like probably the Texas events on the PGA tour are not in the right spot because it's like right on the verge between hot and blazing hot. And it's just really rainy. If you talk about a Texas event and like where to go on the schedule, their timing is perfect for it. Like it's the perfect temperature. There's wind is not really that like crazy of the concern. Everything

is lining up for them, but I know it's a new course and I know people are worried and I know that there's a ton of history, traditions that was kind of left when it came out of California, but I'm happy to see that not only the club, but termine organizers, everybody, have put in the right foot in front of the other and making some of these things carry on.

Can't wait, can't wait to see the course. I have no idea. No idea what it looks like. Uh, I will learn it just like everybody else. I hope it's a great home for the Chevron. And we'll see. I almost think players at the beginning of the week, I'd almost like to get players on record. Will you or will you not be jumping into the pond if you win on Sunday? You know, let's, let's, let's get an idea of what we're working with here. We're going to have to ask LC about this course, too, because you know, her parents live down in Houston, spends a lot of time around there.

I wonder what her opinion of it is, because I think this truly could be like the, the women who, who, when there's a lot of them that do live in Houston, a complete like home field of vantage form. Yeah, that's true. Stacey Lewis, handful of others. Okay, good pick, good pick. Again, did not have that storyline on my big board. I feel like you're kind of out there scouting all over the globe, finding talent.

And I'm just, I'm just relying on, you on, I'm just watching like the Big 10 SEC. Yeah. Just scouting from my TV. But my last storyline, so we'll wrap it with this one, is I would be totally remiss not to mention Lily Evu. She won in Thailand for the first time on the LPGA tour. She is somebody that's a former amateur number one, just a stud. Somebody that was labeled for greatness and struggled a little bit initially

after turning pro. Obviously, it kind of coincided with COVID. So just some weird stuff there. But 2021 was really a force on the Epson tour, which earned her her card onto the LPGA tour. And really second half of last year just started stacking good, good results. And you know, this time last year, I was looking at her world ranking. She was down in like the 200s. And now she's ranked 11th in the world. She's got a third place finish to go along with her win this year. And honestly, Kate Burton alludes to this in my interview with her. But I think Liliavu somebody that's like when we talk about the Soulheim Cup, the US needs an injection of new faces, big talent. And I think Liliavu is that. And it sounds like she's got an attitude of like,

no, I'm like, I'm trying to be number one in the world. And God, that's great for the US Soulheim Cup team, in my opinion. Yeah, for sure. Her rookie season on the OPGA tour, she only had three miscuts. It's like phenomenal for somebody who's like, still young and figuring out all these like courses and learning to travel the world and everything like her overall performance over time

is nuts. And I will say it, I forget about this all the time. She should have won the matchplay event last year. She ended up taking third and it makes me like I know this isn't the schedule thing already, but we got to figure out a better spot For that match plan. I'm happy that the US open moved away from it just to give them a little bit of room Yeah, but man, I remember watching her grind out match play last year End up taking third and then immediately traveled to to buy needles and just be like completely exhausted still made the cut But like just was had everything taken out of made the cut, but like, just was, had everything taken out of her. Yeah, I do like the new schedule this year.

Well, there we have it. Six, you know, six story lines. I think the good news is, with the schedule really ramping up here at the end of March, it's gonna be fast and furious. We should see a lot of developing action, a lot for us to talk about Cody, which is always welcome. But again, can't wait for the season to really, really start in earnest here at the end of March. All right, Cody, good stuff with this. I think now's the time. Let's throw it to my chat with Kate Burton.

She's gonna speak more to the mini Asian swing that just occurred and speak more broadly about women's golf over in that part of the world. Awesome conversation. And then after that, our last segment today is gonna be a conversation with Lauren Coglin about building her schedule. So I hope everybody will enjoy both of those and now without further ado, here's Kate Burton. And now we are welcoming onto the show. First time I've gotten to speak to her, this is this is a

thrill, know her work, you've probably heard her voice and just haven't realized it. It's the lovely Kate Burton. You can find her on Twitter at KB Golf Singapore as the the handle suggests she is based in Singapore. So with the HSBC World Championship just having concluded, we thought Kate you're the perfect person to bring on. So I have lots of LPGA, LET, general women's golf questions to get into with you. But before that, I want to say hello. Thank you for joining. It's a real pleasure to get to speak to you.

Well, what a pleasure to be joining you. I love the podcast. And it's the first time I've spoken to a guy called Big Randy, which, as you know, means something completely different in England where I'm from. But yeah, looking forward to this chat, Randy. Yeah, you know, I something completely different in England where I'm from. But yeah, looking forward to this chat, Randy. Yeah, you know, I always got to fight if I just didn't consider, you know, a potential career in golf media and certainly not one that would span the ocean over to Great Britain.

I wish I could go back in time and change my nickname, but alas, I'm stuck with Big Randy. I'll wear it, but yeah, it always makes me chuckle getting the reaction from the British Isles, if you will. Well, you know what, when I first went to college in the States, NASA FSU, on the first day, I went down to the range with the coach, and she told me, she says, you know,

I think you could really improve if you stick your fanny out. And I was like, I am never gonna get any better if I start doing that. Because as you most probably know, fanning means something very different in England to what it does in America. So I learned, you know, a few Americanisms early on in my college days. Oh, I love that. Well, and now I'm going to, after I've done talking to you, I'm going

to Google what fanning means over across the pond. Let's just say, look like I was doing the limbo rather than a slightly better posture. Oh brilliant. Kate, I don't think I mentioned this, but you do a lot of work, you're a broadcaster, you work with both the LPGA and LET..T. So I Like I said folks hopefully are familiar with your voice and with your work Let's start here, you know, I think the big headline coming out of the HSBC women's world championship Jin Youngco she wins her 14th LPGA title she defends her title from 2022 Is it safe to say Kate? Is Jinyoung co-back? Yeah, I actually really do believe that because it wasn't a great year for her last year.

She had that win, you know, and she successfully defended her title in Singapore at the HSBC. But she went to some dark places last year. She's had an injury for a few years and then I think with the injury that she had last year in her wrist, she wanted to play more in order to get out of that drop of form. And in Korea, you generally hit off a lot of max. And I don't know if this is actually the case, but I think she was hitting a lot of balls off max. And as you know, if you hit enough golf balls off the mat with a poor wrist, that's going to exacerbate the problem. So there was a dip in form, i'n gwybod, mae'n gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybodbod yn gwybod yn gwybod gwy struggling to find her love of the game. Golf is different in Asia. I think there are a lot of players that take up the game very much through the influence of their family

and their parents want them to play. They were inspired by seeing Sarah Ypac. They're like, wow, this is a career I'd like my daughter to pursue. And so I think for some of them, it's more of a labor of love than it is again that they just enjoy playing. And so I think she played an awful lot of golf, had a huge amount of success because, wow, Mae'n gweithio'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyd yn ymwyr i'r llwyd yn ymwyd yn ymwyd yn ymwyd yn ymwyd yn ymwyd yn ymwyd yn ymwyd yn ymwyd yn ymwyd yn ym And then, you know, what I understood from talking to her a couple of weeks ago, is that she discovered meditation. And she also parted ways with her coach, who, I mean, I want to get a lesson with Seerulee,

because the guys and the girls that he coaches, Tom Kim, he's worked with, Ginny Young Code is another player called Min So Kim, who's going to have the best swing in golf. So she parted ways with him. So I think all those three factors didn't help her produce her best. So went off, had a bit of a word with herself, discovered meditation. She said, that's helped her enormously, rested the wrist. That got better.

And then she came out refreshed. But she also went on holiday for the first time ever, Randy. She went to the Northern Lights. She went to Paris. And, she went to Paris, and didn't take the golf clubs. Now, that is unheard of, you know, over Christmas and New Year, to go away without the golf clubs.

And I think that she's playing golf now on her own terms for herself and finding the love for it again. Gosh, that's really fascinating. And there's actually a lot in there I want to follow up and I'll hack on. But there's actually a lot in there. I want to follow up and hack on. But just to put a fine point on, I think, I'll call it a bad year last year for Janie and Cove, right?

This is all relative, but certainly how she finished 2021, the expectations we all had for her going into that 2022 season, it was truly the sky's a limit. And she won the 2022 HSBC event in Singapore. And then after that, that was her only win the rest of the year. And not only that, she missed a handful of cuts before ultimately shutting it down towards the end of the year. Didn't really make much noise in any of the majors. I mean, had a couple of top tens,

but it wasn't like she was in that final group or a really incontentient. So yeah, it was a very ungin young co-like season. And so it's wonderful to hear that she's healthy. It sounds like she's in a great headspace. I was gonna ask, what is, have you had a chance to spend much time with her both on and off the course, digging into her personality? I mean, what's what she like? She's somebody that I've certainly seen a bunch of. I think anybody that watches women's golf is certainly familiar with her.

I've currently seen a bunch of, I think anybody that watches women's golf is certainly familiar with her. She does, God bless her, she does interviews in English. But I don't feel like I know truly kind of her personality, what makes her tick, you know, what that competitive drive is like, have you gotten any insight into that side of Jinyoungco? I mean, I've had the good fortune to interview her after her wins in Australia, the Australian Open, HSBC, of course. She's lovely. I don't know her that well off the course, so many know her in a golfing environment when I see her then, but she's very softly spoken, she's very smiley.

She seems very genuine. I do enjoy her company. a'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r on the LPGA. It's hard not to let it affect you when you're on the golf course. You've got to have that tunnel vision. And I know that playing that final group with Nelly Corda on Sunday, two very different personalities, one South Korean, one Korean, one American, two different caddies,

get on very well with Dave Brooker, Jin Youngco's caddy. And they play a different game and they operate in a different way to other players, certainly more of the American players. So I would say she's quite quiet. She's got a boyfriend that she met last year and I think that's going great. I don't know how huge about it, but I think he's making her very happy. And I think she's just genuinely enjoying her game again because we know how good she was. She had six wins and ten starts coming into HSBC last year.

It was incredible. She knows how to hit a green. She holds a record for most consecutive greens hit. She has an all-round game. So I would say on the golf course, she's a demon, off the golf course, she's lovely. And I'm excited to see what she's gonna do in 2023, but there's a lot of players who want to spoil her party because wow, the depth of talent on the LPGA tour

is insane now. And I thought watching that final round from Singapore, I forget who it was that commented, but it was along the effects of during that final round, you know, oh, Jin Youngco, she just has a vice lock on this tournament. And I took that to mean, listen, when she's at her best, you mentioned her record, Greens and Regulation Street. It seems like she's so like boringly good, right? She's just gonna kill you with fairways and greens and she's not gonna make mistakes.

And it almost then puts that pressure on anybody chasing her to where I believe they have to feel like they have to do something outside of themselves maybe, right? They have to look for, you know, that eagle or they have to go for a shot that they're not quite comfortable with. Do you think that's a fair assessment, kind of watching Jinyoung co-ed her best? Definitely, and actually that was evident in that final round with Nelly.

Because Nelly's much longer than her off the tee, so Nelly was going for the par-fives in two. Jinyoung co-new, hey, I can't get there, but laid up to her favorite wedge distance. And we talked about that in the final round commentary. She was not phased by being out driven by quarter, a'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaith It was a fact-filled, it was loaded everywhere you looked. That was for her, they were genuine tears of joy that I think she's playing on her own terms, that she's now 27, and it's finding a real love of the game

that is there, but it's her genuinely loving the game wanting to play. I'm excited to see what she's going to do this here, but it says, as I say, even when you walk down the range on a LPGA event, you're like, oh my gosh, she's good. Wow, she, oh my, who is this player? So it's a good time to be involved in women's golf. And lastly, gone, Gin Young, correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like speaking about her coach, this isn't the first time they've parted ways. It seems like, you know, she'll leave and then come back and leave and come back. Do you have any sense to like why that is? Is it just, you know, hey, I just need to get away from this voice for a while. I've been very curious

about that. Yeah, I don't know. I do believe that his travel schedule and her travel schedule was an ideal. I don't know much more about it, but I can't imagine, I mean, I just think the whole world must be wanting to have a lesson with Seaboo Lee, because the players that he produces and the swings

that they have, that guy's got talent. But it seems that when she's not with him, her formed dips and then they happen working together. Oh, Randy, there's a, they go on a golf camp, the Korean team. They go to Vietnam for about five weeks. And at the beginning of the season, she was up at 4.30 every morning, hitting golf balls until six o'clock at night.

You know, it's incredible what they do in Korea. And what they're also really good at is that she roamed with a girl I watched last week in the women's amateur that was also here in Singapore, a player called Min Sol Kim, have a look at that swing. Min Sol Kim, she's a school girl, she's not 64 in an LPGA event last year,

the BMW ladies, and at the time, she couldn't make the Korean national team. I mean, that's how good Korean golf is. Thankfully, she's made the team now, but there's that lovely pathway in Korea whereby an amateur, like Min-Sul Kim, gets to share a room with Jin-Yong-Ko and they hang out. And there's not many countries where that happens. It doesn't happen in England where I'm from. I think many more of

that, you know, surround yourself by good people. So they do it in Japan, they're doing Korea, and it works well. Yeah, okay. Mincel Kim will certainly I will look her up and certainly one to keep on the radar. Yeah. I was just going to say, thank God the International Crown event is back so we can see Korea compete as a country. I had one thing we've said here for a while is it would be so wonderful to have a president's cup like event on the women's side where you could you know showcase the depth and talent of the Korean women and the Japanese women and the Thai women. It seems like you know Asia is just rich with talent in the women's game.

Yeah that it is for sure. We used to have the Lexus Cup years ago and that was actually held in Singapore and that was Europe, you know, Europe and America versus rest of the world. So that was great. Love that. Yeah, but we do need it. You know, we've got the Soulheim Cup this year, but you look at how many players are in the top 10. There are enough of them that aren't teeing it up purely because they're not from Europe and they're not from America. So certainly women's golf is very different in that way. Well, Cody and I spoke. We did a preview episode several weeks ago on this upcoming LPGA season and we were one of the things we were kind of talking about was, man, it seems like this year is just a banner year for talent on the women's side.

It feels to me and I don't have the history and I don't have the institutional knowledge that you do. So I would love to pose this question to you. Has the women's game on a talent standpoint broadly speaking around the globe? Have you ever seen it as good of a place as it seems to be right now? So I've been working women's golf now for about 17 years. And I would say certainly where I'm based in Asia, in Singapore, the talent coming out of Thailand.

We always talk about Korea, but the talent also coming out of Japan. I think Japan right now, a third, when it comes to world ranking for players in terms of the international crown. If you've ever been to Japan, I commentate on the Toto-Japan classic. That tour, the JLPGA, has nearly 40 events. They're teeing it up for a million dollars each week. They play three rounds.

Their golf clubs are taking on the bullet train to the next event. You can understand why players opt to stay in Japan, like G.A. Shin, who plays most of her golf there. Why leave when you've got that much? Yn gyd ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch ymwch there's a lot of accessibility, which generally is not easy in Asia to play golf. It's expensive, it's the latest. It costs a ton to go into your top. But in Thailand, it seems to be a different story. So you've got a tie-a-titican. She's only 20 years old. It's just ridiculous. I play for there a few weeks ago in a pro-amp. And what a gorgeous girl. And what a talent. And just watch an amazing, refreshing attitude. Well, sorry to interrupt, but I think from my perspective, it's easy to say,

oh, Sayri Pock, you know, she kind of led the golf craze in that part of the world. And obviously her being a woman has translated to, I think, women's golf really enjoying a renaissance. And like you said, it's kind of a hotspot for emerging talent in the women's game. Is it that simple? I mean, is it say-re-pock? And then in addition to that, you know, you live over there. What? I'm hoping you could explain to our listeners kind of how marketable, how popular these women are, you know, these Korean stars in their homeland, the Japanese stars in Japan. What's it like over there for these female golfers? Well, you guys came along to the BMW ladies last year, so you know, you saw it. The crowds

that you have in Korea and Thailand, you know, when we did the Honda a few weeks ago, Ilaid yn yw'n gweithio, a'r yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn gweithio yn yw'n gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gweithio yn gwe I might be able to hear a couple of shots like they can. And that's inspirational for them. I think what they do with the fan clubs is fantastic in Japan and Korea. That was the guys, I think that was the guys favorite. Well, besides the food and some other off-course stuff, I think the fan clubs were by far the biggest highlight of the trip to Korea last year. It's nuts, you've got grown men who are 55 years old in pink baseball caps and banners shouting, my forever queen, we don't have that.

You don't see that in the States, in Europe, and there's 10,000 of them, and they're all, they're very protective of their fangre. You don't switch allegiance too quickly. And so they have these incredible names. And they're all out there, in force. I think it's herge and joy. They're rookie.

What a year to try and be a rookie on the LPJ tour and you're playing against a tie-to-tick and... But herge and joy. She's only like 22 years old. There's about 10,000 people out there watching her. Before she teed off, they literally do a chant do a chant like a one, two, three. Huh. We were standing on the ticket.

I can't believe this is happening. You get this nowhere else. Is awesome. Oh, that's the best. God, that's so good. And I will say for folks, you know, if you go out to an LPG event here, especially some of the majors, stateside, you'll see some of the fan clubs. I mean, they'll send some folks.

You'll see some banners and signs and matching outfits. It's a lot of fun. But yeah, I can only imagine how much better it is over in Korea in that part of the world. I was going to ask you, in your opinion, the JLPGA, the KLPGA, the domestic women's leagues in Japan and Korea, how do they compare to, you know, I think it's safe to say they're obviously a notch below the LPGA. I'm curious how you would compare them to like the LET or the Epson Tour, how can folks kind of think about that level of competition?

Well, I think when it comes to, you know, Korea, you've got the KLPGA that has five majors, but you've also got a couple of feeder tours before you even get to that. So you've got the jump tour, the dream tour. So there is so much depth before you even reach the KLPGA, there are a lot of players competing. On the Japan tour, as I mentioned,

you've gotten at the 40 events a year. The women's golf in Japan is stronger than the men's golf. And so when you've got that infrastructure, that support, and Japanese women golfers are idolized. They are placed on a pedal store in Japan. And you have to go there to witness it. You won't see anything else like it, certainly not in Europe. You'll have the fans out, of course,

for a sold-hine cup later this year. But they're... It's showing in the results. You know, so many good players now from Japan. You know, Nasa Hatoka, they all were inspired by Aimeo Zato. She kind of lit the torch, didn't she, for the rest of the players to compete. Mae'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n gwybod ymwyr i'n g they know what they need to do to get good, and they've got the resources and they've got the desire and the passion in order to follow it through. So it's just a fantastic setup for the players to thrive. Do you think that the one country

that we haven't mentioned over there is China? And you're starting to see more names emerging, at least amongst the top 50 in the world. Do you think women's golf will really pop in China over the next 10, 15, 20 years? It's kind of surprising it hasn't, isn't it? Yeah. When you think about how many players there are,

they've got a new national coach, Shan Shan Feng. So that's insane. She was here in Singapore. We're like, wow, you're now a golf coach? She's hilarious. But what a prolific winner, a major champion in Singapore. We're like, wow, you're now a golf coach? She's hilarious. But, you know, what a prolific winner, a major champion on the LPGA tour, a global superstar. So they brought her in. And so that is inspiration for a number of the good players from China, you know,

Shih Lin who plays on the LPGA tour. And then, so I think you're going to see more of it. It's whether the country really gets behind it as well. You need those goal for associations to believe and to want it to happen to. So I think China is actually most probably gonna have to play catch up for the first time. That doesn't, you often don't say that in Asia because it is, you know, the powerhouse nations are Korea,

but now Thailand, now Japan. And China's trying to keep up. Switching gears a little bit. So currently on the LPGA, and COVID has kind of messed with the schedule a little bit, even this year still, they canceled an event that was scheduled for early in the year in China. But as it stands right now,

they make kind of a mini Asian swing at the start of the year And then they go back to Asia towards the end of October those first couple weeks of November for kind of a second Asian swing. Do you like how the LPGA has set up that schedule? Would you rather it be just one big Asian swing? I'm curious your thoughts on how the schedule is currently set up with respect to Asia. I think two swings work because I don't think players

want to be away for longer than three weeks. And I think the LPGA, the business model where Mike Warm was commissioner, he often talked about, we don't want more than 33 events because then we start diluting the fields. We could have more events, but then we don't get the quality of players o'n gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweith nicely and they're very well run events that you know HSBC was it was celebrating its 15th edition this year Honda's been going along for it even longer actually. You know, as you say a few have changed because of China, Blue Bay has now moved. I don't know if UX coming back up believe it is later on in the season. So, purely from a player perspective, you're not going to get the great players

playing more than three weeks. So I think they have to split it. That makes sense. I hadn't really thought about it in those terms, but yeah, I can see that. Let me ask you this. And I know this is kind of pie in the sky, but the deeper I get into women's golf and the more I talk about it, the more I think the women and the LPGA specifically is so well positioned to be able to do some things differently than on the men's side. And I think, you know, you've just told me how big golf is, how popular the women's game is in Japan and Korea. I think it would be really cool to hold an LPGA major championship in that part of the world. I think it deserves it. Definitely do. I

mean we do call the HSBC, the Ole Miss World Championship Asia's major. I don't know how many are in the top 10 now. Is it six out of 10? I haven't checked the road it's ranking this week. Generally, it's six out of ten players from Asia, you know, Korea, Japan, and Thailand, and yeah, completely, but then hang on, we can't have six majors in gold. That's getting a bit crazy, isn't it? And HSPC has held that role on that position, but it was a controversial having the Evian as a as a major. I think a you know several people did think that I you know, I do think that if they was going to be a fifth major really it should be an age It's just because of the star quality and the number of top players. I know I was kind of hoping with Chevron being such a global Company that they might take that major around the world.

Hey, that's interesting. Maybe they will, but you know, if they just settle it in Houston, don't think it's as fun. And I think it's a little bit short-sighted when we talk about what the women's game could be. And again, how it can differentiate itself from what we see on the men's side. All right, I want to put you on the spot. We've talked about how deep the women's game is right now.

Cody and I have spent some time talking about like, okay, well who's assuming health, assuming everybody's kind of near the top of their game. Kate, I'm curious, who would be your five best players in the world right now? In the world right now in 2023, you can't look hard, you can't look far beyond Nelly with that swing, Nelly quarter, outstanding. Yes. Fit now as well. I'm going to go a bit global with this, so you know, rather than just

name the top five on the on the world rankings, I was seriously in, what, Lidia Co. Okay, back. How does a player who dips to 55 in the world only. I was seriously in, but Lydia co, okay, back. How does a player who dips to 55 in the world only a couple of years ago come back to number one and be so nice? She is lovely. Yeah. She could have shot 62 or 82 and she comes off the golf course, hi K, how are you? You wouldn't know. You know, I always find it bizarre how somebody so Mae'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r

gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r such, she has such a good weapon in that distance that she has off the tee, but she has this attitude, this genuine love of the game, where it's going to take her. And so I think that is, you know, a real weapon for her. And three players. Ling Grant, love Ling Grant. I was curious if you had mentioned Ling Grant, because that's, yeah, that's somebody, you know, she obviously hasn't been able to compete in the United States the last couple of years. We're eagerly awaiting her moving more full time

to the LPGA. So it's hard to kind of suss out her dominance on the LET, how that would translate to the LPGA. Yeah, I'll be interesting, because it was actually my stark, wasn't it, her friend from Sweden, her good friend who won on the LPGA last year before Linda, but Linda made history last year winning on the DP World Tour, you know, first woman to win on the DP World Tour. I think she's got a beautiful attitude. She's living the dream, isn't she? She's got her boyfriend on the bag.

She's won on the Men's European Tour. She wrapped up the race to the Costa del Sol. She is hopefully going to be playing a lot more in America. Young, the world is at her feet. I want to be Lingerant, because that sounds awesome. Her life right now. And Jinyanko, definitely. But God, we were impressed with Liliavu, the American wowsers. You know, I caught up with her on the range

after she won the Honda LPGA and I was on the range with her in Singapore, the week after, and we're having a chat. I was saying, yeah, amazing, well played, well played. And I said, so what are the goals for you this year? What do you want to achieve? She was obviously so high, is on the radar. And that's number one.

And I said, how about where you are in the world rankings? I said, you know, top five. And she looked at me like, top five. I want to be number one. And I felt like such an idiot. Yeah, oh, sorry, Lydia. And she didn't say it in a cocky way, I told she's lovely. But that's where she believes she can belong after a good year. She has got that steely mindset and I love it. Beautiful person, great player. And she said, I knew I was going to win. And wow, you want her on your soul-hime cup team. And she's right up there at the moment. So yeah, she's going to be a useful person for you guys in Spain. I was just going to say that. What a perfect injection of both attitude and talent onto the American side for the Soulheim Cup. Yeah, for sure.

All right, well, yeah, you gave me five, and I think the follow-up, I think Lily Yavu, not necessarily anymore, but would certainly fall into this category before her win. I was curious, anybody you're keeping an eye out for breakout season, some under the radar types, perhaps some folks that haven't won yet on tour. Who catches your eye to have a big 2023? Okay, so with the players that I've seen, and also on the ladies European tour,

there is some talent right there. Kiaa Noya, have you heard of her? She won in Saudi at the end of last year. I mean, she's still doing her GCSEs. German player based in Dubai. Wow, water swing. She shot 62, a couple of weeks ago in South Africa. Last week, in fact, where Ashbeohai went on to when the South African Open, but Kiara Noya is nearly six foot tall, hits it 300 yards, that has the all-round game, and she also has that mini, that winning mindset, so she's definitely a player that I like a lot. Maya Stark, who's lovely, very engaging, just a player who's loved the game and who's desire to be as good as she can be and to let it happen. The results that she can produce,

I think she's not 63 on route to winning the LPGA event last year. So, you know, has the nerve to get the job done. You know, you need players with fangs, don't you? Have they got the fangs to close it out? And I do think that those players definitely have that. And then there is another like called Pierre Babnick from Savinia, who is on the Ladies European tour, who's all arms and legs. You know, she's like, she's six foot tall. I feel tiny compared to her. What a prospect. So I think, you know, she was winning golf tournaments at three years old.

So from a European perspective, women's golf is in a great place. It's got a deliver. And, you know, it needs the support, but, you know, they've got to work hard too. Lovely. Love those names. Love hearing, you know, new names that are not on my radar. You've given me a few already in this podcast, so I really appreciate that. All right, Kate, we got to get to the Saudi stuff. I want to ask you, you had a chance

our last podcast, Cody, myself, and Tron, kind of went in depth with some of our thoughts on just how went in depth with some of our thoughts on just how difficult and murky the decision-making can be for a lot of these women about whether to go play in Saudi Arabia, the merits of it, the drawbacks of it. Let me first ask you this, I know you listened to that episode. So is there anything that we touched upon that maybe you take issue with or that you disagree with? upon that maybe you take issue with or that you disagree with. I'm curious your assessment on our conversation about just the the quandary that these women face with regards to, you know, the Saudi Arabia influence. Great podcast, by the way, you know, you're honesty.

I promise I wasn't just fishing for a compliment there, you either, but I do appreciate it. No, no, no, no. Have you been to Saudi? I have not. Okay. I've been a couple of times to cover the Saudi ladies and the men's. And you know, where we go, yeah, you are locked away. You're not seeing real Saudi Arabia. What I would say is that when we go back in November for the Aramco team series, it's moving to Riyadh and it's moving to a much more

popular place. So I feel it's my responsibility to get out and to go and see Saudi Arabia and to see more than beyond the Gulf course because let's face it that's all we generally have time to do and focus on. So I think that's important not just for me but for the players to do that as well. Women's golf needs money. That's the reality. I need to work. I've got school fees. I've got an mortgage to pay. And you can't deny these players the opportunity to play. And it's one of the most valuable companies on the planet when we talk about a Ramco. Their injection of money has kept the LET, well has enabled it to boom this year. You've got 35 million euros surprise

money, 30 events, players for the first time in a long time can pick and choose where they want to play. So a company like Ramco that's also in F1, it's in cricket, it wants to invest in women's golf. I actually think women's golf has to stay current and relevant to hold on to that investment because the players need it, playing opportunities were difficult a few years ago. If you look at the prize money roundee, see a vent, So I think Becky Bruton, who finished practically last, made the car at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International, but she made 13,000 euros. Like last week in the South African Open, fifth place made 11,500 euros. That's incredible. It's insane. So, you've got an aramco investment in the women's game and it's enabling tournaments to happen and that can only be a good thing. I will see

it there either political side of it. Yeah, God, there's a lot of improvement that needs to be done. Absolutely, but isn't there everywhere? And I'm certainly not belittling anything that's going on in Saudi Arabia. But being a working woman and going to Saudi, Saudi is better than not going there at all. Well, and I mean, the purse numbers that you cite, I mean, we touched on the decision, the reversal by Meg McLaren, who was very upfront and public about. She's great, isn't she? She's wonderful and made public comments about not playing Saudi a couple years ago, but then played it this year. And, you know, I think conveyed, listen, I'm a professional golfer, I play on the LIT.

If I'm not willing to play in these Saudi events, there's just no hope for me to kind of make this a living. Then yeah, like you said, the person's being what they are, it's a no-brainer for most of these women to go play. And they're matching the prize money on the men's tours. So the Saudi men's and the Saudi ladies is the same prize fund. There aren't many other sponsors doing the same. So you can't argue with that, especially when

it's a tour, the ladies European tour needs help. It needs events. It needs better television. And if they can help with that through the investment, then surely that's a good thing. Well, that touches on where I wanted to go next was the LET-RAMCO relationship. You know, I think one thing that I'll say spooked us a little bit or spooked me last year was just hearing the rumblings about live potentially wanting to start up a women's league to match the men's league, potentially wanting to start up a women's league to match the men's league, which, you know, that can be a whole other conversation. But where I'm going with this, the more we've thought about it, and I know Cody has said this, is, you know, why start up a whole new league when it seems like, if they want, they can kind of use the infrastructure of the current ladies European tour to build out an

aramco golf tour and whether they keep that the ladies European tour or rename it. I guess my question is, it feels like to me the aramco presence is only going to persist. Perhaps get stronger on the ladies European tour and it seems like we're going to come to a point where the LET is either going to kind of become this entity that with with the Ramco backing is A rival right is a peer of the LPGA or perhaps you know does it fold into the LPGA somehow what what what you you know five ten years down the road What do you see with the LET? What do you see with the LED? God, big question. I mean, I know Alex Almas, who's the CEO of the Ladies European Tour, I don't know what their plans are, their goals.

And I don't know what a Ramco's plans are. But I know that a Ramco are certainly invested into this year and beyond that, I think they've put too much money in the game to not want to focus anywhere else. i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod i'n gweithio'r gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gwybod yn gio yn y gweithio. Mae'r gweithio'r gweithio yn y gweithio'r gweithio yn y gweithio'r gweithio yn y gweithio'r gweithio. Mae'r gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio. Mae'r gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio yn y gweithio Pwpwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww so much talent, that needs to be showcased more. And so they need to tell their story better and not better. It just needs to keep on telling their story and reach a bigger audience. So I think you can't argue with any investment that's coming in and you hope it, you just want it to stay because that's going to be crucial for women's sport going forwards. Yeah.

Well, gosh, we covered a lot here. Kate, this is such a fun conversation. I hope you won't be a stranger. I hope our paths cross whether it be at a major later this year or some other event, but would love to have you back whenever you want to join us. And I really, really appreciate your perspective on the women's game. Oh, it's been lovely. Thank you very much for having me on all the best. And we'll see you at an LPJ event this year. Or hop over to Asia. Come and join us again. Well, our second guest today joining us for our last segment is our very own young hitter, a great friend of ours, Lauren Coglin, Lauren, good morning. I know you're out in Arizona getting ready for the Epson Tour this week. I want to talk

to you about your decision to play in that. But first of all, thanks for joining us. It's great to talk to you. Now, thanks for having me. Excited to be on the big pod again. Where are you actually calling in for them today? I'm in a Starbucks parking lot. There's Starbucks to my left, a cracker barrel, barrel to my right. So you grab breakfast. So you can say my run-on car. Yeah, I got coffee already, but not from Starbucks, a different coffee place. I was just trying to see if I could get on the Wi-Fi, but I wanted to kind of be a little bit further away, so I couldn't quite get on it.

Beautiful. Well, let me introduce you for folks that aren't familiar. I hope most everybody listening is familiar, but just in case not, Lauren, we've now had the distinct privilege to sponsor you, Lauren, for gosh, what is this? You're four maybe, you're three at least. So three or four years, we got to know you about that time. I guess 2017, 2018, you came out of the University of Virginia and we're turning pro and had

Epson tour, what was symmetric tour status for a bit. And over these couple of years of have gained more LPGA status. And this year, I think you tell tell me but it seems like probably your best status heading into a season is that correct? Yeah, it absolutely correct. Yeah, I finished top 80 last year on our CME points list which kind of gets you into pretty much everything including the chevron to start the year. So it'll be my first time playing in the chevron. So I'm really excited about that. My parents live 10 minutes from the course that they're playing at this year.

So it's gonna be really, really nice to get my first start there in that major. But yeah, no, I saw I started and I think I messaged Tron on Twitter in like beginning of 2019 when the Young Hitter program like officially got started. And I listened to the podcast, but my husband, John, very much was big, big, big fan of your guys is watching the YouTube's and all that stuff. And he was like, oh, you should totally reach out.

So I messaged him on Twitter and like six months later he messaged me back. Literally pretty much just said, like, let's do this. And like, that was about it. He started, he started going back, like like let's do this and like that was brought it like circle like circle going back like let's do this I never replied from the beginning but it was circling back and replied back and let's let's do this. So then like a month later I met Tron and DJ at a coffee shop and you know it's just like yeah handshake come do tourist sauce with us in like a month that in Pinehurst and yeah so that's kind of how I met everybody and yes I guess this is my fourth year with you guys,

officially as one of my sponsors, so. Well, like I said, we're thrilled to be associated with you and I think even more so than just sponsoring you, you've become a good friend and that's wonderful. I think what we wanted to talk to you today about, though, is Cody and I are so interested how, you know, somebody in your situation just thinks about their schedule, right? So you sit down whether it's at the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023.

And how do you lay out, I want to play in this event. I want to string together three weeks here. I need to take this week off. That's kind of what we want to dig into a little bit. And Cody, I'm sure we'll have a lot of questions along the way. But Lauren, let's start here. You mentioned your top 80 in last year's CME list. And that gets you a good priority standing going into 2023. Did you have the opportunity to play the Asian events that just concluded that the Thailand and the Singapore event? No, unfortunately, I missed out by about 12 spots, I think, in both of them, 12 to 15 spots in both of them. I absolutely would have gone and played them if I could have been in.

It's kind of like our bonus for having a good year the year before, and so I definitely would have liked to, especially with how much of an offseason we had. Just both like a good thing and a bad thing. It was very nice to be home for like a very extended period of time, but at the same time getting back into that competitive mindset is very very hard When you've had that much time off. So that's why I'm playing this episode event this week I played another event in February. I played the Saudi international again just to get reps because I hadn't played an event in three months and And it's a really damn big purse. It's okay.

Yeah, it's a lot of money, man. Why not? And good. It was a lot of money, a lot of money, really good field. And so it was kind of nice to go see you know how what I've been working on the last you know month and a half. Did I make any progress in any of the areas that I was trying to work on? Did I not? Where is my game right now? And it was just like cool. If I play great, I could make a lot of money, which was a bonus. And then so kind of had a nice baseline, where like there was some things like definitely had improved on, so it was nice to see that. And then just still had to have that that rust of mentally making some mistakes, not having the, just to make sure I don't hit it in certain spots.

And so I made a couple of bad mental things there. But that again just comes from reps. So that's why I'm playing this Epson event this week. It's in Phoenix, which is where we're playing next week for the drive on. So it was a no-brainer in terms of like, oh, I just go hang out in Phoenix for two weeks, kind of again get some more mental reps, tournament reps that I couldn't get being back home. So as we look at 2023 broadly speaking, do you have a goal or do you have a number in mind of I want to play X amount of events? How do you

start thinking about your season? Or is it quite simply I just want to play as much as possible? Yeah, I think there's a happy medium between that. I don't actually think about it in terms of I only want to play you know 20 times this year. I'm more kind of look and see how the schedule of ebbs and flows. Like the beginning of this year, it kind of, everything's kind of in about like two to three week blocks. So like, there's no really reason to skip anything. Unless you just like absolutely don't like the golf course, I guess. But there's a stretch in June, like after the US Open, that where there's like 10 in a row and it's like okay I

got it need to figure out where I need to stop because my max is probably about four events really like the happy spot is like three events in a row is kind of how I would like to do it but I can do four and I have done I've done six even in a row but I just really don't want to have to do that so that's kind of more where I look at my schedule like There's obviously certain events that I would be like, okay, I'm absolutely like not going to skip this one. I really like this core, so I really like this event. It's like, I'm going to go to these one, this one for sure, and then kind of map my schedule

based around that where like, okay, I know for sure I want to play this one, but that would mean I would play four in a row if I don't skip this other one, or six in a row if I don't skip this other one. So in a row if I don't skip this other one So that's kind of how I am looking to build my schedule a lot of it will be you know Do I get in the US open? Do I get in the British those types things? Which won't I won't find out till later and that's a good Segway because I was gonna ask you we you've said you have status into the chevron the first major of the year The US open and the British open are you'll have to qualify

That leaves the avion and the kpmg What's your status for those two majors? Those are both based on current year points list. So like kpmg I mean, it's our biggest field of the year. It's like I believe it it's 154. And so, I mean, pretty much as long as you've made some cuts here there, you're going to get in to that one. Evian is a little bit, is similar to that, but they share some spots with LET. So it's not quite, it doesn't go quite as deep down the list as it will for KPMG. usually if you're in the top, you know, in 90 or so on the current year points list,

you'll probably get into Evion if you're in the top, no, 130 you're probably getting into KPMG. So then obviously the majors, those are pillars, right? Those are kind of the things you start with with your schedule. I'm curious, you mentioned there are courses, events that really suit you, whether it be, you know, a course fitting your eye or what have you. What are those? What are those, quote, unquote, normal LPGA events that you circle and say, I have to play this one or I really want to play

this one. Yeah, shopwright is one of them. You, that was a course that really really suits me. It's not long. The greens are tiny and I'm pretty like Off the tee. I'm probably one of the longest and most ac- like for how long I hit it I'm one of the most accurate out there and so I doesn't always take driver out of my hand a lot of the times Because I can still hit it as far down as I want to and tiny greens and so that one is one I was in it was my first time being in the final group They're last year so that one is definitely one that I want to be That's definitely when I'm gonna circle last year. I skipped Portland, but I really like Portland So I'm probably gonna go back there again this year. I've played really well in Ireland at the ISPS Honda there. The dual event there. So that's probably one that I'm even though most people skip it. I'm probably not going to.

I really want to get a match play. I haven't gotten into it yet, but I really want to. So that's one I'm kind of circling. yet, but I really want to. So that's one I'm kind of circling. Yeah, those are, those are some of them. I really like Wilshire. I haven't played well there. I haven't made the cut yet, but I really like Wilshire. That's one of my favorite stops on tour. The course is just awesome. And it's kind of fun being in, like, in Hollywood for a week. I'm just looking at the schedule, Lauren, and like, it seems like June, July, and August are just like, there's so much golf. And it's hard to pick and choose these spots where you are gonna take a week off.

And I know that we're kind of waiting on the early part of the year to figure out where the status is gonna be at for KPMG for US Open and then on the tail end of it, how do you even go about choosing? They're all great events. It doesn't come strictly down to just like, well, I'm going to be completely exhausted by this point.

I have to take the week off in order to set up the next three, four week run. Yeah, so that stretch is really what I'm still trying to figure out. The team playing in the Dow is super fun. Like the team event that we do, but it's so hard to get there from there to Evion. Like it's a huge, huge trip and it's not the most fun thing to do. I did that stretch last year,

Dow, Evion, Scottish, British, Ireland. So I did five in a row there. Great, and I missed the cut in Evion, Scottish and British, Ireland. So I did five in a row there. Granted, I missed the cut in Evion, Scottish and British. So that kind of helped. But in terms of just having only a couple of days of not walking. But I think I'm probably going to skip Dow again this year,

or just skip Dow this year for the first time, just because it would be nice to be going straight from DC to Geneva, that one nice little flight to get there would be really nice. Right. Probably gonna skip Canada unless I don't get into the British unfortunately, because it's just so, I want, again, I want to play in Ireland and that's the week before Canada.

And I also want to play in Portland, which is the week after Canada. But if I don't, so I need to skip somewhere in there and it's just, again, getting from Ireland to Vancouver is just not going to be fun. And so I'm probably going to skip Canada, which sucks because I really want to get, like Vancouver seems awesome, would love to go there. But just kind of some of the, the tournaments that I want to play, it's probably going to be the one that I skip.

That puts you, the players in such a hard spot. And a lot has been made about the LPGA schedule and how it kind of laid out, not only on the calendar, but on the globe. And I don't want to put you in a tough spot to like, poo poo the schedule or anything else like that. But there seems to be some wiggle room if you look at it. And I understand that there's like 15 to 30 very vocal people who get a say in all this until it comes down to the one like whoever the host organization actually has to write the check.

But looking at it, you would think with the amount of overseas travel at the beginning half of the year and at the last part of the year and then right in the middle, you would think that they would put a couple of buffer week in here somewhere to create these little pods on the calendar to make it. So you're not forced to miss an event that's probably an amazing event in Canada or wherever else. Yeah, and it's a bigger purse, too. I think it's 2.3 million dollar purse, which which in Portland the week after is a much lesser purse, but at the same time it's like I got to skip something. Even Ireland, Ireland's like a super small purse, but I've played really well there.

A lot of people skip it, so it's like it's a weaker field. It's kind of I haven't played my best and I finished like T15 last two years playing in it. So it's like if I can just keep improving like I have, like it's a very realistic chance that I could go in it. So it's kind of hard to where I just would like to not have to skip Canada, but that's kind of looking how it's going to probably be.

So like you said, it would be really nice. I think the tour gets a little bit handcuffed with some of the sponsors, just not being willing to move, being like, no, this is where we want to be, or even some of the contracts, you know, are multi-year deals. And so, as things ebb and flow, it's hard to change things, or if the sponsor doesn't want them to.'re at the end of the day they're the ones writing the check. I think that's part of it and I don't I don't know how I feel like it's gotten worse the last couple years. I'm hopeful that it starts getting better as the contracts start to kind of run out and maybe the sponsors are more willing to make it more easy for us to travel to these

events. So the top players aren't us to travel to these events. So the top players aren't skipping a lot of these events because the travel is ridiculous. Yeah. If you just think about like your next couple weeks in front of you even here. So obviously you're playing in an an absent event this week to get tuned up for the drive on. That's the following week, but same city, luckily. Then it's a pretty easy trip to California. Then you get a week off because it's the master's week

and everybody takes a week off for that. But then you're going to Hawaii, then you're flying to Houston, which hey, we could call it a home game for you, which is great. And then it seems like it's right when they put them in these in these pods though, but at least you're in California for back-to-back weeks before then you're jumping completely

across the coast again to New Jersey, but you still have match play that you're coming back across the globe. Logistically, it seems like more of a nightmare than anything else. It is. Again, this is probably going to be the worst it's been. I think with Chevron moving from California to Houston, it kind of makes that weird little pocket of where we go. Typically, before we would go Hawaii and then straight to Chevron. That's kind of more, it just makes more sense. But now it's kind of going back before the teen Houston and then you're going back to

LA. It's weird. It's just, I think people just don't realize how hard like travel is on your body, like getting cramped and, oh, Randy will understand, like being cramped in the airplane for many, many years, or many hours, not many years, many hours is not good for the body. Like, and then you're walking a ton and then you go and sit in the cramped airplane for three, four hours depending on where you're walking a ton, and then you go and sit in the cramped airplane for three, four hours, depending on where you're going.

It's just very, very hard on the body, and it takes its toll. So it's not going to be fun. But I'm hoping to be in the match. I'm hoping that it is the problem that I'm going to have this year with getting to the Asia events at the end of the year. Again, there's also a weird stretch at the end of the year where I think we go straight

from back to back weeks, like Japan into Pelican and Florida. Like, that's going to be awful because a Pelican is a great event. I love that golf course and it's going to be a huge purse this year, one of our biggest, like, non-major purses. So that's going to be really like, okay, do you skip Japan then? Because you don't wanna have to travel straight from Japan to Florida. Like, it just doesn't, I don't know the answer

and I don't know how they can, it feels like they should be, we shouldn't have had like a four month off season is what really shouldn't have happened. But I don't know whose fault that is, I guess. Is it the tour for not being able to get the sponsors to be like, hey, no, you should move our events over here and this, you know, going to Florida or going to California or whatever, in this time of year, I don't know

the answer. Well, big, I don't want to block the calendar discussion, but I feel like that was a very easy layup to say, how does communication like this work at the LPGA tour? I think in professional golf right now, we have overwhelming news coming out of the men's side on some of the top players, changing things, how the PGA tour is structured, what events are which. But how does that kind of work on the LPGA side?

Do the players just wait to get information from the executive staff? Or are you guys part of the conversations? I think it's something that never really is discussed about the professional women's game. Yeah, we have a board, just like, or a player advisory board, just like the men's side does. I know for me, I'm not on it and so I typically don't hear much unless the tour kind of tells me or if I'm searching it out. We usually get you know weekly reports on any type of big news that could be coming you know weekly emails with information upcoming stuff

anything like that. Typically we get the schedule, or we see some type of schedule probably in the middle of the year, it's gonna be very rough, but you'll kinda have a rough get-go of what next year is gonna look like, probably in the middle of the year. But a lot of that again,

because every couple of tournaments are gonna be coming up on the contract. So they could be like, yes, this one is gonna be re-upping, or they're gonna be like, this one, the sponsor may not be, and they'll let you know, like in the middle of the year, like this one, it could be not on the schedule next year. It could be on the schedule. We're not really sure yet. We're still in talks with the sponsors. Yeah, I think that's kind of mainly how it goes. And towards the end

of the year is when things really start to become more official and that's when we start getting more and more information about what the next year is going to look like and how everything is going to ebb and flow throughout the year. Yeah, that's that kind of tongue in cheek because I know there's a great relationship with the ladies European tour and the LPGA tour. But last year, seeing ladies European tour events hosted on US soil. And then not only that like doubling down on it this year with this week is obviously the first. A van of the ramp co team series and then in a couple weeks we have a ramp co team series.

A van in Florida and you're like well I wonder what the communication on the LPGA tour side. Of this is because they're very nice and they put it in a week off where it's not conflicting with LPGA tour side of this is because they're very nice and they put it in a week off where it's not conflicting with LPGA tour events. Obviously, hoping that LPGA players go in and participate in it, but it's always interesting to peek a little bit behind that curtain, I'll see, and figure out what's going on here. Yeah, so technically, the LAT kind of is merged with the LPGA or we kind of, we kind of gave them a lifeline so the L.E.T. could keep going. And they're coming up on their contract where the L.E.T. is going to have a vote on whether or not side, but the LPGA is kind of also being like, well, we're not necessarily getting much of a scale of that happens or not.

And so that's going to be interesting to see if we do end up getting it say. And it's going to be interesting to see if the LET is like, no, we're okay. We're getting all this money from Morocco. Like we don't need the LPGA anymore. That could be really interesting to see in the next year. So if that happens Yeah, they are very nice that they they don't try to do them in the same week says some of our big tournaments because our Stars probably will go play them if they're giving them enough money to go do them because they do do appearance fees I'm sure so what do you got biggy? No more distractions from from me on this, but no open the can I'm gonna go down it. No, I love sure. So. What do you got, Biggie? No more distractions from me on this, but you open the can, I'm gonna go down it.

No, I love it. I love it. Not to just jump full hog back into the schedule discussion, but I do think it's worth mentioning, obviously that the Chevron has shifted. It used to be on what weekend, which I personally, I think that's a great move, right? I think you had to get on what separated from one of your major events. But then additionally, the US Open has shifted

to a new time frame the first week of July, which I hear is maybe not permanent. I think I like it there, but more of my question for you is it creates kind of this weird little gap in the schedule where you go right from the KPMG, which of course is a major. And then there's an off week, so there's no event. And then you go to the US Open. Do you typically like to play the week before a major? I know players can go back and forth. Some don't like to play, some like to play.

But I guess I'm just noting that whether you like to play or not, at least from the KPMG to the US open, nobody really gets to play. Unless maybe you can go play on an Epson tour or somewhere else. Yeah, it's definitely very weird. I am more of the mind that the more I play the better I do. Like practice isn't the most fun thing for me. I learn the most when I'm playing and that's kind of why I kind of just try to keep playing as much as I can because I don't love to be at home practicing. I like to compete and I like to play in tournaments as much as I can.

So yeah, most of the time I would like to probably just keep playing the week before, but talking about the schedule, the Meyer is the week before KPMG. And if I'm in match play, it goes match play, Liberty National, Shoprite, Meyer, KPMG. So let me five in a row if I do all of those. And so with KPMG at the end, so obviously I'm not going to do a five week stretch with a major being the last one. So it's kind of like, okay, which one do I skip? Love to be in Match Play, so hopefully I'm in that. Kind of want to be pretty cool to go play Liberty National in a turn.

So probably going to go do that. I like Shop Right a lot, like I said, so pretty cool to go play Liberty National in a tournament. So probably gonna go do that. I like shop fright a lot, like I said. So probably gonna go play that. So I'm probably gonna skip Meyer, unfortunately. Again, but and that's a weird thing where I could we go from New Jersey to Grand Rapids, Michigan back to New Jersey because KPMG ZBOLF's throw.

So it's like a hairy hairy. I hate this for Michigan, just getting cut. I know. I know. And again, but if I'm not in match play, then probably won't skip Meyer. I did that four week stretch last year, again, where it was instead of Liberty National, it was the founders cup and then shop right and then Meyer and then KPMG. And did it but I missed the cut at Meyer and I kind of always have I've missed every time I played it I missed the cut so I kind of I don't know if I really want to go even though I really like Grand Rapids but yeah that's kind of a weird thing of like trying to figure out this happy medium like how many how much time how many weeks a row can like I really do and perform well and then I just thinking, you know, we certainly hope you qualify and are playing

in the US open, but let's say, you know, let's say things don't go your way. Well, then all of a sudden, you're almost looking at a month off here in the middle of the season from the KPMG, which concludes June 25th, to the next regular tour event, is July 13th up in Toledo. So yeah, and I'm also disappointed. Let me say, I'll see with the US Open moving, I believe the Colorado Women's Open is June 14th through 16.

So, I had such a fun time getting to Cadi for you last year in the Colorado women's open But that looks like that's not even gonna be on the table this year. I Know I was really my mom and dad where my mom was asking me sorry to do the car out of open again. I was like well I It's not the same week as the US open so probably not which because it's a hundred A hundred thousand dollars to the winner like that's a huge, huge check for a state open. Unfortunately, I can't skip Grand Rapids and then go play Colorado. I don't know if I would get that release from the L.P.J.

tour. Talking about Weeks Off, we haven't even told you yet that we're gonna have John and T.C.s fourth of july scramble that you're going to have to attend to it's a sponsor obligation. So we're just going to fill it up for you. You know john john by a t.c. to come play and his member gets and he's not he can't do it. Oh, I'm sure he's hardbroken too. I know. Yeah, rumor has a t.c.s played in the Tara Edy member guest as we speak Tough confirm. We might have to talk to T.C. about his travel schedule and now he lays out his competitive year You you showed I mean he's going all over the place right now Oh god um Well Cody what else?

Um, let me let me let me think here so Lauren one thing I want to touch on before we let you go Can you talk about the reshuffle process and when that occurs and why that's such a big deal for players such as yourself? Yes, so this year the reshuffle won't matter to me because I'm in that category one But in the past that's kind of always been where I've been really trying to this is the first year where the reshuffle just like won't matter to me pretty much unless the events go from current year standings, which is really really cool. Yeah so basically what happens usually after about eight events or so throughout the year they reshuffle the priority list. So people from that you know say our conditional

status if you Monday in or you get a start in Hawaii, most likely, you can reshuffle up and they'll put it above the Q-School list. The people on the Q-School, I think it will be like category 13, I think is what it comes down to. Basically it goes one through 80 of the last year's priority list then it goes top 10 on

Symmetra then it goes oh wait no sorry one through 80 then it's like random you know major winners who maybe didn't finish in the top 100 on the left the priority list year before some injuries things like that then it goes 81 through 100 and then it's top 10 on Symmetra and then it's 1 through 20 from Q series and then 21 through 45 on Q series are after that. The reshuffle, if you make money in one of those first eight events of the year, usually it's after about, let me see on the list, Founders Cup roughly? Or no, it's after Toledo, sorry.

Right around there, anybody who has made money will move up above the people in Q-school, the Q-school priority list. So you can jump people, you can, if you don't make any money all of a sudden, you're in one of those two categories from Q-School, you can really move down the list or you can really move up on the list if you started way below that.

And that's kind of how I made my way back in 2021. I was conditional from the year before, finished at the very end of very bottom of the Q-School priority number and made the cut at Hawaii, made the cut at Kingsville, which was my home event, and I reached out fold, and I was full. Pretty much got into everything for the rest of the year, non-major-wise. I got into KPMG, I got in, but didn't get into anything else of the majors, but was full blow, and then was able to finish in the top 100 that year

to keep my card for the next year and didn't have to go to Q-School again for the first time. And then yeah, last year was the first year where I really kind of got to build my schedule from the get-go outside of again. I wasn't in the Chevron from my priority list. So I was able to really kind of pick and choose when I wanted to play, when I didn't, whereas before, I was just kind of like, yeah, I got to, whenever I get in, I got to go play. Which, which, so that's kind of really cool.

Yeah, sorry, which, I think it's hard to overstate how nice that must be, to be able to be in control of your schedule. I mean, I, I think that's something that myself included just we overlook a lot of times with professional golfers is yeah, the top, right, the cream of the crop, they can kind of do what they want, but there are so many people that are just like, if I get in, I'm going. And you never quite know where you're going to be a couple weeks from now. I got to imagine that can be pretty stressful at times. Yeah, and then it's like, okay, well, I might go try to Monday in this like that before

the first reshuffle, just again, to try to get as many stars as you can before the reshuffle. But then if you don't Monday in, like, okay, then I'm probably driving somewhere to go play in the Epson event that week, if there is one. That was something that I was doing a lot in my beginning of 2021. Like if I went and tried to Monday into like, Wilshire didn't get in, so like, flew to Vegas from LA and then drove like two hours to St. George, Utah and played in like that Epson event. Yeah, it's just, it's very, very nice for sure.

Like having this whole discussion of like, okay, well, when am I gonna skip? Like before, I probably wouldn't really have that. It was like, no, it could be, you know, weaker to an advance, I'm going to, might have to fly to Evion. Like, I'm not sure if I'm going to be an Evion or not. And like, that's really hard to like,

try to pull the trigger on a flight when you're like, not sure if you're going to get in or not, or like plan accordingly, like getting hotel and all that type of stuff. If you're doing it very last minute, it can get very expensive. Or changing things all the time. It's, it can be very expensive, which is, it's not fun. So it's really, really cool to be in this position finally. It took me a little bit to get here, but it's

fun. I'm excited for it to get here started. I feel like I've worked, you know, the hardest I've worked, but any off season, I feel like I'm the most prepared. I've been to start the year, which is really fun. But again, it's hard to just knock that rust off when you're not playing. And so again, that's why I'm doing this Epson event. I enjoy being in Phoenix. And so it's exciting, though, for sure.

What are your goals this year? Are you a goal center? Do you, you know, in conjunction with kind of lay out your schedule and thinking about your year? Are there certain things you put on paper that, you know, if I am able to do this, it will be a successful year. Yeah, there's definitely, you know, getting into all the majors is always one of them. I haven't I still I qualified for the British for the first time last year.

I have never qualified for the US Open. So this would be and I got to play in Muirfield last year, which was awesome. Like that was really, really cool. And getting to play in Pebble and at the US Open would be awesome this year too. So getting into all majors is one of them playing in the Asia events at the US Open would be awesome this year too. So getting into all the majors is one of them, playing in the Asia events at the end of the year is kind of always a goal, because it means you've played really well throughout the year. But yeah, I really, I want to win a golf tournament this year.

That's definitely a big goal, a big goal of mine. I think I'm finally starting to work towards some things that can kind of help me get there, both on coursewise and just like some mental things as well. You know, I was in a final group a couple times last year for the first time, you know, one on the Sunday, one on the weekend, and you don't really know how you're going to react until you're in that position. So now knowing, you know, what what my body does and how I, you know, how tense I might get or how nervous I might be, what adrenaline I get,

now I can kind of, I've been there, I've done it, so I kind of can react a little bit better than I did, hopefully, hopefully I'll be in that position again this year, and I feel like I've kind of turned the corner with some putting and some short game stuff, so that's really, I'm really excited about that. I'm really excited to kind of get under the gun and see it some more. But a lot of it I think is mental too. Like I really struggled in the beginning of my career, like feeling like I belonged out here. You know, of course I always, you know, had the

dream of being on LPGA and playing on LPGA and then 2018 my rookie year I got there and I was like, oh my gosh, I cannot believe. I'm like on LPGA too or even I'm seeing Stacey Lewis and you know all these people that I grew up watching and I'm like wow like this is crazy. And so that has definitely taken me a while just to kind of feel comfortable out here and comfortable being comfortable with who I am and being myself and not trying to be somebody I'm not. And I've listened to Max's interviews with you guys a bunch and I very much resonate a lot with some of his struggles that he had

in early on his career. And so I've been the tour hired as sports psychologist last year that everybody on tour gets free access to her. And so I've been the tour hired as sports psychologist last year that everybody on tour, you know, gets free access to her. And so I've started talking to her a bunch about Midway through the year last year. She's been awesome to talk to and be able to vent or get advice from like little things like that. And so yeah, I'm excited. I'm ready to get going. I've very much am a home body. So it was nice being home for like three and a half months, but I was very much like, okay, I'm just I'm over this. I'm ready to get out and play and compete.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, Cody, any any I'll leave it with you. Anything else you want to inquire about? No, I think we we covered a lot. I'm just so excited for you this year, L.C., I know it's gonna be a big year. You have those goals, you gotta scream them from the rooftop because you're gonna accomplish them. I mean, if you look at last year and you put yourself in the arena multiple times, I'm just so, so, so pumped to see

what that evolves into this year. Cause you got it in like 10 fold. Thank you, I appreciate that. Yeah, last year, it's talking about last year and goals and stuff. On paper in a lot of ways, it was my best year, yeah, like very clearly, like my best year. But at times, it was very frustrating.

You know, I missed a lot of cuts and especially in the beginning of the year. And so it was very hard. It took me a while to be like, no, like, stop focusing on that part and be like, you were contending at a major in KPMG on a weekend. Like, you were in the top 10 of major. Like, you were on the final group on a Sunday. Like, you led the golf tournament a couple of times throughout year, like last year by all accounts was a success, but at times it didn't feel like it. And so that was really something that took me a little bit to kind of get over mentally, like no, look at how good you did last year actually. But I think it goes to some of my expectations have risen. And so while like I did really, really well, I feel like I could have been better

if I could have just figured out some things quicker. And so yeah, it's, I'm again, I'm just really excited to see how this year goes and hopefully just keep kind of keep building and building on what I've been doing. I love it, I love it. We are so excited for you. We can't wait to follow along and Yeah, obviously just wish you nothing but the best and appreciate you coming on right before your practice time

You're gonna get out and practice in the rain On the grind. L.C. Come on the season's starting soon. Yep. Well, thank you guys for having me. It's always a pleasure. Thank you. Give it a right club. Be the right club today. That is better than most. How about him? That is better than most. Better than most.