No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - NLU Podcast, Episode 673: Friday LPGA Chevron Recap

Episode Date: April 22, 2023

We're joined by the Golf Channel's Grant Boone and NLU Young Hitter Lakareber Abe to react to the first two rounds of the LPGA's Chevron Championship. We break down the leaders, those who missed the cut, the course and a look ahead to the weekend in Houston. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm going to be the right club today. Yes! That is better than most. I'm not in. That is better than most. Better than most. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome into the No Laying Up podcast and live show. I hope you're joining us live wherever you might be. We still have, gosh, maybe 45 minutes left of second round coverage of the Chevron Championship Friday evening on golf channel. But let me get to my my co host, my co associates. Let's

start. Sully, great to have you back, man. How are you doing this evening? You guys have been hogging the ball and all the LPGA coverage is the first time I've been invited. Thank you for having me on your show, Big Randy. And invited. Thank you for having me on your show, Big Randy. And invite it. Absolutely. We're glad you're here. And then also Cody McBride live from his compound outside Dallas, Texas. Cody, good evening to you, sir. Thank you. Thank you. Well, and welcome to Texas. I'm happy that we invited everybody in. The woodlands is absolutely stunting on people. Actually, I don't really know what to make of it, but I'm excited. Thank you.

How was it stunts first? How was it stunts first? Well, that's the thing is that I may be too far into it or too, uh, not enough into it to make what this actually is, but overall, I mean, you can't really deny that we have a stack leaderboard. Uh, I know we're going to get to some course takes, but we'll get there. I appreciate it though. I was chatting with solid. He's got some takes. I can't wait to get into it. We're going to get into the venue. We're going to get into the leaderboard.

We're going to get into a ton of stuff. We got a great run of show. We got a couple guests dropping in at various points. So before we dive in, though, sponsor to thanks straight off the top are good friends. You see us rep and I'm title is foot joy. This episode, this live show is brought to you by our friends at title is the number one ball in golf. And since we've partnered with title is, it's been great to learn the extent to which the number one ball in golf is true.

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for you. Excuse me, find the right ball for your game by visiting Titles.com. That's Titles.com. Thank them very much. Fellas, where do we want to start, I think it's the leaderboard, but solid. I am shocked. You were saying, are you bought into the leaderboard or no? I mean, it's, it's good. Like there's a lot of good names at the top, but I was more surprised when we were kind of going, going down the miscut list was like a little jarring, like a Yucasaso, um, Madeline, Sagsdram, Lexi.

I mean, it's, I don't like, I don't like Lexi's in the house yet. Go for it again. We're recording this a little bit of time to time to go here. Jennifer Cupcho like just some stacked stack names on the wrong side of a cut line here. Well, I cannot disagree with that. I think we're, I think we're focusing on the wrong thing. I mean, I could be. I'll give you that. A. L. M. Kim, major winner, ironically enough, won the 2020 US women's open at Champions Golf Club. Cody, where is Champions Golf Club? Houston, Texas. I think tonight we're going to totally flip roles. Like I'm going to be the big Randy. I'm going to come in and just be all negatives. And you're going to cheerlead everything.

It'd be an apologist for everything. I love it. You gotta bring some ill-thought-out hot-takes. She stinks, yeah. That's all I'm asking for. You gotta piss off some large groups of people and we'll be all right. Yeah, Aileum Kim right now, alone at eight under,

she shot a 65 today. Could be, could be your overnight. Pretty good, right? Yeah, that's pretty good. That's pretty good. Could be your overnight leader going into the weekend, we shall see. But right there behind her, Lily Avue, we've talked about Lillia.

She is someone that is just near the top of the leader board weekend and week out. I think this is such a humongous opportunity for this weekend. We get to see her hopefully in a final group at a major at least for the third round. If not the fourth round, I think we're going to learn a lot about Lillia this weekend. Megan Kang is somebody that is just scrappy as hell. Actually, amazingly has not won an LPGA event yet, but has like top tens and four of the five majors.

Gosh, who else? Patty T Cody is Patty T back or no? She's back. I don't know. I know I didn't go out on that limb in the preview show. Ricky, I think I'm gonna say it. She back, man. We got Nelly Corda.

Sully have you heard in Nelly Corda? I have okay. I got some Nelly thoughts as well. Brooke Hender sends right there We'll get into it, but I am so excited for this leaderboard. This is genuine. I Think there's an interesting discussion to be had about you know, is the course producing this? Is this just happenstance? Is this just where the women's game is at right now? We can get into all that. All right, guys, where should we start? I want to know from you guys right now, what's the biggest storyline as we sit here at 816 PM Eastern on Friday evening. Let me throw to you Cody first. I would say just Lily of view, I think for me, just phenomenal playing, you know, you'd think that she's had a hot year already coming into this,

but like just continuing to show up in big moments on the biggest stages and just seems to be like no fear at all in her. Yeah, yeah. So Ollie, what's your biggest storyline thus far? I think if we're looking at it overall, it is, it is Nelly Corta, right? It is golf course that should fit her.

Everything you guys talked about in the preview pod, how much distance it's emphasized here. That was the easiest pick ever. It was at LAN Athletic Club. When it was like, as soon as I walked that course it was like, oh, Nelly's gonna win this one. This one feels like it should be right up her alley, which this is, this term that's gonna be at this golf course for many years This one feels like it should be right up her alley, which this this term that's going to be at this golf course for many years feels like many

of these should be right up her alley. I'm ready to see the ROM leap with Nelly. I think she is too talented to have one major. I think that is especially in a sport that has five major champion chips, which we'll get into. It's you guys said this on the previous. She has eight LPGA tour wins. I was stunned by that number. I feel like that should be higher. She really is that talented and it's time to kind of put the But the gas pedal down and go go run go run with this thing Couldn't agree more I thought Tron brought up a very very good point and interesting point the preview episode Why does Nelly Why do we it feels like we think about Nelly as a cut above somebody like

Brooke Henderson and they're much closer in age than I think a lot of people would realize Brooke has many more LPGA tour victories, has two majors to Nelly's one. I thought that was a great point. Yeah. She did win the heavy on last year. Watch out. Don't piss off Canada just yet. So I think that's something to look at. Nellie and Brooke are both six under right now, two shots back at Alim Kim. I think my biggest storyline, not breaking news

here. I think it's a common. I'm going to use both your answers. It's a combination between Lily Aviv and Nellie Corta. I think Lily Aviv shocked here, big. I thought you were going to go with Patty. Well, Patty's won, maybe. But Lily Aviv is somebody that has an outstanding amateur resume. A ton was expected of her. She dealt with a lot of struggles and it has clicked over the last not even seemingly. Well, the last calendar year, she had a great ups and tours season, had a great LPGA season

last year and has just continued it this year. I think a case could be made. She might be the second best American golfer right now. I know Lexi is higher than her in the Rolex rankings, but as far as form, I think Liliavu could make a claim at number two right behind Nelly. And so to get them potentially squaring off this weekend at a major championship just excites the hell out of me.

So I think that's the storyline. Guys, we got a guest waiting. So I say we bring him in. It's a man who knows the women's game well. And let's, let's put some of these questions to him. Mr. Grand Boone, how are you, buddy? Hello, friends. How are we tonight? We are great, man. Better now that you're joining us. Where do we find you this evening? I'm in at home on my couch in Abilene, Texas, wrapping my Abilene Christian gear.

Make him be nervous with some of these cameras. I'm sorry. The hour lives, I want to remind you of your life. Yes. I regret the air and it won't happen again. So I'm about six hours from the club at Carlton Woods. I can't quite see it. Abiliness flat, but not quite that flat, but I've got a great view from my couch and loving the coverage.

The extended coverage, by the way. Yeah, thanks. Tell us, how does that happen, right? Because as soon as I saw the weather delays, and I was like, oh, I have a bad feeling that this coverage is going to end at eight o'clock, but I have a feeling that there were some frantic messaging. How does it, how does it, you work in television? How does it end up working where you get to stay on the air for longer than this? It's a confluence of things.

I'm not going to try it out the hard cameras answer to you, but I will tell you that you got a lot of factors involved and really when it comes down to it, I think it's a great move by golf channel NBC to with my team there. We were fortunate to not have the compound under water. It was close this morning, some of my colleagues down there sent me some pictures. It was very scary. A ton of water, a short amount of time. As Cody knows, that'll happen in Texas. And there's nowhere really for it to go,

except to start rising. So the fact that we're gonna get in, you know, a ton of golf today, I think it's huge. And I think it's really important that Alam Kim, who played in the early late wave, finished today, she'll get a very long night, she'll get to sleep as long as she wants. I do think that we're going to be back on schedule by tomorrow night, which is huge,

because about half the field has taken to Taylor Swift over in our G Stadium, so they've got to make sure they're there. And I know about half our TV crew does as well. Wait, Taylor Swift concerts tomorrow night. Room according golf channel dot com has learned. Yes, the Taylor Swift is performing tomorrow night in Houston. She may be tonight as well, but hopefully no one I take it tonight. I don't wonder if that's where T.C. Well, Diane, Diane to know who the Swifties are out on tour.

Oh, well, Grant, let me ask you. It's probably be it means you're just saying who's not. Oh, yeah, that's true. That's true. Grant, I just asked these two guys, kind of the biggest and granted round two is not complete as we've said. But what's the biggest storyline

in your mind heading into the weekend? Yeah, I would agree with, you know, I would echo all the things you guys have said. I think the golf course has been awesome. It's been huge, literally, and figuratively. I think the clubhouse is incredible. I saw it last August, went down there and played it for the first time. And I just, I thought when I was there, this is a place that is eminently worthy of hosting

a major championship and a place that will honor the women and they have from the moment the week started with the champions dinner, which was incredible. And the past champs getting bentleys to drive and everything has been first class. That, you know, as Cody knows, this time of year in Texas, you know, spring, you never know what's gonna happen.

Massive storms here in Abelene on Tuesday night, Hale and then big storms overnight last night, but credit to the golf course. I think it's produced what we thought. I mean, there are no real flukes here if you think about it. I know some are gonna say, you know, pay in chin. And I think any major championship, men or women is gonna give you one or two of those,

but Alun Kim, elite ball striker, she really doesn't put herself there with a chance to win a ton. And if you'll recall, she was really nowhere to be found the whole week at champions in December of 2020. She was five back going into the final round. No one was really paying attention. She had a mask on, so you really didn't even know, she was five back going into the final round. No one was really paying attention.

She had a mask on. So you really didn't even know who she was. And then sure enough, what does she do? She buries the last three holes and she beats the likes of of Jin Young Co and Amy Olson and Hanako Shibuno. Since then, she, she, she plays almost every week out on tour. And she does, she always will find a way to, you know, backdoor top five it and social finish top 40

in the CME points list. But she's an elite ball striker, hits it miles in the air. Lily Gavu, you all have talked about her and her evolution over the last couple of years. Can I pause? Yeah, I was real quick on Alim Kimper. Do I have it right with her Wikipedia page when it says she won the first major she ever played in the US women's open.

That was the first major she played in. Had never been to the US. And then missed the cut and then all five majors last year. Yeah, I'm telling you she is. It's 2021, sorry. Yeah, well, and yeah, that was her first year. I mean, she took up membership and then last year had a very solid year. Again, she doesn't, she's not really right there late on Sunday. She's never had the first or second or third round lead at, at, at any

LP. She had a first round lead in Arkansas. Sorry, last year, she had a lead. She hasn't led after rounds two or three. This makes me a little nervous. Obviously, if she's within three, with three holes to play, I like her chances, like she did at three. This makes me a little nervous. I was thinking of James within three, with three holes to play, I like her chances. Like she did at Champions. This will be interesting for her. You know, there's, she is a big personality. There was a crazy story at Champions.

I was working the US Open there for NBC and golf channel. And she was the one name that no one really knew. And it was like, is it Olim or A-Lem? And I was like, I'll go try to find her. She's the last person I saw on the range on Wednesday night before I left. And I went up to her, didn't know how much English she spoke.

And I said, would you prefer that we call you A-Lem or Olim and she said A-Lem? So I sent an email to Dan Hicks and to Paige McKenzie and Judy Rackett and all my colleagues. And I said, Hey, by the way, I just saw her. It is a limb. So when she wins on Sunday, we'll know how to get the name right.

And of course, I was dead wrong. She won on Monday because they had the weather delay. But she's a great personality. And again, she's an incredible ball striker. And this course has just produced, you know, this leaderboard with one great ball striker after another Megan Kang. We know about Nelly Brooke. You know, Patty T, you all have talked a lot about her. I've spent quite a bit of time thinking about Patty T and talking to her and her team over

the last few weeks and months. And it's great to see she, I think, has mega star potential. And for her to be back in contention at the event that really took her to, you know, in, in to the stratosphere would be awesome. As you, I mean, I am so excited about this leaderboard. Very tough question. I guess you are because everybody you picked is up in the top. I know. I know. I know.

I wrote down Nelly Liliavu, Joju Kim and Patty T. Did you want those four year fives big? Yeah. Yeah, they were. Thank you, Grant, for recognizing. Is that he doesn't need me anyway? That's how you wanted me to say it, right? Yeah.

He said to you that before you came up. There's no way wanted me to say it, right? Yeah. He said he said to that before you came. There's no way you listen to that. I can be bought. But I was going to ask you with the with the leaderboard of of great ball strikers, major champions. I mean, who do you like? Oh, it's a hard question. And there's so much golf left to be played. But how would you tell people like you just did? I know. I know. How would you handicap the top of the leaderboard right now? Well, if you look at form, really everyone who is in, I would say there are a couple of things stand out. If you look at the top 10 in the world, the ones who've either played very little or a lot are the ones who aren't near the top of the leaderboard.

The rest of the top 10, top 12 or so are up there. Georgia Hall has played four straight weeks. Been great. You know, three straight weeks, I guess. There was a week off, but she's played great. I didn't wonder about, you know, playing in Hawaii the week before and then coming over and even though it was a Saturday finish, she kind of ran out of gas on that, in that final round on Saturday and just some puts late.

So much. I was thinking the exact same thing. Yeah. Like, even if she was going to go hang out and just stay in California for the week or go home for two weeks or something, but it seems like a lot of them didn't really put too much like thought into how hard it was going to be for them from Hawaii to Houston. Yeah. I mean, if A.L.M. Kim isn't playing, that tells you something.

She plays every week. But you know, Brooke played, I don't think it means you can't, you know, and Brooke was up there near the top of the leader board, Brooke loves Hawaii. I don't think, I just think you took LA off. Georgia played Phoenix, LA, week off, then played Hawaii. Lydia hasn't played hardly at all. Lexi hasn't played hardly at all. Lydia has been playing once a month. You know, Jo Jo Kim has been playing well. She was up there near the top of the leaderboard at Palace Verdes and played great. Tittacoon's up there.

I think it's so tempting, isn't it? And Cody, I know you pick Lexi as part of your group. Lexi's, I think Lexi's always a good choice to contend, which is why you pick her in your group a five, because she always plays well. And I know you picked her by the way before she revealed that she had a wrist injury. And, and yes, right, put that on the record.

This goes your bail in these guys out. Come on. I know. I'm trying to suck up to everybody here. You know, but, you know, so Lexi's hardly played at all. But the others who've kind of managed their schedules, who are the elite players are up there.

I mean, Lily of Boo, I would say the combination of her power and her putting, they are elite level. Think about Lily, and this is something that I think is interesting. There is something about playing with the lead, and it's men or women, and it's hard to quantify. I don't know that it's possible to, it is different. Lily, it was six back going in to the final round in Thailand and it was the the young Thai Nhat Dha Crete Wang Tau Wi Lap who had the lead. You've been killing that one. I've been watching you were killing that one last week.

Thank you. I'll be here all week. Now, let me see this. She's no Arpecia Ubon, but not the Crito Wang Te Wheelat is, you know, had the lead by four going into the final. And all I would say, Lillia played so awesome on that Sunday. When that birdie stretched, I think she birdied like eight through 13, five or six in a row to go from a couple back to in the lead.

She got a couple of balls that bounced exactly right, then she made her own look. Don't get me wrong. She played unbelievably well. She absolutely deserved to win. Again, what's it like when you have the lead in a major championship? It'll be the first time, you know, for her that she'll be in that position. Megan Kang has been up around, you know, the first page of the leaderboard a lot. Nellie's

lived up there for a long time. And then how will Patty handle it? There was a big moment with Patty that gets lost in the weeds, I think, but she, because of her status having won those, having won the Major two years ago, she still gets into those no-cut events, you know, the Asia events, the 70 players, no-cut, and she got into tournament of champions. She didn't play really well in any of those three events. She would have a good round or two, but then a big round in the middle. But because there's no cut event, she gets those, those reps, she gets the four rounds. And she's been in the middle of this swing change with Chris Mason switching from grant

weight. And then she goes to Phoenix. She has a low route, I think, but 67 in round one. And then the wheels began to come off in round two. And she really had to grind just to make the cut. It was a low cut that week. It was three under I think that made the cut. And there was something about finding a way

to grind to make a cut, like forget about winning. But then she came back, had a good decent finish. And I think those extra rounds, when you're trying to work through a swing change, as she has been, it's one thing to do it on the range, the famous story of Tiger calling butch on the range from my worth. I got it. You know, and he hits this eight hours and that's it. This is what we've been working on. But it's another thing to take it to the course. And for Patty to get the reps in at the tournament of champions and

Thailand at Singapore, knowing she was going to get four rounds no matter what. And then, to grind out the cut in Phoenix, then she goes to Palo's Verties, not far from where she went to school. She played awesome and played near the top of the lead. And now here she is at this event that means so much to her. It's going to be fascinating to watch her back in contention on a weekend handled it really well at palace

verdies. Um, Nellie to me is absolutely the player, you know, with the bulls eye on her chest. I think at this point though, it would Nellie be then you're picked to win. Yeah, I mean, I think we're going to have to put you on the spot. Exactly. Well, let me say I pay you in chin finishes here. She's got four holes to play. You know, pay in is a player who last week, by the way, you know, 32 years old. She was a childhood friend, played along. Yani send the great player from from Taiwan, like, like a pay you is and pay you and had a bunker shot on 18 at Lotte Saturday. Had she hold it, she had gotten into the playoff

and missed it by a foot or two. And it was a hard bunker shot. She's a player who tends, you know, she's not elite by any means, but she's found herself near leads. She played in the final group in Northern Ireland last summer and didn't play badly at all,

but Maya Stark just boat- raced everybody and won. So yeah, that's a super long way, a TV announcer way of saying, Nelly. Can you help me place Lili Avu? I know these guys have talked about her a lot, but when somebody, for age 25, first time when I went on the LPGA tour, rising stock, but that's late, that's a late bloomer on the LPGA tour, right? I mean, age wise for a talent that is on this much of a meteoric rise and kind of somewhat sneaking up on people, sneaking up on me, I would say. Can you kind of give me kind of help place the Liliavu context, maybe?

Yeah, yeah, she would have been blooming right on time. Had she done last year what she did her rookie year in 2019, she'd have been, you know, 21 back then. You know, it's a great story. She grew up in LA, her parents and grandparents are Vietnamese, her grandfather built a boat to escape Vietnam in those turbulent times in the 70s.

I mean, a little like castaway, you know, you build a boat, you float away and they go to the U.S. She was born in LA, raised in LA, went to UCLA. She was the number one ranked amateur in the world. In fact, Leonna McGlyer, who was number one in the world for 135 weeks, which was number one until Rose Zang this week, got her at number 136. Leona had been number one for 83 consecutive weeks and Lillia took it away from her.

That's how good Lillia was as an amateur superstar at UCLA. It comes out on tour, turns pro, and on the LP tour in 2019, she came out, you know, and thought, I'm not saying she necessarily thought she was going to take the tour over, but I do believe she thought, you know, I mean, I'm just going to do what I've been doing. That's when, and I think she made one cut. And as we know, on the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour, not every card is the same. You have certain status. And if you don't do well early, you get buried on the priority list.

You made one cut out of nine. At the end of that year, she was ready to quit her mom, you know, when your grandfather builds a boat to escape Vietnam, your mother isn't gonna be too, feeling too sorry for you when you miss some cuts on the LPGA tour. Yeah. And anyway, and so, so Lillia, you know,

she read a couple of self-help books. She didn't go the the you know the guru route. She just read a couple of books and just basically said I'm I'm gonna do my best to not let my score define who I am as a human being. Goes back to the Epson tour kicks butt. COVID by the way got you know in the middle of all that. So she she got a knocked out of the LPGA tour during COVID, so she couldn't get back. Epson in 2021, she led the money list. I think she won three times. Last year, I mean, you all saw, I mean, she was in contention. A ton played near the top of the leaderboard. A ton could have easily won once or twice. And then for her to come back and get that win,

you don't know how someone's going to respond, men or women, to a win. And sometimes, you know, it's a little scruffy. And those first few weeks after, instead, she's just continued to stack good finishes on top of one another. She's the real deal. She fits the profile. She'd be a sixth straight first time major winner at this event. And you know, I think she absolutely would fit the profile. Let me ask you this Grant. I've heard people mention Lillia not in a cocky way, but very out, not outspoken. How should I phrase this? She's very open about, I want to win every self confident. Yeah. And does that stand out on the LPGA tour? I feel

like we don't get as many stories like that from the women's side of the game as we do sometimes from the men's side. That's a good question. So often you'll hear players say, I just want to be happy out there. I don't think you hear that on the men's tour as often. But I do think women and men have experienced life differently through the years. I don't want to get too deep into a field. I'm not an expert in, but having a daughter and watching her grow up in the social media age, mental health is incredibly important. And so I think maybe you'll hear more women say, I just want to be happy.

Lillia says that herself. I also think there's a little bit of a double standard when it comes to women and men. Stacey Lewis, for example, has one of the best game faces, I think, in all of golf. But what happens when you see Stacey on TV? Sometimes the response is, man, what a bitch. Why isn't she smiling more? It's like, if she were tiger, they're like, whoa. She is so locked in right now.

Wow, this is awesome. Right, yeah. And I do think that some women are taught either explicitly or they think that they're supposed to smile more. And then you have some personalities which are more geared that Lydia, that's just kind of who she is. She's going to smile her way around a 66 and just, you know, stomp on your throat, you know,

smiling the whole way. But I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, is super here's Megan who hasn't won yet on the LPGA tour and she's like I want to be number one in the world. They are there. There are players and maybe they're maybe they're just a little more reticent to say it in such definitive terms. What switching gears a little bit you touched on you you like the venue. I think how much do you think the venue has played into creating this leaderboard or is this just cream rising to the top? Is this kind of a happy coincidence for us all? What are your thoughts on Carlton Woods as a major venue. I mean, we're not even two four rounds into it, but it's, uh, you know, to quote Dennis Green. I mean, it is what we thought it was or what I thought it was, you know, I mean, I, I, I really believed, you know, they can make it as long as, as they want to.

They ran me on, I'm sure you were thrilled when they shortened the course a little bit today. Um, you know, but, but it, it's a, it's a big piece of property, yet the greens aren't as big as, you know, as you might think for such a huge golf course. And so therefore, what does that mean? Okay, you've got great ball strikers, big hitters. If you've got wider than average fairways, that's going to help a big hitter who typically isn't as long. But then those ball strikers have to then go hit greens.

Aileen Kim hits a million greens. We know Nelly does. Brooke Henderson obviously. Lily Yavu, great ball striker. So it's not just can you hit it far, but then can you hit it? You know, some of these pins have been tucked the first couple of days. I think the setup has been really good. To me, having eight under at the halfway point leading a major championship, that sounds about right. And you know what, if this goes the way most majors do, you never say, well, it's eight, so it's going to be 16. Do you? It's certainly not in a major.

You know, it's eight, and it could well be eight. You know, come Sunday night. It could be six or seven. I think the weather's going to be good. And I don't think they'll play preferred lives starting tomorrow, barring anymore rain. And I just think it's, I think the course, if it dries out,

then the fairways get a little bit narrower, just because the ball won't stop as quickly. And it'll put even more emphasis on the great ball strikers. And so, Lily Ibu, you add everything up, ball striking and putting. Now they call it a ball striking and putting. Brok Henderson, or putting, you know, it last year got great toward the second half.

They started out great, then she went through a rough patch and then had some great putting performances. You know, I think the Greens will speed up as the week goes on and they can get them really fast. So yeah, I think, I don't think it's a coincidence. And, you know, you're always,'re always, in 2003 at the Masters, I remember it was the first year, they had really supersized the course to try to tiger proof it.

And just like everyone predicted, Mike Weir and Lin Batisse went into a playoff. Two guys who combined couldn't hit it past Tiger, and it rained even that week. And it made it even longer. You're always going to have that with great players, with elite players, the best players in the world. I look at a player like Cheyenne Knight who is a great story. She's not a long hitter but she

hits it straight and she's been doing some good work. She grew up in the Woodlands, a great story. A really emotional story. Her brother who graduated from the Woodlands High School died in a car wreck in 2008. And his football jersey number was 33. And then when she wins in Dallas in 2019, she shoots 33-33 on that Sunday to win. And for her to be in the Woodlands, I think she's got 25 people there, you know, cheering her on. And that could be an incredible story to watch for the weekend. There are always some shorter hitters in G. John. Remember it congressional last year. She's not long at all.

She's actually a little teeny bit, you know, below average in terms of distance, but had one of the great, you know, rounds in major history on that opening round. And you're always can have a short hit or two, but, uh, Caitlin Kim bombs at Lilyavoo, uh, Nelly Corda patty to have a tannicate. Kang doesn't bomb it, but she's just, you know, she's straight and she's accurate. Well, I hope, I hope, uh, I hope you learned something from us here tonight, Grant. Um, yeah, I appreciate you coming on. Did I talk a lot?

Is it? We're letting you know, can you tell, can you tell, can you tell I haven't been on the air the time at all? This, in fact, this is the only time during the tournament that I'm going to be on the broadcast, on a broadcast anywhere. So I thank you for that. Well, we thank you for the knowledge, truly.

I learned more in that 20 minutes than I have in a long time. So we're going to definitely hold you to your very firm, Nelly picked him out there. Way, way out there. But I do think it's easy to overthink things. You know, Nelly has all, like you said about it, land athletic club, Sally, was that you, said that, I don't know, but it was,

it was, don't overthink it. She may not win, but she was the absolute right choice. And let me just close by saying this, what you guys do to shine a spotlight on the LPGA tour for those of us who live it, you know, you all follow me on on social media. You know this is not just a job for me. It's a real passion and I want to see the women get treated the way that they should be and you guys are doing that.

So cheers to you guys. Be careful, which one you're on. I was gonna say, be careful with your work. That was good to say. Be careful, which one? Because that means we're going to start making fun of them a lot more like we do the men. So. Hey, all seriousness, that's something they're not. I don't think many of them were prepared for and my former colleague, the great Randall Mel, got into this with some players a few years ago when he wrote a column that was

somewhat critical. And he wasn't personally being critical. He did and some players took issue and he said, look, the best way I can respect you is to treat you the way I treat them in. Uh, and, and, and that's, and, and I think you do that because I know how you guys feel about this tour. Uh, and, and any criticism is only out of, out of, uh, real interest and passion. And that includes the announcers that you can be a critical of as well.

We got to get Grant out of here so we can talk about Morgan's blouse. With that. With that for all of us. Thank you, Grant. Enjoy the enjoyment tournament this weekend. Thank you very much. Yes, see you guys. What a shot. Oh man, I love it. I love it. God, some of those tie names that he was rattling off.

Who? He was killing down the broadcast last week. I rewounded at one point. I'm like, whoa, him, he would that one again? No chance. Code man, do we have another guest or? We do. You want to set her off?

We do. Yeah. This is a young hitter. LaCarbi Abe. Um, maybe through no fault of her own, maybe, maybe the least, um, just the young hitter that folks might know the least of, at least on the women's side, right? Uh, certainly Madeline, Sackstrom and, and Lauren Cogland are, are other two. LaCarbi competes on the Epson tour.

She is. Hey, LaCarbe competes on the Epson tour. She is. Oh, no. Hey, LaCarbe, welcome to the show. Thanks for having me. Yeah, no, I was just going through a little introduction. I was saying you're one of our young hitters. I was getting ready to tell people you and you cracked me where I'm wrong.

But I know family and home when you're not on the road playing golf is at the woodland. So not only are you, I think, pretty familiar with the venue this week, you've been out watching the tournament the first couple of days, is that right? Yeah, actually, I went out this afternoon, I got kind of lucky because they had a delay.

So I got to catch a lot more golf than I thought. So it was pretty cool. What are some of your initial impressions? How do you feel the course is standing up? How do you like it as a major tournament venue? What are some thoughts on Carlton Woods? Yeah, I mean, it's obviously one of the nicer courses in the area. If not, be nice. It's just one of the nicer courses in the area, if not be nice, is just when it comes to membership,

like the course itself and the amount of money and resources it has. So that's pretty cool. I think it's cool that the girls get to come play in a place that already has like almost a built-in fan base because the willens is its own little community. So you know you talk about trying to get eyes on and people watching like just from being on it like for a little bit

it seemed like people I brought out their kids there are a lot of daughters out today. So I mean that's always great for growing off and then the course I think is holding up pretty well. I mean I have what's like seven or eight under is leading which for a major three to two rounds I think is holding up pretty well. I mean, I have what's like seven or eight under his leading, which for a major three to two rounds, I think is a pretty good showing for their first for their first go around the course. I mean, the girls generally know what to expect. And I don't know if the course did so much either. So everything I've heard, we have two players staying with us this week, actually, and they've said like, it's long, it's kind of tough, but it's's fair so I think everyone's enjoying it. Who's staying with you out of by chance? Charlotte Thomas, she's from England and then

Davey Weber from the Netherlands. Oh nice. All right. Doxan people out here big granny come on. Is that a tip of what? I didn't know if that was a I if I could ask I don't know. I was genuinely. There's no way. Look, Harvey, that's you know, that's the same exact light that Randy has when he does always take pocket. It's when the back. Yeah. Yeah. Oh my gosh. I descended to look, Harvey, what are what are what are some of the better holes out there? I think, uh, it's all in I we're, we're talking before we got started. And some of it's just due to obviously this is the first time any of us have seen the course. And we're just watching it on TV. It's hard to really get a sense of the holes.

I don't think any are sticking in my mind right now. But as, as you are familiar and you've walked the course, what are some of your favorite holes and where are some that might play a big role, certainly on Sunday. Um, you know, I think starting off one and two are definitely like if they're a little longer. Um, the book, I think to the greens, little tough tough one the green is a little elevated So I think all you know you always want to get off to a good start so Having to longer holes to start the day and then three is a part of three over water But I think they can get back to 200 so you've got three big ones right there and then I think it is

And I think it is. It's hard when they're on both sides, like, right? Cause they've been looking at the front and back, like when it gets to the weekend, when everything flows easily, it's like, oh, this is the solid. Yeah, and it keeps me to tell. And then, you know, coming in, I think there's like a threat.

Yeah. 13 to 15, I want to say, it just has like funky-ish holes. That's exactly what I was getting ready to say because I feel like we have seen a lot of bogies and from some like really good players that are playing well that like 13, 14, 15, even 16 stretch seems like it could certainly play a factor. Yeah, I think, I mean, it's one of those courses definitely, I mean, it sounds cliche, but t-shirts definitely matter. I mean, I feel like when you look at it, it seems like you have space, but you want to have good angles into greens, easier shots into greens. It's brimuda,

so the brimudauff is like a little higher and with the rain it kind of makes him more tricky. And then a lot of like just elevated greens. So I think just kind of those tricky holes, it makes it a little tougher because you're just trying to, yeah. We're like, we're angles into greens, we're angles into fairways.

For sure. What's it like for you, look, are you going out to a tournament like this? When I go to a tournament, I'm like within 30 minutes, I want to go play golf immediately. I'm like, oh, I got to figure it out now. I just watch them do it. I want to go play golf immediately. What's it be like for you to be at your level, the Epson tour, see major championship golf? Do you go out there and say, like, all right, here's what they're doing that I'm not doing. And if I improve this, I will be out here next year. What's that like for you? Kind of to be a golf fan and watching golf. Do you go out there and say like, all right, here's what they're doing that I'm not doing. And if I improve this, I will be out here next year. What's that like for

you? Kind of to be a golf fan and watching golf on a day like today. Yeah, I mean, it's definitely weird. It's like this weird conundrum of I have a lot of friends out there. So like, you know, it's nice to kind of go cheer them on and catch up some of them. I haven't seen in a while. But then there is just like a sense of there's a lot to learn from. I think it's interesting, especially when you get into professional golf, you always feel like the gap is so big and what feels like. A big gap is just like really small improvements here and there. So just kind of seeing the way the girls get around the golf course, the shots they hit

around the greens. And then it's been really cool just having two girls stay with me because it's you get to see kind of like how they prepare and what they do kind of off the course to make sure they're ready to play. So it's been a cool learning experience for me, definitely. Who are you out there following today? I watched a little bit of Stacey Lewis, and then I watched, let me think about if I could get this right,

a little bit of the Leia, a little bit of Davian Charlotte, and then my ultimate Emmet Alley. Okay. Do you have a prediction? We just put our our previous guest Grant Boone. We made him pick a winner. Do you have a a prediction for who's going to prevail? I don't know. I mean goodness. I know that it's the one hell of a

leaderboard. But come on. I think maybe willia would be really fun. I think it'd be really cool to see and she's had like a really good year so far and a really good year last year and she's come close a lot of time. So I wouldn't put it past her. Yeah, I'm ready for that storyline. I'm ready for Grant can grant convinced me on Lillia. I'm ready to I'm ready to go for that Will you be out all week? Will you be out? Sorry. I was just gonna say will you be out all weekend then? No, I don't I have to we leave for a tournament this weekend. So unfortunately unfortunately I will not get out to go watch

But I think it's supposed to be really nice and I think they're done with the bad weather so It should turn out to be a good weekend. Yeah. Yeah. I'm hoping they can firm the course up as much as possible Make it make it a stern test of golf this weekend Any any other thoughts any other tidbits you'd like to drop on us before we let you go. I'm sure it's about dinner time for you. So we can, I felt bad. I mean, I'm very, very new guys.

Like almost kind of clock. No, I think it's, I think it'll be cool. I hope that the tour and sponsors and everyone has enjoyed being in Houston. I hope that it kind of fills the gap of having fans and like having a, I don't want to say better venue, but a more engaged venue. I think women's golf deserves it. So I hope it ends up being a good week and a good partnership from here forward.

Wonderful. And we're gonna hold you to the Lilia Voo pick. Is that you wanna lock that in as your official selection? Yeah, I will. I think it's a pretty good pick these days. I do too. I think so too.

I do too. Well, Karby, let me ask you one final question. When's the next event for you? When are you team it back up on the other tour? Well, next week, so with Pernant runs from first it a Saturday, I think. We're playing the hurricane Utah. So it's down by Zion, actually, which is pretty cool.

Yeah, yeah, very cool. Looks like Mars down there. Yeah, it kind of does. Well, I've never been to Mars, but that's what I imagine it being. Just Red Clay, Red Rocks. Yeah. Skies, I guess. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, perfect. We appreciate you dropping in. We were like, God, when we heard you were going to be out on the course and obviously being your hometown, we were like, man, we need her to pop in. So thank you very much for dropping in. Yeah, it's been awesome. Thanks for having me. Thanks, Lacka to see you.

Nice seeing you all. You're having a nice good night. Good night. Thanks, you too. And night, guys, I want to talk about Carlton Woods. Not Carlton's 40 speed, not know, not his hands, you know, not whether or not he can beat Dan's Auntay Bay off the, on a flyout. Where's Carlton being mocked to go next weekend in the draft? I think he's getting, you know, the actual

round. And I don't think he's a first rounder. Yeah, I don't want to stop this and it felt bit. This Carlton, you know, the Carlton, the Carlton, the Carlton that everybody knows he's actually up in Dallas this week playing at the senior to our flat ski, which is so weird. Like you would think that flask would have been, you know, can see the little bit man. Like, you know, you got to go down to Houston. They need you for names. They need a Carlton typecast him. Come on. His name's Alfonso Ribeiro. Come on. He's my good friend since the Pebble Beach program. What position does Carl to play? He's a slot receiver. Yeah. I think that's a good friend since the Pebble Beach program. What position does Carl to play?

He's a slot receiver. Yeah, I think that's a good one. He's a slot receiver. All right, well, lay it on us. What are your thoughts after two days? Well, I've struggled with this event in the past. I've struggled with it when it was the A&A. You know, I know it had a lot of tradition at the diner, the diner's shore and I had

the tradition in Mission Hills. It's not really a captivating thing about that golf course, but always just kind of struggled to place this as a major championship. I think the women's game has three very clear majors that all have identities. The US women's open, the AIG women's open, the AK, the women's British and the KPMG women's PGA championship are like bona fide, big venues, really big time golf tournaments. And I feel like adding the avion has also just like lumped this tournament down into that.

I'm if I'm watching this golf course, nothing seems unique or different about it from any other LPGA stop. And which is it seemed like a totally fine venue, but this event with a sponsor like Chevron that has her name on everything and is pushing everything, it looks like a designated event on the LPGA tour way more than it does a major championship. And I'm really, really struggling with it. I wanted to get hyped. I am hyped to like crown a major championship, a major championship winner this week, but

I don't, I know it takes a long time to build traditions. And this is year one. And like, it's only been two days. And by Sunday, I may feel slightly different, but just doesn't quite feel like it. I don't know what it is, but I don't think it's this. And I was holding out hope that this golf course would be kind of a thrilling ride to get there. There's a good chance we have a really fun, exciting finish on Sunday, but I think the major championship venues have responsibility to make Thursday to Saturday come to life and I'm not feeling it so far.

I don't know what you guys think. Cody, do you want to go first? I have some thoughts. No, I, I mean, I agree with you. So all of course, I think I said this as soon as we started it on Thursday and our Slack internal chats that are never going to be exposed to anybody no matter what lawsuit is presented.

This just isn't it. But maybe that is selling it a little short. Maybe they do need a couple of years. We know that the Chevron's putting money behind it. There's going to do put money into the course. Over time that, you know, all these, that the history and what you feel of it will come around to it.

But I don't know if I really like the whole like, just for namesake purposes, just because now it's a chevron, like everything in the past is just considered like the chevron championship. You can't really like just change history. I do appreciate a corporation of their magnitude, like stepping up and putting money to support women's professional athletics.

And I think that's really, really cool sports watching. I just don't know, I just don't know if this is the venue for it. But who knows? You don't really know what's going to happen. All right. Let me ask some questions. It's all right. I truly am going to take your role on these shows.

I love it. How I think it's impossible to have this discussion without bringing in the telecast and the part that that plays in helping events feel more important, more elevated. Because I hear what you're saying. At first blush, is there much about this course that I'm going to remember two weeks from now? Probably not, right? I've watched a lot of the first two days and I can't really tell you much about certain holes or, you know, if you're to say, gun to my head, like, what's the twelfth hole? I don't know.

I think some of that's incumbent, though though on the telecast to teach us, to educate us, to show with graphics, which I just don't think we get a lot of, unfortunately. I also do, and you said it, and I think you guys both recognize that this is a two day judgment. It takes a lot of time with all the time. Exactly.

So I do want to exercise a little patience, because I think the real feather in the cap is, if this course is what's giving us this leaderboard, then I think I'm great with it. It doesn't have to necessarily be the sexiest course. If it's going to test the players in a way that really brings the top of the women's game to the forefront of the leaderboard. I'll say this.

I think we can all agree that if the men's game is this size, the women's game is this size in terms of public interest, right? So there's a way, a way in to change that would be to draft off of familiar venues that we've seen from the men's tour, right? And that's what KBG Women's PGA is doing. That's what US Women's Open is doing. That's what AIG Women's Open is doing.

Like that is a clear initiative for them. That's one way in. The second one being what venues has the men's game outgrown that couldn't host a men's major that could host a women's major. That would be the second way to activate something within golf fans, right? And again, like for people that are fans of the LPGA, this is like a step up. Like this is, you know, a little bit of a step up, but it's a step up. And like that, that fan is going to be there.

But if the women's game wants to grow, I don't see this changing much of anything, right? I just don't. And it's a sponsor event. Like it's more of that than it is a major championship. There's nothing wrong with that. It's a big purse. It's nice for the women, but man,

I just, it really does diminish the whole major championship landscape in women's golf. I'm really struggling with it right now. I think everything you said is fair. I will say having gone out to Mission Hills last year for the final, well, they were calling it the chevron last year, but everybody knows the history. I was so underwhelmed by the atmosphere at Mission Hills that I honestly think to my eye, this looks way more build up. This looks way more like a major than that did last year, which is a low bar. And I still hear what you're saying. I think the

dyna is being romanticized in a way, which listen, I'm sure it was a freaking hoot back in the 70s and 80s. And I really wish I could have gone out there. I mean, they dubbed it Lesbian Lala, Paloza. That sounds so much fun. Would love to wander around that. And that's what I was hoping to see last year.

And it just wasn't. They had 36 holes at Mission Hills. And literally's what I was hoping to see last year. And it just wasn't. They had 36 holes at mission hills. And literally, members were pulling carts and their bags out of like the main clubhouse area where you have like a major going on. And these members are just rolling up and having their bags put on golf carts and going to play the other course. And I'm like, that ain't it. Like I know that's not it. Where I think we can first sure agree is I wish Chevron being an international company. I almost wish they would take this major all over and internationally. I think that's where the women's game had a real chance to separate from the men's game is like, hey, let's go put a major in Asia

where the game is so freaking popular. Let's go take one to Australia. I think that could do so much for growing the game and taking it to interesting places. Can you imagine a Korean crowd at a OPGA major and the shock, I think of watching that on TV back here in the States. It'd be amazing, but it just goes back to like what's it?

What's a major? And that's a, that I don't like pulling on that thread. I really don't. I like having like, hey, the major is the biggest tournaments. And you don't have to think about it. Like you would take any of the four majors over any other golf tournament out there. And I just, I, I, I, when you pull in that thread, it just, it's the whole thing starts to crumble a little bit.

The Cody jump in here. I mean, the Evion is the flying the ointment, in my opinion. We, we know why it was made a major, the, the women's game was kind of dying in the vine over a decade ago. And the, the organizer of the Evion came to Mike Juan at the time and said, hey, I will put a ton of money behind this, but in exchange, this is going to be a major championship. And he took the deal. And I think he needed to take the deal at the time. But I think hopefully they can reassess because five majors isn't, it just is not good because everybody is so conditioned from I think the men's game, you know, there are four majors and that's the way it should be. Now, if you did get rid of the avion, I would say this because

the other three majors are rotating each year, is it important to have a major that's kind of at the same course year after year? It's got to be bad ass course, though. That's what makes it work, really. I mean, I don't even want to make the Augusta comparison, but you know, the American Express on the PGA tours at the same course every year, and does that course like make it work? No, like it doesn't. So that's, there are some sick places in around Houston. I understand why she ever wants to do it. It's next to their global headquarters. Like, I'm sure it's great for them, not only like marketing

wise, but all different initiatives, everything that you're describing a sponsor tournament, right? Not a major. That's, that's, that's what, that's interesting. So like, because I, hearing you like put it in those terms, that had not clicked for me until you've just have explained that. And yes, I very much agree with you. Honestly, I thought the chevron was going here because like somehow the corporation owned Carlton Woods. Yeah. Well, then let's, because I think I really think this ties into the telecast. And we don't have to belabor it. But to your point, saw, like, I was watching the early, they're playing under the lights. I was watching earlier earlier today and, you know, the chevrons going and then I'm typing some emails while I'm working and watching.

And like I hadn't really noticed, it came up against the end of coverage and they just kind of rolled into Zurich. And the mood is just exactly the same. And I'm like, that's a big freaking problem because the Zurich is about as low on the totem pole on the PGA tour as you can get. And if I don't feel a noticeable like shift in coverage and mood and like that's that's a huge problem. And I know all the reasons why golf channel, you know, it's a resource issue, it's contracts, it's this, it's that. But I think how they televised this major specifically,

it just doesn't do it any justice either. Where are my streaming options? I want to go watch feature groups where I just stay with a group for all 18 holes. This weekend, we only get like four hours of Saturday and Sunday at a major like that's that that would never fly anywhere else and that's just what's disappointing to me. Yeah and that's where it's like I I want to support the women's game. I want to I want to see it succeed. Yeah, I don't want to be disingenuous about it too and I just I just struggle to get like super amped about it. I really, I really do. But I won't have that problem with US women's open of pebble.

I won't have that problem at Walton Heath. I know I won't have it at Baltic sprawl. I just think it, I don't know. Again, we might be, it's hard to be a part of a transition period, right? And you can't race to the finish line of all that history that has built up those championships, but it's just not doing it for me so far

Yeah, don't mean we're not gonna see an interesting finish and get excited about a winner on Sunday night Very true. I know Like I wonder what they want this tournament to be Like what what do you think the comp of this is because you can't say like forever. They're like Oh, this is like the women's Masters like you can't that's so far away from that. But it, but I wonder like what, what, what an envision it be. I, I would say a diet, I mean, grandiose, it would be a diet masters. I mean, they have a champion's dinner.

Um, I, poppies, pond thing. Come on. That, that that was that was the first red flag for me of the staging the jump in the in an actual real pond and putting up a gator net. Oh, no, thank you. Yeah. No, thank you. I'm not it. Yeah. That had to be that any worried right there. I get like, Cody, again, I go back to like saying the answer like, what do they want to be? It's a sponsor tournament. Like they want they want Chevron to, you know, once they walk away, you know, with some marketing power behind it. And that's kind of what it comes down to.

I mean, again, I'm not ragging on them. Like I appreciate them, the money that they're putting up and the way they're treating the players and the, you know, the how elevated it probably feels for the players. But again, that's an elevated event. Like it, it, it just feels like a bigger LPGA tour event. Yeah, I think you're right. God, now I can't like, I can't unthink that. Well, I get like, amped up for major season to start on the LPGA. And that was the same way with the dyno. Like, I just get there and I'm like, ah, man, it just feels kind of the same.

It really does. So yeah. Well, I think that is we are hoping to talk to a commissioner, Molly Marcusa-Mann at some point this year. I mean, I think that's a fascinating topic to broach with her because ultimately, she's the one that's gonna have to you know Answer that and help guide

Tournament like the chevron to either you know carve out a real identity and become a place in women's golf culture or not and Do you think it's weird that the the tour runs to major championships? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. I think that's maybe where there's there's not enough separation, even if it was like think of like if the founders cup like I would kind of make sense to me if they're like hey, we're selecting these courses based off the history and tradition or whatever else like that. And they bring the people together and just maybe the separation

from the tour itself might help with it. The founders cup, like, let's get rid of Evion. Let's, like, the founders cup should be, that's your tie-in, right, to a fourth major, I think. But I also say that like there's multiple events on the KLPGA tour that like we could automatically, we could grant tomorrow a major. And we could find any of the six large families in Korea that would absolutely go gangbusters and be like, oh yeah, what money is it? Perfect. Yes.

You're telling me that we have one of the, whatever number, largest women's professional golf events in our home soil now, and it would just be real. I guess kind of the same thing that you're seeing this week with live. Yeah, I'm very wrap this up. Live Adelaide about to start up guys. Come on. Get over to CW. Give her the crosswalk. Well, I think that's why it was a little,

I won't say disappointing, because I don't even know if it was considered or not, but with the tour, I mean, they obviously, they treat Asia, it's a very important part of the LPGA tour. It's not like they're adoring Asia. So I would have loved, I guess, to have a little foresight. And like, yeah, let's, let's put, let's really try to put one of our majors in that part of the world. I think we still, you know, unless it's a national

open, I think you're still kind of having the same conversation here again of what's a major, right? If you just flip over the, the Thailand event into a major, I don't think that really does the trick, but I don't know. Yeah, well, you got to fly at some point in time, like what they have going on right now, we clearly know it's not it. So we got to, we got to figure out a runway somewhere. Hoppers are vibed. I felt that way at other women's majors on Thursday,

Friday that I've been to in person like, wow, small crowds. It shapes up on the weekends. It does. And there'll be more vibe into the weekend. I have a feeling. Yeah, hopefully as long, especially with this leaderboard. I mean, if there is not much juices weekend with that leaderboard, then we got a real serious problem on our hands. All right. Well, it's still a great tournament. And I still want to ask you guys some stuff. So we got we got some time here left. Let's I think they just blew the horn.

Nothing to report for the folks listening to this via podcast. Alim Kim is still your solo leader at eight under. Megan Kang is in the house at seven under. Lily of voo is in the house at seven under Lily of Vue is in the house at seven under Patty Tavitana kit is in the house at six under as is Nelly Corda Allison Corpus shot a 67 today is in the house at five under Brooke Henderson will finish I believe will finish her last toll tomorrow morning she's at five under as is Angel Yen and Pian Chin, who was the first round

leader. A lot of good names also, you know, 400, 300. Let me ask you guys this. One of my favorite games to play Friday of majors. How far back is too far back? Because you got to consider the names at the top too. Hmm. I think there is no one at two under or worse that is going to win this tournament. Yeah. There's no one that scares me there. Okay. Who are you eliminating?

Nasa Hataoka, major home game for her. That's the only one that hurts. That's not so hurts, but I think Ahtia is sitting at minus three at T17. I do not think she's out of it. If she had some more puts fall today, she'd have been right in. I love watching her golf swing.

I think her golf swing is the swing feel I've tried to go right now with, which is just really extending the arms as far away as possible. And you got a lead and rotate the hips and you're pulling the club through watching that golf swing is going to help a lot of people swing the golf club. She's so freaking talented. I don't. I don't disagree.

You're knocking out Jin Young co. Who's at one under? Feel like you guys were quick, a little quick to crown her on her return. She won the same tournament that she won last year. And that's, I need to, I mean, genuine co is like a four to five times a year winner when she's on her peak. I don't think it's all the way there yet.

Let me, let me say this, Sally. I think I would eliminate anybody at, this is really stupid, but four under or worse. Whoa. Yeah, that's done. You're right. Yeah. I think between. So much golf left. I know. But between Brooke and Nelly and Patty and Lillia, I, I mean, the four under my girl, Hugh Jo Kim, Major winner, she's at four under. I guess a tie is the only one at three under who could go out and shoot like 66 tomorrow.

But I don't have a ton of faith and many other people kind of in that three under group that's just gonna go low and be able to catch, all of those leaders. Yeah, I think I have a feeling it's not going to be as much of a birdie fest going forward as well. So that's, that's where, those are the events where people can come from behind from T25 and win on a weekend, especially they have some holes left to play in, in round two.

So if it, if it, if it leads gets to 14 or 15, I'm with you, but I think if it's 11 or 12, that some ends up winning this tournament, that brings a lot of people into it. I feel what if it leads gets to 14 or 15, I'm with you, but I think if it's 11 or 12 that some ends up winning this tournament, that brings a lot of people into it. Yeah, I'm going to go with two as well. Big, you're crazy on the number that you just threw out there. I mean, that's just who do you like your bad guy? Well, come on, get it on record. Well, I mean, I'll say this right now, like,

Ateas has played lock luster golf the first round. That and gets in it at 300. She bogeyed two par fives today. That is that's bad. I mean, she's been out on a awesome day yesterday, fell back today. I mean, Marina has a possibility yesterday, fell back today. She like, I just think that that the number of you set out there, there's just so many people that that you still have 36 holes of golf left. So much golf. I should mention Albane, Valenzuela is four under and has, yeah, she's, she's only through her 13th hole. So she's going to start tomorrow.

And she's on the front nine, which she's not really going through that tricky stretch of 13 through 16. So she could jump up into the fray. I don't know if you guys saw because Grant was talking for a long time, but Megan King, which is playing, so she's, she's playing her six hole. Like she hit a, you know, of or excuse me, her eight or seven eighths. Eight or 17th. Yeah, she hit her second shot into like a wet bunker. Got relief and hit that this gnarly little wedge shot up there. And clearly was just rushing trying to get to the ninth tee to tee off because she was afraid

of the horn blown. And like completely just pulled it typical Cody putting stroke like, oh, we would have raked if we could have. Yeah, this isn't going to happen. Taps it in for par should be with a limb up there at eight under. But man, she's playing so, so good. And she's like such a ball of energy, like every event that we've been to her personality is just like overwhelms whatever room or whatever she's at. She would be an awesome, awesome. I want to give a shout to Angie Chun for going 78, 66 to make the cut at even par. I just wanted to, she's not going to win the tournament, but I wanted to shout that out.

Let me throw a couple of names, that's impressive, by the way. She did the, kind of the inverse of that at congressional last year. Yes. You know, I mean, she can go low. I would not count her out to get involved, but I think she's too far back to win. Contender pretend her real quick, as we go down the leaderboard in honor of TC, wherever

he may be. What about Angel Yen? She's five under has four holes to play still in her second round tomorrow morning. Surprise to see it. Not alive. I've been, I've been a buyer of Angel Yen. I'm holding a lot of Angel Yen stock kind of like Bitcoin. I bought all the way down to the bottom. It's hard, you know, just like the little spikes you see in the Bitcoin runs. I don't know

if the long term growth is going to be there. And you got to watch what you say to big listeners. She'll next time you see it, she's going to put her stuff in the desk. I'll just, I'll fly outside. I've been a huge supporter of hers. All I wanted to, all I'm saying is I don't know if we're going to see that all the way to the finish. I'm very pleasantly. I'll listen. I'm here to play the big Randy Roll. I'll say pretend.

I hope I'm wrong. I really do. It should be again, course profile should fit fantastically, but she has a tendency at times to to light herself on fire. And I hope I certainly hope that doesn't happen. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Celine Boutier shot a 67 today finds herself tied for 10th at the moment at four under. She's a dog. She's just freaking tough, man. Like she just does not go away. We're plus we're all in on team altas. So basically if you see Cam McCory, like we're good. Yeah, they got it. She's definitely a contender.

I think we probably didn't do quite enough on Brooke because it she is hitting the ball freaking awesome. And looks, she has a good chance to get up and down for birdie on 18 to get to minus six. I feel like she's she's she, she's, she's, she's coming. Oh, God, I wish I knew if they were going two sums or three sums, because if they're going three sums, it could be a Brooke Nelly patty penultimate group tomorrow. They are playing to go three sums tomorrow. I believe the broadcast said, if, if I could interest you in that, assuming nobody else makes a big jump tomorrow morning, don't try to do the guessing of the pairings big. It's never worked out well for anyone. No one has ever got that right. I know. It just seems like there are three players right now minus seven or

better. And then there'd be three players at minus six. So I don't know how they couldn't be paired together if that held somebody will mess it up. Pune Chen will get in at minus six and screw the whole thing. I'm telling you, it just never works out that way. Yeah. Interesting decision by Brooke too. She did not finish her 18th hole when her two Pilipi was her group put it out. It was so dope. She needed a ruling. Of course. But in the morning, my question is like, I understand why she did it and would do the same thing. But in the morning to her partners have to come

and like, sign her cart or just she just go out and finish by herself. That's a fascinating question. That's interesting. Because I just sent an official out there to verify. I would think maybe the partner signed through 17 and then an official kind of signs off on 18 breaking news from Adam Stanley's Brooks playing partners will not have to watch her finish rules official and score will be there literally tweeted one minute ago. Oh, I didn't know if Adam was in the comments here on the live show. All right, going down the leaderboard names alley Ewing is somebody at four under, has won before, has Soulheim experience, keeping eye out for her. Benjamin Huju Kim, prior major winner, 70-70, so steady, I think she's going to be involved.

Jess Corda is at two under, part of that group, Danielle Kang is at two under, Andrea Lee's at two under. The top amateur, Danielle Kang's at two under Andrea Lee's at two under the top amateur the Marie Avery Cody any comment on a Marie Avery being two under no love it phenomenal work does not honestly does not surprise me that she's a little amateur at all yeah she was going neck and neck there with a while for with Ila Galitsky, but Ila dropped off a little bit, but we'll still make the cut, which is great. At one under you have Lucy Lee, fan favorite, she's great shot of 69 today. My starts right there, Jin-Yong-Ko, we mentioned, Matilda Castorin has to be upset at herself. She bogeyed both par fives on her second nine today, shot of 38 coming in.

I mean, she should be three, four shots better. I think she's played some good golf. Arya, Jatana Garnes, there at one under, say on Kim's at one under, I just big names lurking, which I kinda dig. And now we're talking about some names that big names are not going to be around. Yeah. I run a series of big disappointments. Lydia. I can't believe you skipped over Georgia like that too big shame on you. Yeah. Lydia is out of gas. Yeah.

Lydia is four over on the day. She got two holes remaining. She's going to need a birdie in both as it stands right now. Projected cut is one over par. She's at plus three. That's not good. Unfortunately, Saki Baba does not look like she's going to be around for the weekend barring a hot finish tomorrow morning. You leave me know you guys talked about her kind of needing to make a little leap preview pod. She is out. We have so you and you still looks to be struggling with her game. Unfortunately, Stacy Lewis, the so-hymn cup captain is going home. Junulee six. It's been a tough scene for her for quite some time.

Anna Green, you cassaso, Lizette Salis, Maria Fossi, Madeline Sagsstrom, Jennifer Cup Show, Andy Park, Sung Young Park, Charlie Hall, just a lot of big names going home this weekend. So I think the upshot of that because those are, yeah, you got so many major winners in there. We're starting to get some really, really good depth in the women's game, which is exciting. I think that's, yeah,

that's the upshot of that. Yep. I totally agree with that. There's a lot of, uh, just a lot of freaking recognizable names now in the LPG tour. I'll add Minji Lee as a disappointment. She's going to make the cut. She's a plus one, but going 70, 75, she has not been playing particularly well this year. I am not officially worried yet, but she's going to have to kind of

turn it on and turn it on sooner than later to, you know, if she wants to carry over all her success from last year. And I will say Leonna McGuire snuck in at plus one, disappointing though. I think, you know, she's to the point where I think we're going to start to judge her on her major performances, which is a credit to her and the first one this year not off to the best start thus far. What is it major? That's true. Let's talk about that. That's true. Yeah, we're going to recognize this. Come on, it's the avion that I'll listen to. It depends on who wins. Right? Just like on the men's side. It depends who wins. Sure,

sure. Code man, what are we missing? Anybody saying anything in the comments? Anything we need to address? Well, I think we kind of touched on it, but when we're discussing the broadcast, I think it was more of the difference in how it feels based off of going from PGA to our event, to normal LPGA to our event, to Champions to our event, and everything that's across, basically the NBC portfolio, to a champion store event and everything that's across basically the NBC portfolio. And they didn't really do much to make this standout by any means. But really, like the coverage gap is tough. Talk, there should be some streaming options there for sure. I don't, I, I'm trying really hard.

I don't think I'm in on Morgan Pressle being the lead analyst. I don't know if that shocks any of you guys. Like I understand like depth of knowledge and like experience there, but like it just is not doing it for me. Let me jump in. I don't think it's her. It's sorry big, but I think it's just like a there's just like no, they go to her so much because there's not much, there's not

any cameras, there's not much production and she just like has to carry the show. And that's just, I don't, there's, there's no one that would fill that seat. I don't think and you'd be like that. This person is making it work in this broadcast for me. I think she's gotten a lot better to be honest. I think she kind of struggled when she came out the gate a little bit, but I think she's comfortable in the role and like, knows what's going on. I just, man, it just feels like, it just feels like women's golf

needs to do something different with coverage. Like it can't be, the men's side is not very interesting and a lot more people watch it. Like a diet version of that, that's not, like the men's side is not very well produced for the most part. A diet version of that has

almost no chance of succeeding. And I don't know what the answer is to that, but I just don't think like a knockoff version has any real upside to it. A million percent agree with that, Sully. I think when we talk about how could the LPGA try to differentiate and honestly like experiment, right? I'd like to see him try some stuff and fail and work towards maybe finding something that works. I think you're exactly right. It's like venues that the men's game can't go to anymore. That's an area where the women's game has a distinct advantage. I think experimenting with your broadcast, trying different things is such a ripe area for them to potentially strike on something that really works.

So yes, this diet, PGA, plan, PGA broadcast, is it doesn't do it. And I've never met Morgan. And I do think she's gotten better in that role and she doesn't offend me. She's not like off-putting to me. My critique of her is I just wish you would kind of give us some strong opinions more, right?

Like I think as her role, not that she has to be Johnny Miller, but you know, they threw it to her about an anecdote I wrote down today. They were talking about patty tea and some of her struggles and kind of tossed it to Morgan. I think to like color in, you know, what's going on? And she's like, yeah, well patty, you know, she's changed coaches and her minds in a better spot. And she's playing better golf. And here's her birdie putt. And I'm like, damn, I know there's more to that story.

I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I hope you might have some insight. Like, like tell us, I just, well, it's the same thing we're talking about earlier with like all LPGA coverage or people who like, who work around it or like us who want to talk about it, is that everybody feels the need that they have to like, use kid clubs for the LPGA tour. And that's like, that's not the way that it should be. If you want to have growth, like you need to treat these athletes, like athletes and say like, yeah, Patty T,

she went through a ton of swing changes, but she also had like, Jennifer broken heart, man, like, and it Patty T, she went through a ton of swing changes, but she was like, you had a fucking broken heart, man, like in its sucks and life sucks sometimes. And it's really hard when you're on the road for fucking weeks and weeks and weeks on end. But like, you got to be able to talk about it. Even Grant, I thought Grant, you know, him mentioning how these women grew up, a totally different social media experience than the men do. And what I can do to somebody's mindset, how they see themselves, their self-esteem,

like that is powerful, interesting stuff. And maybe it's hard to weave that into a golf broadcast, but I certainly think there could be a time to talk about that sort of thing. I don't know. Cody, I think you're exactly right. I mean, full disclosure, we talked to the LPGA when we were kind of talking to him about doing more live shows and trying to ramp up our coverage. And one of the things we told them was like, listen, we need to be able to talk about the LPGA like we do the PGA tour.

And that's going to mean taking runs at people, that's gonna mean being critical, that's gonna mean having favorites, and having people we quote unquote root against, and as grants, that's almost, in my opinion, the highest former respect that you can show. Yes. Yeah, absolutely.

The one, I will say this about golf channel, like maybe it's just a major you're so used to like, you know, live from on the ground and all that stuff. I do like it when you get the all, you know, women crew back in Connecticut and they're discussing the major and everything, but like, why don't they in Texas? Right, golf channel.

Mbc's just, why are we fucking treating this like a bunch of being counters, man? Like it's, it's just golf channels. It sucks because it feels like we take all the, take it all out on the people that are talking the most and it's just not their fault. It's just not, it's just the being counters that have just cut budgets freaking everywhere and they're just not incentivized to invest in this. They're just really, really not and sucks.

It sucks. Anyway, it's really exciting for the weekend. No, I don't want to end on a download. No, they're just a great leaderboard. We need some grandiose. We need some light. I know. Some energy from this thing.

It can't be normal voices. It can't be normal music. It can't be like there's just something to tuning in. I don't know. I watched the US women's open as a kid like a major championship. And it just felt like grand. And this just is if you want this to be a major, I got you got to show me something. Got to feel it. Totally fair. And I'm glad you brought it up. I think it's so valid. It's, you've changed my thinking in a lot of ways. I, we need to pick winners before we, before we wrap it.

Who you guys got? We'll reconvene Sunday live show after the conclusion of Chevron. We'll, we'll obviously devote a ton of time to Chevron. We'll do a little bit of Zurich and some other tours, but go into your head, who's hoisting the trophy and potentially jump in Sunday evening. Oh, Lilia, I'm taking Lilia. I love it. Or very good pick. Or Nelly.

Yeah. I'm going to go patty to it. All right. I'm going Nelly. I definitively. A win here for her. It's her second. It would obviously huge difference between two majors and one major. I think she is on the cusp of, I mean, she's going to be the American female golfer,

potentially one of the top American female athletes that are going to be marketed, I think over the next 10 years. I think it's a huge weekend for Nelly. And I also think it's a huge opportunity for Lillia to be like, nah, dog. I got this. It's my time. Yeah. Just wait. Patty's going to show up tomorrow. The sun's going to be out again. And Texas is going to be a beautiful weekend down there. And Houston, she's going to have those Hayden walkers on. You got the walk on. You don't understand what she got the walk. Go ahead. Patty's got one of the these little Maggie. She's got one of the best locks out there. She's flaggy. I know Canada's just upset nobody's

picking Brooke, but I'm sorry. I'm not going to do it. Guys, I miss you come. I miss you come. I was going to say after what Grant told us about Alim Kim, there's no way she's going to win. All right, come in, anything else you want to get us out of here? Nope. We are great guys. I think this was an awesome, awesome show. Lot of discussion wrapped around not only the venue sponsor, everything else, but at the end of the day, big phenomenal leaderboard. I think it's going to be an awesome weekend. We're going to be back here on Sunday night. We're doing it live again. The conclusion, as soon as Chevron has done,

we'll also discuss everything else going on in the world, professional golf. But I appreciate you, Mr. Bigg, for stepping up and saying that, hey, we're gonna do these, we're gonna do these on, as equal footing as we possibly can. We do not have a presenting sponsor for this. It's part of our title is Deal. So thank you to Titleist and Fudjoa for coming along

and joining the ride. And hopefully somebody at Golf Channel or NBC or whoever they're all these companies that have all these equal opportunity, fucking standards and everything else like that. If a company of our size, if you guys are willing to invest in stuff like this on a Friday night and try to give it equal footing the best that we can, hopefully somebody else does.

But they meant to that. Let me just say, because I don't feel comfortable, like I brought it to the group and everybody was like, oh, yeah, for sure, we should absolutely do that. So credit all around, Sali, thank you for letting us put up more LPGA stuff on what has been pretty much your channel. You've built and done a great job growing the NLU podcast, but I appreciate you sharing it with us. And yeah, look forward to Sunday night. And thank you all for tuning into the live show. And for those listening via podcasts. We appreciate you certainly as well Crack on

That's better than most Better than most.