No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - NLU Podcast, Episode 732: Tour Championship Recap

Episode Date: August 28, 2023

The 2023 Tour Championship finished with Viktor Hovland running away from the field with a five shot win over Xander Schauffele after a Sunday 63 to claim the $18 million first prize. We sing Viktor's praises after another dominant playoff performance and take stock of Xander's week in Atlanta, the confusing year for Scottie Scheffler and the need for official injury reports in golf. We also talk Ryder Cup picks and our biggest winners and disappointments from the 2023 season. 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. He's in gentlemen. Welcome back to the No Laying Up Live Show and Podcast presented as always by our friends at high noon. Sully here, joined by my guy, Mr. Neil Schuster.

How are we, Neil? Good evening, Sully. I'm doing well. How are you? I'm doing all right. Calling in from Baltimore as well. Mr. Kevin van Volkowberg. Hello KVV. Sorry. I'm doing great. You know I love the tour championship format where players of lesser skill get some some strokes. So that's that's what I'm looking forward to. Layers of more skill get the story. I screwed up the whole thing. Yeah. How did I I just clearly that's not the kind of format I like. Like getting those pops. Uh, speaking of pops, I just popped the top of a high noon.

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Look for high noon to kill a seltzer on drizzly or at your local convenience or liquor store or visit high noon spirits. Dot com to find it near you. Fellas. Impossible is what they played for and Victor Victor hovelin achieved the impossible today. By winning the tour championship and captivating the hearts and minds of golfers everywhere. I'm not going to start sarcastically. I even though I just did start sarcastically, I do want to talk a little bit, Victor, give him proper credit because of all guys will like be happy for and be like, you know, kind

of earn some life-changing money on top of, you know, a guy that already has a ton of money. But I'm pretty happy to see Victor win. That's a dude that like, I was trying to think of it today. I was like, what's like the most unlikable thing Victor Hovlin has ever done besides the shirts? Is anyone, anything come to mind? No, I mean, I'm sure some, some sooners would have something to say about that, but you know, hard that is to achieve

in today's play of age. A controversy-free European player. What in the world? He's a thoughtful dude. He's a young, you know, he's an easy guy to root for. You nailed it in the opening. I mean, he's the cutie pie. As your wife has said, the cutie pie.

It's like, oh, even now we're just watching him finish. It's like, oh, he's so cute. Like, I'm so happy for him. It's great. Good for him. Dominant performance, Dominant finished to the season. I feel like it's, you know, a lot on the top of a lot of people's tongues and on tip of mind as well. I shouldn't acknowledge that he's

ridden me to the the top of the season long standings are chased for the draft King title. That would be the most unlikeable thing about him. Is that the steady, he completely caught me coming down the stretch. That much I can do about that. So, but in true Icarito fashion, I will be wearing my FedEx cup second place merch with pride in the coming weeks. Thank you very much. We should see a vehicle join the waffle house. I feel come by just for, you know, a little, you know, a little patty melt. Maybe something. I do before we go any farther. I want to give my guy Joe Luke's on Twitter a shout out. He was saying that Nance missed a gold opportunity

to the victor goes to spoils. It should have been the, you know, the call at the end there. And I think that's, I think that's fair. I mean, that's a, that's a, that's a good one. And, uh, it didn't use Victor. He used it. Yeah, it wasn't quite that you know, that, you know, in your face, but it was a season long victor. I think is what it was. And the reason I say that is that kind of sums up this event for me. And Nancy and Imelman were talking a little bit about it in 18 fairway. They were like, oh, this is such a massive, they were kind of talking about this a big payday. It's 18 million dollars, but they're almost like, but it's a ton of stature with this

win. And I was like, I was like, man, I just don't really think that's true. You know, and so like that call like truly to Victor goes the spoils. That's what this was all about. It's just, it's a a it is a massive cash grab. And KV, I think you said it earlier in our Slack channel. It's like the money is it's a big deal, but it is it doesn't make me doesn't gas me up anymore to watch this event. And I'm curious if you guys you know you feel the same way about that. It just to me look, it had a little bit of a live vibe today, where it's like, I just don't care.

Like between, you tell me, it's $10 million, it's $18 million, that makes zero difference to me as a viewer. And I understand why you got to pay your players that, but what is it, why am I as a viewer giving a shit? There has to be drama with it, right? There has to be like, oh shit, this puts for $11 million, right? I feel like I would care a little

bit about that, right? It's such a comically large amount of money that it's like, you have to at least have that to have a five shot march to the end is, it's just tough all around. And I've, I've, I've ridden for this handicap format. I think it is better to just simplify it for the viewer instead of two tournaments at once. I've said that in the past. I might flip around after this. Maybe we were due for one of these, but I don't think, I think Xander said this earlier in the week, I think we can do better than this for the finale.

I've always agreed with that. I think unless they're gonna go match play, I thought this was at least a better way of saying, like, hey, this is simple. Here's what it is, but it's really hard to sit here and knowing that Xne and Victor would have been tied at 1900. And I know the tournament may have played out differently if the strokes

were different, but they tied at 1900 gross and Victor goes and wins by five because he started five shots at a Sandra on the leaderboard. It's just tough sitting here. They were due for one of these to kind of end up like this and it's tough to tough sell right now. I would imagine if you're if you're the tour. I think both those things can be true. I think imagine if you're if you're the tour. I think both those things can be true. I think it's better than it was. It was always tough when you had two separate trophies and two guys are you know getting celebrated at the end, but it's it should be better because it's still it and I think some of it like mentally for me, I know you know,

par is irrelevant and all that, but when they start it minus 10, I wish the leader would start it even. I think trauma saying this to us earlier this week, I totally agree. All the other guys should start over par. And I just think when it starts to get to 26 under just mentally for me, I'm like, this is turned into it feels Mickey Mouse, even though it doesn't really matter. Like it's the same thing. I know that this probably sounds stupid. But for me, as I'm watching, I'm just, it's easy to just glaze over because like,

one, the money is so large that it's hard to like make it meaningful to me. And they did a little bit of that with like, the only example I actually can give is like, shank, you know, had like a four footer. And they're like, okay, well, he's probably sitting at T7. That's like $1.2 million. So if he misses this, that's like, four hundred K, but they're not really making that a meaningful part of the broadcast. And if that's kind of what we're playing for is this money, I feel like that that should just be on the leaderboard, like how much money you're gaining and losing, like in real time. I feel like they can't figure that out whether they want to lean into it. I felt like they

really know. You're stuck in the middle. Because in the past, you used to be don't talk about the money, but they kind of out. It's like talk about the money, talk about the money. Last year because of all the live stuff going on, especially they were talking about it a lot. And I think they got bad feedback about that. But man, it's just, I threw out a little poll on Twitter today like, Hey, is this it? Or do you think they need to do something different?

And I know Twitter is its own little weird thing. But 80% of people that responded to that said that it should be something different. I think that's kind of hard to ignore. I mean, you get 80% to people to agree on anything on Twitter is kind of a shock inevitably every single year on this pod. It comes right back to the match play argument. Why can't they do match play? And I'm sure there are the reasons, but I usually end the season on kind of a bleak note. And I feel the most bleak I've felt at the end of one of these, I think. If can Can't lay Ram a few years ago was tough,

but this was really... I feel similar to you, Sally. I don't think it's just the format. I mean, as someone from Atlanta, I don't want to bash on East Lake too hard, but the golf course is, you know, excuse the pun, but it's kind of run its course for me. I mean, it's not doing a whole lot.

I know they're going to redo it after this year, but I think, you know, late in August in the South, the rain delays kind of just pour truly cold water on things. And there's just a lot of, I don't know, it just doesn't have, it doesn't have the juice. I know I've, you know, I keep saying that, but that's the word I come back to. You just turn it on. You're like, ah, man, like, and I felt like, you know, BMW does have the juice a little bit more. Like last week, you know, it's exciting. And there's more guys. It's more of a real feels like a real event.

This feels almost like an exhibition in some ways. Guys, how do you think it would have been to do a live show when we were celebrating the Bill Haas victory in 2011? You think that would have had any juice? That was dramatic though. It was dramatic. We play off. Like at least at least like I feel like this this format hasn't gone this way.

It hasn't led to a blowout like this, but it is more likely to end with a dull result like we got, right? A real golf tournament. It's just way more likely. It's going to be less likely. Somebody goes and separates himself and put on the flip side of that. It was not close, but there was some really, really good golf played. So that back nine, like Zander and Victor hitting golf shot after golf shot, like pouring in birdies. I thought the broadcast once, it's almost like the rain belay becomes a little bit of a blessing with the broadcast because they just get all the commercials out of the way. And I felt like we're, we're, we're seeing a lot of golf shots. And I thought they had some great, they were commercial free for the back nine, by the way,

the entire back nine. That was fantastic. Like that was all good. It was scheduled though. And you're hoping, you know, kind of, you know, you're rooting for Xander just to root for drama. But, you know, Victor deserves all the credit for just he just like slam the door shut at the end.

And they're showing these, I do, and I'm curious if you guys feel the same way, they were showing a lot of the puts from behind the ball and to see the way these guys roll that line end over end on these like 20 foot birdie puts, it's just incredible, you know, and I thought, I thought like that was seeing high level golf played was a silver lining here, even though it wasn't dramatic. Pretty good camera work, I gotta say, fun those things. A lot of like low crouchy shots where the balls in focus, but the whole isn't, and then you see it roll like a line.

I give CBS credit for that. That was pretty cool. That's a CBS difference. They don't, they've obviously, we've given them a lot of credit over the last couple of years for them revamping their telecast. And we've never seen them do the playoffs. I don't think we've seen them do the playoffs. At least definitely not in recent years.

And it felt like they did not mail it in. Like we felt like NBC has been doing for quite some time and it feels like chemistry and the booth, you know, all those guys in the super tower. It feels like they're having a good time. It feels like Trevor's bringing in, you know, some energy out of dance, which is awesome. And then it feels like having all three of the playoffs together, they're they built some momentum in like almost cohesion the last three weeks. I do want to shout out the cameraman too, that was in the dead sprint to follow Victor Hovelin's cart back out after the rain delay.

I don't know if you guys saw this, but there was a camera. He, I forget the guy's name, but they, he was in a dead sprint following the camera. And even Victor's cat, he was like, you're going to follow us all the way to number two. And I laughed because they're, they're,'re they're they actually zoom back to a different shot of him him running instead of the camera that he was holding. I'd been like, dude, I'm sprinting with this card and you guys aren't even needing to shot. I'm giving you right. Send it to me right now. God damn it. I'm putting in the effort. It actually is like being on site of BMW last week. It's fun to watch the the hard camera guys.

There's the camera man and then there's the tripod man and they get the shot and the guys are walking off the green and they wait and they clear and then it's like, unclip and it's like camera on the shoulder and they're out. You know, they're like, okay, we got to move. Go, go, go. It's like, it's good. It's good entertainment to watch in person. You know, do you know what a hard camera is?

Because that's a soft camera. That's a soft camera. Hard camera. Hard camera doesn't work. Oh, okay. I thought that was that the, I mean, it looks pretty sturdy on the tripod. That's hard to me. Seve my hard. Come on.

If you ever run a really piss off a TV, I would call it a flaccid camera. If you're going to piss off a TV executive lean against the hard camera on the, uh, on the watch. Oh, the bad, bad, bad. You can like, like, cause his little vibrations in the thing when they're trying to do the close-ups. That's a way to get your attitude on the other ropes. I just, again, CBS is truly giving a shit about their product, which is kind of a backhand

of compliment after many years of not doing it, but it is, it's something that it does stand out, and it was badly needed on a, on a day like today. But I was supposed to start the show doing this, but just a quick play by play. If you didn't watch it all, Xander and Havelin both busted out. And the if I can also say a little bit of a crowning on the first tee in terms of all the people that lined up to like a plot and shake Victor Havelin's hand. I don't know if you guys saw this at the very first tee, but it was like a processional. They followed his walk all the way there and so many people almost like congratulating him on the first tee and I was like, huh, okay I mean yeah, we'll see what happens here, but of course he he slammed the door

They both went four under in their first six holes Xander than birdie eight to cut the lead to five. He missed a short birdie putt on ten but sort of hovelin At this point they're put on the clock Which unless you're gonna stroke him there is no amount of money that they could have Find them that would have made a difference in this scenario when you're playing for a difference of $11.5 million. But Xander birdie to 11 to cut it to four and then birdie the 12 to cut it to three, which I think looked closer than it really was. I don't think Victor's win probability ever got below like 92% at any point on this day. Vic made all the bars and then he poured in

birdies on the last three holes. Xander birdie the last to shoot 62, but again, one by five, which is the exact number of shots he started over over Zander. Question from David McDowell, over under two and a half majors for Vic. And I got a big challenge like the David here. We got to throw it to Neil for the over under first. That's the cool deal. What would your over under have been Neil nine and a half? I mean, with all the close calls, it feels like he's gonna, you know, bust through the door next year. Realistically, I'm ready to say four. He's 25 years old. That's so many majors. I know it

is, but then, but come on, it's fun, right? I don't, I think that's because of his age. I think that's realistic. I mean, and he's really worked hard on his chipping. It's gone from a massive negative to slightly above in the Stroke's gang category around the Greens. I mean, I think he's a well-rounded, I mean, we talked about it a few months ago, like this more co-overs, Hoveland career arc is a very interesting thing to monitor.

And I feel like, yes, so more college got to, I feel like hovelin. I mean, if you want to say 2.5 is a better number, sure, but I think for that, that would be, you think over under should be four. I thought you were just going to win for. I guess what I'm saying is I think he's going to win for. I think that, you know, I'm not a clearly after my collapse in art with our draft games plays. I'm not good gambler. So I'm a bad, I also, I also think you ruined an Ellie cornice career, but I said I didn't get it. I laid the gauntlet down for it. You know what? That's, that's not my fault. So you said he's 25. Rory already had four majors, the 25. Speed had three majors at 25. What Tiger have eight majors at 24. So just throw those

out for context, you know, doesn't need for sure. For sure. Kevin, I think we got a dig in on it. I think Neil knows something we don't. He knows something about major inflation. There's five. There's five majors on the women's store. Maybe he knows the players are about to become a major. Maybe like, though the players, they make it six, man. Maybe live bedmman's dirt becomes a major or something. That's the only way to explain how he's painted out too many major trophies. There's not enough for all right to bring it back, though, for real. I think David McDow two point five.

That seems like a great line. I would take the over on that. Let's let's let's do that. I'll go under just I will go under for almost anyone sitting here right now. Like will you win more than two and a half majors going forward? I don't know who I would take over other than like probably Scotty right now, like, will you win more than two and a half majors going forward? I don't know who I would take over other than like, probably Scotty right now. Maybe wrong. I mean, I would take Mark Howard's because one more major would like, no, no, going from sitting here, you want to have more right from right now. Yes. Okay.

I would probably still take the under. I think VIXX gonna win a major maybe two, but I just think it's really fucking hard to win majors. And it just, whatever we think, the people are gonna rack them up, they just don't. Well, I'm an optimist and I'm rooting for them. So I like the over. I like my plays. I'm even more bullish on unders on this one.

We just had a year where when I'm when McLaren can Brian Harman won majors like you guys are making some good arguments. I'm not gonna fight you on it, but I would I would still like to take you over. Before we close the book on Havelin and talk about larger things, has there ever been an example of a player who was so freaking bad at one thing and then like turned it into a strength within, you know, a year. I was really struggling to think of like a comp for this and I just don't know that there is one.

I challenge you. Look at the cover. Like six months, right? Well, if Lucas Glover had won the FedEx, that would be a good case for that. But I mean, like legitimately, Havond was among the worst short game players on tour and was like a miracle to be won Puerto Rico because all he basically did was hit every green there

and he was talking about, yeah, it's comically bad. And now he was like competitive in all, in three of the majors and now won the FedEx Cup. Like I'm struggling to think of like somebody who saw like a clear shitty thing in their game was like, Like, I'm struggling to think of like somebody who saw like a clear shitty thing in their game, I was like, yeah, I'm gonna make that better. And step one is like acknowledging it.

Ignodally acknowledging, but like being able to like joke on yourself and plan yourself and be like, God, this is so, so bad. I remember yesterday they telecast or the pre-game show did a great job of going back to a bay hill. And like when they interviewed Victor about his chipping and like, Hey, this isn't good. And he's like, Yeah, it's, it's really not good. Like I know that. They're like, well, what are you working on? And this was before Joe Man and everything. This is last year at bay hill. And he's like,

Oh, well, you know, if I'm okay, if I can use a little bit of bounce, but if it's anything at all leading edge, like I literally have like flashes in front of my eyes, I start seeing black spots. It's not good. But you want to talk about Neil how quick this change has come after this year's tournament of champions. That's when he reached out to Joe male. Long time teaching professional out of Las Vegas worked at TPC Summerland for a long, long time started as a teaching professional quit for a little bit and was a professional poker player. And then when Trackman came around, he's like, Oh, that's what I was missing. And then started teaching again, crazy wicked smart dude when it comes to track man, but they started working on it. And it's not just short game between the two of them. He's really done everything full, like full swing complete game to include putting now they've added the broadcast talked

Today about adding Eduardo Molinari to do all his statistics and stuff like that and then Joe Sinclair who's down here in Dallas Does a lot of like the biophysics and 3d analyzing stuff where Victor is talking the past He's craving so much information and no other instructor has been able to give it to him. Where him and Joe are like two beautiful minds to get together like this and they would just vibe off each other perfectly. The only example that I can think of on, you know, off the top of my head is, and it's not really the same thing, but like Max, you know, basically getting the driver yips and then now being back to one of the best drivers of the golf ball on on tour is probably, but it's almost like he had that and then he lost it and then he got

it back where it's almost like I don't know if Victor ever was like a wizard around the greens. And just to be clear, Victor's taken his short game from like an obvious deficiency to a round average now, right? It's not like he's not a lizard. But he's very slightly above, but he doesn't also doesn't need to be much more above that because he's one of the best ball strikers in the world. And he is almost 10 yards longer than average and 5% more accurate than than the average professional golfer. That combination of being long and accurate is so, so deadly. And it's really hard to screw up from there. Then you add in the gains eight 10th of a shot on approach in every single round he plays and also gains with the putter like dude you're just going to be an absolute top 10 machine and you're

going to win a ton and and so he's going to win four majors there you go. So that you're there. Thank you for making my case. It's very interesting but incredible incredible finish to the year finished T fourth the open. He also had a obviously a T2 this past year at the PGA championship and then goes and just absolutely runs a muck here to finalize the FedEx cup. It's a very good time to play a very good golf because you won a lot of money doing it. That this conversation, though, KV, that question leads me to Scotty and Pudding, where it's like, you're not really seeing that same attitude when people ask out about his putting.

It's kind of like a, you know, I know it's fun. Let's let's get right to that, you know, because that's probably the top thing on my mind. I wanted to talk a little bit of the interaction before we get to that as well, but also foot joy, the unquestioned leader in performance golf rainwear with their new hydro series. They are raising their rain game even higher somehow. They've got incredible stuff. Real golfers make every day playable and foot joy gets that hydro series

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footjoy.com and find the hydros series jacket that will help you play in any condition, anytime, anywhere. I've got a thermo hoodie on that they sent me recently that I'm wearing this almost every day around. So I gotta say, as Neil Bell knows, you know, when I, we were at the open championship, it was quite rainy as it always is. My golf clubs got lost on the way there. They, all my reindeer was packed with the golf clubs.

Our friends at Footjoy were kind enough to just hand me some new, the hydrotherapy stuff before I had even hit the shelves, saved my whole tournament, like there's no way I've been able to cover it was was comfy, was not sweaty, even gross, as it was often ring-guarra as so it was huge shout out to the FUJAY people for basically making my open championship possible. Love that. You know, before we do get to Scotty, I want to again shout out Zander for yet another just fucking ridiculous tour championship performance.

I made the joke earlier that he made lay in front of the bulldozers tomorrow and they go try to remodel this golf course because he has made so much money from this golf course. If you don't mind, can I entertain you guys with what his FedEx cup finishes are through this out on Twitter? Second, fourth, fifth, second, second, 15th, third. KVV, do, 15th, third. KVV, do you want to, do you want to repeat what you said in our Slack earlier today? I said, why isn't Zander better?

And I'm with you. You were, I took it to me immediately. How dare you? He's like fifth and stroke's game in the last 16, 18 months, whatever. What more do you want? Listen, I have a, I've been a massive fan of Zander, but I, I'm, I'm with you KVV and I would love to unpack this. Okay. So part of the reason I said this is because I think aesthetically,

I love Zander's swing as much as anybody on tour. I think it's so technically beautiful. And it seems like he shouldn't miss a shot. I watch him, I remember watching him in speed play around together, where they were paired together in Phoenix and I was like, holy crap. This is technically perfect person who nails every note and a jazz singer who just riffs and every single thing is different.

You cannot imagine how good Zander looks compared to some of the guys out there who just are like, even Scotty, who feels like he's making it up on every single swing. And, you know, Zander hasn't won, right? Since the Scottish open last year and 22. So I just feel like he's been close in a couple majors. Obviously he's very

good, but we should still hold him to a high standard, right? Like he should be someone who are like, all right, dude, like, why aren't you winning majors? You have too much game for this. And I remember like thinking when he before the Tori Pines US Open, he like switched his putter like literally a week before.

He was like, oh, you know, I've been a lot of guys having this arm lock success. So I'm going to go with, I'm like, dude, this is a US Open that you should win. Like this is a perfect course set up for you. What are you just already one of the best putters in the world? What are you doing? Fucking around with like your putting right before that. It just seemed like a very frustrating thing. And I just, I want more out of Zander.

Like, I feel like, I don't, obviously, he's not super interesting as a person outwardly. I thought he was very smart. And he's like, pretty clever when you get him, like, in a sort of one-on-one setting. And he has interesting stuff to say. But I just, I want more from him as a, like, a winner, like a killer.

I mean, Vic showed today he was a fucking killer. Zander is not a killer, which is well said. I think Randy and I have talked about this. He's approaching a bit of a Ricky situation where, you know, he's he's a lot of sponsors, a lot of attention, a lot of good results, a lot of the numbers are all there. But we're not the checkbook doesn't seem to be balancing out with with the wins. And there's a question on here. I would say that checkbook is way above checkbook. Yeah, I don't know what you're talking. I think he I've said it's not producing big as TC would say big dick wins. Like, okay, because I think he's the king of playing like,

racking off these tournaments where they're worth a ton of cash and like, majors, he just kind of, he just can't compete them yet. No, I'm, I'm with, he's an ATM machine, but they, there seems to be something missing to like what I know you're going to talk about all these hot tans and everything else like that. Let's reconcile this really quick. Okay. How many, how many is he actually been in contention laid in a Sunday afternoon? The masters when he blew it on 16 was the last one I could really remember him like are we gonna win this or not and that was Three 20 years ago. Yep. He had a really close call at Karnusti 2028. He was also the runner up to the Tiger 2018. He's gonna win 14 majors. We know this.

That was 2018 2019. He finished one shot behind Tiger. At that master's he has not had the last two years have not been his best efforts. He had his six top fives and majors through 2021. None of them have come in the last two years, but he's won seven tour events plus of the Olympics. I mean, look, he had a limited few events there in the in the wins. He's 29 years old. He's won the tour championship. He won a WGC. He won the tournament champions. He won the travelers last year. He won the Scottish Open last year. Like, I mean, if we're comparing his record, like Victor obviously is one memorial, BMW and tour championship very recently. But Victor's other three wins were Puerto Rico, Maya Coba and the worldwide technology championship

in Mexico on the PGA tour. He's also 20. He's also 29 more years younger. So I feel like I was hoping that leap would be made a couple. I feel like we're a couple years behind with Xander. I think all that's right. I agree with you. Like I'm, I've been almost burned by it because I thought he was going to major, when a major last year. And then I was like, oh, well, you know what?

He didn't. I'm going to miss on him this year. And then he just didn't even sniff one. And then you've got a question on here from Jake Beno. Apologize for no wins for Sawhith and Cam Young this season without this finish today. But the last term of the year where he kind of shows up and finishes, you know, wins all the money, why wouldn't we be apologizing for Zander?

He's kind of the same boat as those two. Yeah, he didn't win a tournament this year. That's not great, but it'd be different if like he, he, again, this falls on deaf ears and I know that, but like it's really, really, really, really, really, really hard to stay above two shots of Stroke's gained for multiple years in a row. Like he blows so many dudes out of the water in terms of like Moira Kawa, Hovland for that sake. Like he, it's like him, can't lay, Rom, Rory and Scotty are like the only five

dudes that hang out above that number in that category, right? He doesn't have off tournaments. He never goes away. He doesn't really actually slump. It's a sustained period of really, really good golf. Does the winds maybe not match that? I can accept that, but I feel like he gets dogged a little too hard sometimes in terms of like, when is he going to actually do? The question wasn't why does Andrew suck? It's why is in Zander. That's exactly right. And I think that's fair. I think if you've all the people that you just named have won a bunch of tournaments

in the last few years and Zander has. You're saying why can we not have more peak weeks than? Well, my point is if you're going to put him in that category with the guys you just listed, there's one thing missing for Zander. He's not winning the tournaments that they're winning. You know, like, you know, like, more wins than Shephler does. Well, we're going to get to Shephler. We're not there yet.

I think case in point of like how I feel about Xander is kind of how he feel about like how Wells Fargo finished this year. Like, Xander basically in the driver seat going into Sunday and like ended up losing to to win them by four. And at the time, it was like, wait, what, win them Clark before US open and everything else like that. But like went out and basically laid an egg and a fight and a fight around when you're like, dude, this was your tournament. Like just, just go do something on Sunday.

So if Zander held a 36 hole lead at Valhalla next year, would you feel confident that he could could close and win? How big is the lead? It's two. We'll say or he's like, shit, I mean, it's not a huge lead. I was two because he's two shots of better than everybody else. What you talking about? I wouldn't feel too struck lead. I wouldn't feel confident with anyone. They converted that 36 hole lead based on what the numbers would say there.

But again, I started this with like one of the more ridiculous, consistent runs. I could possibly identify for any golfer in the planet. I'm kind of surprised we ended up here that quickly. I'm just gonna say that I'm going to play a lot of the game. I'm going to say that I'm going to play a lot of the game. I'm going to say that I'm going to play a lot of the game. I'm going to say that I'm going to play a lot of the game.

I'm going to say that I'm going to play a lot of the game. I'm going to say that I'm going to play a lot of the game. I'm going to say that I'm going to play a lot of the time. He's this and credit to be given for consistency. You're right about that. And we have a comment on screen. Xander has not missed a cut all year.

Listen, that's awesome. And I say with all the numbers and everything, but I'm just personally as a fan of his a little disappointed that we don't get some more statement wins. Some more like, you know, put some like put some cases on people, man. Like go get it done. And I feel like the last three years there hasn't been a lot of that. Like yes, travelers and Scottish had a nice little one, two punch there last summer. But that was kind of like, oh, finally, even before that, it was like, I felt like five years.

It was all about like, oh, yeah, but he won the gold medal. It's like, I don't really fucking care about the gold medal. It's all I'm willing to, it's always like, oh, he's got seven wins. Anyone a gold medal. It's like, don't really care about the gold medal. It's all I'm willing to get. It's always like, oh, he's got seven wins. Anyone a gold medal. It's like, that does that really matter? I'm willing to see that the Atlantic Athletic Club is like Zander's Augusta to Jack Nickless. Like he's going to compete there until he's 50 years old. Like it's, you know, he's like, he's like, whatever the fuck. He's like, yes. That's not little I care about the the courses that I can't even remember what the actor is. That's how boring it is. Kind of should drive by it, Bobby Jones.

Unbearable. Yeah, you know, Bobby Jones. He's he's he's has his reckoning. He's you know, he's time we canceled Bobby. Never mind. Sorry. Uh, no, I want to see more. I feel like like he's a guy who should be winning majors. And if we're going to dog Rory a little bit, which we should,

we should hold Rory to a high standard. Obviously, Zander's not quite Rory, but we should hold other guys up to that too. Here's a two plus stroke game guy. You're always saying that. All right, win a major now. Do you think he wins a major? Yes, I think he'll win a major. I do think he won a major.

One major. I think there's a lot of people going to win one major. Like I think this thing, it's a dog fight all every single time. And I think there's a lot of guy that look stack and two and four together is really freaking hard. But one, yeah, he's good enough to win one. Neil, does he win a major? Does he win eight majors? The number would say the numbers would say yes, he does. But I haven't seen any evidence of like, I don't know if you don't know if you know, I was really rooting for him

in that masters when he dumped it in the water on 16 16 and that was kind of that was kind of jarring. I think jarring for him and jarring for me as a fan of like, oh, I think there's some scar tissue there. If you're Scotty Shephler, what's your takeaway from this season? What are you feeling right now as you as you leave the grounds of Atlanta athletic club as KVV would say? What okay, I can tell you what my take would be. I think I can also tell you what what Scotty's take take would be. I think I can also tell you what, what Scotty's take away would be. And I think there are two very different things. I think my take away would be, oh my God,

I just absolutely pissed away like one of the all time great seasons. This is maddening. I might be going crazy over this. Like how can I not figure out putting? I used to be so good at this. I used to be easy. I think Scotty's take takeaway is just to basically like, white noise in your brain.

Like I can't even begin to think about this. I mean, he's blocking it all out purposely because if he starts to think about it, it's gonna get worse. It's gonna become a thing. And I think he's still trying to make it not a thing. My take on, like I followed him for, I guess 27 holes last week, and he looked like unstoppable until basically 13

through 18 on Sunday. And the putting the putts he's missing, they don't look like bad strokes. And it looks like he's overreading. It felt like he was missing everything on the high side. And now when I watched on TV, I kind of see the same thing. I wonder if he and Ted Scott are like, they read everything together, it looks like. And are we blending too much opinion? Like it almost needs like, I think this is a total

amateur opinion, but it's almost like, man, just you need to reset everything and maybe read your own puts, because it feels like good strokes, bad reads is what I'm seeing. And then that's starting to get his head. He looks like he's about to freak out, but he's got it all bottled up, like his reactions to these gnarly lip outs

are just kind of like, everything's fine. It doesn't seem confident that it's gonna come out the window, right? We all know, like what you're putting, if you can make your putt come out of the spot, you're trying to make it come out, you can make a lot of putts. And it looks like everyone is a mystery to him, especially on short putts. It's alarming. It's bad.

I think Kevin to your point, he may be putting on a little front to the media, but with how much he's changed putters around, how many hours he's spent on putting reads at tournament trying to get this figured out, how many questions he's feel. There's no possible way he is not completely domed by this like completely domed. I mean, if you go back all the way back to, I mean, he obviously ran away with the players basically putting neutral, which is outrageous. He won by like five that week. He was, and then he'd go to the masters. He lost a shot per round and should have won that golf tournament and led the field in the show. He's gained T-Degreem. He, like, neutral neutral at Byron Nelson positive at PGA, but then way bad at Charles Schwab.

Horrible at Memorial. Slightly good at US Open, slightly good at travelers, law stroke, Scottish, loss stroke, open championship, a shot per round, law stroke, FedEx, St. Jude, law stroke, BMW last in the field this week at the Torch Championship when you came in in first place, looking to win $18 million. What was the number? He was eight shots worse at Memorial. Like if he was dead last at Memorial, right? When Victor won. And if he had just put it at average, you would have won by eight shots. If he would have had Victor's putting week, he would have won by 17 shots. So tough to hear. I think as old I would advocate, he just needs like a post rider cup, like a month away from golf.

It's too much golf right now and too much like tinkering and like hours on the practice screen and over and over. I would just be like, you know what? Me and the wife are going to take a vacation. We're just not going to touch golf for a while. And there's no like, you know, that doesn't matter quite as much with the season, not starting up again now. I think it's going to be great for some of the top players

like actually get some time to breathe. And I think that might be what's best for him. So Ali, do you think you said, talk about the putter, the ball coming out the window? Do you think that his stroke is messed up or? No, I don't, and I don't know shit about any of that. I'm not going to like look at any pro's stroke and be like, man, that doesn't look good.

It just doesn't look like it's all a tourist. No offense. No, I'm trying to drive by him, but like, it's not yippy. It really isn't. It's just like he's burning edges. Like he's hitting like really firm puts. It just looks like it's always on the wrong. Like it's always on the high side is what I'm kind of seeing.

Yeah, it looks just so unconfident, right? It just doesn't look like he's, we all get, you get into a, you can get into a like a flow putting, if you're like, even if your read is wrong, you'd be like, if I hit it right here, it's gonna go in and you can, you'll hit just hit a way better stroke.

Like it kind of looks like he's unsure about everything and just kind of hits everything with a hopeful hit more than it is, like dude, I'm pounding this right in. Like I just, like watching Cameron Smith put and watching Scottie put, the'm pounding this right in. Like I just watching Cameron Smith putt and watching Scotty putt, the stark, stark difference in like the confidence and the speed and like just getting everything measured and accurate and right is, and it's just like, I don't, I don't remember this last year from Scotty.

It seems like a new thing. I mean, he was a really really, I felt like he made every eight footer he needed to last season. And on his way to winning a shit load, obviously leading up to the masters and man, it just, this has gone on for a long time. Got a question and we'll get to Ryder Cup stuff here, but got a question as well from, from someone that said, you know, on core underscore T is chef, there's putting at all concern for the Ryder Cup. Yeah, yeah, I think we're concerned about that. I think there's very good

reason to be concerned about that. But we get to the right cup among a lot of things. I will say so what's a little bit scary, is that not a lot of people get to be better putters as they get older. Pudding is kind of one of those things that you, like as players age, they start to get a little scar tissue. It's harder to sort of have the nerve to like really like you just said.

Like Tom Watson basically at 3435 kind of you know stopped putting great and never won another major after that. And I don't I don't think that's Scottie's future because you know where she's not that age and but you know you can be like truly gifted at this and be fearless and then all of sudden it goes and it just kind of I mean fills one of the few guys who later in his career like got it back after having something like real struggling and putting. I said to your point, I think it's a really hard thing to get back mid season, right? And I think with some offseason time, it's a real time.

It's really, really hard to make when you're making a lot of changes, it's hard to get like a big enough sample. You stop controlling variables, right? You start being like, all right, well, I'll add a line on the ball and I'll try this pattern, right? Now you're speaking my language, brother. So stacking, stacking fixes, that's that we're going to work. I got a lot of that going on right now. With a little bit of time, like I'm sure there's like a technological fix to what is going on. Like there's so much good technology in putters. I think he really wants to make that specific putter work because he's had success with it.

And yeah, it just, I don't know. DJ's gone through putting those. Like I'm not giving up on Scottie's putting. I just, I'd be surprised if it turned around before Italy, I really would. As a fan, and this is, you know, it's his right, he can handle it however he wants, but I'm drawn more to the Victor Havlins who, yeah, my chipping sucks, man. Like, yeah, hand up in the mile.

Yeah, I would like, I would like to, you know, I'm almost rooting for Scotty to be a little bit more vulnerable about it. Like, let me in. Oh, not that I'm going to help you, but it's just like, hey, man, it's okay. If you're struggling with'm going to help you. But it's just like, Hey, man, it's okay. If you're struggling with the putter, you don't have to act like it's not an issue. I don't think that's helping is is my outside opinion. What else we got to get to here? I got a bunch of a bunch of questions. You're all congratulations. A Roy McElroy for breaking these single season driving record on the PGA tour. Oh, man. I was falling. It's like it was the home run derby. So I can't believe what right. I mean, everyone keeps telling us

how much you know, the fans love the driving distance and how that's what drives the fan interest. But it's, I think back on like some of the great like record chases, I think back of the summer of 98 McGuire, Soza, and I think of like Rory this year chasing down this record. If I'm looking at the all time, the longest driving records seasons of all time, I wouldn't blink and I at all at the fact that 12 of the longest driving records, seasons of all time, I wouldn't blink and I at all. At the fact that 12 of the top 14 driving distance seasons of all time have been in the last four seasons. I think that would be like, that gets none of my attention.

I would not think that there's anything of any concern related to that at all. So can I ask a technical question, how do they calculate it? Is it just like, are they taking every drivey hits or like, I've always wondered what's the driving distance stat is two drives same hole, everyone per round. Okay. Which I never understood why we can't just fucking add up all the holes. Like it did this point. You can, but that's you get you try to do like drivers like it's going to everyone's going to hit driver on this hole. So we're going to measure this whole instead of like, all right, we're not going to punish Rory for hitting five wood off this tea when Joel Damon, sorry, but it's hitting driver on this tea. That's, that's the reason. There is a separate stat kept for all drives,

but they don't consider that like the driving distance. I think Rory should be pissed. I mean, I can't believe you didn't get any shop credit for the, if that's how we're doing it, it's basically a member guest long drive, right? He should be writing his name down, putting the thing in the in the fairway. I think that would get the fans involved, right? Like going up and, you know, signing the signing the car. There should be a false series event where they do have that where they like, you have to write your name on thing. Like, yeah, there's the closest to the pin. He should get some FedEx cup, you know, shop credit.

I do think, uh, you know, another note from, this past week, a question from Glades, Saratoga, Rory injury news was brutal for gamblers. I guess we just found out on Thursday that he hadn't played a whole of golf all week and that he was dealing with a back injury. He said, when is the tour going to implement injury reports? It's just, it's unjust to accept gambling money, half live odds in the broadcast and totally keep us in the dark. I don't know what the blue go agrees with that. I've been talking about this and there's been no progress on this and I have no answer for you. Glade, Saratoga that would provide any insight as to why the tour wouldn't want, like,

feel a responsibility to provide this information. People that are giving college football announced this week that they're going to have injury reports this year. Essentially, the coaches won't be able to sort of pull the same kind of shit that they used to. So you're right. I'm not a gambler, but if I were, I'd be pretty pissed. You can maybe you can blame your beatwriters out there who should probably be like, hey, Roy hasn't played Rex around all week. What's going on here? They need to be able to walk us to be out there getting the newspapers, scooping them up off of airplanes. The only thing I to be out there getting the newspapers scooping them up off a airplane so that

The only thing I can think of there is the difference with golf is that there isn't really like a team So there's not like a team physician or like are these guys, you know with football with basketball like you're checking You're checking in with your trainer You know the team trainer is kind of running the like injury report and stuff Whereas these guys are all kind of independent, you know, entities. Like, are they checking in with like the guy in the no-bowl training truck and saying like, hey, my back hurts? Like who, I don't even know if there's anybody

on tour that tracks that stuff. That's what I should. I am just good. Implementing something. Like a, there are, I'm just trying to think about why it hasn't happened. I can see that, you know, there's just like, there's like a normal tour of 150 guys,

like, I don't know if they're all checking in for like, how you feeling, bud. That's a great point. You know, they, they have to register for a tournament the Friday before they have like till Friday at 5 p.m. Eastern or whatever. They should have to list like what current ailments they have and then mandatory updates throughout the week until their first T shot on Thursday, if anything changed. I don't know why that's not like built in there. That at like I understand it's a you could probably pull it's a privacy thing here. And I'm sure there's if it concerns or anything else like that. But if the tour is is going to be taking gambling money now, like they should figure out this way to at least keep these books that they're now

partnering with. I know. The books are going to be happy. Yeah, the better you're not. The blue guys are happy about it. No, Tiger, when you say you would be putting your head on your own wrist, what do you mean exactly there? Because the gamblers need to know you have a lot of metal in your knee.

Really? I just want to follow up on that. Tiger. I don't know. I feel good. You're right. You're right. Neil. I don't know if there is a PGA tour physician. I know there was an LPGA tour physician because he or she, I can't remember what passed away earlier this year. Like the previous one that had just retired. But I don't know if there if the tour has like a certified doctor. I have seen it. position because he or she, I can't remember, but passed away earlier this year, like the previous one that had just retired.

But I don't know if they're, if the tour has like a certified doctor, I assume they probably do somewhere. But it's between like the NFL, the leagues don't run, they, they talk to the trainers of the team. So there's like a, you know, there's like a middle man and all of this, like organizations doing all the organization of the information. I think Neil, look, let's not, you know, mageley baseball, NBA NFL, PJ Tours should not look to them for anything on how to engage fans or how to like make really

dedicated fan bases at all, right? I think they should just, you could either do it that way or do it your own way. I think they should just do it their own way with pretty much every decision they make, I think is what they probably should go with. Sure. It's really fucking work, and man, look at all these people. The number one professional tour, man. That's exactly what I think. I think of the stuff with Max getting, you know, thing yelled at during the middle of his

putt. You know, there's some issues with gambling that are going to need to be addressed. And I feel like golf is mostly like, let's just punt that down the road. Like, we don't need to really like talk about that yet. And actually, like, you should probably address it before it becomes a big problem, right? What's what someone yelled? I missed that with Max. What happened? Probably someone yelled during one of his putts. I bet you miss it. Like, while he was taking the putter back. And so he, he kind of jotted him a little bit and it became sort of a discussion

point at the beginning of this week of like, how big of a problem people yelling in stuff is. And the tour was very quick to sort of send out a thing. This is not an issue. It's not a concern. And Rom was like, it's actually like a much bigger concern than you guys realize. And so I think getting ahead of that before becoming, because the money's just gonna get larger and larger. And the incentive to, I mean, we're talking about gambling in general, right? Because of all this stuff with Phil and Billy Walters and all that,

like would someone do something to affect the outcome of a game would have, would someone potentially, you know, cross an ethical line? And that, all those issues are gonna be a big fucking deal when it's too late. Like when they haven't addressed them in all of a sudden it's like, oh fuck, maybe we should have like figured out a way that like people get ejected immediately for this or like, you know, players have are not allowed to place any kind of bets whatsoever and they have to sort of prove

that they're not doing that, you know, in a way that like NFL players have to. It's, you just, the NFL does a really good job of making sure that it's very clear what the rules for gambling are. And that's why the NFL is the most gambled on sports. Cause like, all right, Calvin really just like literally bets in like a parlay, he gets to spend a entire year. That sends a fucking huge message to the rest of the football players out there don't gamble.

And so I think golf needs to eventually have a conversation like that before they, they end up in a situation where they're fucked. They do have a specific anti gambling policy that is very clearly stated in their handbook and as every player has to sign off on and they communicate that part very clearly to to players. All the way down to caddies too. Like caddies are not allowed to be like, hey, dude, this guy looks really good this week. You can't give off any side information. You definitely can't wait your viny kind. That's one, two for fans.

Dude, I, it's kind of one of those things like you go to a golf tournament and everyone just kind of bound by the whole same social code of like, yeah, dude, don't yet like there's like a thousand people in this tea like don't yell during the guy's swing. And I imagine people do get ejected immediately upon doing it, but I don't know how you, aside from like putting a muzzles on a thousand people on it, you know, that you want to cheer as soon as it's hit. I don't know how you stop it,

other than like a quick pull. That's something that I don't feel like, I don't feel like it's as easy to be like, hey, do something about this guy. It's like, well, I mean, I have a feeling they're ejecting people that are causing any concern. So should the tour then force Rory McHord disclose his, like, back injury? Okay. Yes. Yes.

Because I think that's, that's part of it. It should be like, all right, you have to basically say, like, are you injured this week? And again, like, private players are going to be pissed about that. Like, we've thought that JT we've had like an injury throughout the season and we asked him he's like, Nope, I'm good. I you know, I still know that I buy it, but if you're forcing players to disclose that for gambling reasons, I think a lot of them are going to're signing up as that independent contractor to take part in this event, like there, it's just a rule that should be put in place based off of the, the tournament organizer that says these, these are the things that you have to keep us abreast of. Like I don't understand like how they independent side of it would, would make it so they can't do it outside of because they have all the leverage in the world. It seems like it will never happen.

Yeah. I don't know. How about how about Monahan getting booed during the after being introduced at the trophy ceremony. I think it's just like welcome to being a. He's made it. He's made it. Yeah. Like that's I feel like that's pretty, pretty par for the course at every other league. And he's I think he's earned it. He's also earned it. So you know, golf is a compromise. It's like I'm mad at you. He's he's, I think he's earned it. He's also earned it. So, you know, golfers are going to be different like I'm mad at you. He's said, I've never been so proud of Atlanta than in that moment.

That's good stuff. I would love to pull the audience of like, what are we booing him for? Like I get the general sentiment here, but like, can you explain what you did wrong here? And just, I don't know man, like the live thing, like that's not good. I haven't feeling that's what the answer would be. But yeah, what you don't recover from that like once Gary Batman got boot for the first time.

It happened every year. He's leaning into it like good else. It where he used to like antagonize the fans of the draft. We're like, ah, let's go. Yeah. When they're into doing this. How long is other company? How long are they locked up for?

Because that would have been a tough scene if you have got to go back into contract. I think they're locked up for like until like 2030, but that's a tough scene. But this is also a weird one, like title sponsorship. I'm like, is it Coca-Cola? Is it Southern company? Is it FedEx? Who is the, you know, any 27? Who's the top dog here on,

because you, you know, as casual fan, I can what it's thought Coca-Cola was. I will say, give them credit. A commercial free back nine was a cool idea. Like it didn't work out this time. And like, yeah, I'm sure we would have been infuriated by the number of commercials. If it was a very close tournament, because we always are. But, you know, it was nice to sort of have that in exchange. That's more of

that, please. It's where like I am kind of defeated on where we end up in terms of how we crowned a champion. I'm pretty resigned and like, again, I don't really actually care about this stuff, but it seems like Southern company Coca-Cola FedEx in general. Pretty great partners of the tour, like provide incredible funding. A lot of the stuff that Southern company and Coca-Cola have done around this event and I've done around the neighborhood and in the East Lake area in general seem to be like really, really positive initiatives and really strong investment. Good tent poles for the tour to like say like, hey, that's our season finale. I don't think it's great for fans, but it's like really hard to get worked up. It's a challenge in getting worked up. I am still worked up because I feel like it just falls flat

this end of season kind of title thing that I was kind of thought I was excited about this winter and I by the end of the year just stopped being but it's hard to like get mad at Southern company and Coca-Cola that are like putting up all the money for this that probably are the ones that say like no we don't like want match play final like I it's just like kind of hard to disagree like you to the weekend of the match play and it's like there's like four people playing golf on a Sunday that's maybe one of your best hospitality days. It's just like kind of hard to disagree. You get to the weekend of the match play. And there's like four people playing golf on a Sunday. That's maybe one of your best hospitality days. It's just a tough sell.

It really is a tough sell, even if it'd be way better for the fans at home, which is like kind of where I'm, I wish I was smart enough to get to a place where it's like, all right, can we have a season ending event that's just like I made for TV spectacle of some kind? Like can we do the tour championship and then do the FedEx final, like a match play top

eight, make it something like that on top of it. So you still get the sponsors, the tournament sponsor gets this event, but only FedEx owns the finale. It's at night. It's match play the week after the tour championship. And we go from eight down to one. We go from 12 down to one and get the top four buys or something like that. I feel like we can find a way to,

a better way to crown a champion than a handicap tournament. Also like a skills challenge, like make it like the all-star game that's like also bring everything in. I don't know, you're right, I get weird with it. Well, I worry a little bit about the made for TV thing just turning into like the Capital One match,

which you know, hate on that, but it just feels, I mean, made for TV and that like, don't worry about the hospitality and putting a number of golfers that have to come through. Like, that's a, that's like a, a downside of having few players in the field or in match play. It's like, people get to a tournament and they just want to like watch people play golf. Yeah. To a certain extent. And if you're ponying up a shitload of money for a shitload of hospitality to take your customers,

you want people flowing through there, right? Like that's kind of part of the deal. So it is a prohibitive factor in why we don't get match play. Everybody this time of year screams, like why can't we do match, why can't we? Like that is the answer, right? And it's disingenuous to kind of not address that or not like to skip past that at this point.

That's what I'm saying. Like if we get one that's not about like have a standing sponsor that's not about all this hospitality, let FedEx take their customers inside the ropes and follow matches. Like let them do that. Like that's some good ass hospitality. I can I throw a wild one out at you? Sure. This is as half baked as it gets. Could we do some match play with some member guest scoring? You know, when people want to play all nine holes, so like each hole's worth like a half for, you know, if you, you know, but 0.5 if you split one if you win,

like, so that way they all play it all 18. And then you just kind of keep a tally on the points and then maybe like the guys that start to, you know, I don't, but then I, yeah, I guess that's very. Yeah, maybe, let's throw that in the main. I'm just trying. You know, no bad I guess that's very, yeah, maybe let's throw that in the main. I'm just trying. No bad ideas.

I know bad ideas challenges. Come on. I got a horse race. Some guy just recommended we do a horse race. That's it. Come on. Throw some more in the comments. I would love if this got redirected.

Like I'm good on everyone's ideas on, on how to finale this for, I've got him for 10 years. Neil at NoLayingUp.com sent him that way. Oh, no, no. No, no. I think we just need like a Johnontriper figure to go in and convince Coca-Cola and so on company. Like you need to have match play. This is what America was built on. Let's go. Just convince them it's their idea. I got I love that. It's pretty fucking easy for fans at home to digest. Like this person

is playing this person. And if he loses, he goes home and the winner goes on. Like that's what I feel like a finale play. If you're going to call it playoff, that's what it needs to be. Otherwise, please just call it something else. Anyways, why do they have to go home? Just like cut it down because there's nothing that says anybody who makes the top 30 is like they get the same shit as whether you finish second or 30s. Right. You have to go play live schedule and even if you're. Well, no, what I'm saying is that like instead of like taking 30 or whatever, make it through BMW to the tour championship, just say, okay, these are the top 30 great, but really, if you want to get into the tour championship, the true tour championship, we're doing a 12-man match play bracket. And no, it's not like a lose and go home.

It's like losing, you're going to play out until we figure out bracket into all those spots. Yeah, you play 11th place or something like that. I'm, yeah, you don't go home, but like you are not playing for the title anymore. Like if you write that's, I know, that's kind of what I was getting at with the member guest scoring. Keep the guys out there playing golf. So it doesn't, I think the problem with match play is always like Ryder Cup is a tough fan experience because there's only four matches on the course at one time. So live, that's always going to be tough for a sponsor and for fans. So like I get what you're saying with the made for TV thing, but it's also like kind of also feels a little solace, but I've also want there to be match play. So like how do you get match play,

but you keep all 30 guys playing golf for whatever it is three, four days? I think made for TV, I don't mean it to mean like the match, right? I think it's just like, hey, let's just break the mold of our traditional tournament. I, you know, what they're trying to do is blend their traditional tournament model into like a, a championship, right? And golf just like doesn't work that way. It's really difficult to crown a champion unless you like, like, the reason why all the other sports end up with people going head to head,

like teams going head to head. And I know golf is different, but like, Hey, dude, the Wimbledon final is one person versus this person. And I know it's a totally different sport, but like it's really, really easy to digest. When you flip on the TV of like, this is what they're playing for. So anyways, I'm excited that I'm pretty excited that golf, the major, the PGA tour season is over. There's a lot more golf to play, but I, or you know, to be played, but I'm excited to, you know, maybe get out on the golf course. Fall golf is right around the corner of the corner. Fall golf in the mountains. There's nothing like it. Hopefully you guys saw the film room episode recently with Neil and Sean playing Omni Bedford Springs resort in Pennsylvania.

Guys, I've been kind of a little out of the loop in and out of paternity leave, missed all the edits on that. Watch that video. Well, I was, you know, well, I was, you know, trying to calm down a crying baby. Holy shit, that place. That's awesome. Like I really really wanted to play that golf course after watching that video. Set in the Allegheny Mountains popping with fall color. In fact, Omni has four mountain courses that would be incredible for some fall golf. There's, if we move south of Bedford Springs, but still nested in the Allegheny Mountains. It's Omni Homestead in Virginia where DJ and KVV, it says battled here in the, in the copy. I don't know if I'd call that a battle, but they played a film room. Don't let your daughter see my just.

All right, we can't, we can't. There was a mat. There was a match. It did happen. Fresh off a stunning $150 million plus renovation. It offers two of the country's most historic layouts, the old course and the Cascades course, fun trivia, the old course, both the oldest, the nation's oldest first tea and continuous use.

And even farther south is Omni Grove Park located in the North Carolina foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and close to the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway and Asheville is the ideal destination to experience the full glory of autumn pews, especially with its temperate climate during the fall months. And farther north, Omni Mount Washington and Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, is located

amongst 800,000 acres of White Mountain National Forest. The Mount Washington Gulf Course designed by Donna Ross has been named number one best course you can play in New Hampshire. I cannot say enough great things about these locations. If you're looking for a fall golf destination, check out Omni golf resorts at Omnihotels.com slash NLU. Let's go quickly over to the DP World Tour before we talk Ryder Cup, Todd Clements, one in Czechia, and on the Ryder Cup front, Matt Wallace, finished runner-up, Niklaj Hoigard finished third, Ludwig and Big Shot Bob finished fourth, Yonic Paul finished tenth, the auto spots for the European side will be sealed after this coming

week's Omega European Masters. Luke Donald will make his captain's picks. On Monday, the fourth, this segment is brought to you by our friends at BMW, a worldwide partner of the 2023 rider cup, BMW will be electrifying the rider cup with a fully electric fleet of vehicles for players and officials. This September, did anything change this past week at the tour championship? Do we think let's focus US side from now? Did anything change this past week in terms of who you think is going to get picked on? Oh my god. Keegan is he's on the campaign trail, baby. Homeboy is, is, you know, press and flash kiss and babies. I mean, he has to not in the cool court and out there as a, he wants to be, you know, a kind of a steady veteran. He loves the

team. He loves the right. I mean, I was remain firm in my belief that Kagan played really well in his two rider cups and deserves another shot at some point. And this is probably not going to get on it because he's not part of the cool squad. So he has to sort of be a politician out there. If Keegan played really well at four and three, what what do we think of of JT's record in the writer cup, right? Does he know what I stand on the DT? I've firmly pro JT being on the team. I can hold both positions, even though they're probably vying for that same spot. How do you feel about Keegan versus Ricky? Because I honestly think that's more of the JT has more of the intangible stuff.

I don't really think you should be on the team, but I understand if he is on the team, it's not going to really upset me. I get it. Ricky's the one where you can make a really good case that Keegan had a better year than Ricky. And Keegan, they've both been on the Ryder Cup teams. You can make an argument that Keegan is a better pick than Ricky. And Keegan, they both been on the Ryder Cup teams. You can make an argument that Keegan is a better pick than Ricky. What would the argument be? That he's played a lot

better golf and that he's a better golfer right now, a better just basically. Better Ryder Cup history. Ricky's been at nothing but a half machine in the Ryder Cup. A better driver of the golf ball, not a better putter, but I think those are my two strongest points. Like has paired well in past Ryder cups, and where is Rick hasn't? And in a course that is gonna need the little bit of straight driving at least,

I think that would be my best argument for Keegan. And Keegan, two wins this year. I think one was a fall season event. Did he win Zozzo? He did win and then one travelers, right? Correct. With a lot of other top 10 finishes plays well on hard golf courses. I don't know if that counts in Rome. So I'm sure there's, you know, that's so you guys you've seen the course. Sally. I haven't.

But I don't know. I think you can make the argument that Keegan is, you know, better. And I think he's higher on the list too. So you're already reaching a little bit to get to Ricky. Like he has a legitimate case that like, why wouldn't you take me? Why would you take Ricky other than also we learn this week that Rick that Keegan still has that suitcase packed from Madonna. It's got a bottle of champagne in there. There's been there for 10 years. A bunch of clothes that have to smell horrible.

I really want that suitcase to get on. It's sitting in Keegan's garage. Adam shootupak asked him about it. And he said, yes, they still have that suitcase that I have an impact. So Stu Sink, unfinished business situation. Come on, let's go. What if I told you that he's most definitely not like that? Listen, I know what you're going to go this. Then I would, I'd love to hear the art of a shot better in the stats. Is that what it is? That that's, that's the sum total the argument that says Rick

Spade a lot better. I mean, we're I'm a results based guy. I think two two victories over one is that's just because of a reach around schedule though. Like if it's not that not in 2023. He doesn't have a win. Well, Sally, you've been pretty even thumping the the drum on recency bias here. Okay. You want to do the last three months because he's been a half shot better than then

Keegan over the last three months, over the last six months. He's got 15 top 20s this year, Keegan has six. Okay. I, if you want to go back to the Zozo to be the defining factor here, I would say, I am,

I am, it's a toss up for me. I didn't bring this up as like, hey, I'm riding for Keegan. My point was just as a legitimate question. I think like listening to his interviews today, I was kind of like, you My point was just as a legitimate question. I think, like listening to his interviews today, I was kind of like, you know what? He does have a case, right? Like he's played really well.

And I think he's been more consistent over the last, you know, if we zoom out to two years, three years. Yeah, Ricky's back, he's got his game back, but like, you know, Keegan, he didn't win last year, but he played well. Like he's had a lot of top 10 top five. He's been like a, he hasn't fallen like, like Ricky has. That's, I think there's just a legitimate argument to be made that Keegan has a, you know, a good case to be on the team is what I'm getting at.

Keegan, if we're going strictly by the numbers here, which I know the thing that's been, if you're confused by me using the numbers in some situations and not using it in some situations, I understand that. I do. But Keegan has not been one of the 12 bus Americans from a Stroke's game perspective over any period of time, three months, six months, 12 months, 24 months. Ricky Fowler has been the fourth best American over the last 12 months. He has been the fifth best American over the last six months. And he's been the sixth or seventh. I can't count on the spot in the last three months, right? So like Ricky Fowler has played sustained over any period of time, much consistently better golf than King and Bradley has. So sure. Okay. So maybe Ricky's the wrong guy. Does that mean

Ricky's gonna play great in the rider cup? I have my concerns about that. I'm not like, he's got a three, seven and five record. It's not been good when he has played in the rider cup, I have my concerns about that. I'm not like, he's got a 3 7 and 5 record. It's not been good when he has played in the rider. It's not been like with any authority. It's just kind of no real intensity. And it's, do I have concerns of that? I absolutely do. At the same time, I don't see like enough from Keegan that makes me want to be like, do that's our guy and we got to go ride with. And I put him on the team over Ricky because it's been a very, very real Renaissancenaissance, very well-rounded, really, really good iron play and very solid putting to go along with it,

and still like within shouting distance of being the same driver as Keegan is, that spot's going to Ricky in my mind, especially when you think about the team chemistry factor, which is a very real thing in this. So I think Keegan's just battling an uphill fight that he's probably not going to win. I think that's a very good and fair argument, Sally.

Would you, if I, let's take Ricky out, Ricky's in, what about somebody like Cam Young? I'm going to stand a little bit for Cam Young on this. I feel like he's gotten, he's been kind of the punching bag lately of like, dude, like, what have you done? He had a very clear period of time, which he, that he did not play, very good golf. He, um, has been in and he's, been in and he's way closer to the same golf for last year than he is this year than people realize. He's like within like 0.15 strokes per round of what he was last year during a very, very special year. I'm equally concerned it is putting

this year than I was last year at the presence cup. It was not very good and he was not good in a lot of key moments in majors last year with the putter. But he's an immense talent. I again, I think his, his ceiling is a lot higher in that event than someone like Keegan. I don't, I don't know if he, Keegan's not been a part of any of these teams. I don't think since 2014, Cam Young being a part of this presence cup team last year is probably just an advantage

of guys that are familiar with him, probably know who they're going to pair him with. And again, it's not like he can has like busted down this door enough to get this spot. I don't, I don't, I don't see the number or the chemistry factor that would make you say like, Hey, Hey, what's the hardest thing for the Americans at the Ryder Cup traditionally, especially in Europe? For some. It's for some, Right? I mean, you're hitting the King's record for sure. For three one and one in team matches. That King has been really good to be paired with in general. And that's what are they in Europe? Listen, I can look it up in just a second, but you got it. Because he went two and a I know in in for some's at at home with a I mean, Phil beats Sergio and Rory at Glenn Eagles one up.

So there's a good. He they lost to he and Phil lost to Victor DeBleason and Graham McDowell three and two at Glenn Eagles. Awesome. So one in one record nine years ago, I don't know what to make that. I don't hear we're picking a choose you can't choose. You can't tell my GT's like it's really good in this match play stuff.

And then all of a sudden dismiss it when it comes to Keegan. Like their their history is well, and the JT is like, it's really good in this match play stuff. And then all of a sudden dismiss it when it comes to key. Like their, their history is well, and the other thing is like, wait a second. Wait a second. JT went four and one in the most recent Ryder cup. Dustin Johnson went five and oh, we never talk about him as a potential person. So I think we get, we got to have some consistency here in terms of what we're standard. We're arguing in terms of like, okay, their Ryder Cup record should matter versus like their stroke scale should matter. And I think, I think JT, I agree that that record should matter, but I think Keegan's also should

matter in some context. If we're compare, we were just talking about Europe. You brought up four sums in Europe. And so I said, JT went four and one in Europe. DJ was one and four on that day. If we're talking about that, right? JT's got a almost flawless rider cup and presence cup record, right? You're not going to zoom in on any period and be like, all right, well, what about that? It's really hard. You can do that with DJ. When he, first of all, he got suspended in 2014 and didn't get to make that team and then went one and four when he went over the last time. And he's not played very good golf at all this year. Like that's why he's not really in consideration for this spot.

Like that's not that far fetched. JT has been on every team since then has been successful on every team. And is one of the leaders of that team. That's why he's almost certainly going to get a pass for how he's played this year, which has been horrible. No one has debated that and be a part of this team. 16, 5 and 3 is really different than DJ's overall team. He can has been really good in all the team competitions that he's been a part of this team. 16, 5 and 3 is really different than DJ's overall team. Hegan has been really good in all the team competitions that he's been a part of. He's

been good at Presidents Cup. He's been good at two rider cups. I think that ought to matter for something. If JT's are going to matter for something, we can't say, oh, by the way, those are two long ago. You know, JT's, he was four and three in the rider cup though. That's, is that really? He lost two. So is that just two. He was one and two, but he's one and two a great with, with everybody else. Okay. He was two and one clinical. He lost one of those matches. He was three and one at Medina. And he's four and three overall. So he'd be one and two. He lost. He's, he's, he only played three at clinical because remember Tom Watson sat him and fill whatever the he was writing things up on a napkin, whatever. But King played really actually pretty

darn well in his matches at Glen Eagles. They're my recollection and played certainly really well at Mirafield. So I'm just saying I think I guess the whole reason I brought this up, I'm not I think Katie is making the point is that like I feel like we've written Keegan off like, oh, he's not making it. And then he starts to dig into it. You're like, actually, I think he's got a pretty good case for it, especially like the Cam Young thing. So I'm kind of in your corner on that. And I know Cody, it's your boy, like, Cam Young is one of, he's like one of those draft picks. It's like, oh, he projects so well, you know, he project, but it's like Keegan's kind of like the boring, like, ah, well, we know we're going to get

from him. Like, all right. So, so we know that Europe is really like the set up is going to be fucked. It's going to be very difficult. We've talked a lot about how would have dumped the decision it was to bring Phil and to bring Bryson last time. So what are the, what are the, what are the cannot take him? The course set up will not be favor this person players right now on your list. So you're like, I look, I will not make that mistake again. This is not like where we should have brought his and her. They should have brought Keegan maybe last time to Paris National.

Is there a thing we're out there where a player you're like, look, I cannot repeat the Phil Bryson mistake. I was gonna say Phil. That'd be it. If you're like a real like honestly, a name that comes to mind would be like Saehath. Like Saehath is not a good driver of the golf ball. Like somewhat long, but like not accurate. That's a bad course fit, right? Like you got to be a good driver of the golf ball for this court. Again, I've said this a bunch of

times, this is not the golf national distance will be rewarded on this golf course. It is not a strictly accuracy contest. So it's, I don't think like, you need to make a tailor-made team for this golf course. Like the golf national they should have and didn't. That's a hindsight thing because again, I was totally fine with the captain's picks they made, but this course is not screaming like, hey, you need the Kevin Kisner style, super-accurate driver, Russell Henley, whatever you want to say, like you have to have this guy. Of all things, I think Russell Henley has one of the best cases, but again, it's like you go back to like, who gets along best with these guys?

Who do these guys want? These guys know each other's games really, really, really well. Way better than we know them. And they know who the guys are that are really hard to beat. The guys they struggle to beat and the guys that they would want to go to battle with. Way better than we will, right? And that's probably a reason why Keegan's not going to get the nod.

And I struggled with just like, he was confirmed one and two at Glenn Eagles nine years ago. He was great at Medina at home 11 years ago. I don't know what that means. It might mean everything. He might totally, it might mean nothing. I understand you, I, I, I, I understand you're using the time. One of the biggest changes in golf, specifically in Kegan Brattles golf came through this 10 years ago stretch, and he had a completely transformed his fucking putting game. And look at, he's come so far since then, like, you're, you're using it and keep saying that which I understand is a qualifier for your argument. But like Kegan's game was completely rocked by the anchoring band.

And him taking this long to get back, I think I didn't think he can brag it was ever going to be back in the spot that he is right now. And he is here and he's playing damn good golf. And I understand JT is going to be on this team because he's part of the club. And right, wrong or indifferent like he is and he's really good at the fucking writer cup. And people are going to ride or die for JT. You're right with Cam.

Cam was injured at the beginning of the year. If you're looking back like Paul Tassori, the the caddy switch, I don't know if Paul would say, oh man, like the guy that I was with versus the guy that I'm with now, they're both potentially captains picks here. And everybody thought Ricky was washed up. Ricky's going to be on this team. Paul was with Web Simpson, not, not Keegan. Excuse me. You're right. But it, yeah, meeting Ricky there. The only thing that I would say somebody who we realize is like not in the conversation at all that I can't believe

you guys haven't brought up so far. Luke is clever, man. It's a shame. That was a joke by the way. You guys are going to keep going round and round on this. It's just one of those things where it's like, yeah, Zach's going to pick who we picks. We already know the Fred said, yeah, you know, Cam is going to get a pick. We know that. Keegan's not going to get a pick. And it's going to be okay because JT is a hell of a right or a cup play. I guess the only part I would push back there of what you said, their Cody is like, I don't think JT's going to pick because he's part of the club. I think it's because they those guys genuinely think he gives in there, but he's one of the

guys that give the 12 guys gives the best chance to win. There's no, there's no like, this is not a sympathy 45 year old like he's been good. Phil Mickelson pick that they've done in the past. That's not what this is, right? This is not like a ceremonial pick for JT. I think this is like, dude, I think we're gonna go to battle in front. And it's not based off current play. It's not.

It's most certainly not, but it's like, who, when it goes down to match play, do you think that guys like who would you rather have in your corner than Keegan? I would guess a lot of those teammates would say yes. They might be wrong. I might be, I, I, I'm maybe more conditioned like thinking of how they're probably thinking and I don't, I might not be seeing this clearly. I could totally see JT laying a complete egg in that first morning and be like, oh, shit, man, like this really was a way bigger fundamental problem than we understood.

But like, I also can see like again, I go back to the Sergio and that guy ever seen more than anything we've ever seen on that side of like, dude, they've taken those guys and they've been a pain in the side of the US for so long and JT has been that guy ever since he joined any US team. Yeah. I think JT. I think he was a match play. I think he was a poor in the ass. Except for the Austin match play event when he doesn't want to play because he doesn't

like the course outside of that. You right. He's a match play stuck. I think he was a pain in the ass to the Europeans back when he was before the putter change. And I feel like the some of the same qualities are there too. It's like he's going to annoy the shit out of the Europeans. Like Miguel and I man has almost gotten a fight with him in the course once during match play. Now Keegan got his ass kicked in that match, but you know, Keegan, I'm kind of, right. I'm kind of right. I'm kind of with you. But I think we are burying the lead. What about Kisner? What? I can't believe we're not talking about this.

It's like I feel like I should have like a little bit more goodwill earned up for like the last time we did this, it was Kisner versus Sheffler. And it's like, I even if I get this one wrong this year, I think that those two will balance it's out. I'm going to leave you this, Kevin. I'm sorry to do this, but he can last Ryder Cup match nine years ago, which this might mean anything or might not. He got beat five and three by Jamie Donaldson, right? Like I don't know if he's been a pain. He's a pain in the side. Jamie Donaldson was a fucking dog in that match, though. Like there was a world. What was Jamie Donaldson? I believe that was they got steamroll that you can't like tell me about that that shitty was David Donald, David Donald, you're not unbelievable.

That was they got steamroll that you can't like tell me about that that shitty Tom Watson, Ryder Cup in general, but they were a completely done at that point. They were so pissed off. They wanted to knife their own captain. They were just sharpening the knives in the background, getting ready like that. I can't take that as like the closing argument here. I mean, who are you removing from the team? You're removing JT for for Keegan Bradley?

I'm not removing JT. I'm just going to have the talk. I'm honestly, I would, I would take Keegan over Cam Young. I would say like, it's kind of where I'm at too. And I know that's a future. It's a, you know, oh, well, this guy's going to be around for years and years. I do think Keegan gives you a better chance to Cam Young in this moment. Cody, what do you think of that? Yeah, I said that last week, but I changed my mind.

I was sending all the pictures. Nobody liked my Photoshopped glove or pictures. I was sending over this week, but I think Cam's on the team and JT is on the team. Who does and Ricky's on the team? We're I think we're in agreement there. Sean made a good argument for Ricky. I think that's fair. He has played better golf. He's, you know, he fits in. There's good chemistry. I think that the knock would be, hasn't been great in the Ryder Cup, but I don't think I think he's earned it more than some of the other guys we're

talking about. I think he's earned it more than Cam Young has. Your your point, tell you about how I think JT it's not just that he's part of the cool kid club. He's, you know, his guys, I think it's a little above. I think they they want to go to battle with the guys who have been pushing this in one specific direction for a while. And I think that matters. I'm not going to say that it doesn't. I don't think it's just always been good in the past with the rider cup. There is sort of like, okay, like we know that we want speed on the team and we know we got a parent with somebody who feels really comfortable with them and has been really good.

And so I think those are all things in favor of JT's inclusion. I just think the key genders with Lerves a little bit more credit than just the dismissal of like, I got that dude ain't it. No, like he has been it at times. Like I think he just deserves a little bit but we're consideration in this.

And that's why he has felt like he had to go on this political campaigning. System where he gives like a really good interview in the rain, to be a rain, to be a rain, to sort of rain delay, because no one kind of is considering him. And I think that's a bummer. I think Kevin to clarify. I think he's trying to whip the votes. Yeah, I think he's the 13th man. And if there was like a zalatorous injury that struck the US between now and the cup,

I think I would want that spot to go to Keegan. I would feel good about that. I would feel totally fine with him being on this team. I just don't think there's a spot for him. I got there's no one I'm unseeding out of those six for Keegan. Are we just totally, from the just asking questions guy, are we sure about like, speed? Do we feel good about?

No, because he's just kind of an automatic bit. But I don't think he's an automatic bit. It's just like, no, but he's on the team. And it's like, well, he's been playing like kind of kind of crappy, but he did make it towards him. I can't, I can't figure out maybe that's just spieth in general. But it's like, I don't know. Is he playing good golf right now? He did not get out of my bed, by the way. He's going to need a captain's pick. That's what I mean. And we haven't even mentioned him yet. Is like, you know, like, I think what's in favor for that is that he and JT have played

really well together. You know that pairing is set. Like, it's always hard to figure out who to pair with whom. And that, you know, that's a lock right there that you can play them in in all shot. You can play them in four ball, whatever, and they'll probably do pretty well. They've shown that time and time again at multiple rider cups. And so I think that's probably JG like Jordan's best thing is like, all right, if JG is going to be on the team, then why not just solve this other problem and have speedy with them. They don't have to play in five matches. They can play in three matches and we know that's going to, you know, give us a good chance at winning two of those three of those matches at least. I was just asking questions. No, there's a good question. I'm not trying to start a fight or anything. No, that's a great question.

I feel like speed ends every year like this for you're just like, dude, what are we? What are we doing here? Yeah, like, dude, whatever it is, when those two get together, they are an incredible team and they piss people off. And maybe the teams against them just don't play good golf, but they win a shitload of matches together. And I'd be absolutely stunned if they were not in the morning for ball. I don't know if they've not, I assume they'll go for ball in the mornings that you should do in Europe. I would be very surprised if they were not in the opening morning slate at Marcos Moni along with Zander Cantlay, Scotty and somebody that haven't figured out yet, and maybe Max and Borcao, like, do that. Feel pretty, if I'm Zach Johnson, I feel pretty good about running those eight out that first morning.

Brian Herman, Scotty, I'm calling it. That part. I don't have an answer. I don't, you know, I don't have a strong, I know or yes to that. Again, I'm so intimidated after learning how they actually put this stuff together. I'm so scared to like actually suggest like these two would go great together because the couple of times I've done that with some of the stats guys are

like, yeah, that'd be the polar opposite of actually what we would do. And here's why. And it's, I mean, it's super interesting. It's like, it's a totally different stat platform on slower greens and on rough that's above this height level and fairways that are like this. And if they're par five scoring, you want guys that have like very variables in their par five scoring versus par three scoring.

So they're not covering each other up with birdies and all this stuff like gain on like a little bit of a slight edge is how they put it all together. And, you know, giving guys the right distance of shot in if this guy hits this shot Then we want this guy who's the best skill from 180 to 200 blah blah blah. It's it's really boring But it's is that a better method than Tom Watson like getting a napkin now Do you think and like changing things up 20 minutes before the pairings or who they pair. They're here in Mayhand enforcers.

They never practice golf ball. I hate brand-out to go brown. Like I think that's the US team is a couple of long ways. It's that I really would like to think so. But who knows, they'll probably like shit in Europe and lose it all over again. And here we go again. So two years is a long time. What I've been thinking about today is like, it seemed like the Americans were gonna have like a dynasty,

they're gonna kick the shit out of the Euros, whatever. And now like two years later, God so much has changed in the world of golf. And all of a sudden you got all these Europeans who look really good again, when the year ago they looked like they were dead in the water. And I honestly think Euros I would say are half a point favorite, like at home right now.

Like that would be my pay. If I was, if I was a betting guy, I'd put money on the euros because 30 years of history matters in this. I was it be because something freaky happens over in Europe every single time. I think it's maybe a little exaggerated, like how, how good the Europeans look. I think at the very top. I mean, obviously with Hovlin, I don't, I, Rory, okay, finished to the year. Rom pretty meh finished to the year. Lowry very much. Just okay. Golf fits Patrick had a good playoff event. But,

I don't know. I'm not totally convinced this team is like super stacked and it got some weird stuff going on at the bottom. John Paul could still earn a birth into this team. One of the final spots and they'll be available this coming week. Nikolai Hoigard or Ludwig filling that that that final spot. I've been very pro Ludwig. I believe one of our other colleagues I think has mentioned it as well. And I think they should do that. But like a lot of there's some question marks down there. Well, we've we've dug you you forgot about Fleetwood. We've dug him for not winning, but he is playing. He's had a very

strong end of the year. He's been all over every leaderboard. So I was you, KVV, I think that Euros are kind of snuck up. I'm like, Oh, man, this is going to be very competitive is what I'm thinking. There's still time for a lifetime European tour member, Patrick Reed, to renounce his US citizenship and see if he can get on that Euro squad. So like the 12th man on the Euros. Well, I want to, I feel like this leads in. I have a question for you guys. I know it's like there's a player of the year award to be named, but who do you think, you know, in air quotes,

won the 2022-2023 season? So you got the three guys at the top. You got Sheffler, two wins, 16 top 10s, number one in the OWGR, no majors, Braum, four wins, Masters champ, 10 top 10s, number three in the OWGR, no majors. Braum, four wins, Masters champ, 10 top 10s, number three in the OWGR, but kind of has peedered out a little bit. I'd say the last, what month? Two months?

Finish the 18th in the overall state, except I know that's wild, isn't it? But it's like you look at that numbers. He's got more wins than anybody and you know, one, one of the masters, it's almost like you forget about that. Rory, two wins, 12 top 10s. No majors, of course. So those are kind of, you know, the big three honorable mention. I guess Victor, two wins now wins the Fed X Cup, all the prestige. Hell yeah. Three wins for Victor. Three wins. What was the third memorial?

BMW in this. Oh, yeah. Memorial. I've got that's right. Three wins. Okay. So that, that kind of bumps him up the list. Is there anybody I'm missing that you would you would throw in there as a potential winner of the season? I got one, Neil. Yeah. Brooks, Capca. Brooks.

Brooks, reestablished himself as a top player, won a major. It's competitive. The basically was like proven as it's right. Like you should have taken the money. Like you got my 200 million and you're never going to get it. Had himself a kid, like everything about Brooks's season. He didn't have a kid. Sorry, Jenna had the kid. Everything came, everything came up in favor of Brooks this year. And I think overall, like, pretty successful winning season for him. You also want to live in just one that's exactly like it. Brooks probably made what, you know,

$15, $20 million this year, which is about what, you know, freaking, we just made from the tour championship. So I'd say Brooks, that's my dark horse pick. It's all really hard question. I think if I'm looking at like wins and results, there's no season I'm trading for roms, right? Four wins in the masters, there's no- But it doesn't feel like that,'s no feel like that, right? That's such a statement on this FedEx cup where it's like,

we should be talking about like victors, the winner, but it just doesn't like that's why I was wondering about it. Golf has its peak moments are just not at the end, right? It's peak moments are doubt through the course of the year. And dude, if you're picking one tournament to win it's the Masters, I don't think anybody want to know nobody one more than four times also he had three wins to supplement that one at RIV which is like stinky like just a freaking awesome tournament this winter. How about the the century? What do you came back six shots down? I mean, I think an iconic shot for me of the year was, you know, Colin Flubbin that ship on 18 like that was tough man. That was tough to watch. If it rom comes storming back.

And then yeah, and at RIV was that was incredible. So, but you almost forget about it, right? Because it's six months ago. Even though he did come up just barely short of winning the Grand Slam, he had a runner up at the open to like it's rom for me. I mean, Scotty like had the better golf year, but I don't know how you don't end the year disappointed in what you got out of that. I know for a data guy like you, what best, best strokes gained season since Tiger? It's fair to say Scotty was a better golfer this year, but you would not trade that for Ram season, right? I mean, it's, there's a difference in like looking at who the better golfer was and like who had better results. And I don't know. That's pretty obvious,

I think. So, Katie, I think Brooks is up there. I would, it's, I honestly, once you list that out, it's a tough one between ramen Brooks. I would have to say with the controversy around team smash, that brings, that brings Brooks down. It is, you know, bad team chemistry. Yeah. Well, they're still together. Like he hasn't, you know, they haven't executed a trade there. And then Matt Wolfe didn't just win or he played really well. I don't give a shit enough to look, but he played well after and it seemed like things were much more kosher. Maybe just think they could get in the ass. They couldn't trade during the season, which like in their defense, I can understand how you'd be confused. This,

how this, this thing is actually running on rules, but I think they, they thought they could train them and they learned they couldn't, which I understand is a, a rule change for next year. Um, I think it's, I don't know. When them, when Clark in there with, I mean, statement when it Wells Fargo and obviously the US open and then really good finish. But I think he was what? T three, like, I mean, played like consistent solid golf all season. I think windums clearly established himself as a true, like, I mean, played like consistent solid golf all season. I think windom's clearly established himself as a true, like top 10 player in the world.

It wasn't, you know, the US Open win elevated him, but honestly, they're like the rest of season and what he did through championship was like, all right, I'm going to validate that. I'm going to prove that I'm not going away. I'm not just like, you know, the fact that we look back someday is like, oh my god, like, R lost to you. It's open because Wyndham Clark beat him. It doesn't, it might not seem that sort of damning years from now. He's like, oh, Wyndham turn out to win two majors. He's a legit, really good player. If you want to talk about somebody we were talking earlier with some of the flip day skill, I mean, Wyndham was negative point six, negative point five, negative point six, negative

point four with Iron Play in his four full seasons on the PGA tour to positive point five this year. Almost a full shot gained per round with irons is a monumental flip in a long game skill. Like you just do not see guys flip something around. Like that's if you look at people's the top players pages, they're like green, green, green, green, green, green, every year. Like they just are always positive. Nobody goes from that far negative to that far positive that quickly. And yeah, he has, he's like green, green, green, green, green, green every year. Like they just are always positive. Nobody goes from that far negative to that far positive that quickly. And yeah, he has, he's like a, he's like a post-hype sleeper

and that he has all these tools that, you know, so much of this potential that like now it just took forever to kind of pop. And now it's like, oh, yeah, dude, I mean, it's, it's like 190 miles, or it ball spins like 190 miles an hour. And has good iron play like dude, you're just going to play good golf if you combine those two things. So I'm glad he's got straightened out. I think it was just pretty pretty so so since the US open no top 10 since then and hasn't really been that competitive, but obviously a good strong finish to the year and we will 100% million percent be seeing him in real. So flip flip in this now

the end though, who is your most disappointing person of the year? I, that's a go, yeah, JT would be an easy answer. I think more Colin is up there for me. Mm-hmm, I just, yeah, I just feel like he was kind of a non-factor and I think he almost regressed a little bit and then maybe, maybe some of that's just hollin' on the rise where you're like, oh, wait a second,

like kind of thought Morca was the guy two majors like guy, you know, nobody strikes it like him. And I just felt like he had a very disappointing season. Morca was, he was hotter at the beginning of this season, Neil, the more Kala and the short game chef, we thought this was going to elevate him, bring him and who would have thought it turns out being holl and Joe Mayo. I mean, it's funny because I remember that from late last year or January, like, you know, Morca was picked to win, you know, at LA, like, oh my God, you know, we hit it like him. And it's just he had that collapse at century. And it just kind of got everything off on the wrong foot.

I I've trouble reconciling it. And I'm not the only one that feels this way. Um, and that I kind of want to agree yet it was his best statistical season yet. It was his best numbers yet did not have the peak weeks did not have the, the wins did not have the top, you know, the, the things that people remember, which is I think why we, why I feel this way and why a lot of people probably do, but Iron Play was as good as it's ever been. I mean, just really freaking solid. That surprises me. It just like, it just didn't pass the eye test. I mean, this is where you need the eye test. There was just wasn't there for me this year. I don't see a, a, a

hole in his game, you know, when I look at his finishes in the top 20 over the last four years, 10, 13, 10 and 10, including this year, obviously his wins go to 3, 0, 0 over the last two years. So the no wins is obviously, again, what people will remember. But, um, yeah, I think maybe in those years, he was winning a lot. He had just weeks that he was totally forgettable. And this year, he was just kind of more even keel and level. And we don't have the wins to remember a season. But yeah, you're not, you're not trading, uh, you know, you're not trading keegan season for his. Like you'd much rather have had Keegan season than Moore Cowell. Even though even the more cow is going to win the Stroke's game,

like Keegan had a better, better results, got more out of a year. So I feel like, you know, I got to, got to mention Rory, I feel like, you know, no major, that's disappointing. Another few close calls. You just, I'm sure he's disappointed in that too. And then normally it's like no major, but like, hey, let me go win the $18 million, then just felt like the body kind of fell part of the end too. So hopefully he can, he can get healthy and, you know, get it back next year. I feel like I got an nominee, can't lay like I, Patrick's a better golfer than Max. And yet, these have the same kind of like major problem right now, where they're just not competitive in majors. And I feel like Patrick should be held to a high standard at this cannot find a way to be competitive at the masters or at LACC or you know, it's just doesn't make sense. He and he and Zander, his buddy Zander, they're just the, they're the strokes

gain bash bros. We do this way too often. We can't compare Cantley and Zander's major records. They're not the same. They're not the same. Zander's been competitive and major is. Can't lay has not that, but I guess lack of one. I would say can't lay has more statement wins than Zander does. Feels like, you know, Torchampion last year, BMW twice, like those feel his feel bigger at bigger times in the year than Zander's do. But I feel like Zander's probably like you're saying more consistent overall,

better finishes and majors. So it's kind of a toss up on who's more disappointing. All right, we had a bunch of, you know, a bunch of questions. I think we can maybe save some of these for the fall. I wasn't sure we'd have enough to talk about tonight, but it turns out we had quite a bit. Always could always enjoy a good spirited rider cup debate. On the LPGA, but I'm kind of waiting for this to finish.

It looks like Jin Young Co is lining up. She is leading by one shot currently at the in the Canadian Open over Megan Kang lining up a potter on 18. Cody, you know what this is for. What are we looking at? This is for par here for Jinyoung Co here at the par 418. The rate set it. Oh, we can code it. I can't say. It's radio voice here. You took the call away from me. Harded it. Slight fist bump there. She shows the crowd her appreciation. Gives Georgia Hall a great big old hug. I could get started the round five shots back.

Not a good day for Megan Kang. She just bogeyed. Seventeen. Send it 800 par. Needs to do some here on 18. Cody two years since Shen co at a win looks like She won this year didn't she didn't she won founders? Okay, I was looking at the Wikipedia page, which is not updated, which is the parallels of that so Uh, no, you're right. Sorry, but it's been a it's been a while. So maybe it's majors So that's what I was looking at it's been a while since young co was really good. A lot of KVV journalists like you know, you can't.

I know I'm Wikipedia. I know. I'm sorry. I, yeah, it's definitely I apologize to the. I know that back this year earlier this year. Okay, let's strike. Almost. Yeah, she won. She won the HSBC and the founders cup the next week. Oh, that's right. That's March and May. Sorry, two months apart. Okay. Sorry. Yeah. It's on the fly. Um, so long to picks for Bade on the European side this past week, Cody, Matt, um, Suzanne Pederson selected Madeline Sagsdram, Gemma Dryberg, Carolyn Headwall and Emily

Christine Peterson. What's, uh, you've been following the situation closely. What's your reaction to those picks? Yeah, I would say Emily probably, two kind of outsider picks there for Captain Pederson, but all in all like team dynamics wise. She went out and like Rania and I said on the podcast and then talked about it a little bit on Twitter. Like this European squad is like a bunch of dogs, man. Like they're coming for a fight

and that's the squad that you pick. A lot of them based off of previous play and then relationships that they have with the rest of the team and then with Captain Peterson, but it is going to be a tough, tough, tough European squad for Spain. Tough, not good, especially as we continue to watch this. A big man called for me from the our Solheim preview podcast. I was talking about Lexi and Lexi falling out of the LPGA points list, Megan Kang just absolutely stuffing it here on 18 to four feet. For Birdie here, Kang pride of Massachusetts, a great Rhode Island prospect. But yeah, it was bad. I messed up with, excuse me, with Lexi. Either way, she was going to be a fall off the US Soulheim Cup list on the normal qualifying period, but the Rolex fallback,

she's going to take that top spot there automatically on the team. And now it basically comes to her. So is she, does she want to play and compete and be a part of the squad? So far, she's saying, yes, she is. She's playing the next two events leading up to it. So we'll see if some increased play because I think she's only played in like six events so far this entire year out of 30 available. Gets her game in form here, but it'll be interesting to see what Stacy does picks tomorrow.

Excited to find out though. I'm sure we'll have, when's the next scheduled reaction to that on the LPGA pod front. Well, we have a LPGA pod since an Adi week so in two weeks, but honestly with everything that we have going on next week, we might do something or we'll do, you know, a Twitter thread or IG Live or something, but we'll react to, yeah, we'll react to the picks once we have them. Like you get, again, I said tomorrow. So I think it's like a new Eastern or something like that is when the announcement is to check in with your editorial director. See what's written content that can go up live on the website. Twitter thread. We're not right. I don't write for this. That falls under my purview, damn it. Take it out with someone else. This coming week is the Walker Cup at St Andrews. I believe it is going to be aired on the golf channel in the mornings. I've seen a lot of conflicting reports on that, but I'm excited to

watch that. David Coker shot a 59 on the corn fairy tour, third 59 this season. God admit that was news to me. Did not see that one. I don't know how it compares strokes gained a Bryson's 58 of course. Those guys go so low on the corn fairy tour. It's got to be very galmoralizing to try that. It's crazy. When you see the scores for those tournaments. It still blows my mind that like people shoot 59 everyone's just like, okay, cool man, that's cool. One of my back when there was only like four people who'd ever shot 59. A buddy of mine had a great idea to write a book about like all the four people who'd ever done

this and went and interviewed him. And in the interim of the time, but he was like writing it, like three more people shot 59. What and it was like, oh, the book is totally fucked now. It's he had all this stuff written for this book that never will see the light of day. It's like George R. Martin just like, you can't, you can't finish the series. It's not going to happen too much going on. Alejandro Toasty, I think I'm saying right, was forced to withdraw from a corn fairy event for a disciplinary matter this week. Still waiting for more information on that. But apparently this is like, this dude is

like Patrick Reed on steroids in terms of disciplinary problems. And I don't know what to take, what you have to do to like cursing out volunteers and doing all kinds of stuff. I'm waiting for a report, a full report on what is the only source they're saying it was a bit of a lifetime achievement award. Yes. I've played with him before. You've played with him? I have. Yeah. I played with him in a practice round for the Latin America Amateur Championship when you're at Costa de Campo. When he was, I think it was a freshman or sophomore at University of Florida. And he would, so you got to watch out for a lot of the players from South America because they, they just start flying off words in Spanish and they'll say like 15 cuss words

in a row. Like after a misplugug, very, very loud. And then when you like, you know, we're playing down south somewhere and you have everybody around you as a Spanish speaker and they finally like realize what you're saying. And he was like very much like red-faced flush like, oh, I can't do this anymore, but he's had a run in,

multiple run-ins in college as well as amateur play. He, you know as Amateur play. He runs hot, that's the number one thing. And he kind of has this thing where he, what starts happening is that the people who are in his group start reacting to it because you can see by these outbursts and I, hey man, kind of calm down. I guess there's something in the last couple of weeks that he's starting kind of directing it more

of volunteers and things like that. He also has like lifetime achievement board for not being able to add up his scorecard. And I'm not talking about like cheating, okay? I'm not saying like intentionally stuff here. There's been times I know in college he had multiple events where he was his coat his assistant coaches would go into the scoring tent with him and hover over his shoulder to ensure that he got things correctly added up. So I don't know if there's something going on there or whatnot not saying that he's like intentionally like shaving strokes or anything just as troubles with scoring. So there's

a lot of different things going on with the the young stud there who already had his card locked up. So it'll be interesting because I think this is one of those things where the tours never going to tell us what the L like actually happens. But I know Ryan French from Monday Q has been kind of beaten us down. So I'm excited to see what his reporting is going to be from it. We missed it. You talked about that 59, but shout out. I can't really quick to say for legal purposes, Patrick Reed is not on steroids. That was a comment that I made. It was a comparison that I made, which was a legit comparison. I just wanted to take no legal responsibility in any way for any of those statements. So thank you for the comments in there that we're warning me I should get in front of that.

Yeah. And in the season, grind here on Corn Fairy Tour and shout out to Chan Kim, who ended up winning this event in Boise and shout out to Albertson's one of the best grocery stores doesn't get any respect out there at all, but anyway, Chan Kim back to back winner here, which is tough to do. Like Neil said, when these guys are like, it's just a horse race out there, man, they just go so freaking deep. Wow, man. Great. Anything I'm trying to stretch this out here as we walk. We can see the line up, line up this putt here on 18. The ball is finally back down. She's removed her mark settling down, given a couple looks.

You know, I will say this laughing about when Big and I went over and did radios truly one of the funnest experiences that we've ever had because I think we all at times we've been away from radio away from TV coverage and had to tune into the radio, who's so much fun to do. Can't wait to have another opportunity to do it. I'm still waiting. This is where you talk about the birds and the trees

and whether. I might be doing some of the rider cut, by the way. Just, allegedly, I don't know. I might be popping on right here, just popping in. He made it. Back to nine on there. We got to be now. We got to play. Congratulations to either Megan Kang or Jin Young co.

Our editor, you can just dub in here, whoever ends up winning this year as we wrap up our live show. Kevin, you're going to send always on that on the note about Tossi. You would have been so proud. So I'm, you know, my daughter played in her, like, real tournament this past week. And she did the thing where you exchanged cards with the other person. She'd never done that before. And so in the tent, they were adding them up afterwards. And the girl was the other girl had written down that she had had a five on the first hole. And my daughter was like, no, I had a seven. Like, that is not right. And I was so proud of her for being like, I add my score up correctly. Like, I'm not gonna take the lesser score. I was like, oh, we're working on,

we're building something here. I love this. I love this. I'm willing to, to write from the jump, be like, uh-uh, you mess this up. So, for people that are asking about the Marcos Simone video, it will be coming out this week. If we,

there's a lot of people talking about it. After BMW, we just didn't say win after the BMW every time you ask it gets delayed another week So the beatings will continue until marina's it reminds me of the Phil or not the crash course that we did on wild horse That's TC like announced it like way too early and then people are just Dog in his ass for like two two and a half months like where's the wild horse really video at If you guys are wondering why it's to I wanted to make sure ZJ picked JT before he saw the rough on this golf course. That's that's that's the reason why we waited this long is I'm very corrupt and wanted to make sure that didn't interfere with anything. So

anything else before we wrap. It's not only I want to say something thank you for an awesome PJ tour season as the 2024 calendar on the PJ tour wraps up. I think from live shows wise, of course, we're going to have live shows for Soulheim Cup and Ryder Cup, but being the fact that now, all of a sudden, we had designated events, elevated events, whatever the heck they are. It's been a heck of a run. So thank you for sitting in the cap and see almost every single episode, even when we're

close up to the wire on on baby watch, but it's been a ton of fun. Thank you for running the ones and twos and making it a place for people to come hang out on Sunday nights. And thanks for all the people that are involved in the chat and listening and encouraging us to do these. It's been a lot of fun. This was a big undertaking for us this year. And we're going to we're going to keep it rolling.

Shout out to high noon as well for putting these up and Yeah, it's been an adjustment for us to do these live But they've it's been really rewarding and a lot of fun and it's it's fun to kind of get that live interaction with people as we're doing it and I love the video aspect as well. So All right, well that is it we are probably not gonna have a show next Sunday We'll have an episode but probably not a live reaction to the week on Labor Day weekend. A lot of people got a lot of stuff going on. People traveling for walker cup and weddings and all that kind of stuff. And we're paid by the PGA tour, of course. And there's no PGA tour of it next

week. So they don't want to promote any other golf out there. So that's the big takeaway there. Of course, here's the draw the dots. Draw the dots. So I guess let's get into the season. I hadn't really thought about that let's get into the season. Yeah, I hadn't really thought about that until just now, but yeah, very, very weird, very weird sport that we follow. And it's a lot of fun. So thank you all for being here. Thanks for having me on the chat. Thanks for listening. Thanks for listening on the pod. And we will see you back here soon. He's spangling! Move! Give it a right club. Be the right club today. Yes!

Be the right club! That is better than most. How about in? That is better than most. Better than most! I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go.

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