OverDrive - Faxon on the Masters Tournament headlines, McIlroy's overall skill set and the chase for a green jacket

Episode Date: April 9, 2025

NBC Sports Golf Analyst Brad Faxon joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the Masters Tournament, Rory McIlroy's approach on the course, the putting skill set and winning at Augusta National, Scottie Scheffler's successful style, the LIV Golf players, the Canadian's performance and more.

Hey, who invited climate action to the party? We did! Hey, I'm Shannon Burns. And I'm Sarah Christie. Together, we host the Earth Day Party Podcast. Where the guest list is full of climate experts sharing their advice on how we can protect our planet. Everything from avoiding microplastics to sustainable fashion to getting a prescription to spend time in nature. Plus, we hear from David Suzuki.

This is a party where everyone is invited. The Earth Day Party Podcast on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. From NBC, the Golf Channel, the Weather Network, Brad Fax. Is that accurate, Fax? You were running out the whole weather program today or what? You didn't know I was a meteorologist, did you? Oh, I did not, Fax.

But listen, there's a friend of mine who is a meteorologist in Rhode Island where I grew up and there's an effect called the Venturi effect. And when wind gets strong in an area and there's trees or buildings, the buildings and the trees can push it in different directions. That's the Venturi effect. And with the storms that Augusta had earlier in the fall and all these trees came down,

it was tragic for the city of Augusta, but more so for the golf course here and at Augusta National that there's three thousand and four thousand trees fell down and you know Amen cornered this famous stretch of the 11th 12th and 13th holes you can see now through these trees where you never could before so it might be for these players a little bit easier to figure out the wind and the patterns or it could be Completely different and screw them all up and it's gonna be windy this week

Is that Venturi effect facts is that like for Kenny Venturi or is that another Venturi effect? It's nothing to do with Ken Venturi. I just think it sounds cool. Okay. Fax, your time on the panel, how difficult is it for you because Rory comes up a lot. How do you balance how he performs and the setbacks with also working with the guy? I mean, at TPC you see yourself on the range and then you're on TV How is that balancing act?

Yeah, it's unusual for sure and You know Rory being one of them. I wouldn't say being one of these the most recognizable golfer now the Tigers not playing He's the most popular golfer And I you know, he's a player that everybody seems to be pulling for. Not everybody loves him. Some of the players are jealous of him. Some of the fans don't like that he's maybe outspoken about things.

But I think everybody would empathize towards him like being one of the best players that you would think would be a guy that should be winning the Masters. He's had a major drought since 2014 and he's had some near misses last year obviously at Pine Ridge at the US Open when Bryson DeChambeau made that incredible up and down on 18 to beat him by a shot. He's had chances to win majors since then. I think that there's resilience in all the great players because even Jack Nicholas finished second in majors more than he won majors, 18 to 19.

You have to be able to bounce back. Tiger bounced back, maybe not as much as other players because he won so much. But I'm thinking and you know, maybe not as much as other players because he won so much. But I'm thinking and, you know, around him so much. But this is as comfortable as I've seen him coming into here. You know, it's always this burden because you go through the same questions year in and year out, but his game is solid. I think he knows that his life's not going to change for the worst

if he doesn't win this masters uh... i think he's put it more perspective now and took to win here and i guess that's why we think it's not what you do on the greens it's really more how far you hit it now how good are you in your irons and can you avoid disaster uh... well that's a really nice to know it's really all the time for them to

do anything yet disaster. Well, that's a hard question with Rory all the time. It's farther than anybody. Yeah. And like, Phil, for years, didn't have success at the British, and he finally embraced it somehow and then he won a British Open. Like, what would embracing Augusta mean for Rory, or does it just mean that he's got to let it fly and let it go and be the best player. You know, that's, that's a good analogy with Phil and certainly the British Open for Mickelson was something that you thought would be more unlikely to show wins with his style of play.

He was higher ball hitter, didn't seem to be able to move the ball down very much. Uh, and I don't know, make it, Rory looks like a guy that should be suited to an air to gus because of a lot of the holes that turn to right to left where he can draw the ball. And putting was always an issue. I don't know, putting is not an issue with Rory. He puts great. And this year, he's won two courses that maybe wouldn't suit his game. You don't need to drive it a lot or very far at the players championship. And he didn't hit a lot of fairways

there. And then at Pebble Beach, you know, the short iron stuff, which he excelled in that week really won in that tournament on greens that were smaller with a you know that were softer so he could spin the shots too much sometimes so he's won on unusual ways and he's used that phrase I'm more of a complete golfer than I've ever been and I believe it with Brad Faxon live froma, head of the Masters starting tomorrow, history would suggest very difficult to go back to back.

It's only happened three times ever. Winning three times in four years has only happened once, Jack Nicklaus, back I think in the 60s and 70s. With that in mind, can you make a case for why Scottie Schaeffler will win this week? Will or won't? Either way. Either way. Where do you stand on Scottie Scheffler will win this week? Will or won't? Either way, either way. Where do you stand on Scottie and his chances? Oh, well, well, he, you know, he, everybody knows that he was hurt earlier this year

over Christmas. He had an injury, he cut himself on a wine glass while he was making some ravioli, which cracks me up, the German guy making the ravioli at Christmas, but he, he had surgery. He, um, didn't start off anywhere near his level of play and he's gotten better. He's trending well, you know, he won seven times last year, won a gold medal. Uh, it's, it's hard to believe that anybody can play better than that tiger like year. And, year. But his ball striking has gotten better. His putting is improving

seemingly week to week. He's defending champion. He's saying all the right things. And he's the overwhelming favorite. Some people have given him odds like 30% over the field. It's remarkable. And the guys that hit a great tee to green start off with an advantage. He's one of those guys that's got pinpoint accuracy and he can move the ball in two different directions. So I don't know. I think there's guys that you might not think of that have a good chance to win here

Canadian Cory Connors jumps to the top of the list with a trend. He's going on how good he's hitting his irons Hits it plenty far enough. It's gonna be windy and Cory can Keep the ball low and because of the range on Monday the greens are slightly slower and slightly softer Can you shoot 67 on Sunday though? Yeah, I know you gotta, you gotta do it on Sunday, but he's gotten better with his putter, he switched putters that center shaft and things been helping him. Um, and I think there's a guy named Seth Stracca that he's won a few times now, but he's got a beautiful swing and hits the ball.

Well, yeah. And then we, what we don't know is how are the live golfers going to play? How's Bryson going to play? Uh, maybe one of the most intriguing of the players that certainly bombs it. Uh, one of the coolest things I'm sure you've seen on this master's app, you can see how many balls every player's hit in their practice days and the patterns where they hit them. And Bryson's hit more than anybody.

He's longer than anybody. Kenny hit good iron shots. He's not a great chipper. And you got to be good chipping here on short grass. You're not chipping out of rough. And that's one of the key indicators if you look at stats over 10 years. So it'll be interesting to see how Bryson does around the green when he misses him.

But you know, Kepka, is he gonna be able to do it? John Rahm, he looks like, John Rahm looks like a guy, he's like a man on a mission. He's, I think he play in the BGA Tour. You know, he won just two years ago here. And he played pretty well last week at Doral, the live event was at Trump Doral. And he made, I think he made a quadruple bogey on the 70th hole and he said the shot he hit in the water with an iron was his best swing of the day. So I think that guy has something to prove.

So before we get you out of here, Fax, is that going to be Rory's approach? Do you think it's going to be an aggressive approach? Like if it's about the driver, is it just take that thing out as much as you can and like hit 356 yard draws all over that place and see where it gets you? I wish it were that simple. If he hit a 350 yard draw down the middle of the fairway it would be that simple. The par fives are important this week and it sounds so obvious but if you're going to win you've got to capitalize on the par fives.

He's long enough to reach them all in the right conditions. I just think tomorrow one of the most important shots he's going to hit is that first tee shot. You know, think about it. He waits a year every year to hit a tee shot off the first hole. His first round scoring average at Augusta national is not good. So he, and he knows this stuff. You don't need people to remind him that. He's just got to, you know know stay in the right frame of mind picture the shot you want to hit and just continue to play one good shot in a row if he can do that and stay away from the noise and he's pretty good

at staying away from the noise i think we're going to see him with a big chance on sunday cannot wait for it uh it's going to be great starting tomorrow. Great stuff as always on the Golf Channel, NBC. You'll be doing that all weekend. Enjoy it, Brad. We really appreciate you finding some time for us. It's good to talk to you guys as always. I'm sitting here just outside where live from with Brando Rich and Paul McGinley is on right now.

We got some guys, Graham Dillett and the group from Canada is a couple doors down, ESPN is a couple doors down and the sun is starting to set. It is so perfect out here right now. You would never want to leave. Yeah. We're jealous, man, believe me. We can only imagine what that looks like. Enjoy it.

Thanks, Vax. Thanks, you guys. Enjoy Beyond. There he. Thanks, Fax. Thanks, you guys. Enjoy beyond. There is Brad Faxon. That just happened with me, Vashi Capellos, Candidate Assides 2025. Stay informed with my exclusive iHeartRadio podcast available Friday afternoon straight through till Election Day and beyond. I'll have your weekly highlights and my

unvarnished analysis of the campaign of a lifetime. The candidates, the quotes, the polls, and the momentum. That just happened with Vashikopelos. Canada decides 2025. Fresh every Friday. Stream on your schedule with the free iHeartRadio app.