Early notes from Augusta, LIV Doral questions, and El Pato's return

This Monday episode begins with a discussion on the dynamics of youth birthday parties before jumping into the thrilling conclusion to the first leg of the Courier Cup Playoffs. Andy and Brendan discuss the strutting and putting of Will Zalatoris, who clinched his first victory on the PGA Tour in a circus-like playoff against the Sepptic Tank. It was a potentially ugly day for the PGA Tour that finished with a bang. They react to the bizarre Cam Smith penalty and the LIV conspiracy theories that followed. Saki Baba’s dominant U.S. Women’s Am victory is discussed, as is host site Chambers Bay and the unfortunate reality that we may never see a U.S. Open there again thanks to the ridiculous pre-advance booking at a few anchor sites. The final regular season event on the Korn Ferry Tour is also discussed at the end, with praise for Michael Kim, a pronunciation debate for Kevin Roy, and a schedule lament that buries one of the Tour’s best days behind the playoffs.

15 Elo 202249min

Typically, mid-August is for getting away and golf slowing down despite what the FedEx Cup marketing might try to make you believe. Andy and Brendan had that in mind with various vacation and work travels planned, but they did not expect such significant and entertaining golf news to develop this week. So Brendan sits in the car outside a beach house, while Andy scoots through rural Nebraska in his own vehicle, and the result is this episode discussing the LIV plaintiffs lawyer making a fool of himself at the TRO hearing in California, the completely unsympathetic Gooch-Swafford-Jones trio, and the Tour having to acknowledge some hard truths in order to craft winning arguments. They also discuss world No. 2 Cam Smith reportledy jumping ship next month to LIV, and many other things in an episode that did not feel like it would get off the ground.

10 Elo 202236min

It’s a live recording with Andy and Brendan in front of some fine Philly folks ahead of the Fried Egg event in town on Monday. It’s the first applause they can recall during a recording with an audience so after a few comments about the locals, they dive into the weekend that was in golf. They start with the Women’s Open at Muirfield, which went deep into the night during an interminable playoff with Ash Buhai eventually prevailing. They discuss her roller coaster weekend, her eager significant other jumping into the frame, and how Muirfield played for the women. Then it’s on to Playoffs talk, with ample time set aside for more Max McGreevy facts and appreciation. Tom Kim is given his due with some stories of his first moments in the States. They also delight in the Comcast Top 10 being neglected during its most pivotal moment. They close with the odd Zalatoris caddy break-up and some thoughts on the LIV TRO hearing coming on Tuesday.

8 Elo 202243min

This Friday episode begins with the 100-plus page complaint filed by 11 LIV players against the PGA Tour, as well as the temporary restraining order that will go to court next week. Andy and Brendan react to the complaint, its allegations and arguments, and the PGA Tour’s potential missteps and response going forward. They highlight a couple aspects they find compelling, dubious, and amusing in the whole mess that will be instrumental in how the future of golf looks, with an antitrust expert coming later in the week on the podcast to get into more of the details. The second half of the pod discusses early action from Muirfield at the Women’s Open, Webb Simpson becoming a vice captain, and a Flashback Friday to that time a scorecard “countback” decided the Women’s Open.

4 Elo 202246min

This Wednesday episode begins with some thoughts on the last major of the year, the AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield. Andy and Brendan discuss their recent trip to the course, some favorite holes, some amusing stories, and how the women’s game might bring it into the modern world. On the PGA Tour, they discuss the myth of the FEC bubble and how many players hovering around it are truly unworthy of a “postseason” berth after this week’s Wyndham. This leads to more Max McGreevy facts than you could ever anticipate. James Hahn’s weird and misguided tweets are dissected, as is the new PGA Tour schedule, which seems to do nothing more than throw some money at the problems while changing very little else. News hits on Tiger Woods’s astronomical offer to join LIV, Patrick Reed going to Asia to play golf, and a Henrik Stenson conspiracy theory.

3 Elo 202257min

It’s a glorious first of the month recording, which has Andy and Brendan full of energy despite the relatively sleepy golf from multiple fronts at the Rocket Mortgage and LIV Bedminster. They discuss the confusion and lack of enthusiasm around the actual team golf at LIV, the political rally that seemed to make the golf incidental, the absurdly overhyping announcers, and the Tour’s own continued problems on display weighing it down in Detroit. They also debate who’s sadder: Phil or Brooks? The Women’s Scottish and the Hero Open are reviewed from across the pond. They close with further amusement about the 3-1-3 Challenge and Henrik still feeling persecuted about losing his captaincy.

1 Elo 202253min

It’s a summer hours Friday episode, which begins with some LIV rumors of varying degrees of amusement, from gambling shortcomings to developments in Thursday’s pro-am at Trump Bedminster to some agronomy specs for events. News of Luke Donald replacing Henrik Stenson as European Ryder Cup captain is discussed, which leads to a Precision Pro Flashback Friday on the time Paul Casey drew him into an international incident slamming Americans for being insular. There’s continued incredulity about Davis Love III’s role in Detroit.

29 Heinä 202241min

This Wednesday episode begins with LIV’s return to the schedule for the week. Andy and Brendan laugh at Laurie Canter getting passed around, the decrepit Niblicks squad, and the moderate interest in the actual golf. They lament the lack of access to any of these players, who will be off for more than a month between LIV events. There is more Stenson scorn, some warning about contracts as they relate to the “relegation” concept or lack thereof, and the PGA Tour’s potential parroting of that contract model. The added events for next year that might commit players to an international series in far flung corners of the globe is discussed. Davis Love III making it into a featured group for the Rocket Mortgage Classic is shouted about, in between praise for the event’s mission and character. The Euro Tour returns to fake St. Andrews, and the helicopter parents head to Bandon for the Junior Am. They close with yet another shadow FedExCup eligibility list that deals with the suspended LIV players.

27 Heinä 202249min