Brooks respect, Spieth pandemonium, Xander flops, and DJ cruises
Even before the final putt fell in Phoenix, Andy and Brendan chatted on Super Bowl Sunday night to recap the weekend that was at TPC Scottsdale. They begin with Brooks Koepka’s victory, his admission that he was in some “dark places,” and the significance, if any, of this win for his future. They also note the symbolism of how he got lost (by most people, not all) in the shuffle of a weekend that became all about Jordan Spieth. The Golden Child is obviously the next subject of their chat. They review that magical Saturday, the two-way-miss Sunday, and if he’s “back” and what that even means. Xander’s sloppy final round is also scrutinized. DJ’s victory is praised at the Saudi International, an event that lacks both character and any real juice. They close with some comments from JT on gambling concerns and some balance sheet data that might rebut the comments from both JT and Rory on the distance report last week.
8 Feb 202146min
Stevie vs. Sunny, Rocket and the BetCast, the “selfish” and “time-wasting” USGA
This Friday episode begins with an admission from Andy that he might be turning into a “Florida man,” which prompts an interrogation from Brendan on why he wasn’t at the historic moment when a new all-time wins leader was crowned in the MLGT this week. Then they get into the Saudi event, namely some informed guesses on appearance fee totals, if this course is ever played outside of this week, and how such a new venue already has an obsolete range. The Phoenix Open chatter focuses on some amusements and nicknames from PGA Tour Live, Big Jay perhaps delivering the news personally to Rory that a volunteer stepped on his ball, and the BetCast experiment. At one point, the invasiveness of gambling promotion is compared to the heyday of marketing cigarettes to kids. There is a new sponsor for Flashback Friday, which is a lengthy dive into one of Phil’s Phoenix Open conquests and a look back at a changing of the guard in American golf. An extended news segment goes into more distance report chatter, specifically on the asinine comments from Justin Thomas and the meandering words from Rory McIlroy.
5 Feb 20211h 14min
Local rule rollbacks, WMPO love, Saudi embarrassments, and burner denials
This episode begins with a lengthy segment on the announcement from the USGA and R&A disclosing some notable “research topics” and “proposed equipment standards changes.” Andy and Brendan dissect the different areas of interest and proposals and the potential implications from a document on the distance issue. They ponder the PGA Tour’s response to a local rule option, whether this is language signaling a rollback or just holding the line, and then reasons for optimism as well as concern from this announcement. There’s also great amusement over the CT Machine page from 2004 in the document. After that opening segment, they get to the schedule for the week, praising the Phoenix venue, its conditioning, its finishing holes, and its loaded field this week. They discuss whether JT was put on some secret suspension based on the language of a recent tweet. On the Saudi International, they read Paul Casey’s statement on the reason for his flip-flop. News closes with some Reed follow-up, like the fact that his attorney had to deny ownership of a burner account and a sportsbook refunding bettors who didn’t have him to win.
2 Feb 20211h 4min
A "Reed Day"
The new month starts down a path we’ve been before: Patrick Reed engulfed in a shady rules controversy of his own making and the PGA Tour covering for him. This Monday episode jumps right into the drama from the weekend. Andy explains why this wasn’t nearly to the level of the sandcastles Reed built at the Hero Challenge. Brendan argues that this seemed to be an M.O. for Reed, his behavior indicating that this is part of some usual decision tree for getting better lies. They react to all the condemnation, even from some of the most down-the-middle voices in the game, like the analysts at CBS. The larger point, however, is that this illustrates yet again the vast unregulated gray area that the PGA Tour now lives in and how that seems untenable with gambling now becoming such a large part of the operation. After that lengthy discussion on the rules drama, they get into the actual brilliance of Patrick Reed’s play and how lamentable it is that all of it is overshadowed. Andy has some numbers showing how lofty the company Reed keeps from a resume perspective, and how he might have more staying power than all of them.
1 Feb 20211h 5min
Preemptive Pampering, Poofer Power Rankings, and a “Global Home”
This Friday episode begins with some business matters on merch re-stocking and news that the Westy Island Blend is now live and available for purchase. Then Brendan and Andy relay a fun stock market analogy for two wayward pros from a friend of the program. At the Farmers, they lament the preemptive ball-in-hand declaration under perfect conditions for inclement weather coming the next day. When did this become a thing? Why is it a thing? Is it a ridiculous slippery slope toward always playing it up? With Patrick Reed on top of the leaderboard, they debate the current top ranked “poofer” and what defines a poofer. They also lament the missed chance for Reed to be a populist hero given his game. On the Euro Tour, they pillory an egregious backboard setup in Dubai. A memory-jogging Flashback Friday focuses on two legends battling without their A games at Torrey at the turn of the century. News turns into a live reading of an article outlining the specifics of the PGA Tour’s new 187,000 square foot Global Home at TPC Sawgrass. How many meeting spaces is too many?
29 Jan 20211h
The Torrey POPS, PGA goes to Tulsa, DL3 juices the Pres Cup
This Wednesday episode begins with some light Snow Day reminiscing before turning to our shhhhedule for the week. Brendan and Andy start with the Farmers Insurance Open, where a loaded field will also include featured groups with a couple players deep down the OWGR. Then they assess the Jones Family venue and if it will provide even the slightest indication of what might happen at the U.S. Open later this year. Some intel from the ground also reveals another potential driving range controversy as well as some of the details of what “investing” in a pro-am spot gets you this week, including being deputized for the coveted POPS force. Over on the Euro Tour, they discuss another stout field as well as word of some conditioning issues. A news segment is loaded with chatter on Southern Hills getting the 2022 PGA, Brooksy jettisoning Claude, the Women’s Open announcing sectional qualifying sites, and the wild card decision to put some fire into the Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow.
27 Jan 202155min
A lifetime supply of Bloomin Onions, Si Woo’s Living Under Par, Hatton dusts Rory
It’s the first Monday of the year with a full golf plate to digest from the weekend. Brendan and Andy begin with the LPGA celebrity event in Orlando, where the pace of play was excruciating and the celebs featured way too prominently in the final round broadcast. They praise Jessica Korda’s weekend comeback charge and also delight in some of the hole-in-one prizes at the event. Then they swing out to PGA West for the victory lap with Si Woo Kim while also offering a couple alternative theories for his LUP apparel sponsorship. In Abu Dhabi, they convey their disappointment but not surprise with Rory McIlroy’s final round fade as Tyrell Hatton cruised to a fourth Rolex Series event win. Lastly, the Saturday Night Champions Tour event is celebrated as perhaps being better than the PGA Tour for its mix of personalities and styles on display, including its cigarette-smoking cart-driving champion
25 Jan 202152min
The Duke of Debt, Buff Reed, and Flashback to Metaphysical Martin
This Friday episode meanders about for 50 minutes without ever really going anywhere, if that makes sense? Andy begins with an apology and a clarification on “Fake Winter” while offering some expert testimony from a listener from Sweden. The Olympics news has them sympathizing with the Boy From Bratislava while also proposing alternative ways to make sure the games, at least the golf portion, are played this summer. Then they unintentionally start discussing the Bob Hope, and by “discussing” we mean dissecting the tragic timing of Rickie Fowler’s career as well as a new nickname for him. Then there’s a chat on Patrick Reed looking “built” and if he’s approaching not linebacker size but perhaps squat longsnapper territory. Flashback Friday focuses on a Euro Tour classic from Abu Dhabi, recalling the legendary giant killer Gary Stal, who erased a 10-shot deficit to Martin Kaymer in 2015. Neither player has won since and there are a few quotes from Kaymer after the collapse that might explain why.
22 Jan 202152min
