The Shotgun Start

Andy and Brendan take you into the weekend with a miscellany of golf news and an interview with ace equipment reporter Jonathan Wall of Golf.com. Andy starts with his exuberant joy about Bubba, just not that Bubba. The week ended with Tiger news on multiple fronts and they run through it. After some underwhelming announcements and botched promo attempts, The Match had a strong day with some intriguing details about the production and what it might mean for live wagering. They also review the field coming to Tiger’s Hero World Challenge and offer an irresistible option for one of the final two exemptions. Flashback Friday re-acquaints us with a player that won in Mexico a decade ago and could, in all likelihood, no longer cut it on the power-game PGA Tour. Finally, J-Wall educates us on just what the hell Honma is, why Justin Rose is going there, and regales us with some amusing stories of the equipment free agency game.

Andy and Brendan are here to provide a Wednesday morning diversion from all the election reactions and punditry. They run through the schedule for the week and wonder if there could be more events scattered outside the USA on the PGA Tour. After providing some searing commentary on Greg Norman’s course at Mayakoba, Andy delivers his event of the week. They also ponder what could be more random than Rory McIlroy tweeting well wishes to Purdue basketball on the start of its season. Then, in a topical election-related segment, they appoint positions for a United States of Golf. Finally, Paulie joins with some insights and picks for the Mayakoba Classic in Cancun.

Brendan and Andy return to catch you up on a strong weekend in golf. The beautiful boy Bryson DeChambeau rolls on with his fourth win in his last 12 starts and his fifth career W since last summer. After the Shriners win in Vegas, he’s now No. 5 in the world so they discuss his trajectory and where we go from here. Sam Ryder’s extremely aggressive jogger pants look in Vegas gets a review. They also discuss Justin Rose’s work in the Euro Tour’s first Race to Dubai event pushing him back to the top of the world rankings. A scandalous cheating moment at LPGA Q School also demanded a critique of the overbearing parent allegedly at the heart of it. Finally, they wrap with segments on the best things they saw over the weekend and a couple Sunday scaries nominees.

Brendan and Andy finish the week with a quick discussion of the action from Vegas so far, both from household names and one guy you should Google. Then they react to Bryson’s revelation that he will be putting with the pin in next year when the USGA rules change to allow it. Andy takes the reins for a Flashback Friday loaded with nostalgic goodies from a past Vegas event. Finally, Jeff Sherman, the go-to expert for golf odds (@GolfOdds on Twitter) and a veteran of the Las Vegas SuperBook, joins for an enlightening interview on how he sets the lines and some of the more dramatic moments from his decades doing it.

A Halloween edition of the Shotgun Start begins with Andy and Brendan discussing the new European Tour schedule, which adapted and adjusted in response to the new PGA Tour schedule. Then they review the hokey promo for Tiger and Phil coming to HBO’s acclaimed 24/7 series for The Match. To celebrate the holiday, both deliver some golf-related but obscure costume ideas that only the Shotgun Start audience could probably appreciate. Finally, they bring in the expert, @GolfmanPaulie, for some Shriners Open intel and picks.

Andy and Brendan return from the weekend to discuss Xander Schauffele’s win in China and Cameron Champ’s breakout victory in Mississippi. But first they get to the incredible story that is Scott Parel vying for a Champions Tour season-long title. Brendan responds to Andy’s continued jabs about once calling the X-man overrated and Andy responds to Twitter critics of his fears about what Champ and the new generation of big hitters are doing to the game and its courses. They also rank the WGCs from best to worst, or just bad to absolute worst. Finally, they get in a quick review of Pat Reed NOW trying to no-comment the Ryder Cup questions and wrap it with Sunday scaries nominees.

Andy is indisposed on the road so a surprise guest host calls in from the Sanderson Farms Championship. Brendan and guest host discuss Pat Reed going low in China, compare the Sanderson to an NBA “League Pass Team,” and assess Cam Champ’s early lead in Jackson. Then they briefly marvel at Matthew Wolff, the Oklahoma State stud tearing it up this fall in the college ranks. Finally, a Flashback Friday segment covers that one time an HSBC executive called out Tiger for not playing the company’s China WGC event.

The occasion of the Sanderson Farms Championship means Chanticleer the proud rooster trophy returns. So Andy and Brendan run through some of their favorite trophies on the PGA Tour and then explain why the European Tour’s menagerie of hardware is superior. Then they discuss the longggg list of no-shows at this week’s WGC in China, and how that event could use a facelift to inject some new life into it. Finally, @GolfmanPaulie joins to offer some advice for both events this week as well as one-and-done options.

Andy and Brendan return from the weekend to run through the results from across the globe. We have a new world No. 1 but more importantly, we also have a new No. 1 in the 2019 FedExCup standings. Then Andy gets worked up about a promising development on Westwood Island. They also discuss on admirable candor of Danielle Kang and a curious slow-play penalty on the Senior circuit. Finally, Brendan responds to Andy’s list from last week and delivers his top five events he wants to take the Shotgun Start on the road to in the coming year.

Andy revises his “event of the week” based on a new revelation. Then he delivers his top five events he wants to take the Shotgun Start on the road to in the coming year. And then Berry Henson, a veteran of the Asian Tour who played in last week’s CIMB Classic, joins for a fascinating interview about pro golf on the other side of the world. Berry entertains with great anecdotes on some of the oddjobs, such as driving Ubers, during a lengthy injury rehab. He also regales us with some of the great “lost in translation moments” and experiences from his eight years playing pro golf in Asia.