The Shotgun Start

It’s a last-of-the-month recording for Andy and Brendan, who are working with spotty wifi after a day of travels from beautiful Northeast Ohio. They begin with some commentary on a recent Twitter poll on various Ohio cities, and the wonderful people we met at the event in Canton. Then they get to the news of the day: the USA Ryder Cup team rounding out its roster with six captain’s picks. They begin, and go and go and go, on the Zoom performance of Captain Zach Johnson, who really struggled answering questions and reading from a brutal set of prepared notes. They pick apart some of his justifications and stumbling and bumbling answers that give them pause about what could be coming in Rome. They also get to the picks, eventually, like Justin Thomas and Sam Burns getting in over Keegan Bradley, Cameron Young, and others. They discuss the big JT question and the notion that he’s the “heart and soul” of the team or the preposterous trend of the “American Ian Poulter.” There’s also a brief chat on some potential pairings to come.

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Andy and Brendan are together in Cleveland and took in an absolutely thrilling final round of the 2023 PGA Tour season, where Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele went 63 and 62 to get in the clubhouse tied at 19-under … for low gross. They discuss the relatively flatline weekend in Atlanta and whether it’s an indictment of the staggered start leaderboard or just a one-off clunker. Either way, CBS can’t be happy but does it matter if the sponsors are sated? They celebrate Viktor’s continued ascent, as well as Xander’s continued run at East Lake..and rumored disgruntlement with the entire shadow win arrangement that has jammed him multiple times. They also discuss Scottie Scheffler’s woeful putting yet again and whether he will need to be hid at the Ryder Cup, and who his six new teammates might be when ZJ announces them on Tuesday. They close with news of a Tosti Tales suspension from the KFT just weeks after a debrief on the myth and legend of the hothead.

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Andy and Brendan begin this Friday summer episode with a host of travel takes given recent airline trips -- from baggage claim to boarding to de-boarding. Then they get to the Net Tour Championship, where we have a ballgame despite the starting strokes! Andy and Brendan debate the contenders, with Andy digging in some more. They explore the Scottie regression, Collin’s big charge and what’s sustainable, and the peak chaos scenario we’re all rooting for: Adam Schenk. Also, would the ultimate blow to the FEC be its winner not making the Ryder Cup team, and would Keegan get a pick if he won it? There's also a lengthy discussion on Rory’s back injury, how it might have occurred, and whether the Tour keeping these things hush given the warm embrace and promotion of gambling is the future way to go. They close with SGS Golf Advice on a rumble on the course, asking your wife to un-book some golf, and law school degenerates revealing themselves in a round.

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This Wednesday episode begins with a commitment to be, like the PGA Tour, “laser-focused” on the Tour Championship. But Brendan and Andy are quickly derailed with several submissions on Scandinavian relations following the Sunday chat on Viktor Hovland exiting the Swedish Pancake Zone. Then they get to the matters at hand in Atlanta, from the challenge of overcoming a staggered start to the sweaty conditions. They make picks for the week, run through the schedule for the week, and announce the event of the week. Then there’s a lengthy review of Jay Monahan’s press conference, from his comments on Maui to the Framework Agreement and a “positive outcome” for the PGA Tour. Is the Saudi PIF included in this outcome? News hits on JT committing to play the Fortnite Championship and the No.1 fairway wood as reviewed by the unbiased My Golf Spy.

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It’s a loaded Monday episode with the Playoffs in full effect, team match play rosters taking shape, and American cities to debate and pit against one another. Andy relays a tale from a boiling hot sweaty round in STL and Brendan discusses his travels from DEN. They begin with the incredible scores from another one of Chicago’s venerable championship tests and the heavy dose of wedges involved in them. There’s great praise for an outrageous Viktor Hovland closing nine, his “leap” year, and his amusing if unenthusiastic quote about the coming week in Atlanta. There’s a lengthy discussion on the Sepptic Tank, the group of superfans in t-shirts with that moniker, and his valiant fight to get into the Tour Championship and nearly knock out just a guy in the process. There’s also plenty more confusion over the FEC standings and the constant shuffling on the various cut lines. There’s a follow-up on Michael Block’s course record round at Valhalla, with some disturbing allegations and a spirited defense from sources inside the round, and from this podcast as well. The Ryder Cup auto-qualifiers are discussed, with Koepka getting bounced at the last second, and what it means for the captain’s picks. There is ample praise for Nick Dunlap’s U.S. Am win and a question about how soon he should turn pro. The KFT finals are also set up and debated, as well as Alexa Pano’s first win over in Europe. Finally, they close with Walker Cup and Solheim Cup roster news to follow-up on the earlier Ryder Cup debate -- a month of team match play draws nigh!

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With both Andy and Brendan on the road with substandard WiFi and equipment, this episode is a ramble between travel tales and some golf odds and ends to get us to the weekend. Andy has some scuttlebutt from Chicago and a few notes from his day walking around the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields. Then, a whiparound segment hits on the hideous Ryder Cup uniforms, Epson Tour product placement, TaylorMade’s absurd luxury resort, and Michael Block’s course-record setting round at Valhalla on a “scouting” trip some 10 months before the PGA. There’s also some discussion on LIV planning for a transfer and trade deadline for next season. They close it out with some SGS Golf Advice on a Chicago liquor, bringing your own cart, and a wedding conflict during a prestigious Mid-Am competition.

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This Wednesday episode begins with news that the BMW Championship will be going to the great Western frontier of Liberty National in a few years. Andy and Brendan react to the upcoming rota for this former Western Open, as well as news that hats are being sold in the merch tent claiming this history while also shattering it. Schedule for the week is a ramble all over the place, including some of the bubble boys who could help or hurt their Ryder Cup causes here late in the game. Also, is Matt Fitzpatrick struggling from Fitz Confusion. There’s also one bubble boy nominee who could provide some of the best messaging the PGA Tour could use right about now. Some Luke Donald comments on the prospects of Ludvig Aberg also triggers a quick side chat on European Ryder Cup prospects. There’s some U.S. Am chatter from Denver, which earns event of the week honors -- surprisingly the Champions Tour event in Calgary did not get it.

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Both Andy and Brendan are worse for the wear after some travel -- one by air, the other by sea -- but they quickly realize it could have been worse. It could have been Memphis, where the heat index was 110 and showing on Lucas Glover’s pants. There’s praise for Glover and this incredible run that was the quickest visit ever to the Pancake Zone and may just land him on the Ryder Cup team. One host is trying to put him in “lock” territory. They also discuss Playoff Pat, CBS staying with coverage late into 60 minutes, the Tour’s new playoffs slogan, and the long putter. On the LPGA, they marvel at Lilia Vu’s season bookend major championships, and new No. 1 in the world ranking. There are some great Alejandro Tosti stories and facts in the recap of the KFT event. They discuss Phil’s run at LIV Bedminster, as well as the Women’s Am at Bel-Air to round out the busy weekend in golf.

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It’s Friday! Andy and Brendan close out the week with a meandering mess of an episode. There’s anger, amusement, and multiple technical issues with one mic too loud and another’s airpods malfunctioning. They start with a happy birthday for a special young listener but then get to less happy matters: a gray, gloomy, soggy, humid preferred lies start to the Playoffs in Memphis. This brings up another playoffs venue chat, and some unintended shots at a great American city, but not golf course. They discuss Jay Monahan’s press session, the pressure to get a deal done by the end of the year, and the ongoing employee drama back at HQ. Then they get to the published excerpt of Billy Walters’s book on Phil Mickelson and his extreme gambling habit, as well as the revelation that he wanted to bet on a Ryder Cup he was in. What are the next questions, if any, that should come from this apparent uncontrollable urge to wager that Phil once had? Lastly, they close with SGS Golf Advice on a horrible first date taking place on the course, and how that may be the best place to draw out the red flags in a potential mate.

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Andy is back for this lively Wednesday episode with Brendan. He brings some tales from Will’s wedding and his travels, and has a few clean-up thoughts on the valiant JT push for the playoffs, long putters, and other items from Sunday’s regular season finale. But then it’s on to the matters at hand, beginning with some late Tuesday news that a major PGA Tour executive has resigned. Then they get to the PGA Tour press release of its 2024 schedule, going line by line, or almost, over the official language and inserting their own commentary on some of the new swings, cohort names, and overall changes. Then they get to the schedule for this week, beginning with the last major of the year over in England, the new and improved first leg of hte Playoffs, and a dynamite setup for the U.S. Women’s Amateur. There’s quite a bit of a praise for the real stakes in Memphis and what it might trigger for someone’s 2024 and career. Lastly, they close with news that the PGA is not down with the rollback or MLR.

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