The Shotgun Start

Andy and Brendan quickly run through a great, full day of the PGA Championship at Oak Hill. They begin with some thoughts on the absolutely wonderful course conditions, which had balls bouncing and bounding all over for a mid May date. There are some thoughts on Higa’s big moment and Bryson’s return to the stage of competitive golf after a long, hard five-year journey. There are many other notes and comments including some shots of the day, quotes of the day, worst outfits, and reviews of Rory and his low Whoop score, Spieth, DJ, Brooksy, Scheffler’s pace of play, and Jason Day’s practice-free week. Thanks to B.Draddy for their support of this episode -- use promo code TFE at checkout on BDraddy.com for 30 percent off.

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Andy and Brendan are back for another major championship. This preview episode begins not with talk of gnomes but rather garbage plates, and who might be suckered into indulging in one in player dining. There’s also some anti-Wegman’s chatter. Then they get to the major, noting the field and the potential for losing Jordan Spieth, who was on site and being diagnosed by many amateur doctors. The course is previewed, focusing on some of the punishing stretches and internal OB on the front nine. The traditional best tee times goes in a million directions, on Rory, Rahm, burly boys, Ryder Cup scouting, and the LIV options (Bryson?) for the week. The weekly press conference parade is dissected as well, with more notes on Rory’s reticence, Rahm’s abdication, Waugh’s waffling on the rollback, and yes, of all people, Shaun Micheel. They close with one and done picks, the moment everyone’s waiting for in the greater gambling community.

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It’s major championship-eve and Andy and Brendan are ready for Oak Hill but first they need to discuss a likely best-case scenario for the non-designated Nelson in Jason Day ending a winless drought on Mother’s Day. They laud the TPC Summerlin model for getting the winning score in at 23-under. They pan CBS for the coverage at the conclusion. With LIV Tulsa, they praise the industrious Stingers and discuss many CW affiliates taking the golf off their station with about 90 minutes to go and a great leaderboard. The Senior Tour major is a reason to talk about arguably the most offensive backboard situation in all of pro golf, with a little Stricker dominance mixed in. The event that got perhaps the best finish of weekend was the LPGA’s Founders Cup with a playoff between two of the best on tour from the past couple years. There’s also a shoutout for the Swedish winner on the Euro Tour.

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Andy and Brendan get going on this Friday episode with reaction to Phil Mickelson tweeting, then deleting, then tweeting, and then deleting, an accusation at the PGA of America for colluding with the PGA Tour to discriminate against LIV players getting into its PGA Championship field. This was a nice segue from an amusing Phil message that Andy saw on the wall at a Chicago hot dog and beef joint. There’s a handful of LIV Tulsa thoughts, some Bears-Browns schedule chatter, and a Richy Werenski apology. News hits on the PGA Tour bringing an opposite field event to Myrtle Beach, which is accompanied by an unsubstantiated rumor. The episode closes with SGS Golf Advice featuring emails on a golf trip format lament, bachelor party golf at an elite club, tattoos on the course, and a friend who re-putts everything until he makes it.

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This lively Wednesday episode was recorded quite early on Tuesday, but Brendan and Andy are buoyed by the promise of a three-peat for the Husky Boy. Andy is also slightly enthused by his hockey team landing the top pick for a generational talent, but more excited about the honor in one of his Illinois golfers DQ’ing himself. Then they get on to the Byron Nelson, aka Husky Boy Invitational, and what’s been done to TPC Craig Ranch following the renowned architectural trend known as the TPC Summerlin Model. Brendan also quizzes Andy on some of the two-year tour winner exemption holders at this event -- what did Richy Werenski win so long ago that he’s here playing on that exemption? Schedule for the week hits on a “major” in Alabama, the Soudal Open in Antwerp, and some college golf stories. News hits on Jordan Spieth’s WD and what it means for the PGA, Sergio refusing to pay his Euro Tour fine, LIV Adelaide members angry about damage to the course, and PGA Tour U expanding its perks.

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Andy and Brendan make a pledge at the start of this episode that it will absolutely not go over a certain mark, and then they blow past that as they forgot to do an ad read. They begin with some thoughts on the IL Crown format, the relatively un-dramatic 2023 edition, and the pieces in place. Then they get to Wells Fargo, where Andy and Brendan debate whether this is proof that the Designated model will have some real issues next year when it’s not mandatory that top players, such as Rahm and Scheffler, show up to play. There’s some Rickie chatter, and a good bit on Michael Kim earning an Open exemption. There’s also discussion about the Warriors “coach” uniforms and the preposterous Coronation scripting. On the Euro Tour, they discuss Adrian Meronk’s win and push to make the Ryder Cup, and how terrible the golf course looks. The Champions Tour has a real, legit interesting dustup with the angry tweets of Paul Goydos about rampant cart usage on that circuit, with a big shot at Commish Jay mixed in for good measure.

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It’s Friday! Andy and Brendan discuss a variety of topics as we barrel toward the weekend. They begin with some of the drama around this Talor Gooch exemption cutout for the U.S. Open, and some of Phil’s working theories for it. That leads to a digression on some of the unseen tactics that can be deployed by one prominent manufacturer that begins with a “t” and ends with a “t” in the ongoing rollback and bifurcation battle. Rory McIlroy working with the TaylorMade team for six or seven months on some new wedges is a nice segue from that. There’s some LeBron vs. Steph chatter and excitement about the Bears NFC North chances against a Rodgers-less Packers team. Lee Westwood’s poor choice of words about resigning from the DP World Tour is covered, as are the Ryder Cup implications for the European side and its captain’s room in the future. SGS Golf Advice goes into great detail on the subject of starters, their personalities, and their utility, as well as dogs on the golf course and refusing a request from someone to join you as solo.

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This late Wednesday episode is thanks to Brendan’s delayed return from vacation and Andy’s road-weary week traveling the coast of California to prep for the upcoming U.S. Opens. They begin with some meandering chat about these travels and vacation preferences before jumping into an amuse bouche of whiparound Wednesday tidbits on Dustin Johnson’s favorite movie, Tony Romo’s first tee routine at U.S. Open qualifying, and the banning of Omar Uresti. The latest tidbit leads to the PGA Club Pro Champ becoming event of the week. Schedule for the week focuses on the Wells Fargo, Quail Hollow’s ubiquity in pro golf, and Rory’s return to the Tour. The best practices for poaching a caddie are also discussed, with news that Joe LaCava, with Tiger’s blessing, is taking the bag of Patrick Cantlay. The International Crown is given the real event of the week. News hits on a test case for the Pat Perez Provision, Jim Furyk being named Prez Cup captain, and Annika getting an exemption into the U.S. Women’s Open.

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Joseph LaMagna joins the podcast while Brendan continues to relax on vacation and discusses the weekend in golf with Andy. They start by wondering who if anyone watched the LIV Singapore event that featured a dynamite leaderboard. The PGA Tour's Mexico Open prompted a long discussion on what exactly needs to happen with the schedule moving forward and Tony Finau's recent run of wins against weak fields. The podcast closes with some thoughts on the Alker Boy and one handed chipping on the Champions Tour.

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Shane Bacon joins the podcast while Brendan is on vacation to discuss the best NBA -Golfer comparisons. Discussions include who is Grayson Murray and Stephen Curry before ending with some Golf Advice centered around a significant other purchasing golf shirts and the 100 hole hike.

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