The Shotgun Start

This delayed Wednesday episode drops on the heels of a WSJ story on Jay Monahan’s private plane usage, PGA Tour expenditures, questions about an “efficient” global home and “unusually fast” aircraft, a Tour with 750+ employees, and and tax filing language that put the whole place under the microscope in a way its not accustomed to. Andy and Brendan react to the article, both superficial and substantive. With the new season upon us, they get back to an SGS tradition: over-unders, with some serious and some not-so-serious. Shhhedule for the week focuses on the potential Ryder Cup prep taking place over in Italy, where a handful of Euro stars are playing while the Americans sit at home for the Pres Cup.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Victory Monday! A jubilant Andy and Brendan begin with their 1-0 football teams, the controversy around the Bears flooded new field, and the Browns superstar kicker. Then it’s on to the European Tour’s flagship event that got Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, and Shane Lowry contending at the end. They praise Lowry’s year of consistency and win, then go over some insightful comments and his quip that he won this one “for the good guys.” Rory’s continued season is also reviewed, and there are some questions put to the floor about Viktor Hovland. Sergio’s abandonment of the event for the Texas-Alabama game is also critiqued. Pat Reed comments are reviewed as well! They close with a quick discussion on Scottie Scheffler’s POY win.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a meandering Friday episode that touches on tennis, the grim prospects for the Bears and Browns, and the death of the Queen. That last bit of news has altered the plans at the BMW PGA at Wentworth, where play was suspended on Thursday and Friday and the flagship event has been reduced to 54 holes. There will be jokes, probably from Sharky. They discuss the early sniping from the grounds and how everyone looks like a loser. Then it’s on to Flashback Friday, which is a longer trip on a host of memories from the grand World Match Play event that used to take place at Wentworth. They start on a specific edition that had Isao Aoki walking away “winning more money in one week than any golfer in history.” That broadens out to the origin of the event, its death, how it could be re-born today, and the themes of its start that feel relevant to today’s battles. There are also some specific stories about Gary Player with a sketchy drop and Greg Norman vowing “never to return.”

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Wednesday episode begins by sifting through the various comments and call-outs that have occurred this week at the DP World Tour’s flagship event, where there’s a commingling of LIV players and non-LIV players in the same field. Andy and Brendan discuss the “cold hard facts” offered by CEO Keith Pelley, Rahm and Billy Boy’s critiques, Talor’s tweet retorts, Rory’s intimations about the future strategic alliance, and the motives of old guard players like Westy and Poulter. They also discuss the future of the Euro Tour as a “feeder tour” or simply as an occasional PGA Tour host in Europe. News focuses on DL3 and Trevor Immelman rounding out the Presidents Cup rosters with six picks each, with some thoughts and concerns about Kevin Kisner getting the last spot on the U.S. side.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Labor Day episode is largely a discussion of the LIV Boston event and where this disruptor league might be heading. Andy and Brendan discuss the tension between the curiosity factor from its initial events wearing off against the context for the league that builds with each event. They discuss how Westy’s abominable gag may be the surest sign yet that this is legitimate competition. They are increasingly bought in on the entertainment appeal of the 54-hole format and the shotgun start. TV deal rumors are also pondered. There is praise for another KFT finals Sunday delivering, and a hypothetical about what’s to stop LIV from taking a run at Justin Suh. They hit on the season plus playoffs format of handing out 50 cards continuing to work, but with the usual appeal for more movement once in-season. Lucy Li’s work on the LPGA is covered. They close with some spicy quotes on the upcoming Wentworth commingling, as well as some Minor League Golf Tour talk given Eric Cole’s success at KFT Finals.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Friday going into a holiday weekend so Andy and Brendan are quite cheery for this week-ending episode. They begin with a few random thoughts and another round of “unsubstantiated rumor Friday” that’s centered mostly on LIV vs. PGA Tour stuff. Bubba’s amusing comments about serving others as a reason for joining LIV are examined, as are HV3’s rationalizations for joining. Then they review a couple Grumpy Old Men firing off takes about LIV with another amusing Gary Player rant. They debate the worst LIV team -- both in golfing ability and least you’d want to hang out with. Precision Pro Flashback Friday is on the sour end of Greg Norman as a Presidents Cup captain, and how a watch war may have been at the center of his sudden overthrow.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy and Brendan close out the month of August with this Wednesday episode on the latest round of LIV signees making their debuts in Boston. They discuss Cam Smith’s rationalizations for leaving, Joaquin Niemann making his decision, and how they represent a new element for the LIV collective. That transitions to the one big whale LIV did not get -- this round at least -- in Hideki Matsuyama. They discuss how Hideki represents something more, a different level of star and a non-monetary aspect that maybe cannot be covered with a massive upfront fee. That then transitions to how good those who stay might have it on the PGA Tour, with the cash as good as ever and now some of the competition for it gone. There’s sadness about the cleaning out of Team Torque. Schedule for the week focuses on names to watch at the KFT finals as those last 25 spots close up this weekend in Indiana.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy and Brendan are buzzing as they hit record shortly after watching that Sunday duel between Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler at the Tour Championship. They discuss the fallacy of the entertainment being a “win for the format.” They praise Rory for the longevity of his greatness, critique Scottie for a poor day in an otherwise excellent year, and revel in a rewarding day of golf-watching to finish off the season. After plenty of Rory and Scottie talk, they get to the news of another batch of LIV defections that would significantly harm the Presidents Cup. Some were expected, others were a mild surprise, including Joaquin Niemann, who was just in that Delaware meeting plotting the future of the Tour. During the LIV chat, they also note some fairly alarming quotes from Cam Young. They close with the continued but amusing incoherence of James Hahn.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

August is winding down but the summer of upheaval and change in pro golf continues with the PGA Tour announcing its next move in the battle against LIV. It’s a series of moves, really, dramatically re-shaping what the Tour is, who controls it, and acknowledging some truths that many have been shouting about for years. Andy and Brendan discuss the new “elevated” tour, how it will all fit into the schedule, who should get the credit (thank u Mr. Mickelson!), and if Jay Monahan and his team are the right people to implement it all going forward. They also discuss the notion that the Tour copied LIV. Rory and Tiger’s new TGL project is also pondered at length, as Monday Night golf returns in a new way.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s a lively Wednesday episode with tenuous WiFi on both ends for Andy and Brendan. They begin with breaking news that Kapalua will now permanently be the Tournament of Mostly Champions. This leads to further discussion on the Tour Champ, the discarding of history, a low net and gross disaster, and how it could be re-made by going west. That transitions to more thoughts on the NLU report about the Rory/Tiger concept and where exactly the room comes on the schedule and how best to execute it. The Will Zalatoris injury is a big blow and also reveals the weakness of the staggered start net championship. Schedule for the week has a Canadian bent to it. News of a joint Rory-Tiger venture that has eradicated vowels is discussed even though there are minimal details yet. The PGA of America’s Frisco home got its big reveal, so they dive into from Global Home comps before getting out.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.