May 24, 2023 • 42 mins
John answers mailbag questions, talks PGA Championship, the Michael Block phenomenon, and Brooks Koepka racking up another major with Action Network's Jason Sobel.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
The volume. What is going on? Everybody? John Middlecop a
little go low pod? How are we doing? We have
another event this week. It's called the Colonial Michael Block.
(00:24):
You know, some might say Jordan Speith. I'd say Block
is the headliner. So golf keeps on keeping on. We
got the Memorial next week. We are going to have
a little hiatus. This is the last podcast till next week.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Have a good Memorial Day.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Everyone, just enjoy themselves and take a little breather, and
then we'll get back on the horse. I see Ota practice,
rock and rolling, Rogers got hurt, Sam Darnold and Trey
Lance battling it out. So we'll have some football content
next week as well, but this will be the last
pod until next Wednesday. We'll have a Golf Podcasts previewing
(01:01):
the Memorial and then probably a football podcast on Friday.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
That is the plan.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
So what we will do on this show is I'll
answer a couple of mail bag questions and then we'll
just get right into sobl at. Golopod is the Instagram
for this show. Fire in those dms and we will
answer any golf question at golopod. If you want to
ask a football question, just fire into my regular DMS
at John Middlecoff or Life. I mean, we talk whatever,
(01:28):
and yeah, so that's there's not much to say based
on last week that I have not said, so we
will just talk about it with sobl like I'm not
people like what's your take on Brandal Shambi and Claudehrm
and like I'm so tired of reacting to the media.
I mean, I just I do not care anymore about
this live PGA tour. It is what it is. Some
(01:51):
guys are over there, a lot of guys stayed. They
play together in the majors. That's just nothing's going to change.
So Shambly and Amon Lynch, who hate those guys, and
everyone that supports those guys, I honestly do not care.
I can't care any less at this point. Obviously I
wish everyone just played together beside the majors, but it
(02:12):
can't really be argued that it's made the majors even
bigger than they already were because it gets everyone together,
especially the big dogs, right Cam Smith, Brooks, Koepka, Bryce
and DJ. So it's listen, it's not an ideal scenario
for us consumers, because that's what I care about I
think the media sometimes loses touch with the consumer. It's
all I care about is how do we feel as
(02:34):
golf fans, people that play the golf and want to
watch the golf. But I'm just kind of tired of
just the hamster wheel. That is just this argument going
back and forth because it changes nothing. Phil's firing out
tweets which listen. I mean, when we get actual information,
then we'll have takes to have. But you guys will
find out soon.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Well I'm waiting. I'm interested.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
I don't know why I just went on that ramp,
but just because I didn't really want to talk about
on the podcast at Golo Pod, Like I said, And
if you want to go to a golf event, if
you want to go to a sporting event, if you
want to go to a concert, if you want to
go to a comedy show, here's what you do. You
download the game Time app, the official app of this podcast,
and you type in the promo code go low goolw
(03:18):
and get twenty dollars off any pair of tickets. Do
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on me promo code go low. So, like I said,
(03:38):
what I will do here, answer a couple questions and
then we'll just dive into my talk with Syllable who
was at o'kill talk to Block every day.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Obviously you know Victor Hovelin hater, I.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Will call him as well as been to all the
majors with Kepka winning, and I think we're in agreement
that you know, right around the corner, kept odds aren't
right for the lacc Us Open, which is you know,
in twenty days, he should be every bit the favorite
or right there with Rom and Scotti Scheffler. If they're
nine to one or eight to one, he should be
(04:13):
nine and a half to one or eight and a
half to one. And if you put him as the
same odds, I couldn't complain, but he should have better
odds than Rory and he currently doesn't like he's just
he's better with everything when it matters in these majors.
Not really arguable at this point and Scotty and Rom
I have a lot of faith in those guys. If
you want to place big bets on those three guys,
(04:35):
it feels like one of the three of them is
gonna win. Lacc also kind of like Kampus Smith as well,
Me and Soba.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
We'll talk about it.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Okay, let's get to Bryson, not d Schambeau, but another
Bryson question for the pot. What are your thoughts on
the PGA versus live Ryder Cup style matchup. I don't
think we would ever see, but it would be very
good television. Yeah, I mean, I think at the top
live is would be good, right Cam DJ. Even if
(05:04):
Bryson's gonna play like he just did, he is obviously
very dependent.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
On the course fit. But there are a lot of
guys that would stink. You know, the majority of their
guys are not that. It's a lot of Ian Poulter's
and Lee west Woods and Bubba who's not any good anymore.
So to me, it wouldn't actually be that close. What
I think has to happen is Kopka has.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
To be on the American Ryder Cup team, and I
think that he will be because he's I just saw
he second in points. I mean he's probably I mean,
at minimum, I would say at the US Open he's
a lock top ten. I mean, he could easily win it.
If you telled me he's in one of the final
groups on Saturday Sunday, I would bet on it. So
(05:46):
I can't take the Ryder Cup seriously. If you're picking
Xander Shaffley's and Tony Fenw's great players, I gamble on
them a lot.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
They ain't Koepka. But we're never getting that. We're just not.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
I think the question is big picture, does the Ryder Cup,
you know, eventually open their arms, which is not that
far away? What is it five to six months? Less
than that three four months to those guys like Koepka.
You know, he's probably the only American.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I mean, DJ probably don't make it the team. I
don't even think he cares.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
But for you know, the on the other tour, right,
you got the European tour at the top is pretty good.
Rom Hovelin, Fitzpatrick, uh obviously Rory Fleetwood uh uh am
I missing someone is Larry on it? Yeah, Larry on
(06:37):
it Fleetwood. But you know Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter's played
a big role historically on that team, so it'll be
pretty interesting how they kind of build it. Some other
younger names, but I'm pretty fascinating to watch how that
plays out mailbag, how would you rate the two to
four best European players after Rum gotta be in some order, Rory,
(07:02):
Hovelin and Fitzpatrick. I would think, is there anyone else
you would throw in that group? Well, I would say
that Hoveland over the last six months has been better
than Rory. So as of today and as of what
we've seen this year, Victor Hovelin is a superior played
to Rory. Now that doesn't mean on a given week
Rory can't beat him. But if Rom is the clear
(07:23):
number one, I would have Hovelin number two. And honestly,
Matt Fitzpatrick beat speak In where were they playing at Harbortown,
fantastic win. I'm pretty sure he was top ten fifteen
at the Masters, where obviously Rory missed the cut. I
guess Roy just beat him, you know, a couple of
(07:46):
days ago. But so I would say current form in
the last Rory had a better year last year than
those guys because how well he played in the majors.
I guess Fitzpatrick won a major, but that is a
one thing I'll give the Euros at the top of
their squad really really good. I mean, if Rom Rory Hovelin, Fitzpatrick,
I eat Fleetwood's playing really well, like they got a
(08:08):
really really good top half. The problem for them is
when they get some of these random guys now that
a large percentage of their guys went to Live and
they're playing Xander or Can't lay right, Like all those
guys can beat you know, Scottie Scheffler or whoever. It's
just can the second half of the group hang with
(08:29):
the depth of our team, right, because the depth of
the American teams like Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Xander Fenale Homa,
those type guys, that's where we kind of bleed them out.
But their top six guys on a given weekend could
definitely beat all of our guys. And that's what makes
this kind of unique is because you can have some
(08:51):
add on guys, some randoms, and if you pair them
with this group, you know, John Rahm, like playing with Sergio,
they were always a pair and I'll give Sergio credit
on a lot of people have talked shit about the
Live guys that complain about not making the Majors. It's like, well, hey,
if you want to play in the US Open, I
don't know you can qualify, like a lot of guys
(09:11):
do pros and just kind of random guys. Sergio qualified.
He just played in as he should, right. I mean,
if Sergio, even at this state in his early mid forties,
shows up to a sectional qualifier, now some of these
qualifiers have a ton of pros, but just the overwhelming
majority of the field former college guys, fringe, many tour guys, he.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Should destroy and he did. I mean, he qualified.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
But like, if we can talk shit all we want
about James Harden in the playoffs, he shows up to
the why at some you know, pick up basketball game,
he would dominate. So I'll give Sergio credit just on
the most basic element of he just showed up and
he played, and he got into the US Open, you know,
and he's one of the great ball strikers in the
(09:59):
history of the game for a reason. But I hope
Sergio and even Poulter are in the Ryder Cup. They
make it more interesting. Ian Poulter or an excuse me,
Lee Westwood whatever over that guy and some of the
other randoms they have. But I'm definitely cool with that group.
I wish the Ryder Cup would expand a little bit,
(10:20):
you know, because America. What if it was like America
versus the world, Like I wouldn't mind South America. You
could add like the Joaqui Nemans of the world, add
some just a little more flavor. Add Asia Hadeki, Like
I'd be cool with that. Australia camp Smith. But that
would make it much more. I'll give you a little
term that's in vogue on the interweb, equitable, because right
(10:43):
now it's with the live de defections. You know, it
doesn't quite feel as fair. I guess Campsmith's not even eligible.
Australia should be added. You know, it really should. I
don't know why I'm so passionate about that. But into
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Speaker 2 (12:13):
What is going on?
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Back again from the second major of the year with
my man Jason Soble, who was there all week long
with Series XM.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
You can hear him.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Every single day two to four Pacific Standard time. And uh,
here's the thing. I guess it's fine.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
We listen to four, you know what, They'll just hear
the next show and they'll be like, ah, this is great,
I thank you for the recommendation.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
They will figure it out.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
He also key member of the Action Network, writes about
gambling and I gotta say I probably like the rest
of America was personally offended to not see Michael Block
as you're four hundred and one you talk about I mean,
that is that stealing money?
Speaker 3 (13:03):
You know what would happened if you had a big,
outright ticket on Michael Block last week? You know what happened,
you lost?
Speaker 2 (13:08):
You would have got nothing.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
I want a story now.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
It was awesome.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
I got to talk to him after every round. What
a good dude and he is. I mean, look, I
can't say anything about the other nineteen PGA club professionals
who were in the field. I'm sure they're all great guys.
They're all really good at their jobs. They're all very
good players. Obviously to get into the field, I've got
to believe that there was no better player to represent
the PGA of America and represent those club professionals in
(13:32):
that limelight than Michael Block. I mean, he just ate
it up. I'm telling you. I spoke with him for
serious ExM for our broadcast after every single round, and
like thirty minutes later, I'd walk over and like he's
still doing a scrum with all the writers, hand out
his phone number, like hey, if you need anything else later,
just text me. He's going out to the Pittsford Pub
every night, taking pictures with fans. I mean, he absolutely
(13:56):
ate it up. Sunday morning, I mean he is legitimately
in contention about to go play with Rory McLaury. You
know he did. Sunday morning. He went into the merch
tent to go buy some stuff. His wife goes, you know,
you might want to like turn your hat backwards and like,
you know, got incognito. Yeah whatever, no one will know
who I am. And he walks in there. Next thing,
you know, everyone's taking pictures with him. He signed autographs,
(14:17):
he's doing interviews. He absolutely ate it up. I love
that guy.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
You've i mean been going to majors for multiple decades
now seeing the peak of Tiger, Phil, Rory, Spieth, Koepka,
non superstar. Have you ever seen anything quite like this?
Speaker 3 (14:37):
I was trying to think about it.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
It wasn't a one off, one round.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
It was all week long leading to playing with arguably
the most famous guy on tour and having success.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Hit a fucking hole in one. He jarred it.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
He didn't even bounce. It went on by being the
great interviewer that I am. My first question for Michael
after the final round was are you kidding me? Dude?
Like that literally was my quest. I'm like, I don't
even know what to ask, Like that was ridiculous. That
was like something out of a movie. And the script
writers are like, all right, we have the club pro.
He's gonna make the cut and then he's gonna play
with Rory McElroy on Sunday and it's like, okay, hey,
(15:12):
I'm with you, and then okay, and then he's gonna
make a hole in one on the last part three.
It's not even gonna like such the flags is gonna
drop straight into the hole, and you're like, whoa, whoa,
how about we have him not get to eight feet
and lip out a Birdie putt Like that's more believable.
But I mean, this script was unreal from him, and
so I was trying to think about that another story.
I mean, I heard it compared to the Sam Bennett
(15:35):
story from The Masters earlier this year, where he's an
amateur and he wound up like sort of in contention
going into the weekend and played really well, that wasn't
even close to Michael Block. I think Block is more relatable.
Sam Bennett is a guy who by you know later
this year. I think it's going to be a professional golfer.
He's gonna be on the PGA Tour. He's gonna be
making lots of money. Michael Block he won the US
(15:56):
six years old. He's folding shirts and given lessons back
at home when he's not doing this. I mean, it's
a great story as far as any other story. I mean,
I go back to like a Bob Ney who got
into a playoff with Tiger Woods, and he wasn't a
big name, but he was at least playing the PGA Tour.
I mean, he wasn't a club professional. No, I don't
think there's another story like this. I think that in
(16:18):
the moment, we're like, man, we are never gonna forget.
This is one of the greatest stories in golf. Five
years from now, we're gonna be sitting here going, what's
that dude who got into the He was playing well
the PGA. It was like a club bro. So I
don't know, I'd love to see the story indor I'd
love to see He's playing Colonial this week, He's gonna
play the Canadian Open next week. He's absolutely gonna revel this.
(16:40):
His fifteen minutes that extended for as long as he can.
I don't know if he can keep it going, but
I think we'd all love to see it.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
I think before getting to Kopka, what makes it cool
is over the weekend he plays with Justin Rose Maser champion.
He's probably what would you say, a top ten player
of his generation the last fifteen years, Rory who's probably
be a top two or three player of his generation,
and just I mean shot one over combined for two rounds.
Like that's to me the pressure everyone cheering for him
(17:08):
on Sunday he was. He got as loud of an
ovation as Rory or Keepka. I mean it was crazy
and the whole on one that up and down. People
are like, oh, Nance was so hyperballic calling it. Think
how difficult that was. Now I understand he doesn't know
at the time what's on the line, but obviously everyone
looking at him to pull that off, it was incredible.
(17:29):
Just chip shot, I mean, just to get it in
position to make it lea.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Look, the hole in one is a hole in one.
I mean anytime the ball goes in the hole.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Yeah, little one seven iron, By the way.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
I talk about a man of the people, A seven
iron from one hundred and fifty one yards, like, yeah,
I was kind of like I was kind of you know,
clipping the ball a little bit, so I just wasn't
hitting it as well, so I kind of decided to
take a little extra club there, he said.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Rory's hitting gap wedge.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
He said he had no idea that it went in
the hole all of a sudden, like Rory hugs me,
he told me. He goes, I'm like, why is Rory
hugging me for knocking? It's like five feet Like, why
is he giving me a hug right now? And then
he goes, worry did that go in? Or It's like,
what's straight in the hole?
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Dude?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Like what do you like?
Speaker 3 (18:08):
How did you see that? Like everyone's cheering for you.
He's like, oh, man, I realized that good by the
Way was obviously a few groups behind here the roar.
He goes, yeah, that sounded like a hole in one roar,
and then someone told him it was block and he goes,
that is awesome. I Mean even even Brooks Koepka, who's like,
you know, the steely eyed competitor who kind of doesn't
care about anyone or anything else, is like, dude, that
(18:31):
is so cool. I love that guy. I mean, that's
how much it resonated. Going back to the the up
and down eighteen. Look, I there's nothing better than a
hole in one. You hit the ball perfectly, it goes
in the hole. You can't say like, well, just got
lucky either. I mean it's an incredible shot. The up
and down on eighteen probably takes more skill, honestly than
(18:53):
the hole in one on fifteen. The up and down,
I mean he is in nowhere. I mean he pulls
his second shot and he didn't know, Like you mentioned,
he didn't know at the time. Basically, you've got to
make par to clinch at top fifteen and get back
into the field next year. But to get up and
down there, I mean just barely gets it over the bunker,
trickles to eight feet, makes the putt. That was awesome.
(19:15):
And I mean, look, you can say that this is
hyperbolic from him. You can say that you know, he's
just sort of eating it up a little bit. But
I love what he said afterwards. I asked him about
getting into the field next year, and he goes right
off the bat, he says, Man, the coolest part about
it is now that I've qualified any other club pros
(19:36):
gets to qualify next year. I basically opened up a
spot for another club bro so that we'll have twenty
one of us. How cool is that I just helped
another guy make his year by getting him into the
PGA next year. I'm like, man, what an unbelievable answer
that was.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
Well, obviously the champion brooks Koepka, who It's pretty clear
right he was injured.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
We knew that.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
But I mean, when he's healthy, he is you know,
he is more reliable in these big tournaments than the
other guys with the most champions championships of his generation
in Speeth and Rory. I mean he's now past them.
And my takeaway big picture is like when does he
get to six and joined Phil Lee, Trevino and Nick Faldo,
because that, honestly, if he stays healthy, doesn't it kind
(20:21):
of feel inevitable, Like when once you watch it you're like, yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
Oh of course, we're two and a half weeks from
the next major championship. I could be. You and I
were talking about this before we started. How are the
odds for brooks Kepka only? And I believe fourteen to
one for the US Open? Like I get like I
still think Romen Scheffler. If I'm an odds baker right now,
rom and Scheffler co favorites. Plus eight fifty sounds about
(20:45):
right for courts that nobody really knows that well in
a place where you know there could be a little differentiation,
I'm okay with plus eight fifty. I don't think it
should be shorter than that. I as an odds baker,
I put brooks Kepka right behind them at about or
ten to one, and then Rory at on a thirteen
to one. How is Rory mclroy's shorter odds for brooks
(21:07):
Kepka to win the US Open? That makes euro sense
to me. At fourteen to one, Kepka's gonna be a
play for a lot of people out there. He should be.
I mean, look, I've written this in the past, and
I didn't have him last week. I got on before
the final round and saved my week. But how do
we not just before every major championship go all right?
(21:28):
We can do all this researching and data diving and
looking into everything, and all of a sudden, it just
it comes down to three words. Just Bett Brooks, and
you're gonna do pretty well.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Halftime I think what's crazy is he has to have
now it's you know, he's had a longer career of
all the top players, just of the last thirty forty years,
probably the most unique career because just put some players
in his generation, Rory, he has like twenty five wins.
(21:58):
Justin Thomas won multiple majors, ton of wins, DJ multiple majors.
What does he have like twenty plus wins? These guys
win a lot. I look today non internationally, Kepka has
nine wins obviously, five of them are majors and two
of them are waste managements. So it's this guy doesn't
just win like a memorial here, you know, a player's here,
(22:19):
a random like colonial here like No, he doesn't really
participate in that operation, the waste management when everyone's there
and it feels sweet and the majors like it kind
of makes sense, right. That feels very on brand for
Brooks Kopka when you actually pull up his Wikipedia and
see the other wins non mad.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
So here are the numbers. He's got four non majors
on the PGA Tour, he's got two live golf wins.
He's got one on the dp World Tour, one on
the Japan Tour, four on the Challenge Tour, and five majors,
like of all the different categories, I mean Challenge Tour
Japan to I get they hadn't played that much over there,
but he's got more major championship wins than wins on
(22:57):
any other tour, which we've never seen be for. I mean,
Andy North had three career PGA Tour wins. Two of
them were US Opens. That's not this though, That's not hey,
I just showed up for major championships. And this is
part of the reason why I believe that brooks Kepka
has gamed the system, and we've seen that he's sort
of downplayed the whole live thing. If Phil Mickelson won
(23:17):
the PGA this past week, the entire narrative is all
about live, live, live, live live. Brooks Keptka wins, and
we try to ask him about live, He's like, yeah, whatever, man,
that's just you know, I just play where I play.
It doesn't really matter. And there's been a lot of
rumor that, look, until he substantiates it, I won't I
won't report it, certainly, but there's been a lot of
(23:38):
rumors that brooks Keptka wishes that he could go back
to the PGA Tour and has is having some buyer's remorse.
I make the point that Brooks has gained the system. John.
What he has done is, Okay, I don't really care
about the non majors, so I might as well get
paid nine figures to go play those non majors instead
of playing these non majors. And then four times a year,
(23:59):
I'll flip the switch, I'll play my best golf and
I'll become known as the major championship killer once again.
And what's wrong with that? I mean, I get it.
Some people don't like live some people don't like where
the money's coming from. I understand that, but just based
on a business decision for Brooks, keepka. He is living
the best of both worlds.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Right now, and now he's restarted his clock. So it
feels like for the you know, in his prime, he's
going to be have access to all these majors now
for the next five years.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
By winning, I.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
Mean he's in the PGA for as long as he
wants to be. I mean, Sean mckeel won twenty years ago.
He was back in the field, and he certainly was
never the player that Brooks Keepka is us open. He's
got a I think what eight years, seven years left
on his exemption there that might you know, they might
tack on more masters. He's now winning for a while.
(24:49):
I mean, look, he's fine for a while. And even
if somehow he runs dry in the majors for the
next three or four years, when he's thirty seven, he
goes clips on off another one and he extends those exemptions,
he is just fine for a while. And quite frankly,
if those exemptions at some point years from now dry up,
don't be surprised if those major championships give him an exemption,
(25:12):
because why wouldn't they. He's shown that he can go
win these things. I don't care if it's ten years
from now and the knees hurting him again. He just
gets prepared for these majors. He is the epitome of
what Tiger Woods has told us for twenty five years.
What has Tiger said John for twenty five years. He goes,
I want my game to peak four times a year,
(25:32):
and I've spent many hours on a driving range, on
a practice screen talking to the world's best professional golfers
asking them the question, how do you get your game
to peak four times a year. I asked Jason Day
that last week. I reminded him that years ago i'd
asked him that question. He gave me the best response.
He literally looked at me and shrugged. He's like, I
have no idea. It's like, if I'm playing well the
(25:54):
week before, it's not like I go whoa slow down.
I don't want to play as well. And obviously that
was relevant because he had won the Nelson the week
before then didn't play well when he got to the PGA.
I don't think anyone has had a better answer, even Tiger,
for how to get your game to peak four times
a year. Tiger Tiger peaked every week. I mean, Tiger
was great at the majors, but he was just as great,
(26:14):
if not even greater, at the regular PGA Tour events.
Brooks Koepka is the epitome of everything Tiger has told
us about trying to get your game to peak four
times a year. He has figured it out unlike anybody else.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
When you think about Phil and Tiger, I think Kepka
when you just watch him play, is much especially on
the weekend, much more like a Tiger, just slow Steady
makes a ton of long par putts than Phil would
have like sprayed out the planet, miraculous shot over treat
when he went in big tournaments, crazy flop shot. You know, like,
how did he just kepka is a little boring and
(26:51):
he just hits these eight to twelve footers over the week.
He just makes a ton of pars that you're like, oh,
this is gonna be a swing, this is gonna be
a swing.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Then it's not a swing because he drains putts.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
So there was a strategy that he had coming into
this one. He said it was based on not getting
the job done at the Masters, Who's fifty four whole
leader got passed by John Rahm, finishing the tie for
second place, and he said afterwards, I sort of lost
my strategy. I lost that mindset. He was asked after
the win. Okay, what was that mindset? He goes, now,
I'm not done. I'm not telling you because I want
(27:22):
everyone else to take it away. I think it has
something to do with playing a little slower, playing methodical,
and basically giving everybody else the heisman, especially when you
have the lead going into the final round of a major. Look,
this is how Tiger won fourteen of his fifteen major
championships by playing with the lead going into the final
round and essentially stiff arming the field and just not
(27:45):
letting them get any closer to him. And I think
that's a big part of what brooks Kopka is trying
to do right now, which is let me race out
in front and then just not let you catch me.
He knows he doesn't have to go shoot sixty three
on Sunday and win this thing. He can go out
and shoot, Hey, it might be sixty seven, it might
be sixty nine, but whatever it is, it's gonna be
enough that nobody else can catch him. And he's gonna
(28:07):
look at the leader board and he's gonna figure out
exactly what he needs to do to win. It's not
unlike a football team that has the ball. All right,
we're up four with three minutes to play, and we've
got the ball. What are you gonna do. You don't
have to throw an eighty yard touchdown pass and solidify
the victory because you don't need it at that point.
Let's run out the clock and brooks Keepka essentially he's
(28:29):
trying to run out the clock there and whatever it
takes to get a victory. Doesn't necessarily mean making birdies
every hole, but it does mean not making mistakes. Don't
fumble the ball with three minutes left in your own
side of the field.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Well, two guys that made mistakes back to back days
that could have won this tournament, where Corey Connors and
Victor Hovlin that literally hit the same exact shot. I mean,
it's it's it's eerie. How when Corey Connors did it,
no one knew because you've thought it hit the lip
like any guy played golf over their career, just as
a normal as normal people hits the lamp, go some
(29:03):
weird way it got embedded. And then Victor Hoblin you
could tell his reaction, Oh my god, he did the
exact same thing.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
And then Brooks knocks it stiff, and that's tournament.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
So I've spoken with Hoblin about this in the past.
He is a guy who doesn't watch a whole lot
of golf. Now he says this on his off weeks.
I don't know that this guy goes back to the
rental house or the hotel room after a round, puts
on golf channel and watches. I get the sense he
doesn't do that, so I still I haven't heard. He
did very limited interviews after the round, but I haven't
(29:34):
heard whether he actually saw Corey Connor's shot on Saturday
or not. I'm guessing maybe not. I don't necessarily fault
him for the shot at that point he's down. He
has to be a little bit aggressive. I think we
criticize him if he knocks one back into the fairway
then doesn't get up and down, makes a bogie and
loses that way, we go, come on, Victor, have some
balls and go for it. So he went for it
(29:56):
and it didn't work out for him. The one thing
that surprised me a little bit on I've always seen
Victor Hoblin is a little kind of happy, go lucky.
You know, I's got the smile, and you know, when
he's playing well, he's like, yeah, what averkut shrugs his shoulders.
When he's not playing well, okay, I mean, which is
a great life to have as a professional golfer. I've
aways thought he's one of the few guys out there
(30:18):
whose mood isn't dictated by his scores and results. Who's
you know, a lot of the guys out there you
can look at that. Rory Mclwory's a perfect example. Justin
Thomas is a great example, Like you don't need to
look at a leader board. You can just see their
face on the screen and you know if they're playing
well or not. Victor Hoblin's one of these guys that like,
I'm in a good mood today, I'm feeling good. Maybe
(30:38):
I shot seventy four, but hey, you know what life
is life, and you know he doesn't have all the
star tissue built up from years of not winning major championships.
I was very surprised. In the immediate aftermath, I saw
him and he was despondent. I mean, I'm telling you,
he looked like a guy who you know, someone just
someone just kicked his dog. I mean, he looked like
(30:59):
you know any other player who's been grinding for twenty
years trying to win a major that can't get it done,
and so well.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
He had a legit chance to win, right Kepka lips
out of Pott, he birdies.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
I mean, he could. He could have been a major
right there. He's playing right.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
There for the last three majors. I mean, and I
maintain after every major championship that getting into the heat
of the battle and losing is still a much better
experience than finishing in forty third place. Like, we're not
talking about the guy that finished in forty third, We're
not talking about, Hey, what do you think of Justin
Thomas this week? And does he takes some positives from that?
It wasn't even I don't know. He finished before the
(31:37):
leaders even started their round, so it doesn't matter. We're
talking about Victor Hoblin because he was in the heat
of the battle. This will be a good thing for
him moving forward. But I don't know. I kind of
like the fact that he was pissed off afterwards, that
he wasn't just like, oh, well, well didn't win a major,
but that's okay. This was not just a shrug of
the shoulders for Victor Hoblin, and so I think that
(31:57):
that's something we want to see. We want to see
him pissed off halfwards.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
I'm gonna skip him at LACC, but I peaked at
the Open. He's thirty to one.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
I think I'm gonna be all over him there any
big picture thoughts on this tournament headed in to the
other major here in a couple of weeks. One thing
I took away was, you know, I played lacc one time.
You can spray it a little bit. And Cam Smith,
you know, I don't know if he's known as the
trailers driver.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
He kind of it.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
He kind of heat it up, and it's just you
can get him in that mid twenties.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Because here's the thing, So Bill, no more for me.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
Betting on Xander's finales speech, JT's can't les.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
I'm either going Koepka, Rom Scottie.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Even Rory at least showed some signs of life that
you know, I'd be more inclined to do that. He's
the only other guy I'm not messing around with these
our group in the Ryder Cup. I'm sorry, prove something
before I give you any shackles moving forward, because these
guys I look up, it's.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Like they're nowhere to be found. Nowhere, Miss Smiley.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
Is a very legitimate takeaway that not just from this week,
but from the last couple of years, that look, they're
guys that got it at as h Nicholas Colsart's once
set at the Ryder Cup, you've either got it in
your pants or you don't, and sometimes you gotta go
with what's in your pants? I'm still not totally sure
what that means, but I love the fact that he
(33:24):
said it on international TV after a Ryder Cup victory.
And so look, they're guys that either have it or
they don't, and we can watch Patrick Cantley every single
week and go that dude is really freaking good. Xander
Schoffley has played really well at major championships, hasn't broken through.
I still think he's going to Max Homa. Sam Burns
(33:45):
don't play well at major championships, they just haven't. Then
they're guys. Scottie Scheffler plays well every single week, like
his floor is higher than anybody else's right now, not
even close. Step on throats. John Rawn wants to step
on throats, give me the throat steppers. I still think
he's not playing great. I mentioned him justin Thomas wants
to step on throats. He's not playing very well right now.
(34:07):
He needs to go eat a pizza once in a
while because I think the no gluten thing is deteriorating
his mind and he's just pissed off all the time.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
But he needs to go.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
Out and and start playing some better golf. But he
will he's got the right mentality for it. There are
other guys who are just I don't know. Yeah, I'm
really good golfer. It see what happens? You know. I
think being around these players and speaking with them, you
get a better sense of like, all right, he's really good,
but he's just a stone cold killer. And then there
(34:37):
are other guys he's really good. It's like, uh, see
what happens this week. I really hope that I play well.
Like that ain't the attitude you got to have in
a major championship. And so you mentioned Cam Smith. Absolutely
love him for the US Open. What's the hallmark of
a US Open that we've seen over the last decade.
It's ay, well, it's short game. It's hey, everybody's gonna
(34:59):
miss the fair way. So we need guys that can
mash it out of the rough, and we need guys
that have a great short game and can make putts.
At least the second part of that is Cam Smith.
I love Tony. Tony Faw has been on my radar
for the US Open for a long time. I don't know.
Is Tony Fenow soft I don't think so, But boy,
(35:20):
big events certainly doesn't seem to happen for a guy
who looks like he's got top five in the world
type talent. So I don't know, it's the same names
every single week and until we don't see those names
up there, and Jordan Spieth another name who you know,
that dude ain't soft, That dude was hurt. He played better,
scored better every single round. Love him this week at
Colonial Jordan's Speed's gonna win something very very soon, if
(35:42):
not this week. I mean they're guys who have it
at the big events and guys who they're just showing
us time after time they don't really have it.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Go get you out of here on this just because
you know. He was one of the more fascinating guys
over the last couple of years. Then he fell off
the face of the earth, Skinny Bryson. I mean, do
you expect you you were around out there?
Speaker 2 (36:05):
What was the talk?
Speaker 1 (36:06):
He a breakthrough? Just a good course setup. I mean
you expect him to be He's played lacc before. Obviously
being a California guy, he's comfortable with the with the
grass sod. Is Bryson just shot signs of life or
is this something to keep an eye on because he's
another guy that you know has had a lot of
success in the biggest moments on the right setup.
Speaker 3 (36:26):
So look, Okill was a I thought more of a
US Open type of setup than a PGA Championship type
of setup. In quick sidebar, I wouldn't be surprised. I
think Okill proved itself. The new redesign was great. I
wouldn't be surprised if at some point the USGA goes
to the PGA of Americans, like, come on, like, it's
gonna be better in June than it is in May.
(36:47):
Looks more like a US Open setup than a PGA
Championship setup. Why don't you let us have that one.
We'll give you. I think Olympic Club is now going
into the PGA rotation. All right, we'll give you Olympic Club.
You give us o Kill. I would not be surprised
next time we see Oakill and a major championship, it's
hosting a US Open, not a PGA. So that's the
aside there, But the fact that it played like a
(37:08):
US Open. It was suited more for Bryson to Shambeau
than a lot of other golf tournaments are. I would
expect a LACC to be very much the same. So
for me, it's about course fit. For Bryson, I think
that on any given week, you put him on a
place where hey, can you mash driver and just play
some angles and everyone else is gonna be in the rough.
(37:29):
So being in the rough's not gonna hurt you in
relation to the field as much as other events where
other guys are hitting twelve of fourteen fairways, you're hitting
four of fourteen fairways, you're behind the eight ball. If
everyone's hitting four of fourteen fairways, well, Rison's got a
better shot of getting the ball to the hole more
so than a lot of other players. And so I
think we're gonna see that next month. So I do
(37:51):
like him a little bit there. But now then we're
gonna go to an Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, and
I don't think he'll see his name anywhere. I mean,
I wouldn't expect that he's up there at all. So
it's all cool fit for Bryson.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
So do you think you're gonna pivot on your LACC
pick and go with one of the horses over Fino baby?
Speaker 2 (38:11):
Yeah, for a while.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
Look after because even even Rom, like obviously Rom was
getting going viral for his f bombs. Used to I
just used to be like, well he's got a big
temper to me. Now his standards so high. He's showing up,
like you said, the mind, He's showing up to win,
and when it's off, he's extra mad because like his
mentality is like I'm winning two or three majors this year,
less of what it was a couple of years ago,
(38:35):
just being a hothead after in my opinion, that.
Speaker 3 (38:37):
Was my guy after he won a tory. You want
toy right, everyone there, like the entire world. I mean
I follow a lot of people who are betting experts
on social media, and like the entire world started betting home.
I mean his number was likely I did it. I
mean I don't dislike him. Max Ohma is still best
major finish is a thirteenth place in the PGA Championship
(38:58):
last year. I don't dislike him for the US Open,
But I mean at some point, I think everyone sort
of pivots and they go I think there's that separation
like we're just talking about. I know, look, a lot
of people like can't lays an LA guy going back home.
You might like Morikawa another LA guy, and Marikawa has
shown the stuff that can win major championships if his
putter was right, and his putter was right this past week.
(39:21):
But watching cam Smith, I'm like, man, this dude's not
And there's something to be said for the live players.
And we talked about Kopka peaking four times a year. Look,
all the PGA Tour guys, they're playing designated events, elevated
events seemingly on an every other week kind of basis.
They're playing big events all the time. The live guys, hey, yeah,
(39:43):
they want to go out and win some live events.
But four times a year, it's like, all right, let's go,
this is my week. I mean, John Rahm really wants
to play well the major championships. He's also got what
eight other events, nine other events where he really wants
to play well against the best players on the PGA Tour.
The if guys only have four of those, and so
for Keopka, for Cam Smith, it's easier to peak on
(40:05):
one of those weeks when you only have four of them.
Is supposed to having double digits.
Speaker 1 (40:10):
Yeah, I think with the big three, Scottie Rahm, Rory
Night through Kopka, I would put camp Smith right up
there to go headed into the to LACC. That would
be kind of my group of players because I give
Rory some credit. He showed signs of life. Still a
little off, but he I thought he battled more than
historically he has, did not.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
Have his best stuff and he finished well. A lot
of times. Look, Rory didn't have his best stuff in
the Masters, missed the cut. I love the fact that
Rory didn't have his best stuff and finished in seventh place.
That's a good sign. I think moving forward, I'd like
to see him with his best stuff at some point,
but at least that's a step in the right direction
for him.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
Agreed, Well, soble uh have a good Memorial Day weekend.
Speaker 2 (40:51):
Play golf.
Speaker 3 (40:52):
He's got one last thing for you too. Shout out
to Hunter Mayhan. I was hanging out with Hunter Mayhan,
who was doing analysis for our series XM Radio Cut
this past week, and one play goes, dude, you know
John Middlecoff. It's like that's so cool. It's like, yeah,
what a great guys like that. So you've got it.
You've got a massive fan in Hunter Man.
Speaker 1 (41:11):
I remember playing golf a couple of years ago with
Spencer Levine and I was like you know, we were
talking about the PGA tories. Like I always thought if
I beat Hunter in a tournament, I had some success.
Speaker 2 (41:21):
Like Hunter can play. Yeah, I mean that dude was
that dude's still could.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
Play, but the taste now doing some radio, which is
which is pretty cool for him.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Hell yeah, I heard him doing last year. He was
doing some college events. He's he's gonna be good. He'd
be a.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
Good transition for him.
Speaker 1 (41:35):
Uh So, we'll talk to you soon, man, Thanks, Buddy,
appreciated that.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
A good weekend.
The volume. What is going on? Everybody? John Middlecop a
little go low pod? How are we doing? We have
another event this week. It's called the Colonial Michael Block.
(00:24):
You know, some might say Jordan Speith. I'd say Block
is the headliner. So golf keeps on keeping on. We
got the Memorial next week. We are going to have
a little hiatus. This is the last podcast till next week.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Have a good Memorial Day.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Everyone, just enjoy themselves and take a little breather, and
then we'll get back on the horse. I see Ota practice,
rock and rolling, Rogers got hurt, Sam Darnold and Trey
Lance battling it out. So we'll have some football content
next week as well, but this will be the last
pod until next Wednesday. We'll have a Golf Podcasts previewing
(01:01):
the Memorial and then probably a football podcast on Friday.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
That is the plan.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
So what we will do on this show is I'll
answer a couple of mail bag questions and then we'll
just get right into sobl at. Golopod is the Instagram
for this show. Fire in those dms and we will
answer any golf question at golopod. If you want to
ask a football question, just fire into my regular DMS
at John Middlecoff or Life. I mean, we talk whatever,
(01:28):
and yeah, so that's there's not much to say based
on last week that I have not said, so we
will just talk about it with sobl like I'm not
people like what's your take on Brandal Shambi and Claudehrm
and like I'm so tired of reacting to the media.
I mean, I just I do not care anymore about
this live PGA tour. It is what it is. Some
(01:51):
guys are over there, a lot of guys stayed. They
play together in the majors. That's just nothing's going to change.
So Shambly and Amon Lynch, who hate those guys, and
everyone that supports those guys, I honestly do not care.
I can't care any less at this point. Obviously I
wish everyone just played together beside the majors, but it
(02:12):
can't really be argued that it's made the majors even
bigger than they already were because it gets everyone together,
especially the big dogs, right Cam Smith, Brooks, Koepka, Bryce
and DJ. So it's listen, it's not an ideal scenario
for us consumers, because that's what I care about I
think the media sometimes loses touch with the consumer. It's
all I care about is how do we feel as
(02:34):
golf fans, people that play the golf and want to
watch the golf. But I'm just kind of tired of
just the hamster wheel. That is just this argument going
back and forth because it changes nothing. Phil's firing out
tweets which listen. I mean, when we get actual information,
then we'll have takes to have. But you guys will
find out soon.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Well I'm waiting. I'm interested.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
I don't know why I just went on that ramp,
but just because I didn't really want to talk about
on the podcast at Golo Pod, Like I said, And
if you want to go to a golf event, if
you want to go to a sporting event, if you
want to go to a concert, if you want to
go to a comedy show, here's what you do. You
download the game Time app, the official app of this podcast,
and you type in the promo code go low goolw
(03:18):
and get twenty dollars off any pair of tickets. Do
that very easy to do. And yeah, you want comedy shows,
any sporting events, any concert, you want to go see
some live music, get outside have a Bruski do it
on me promo code go low. So, like I said,
(03:38):
what I will do here, answer a couple questions and
then we'll just dive into my talk with Syllable who
was at o'kill talk to Block every day.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Obviously you know Victor Hovelin hater, I.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Will call him as well as been to all the
majors with Kepka winning, and I think we're in agreement
that you know, right around the corner, kept odds aren't
right for the lacc Us Open, which is you know,
in twenty days, he should be every bit the favorite
or right there with Rom and Scotti Scheffler. If they're
nine to one or eight to one, he should be
(04:13):
nine and a half to one or eight and a
half to one. And if you put him as the
same odds, I couldn't complain, but he should have better
odds than Rory and he currently doesn't like he's just
he's better with everything when it matters in these majors.
Not really arguable at this point and Scotty and Rom
I have a lot of faith in those guys. If
you want to place big bets on those three guys,
(04:35):
it feels like one of the three of them is
gonna win. Lacc also kind of like Kampus Smith as well,
Me and Soba.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
We'll talk about it.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Okay, let's get to Bryson, not d Schambeau, but another
Bryson question for the pot. What are your thoughts on
the PGA versus live Ryder Cup style matchup. I don't
think we would ever see, but it would be very
good television. Yeah, I mean, I think at the top
live is would be good, right Cam DJ. Even if
(05:04):
Bryson's gonna play like he just did, he is obviously
very dependent.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
On the course fit. But there are a lot of
guys that would stink. You know, the majority of their
guys are not that. It's a lot of Ian Poulter's
and Lee west Woods and Bubba who's not any good anymore.
So to me, it wouldn't actually be that close. What
I think has to happen is Kopka has.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
To be on the American Ryder Cup team, and I
think that he will be because he's I just saw
he second in points. I mean he's probably I mean,
at minimum, I would say at the US Open he's
a lock top ten. I mean, he could easily win it.
If you telled me he's in one of the final
groups on Saturday Sunday, I would bet on it. So
(05:46):
I can't take the Ryder Cup seriously. If you're picking
Xander Shaffley's and Tony Fenw's great players, I gamble on
them a lot.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
They ain't Koepka. But we're never getting that. We're just not.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
I think the question is big picture, does the Ryder Cup,
you know, eventually open their arms, which is not that
far away? What is it five to six months? Less
than that three four months to those guys like Koepka.
You know, he's probably the only American.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I mean, DJ probably don't make it the team. I
don't even think he cares.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
But for you know, the on the other tour, right,
you got the European tour at the top is pretty good.
Rom Hovelin, Fitzpatrick, uh obviously Rory Fleetwood uh uh am
I missing someone is Larry on it? Yeah, Larry on
(06:37):
it Fleetwood. But you know Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter's played
a big role historically on that team, so it'll be
pretty interesting how they kind of build it. Some other
younger names, but I'm pretty fascinating to watch how that
plays out mailbag, how would you rate the two to
four best European players after Rum gotta be in some order, Rory,
(07:02):
Hovelin and Fitzpatrick. I would think, is there anyone else
you would throw in that group? Well, I would say
that Hoveland over the last six months has been better
than Rory. So as of today and as of what
we've seen this year, Victor Hovelin is a superior played
to Rory. Now that doesn't mean on a given week
Rory can't beat him. But if Rom is the clear
(07:23):
number one, I would have Hovelin number two. And honestly,
Matt Fitzpatrick beat speak In where were they playing at Harbortown,
fantastic win. I'm pretty sure he was top ten fifteen
at the Masters, where obviously Rory missed the cut. I
guess Roy just beat him, you know, a couple of
(07:46):
days ago. But so I would say current form in
the last Rory had a better year last year than
those guys because how well he played in the majors.
I guess Fitzpatrick won a major, but that is a
one thing I'll give the Euros at the top of
their squad really really good. I mean, if Rom Rory Hovelin, Fitzpatrick,
I eat Fleetwood's playing really well, like they got a
(08:08):
really really good top half. The problem for them is
when they get some of these random guys now that
a large percentage of their guys went to Live and
they're playing Xander or Can't lay right, Like all those
guys can beat you know, Scottie Scheffler or whoever. It's
just can the second half of the group hang with
(08:29):
the depth of our team, right, because the depth of
the American teams like Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Xander Fenale Homa,
those type guys, that's where we kind of bleed them out.
But their top six guys on a given weekend could
definitely beat all of our guys. And that's what makes
this kind of unique is because you can have some
(08:51):
add on guys, some randoms, and if you pair them
with this group, you know, John Rahm, like playing with Sergio,
they were always a pair and I'll give Sergio credit
on a lot of people have talked shit about the
Live guys that complain about not making the Majors. It's like, well, hey,
if you want to play in the US Open, I
don't know you can qualify, like a lot of guys
(09:11):
do pros and just kind of random guys. Sergio qualified.
He just played in as he should, right. I mean,
if Sergio, even at this state in his early mid forties,
shows up to a sectional qualifier, now some of these
qualifiers have a ton of pros, but just the overwhelming
majority of the field former college guys, fringe, many tour guys, he.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Should destroy and he did. I mean, he qualified.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
But like, if we can talk shit all we want
about James Harden in the playoffs, he shows up to
the why at some you know, pick up basketball game,
he would dominate. So I'll give Sergio credit just on
the most basic element of he just showed up and
he played, and he got into the US Open, you know,
and he's one of the great ball strikers in the
(09:59):
history of the game for a reason. But I hope
Sergio and even Poulter are in the Ryder Cup. They
make it more interesting. Ian Poulter or an excuse me,
Lee Westwood whatever over that guy and some of the
other randoms they have. But I'm definitely cool with that group.
I wish the Ryder Cup would expand a little bit,
(10:20):
you know, because America. What if it was like America
versus the world, Like I wouldn't mind South America. You
could add like the Joaqui Nemans of the world, add
some just a little more flavor. Add Asia Hadeki, Like
I'd be cool with that. Australia camp Smith. But that
would make it much more. I'll give you a little
term that's in vogue on the interweb, equitable, because right
(10:43):
now it's with the live de defections. You know, it
doesn't quite feel as fair. I guess Campsmith's not even eligible.
Australia should be added. You know, it really should. I
don't know why I'm so passionate about that. But into
Jason Soble before we dive into what's next, do you
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Speaker 2 (12:13):
What is going on?
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Back again from the second major of the year with
my man Jason Soble, who was there all week long
with Series XM.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
You can hear him.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Every single day two to four Pacific Standard time. And uh,
here's the thing. I guess it's fine.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
We listen to four, you know what, They'll just hear
the next show and they'll be like, ah, this is great,
I thank you for the recommendation.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
They will figure it out.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
He also key member of the Action Network, writes about
gambling and I gotta say I probably like the rest
of America was personally offended to not see Michael Block
as you're four hundred and one you talk about I mean,
that is that stealing money?
Speaker 3 (13:03):
You know what would happened if you had a big,
outright ticket on Michael Block last week? You know what happened,
you lost?
Speaker 2 (13:08):
You would have got nothing.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
I want a story now.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
It was awesome.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
I got to talk to him after every round. What
a good dude and he is. I mean, look, I
can't say anything about the other nineteen PGA club professionals
who were in the field. I'm sure they're all great guys.
They're all really good at their jobs. They're all very
good players. Obviously to get into the field, I've got
to believe that there was no better player to represent
the PGA of America and represent those club professionals in
(13:32):
that limelight than Michael Block. I mean, he just ate
it up. I'm telling you. I spoke with him for
serious ExM for our broadcast after every single round, and
like thirty minutes later, I'd walk over and like he's
still doing a scrum with all the writers, hand out
his phone number, like hey, if you need anything else later,
just text me. He's going out to the Pittsford Pub
every night, taking pictures with fans. I mean, he absolutely
(13:56):
ate it up. Sunday morning, I mean he is legitimately
in contention about to go play with Rory McLaury. You
know he did. Sunday morning. He went into the merch
tent to go buy some stuff. His wife goes, you know,
you might want to like turn your hat backwards and like,
you know, got incognito. Yeah whatever, no one will know
who I am. And he walks in there. Next thing,
you know, everyone's taking pictures with him. He signed autographs,
(14:17):
he's doing interviews. He absolutely ate it up. I love
that guy.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
You've i mean been going to majors for multiple decades
now seeing the peak of Tiger, Phil, Rory, Spieth, Koepka,
non superstar. Have you ever seen anything quite like this?
Speaker 3 (14:37):
I was trying to think about it.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
It wasn't a one off, one round.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
It was all week long leading to playing with arguably
the most famous guy on tour and having success.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Hit a fucking hole in one. He jarred it.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
He didn't even bounce. It went on by being the
great interviewer that I am. My first question for Michael
after the final round was are you kidding me? Dude?
Like that literally was my quest. I'm like, I don't
even know what to ask, Like that was ridiculous. That
was like something out of a movie. And the script
writers are like, all right, we have the club pro.
He's gonna make the cut and then he's gonna play
with Rory McElroy on Sunday and it's like, okay, hey,
(15:12):
I'm with you, and then okay, and then he's gonna
make a hole in one on the last part three.
It's not even gonna like such the flags is gonna
drop straight into the hole, and you're like, whoa, whoa,
how about we have him not get to eight feet
and lip out a Birdie putt Like that's more believable.
But I mean, this script was unreal from him, and
so I was trying to think about that another story.
I mean, I heard it compared to the Sam Bennett
(15:35):
story from The Masters earlier this year, where he's an
amateur and he wound up like sort of in contention
going into the weekend and played really well, that wasn't
even close to Michael Block. I think Block is more relatable.
Sam Bennett is a guy who by you know later
this year. I think it's going to be a professional golfer.
He's gonna be on the PGA Tour. He's gonna be
making lots of money. Michael Block he won the US
(15:56):
six years old. He's folding shirts and given lessons back
at home when he's not doing this. I mean, it's
a great story as far as any other story. I mean,
I go back to like a Bob Ney who got
into a playoff with Tiger Woods, and he wasn't a
big name, but he was at least playing the PGA Tour.
I mean, he wasn't a club professional. No, I don't
think there's another story like this. I think that in
(16:18):
the moment, we're like, man, we are never gonna forget.
This is one of the greatest stories in golf. Five
years from now, we're gonna be sitting here going, what's
that dude who got into the He was playing well
the PGA. It was like a club bro. So I
don't know, I'd love to see the story indor I'd
love to see He's playing Colonial this week, He's gonna
play the Canadian Open next week. He's absolutely gonna revel this.
(16:40):
His fifteen minutes that extended for as long as he can.
I don't know if he can keep it going, but
I think we'd all love to see it.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
I think before getting to Kopka, what makes it cool
is over the weekend he plays with Justin Rose Maser champion.
He's probably what would you say, a top ten player
of his generation the last fifteen years, Rory who's probably
be a top two or three player of his generation,
and just I mean shot one over combined for two rounds.
Like that's to me the pressure everyone cheering for him
(17:08):
on Sunday he was. He got as loud of an
ovation as Rory or Keepka. I mean it was crazy
and the whole on one that up and down. People
are like, oh, Nance was so hyperballic calling it. Think
how difficult that was. Now I understand he doesn't know
at the time what's on the line, but obviously everyone
looking at him to pull that off, it was incredible.
(17:29):
Just chip shot, I mean, just to get it in
position to make it lea.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Look, the hole in one is a hole in one.
I mean anytime the ball goes in the hole.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Yeah, little one seven iron, By the way.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
I talk about a man of the people, A seven
iron from one hundred and fifty one yards, like, yeah,
I was kind of like I was kind of you know,
clipping the ball a little bit, so I just wasn't
hitting it as well, so I kind of decided to
take a little extra club there, he said.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Rory's hitting gap wedge.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
He said he had no idea that it went in
the hole all of a sudden, like Rory hugs me,
he told me. He goes, I'm like, why is Rory
hugging me for knocking? It's like five feet Like, why
is he giving me a hug right now? And then
he goes, worry did that go in? Or It's like,
what's straight in the hole?
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Dude?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Like what do you like?
Speaker 3 (18:08):
How did you see that? Like everyone's cheering for you.
He's like, oh, man, I realized that good by the
Way was obviously a few groups behind here the roar.
He goes, yeah, that sounded like a hole in one roar,
and then someone told him it was block and he goes,
that is awesome. I Mean even even Brooks Koepka, who's like,
you know, the steely eyed competitor who kind of doesn't
care about anyone or anything else, is like, dude, that
(18:31):
is so cool. I love that guy. I mean, that's
how much it resonated. Going back to the the up
and down eighteen. Look, I there's nothing better than a
hole in one. You hit the ball perfectly, it goes
in the hole. You can't say like, well, just got
lucky either. I mean it's an incredible shot. The up
and down on eighteen probably takes more skill, honestly than
(18:53):
the hole in one on fifteen. The up and down,
I mean he is in nowhere. I mean he pulls
his second shot and he didn't know, Like you mentioned,
he didn't know at the time. Basically, you've got to
make par to clinch at top fifteen and get back
into the field next year. But to get up and
down there, I mean just barely gets it over the bunker,
trickles to eight feet, makes the putt. That was awesome.
(19:15):
And I mean, look, you can say that this is
hyperbolic from him. You can say that you know, he's
just sort of eating it up a little bit. But
I love what he said afterwards. I asked him about
getting into the field next year, and he goes right
off the bat, he says, Man, the coolest part about
it is now that I've qualified any other club pros
(19:36):
gets to qualify next year. I basically opened up a
spot for another club bro so that we'll have twenty
one of us. How cool is that I just helped
another guy make his year by getting him into the
PGA next year. I'm like, man, what an unbelievable answer
that was.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
Well, obviously the champion brooks Koepka, who It's pretty clear
right he was injured.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
We knew that.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
But I mean, when he's healthy, he is you know,
he is more reliable in these big tournaments than the
other guys with the most champions championships of his generation
in Speeth and Rory. I mean he's now past them.
And my takeaway big picture is like when does he
get to six and joined Phil Lee, Trevino and Nick Faldo,
because that, honestly, if he stays healthy, doesn't it kind
(20:21):
of feel inevitable, Like when once you watch it you're like, yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
Oh of course, we're two and a half weeks from
the next major championship. I could be. You and I
were talking about this before we started. How are the
odds for brooks Kepka only? And I believe fourteen to
one for the US Open? Like I get like I
still think Romen Scheffler. If I'm an odds baker right now,
rom and Scheffler co favorites. Plus eight fifty sounds about
(20:45):
right for courts that nobody really knows that well in
a place where you know there could be a little differentiation,
I'm okay with plus eight fifty. I don't think it
should be shorter than that. I as an odds baker,
I put brooks Kepka right behind them at about or
ten to one, and then Rory at on a thirteen
to one. How is Rory mclroy's shorter odds for brooks
(21:07):
Kepka to win the US Open? That makes euro sense
to me. At fourteen to one, Kepka's gonna be a
play for a lot of people out there. He should be.
I mean, look, I've written this in the past, and
I didn't have him last week. I got on before
the final round and saved my week. But how do
we not just before every major championship go all right?
(21:28):
We can do all this researching and data diving and
looking into everything, and all of a sudden, it just
it comes down to three words. Just Bett Brooks, and
you're gonna do pretty well.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Halftime I think what's crazy is he has to have
now it's you know, he's had a longer career of
all the top players, just of the last thirty forty years,
probably the most unique career because just put some players
in his generation, Rory, he has like twenty five wins.
(21:58):
Justin Thomas won multiple majors, ton of wins, DJ multiple majors.
What does he have like twenty plus wins? These guys
win a lot. I look today non internationally, Kepka has
nine wins obviously, five of them are majors and two
of them are waste managements. So it's this guy doesn't
just win like a memorial here, you know, a player's here,
(22:19):
a random like colonial here like No, he doesn't really
participate in that operation, the waste management when everyone's there
and it feels sweet and the majors like it kind
of makes sense, right. That feels very on brand for
Brooks Kopka when you actually pull up his Wikipedia and
see the other wins non mad.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
So here are the numbers. He's got four non majors
on the PGA Tour, he's got two live golf wins.
He's got one on the dp World Tour, one on
the Japan Tour, four on the Challenge Tour, and five majors,
like of all the different categories, I mean Challenge Tour
Japan to I get they hadn't played that much over there,
but he's got more major championship wins than wins on
(22:57):
any other tour, which we've never seen be for. I mean,
Andy North had three career PGA Tour wins. Two of
them were US Opens. That's not this though, That's not hey,
I just showed up for major championships. And this is
part of the reason why I believe that brooks Kepka
has gamed the system, and we've seen that he's sort
of downplayed the whole live thing. If Phil Mickelson won
(23:17):
the PGA this past week, the entire narrative is all
about live, live, live, live live. Brooks Keptka wins, and
we try to ask him about live, He's like, yeah, whatever, man,
that's just you know, I just play where I play.
It doesn't really matter. And there's been a lot of
rumor that, look, until he substantiates it, I won't I
won't report it, certainly, but there's been a lot of
(23:38):
rumors that brooks Keptka wishes that he could go back
to the PGA Tour and has is having some buyer's remorse.
I make the point that Brooks has gained the system. John.
What he has done is, Okay, I don't really care
about the non majors, so I might as well get
paid nine figures to go play those non majors instead
of playing these non majors. And then four times a year,
(23:59):
I'll flip the switch, I'll play my best golf and
I'll become known as the major championship killer once again.
And what's wrong with that? I mean, I get it.
Some people don't like live some people don't like where
the money's coming from. I understand that, but just based
on a business decision for Brooks, keepka. He is living
the best of both worlds.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Right now, and now he's restarted his clock. So it
feels like for the you know, in his prime, he's
going to be have access to all these majors now
for the next five years.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
By winning, I.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
Mean he's in the PGA for as long as he
wants to be. I mean, Sean mckeel won twenty years ago.
He was back in the field, and he certainly was
never the player that Brooks Keepka is us open. He's
got a I think what eight years, seven years left
on his exemption there that might you know, they might
tack on more masters. He's now winning for a while.
(24:49):
I mean, look, he's fine for a while. And even
if somehow he runs dry in the majors for the
next three or four years, when he's thirty seven, he
goes clips on off another one and he extends those exemptions,
he is just fine for a while. And quite frankly,
if those exemptions at some point years from now dry up,
don't be surprised if those major championships give him an exemption,
(25:12):
because why wouldn't they. He's shown that he can go
win these things. I don't care if it's ten years
from now and the knees hurting him again. He just
gets prepared for these majors. He is the epitome of
what Tiger Woods has told us for twenty five years.
What has Tiger said John for twenty five years. He goes,
I want my game to peak four times a year,
(25:32):
and I've spent many hours on a driving range, on
a practice screen talking to the world's best professional golfers
asking them the question, how do you get your game
to peak four times a year. I asked Jason Day
that last week. I reminded him that years ago i'd
asked him that question. He gave me the best response.
He literally looked at me and shrugged. He's like, I
have no idea. It's like, if I'm playing well the
(25:54):
week before, it's not like I go whoa slow down.
I don't want to play as well. And obviously that
was relevant because he had won the Nelson the week
before then didn't play well when he got to the PGA.
I don't think anyone has had a better answer, even Tiger,
for how to get your game to peak four times
a year. Tiger Tiger peaked every week. I mean, Tiger
was great at the majors, but he was just as great,
(26:14):
if not even greater, at the regular PGA Tour events.
Brooks Koepka is the epitome of everything Tiger has told
us about trying to get your game to peak four
times a year. He has figured it out unlike anybody else.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
When you think about Phil and Tiger, I think Kepka
when you just watch him play, is much especially on
the weekend, much more like a Tiger, just slow Steady
makes a ton of long par putts than Phil would
have like sprayed out the planet, miraculous shot over treat
when he went in big tournaments, crazy flop shot. You know, like,
how did he just kepka is a little boring and
(26:51):
he just hits these eight to twelve footers over the week.
He just makes a ton of pars that you're like, oh,
this is gonna be a swing, this is gonna be
a swing.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
Then it's not a swing because he drains putts.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
So there was a strategy that he had coming into
this one. He said it was based on not getting
the job done at the Masters, Who's fifty four whole
leader got passed by John Rahm, finishing the tie for
second place, and he said afterwards, I sort of lost
my strategy. I lost that mindset. He was asked after
the win. Okay, what was that mindset? He goes, now,
I'm not done. I'm not telling you because I want
(27:22):
everyone else to take it away. I think it has
something to do with playing a little slower, playing methodical,
and basically giving everybody else the heisman, especially when you
have the lead going into the final round of a major. Look,
this is how Tiger won fourteen of his fifteen major
championships by playing with the lead going into the final
round and essentially stiff arming the field and just not
(27:45):
letting them get any closer to him. And I think
that's a big part of what brooks Kopka is trying
to do right now, which is let me race out
in front and then just not let you catch me.
He knows he doesn't have to go shoot sixty three
on Sunday and win this thing. He can go out
and shoot, Hey, it might be sixty seven, it might
be sixty nine, but whatever it is, it's gonna be
enough that nobody else can catch him. And he's gonna
(28:07):
look at the leader board and he's gonna figure out
exactly what he needs to do to win. It's not
unlike a football team that has the ball. All right,
we're up four with three minutes to play, and we've
got the ball. What are you gonna do. You don't
have to throw an eighty yard touchdown pass and solidify
the victory because you don't need it at that point.
Let's run out the clock and brooks Keepka essentially he's
(28:29):
trying to run out the clock there and whatever it
takes to get a victory. Doesn't necessarily mean making birdies
every hole, but it does mean not making mistakes. Don't
fumble the ball with three minutes left in your own
side of the field.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Well, two guys that made mistakes back to back days
that could have won this tournament, where Corey Connors and
Victor Hovlin that literally hit the same exact shot. I mean,
it's it's it's eerie. How when Corey Connors did it,
no one knew because you've thought it hit the lip
like any guy played golf over their career, just as
a normal as normal people hits the lamp, go some
(29:03):
weird way it got embedded. And then Victor Hoblin you
could tell his reaction, Oh my god, he did the
exact same thing.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
And then Brooks knocks it stiff, and that's tournament.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
So I've spoken with Hoblin about this in the past.
He is a guy who doesn't watch a whole lot
of golf. Now he says this on his off weeks.
I don't know that this guy goes back to the
rental house or the hotel room after a round, puts
on golf channel and watches. I get the sense he
doesn't do that, so I still I haven't heard. He
did very limited interviews after the round, but I haven't
(29:34):
heard whether he actually saw Corey Connor's shot on Saturday
or not. I'm guessing maybe not. I don't necessarily fault
him for the shot at that point he's down. He
has to be a little bit aggressive. I think we
criticize him if he knocks one back into the fairway
then doesn't get up and down, makes a bogie and
loses that way, we go, come on, Victor, have some
balls and go for it. So he went for it
(29:56):
and it didn't work out for him. The one thing
that surprised me a little bit on I've always seen
Victor Hoblin is a little kind of happy, go lucky.
You know, I's got the smile, and you know, when
he's playing well, he's like, yeah, what averkut shrugs his shoulders.
When he's not playing well, okay, I mean, which is
a great life to have as a professional golfer. I've
aways thought he's one of the few guys out there
(30:18):
whose mood isn't dictated by his scores and results. Who's
you know, a lot of the guys out there you
can look at that. Rory Mclwory's a perfect example. Justin
Thomas is a great example, Like you don't need to
look at a leader board. You can just see their
face on the screen and you know if they're playing
well or not. Victor Hoblin's one of these guys that like,
I'm in a good mood today, I'm feeling good. Maybe
(30:38):
I shot seventy four, but hey, you know what life
is life, and you know he doesn't have all the
star tissue built up from years of not winning major championships.
I was very surprised. In the immediate aftermath, I saw
him and he was despondent. I mean, I'm telling you,
he looked like a guy who you know, someone just
someone just kicked his dog. I mean, he looked like
(30:59):
you know any other player who's been grinding for twenty
years trying to win a major that can't get it done,
and so well.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
He had a legit chance to win, right Kepka lips
out of Pott, he birdies.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
I mean, he could. He could have been a major
right there. He's playing right.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
There for the last three majors. I mean, and I
maintain after every major championship that getting into the heat
of the battle and losing is still a much better
experience than finishing in forty third place. Like, we're not
talking about the guy that finished in forty third, We're
not talking about, Hey, what do you think of Justin
Thomas this week? And does he takes some positives from that?
It wasn't even I don't know. He finished before the
(31:37):
leaders even started their round, so it doesn't matter. We're
talking about Victor Hoblin because he was in the heat
of the battle. This will be a good thing for
him moving forward. But I don't know. I kind of
like the fact that he was pissed off afterwards, that
he wasn't just like, oh, well, well didn't win a major,
but that's okay. This was not just a shrug of
the shoulders for Victor Hoblin, and so I think that
(31:57):
that's something we want to see. We want to see
him pissed off halfwards.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
I'm gonna skip him at LACC, but I peaked at
the Open. He's thirty to one.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
I think I'm gonna be all over him there any
big picture thoughts on this tournament headed in to the
other major here in a couple of weeks. One thing
I took away was, you know, I played lacc one time.
You can spray it a little bit. And Cam Smith,
you know, I don't know if he's known as the
trailers driver.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
He kind of it.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
He kind of heat it up, and it's just you
can get him in that mid twenties.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Because here's the thing, So Bill, no more for me.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
Betting on Xander's finales speech, JT's can't les.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
I'm either going Koepka, Rom Scottie.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Even Rory at least showed some signs of life that
you know, I'd be more inclined to do that. He's
the only other guy I'm not messing around with these
our group in the Ryder Cup. I'm sorry, prove something
before I give you any shackles moving forward, because these
guys I look up, it's.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Like they're nowhere to be found. Nowhere, Miss Smiley.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
Is a very legitimate takeaway that not just from this week,
but from the last couple of years, that look, they're
guys that got it at as h Nicholas Colsart's once
set at the Ryder Cup, you've either got it in
your pants or you don't, and sometimes you gotta go
with what's in your pants? I'm still not totally sure
what that means, but I love the fact that he
(33:24):
said it on international TV after a Ryder Cup victory.
And so look, they're guys that either have it or
they don't, and we can watch Patrick Cantley every single
week and go that dude is really freaking good. Xander
Schoffley has played really well at major championships, hasn't broken through.
I still think he's going to Max Homa. Sam Burns
(33:45):
don't play well at major championships, they just haven't. Then
they're guys. Scottie Scheffler plays well every single week, like
his floor is higher than anybody else's right now, not
even close. Step on throats. John Rawn wants to step
on throats, give me the throat steppers. I still think
he's not playing great. I mentioned him justin Thomas wants
to step on throats. He's not playing very well right now.
(34:07):
He needs to go eat a pizza once in a
while because I think the no gluten thing is deteriorating
his mind and he's just pissed off all the time.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
But he needs to go.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
Out and and start playing some better golf. But he
will he's got the right mentality for it. There are
other guys who are just I don't know. Yeah, I'm
really good golfer. It see what happens? You know. I
think being around these players and speaking with them, you
get a better sense of like, all right, he's really good,
but he's just a stone cold killer. And then there
(34:37):
are other guys he's really good. It's like, uh, see
what happens this week. I really hope that I play well.
Like that ain't the attitude you got to have in
a major championship. And so you mentioned Cam Smith. Absolutely
love him for the US Open. What's the hallmark of
a US Open that we've seen over the last decade.
It's ay, well, it's short game. It's hey, everybody's gonna
(34:59):
miss the fair way. So we need guys that can
mash it out of the rough, and we need guys
that have a great short game and can make putts.
At least the second part of that is Cam Smith.
I love Tony. Tony Faw has been on my radar
for the US Open for a long time. I don't know.
Is Tony Fenow soft I don't think so, But boy,
(35:20):
big events certainly doesn't seem to happen for a guy
who looks like he's got top five in the world
type talent. So I don't know, it's the same names
every single week and until we don't see those names
up there, and Jordan Spieth another name who you know,
that dude ain't soft, That dude was hurt. He played better,
scored better every single round. Love him this week at
Colonial Jordan's Speed's gonna win something very very soon, if
(35:42):
not this week. I mean they're guys who have it
at the big events and guys who they're just showing
us time after time they don't really have it.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Go get you out of here on this just because
you know. He was one of the more fascinating guys
over the last couple of years. Then he fell off
the face of the earth, Skinny Bryson. I mean, do
you expect you you were around out there?
Speaker 2 (36:05):
What was the talk?
Speaker 1 (36:06):
He a breakthrough? Just a good course setup. I mean
you expect him to be He's played lacc before. Obviously
being a California guy, he's comfortable with the with the
grass sod. Is Bryson just shot signs of life or
is this something to keep an eye on because he's
another guy that you know has had a lot of
success in the biggest moments on the right setup.
Speaker 3 (36:26):
So look, Okill was a I thought more of a
US Open type of setup than a PGA Championship type
of setup. In quick sidebar, I wouldn't be surprised. I
think Okill proved itself. The new redesign was great. I
wouldn't be surprised if at some point the USGA goes
to the PGA of Americans, like, come on, like, it's
gonna be better in June than it is in May.
(36:47):
Looks more like a US Open setup than a PGA
Championship setup. Why don't you let us have that one.
We'll give you. I think Olympic Club is now going
into the PGA rotation. All right, we'll give you Olympic Club.
You give us o Kill. I would not be surprised
next time we see Oakill and a major championship, it's
hosting a US Open, not a PGA. So that's the
aside there, But the fact that it played like a
(37:08):
US Open. It was suited more for Bryson to Shambeau
than a lot of other golf tournaments are. I would
expect a LACC to be very much the same. So
for me, it's about course fit. For Bryson, I think
that on any given week, you put him on a
place where hey, can you mash driver and just play
some angles and everyone else is gonna be in the rough.
(37:29):
So being in the rough's not gonna hurt you in
relation to the field as much as other events where
other guys are hitting twelve of fourteen fairways, you're hitting
four of fourteen fairways, you're behind the eight ball. If
everyone's hitting four of fourteen fairways, well, Rison's got a
better shot of getting the ball to the hole more
so than a lot of other players. And so I
think we're gonna see that next month. So I do
(37:51):
like him a little bit there. But now then we're
gonna go to an Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, and
I don't think he'll see his name anywhere. I mean,
I wouldn't expect that he's up there at all. So
it's all cool fit for Bryson.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
So do you think you're gonna pivot on your LACC
pick and go with one of the horses over Fino baby?
Speaker 2 (38:11):
Yeah, for a while.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
Look after because even even Rom, like obviously Rom was
getting going viral for his f bombs. Used to I
just used to be like, well he's got a big
temper to me. Now his standards so high. He's showing up,
like you said, the mind, He's showing up to win,
and when it's off, he's extra mad because like his
mentality is like I'm winning two or three majors this year,
less of what it was a couple of years ago,
(38:35):
just being a hothead after in my opinion, that.
Speaker 3 (38:37):
Was my guy after he won a tory. You want
toy right, everyone there, like the entire world. I mean
I follow a lot of people who are betting experts
on social media, and like the entire world started betting home.
I mean his number was likely I did it. I
mean I don't dislike him. Max Ohma is still best
major finish is a thirteenth place in the PGA Championship
(38:58):
last year. I don't dislike him for the US Open,
But I mean at some point, I think everyone sort
of pivots and they go I think there's that separation
like we're just talking about. I know, look, a lot
of people like can't lays an LA guy going back home.
You might like Morikawa another LA guy, and Marikawa has
shown the stuff that can win major championships if his
putter was right, and his putter was right this past week.
(39:21):
But watching cam Smith, I'm like, man, this dude's not
And there's something to be said for the live players.
And we talked about Kopka peaking four times a year. Look,
all the PGA Tour guys, they're playing designated events, elevated
events seemingly on an every other week kind of basis.
They're playing big events all the time. The live guys, hey, yeah,
(39:43):
they want to go out and win some live events.
But four times a year, it's like, all right, let's go,
this is my week. I mean, John Rahm really wants
to play well the major championships. He's also got what
eight other events, nine other events where he really wants
to play well against the best players on the PGA Tour.
The if guys only have four of those, and so
for Keopka, for Cam Smith, it's easier to peak on
(40:05):
one of those weeks when you only have four of them.
Is supposed to having double digits.
Speaker 1 (40:10):
Yeah, I think with the big three, Scottie Rahm, Rory
Night through Kopka, I would put camp Smith right up
there to go headed into the to LACC. That would
be kind of my group of players because I give
Rory some credit. He showed signs of life. Still a
little off, but he I thought he battled more than
historically he has, did not.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
Have his best stuff and he finished well. A lot
of times. Look, Rory didn't have his best stuff in
the Masters, missed the cut. I love the fact that
Rory didn't have his best stuff and finished in seventh place.
That's a good sign. I think moving forward, I'd like
to see him with his best stuff at some point,
but at least that's a step in the right direction
for him.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
Agreed, Well, soble uh have a good Memorial Day weekend.
Speaker 2 (40:51):
Play golf.
Speaker 3 (40:52):
He's got one last thing for you too. Shout out
to Hunter Mayhan. I was hanging out with Hunter Mayhan,
who was doing analysis for our series XM Radio Cut
this past week, and one play goes, dude, you know
John Middlecoff. It's like that's so cool. It's like, yeah,
what a great guys like that. So you've got it.
You've got a massive fan in Hunter Man.
Speaker 1 (41:11):
I remember playing golf a couple of years ago with
Spencer Levine and I was like you know, we were
talking about the PGA tories. Like I always thought if
I beat Hunter in a tournament, I had some success.
Speaker 2 (41:21):
Like Hunter can play. Yeah, I mean that dude was
that dude's still could.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
Play, but the taste now doing some radio, which is
which is pretty cool for him.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Hell yeah, I heard him doing last year. He was
doing some college events. He's he's gonna be good. He'd
be a.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
Good transition for him.
Speaker 1 (41:35):
Uh So, we'll talk to you soon, man, Thanks, Buddy,
appreciated that.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
A good weekend.
Host
John Middlekauff
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