Far Afield

Christina calls in from France to preview the Evian Championship, leading to a lively debate with Alan, who is circumspect about the tournament’s abrupt elevation to major championship status. They look back at the Open Championship and Collin Morikawa’s game-changing win and look ahead to the Olympics, where the top women have been the U.S.’s most enthusiastic competitors.

Got a question for a future episode? Reach out on Twitter:

Christina Kim

Alan Shipnuck

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Mmm, Hello and welcome to full s End with Christina
Kim and Alan Schipnuk. We are thousands and thousands of
miles away. Christina is in Evianne Laban. How our things
in France? Well, Um, as you can tell, I have

(00:22):
gone out to the courtyard so that I can be
closer to the main router of the WiFi. I've got
a kid doing things over there. I've got a couple
over there canoodling. But it's beautiful out It's it's the
it's We're nearing towards the end of July, which I
think is the best time to be here in evian

(00:44):
lebin Um. We've got firmer fairways. We're not having to
play the ball up, which is pretty awesome because that
is sort of one of the sort of running jokes
of this tournament when we were playing in September, because
we would be getting oodles of rain and as a
result of that, I have to either play the ball

(01:05):
up or we should be playing the ball up, and
we still play it down because it is an Asia.
So everything is great here though. All right, well you
just said it, let's just jump in right this because
I've this is this your full sense segment. Yeah, I'm
just going for it. I mean, I've always felt like
the elevation of the van to a quote unquote major

(01:26):
was a little fishy. It was like it was it
was a nice little tour stop, kind of funky golf course,
pretty used, and the sponsor was like, hey, we need more,
We're gonna dip and major, Let's make you a major.
And that was it, Like overnight, you woke up one
day and they went from a like a B plus
tour stop to a major, and um, it never felt

(01:48):
quite right to me. What's your take on the whole thing? Well,
I was on the board of directors when this decision
was made, and I there's a lot of things that
go on behind the scenes in all honesty, as I'm
sure everybody knows, you hear about things once they've been completed. Um,

(02:09):
but you know, it was a discussion that that Frank Jacquard,
I'm so bad with names, so pardon me for my
inability to remember his last name, but this was a
just make up some some French people will never know.
And I said, Frank, I think it's Jacca. That I
could be wrong, but this was a process that was
months in the making. It was something that I know

(02:31):
Frank has had in his sights for years and he
had been, um, you know, discussing with Mike uh, you know,
the prospect of turning this into a mesa and there
were a lot of a lot of hurdles that he
had to jump through, a lot of things including changing
up the golf course, which um, you know, and like

(02:51):
you said, it's a fun it's it was always a
fun tour stop. We have this massive beer garden with
you know, VI Glico, Champagne and um, you know, Heineken
was a big sponsor as well. And there were you know,
blackout nights one of you know, many of which I
have partaken in in the past. There were, um you know,

(03:11):
it was a fun golf course and and they they
had someone come in and do a redesign and um, um,
the best way to put it is if you want
to think of in Asia as making sure that it
provides a stringent mental test as a golfer, on top
of the fact that it's you know, um green grass

(03:35):
with eighteen tea boxes and eighteen greens. Then it was
completed because the farness of the golf course has changed
in my opinion. This is not a ring endorsement like
oh yeah boxes and eighteen greens. I mean, oh, I mean,
it's a reality. We're on the side of a mountain,
you know. I mean the glacial waters I get put

(03:57):
into these plastic heavy on water bottles. Basically they float
not through the golf course but in the region, um
to the point where it's like you're there are very
specific um ways in order to maintain the golf course,
like there cannot be any pesticides, it cannot be any
of this, or cannot be any of that. So it's
I think there's there's something really cool about that. But

(04:19):
at the same time, it's like the entire front nine
you're going you know, um, I guess from is it
east to west? So you've got the ball below your
feet and then the entire back nun on your head
and back to the east, so you've got the ball
above your feet. You know, it's it's it's it's a
it's a difficult piece of property to really you know,

(04:41):
have a lot of creativity. So the greens are very
very complicated. Um there are. The greens are huge now
and one of the things I loved about this golf
course was that it was like small greens, like really targeted,
and now it's like you're like there's a little bit
of like a I want to say, not it's not
that it's like Pinehurst because there aren't like a ton

(05:02):
of bold greens in that beautiful classic Donald Ross style,
but there's just like, well they're short grass, but there
is no business for golf ball being over there, let
alone a hole. So there's just a lot of a
lot of space that you know it it presents a
very unique challenge. Yeah, that was a long way to
saying it's kind of a funky golf course and it's

(05:23):
not not really what you would think of as a
major championship test, Well what does that even mean? Like
it's a major has to be demanding in terms of
ball striking, and it has to you know, punch you
in the tips by way of your patients, your your
mental acuity, all of those things. So to an extent,

(05:45):
it definitely, uh takes on those aspects and goes well
beyond that. Um you know. So it just all depends
on how how you see it. And at the end
of the day, everybody has to play the same golf course. Yeah,
for sure, I mean, I think it beyond the merits
of of this golf course built on the side of

(06:05):
a mountain. My my beef was more about and for sure,
if you go through the history of both the men's
and women's game, what has been considered a major has
evolved over time, Like we know that and when and
how many are deemed an appropriate number for the year.
You know, you look at a lot of sports. Not
every sport has always had four majors. You know, We've

(06:28):
had three majors in our history before we have gone
to five. The PJ Tour champions they have five majors. Um,
you know, the Western m was a major back in
the day. Like you know, there's there's you know, who
are we to sit here and say this is what
the template is, you know, like, I think that's a
bit present the fact to say that we're the ones

(06:50):
that have the rights to that. In fact, that is
my entire job description is to sit back and render
verdicts on such things. But the I mean, I mean, yeah,
so when when Geene saras and wins the nineteen five Masters,
no one like pounds on the back and says congratulations
on your first major, old boy, you know, like it
was a brand new tournament and it took time for

(07:12):
its stature to be elevated. You know, Ben Hogan and
Sam Snead and Byron Nelson kept winning it, and then
Arnie and Jack and all Ssoden. I was like, wow,
this is like the most important tournament golf, and it
just made no sense and not to elevate it to
that status. But it happened organically over time, and my
beef with Evan, it was like, it just it happened. Okay,

(07:33):
you say a matter of months, I'm saying overnight, but
it's kind of the same thing. Yeah, But it was
not like people are going, this is this is the
ultimate test of golf. We have to consider a major championship.
It just it felt kind of forced and a little
like a desperation move to just keep Evan in the
fold as a sponsor. So I know, you see more

(07:55):
nuanced in it. I'm just kind of like, uh, I mean,
let me ask you. I'm just gonna put you on
the spot here, Christina, do you consider the Van to
be as big a deal as the Women's British or
the Women's US Open, Like, is it in the same
thing in your mind. Well, first of all, it's called
the Women's Open, not the Women's British. And I know

(08:15):
you're gonna go on, You're gonna harp on about how
it's always going to be the Dinah Shore and I'm like, well,
why didn't you call it the Cold Gate? Um? You
know you're or the craft Nabisco or you know, why
are you gonna call you You're like, I'm not going
to call them patrons. They're spectators when we go and
visit Augusta National. But at the same time, you know, again,
I I totally understand, you know, like you said, it's

(08:36):
in your job description to um, you know, I'm not
gonna say cast judgment in like a negative way by
any means. You know that you're here to share and
take part and record the history of the game in
our times. Uh. And yeah, like you're putting me on
the spot, and that's okay. But I can always turn

(08:58):
it around and be like, just sound like you got
some sour grapes because he didn't know what was going
on behind the scenes. Son, you know, Um, but this
is a tournament that's been a long schedule for a
long long time. Oh okay, you're gonna get defensive of it.
I still have to answer the question, though, Um, you know,
this is a tournament that's been um you know, in
in on the LPG schedule for a very long time,

(09:20):
and you know, you look at some of the past year.
Do you want to talk about Sarah's and you want
to talk about Hogan Jack Arnie. You know I can
throw at you. You know uh Jin yun Ko, Lydia Co,
San Jian par killed you, kim Onka sore and stand.
Even though she wanted prior to it being a major, UM,
it was still one of those tournaments that she you know,
always went to and always played and has one Laura

(09:42):
Davies Helen Alfredson who was also a US Women's Open champion.
Like there's it has a a very very um high
pedigree of champions throughout its history. So you know, I
mean we we've had the longevity of the tournament as
as one factor in it. We've also had an incredible
amount of support from UM Frank and you know, the

(10:04):
the entire community here in Evan. We have an amazing
list did I say amazing list of champions? Like you know,
there are enough enough for play, This is enough for
play answer the question, Christina, well is it again, do
I hold this tournament in as high regard as the

(10:25):
US Women's Open, And well, so, I am going to
be honest, I hold our major champions they're not all
tied for first by way of favorite tournaments. And for me,
there's a difference between a major and uh like there
are different levels and different tiers of what would be
deemed a major. They are not all equal and for

(10:46):
various reasons. I mean, if you you know, I I
I love it and I'm so glad that the RNA
is now taking control of it. But over the years
you kind of look at what has transpired at the UM.
You know, the Women's Open Championship currently sponsored by a
I G. Previously with Rico, prior to that wheat fix,
which is basically big ass shredded wheat UM, and the

(11:08):
the tournament in and of itself has transformed and changed
over the years, UM by way of the way that
they treat us. They take care of us all of
those things. So you know, I mean this is I
think in certain regards they take incredible care of us UM.
And at the same time, you know, for me, it

(11:30):
was always the US Open as number one. In recent years,
KPMG Women's PGA Championship after the PGA of America took
over has been um, you know, it's it. It has
definitely entered the fold of being my favorite major. I
mean at the President might just be the tip, but
it's it's definitely making a push um to be number

(11:52):
one in that sense, you know. And and the A
and A inspiration had is in its own league as well.
So I can't sit here and say that they're all
the same. You know. It's like talking about, you know,
one of your kids that's more artistic, and then you
have another child that is definitely an athlete, and then
you have your third kid who is definitely an athlete.

(12:14):
And then you got the kid that you're just like, man,
he he tra real hard and you know you'll make
something of himself one these days. I just want to
I just want to u us Open on the same
regard as the Open Championship and the Masters and the
PGA Championship. Absolutely not. They're different classes and different categories. Yeah,

(12:34):
they have their different flavors, but and the PGA Championship
is kind of lagging, I guess a little bit. But
the other three are coequals as far as stature and pristige,
and someways a PGA championship has has been more satisfying
because I've had better course setups and they've had exciting finishes.
So I just want to specify more recent years. Yeah,

(12:55):
if any of my kids are listening to this podcast,
Christina was putting out a hypothetical there that's not actually
a real scanning part of my four children, even though
it sounded well, I was going to make it five,
but I had to stop that. Um well, I just
think like it's funny, like in v Park wins and
evy on in two thousand and twelve, like, hey, nice win,

(13:17):
not a major. The next year Suzann Peterson went, hey, congratulations,
I'm winning a major championship, Like she got another major
champions It's just it's just funny because it's such a
line of demarcation. Poor in view is like the real
victim of all that. And I mean you mentioned Anica.
I think she's doing okay because she is one of
She was I think the uh the fastest to enter

(13:41):
the eligible for the Hall of Fame outside of Larino
Cho who chose not to play the minimum required ten years,
which means she didn't have to you know, quote unquote
suffer and put up with it for ten years, but
she was definitely qualified. I think it bees okay with that, fine,
but it's it's an interesting and should we retroactively credit

(14:03):
Anaica and in being all those from pre two with
a major championship victory? Because as discussed like the earlier
is the Masters, Um, you know, it was not no
one thought of as a major championship. But now we
we count those on the victory totals of of the
Hogans and the Sneeze and those guys, Like should we

(14:23):
go back and add to Anica into these major championship totals?
Like we're we're messing with the time space continuum here,
Like I don't know, I don't know how I feel
about that. It was a different golf course and no
one thought of it as a major. Um, we're talking
about Evan, but you didn't think of it of a major.
Please don't speak on behalf of the entirety of the globe. Alan,

(14:47):
definitely don't speak on behalf of Franca. I don't know
it just it This week raises various questions for the
person nikty golf fan slash observe her so, but I
appreciate your perspective. I'm not saying I'm right. I just um,
I'm slightly vexed by the whole thing. But it is,

(15:08):
without a doubt a fun tournament's watched. The scenery is fantastic.
As you know, there's been a lot of terrific winners
and whoever does hoist a trophy this week and the
bottle of nice Crisp Evyan water will celebrate them as
a Major champion. But um, I don't know it's you
just call on water crisp. It's one of those It's

(15:29):
one of those waters where I drink and then my
mouth is dryer. That is part of the test of
this being a major in my opinion, I don't feed
you girl through and through I I I just I
personally just think that the the way that my body
operates um does not operate as well with the level

(15:51):
of the minerality of this water. It's not a dig I.
I just don't know if it's it's it's like me
like browing keto carbs don't work well for me, and
it's uh, it is funny. One of the one of
the things that um kind of is a running joke,
although there is some truth behind it, is the number
of caddies that will sit there and say all they

(16:11):
do is, you know, they'll have beers, obviously, like at
the beer garden after the round, but they have just
they're just like, we just drink heavy on water and
baguettes and they're like and that combination has us constipated
for like seventeen days after the event, like it's kind
of fun. So that's yet another aspect of it being

(16:32):
a majia. Maybe I don't know, I've in hindsight, we
should have done this entire podcast in faux French accents.
It was really a missed opportunity, that's all I know.
I I I will say I do. I was talking
with my caddy Todd. I was trying to get someone

(16:52):
to come to our room to check on the fridge
because it was not what's the word cold, And as
I was on the phone talking to reception, he was like,
you sounded like a French person trying to speak English,
and I was like, oh my god, Like if that
happens to me sometimes whenever it's like if I go

(17:13):
down to the South, I sometimes turn into a Southern bell.
If I go up north towards like Philly and Jersey,
I start saying water and it's in the In the
closer I get to l A and San Diego, the
word like and an upward inflection at the end of
my sentences seems to be a thing that is a
recurring theme. So I yeah, I'm living my life with

(17:35):
a a fox French accent trying to speak English. Apparently,
I mean you've gone native. I respect that you sort
of immerse yourself in the local culture or whatever weird
language things you might have. That that that's that's impressive. Um,
So let's talk about how how you're feeling about your game,

(17:56):
your body as you've you've been having this little back
issue and obviously a heck of a long journey to
get over there. So, um, where are you this minute
in your preparations and and how do you feel aboutbout
this week? Well? I actually feel really good. Um. I
failed to mention this because we were airing our episode

(18:19):
with our first guest in angel yan Um Todd actually
didn't caddy for me in Toledo. He because I took
off the week of Dallas and then I took the
week off after that for the Dow. UM So, I
you know, we kind of talked about it, and his
daughter was having her fourteenth birthday the Sadurday of Toledo,

(18:41):
and so we kind of talked about was like, dude,
you've had six weeks in a row with me, Like
take three weeks off, like go go be happy with
the family, live your life. And they had, um they
had set up like a family holiday um and like
a you know, a bit of a summer vacation since
she was, you know, out of school and all that stuff.
So it's the we got the gang back together, which

(19:02):
is awesome. And Todd's been helping me throughout this entire process,
you know, working on a couple of things within my swing,
a couple of like key points and figuring out what
the hell it is that I'm doing. UM, So I
actually feel really really good. The flight was Uh. I
thought my flight was a bit of an adventure. Um.
But in comparison to a lot of the girls that

(19:24):
did play the Dow and flew by way of I'm
assuming a sky team member, um, they were about twenty
girls that did not receive any of their stuff um
on when they arrived on it was either Sunday night
or Monday morning, and so I just had a little

(19:46):
bit of a delay. Um. Paula Creamer and I flew
together from Orlando all the way to Geneva, and we
encountered a couple of delays that led us to missing
our connection from London, which is one of the uh
the air transport gates of hell. Um. They I believe

(20:07):
they literally have a graveyard underneath that has just bags
and bags and bags and bags throughout the years. Um.
And then we went from being flying with our One
World partners, which both of us are huge into flying with,
had to be transferred over to a Star Alliance partner.
And so when you're it's like going I don't even know,

(20:28):
It's like trying to speak to someone in a different language.
And so we were convinced we weren't going to get
any of our ship and we had an eight hour
layover in London. Because of the current situation in the world,
there are a lot fewer direct flights from London into Geneva.
And yet somehow our bags made it, which was great. Um.

(20:48):
And so my body actually feels really really good start
to finish, Yeah, that's amazing. You got your bag start
to finish. How many hours was it from when you
left so when you got it, Well, from the time
I left my house to the time that I arrived
in my hotel, it was I believe a combined total

(21:12):
of twenty six hours, whereas it should have been no
more than eighteen. Said that that's sucked. Yeah, that's a
long time, and that includes leading the door and walking
into my desk. Like the destination. In terms of actual
flight time, I think it was it was about twenty
three hours, maybe twenty four. But we're here and it's

(21:35):
all good. And again this is a major that's parts
of it. Paula Creamer knocked up. Okay, get this. So we,
like I said, we spent the better part of twenty
six hours in the same region. I don't know. I
like to look people in the eye when I'm talking
to them, no idea. I had no idea, and as

(21:59):
and when right before we boarded our last leg of
our flight, I was talking with one of the caddies
who lives in the UK, and he was like, I
think Paul was pregnant. I was like, first of all,
you look someone in the eye when you're talking to them. Secondly,
please remember you can never ask a woman that. And thirdly,
really and then we land, and right when we were

(22:22):
taking off, she had she had apparently posted that she
and her her fiance they were supposed to be married
in February. Then the world. Um and and so she
and Shane are are expecting and she's about four months along,
I think, is what it is. And I remember I
looked at the post and then I looked at it and
and I was like, I'm gonna I'm gonna not look

(22:43):
at her her eyeballs real quick. I was like, son
of a bit, Yeah, she's pregnant, Like I never even
thought of it, did not occur to me for a
moment in that entire time. It's awesome, she's going to
be an amazing mom. Yeah I can see that. Uh yeah,

(23:04):
I saw the post and um, I had no idea
you guys were out of playing together. I mean, was
she like was she eating everything? She's like tackling the
stewardess for more snacks or she grouchy like yeah, no
inkling whatsoever? No? No, I mean well one, um no,
she was. She was great the whole time. And it

(23:25):
was one of those things where I was like I
would I would um, I would text her and be like, hey,
you know, I'm going to go over to the Swiss
air desk and try and you know, figure out where
our bags are in this and that, and so I
was like, you know, I was just like not just
naturally like helping her out because if my bags make
it and I know someone's on my flight that I know,
I'm like, I'm gonna do my best to make sure
your bags make it. And um, you know, I didn't

(23:48):
notice any sort of crankiness or any sort of grumpiness
or anything. And I would think that if I did, Sweetheart,
we were spending way too much time traveling to get
to our destination, so it would have been completely within
her rights to be that way. But I was just like,
I mean, you're you're on an aircraft, so you're going
to be chugging water because of the dry air and

(24:10):
the recycled there and everything. Like theoretically, if if she
was doing something like consuming more food, consuming more water
things like that, I'm like, she's being smart. No idea.
She was eating for two Yeah, that makes sense. Your
your comment about help helping a home out with their
bags reminds me of one of the all time great
golf writing stories. So when when Tiger went to Thailand

(24:34):
and like I think early nineties seven and a handful
of American reporters went over to follow him. You know,
it's a big deal going back to his mom's home
country really for the first time. And some bags got separated,
and so Himie Diaz, he's one of the one of
the all time greats. Um He he's looking for his

(24:55):
bags and he sees another bag he knows is his
traveling companion. I'm going to keep anonymous for the purposes
of this story. And I was like, oh, that's my
buddy's bag. Let me grab that one for him too,
because I guess he had gone back to the hotel
and the airline person is like, well, are you you
know we need some proof, and he's like, oh, I know.
He he put like his there's a hat right on

(25:16):
the top. I saw him put it in there. So
they unzipped the bag and him he pulls out the
hat and a roll of condoms goes flying across the
floor like this. This h randy type ist was prepared
for whatever may come his way in Thailand and there's
like all these airline personnel and these Jimmy hats are

(25:37):
spread across the airport and it was just silence him.
He scoops him up, puts them back in, zips up,
takes them back and it's just like you can you
can picture this happening. It's so funny. Uh. Anyway, we digress,
but can't you just imagine it? Oh my god, Mike

(26:00):
first thought would have been, No, he's being smart, he's
protecting himself, but maybe I would maybe be embarrassed for
a high me though, You're like, uh, let me grab
these baby stoppers real quick, and uh, I'm gonna chase
him down the terminal unrolls like a toilet paper that

(26:20):
gets dropped and goes down the hallway. Oh my god.
When this is over, you're going to have to tell
me who it is. Obviously, let's make sure the mikes
have turned off. So all right, let's let's I don't
know how you follow that one up, but let's let's
talk about a golter and just ended a couple of
days ago, which is happened on the same continent where

(26:41):
you currently are the Open Championship. You know, it was
with a heavy heart. I didn't make the trip this year,
first one I've missed in a good long while. But um,
it was a heck of a tournament. How much did
you get to watch over there? I watched a decent amount. Um,
I was having some issues with WiFi funny that, so

(27:02):
I was really more than anything, just sort of following
along with some of the feature groups on the opens app,
which was nice. So I got to follow Shane Lowry,
Um and Paul Casey play together, which was great. And
then I was catching blips here and there. And I mean,
I tell you, I I was rooting so hard for Louis,

(27:26):
like it would have just been so amazing. I I,
I'm sure you loved the fact that it's like another
tournament where he falls short or or you know, it's
it's I would think it's more that wand it's not
that he lost. Well, I'm saying, like, you know, in
in a in a slight way, by way of of
your occupation, like because it continues an incredible story and

(27:49):
then when he does finally, you know, let it happen.
I think it'll be amazing. But I was rooting for,
rooring for for Louis, and then well, hold on a second.
I hear what you're saying about Louis, but it's almost like,
I think we passed that moment, and it's kind of
the story is kind of curdled a little bit, and
now it's like it's like a one joke movie and

(28:10):
it's kind of like, oh, not this again. And I mean,
like everyone, I love Louis. He's he's a great guy.
He's totally pleasant human being and super likable. But um,
it's like, geez, not again. I kind of feel like
now it's reached a point where it's feeling a little like, uh,

(28:31):
it's it's almost a letdown because it's hard to believe
he's gonna do it at this point, Like there was
a moment like a few a few majors ago, all right,
it's happening, this is Louis time, and now it's hard
to think that. It's just like, oh gosh, here we
go again. So it would if and when he breaks
through it and does win one, it'll be great. There'll
be a huge outpouring of love for the guy, which

(28:52):
he's deserved. But I'm kind of over the Louis storyline
as far as like rooting for him and hoping he
gets it done and and just I'm not I'm not
sure if we're gonna get that in our lifetime. And
but well, let me ask you this, you know, as
I saw a lot on Twitter and obviously, uh, Colin Mark,
how is a California guy I was? He saw in California.

(29:15):
That's where I was for the open eyes down at
the fire but headquarters and Oceanside, and um, a lot
of enthusiasm and there was a strain of of people
of Asian descent who are like this, this is awesome,
like a sense of pride. Like this guy is you know,
carrying the flag, He's kind of he's a two different cultures.
He's heading over to Tokyo now as um waving the

(29:39):
American flag, but obviously with with a background from two
different Asian countries. Like, is are we past that point
where um it's a big deal or do you does
it mean a little more to you to to see
you know, everyone talks about representestion, representation is important. Is
it cool for you to to see players with Asian
background and get it done? One? Um, it's about damn

(30:05):
time for the boys, so welcome to the club. And
to know it's not played out. I I I think that,
and it's it's to no one's fault by any means.
But if you've never lived your life sitting there and
thinking that what you see on your screen is not

(30:26):
what you see in your real life, it's not what
you see in the mirror, it's not what you see
in your your neighborhood, your community, it you know it,
it can be hard to um empathize with and understand that.
And and that is not anyone's fault if that is
the case. But as someone that has spent her entire

(30:47):
life just being like, I don't look like that, you know.
And does the fact that I don't see that on
my television screen, you know, does that in theory make
us less worthy of something anything? You know? And and
by us I mean us as a people because I
have always had a maybe an uh unnatural high sense

(31:08):
of self. But it was one of those things where
you know, it's it's like, yeah, I belong, we belong
where all just people And it's it's amazing to sit
there and think that Colin has been able to achieve,
you know, two victories and his debuts of these major championships. Um,
I think it's an inspiration. It's an inspiration for everyone, um,

(31:31):
anybody that loves the game. And and he hits so
many different markers because like you said, he's Asian American.
He is um um like he is. He is so
fucking fit. It is. It is unbelievable. I like, my
brain cannot wrap around how fit he is. And and
so he he has that element without being you know,

(31:53):
um uh just filled with water weight if you will,
like somebody whose driver sucks. Um. And I think that
he represents so much, you know, because he's humble, he's gracious,
he is I mean, duncan. My boyfriend said, yeah, I

(32:15):
put it. I I put some money on Colin and
I was like, really, like, that's always a safe bet,
you know, but it's not necessarily the first one that
you're going to think of. Oftentimes, I'm like, no, dude,
this makes a lot of sense. And UM so I
just think that it's it's it's huge on on so
many different levels. Um. But I College is one of
those guys that you can look upon and almost anybody

(32:37):
from almost any walk of life can find something to
relate to with him. Yeah, and I mean I love
the haircut he looks like kind of a like, kind
of a hip young dude driving a tuner car in
South San Jose, right like he's he's kind of got
that a little bit of a little bit of an
edge and um, which is pleasant. At the same time,

(33:00):
he is so polished. And his victory speech reminded me
of Justin Leonard seven with just the a young guy
who stepped up with just so much grace and gratitude.
And it's funny. You woudn't think a trophy presentation could
elevate a player there's in the public I or, but

(33:22):
I think that it really did. You know, because we
all know Marik how is a great player, but I
think golf fans are still trying to figure out exactly
who he is. And about three or four minutes where
he was interacting with the crowd and talking to a
global audience like that was that was great stuff. And
I was happy to see it because he can be
a little careful and a little coached when it comes

(33:46):
to interacting with the press and fans, and but that
was that was very real and very authentic, and I
think it was touching and and it really created a
lot of affection and goodwill, so good on him. I mean,
it was incredible performance from from the first tea to
the to the victory celebration, and it's exciting thing about

(34:08):
what he could do. I mean, there's not a golf
course on the planet that you can't play with his game.
I mean, it's he's going to be a force if
he can stay healthy and motivated, and I think he will,
and he's got a great hand on his shoulders and
he has a good team around him, and um, it's
gonna be fun to see where he goes from here.
I agree. Um, you know, it's it's kind of funny

(34:29):
because it's he has so many different aspects of so
many different players to a certain degree because you know,
people say, no one's ever seen an iron player better
than Collins since Tigers heyday. And then you take that
into account with the fact that he's got the humility
and the grace of you know, our our um, you know,

(34:52):
Jordan's feet when he was at his first peak, if
you will, and the fact that he's able to also
have that tiger us that that that ability to just
sort of calm everything and just stay um quietly focused
in the way that we saw phil waiting to obtain

(35:12):
that before he allowed himself to hit his um you know,
hit a single shot when when he went earlier this year.
It's it's it's a beautiful amalgamation of everything. And he's
just so nice. You know, he's he's a nice boy.
He'd be one of those maybe one of those guys
I'd be like, you know what, I can definitely see
you know, he would be a great he Any father

(35:37):
would be like, you know what, that would be the
kind of man that I would want my daughter to marry.
You know, he's a good man. He's not just like, oh,
he's a nice kid, or he's this, or he's that,
or he's like, he's a good man. And you can
see that by the way he he um reveres and
treasures what it is that he does. And you know,
he's got swag, but it's not a cocky swag. It's

(35:58):
very it's very under stated, and it's one of those
things where you're it's like yeah, and it's like if
we was like high school, you'd be like, dude, that
guy is so fun and he doesn't even know it.
Kind of a thing. Imagine if you if he wins
the Gold medal because he's of both Japanese and Chinese descent,
And can you imagine the marketing possibl bilities if you

(36:21):
goes to Tokyo gets the gold Um just sets all
of Asian golf on fire. It's uh, it's he's really
the right guy at the right time. And I'm really
hoping he does get the gold medal. It would be
a monumental thing. Yeah, I think that it would be
monumental if Colin were to win the gold medal in golf. Um,

(36:44):
not just because I'm a golfer, and not just because
this is the second time that golf is going to
be held in the Olympics, obviously the first time being
in Rio, but being in Tokyo. Um having Colin, like
he's said earlier, being of both Japanese and Chinese descent,
the number of zeros that this young man could potentially

(37:07):
add to his bank account, which obviously is not the
main thing, but his He is so marketable in so
many ways because he has um amazing poise. I think
is a wonderful way to describe him. I I think
it could just completely he could do two golf like
it would be like a second coming of what sayre

(37:29):
Puck did to golf in Asia, and again it'd be
nice for the boys to catch up in that sense.
And you know, I was in Rio. It was an
incredible experience for me, but also for all the golfers
who are there. I mean, there's a reason that Ricky
Fowler has the Olympic rings tattooed on his bicep and
not you know, the Phoenix open logo, Like it really

(37:52):
meant so much to the players to where the team
uniforms to train and eat next all these lead athletes
and instead of being treated like a golf nerd treated
like like an Olympian and accorded that respect. And it
wasn't just the Americans. I mean Martin Khmer talked about it,
tons of golfers. It really was deeply moving and it's

(38:15):
been a frustration of mine. The women have been great,
I mean, the top players in the world of support
the Olympics. They've they've really brought an incredible amount of
enthusiasm and gratitude for the whole thing. Obviously, the top
men have been so lame, and I recognize that Tokyo,
this is really going to be a challenging experience for

(38:37):
all the athletes there because of the COVID protocols. But
even so, to have so many guys opt out, uh,
you know, the top players, it's it's disappointing. And so
if moricow it could get it done, it would help
redeem the whole thing. And like I mean, I love
Sander shot, great guy, terrific player, but if he wins,
it's not the same thing. I think. I think a

(38:57):
Morikaw victory would transcend golf for the reasons we talked
about and um, you know, but anyway, that's from the
men's side. I absolutely love the Olympic squad for the women.
I mean, you've got the courtas, You've got Danielle King,
and you have Lexi Thompson. I mean, that is a
lot of star power, um and just a very likable

(39:24):
group of athletes. And they play hard. They look great
on TV and in the in the team uniforms, and
they have they have so much fire out on the
golf course. Like I can't imagine a better quartet to
try and get people excited about the Olympics. So what
kind of you know, what's the feeling in the air
there um with with with the game's coming and how

(39:47):
important it's been. I think, how how it's been embraced
by and by the best women golfers. Well, I mean,
you know, talking to the girl roles that are going
to Tokyo as well as just sort of quietly observing
because I spent a little bit of time earlier today

(40:07):
observing the Cords. And you know, one thing that I
love is how um relaxed they are. You know, I
I know that Nellie and just you know, they came
off of playing the dow uh g d I Invitational
last week, and so it's kind of great for them
to be able to you know, showcase not just obviously

(40:29):
they're incredible golf capabilities, but also you know, a little
bit of their humanity and and and they're sort of, um,
the last thing I would ever call it a stick,
but like they're they're the way they are with each
other as humans and as family and things like that.
I think it's beautiful. It's obviously an amazing story to
have sisters um representing America, you know, sort of like

(40:51):
the Williams sisters did. And I think that that's just incredible. Um.
But it's been you know, it's it's obviously I mean
we are here in Evian flora Masia, so there is
going to be an added element of of of increased energy.
And it is so beautiful. Everything is in bloom. It
is absolutely gorgeous. And and on top of that, they

(41:12):
get to back it up by by heading off to
go to Tokyo to represent their nation and to represent
to the rest of the world how golf truly is
athletic and that it is something that can be played
by anybody and by everybody. I think that that is
just it's it's it's just so damn cool. Um. And

(41:34):
you're you're right. You couldn't pick a better quartet to
represent the United States. Um. And you know, just but
just watching some of the girls, everyone gets a little
giddy when they talk about it. And I've spoken with
a couple of the girls that are going over to Tokyo,
and it's funny because I have to sort of pause for,
you know, uh, an additional like three tenths of a second,
because I feel like saying, going to Rio, because this

(41:57):
is such a new experience as a golf for to
just know that this sport is going to be played
in the Olympics, and it's just going to only continue
to heighten the sport throughout the world. UM I I
I see what you're saying, UM, by way of calling
potentially upping the game if he were to win the gold.

(42:20):
I mean, I've got a soft spot in my heart
for Xander. I am such a huge fan of his
and I do I do he has a little bit
of a head DECKI vibe to me in that it
wouldn't surprise me if Thedecki. Excuse me, if Xander pulled
a Headecki and was like, yeah, I've got a kid,
Nobody asked me. That's why I didn't tell anybody, Like

(42:40):
I like that sort of thing where it's UM. You know,
he reveres the life he has off the golf course
kind of a thing, and he doesn't feel the need
to feel validated by the rest of his life. You know,
he doesn't need to be validated by his game, and
and and is something that I deeply respect. Obviously, if

(43:03):
America goes one to UM, I think it would be awesome.
I agree that it's kind of shitty that we don't
have more of the top men going. UM. I will
give big ups though, two uh is it seawoo Kim
and UM oh my god, song, Oh my god, my

(43:24):
brain not work, you work. How they decided to opt
out of the Open in order to prepare for the Olympics.
And obviously there are going to be some multerior motives
and that you know, they they they are facing um,
you know, mandated military service if they don't come back
with the metal. But that just kind of gives it
a little something extra, I think. And that for sure.

(43:50):
But and and then to have your options be do
I want to win a major? Which is something that
you know, most people when they think of golf, they
you know, like say in a Brooks kept a sense
he's like, you know, the only things that I can
up my game for are the majors. Again, I'm I'm
hoping that there comes a point where he's able to
go beyond. That would be an amazing challenge for him,

(44:12):
I think, which if you were to succeed, I think
would be an amazing story to see his evolution. And
I do have faith that he can do that. Um,
but yeah, it's it's you know, like Sang Moon Bay
had to do that, like and and these kids have
seen what has happened. Um, when you are an elite athlete,

(44:32):
and yet you're forced to have to go into your
military service like it's it's this is this is a lot,
not life or death. I wouldn't say, but this could
be career defining or career ending in a way that
I won't for so many other participants in the Games.
I pray to God that the IOC, if golf does

(44:56):
come up, uh to either get axed or stay in.
Don't just look at which guys showed up, because it
has had so much support from the top female athletes,
and hopefully it will come to a point where they
will understand that, hey, we fucking matter too. Yeah, well

(45:18):
for sure, I mean the women have been have been
spectacular and uh fingers crossed. We get we get just
some some charismath winners, and we get some shootouts and
all of it. Like, I mean, the most emotion Justin
Rose has ever showed his life is when he won
the gold medal right like it was. It was I
was standing right by that a green. It was awesome.
And I had been at the at the venue throughout

(45:43):
the games and it was pretty sleepy, and then when
they were the day they're handing out the medals, it
was a zoo. I mean, the press room was overflowing.
Ten thousand fans came out of nowhere, like the energy
went through the roof and it was it was. It
was cool. So, you know, we'll see how it plays
out in Tokyo. But I have a good feeling. I think,

(46:04):
you know, golf has a despite itself. Golf has a
way of succeeding. And if if we get a couple
of great winners and then a lot of other stuff,
we'll we'll disappear. But um, anyway, this has been This
has been a lively pod. We've touched on a lot
of things. I know, I'm certainly before we get to Tokyo,
I'm looking forward to watching some some golf from France
and it's one of the best things I've been on

(46:25):
the West Coast. As you wake up and you have
breakfast and you've got you've got awesome golf going on
the other side of the world. So uh, no pressure, Christina,
but I hope you get off to a great start
and I get to watch you while meeting my Coco posts. Well,
I I I don't look upon as any pressure because
there is no amount of pressure that anyone can put

(46:47):
on me more than what I've already put upon myself, so,
um yeah, this is going to be it's going to
be a spectacular week. And I love the fact that
this is, you know, similar to the Open Championship for
the men. This is going to be the build up
for these, um you know, the top ranked players in
the world that are going onto the Olympics. I think
that there's something that that in and of itself is

(47:11):
going to heighten things for this tournament because this is
sort of like your last look at you know, who
do you think is going to actually succeed? You know,
you've got four representatives from the United States, you have
four representatives from South Korea. Like, you know, this is
going to be like sort of like a little internal
battle straight away, um, you know. And then after the Olympics,

(47:33):
will you know, obviously have the Women's Open Championship, and
then you know, we're gonna have Solheim Cup coming up
as well, which is it's just really cool to have
the Solheim Cup and the Olympics in the same year
because you're going to get you know, twelve of the
best women from the United States as well as twelve
of the best being represented by Europe. And when you
look at the two teams. It's um, I I And

(47:56):
I'm not saying this because I'm an American, and truth
be told, I'm pretty far out by way at the
present moment of you know, even a you know, not
that Pat Hurst would ever think this, but it would
be one of those things where it's like a ship,
Yeah she's American, like she hadn't even been a blip
on the radar, you know, which Again, I'm there's I
would completely understand if that was the mindset people had. UM,

(48:19):
but this is it's very interesting looking at the trends
that have been taking place between the two teams. That
and they're all they've they've always and very wrongly in
the last six eight years, the European team has been
looked upon as the underdog. And there's some of those girls.

(48:41):
You know. I'm I'm because I love the I love
the Solheim Cup period, and I love the camaraderie. I
love the fact that you get, um, you know, America
versus the continent of Europe, and I love everything about it.
And I have a ton of friends on both teams,
and I just I celebrate the game in and of itself,
and I think upon the Solheim up as a celebration
of the game. You've got some girl like gotta stick out,

(49:03):
pull their finger out and and and start showing and
start performing, especially with the captain of Katrina Matthew who
has six picks, like that's a lot of picks. And
there there there are some girls that are outside of
the two qualification, whether it's the world rankings or the

(49:26):
European Tour points list that you sort of look and
you're just like, you gotta like you've been a staple
for this team. You can't use that as an automatic
way of you know, getting onto that team. And so
it is going to be it's going to be fascinating.
And on the flip side, you've got Pat Hurst, who

(49:50):
between Michelle Wee and and Angela Stanford, like those those
poor girls like them getting you know, their picks. You
just kind of sit there and you're just like, guy,
this it's there's a part of me that wishes there
were no picks, because almost anybody is deserving. And at
the same time, it's one of those things where you
should just be on the team by way of merrit

(50:11):
and but that way you don't put the captain and
assistant captains under excessive stress. But that's the whole point,
is I mean it is, It's an entertainment product, and
the Captain's Picks is a delicious subplot, and and that
it's fun to talk about, it's fun to second guess.
So if it was all automatic picks, a lot of
the a lot of the build up would be lost,
and so it's just baked into the whole thing, and

(50:34):
I love it. I mean, I would love if they
had twelve captains picks and they would just be total anarchy.
So I know what you're saying. I would be down
with that. Actually, I would actually be much more down
with twelve picks than than a limited number, because as
a player that had finished runner up, had had a

(50:55):
decent run coming into the Solheim Cup and then finished
runner up to larray know Oh Choa in the final
tournament prior to the picks, and then being told that
I wasn't going to go to Sweden because I wasn't
going to be picked, even though I was the first
person outside, you know, after the turn, I was the
first person outside of the automatic points list. I remember

(51:19):
Betsy King, she you know, I had signed autographs for
like forty five minutes afterwards, because you know, there were
people there and that's what I do. And I walked.
I remember walking up the stairs to go to the
locker room and Betsy's standing there at the top of
the stairs waiting for me, and you know, I was
just thinking, like, I'd be great if I get picked,
you know, hopefully it's enough and if it's not, you
know whatever, And you know, she pulled puts her arm
around me and she's like, God, I am so proud

(51:39):
of you and you've but you have you have played
so hard this that you know, and and I was
just like, yeah, you know what I mean. This, this
this tournament means so much to me, both the what
is now that came to a Portland Classic, which was
the safe way back then, as well as the Solheim
cuff like I remember the taste that I got. I
want to get back on that team. And she put
her arms around me and she's like, man like that

(52:00):
was just unbelievable. And we walked into the locker room
and her two assistant captains and Nig Mallen and Beth
Daniel are are there waiting and Betsy says, I'm not
bringing you to Sweden I was like, Betsy, I you
were still playing when I was a rookie, so we
have been paired together. I didn't know you had that

(52:22):
kind of humor, Like it did not even it was
not even a thought in my brain that I would
not make the team. After my performance meeting up and
then like I was like, wait what and she didn't
start laughing, And then immediately the tears start flowing, and
like you know, now that I'm you know, fourteen years removed,

(52:42):
I'm like, I can't think of how bad she must
have felt like with me smiling, and then like ugly
we think after that, and then I had looked at
Meg and Beth and they were crying and they were furious,
and they were like, we gave her all the stats.
You make more birdies than anyone else, um, outside of
the points list. You make more birdies than a number

(53:04):
of the girls that did get in based off of
the points list. You know at the time, you're driving
it farther than you know the other players. You hit
more fairway, so you're a deadly combo in that sense.
You know your part three averages, this that you know,
and I'm just like, this isn't hoping and they were like,
we fought so hard for you and we're so so sorry,
and um Meg kind of told me. She was like,

(53:25):
you know, in my entire career, I was never once picked.
I always had to make my team. And I can
see that in you. You're you're not likely to ever
be a pick um, you know, so just keep that
in mind, like use that as as as more fodder
to play harder, and and you know, and and and

(53:47):
and at the same time, you know what, you will
fucking feel like you earned your spot on that team.
And I'm just sitting there like somehow there's not you know,
on the back of my neck and dripping down into
my shoes. And it was one it was like like
I'm pretty sure because again, I mean it was two
thousand and seven, so I was twenty three years old,
so young, so stupid. I'm like, how could she do
this to me? And like now, I'm like, no, sweetheart,
you did that to yourself. It's sort of like when

(54:09):
I go and get physio and if I'm getting, you know,
really hurt by way of the physical therapy, and they're
like sorry, and I'm like, no, it's a result of
all the actions that I took as why I'm in
so much pain when you're trying to help me. Thank you.
So it's and I remember a couple of years ago
I went up to Bets and I was like, Betsy,
thank you, and I'm so sorry that if I made

(54:30):
you feel feel badly about that, you know, and and
like I I promise I get it. And so there's
a part of me that's like, and I don't want
picks or I only want picks. That's a that's that's

(54:51):
a great story. I mean, as you say, this is
another one, I'm sorry to interrupt you. Oh my god. Okay, yeah,
I'll say until when we're close from because this one,
this is like, this is like a definite awkward turtle
um instant. Yes, we can't use all our soul high material.
Now we're still weeks away, and by the way, I'm

(55:11):
going to be there. I'm super stoked. Like I love
the song and I haven't fully focused on it until
this conversation. I mean, what a blockbuster kind of month
for women's golf to go from the VY on which
I can't do the accent is a major to uh
the Olympics, to the Open to the Solheim. I mean,
this is as good as it gets. I am pumped

(55:32):
with tournaments in between, especially next week. The Irish Open
is going to be the one tournament this year where
it's men and women like I. I think that's freaking
what we've got tons of talking about. You know, it's
going to be like the VIC Open was last year.
In year, Oh my god, so much good stuff. It
was gonna be awesome. Hopefully it won't be like uh
you know, hopefully next week there won't be a sense

(55:54):
of uh rio in Tinder. I'm sure it won't. We
we're definitely saving that for next week. We have to Christina,
you know what time to have to release the listen.
We're gonna have to say that for the week afterwards
because I'll have to be able to go back and
tell you whether or not something happened with people out. Yeah,
we definitely need the t on that. So anyway, thank

(56:17):
you for making this work. We had some technical issues
which we somehow overcame like the champions we are, and um,
it's gonna be a great We could have you on.
We will be. We will be watching your your scores
and listening for the Fox French accent and post post
round interviews and this is great stuff. Why don't why
don't you send us home here? Yeah, for sure. I

(56:38):
I'm here to let you all know to make sure
to rate and review this uh podcast that we're doing.
It definitely does help in terms of the metrics apparently, UM,
you know, tell all your friends have them subscribed, and
if you ever have any questions, you can always shoot
a d M to Allan or myself on Alan is

(57:01):
at Alan Schipnuk on all social media. I am at
the Christina Kim and you know, if you have any
suggestions for guests that you want to see in the future,
We're doing our best to try and you know, have
guests on while still spacing things out. By any suggestions
that you guys have, UM, you know, we'll we'll definitely
take uh you know into consideration. I just want to

(57:22):
say thank you for following along this journey and listening
to this episode of Full Sin with Christina Kim and
Alan Shipnuk uh bjor no, how do you say goodbye
in France thankeep bye