Talking Ryder Cup weekend w Stephen Hennessey from the Golf Digest! PLUS NFL and CFB Picks!

Getting you Ryder Cup Weekend ready with Stephen Hennessey from the Golf Digest!

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Golf's biggest international event is the RyderCup. Today the Europeans took it to
the Americans. So matter of fact, at the end of day one,
six and a half, two,one and a half, not looking good
for the US retaining the Ryder Cup. Joining me right now, my guy
from the Golf Digest, Stephen Hennessy. Man, what a day. How

(00:20):
you doing, buddy? What's up? Man? We just witnessed an ass
swooping out there. Oh my gosh. Tough to talk about someone getting beat
up like that, but here weare. That was unreal what the Europeans
did on Day one of the RyderCup. Oh yeah, you know,
they set the tone in the morning. I mean, never even trailed in

(00:41):
any of those matches. And youknow, to think that at the end
of day one the US didn't winany of the eight matches. I mean,
you could have bet a lot ofmoney against that happening. But here
we are there in dire straits TeamUSA, and hey man, I don't
know that that's changing time soon.These European teams are very strong. They've

(01:03):
been playing really tough. Short ofwhat I thought would happen. I didn't
think it'd be such a blowout.I thought it would be close and Europeans
would end up winning. But Imean, all the credits to them.
They're playing inspired and really executing shots, especially in the morning. That the
afternoon, the four ball was highlyentertaining. That the last hour or so.

(01:27):
I mean, that's as good agolf as we've seen this year.
Because you know, the Americans areplaying great two They finally woke up.
It just took them long enough todo so if you were someone that went
all in with the Europeans, todaywas a great day for you, especially
if you take that to the bank. But for the Americans, it's not
looking very good. Question number one, brooks Kepka, how come he didn't

(01:49):
play in the early foursomes. Yeah, I think that's very easy to second
guest Zach Johnson at this point.And you know, justin Thomas too.
I mean, you put him onthis team to be the leader. In
Jordan's speech, is in such aleader as well. And the fact that
Zach Johnson sat those two and Brookskept good doesn't make a ton of sense
to me. You know, itsounded like Brian Harmon had been hitting the

(02:13):
ball really well in the range priorto the tournament. But guess what,
that's the range. You know,this isn't the Ryder Cup, and you
know, getting into the cauldron ofplaying on the road in Europe as a
rookie. I mean Mary Calla andRicky they were embarrassed in their match.

(02:37):
Yeah, I'm one hundred percent withyou. Keptka and Scheffler made a ton
of sense as Appairing enforced him especially, and Sam Burns didn't show up and
apparently the day before on Thursday hewas looking a little loss in their practice
rounds, and you know, ZachJohnson stuck to their script and went with

(02:58):
Scheffler, their you know, theirbuddies, all that. All that is
well and good, but you knowyou're leaving Brest. Kept a generational player
with five majors to his name onthe bench, and you know he's such
a fierce competitor. Pluts obviously,Jourdan's speech and justin Thomas, they took
a little bit to get going.They looked for Russy to start and Jourdan's

(03:20):
speek tin look himself really at anypoint in that match. So I mean,
that's that's sort of I agree withyou. Those are the reasons adding
to the reasons why the US findthemselves in this hole right now. It
just didn't make sense to me.Jordan Spief Justin Thomas, what they did
in the last Ryder Cup was unbelievable. Brooks kept it like you said,

(03:42):
the guy just finds a way toget it done. Went up against John
Ram, who was unbelievable the finaltwo holes in the afternoon and they ended
up having it John Ram in theafternoon. Him and Scotty Cheffler handled business.
And you look back in the earlymatches the foursomes. I understand this.
Scotty cheff and Sam Burns are boys, but I mean that's the first
team you're gonna throw out there.Burns and Cheffler up against Ram Manhattan,

(04:05):
no wonder they won four and three. Yeah, I mean I agree with
you. I think you know can'tLey and Schoffle could have been a good
match up against those guys. Youhave to put one of your strongest,
you have to. You have to, and you know Jat and Speet could
have been that, or you mixit up and put Cheffler with someone else

(04:28):
like Ketka. But Burns, youknow, struggling going into the event and
then really struggling at the event thatreally set the US back to start.
I agree with you. Now,going back to the afternoon on day one,
I'm not gonna lie. I wasa little surprised. I thought that
the Europeans could have just went pedalto the metal, but they threw out

(04:49):
Rose and McIntyre not mad at it. They ended up having a great final
four holes and they won three outof the four. Same thing with Rom.
They ap paired him with Nikolai andthen sure enough Rom had to save
the day with the final two holes. But I'm like, man, they
could have actually probably end of theday. Instead of six and a half

(05:10):
to one and a half, itcould have been like seven and a half
to a half. Yeah, Imean, I think others are making that
second guests as well. But Iactually liked the move because if the Europeans
were behind the eight ball, Idon't think you would have seen Robert McIntyre
or to guard until possibly tomorrow,or not even tomorrow, maybe even Sunday.

(05:33):
Some people were saying, so yougot these rookies experience. Now that's
true. Really it didn't cost youanything. I mean, they have a
five point in lead. I mean, no one would have guessed that,
so I think Luke Donald and hesays that was their move to begin with,
that was his plan. I don'tnecessarily believe him. I don't believe

(05:55):
it. Yeah, you know,you're not gonna throw those guys out there,
and justin Rose, I'm sure,mattheitz Patrick. You know, those
guys staffed the first session, butyou know they've played in multiple Rader Cups
at this point. You know,I feel like they were going in four
ball, but and Fitzpatrick maybe notbecause he actually had never even played a

(06:16):
four ball match in his Rader Cupcareer and lost every match that he's played.
So that's what this big lead allowedthe Europeans to do. And like
I said, it didn't cost himanything. And that's that's a product of
this whole the US put themselves inand c K. I'll tell you one
other point that that I've been talkingto my buddies about. I think the
Americans really miss having like a truealpha in the room, like a Dustin

(06:42):
Johnson. You know, I thinkPatrick, Yeah, he you know,
he's someone who won his backs againstthe wall and you know he's in enemy
territory. What does he do withGlenn Eagles. I know the US lost
there, but you know, hewas the guy kind of peacocking around,
like, you know, come andget me. He wanted that target on
his back. It doesn't really seemyou know, Danner Schofl and Patrick Cantley

(07:05):
are elite players. I don't knowthat they have that dog in them the
way that some of these other guyswho are now on Live do. I
mean Bryson has used to have Trysonback. I mean same with Patrick Reid.
So yeah, I really think they'remissing these guys from Live. And
that wasn't totally the conversation leading ininto today, and I don't hear that

(07:28):
how many people talking about it.I really think that could be true.
I think there's definitely something to itbecause when you look at our lineup,
they're nice. Don't get me wrong, they're fine, but you're right,
where is that alpha, Where isthat person who's like, you know,
Bryson would come out and just tellyou come for me, come at me.

(07:48):
I want that heat, I wantthat smoke. Same thing with Reid.
I mean, look at the waythat they talked even after the fact
shoot. Even Keegan Bradley would havebeen like, bring that smoke. I
don't know if Harmon's to bring thatsmoke guy, He's not, I don't
think so. I think the thingabout Bryceon and Patrick Reid, they're comfortable

(08:13):
being uncomfortable. They like being thevillains, Yes, exactly, And that's
what you have to embrace, beingon the road at a Ryder Cup when
everyone is ruining against you, yellingin your backswing, everything like that.
I mean, these guys are youknow, they're coddled on the PG eight
tour, Brian Harmon has not beenanything close to this, So yeah,

(08:33):
man, I think that's a factorthat not many people are talking about.
Ck on Sports Fox Sports Radio talkingwith Stephen Hennessy from The Golf Digest.
All right, so what are welooking forward to on day two? And
after what we saw on day one. I'm not gonna say it's gonna be
virtually over after day two, butare we kind of expecting another European on

(08:54):
slot on day two? I mean, I would say from the European standpoint,
like, if they could just holdhold their ground going into Sunday singles,
they're gonna be in a great spot. And you know, you look
at these matchups for foursomes, tomorrowmorning. You know, I don't the
Europeans have put their best teams outthere. Yes, they're not playing around

(09:18):
when you look at that. AndI was also surprised that they didn't put
how do you say his name?I used to just call the guy abergl
Ludwig Aberg. He went back toEurope. He's like, look what they've
been calling me at Texas A andM for years. That's not really my
name. Yeah, ober Obert.Yeah, so they're going back to mister

(09:39):
Obert with Hobblin, which I meanthey were electric this morning, but they're
paired up again Scottie Chafflin, BrooksKopka. So I think that's that's really
going to be a swing match inthis Ryder Cup. If Schaffler and Kapka
could get the jobs on him,you know, guess what they should because
they're going up against a rookie inObert and Hoblin. You know, he's

(10:03):
one of the best players in theworld at this point, but you know,
Chefflin Kepka are too, probably twoof the top four players in the
world. So if they could getthat match, that's big because JC and
Speech that's gonna be tough against McElroyand Fleetwood. I feel like, you
know, macarroyan Fleetwood didn't play theirbest golf today, but you know,

(10:24):
they ended up getting the job done. And Speech was just horrible. So
him enforced THEMS is gonna be interestingbecause JC carried them today in four ball.
I mean, Speech's not gonna beable to hide enforced them and they're
going first out, so God bless, I'll be betting against them for sure.
Aren't out yet, but I'm targetingthat. And then yeah, I

(10:48):
mean the anchor match is really interesting. Robin Hatton against Kaala and Shafley.
Again, the US needs that match, and I don't know, I mean,
Robin Hatton are two of the best. I mean that team was probably
the most impressive in the morning andyou know those guys both you know,
did their job in the afternoon too, So yeah, I don't know.
It's looking pretty bleak for the US, I think unless they do something to

(11:13):
change things around, which which Idon't see in the morning. Anyway.
Well, I agree with your assessment. We are definitely missing the alpha's in
this competition, the people that wantthat smoke in this competition. I mean,
love Brooks, but putting Brooks outin the afternoon. It's almost like

(11:35):
you took away the Brooks that wewould have gotten in the morning, because
Brooks would have been the type ofplayer to go out there and say,
let's get this done. But thenyou put him on in the afternoon after
you got swept in the morning,he's like, all right, guys,
let's hold on for dear life.Yeah, the damage was done already,
absolutely, So you know, hewas putting a tough position, as was

(11:56):
j T and Spieth. I thought, and you know, I feel speak
to someone you just have to trustin these situations. So I don't understand
why he didn't go out in thein the first group. You know,
obviously they didn't play well in theafternoon, so it's easy to say,
you know, well he shouldn't haveplayed. They would have done even worse.
I think that could be a productof him just being roussy. I

(12:18):
mean, not to make excuse forhim, but you know, his wife
just had a baby two or threeweeks ago. I'm sure he's not practicing.
And the other thing is all theseAmericans, they haven't been playing competitive
golf. Over the last month.Three of them played the in NAPA at
the fortnet. But I mean,that's been it. The Europeans, they
were all at the BMW eating youknow, the flags hit event on the

(12:39):
DP World Tour, you know,and playing other DP World Tour events.
I mean, I think that's ahuge difference. But that was the first
time they all saw this course,and you know, this week was probably
the first time they hit really competitiveshops on this course, so they were
behind the eight ball in a lotof ways. I think, well,
let's be Yeah, it's the onething that we have been talking about on

(13:01):
this show, on your show onthe Loop podcast, you might want to
go ahead and take that money onthe European team. Back when, if
I remember correctly, it was plusone seventy five. Yeah, it was
as high as plus one ninety afterKept goa one the the PGA, and
you know, people were like,all right, well, now Kept is

(13:24):
going to be on the US team. They're stronger. Yeah that was definitely
true. But you still look atthe top of the board on the European
side and you got these players playingworld class golfs and yeah, so I
ended up taking it at plus onefifty. I wouldn't say I'm rooting for
team Europe. But it's kind ofmade me neutral, which is nice.

(13:46):
Usually I'm sort of right or dieUSA, But yeah, I mean I'm
not too angry about this start forour best ck. We're in a pretty
good spot right now. Pretty goodspot. All right. Let them know
about the Loop podcast. Let themnow they can follow you. Let them
know what's going on during the quoteunquote off season. Yeah, I appreciate

(14:07):
that, So go check out theLoop wherever you get your podcasts. I
mean, you know, we're talkinga lot of NFL during the golf off
season. Oh yeah, how youbeen doing pretty decent? I mean,
yeah, I went three and ohlast week on our night. We picked
three NFL games a week against thespread, and so I'm now tied for
the lead after that three and ohstart. We've been doing pretty well in

(14:30):
college too. So we have alot of fun talking non golf stuff in
the off season. But you know, next week we're gonna we're gonna have
Hunter Mayhem on our show to kindof break down the Ryder Cup. So
obviously Hunter has experienced playing on theroad for Team USA at a Ryder Cup.
Unfortunately for him, his choke jobat Celtic manner they're in twenty ten.

(14:56):
People will remember that one if they'vebeen watching golf for a while,
so it'll be interesting to hear Mahantalk about it. So go check out
the Loop wherever you get your podcast. That episode should drop next Tuesday or
Wednesday, so appreciate everyone going tocheck it out. Hey, before we
let you go, I'm curious toknow what three games did you pick in
the NFL this week? And youmight as well go ahead and let you

(15:16):
let them. Let them hear yourcollege pick as well. I'm just throwing
it out there. I'm like youmight as well. We got a lot
of people out here that are going, hey, well, you know what,
don't leave. If you went threeand old last week, you better
dropped some gems on me. Nowyou're actually talking about something I'm I'm truly
passionate about TK. You know,rattercuts all good and all betting and betting

(15:39):
football. That's my jam right there. So yeah, I mean college this
week. I really like Arkansas goingup against Texas A and M. I
think they're getting six on the roadright now. But Arkansas played lax toughs
last week, so I like that. I like Syracuse at home against clumpson
huge letdown spots for Clumb after thatheartbreak against FSU, and you know their

(16:03):
season's over. They're sort of they'rereally not used to that. They're fighting
for an ACC title, sure,but they're behind the eight ball there and
they strug. They struggle on theroad at Saracuse a lot. So I
do like Sarahcuse is undefeated and GeorgiaSouthern there, I think they're giving six
against Coastal Carolina. Coastal Carolina's alittle overrated, just sort of name value

(16:26):
for the past couple of years,whereas Georgia Southern's kind of on the rise.
Here. They got the old USCcoach there who hasn't playing really well.
So those are my three in college. And then NFL wise, the
London game at six am there callietime. That's tough for you guys.
You know what, Here's the thingI love about it. Though I'm never

(16:48):
gonna be up when kickoff happens,But when I do wake up and I
realize there's a game in full swingright now, and it's usually about the
third quarter, I feel good.I'm like, man, they should do
a London game all the time.That is pretty nice. If you get
to wake up to, you know, the middle of an NFL game.
So I do appreciate that about theWest Coast. So I like the Jags
in that game, giving three.They've looked tough obviously to start the season,

(17:12):
but you know, it's been alot of drops from their wide receivers
if you look at their drop rate, and their receiving courts is supposed to
be their strength, and so Ithink they turn that around. Get some
positive luck there the Jags against Falcons, who everyone's high on. But I
think the Jags are used to playingin London. They get it done.
I like the Texans at home gettingpoints. You know, they've been just

(17:37):
playing really well. Strad looks betterthan everyone thought that they had some weapons
there, the defense is good,So I like the Texans. And then
the Cowboys are at home giving sevento the pass. And you know,
I know the Patriots won against theJets on the road, but man,
that even the defense to the Jetslooked pretty tough. Patriots drove the ball
up and down the field. Thinkthe Cowboys kind of have their way and

(18:02):
win buy more than a touchdown thereat home. So Jags, Texans,
Cowboys, Arkansas, Syracuse, GeorgeSouthern Hope. That goes six and outs.
Then we have another weekly segment onour hands. There you go.
I love that energy right there.And you know what I always tell people
that are a little bit queasy ora little bit nervous, I'm like,
you heard the knowledge, go aheadand tease it if you want, take

(18:23):
a ten point teaser. That wayyou feel better about it. That's true.
Yeah, I kind of like thaton the college side for sure,
because you know, I don't seeClemson blowing out of Syracuse. Arkansas keeps
it interesting and yeah, so Ikind of like that. SKay. You
know that in two has a littlehedge. That juice is worth the squeeze.
I tell everyone this, the teaseris always worth the squeeze. In

(18:45):
my opinion, if you feel confidentabout those picks, won't you give yourself
a little cushion, put the moneydown and just go to the ticket window.
Let's do it. You convinced me. I'm putting it in when we're
done talking. People help people helpingpeople. It's the beautiful thing. Hey,
that's what it's all about. Myman Stephen Hennessy from the Golf Digest
always a pleasure talking with you,my friend. Let's hope again. I

(19:10):
know how we feel about it.I know that we've always been touting how
good Europe is. I don't wantto wake up tomorrow and see another blowout.
I don't want another situation like whatwe saw today because if we go
six and a half to one anda half tomorrow, basically, why are
we even watching on Sunday? Ohyeah, yeah, I do want it

(19:30):
to be close. Yeah, that'sfor sure. I wasn't rooting for the
blow out in the morning, buthey, I'll catch it, catch it
ticket anyway we could get it.Stephen Hennessy, appreciate you, my friend,
making sure you're right A cup readyfor day two in the weekend.
CK on Sports it is Fox SportsRadio.