June 10, 2024 • 24 mins
Ashley Ryan hosts the 19th Hole Podcast, sponsored by Tito's handmade Vodka.
It's US Open week on this episode and we turn to Golf Pros, Derek Berg (PNW Golf Academy) and Alex Mroz (Everett Country Club) and Fantasy Golf Commissioner, Marc Medley to get their thoughts on this week's Major.
It's US Open week on this episode and we turn to Golf Pros, Derek Berg (PNW Golf Academy) and Alex Mroz (Everett Country Club) and Fantasy Golf Commissioner, Marc Medley to get their thoughts on this week's Major.
- Did we miss out on seeing a Grand Slam this year because of Scottie's arrest at Valhalla?
- Is there anyone to pick aside from Scottie this week?
- "It's all about the greens," insight from guys who have played Pinehurst.
- Dark horses?
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to the US Open edition ofthe nineteenth Whole Podcast sponsored by Tito's.
What's better than sinking a hole inone? Sinking a hole in one with
your favorite Tito's cocktail in hand.A day on the back nine calls for
a beverage serve up some Tito's fora post round, mid round, pre
round cocktail or two. Must betwenty one to enjoy, distilled and bottled
in Austin, Texas, forty percentalcohol by volume, namely eighty proof,
(00:22):
crafted to be savored responsibly. Iam Ashley Ryan here with some special guests
for our US Open edition of thepodcast. I've got Derek Berg, Alex
Maraz and Mark Medley. They arelive at the Oregon Open, so we're
going to have a little inside golfinformation on our fantasy pics. And two
of them have played Pinehurst, sowe're gonna get their thoughts on the golf
(00:45):
course as well. How's everybody doing? Fantastic? Better now, wonderful better
now? I see you all havea cocktail in hand. Cheers Tito's cheers.
I'm glad you're enjoying. Respond toblame. Thank you for that.
Okay, we've got a lot totalk about and so just you know,
(01:06):
if I say something that sparks athought, just go with it, all
right, because feel free to interruptme. It's totally fine. We're gonna
start with Scotti Scheffler. So hejust won the Memorial. It's his fifth
win this year. He is thefirst player with five wins in a season
overall since Justin Thomas back in twentysixteen, and the first player since Tom
Watson in nineteen eighty to have fivewins on the PGA Tour. Before the
(01:30):
US Open, a lot of peoplethinking it should probably be six wins,
or it could be six wins hadwhat happened at the PGA Championship not happened.
So a lot has come out aboutthe arrests. We've seen videos,
we've seen things. All charges havebeen dropped. But if he goes on
to win this week and then hewins next month, how angry should golf
(01:53):
fans be that we were robbed ofthe chance to see him with win the
Grand Slam. I mean I feellike the pants kind of tell the story,
oh, because they're ripped. Yeah, I mean there's a void.
There's a void in his pants,and there's kind of a void in the
trophy case where Scheffler should have thattrophy. Yeah, are you guys irritated
(02:16):
by it? I don't know.It's been tough because I mean Xander did
set what a major history record asfar as scoring goes two, So I
mean, like, I mean,he would have been right there, but
you know he's Xander still played reallygood that week, so who knows.
Yeah, and that is the thing, right, he was five shots off
(02:38):
the lead after round one, threeshots back after round two, but he
did post his first round over parin forty one rounds. So I mean,
just thinking about, like after theevents and everything that kind of took
place, and how he felt onSaturday, it makes sense that he would
have like this down, this downday where the adrenaline is kind of all
(02:58):
worn off. But I do justwonder had he not had that Saturday round,
what could he have actually accomplished inthat tournament? Because he finished thirteen
hunder eight shots off the lead,So yeah, he had a big gap
to make up. But I don'tknow, I think that that conversation is
gonna be had a lot. Ifhe is the winner of the next two,
well for sure, Yeah, he'son our own there's no doubt about
(03:21):
it. And I think you haveto remember too that Ted Scott wasn't on
the bag for that one round onSaturday, which was his first overpart round,
So that kind of tells the storytoo. Yeah, and what was
the reasoning for that? It washis daughter's DA graduation. Yeah, his
daughter, Scottie. I'm just kidding. Ted's fault. Maybe, yeah,
(03:46):
maybe a combination. Maybe Ted isthe one that helps keep him more calm,
because he does seem to have anincredible focus. I mean when he
came out on that Friday and hadthe round he had after being arrested hours
prior. I mean, I don'tknow a lot of people, athlete or
not that could focus that intently ontheir task at hand after being arrested.
I mean, has the theory beenfloated that Ted set that up to take
(04:10):
the heat off him for missing thatround. No, we'll start it now.
How about that? Well, heis of course the favorite again this
week, and that is not asurprise. We're going to get to our
picks and our dark horses, ourfavorites, all of that later, but
(04:30):
I want to learn a little bitmore about Pinehurst number two. Derek and
Alex. You guys have both playedPinehurst, and what I keep hearing about
is the greens. The greens,the greens. The greens. They're fast,
they're shaped like upside down bowls.It is all about the greens.
Can you guys talk a little bitabout your experience there, Yeah, definitely.
(04:51):
I think Derek's played it like priorto when it got restored quote unquote,
but I played it recently in twentytwenty one, I want to say.
And the greens there are they callthem turtleback greens, upside down saucers.
It's funny. They actually didn't startlike that. So going back to
(05:13):
when the course was first designed,you know, up in the twenties and
the thirties, they were just flatsurfaces, and over the years they kept
putting more sand on the top,dressing as they call it, and they
just they've naturally like built up tobecome these turtlebacks. And why they're so
penal is if you miss if youmissed the flag or your target by you
(05:35):
know, a couple of paces,it'll roll down into these little swales.
I mean, it goes off onall sides, so you have to be
very precise on where it is thatyou're you know, you're making sure you're
hitting the ball correctly and then hittingit at your target. Otherwise you're you're
going to be in a spot ofbother all day because it's not just on
(05:57):
three or four holes, it's oneighteen holes. For their they're alternal backs.
Yeah wow, there, I guessWyndham Clark actually already kind of gave
people a warning saying he said thegreens are fast. If they get any
firmer or faster, they'd be borderline. They're already borderline. They had rain
on Sunday, which is I guesswhen he was talking about it. Obviously
today, so they had some rain, but I don't know that rain is
(06:20):
expected in the forecast for the restof the week, so as those dry
out obviously, I mean, howhow I guess, just how difficult is
it? Obviously when you're when you'rea tour player, you're used to that,
but to really hit your target soquickly sneaky too. We've had a
(06:44):
cat walk through, We've got akid going through. You know this.
We're trying a new setup today.I guess, you know, for being
a golfer like me who doesn't practiceenough and is nowhere close to the skill
has the skills necessary to do that. But how how didicult is that?
Even for a pro to land thatthat perfectly Yeah, there's not a lot
(07:05):
of usable space on them. Imean they're not The greens are, however
big they are, but they're reallylike probably you know, two thirds out
size max because you can't even usepart of the green that's mode, you
can't even use it. So soyeah, I mean definitely this week iron
play will be crucial controlling your distanceand everything, and then you're going to
(07:27):
miss it in one of those spots, those swales and fall off areas anyway,
So it's just missing it in theright one where you least have like
a chance to maybe get it upand down or just not make a double
or anything like that. So,like Alex said, like I played there
before the redo, and I reallydon't know which one's easier or harder.
But you know, now they haveall these natural areas, a lot of
(07:49):
trees, and the rough is gone, so there'll be a lot of kind
of I would say, when youmiss the fairway, kind of more luck
driven, because it seems like insome of those waste areas you can get
it in either like a bush orit could just be in like the open
sandy area and you know, dependingon your lie, you can knock it
(08:09):
on from there. You used tohave like when paint stew Are won in
ninety nine and I think you knowtwo thousand and five when they had it
there was maybe they had to redothen, but when there was rough.
That's what made it so difficult too, is that Bermuda rough. And then
you're trying to hit it into thosegreens where it's hard to be that precise
from the fairway let alone. Then, So I think you'll see a lot
of stuff where guys hit it.If they do miss the fairways, it's
(08:31):
kind of who gets lucky at thatpoint. I mean, you could get
it in a bush where it's likegonna be unplayable, or you can have
a guy two feet to the leftend up in an area where they can
get a club on it and maybeadvance it to the green. Even so
with some of those natural areas,you're gonna kind of you're gonna see that.
But yeah, the greens, mostof it's not even usable just because
that's where the ball's rolling off andeverything. So yeah, I think iron
(08:52):
play is going to be super importantthis week, more than at most weeks.
Yeah, And I think piggybacking onthat, like, you've got to
be You've got to be committed towhat you're doing. Uh. You you
have to go in there, youknow, with your approach shot being this
is where I'm gonna hit it andyou, I mean you got to have
(09:16):
your your distance control dialed in andyou better be hitting it solid. Yeah.
And I think if you get offto a start there where you know,
you missed the first couple of greensand you know you don't feel great
about you know, your your yourshort game, you're gonna be You're gonna
be going home real quick, youknow, because I think going back to
your point about the forecast, Ithink I saw it's gonna be like ninety
(09:39):
four on Saturday, ninety two onFriday. It's gonna it's gonna get crispy.
Yeah. Yeah, those greens aregonna cook. And you know here
the irritation about fast greens and dry, dried out greens. What were you
gonna say, Mark, Well,I was gonna say, I mean,
that's and that's why Scott is yourfavorite, right, He's one of the
bust ball strikers in the world.So yeah, when when your iron place
(10:01):
that good and that consistent, itmakes that much easier. Yeah. I
think the one part the work placehe's been struggling the most is his putter.
I mean, but if he canjust get it in the right place,
obviously, as you guys are saying, it sounds like he'll be at
a better advantage than most other players. The other thing I did see was
(10:22):
the rand there. They described therough as having as random I guess randomness
in the rough. See, theseare all things that I'm learning. But
they said it's the perfect rough forthis type of tournament, for a US
Open, because the pros hate itthe most. I didn't even that they
had rough, to be honest,I thought it was just the natural areas
that's where you can get. LikeI said, I think it's going to
(10:43):
be a you started missing the fairways. I think it's going to be a
lot more luck driven than in anythingelse. I mean, yeah, I
saw pictures that were like just offthe fairway and I don't know what it
is, but just some bushes lookingstuff, and then right next to that
it's like a natural sand area.The bus like you can't even see it,
like it's just gone right. Yeah, So I think there's gonna be
(11:03):
a lot of that. I mean, the guy that hits a lot of
fairwood is gonna be a lot easier. But you know you're gonna have you're
gonna miss one or two and ifyou get into some of those real bad
spots then you know it could leadto a disaster real quick. So yeah,
absolutely, So Pinehurst is going tobe the site of the US Open
(11:24):
actually for a while. They're reallyliking it. So twenty twenty nine,
five, twenty one, forty seven, only four golfers have finished under par
in the three US Opens that havebeen at Pinehurst. And from what I'm
seeing, everybody kind of thinking thatthis is going to go back to one
of those really low scoring, youknow, kind of US Open duels that
(11:45):
people really enjoy, because obviously lastyear with two records sixty two's, that
was one of everybody complaining the golfcourse was far too easy for a US
Open. So are you guys excited? Do you like to see this kind
of lower scoring, more difficult thingtest for the golfer or did you enjoy
it last year when they were havingyou know, twenty under you know scores,
(12:07):
I like carnage. Yeah, wewant to see people struggle, right,
make them feel more like us,well okay, like not like me.
Yeah, we want right around evenfar. Yeah. Well it sounds
like that's what they're setting this upfor. So it should be a pretty
exciting four days. One thing Icame across that I was pretty intrigued by.
I did not realize Adam Scott hasplayed twenty three straight years of playing
(12:31):
in all four majors. So that'sninety one total majors. How impressive is
that? Like, just when youthink about that, twenty three years of
all four majors, it's consistent.Yeah, that's for sure consistent. Right.
But that's the thing is like,he's never the person that you want
to be, Like, yeah,I think he's gonna win. I mean
not anymore anyway, not for aminute. Yeah, we all everybody.
(12:54):
I don't think there's a person outthere doesn't like his golf swing. Yeah.
So yeah, he's he's he's beengreat for He's definitely underachieved in my
book, that's for sure. Imean, I know he's won the Masters
and he's you know, won golftournaments. But for that's type of consistency
and everything, you would expect himto win a lot more. But yeah,
(13:16):
just does to show that golfers andeverything, that's for sure. But
yeah, that many in a rowis pretty hard to put into words,
that's for sure. Yeah, Iwas pretty pretty shocked by that. But
then yeah, when you put itinto the next closest one is what like
forty four. I mean, Idon't know, you're asking me things I
haven't researched yet, but yeah,we'll go with that. Right, he's
(13:37):
like forty two now, forty oneor forty two years old, Adam Scott
forty four, forty four. Yeah, he's whole super impressed, super old,
yeah, super old, super impressive. Yeah. Okay, So brooks
Kopka last year came on real strongin all of the majors. Obviously we
don't give it rats but about livegolf tournaments, but in the majors he
(14:01):
did really well, and we haven'tseen him much this year. I did
see somewhere he's twenty to one oddsthat this might be, you know,
he might be prepared for or weshould be prepared for his best round at
the majors. That we've seen ina while. But do you think that
do you see him doing well thisweek or do you think that's kind of
this year he's just kind of offa little bit anyone. I don't expect
(14:26):
him this week now. I meanit's tough to tell because you don't see
him on a week two week basis. Yeah, he plays well in majors.
I just don't see this type ofgolf course setting up too well for
him, especially if you're missing greens, you have to get super creative and
well, he's a good player.The short game isn't quite at the level
(14:48):
of some of the other guys.Yeah. So if we're looking at our
fantasy golf picks, because let's behonest, that's really what we care the
most about, is how are wegoing to do in our fantasy golf?
In our fantasy golf picks, Iwill say last major PGA Championship at work,
I got the first pick for themajors, so naturally I took Scotti
(15:11):
Scheffler. So thank you Louisville PoliceDepartment for hosing me on that one.
Is there a point in betting onanyone aside from Scotty Scheffler? No,
No, it's almost zero the oldTiger versus the field type that this point,
(15:31):
he's just that good. It's provenit. Yeah, So if you've
already used him though, like ourfantasy golf league, right, you can
only use somebody one time. Soif you've already used him, do you
guys have your favorites or your thoughtson who would be the next best pick?
I think Mark cow Is trendon prettynicely. And he's a good iron
player, yeah, very solid,So he's getting his confidence back. He's
(15:54):
played well the last PGA, playedwell at Memorial. Like I said,
he's a good, really good ironplayer. I think he's going to be
right right there for sure. Okay, and then I don't think you can
look past Bryson too, just fromthe strategic aspect, and you know,
you have to know where to knowwhere to hit it and know where to
(16:15):
miss it on this golf course,and he's probably one of the most prepared
when it comes to knowing the golfcourse in his game. So, and
he's played well in the last fewmajors, so he's he's definitely somebody to
keep your eye on. I thinkanother person too, like kind of piggybacking
on a live player would be CamSmith if you haven't used him, just
(16:38):
based on how well he wedges itand puts it, you know, missing
Greens. The guy's got really reallygood hands. So that's somebody that would
be definitely worth looking into this weekas far as Okay, Yeah, and
it's always nice to be able touse a live player because you don't get
to use them in anything else otherthan Majors exactly. I will. I
(17:00):
do need to give a quick shoutout though, because I haven't had Derek
on since before the Masters, andhis dark horse pick was Bryson to Shambeau,
who has been doing really well inthe Majors. So well done,
Derek. You made us both looksmart. Thank you. It doesn't happen
very often for me. Yeah,because I had him on obviously. That's
(17:25):
how it works. Okay, Soyou earlier, earlier you mentioned you know,
misfairways, it's going to be alot of luck. What are what
type of player or what player thatyou could think of would stand out that
kind of benefits or does really wellwith that type of you know that that
can make something out of nothing.Are you asking for a dark horse pick
now, No, not yet.Well, I don't know. I mean,
(17:48):
I just I mean, like Alexsaid, he like why he likes
Cam Smith. I mean, Ijust think anybody that's obviously you need to
be mentally strong for sure, ButI think guys are creative, you know,
So anybody that's creative, you know, like Jordan's speed gets pretty creative.
Yeah, he's going to be mydark horse. Piss, I'll pick,
so I'll just tell you right now. But I like Sagala was leep.
(18:10):
Okay, all right? So wellthe other thing with Bryce, and
I mean, it's so far thatif he is hitting it into those areas,
he's got a different club in hishands and a lot of guys so
that typically makes it easier. Andyou've got yeah, okay, that makes
sense. Okay, well now,since we've just brought up dark horses,
(18:33):
and oh, that makes my handlook really large when I do that.
Since we brought up dark horses,Derek, you, we'll start with you,
since you already mentioned speed as yourdark horse. Tell us what you
like about him. Oh, Isaid, you pick. You're trying to
put him in on that my mouth. I wasn't saying that. Oh,
I thought you said speed because Isaid and then you said that's going to
be my dark horse pick, soit would be my dark horse. I
(18:56):
got really confused there. Uh yeah, No, I like him this week.
He's he was He played pretty prettydecent memorials last week. And I
think he likes shaping the ball anddoing different things, and he's creative it
looks like, and hits it prettyfar too so, and I think he's
just a gamer two. I reallylike his game. Okay, would you
(19:18):
put would you be willing to putmoney on it? How much? If
even put one hundred dollars on himto win? Would you do it?
Yeah? What about to if youhad to put five hundred dollars on him
to finish in the top ten?Would you do it? No? Okay,
too much money? What if itwas my money? Yeah? No
(19:40):
problem? Okay, Al who doyou who's your dark horse this week?
Uh? I you know this isa dark horse? Well maybe not.
I would say Willie z will zealtors top ten at the Masters and tea
nine there, good iron player.You know it's gonna be hot down so
(20:00):
the back will stays. But Ithink you know it all comes down to
the putter. With him, right, it all comes down to the putter,
So I like, you know,he comes out in majors again,
really really good ball striker, drivesit, drives it really well for the
most part. He would be mydark horse, okay, and Mark,
(20:22):
who's yours? I mean, Idon't know how much of a dark horse
it is, but I'd go withLudvin. He's you know, he hasn't
won one yet obviously, but he'saround and I just he could pop it
any minute, so I'd throw adart at him, all right. And
I mispronounced his last name every singletime. Is it Auburg? Yeah,
(20:48):
they've changed it so many times.Albert not Aberg that much. We do
know. I think if the RyderCup is Obert and then it came out
as Aberg or Oberg. Yeah,we'll call him luod a there you go.
(21:10):
Yeah, he is the new Louis, isn't Heah? All right,
Well you guys are down at theOregon Open. How are you feeling ahead
of this tournament? You've got goingon? Good? It's nice and warm
down yeah weather, okay, andyou're playing we're at what did you say,
(21:30):
golf ball goes far down here?Which is a nice change of pace.
That is nice. What course areyou guys? Atsa ranch? And
how many people are in the field? One? Yeah, something like that.
Yeah, eighty. I think seventymake the cut on is that right?
(21:51):
We don't know. Actually, wejust pay attention to our group.
Well, that's fine and that's fair. That's all I care about as well
for four people playing, and uhthat's the And you all better come home
with a lot of prizes. Arethere prizes involved with this tournament? Prize
money? Oh okay, Marco Brinholtsand golf balls for you? Yeah?
(22:14):
Perfect, I actually do need those, you don't. We have a bucket.
I can always use more, that'strue. Yeah, the amount I
lose, well, I won't keepyou guys any longer because you need to
get prepared to go win and doreally well in this tournament. Thank you
all for being I asked you foryour picks. Earlier, I asked you
(22:36):
for your you guys said more cowof Bryson and cam Smith. Well,
where are you being? Wait?Okay, so oh you were just saying
like who would be your that waslike your favorite who you got? Okay,
so who's your pick? Then?Who are you actually going with I'm
actually gonna go with Cam Smith.Oh you are all right? So you
like you like Al's reasoning over there? Yeah, I think And granted I've
(23:00):
never been to Australia like Al has, but I think that course sets up
a little bit like some of thecourses down there. Familiar with it?
All right, Al are you goingwith Cam Smith? I'm going with Cam
Smith. Bunker is too apparently,and uh, Derek, are you going
with Colin Morikawa? Yeah? Okaywas off the table, right, Yeah,
(23:21):
yeah, this is if this isif you've already us North Carolina.
Yeah, if he gets arrested,Scotty, whatever you do, just don't
go around the cars. Have someonedrive you. Exactly what's he doing driving
in the first place? Well,I love to in the videos where it's
(23:42):
like I've got my wallet and everythingin my player bag and blah blah blah,
and the videos where they're like,oh, so is Tiger Tiger Woods
really that good and then like,oh, you must be pretty good if
you play on the PGA tour.I was just listening to it, like
what is happening right now? Andhe's just like the nicest person ever.
They're like, yeah, pretty good, and then they're like, you're pretty
(24:02):
mellow for the number one player inthe world. Yeah he is. Yeah
he might not be like the mostexciting person, but man, he's really
good, really good. All right, Well, thank you guys. Cheers,
cheers, cheers, thank you,thanks and luck, have fun.
I love you. I
Welcome to the US Open edition ofthe nineteenth Whole Podcast sponsored by Tito's.
What's better than sinking a hole inone? Sinking a hole in one with
your favorite Tito's cocktail in hand.A day on the back nine calls for
a beverage serve up some Tito's fora post round, mid round, pre
round cocktail or two. Must betwenty one to enjoy, distilled and bottled
in Austin, Texas, forty percentalcohol by volume, namely eighty proof,
(00:22):
crafted to be savored responsibly. Iam Ashley Ryan here with some special guests
for our US Open edition of thepodcast. I've got Derek Berg, Alex
Maraz and Mark Medley. They arelive at the Oregon Open, so we're
going to have a little inside golfinformation on our fantasy pics. And two
of them have played Pinehurst, sowe're gonna get their thoughts on the golf
(00:45):
course as well. How's everybody doing? Fantastic? Better now, wonderful better
now? I see you all havea cocktail in hand. Cheers Tito's cheers.
I'm glad you're enjoying. Respond toblame. Thank you for that.
Okay, we've got a lot totalk about and so just you know,
(01:06):
if I say something that sparks athought, just go with it, all
right, because feel free to interruptme. It's totally fine. We're gonna
start with Scotti Scheffler. So hejust won the Memorial. It's his fifth
win this year. He is thefirst player with five wins in a season
overall since Justin Thomas back in twentysixteen, and the first player since Tom
Watson in nineteen eighty to have fivewins on the PGA Tour. Before the
(01:30):
US Open, a lot of peoplethinking it should probably be six wins,
or it could be six wins hadwhat happened at the PGA Championship not happened.
So a lot has come out aboutthe arrests. We've seen videos,
we've seen things. All charges havebeen dropped. But if he goes on
to win this week and then hewins next month, how angry should golf
(01:53):
fans be that we were robbed ofthe chance to see him with win the
Grand Slam. I mean I feellike the pants kind of tell the story,
oh, because they're ripped. Yeah, I mean there's a void.
There's a void in his pants,and there's kind of a void in the
trophy case where Scheffler should have thattrophy. Yeah, are you guys irritated
(02:16):
by it? I don't know.It's been tough because I mean Xander did
set what a major history record asfar as scoring goes two, So I
mean, like, I mean,he would have been right there, but
you know he's Xander still played reallygood that week, so who knows.
Yeah, and that is the thing, right, he was five shots off
(02:38):
the lead after round one, threeshots back after round two, but he
did post his first round over parin forty one rounds. So I mean,
just thinking about, like after theevents and everything that kind of took
place, and how he felt onSaturday, it makes sense that he would
have like this down, this downday where the adrenaline is kind of all
(02:58):
worn off. But I do justwonder had he not had that Saturday round,
what could he have actually accomplished inthat tournament? Because he finished thirteen
hunder eight shots off the lead,So yeah, he had a big gap
to make up. But I don'tknow, I think that that conversation is
gonna be had a lot. Ifhe is the winner of the next two,
well for sure, Yeah, he'son our own there's no doubt about
(03:21):
it. And I think you haveto remember too that Ted Scott wasn't on
the bag for that one round onSaturday, which was his first overpart round,
So that kind of tells the storytoo. Yeah, and what was
the reasoning for that? It washis daughter's DA graduation. Yeah, his
daughter, Scottie. I'm just kidding. Ted's fault. Maybe, yeah,
(03:46):
maybe a combination. Maybe Ted isthe one that helps keep him more calm,
because he does seem to have anincredible focus. I mean when he
came out on that Friday and hadthe round he had after being arrested hours
prior. I mean, I don'tknow a lot of people, athlete or
not that could focus that intently ontheir task at hand after being arrested.
I mean, has the theory beenfloated that Ted set that up to take
(04:10):
the heat off him for missing thatround. No, we'll start it now.
How about that? Well, heis of course the favorite again this
week, and that is not asurprise. We're going to get to our
picks and our dark horses, ourfavorites, all of that later, but
(04:30):
I want to learn a little bitmore about Pinehurst number two. Derek and
Alex. You guys have both playedPinehurst, and what I keep hearing about
is the greens. The greens,the greens. The greens. They're fast,
they're shaped like upside down bowls.It is all about the greens.
Can you guys talk a little bitabout your experience there, Yeah, definitely.
(04:51):
I think Derek's played it like priorto when it got restored quote unquote,
but I played it recently in twentytwenty one, I want to say.
And the greens there are they callthem turtleback greens, upside down saucers.
It's funny. They actually didn't startlike that. So going back to
(05:13):
when the course was first designed,you know, up in the twenties and
the thirties, they were just flatsurfaces, and over the years they kept
putting more sand on the top,dressing as they call it, and they
just they've naturally like built up tobecome these turtlebacks. And why they're so
penal is if you miss if youmissed the flag or your target by you
(05:35):
know, a couple of paces,it'll roll down into these little swales.
I mean, it goes off onall sides, so you have to be
very precise on where it is thatyou're you know, you're making sure you're
hitting the ball correctly and then hittingit at your target. Otherwise you're you're
going to be in a spot ofbother all day because it's not just on
(05:57):
three or four holes, it's oneighteen holes. For their they're alternal backs.
Yeah wow, there, I guessWyndham Clark actually already kind of gave
people a warning saying he said thegreens are fast. If they get any
firmer or faster, they'd be borderline. They're already borderline. They had rain
on Sunday, which is I guesswhen he was talking about it. Obviously
today, so they had some rain, but I don't know that rain is
(06:20):
expected in the forecast for the restof the week, so as those dry
out obviously, I mean, howhow I guess, just how difficult is
it? Obviously when you're when you'rea tour player, you're used to that,
but to really hit your target soquickly sneaky too. We've had a
(06:44):
cat walk through, We've got akid going through. You know this.
We're trying a new setup today.I guess, you know, for being
a golfer like me who doesn't practiceenough and is nowhere close to the skill
has the skills necessary to do that. But how how didicult is that?
Even for a pro to land thatthat perfectly Yeah, there's not a lot
(07:05):
of usable space on them. Imean they're not The greens are, however
big they are, but they're reallylike probably you know, two thirds out
size max because you can't even usepart of the green that's mode, you
can't even use it. So soyeah, I mean definitely this week iron
play will be crucial controlling your distanceand everything, and then you're going to
(07:27):
miss it in one of those spots, those swales and fall off areas anyway,
So it's just missing it in theright one where you least have like
a chance to maybe get it upand down or just not make a double
or anything like that. So,like Alex said, like I played there
before the redo, and I reallydon't know which one's easier or harder.
But you know, now they haveall these natural areas, a lot of
(07:49):
trees, and the rough is gone, so there'll be a lot of kind
of I would say, when youmiss the fairway, kind of more luck
driven, because it seems like insome of those waste areas you can get
it in either like a bush orit could just be in like the open
sandy area and you know, dependingon your lie, you can knock it
(08:09):
on from there. You used tohave like when paint stew Are won in
ninety nine and I think you knowtwo thousand and five when they had it
there was maybe they had to redothen, but when there was rough.
That's what made it so difficult too, is that Bermuda rough. And then
you're trying to hit it into thosegreens where it's hard to be that precise
from the fairway let alone. Then, So I think you'll see a lot
of stuff where guys hit it.If they do miss the fairways, it's
(08:31):
kind of who gets lucky at thatpoint. I mean, you could get
it in a bush where it's likegonna be unplayable, or you can have
a guy two feet to the leftend up in an area where they can
get a club on it and maybeadvance it to the green. Even so
with some of those natural areas,you're gonna kind of you're gonna see that.
But yeah, the greens, mostof it's not even usable just because
that's where the ball's rolling off andeverything. So yeah, I think iron
(08:52):
play is going to be super importantthis week, more than at most weeks.
Yeah, And I think piggybacking onthat, like, you've got to
be You've got to be committed towhat you're doing. Uh. You you
have to go in there, youknow, with your approach shot being this
is where I'm gonna hit it andyou, I mean you got to have
(09:16):
your your distance control dialed in andyou better be hitting it solid. Yeah.
And I think if you get offto a start there where you know,
you missed the first couple of greensand you know you don't feel great
about you know, your your yourshort game, you're gonna be You're gonna
be going home real quick, youknow, because I think going back to
your point about the forecast, Ithink I saw it's gonna be like ninety
(09:39):
four on Saturday, ninety two onFriday. It's gonna it's gonna get crispy.
Yeah. Yeah, those greens aregonna cook. And you know here
the irritation about fast greens and dry, dried out greens. What were you
gonna say, Mark, Well,I was gonna say, I mean,
that's and that's why Scott is yourfavorite, right, He's one of the
bust ball strikers in the world.So yeah, when when your iron place
(10:01):
that good and that consistent, itmakes that much easier. Yeah. I
think the one part the work placehe's been struggling the most is his putter.
I mean, but if he canjust get it in the right place,
obviously, as you guys are saying, it sounds like he'll be at
a better advantage than most other players. The other thing I did see was
(10:22):
the rand there. They described therough as having as random I guess randomness
in the rough. See, theseare all things that I'm learning. But
they said it's the perfect rough forthis type of tournament, for a US
Open, because the pros hate itthe most. I didn't even that they
had rough, to be honest,I thought it was just the natural areas
that's where you can get. LikeI said, I think it's going to
(10:43):
be a you started missing the fairways. I think it's going to be a
lot more luck driven than in anythingelse. I mean, yeah, I
saw pictures that were like just offthe fairway and I don't know what it
is, but just some bushes lookingstuff, and then right next to that
it's like a natural sand area.The bus like you can't even see it,
like it's just gone right. Yeah, So I think there's gonna be
(11:03):
a lot of that. I mean, the guy that hits a lot of
fairwood is gonna be a lot easier. But you know you're gonna have you're
gonna miss one or two and ifyou get into some of those real bad
spots then you know it could leadto a disaster real quick. So yeah,
absolutely, So Pinehurst is going tobe the site of the US Open
(11:24):
actually for a while. They're reallyliking it. So twenty twenty nine,
five, twenty one, forty seven, only four golfers have finished under par
in the three US Opens that havebeen at Pinehurst. And from what I'm
seeing, everybody kind of thinking thatthis is going to go back to one
of those really low scoring, youknow, kind of US Open duels that
(11:45):
people really enjoy, because obviously lastyear with two records sixty two's, that
was one of everybody complaining the golfcourse was far too easy for a US
Open. So are you guys excited? Do you like to see this kind
of lower scoring, more difficult thingtest for the golfer or did you enjoy
it last year when they were havingyou know, twenty under you know scores,
(12:07):
I like carnage. Yeah, wewant to see people struggle, right,
make them feel more like us,well okay, like not like me.
Yeah, we want right around evenfar. Yeah. Well it sounds
like that's what they're setting this upfor. So it should be a pretty
exciting four days. One thing Icame across that I was pretty intrigued by.
I did not realize Adam Scott hasplayed twenty three straight years of playing
(12:31):
in all four majors. So that'sninety one total majors. How impressive is
that? Like, just when youthink about that, twenty three years of
all four majors, it's consistent.Yeah, that's for sure consistent. Right.
But that's the thing is like,he's never the person that you want
to be, Like, yeah,I think he's gonna win. I mean
not anymore anyway, not for aminute. Yeah, we all everybody.
(12:54):
I don't think there's a person outthere doesn't like his golf swing. Yeah.
So yeah, he's he's he's beengreat for He's definitely underachieved in my
book, that's for sure. Imean, I know he's won the Masters
and he's you know, won golftournaments. But for that's type of consistency
and everything, you would expect himto win a lot more. But yeah,
(13:16):
just does to show that golfers andeverything, that's for sure. But
yeah, that many in a rowis pretty hard to put into words,
that's for sure. Yeah, Iwas pretty pretty shocked by that. But
then yeah, when you put itinto the next closest one is what like
forty four. I mean, Idon't know, you're asking me things I
haven't researched yet, but yeah,we'll go with that. Right, he's
(13:37):
like forty two now, forty oneor forty two years old, Adam Scott
forty four, forty four. Yeah, he's whole super impressed, super old,
yeah, super old, super impressive. Yeah. Okay, So brooks
Kopka last year came on real strongin all of the majors. Obviously we
don't give it rats but about livegolf tournaments, but in the majors he
(14:01):
did really well, and we haven'tseen him much this year. I did
see somewhere he's twenty to one oddsthat this might be, you know,
he might be prepared for or weshould be prepared for his best round at
the majors. That we've seen ina while. But do you think that
do you see him doing well thisweek or do you think that's kind of
this year he's just kind of offa little bit anyone. I don't expect
(14:26):
him this week now. I meanit's tough to tell because you don't see
him on a week two week basis. Yeah, he plays well in majors.
I just don't see this type ofgolf course setting up too well for
him, especially if you're missing greens, you have to get super creative and
well, he's a good player.The short game isn't quite at the level
(14:48):
of some of the other guys.Yeah. So if we're looking at our
fantasy golf picks, because let's behonest, that's really what we care the
most about, is how are wegoing to do in our fantasy golf?
In our fantasy golf picks, Iwill say last major PGA Championship at work,
I got the first pick for themajors, so naturally I took Scotti
(15:11):
Scheffler. So thank you Louisville PoliceDepartment for hosing me on that one.
Is there a point in betting onanyone aside from Scotty Scheffler? No,
No, it's almost zero the oldTiger versus the field type that this point,
(15:31):
he's just that good. It's provenit. Yeah, So if you've
already used him though, like ourfantasy golf league, right, you can
only use somebody one time. Soif you've already used him, do you
guys have your favorites or your thoughtson who would be the next best pick?
I think Mark cow Is trendon prettynicely. And he's a good iron
player, yeah, very solid,So he's getting his confidence back. He's
(15:54):
played well the last PGA, playedwell at Memorial. Like I said,
he's a good, really good ironplayer. I think he's going to be
right right there for sure. Okay, and then I don't think you can
look past Bryson too, just fromthe strategic aspect, and you know,
you have to know where to knowwhere to hit it and know where to
(16:15):
miss it on this golf course,and he's probably one of the most prepared
when it comes to knowing the golfcourse in his game. So, and
he's played well in the last fewmajors, so he's he's definitely somebody to
keep your eye on. I thinkanother person too, like kind of piggybacking
on a live player would be CamSmith if you haven't used him, just
(16:38):
based on how well he wedges itand puts it, you know, missing
Greens. The guy's got really reallygood hands. So that's somebody that would
be definitely worth looking into this weekas far as Okay, Yeah, and
it's always nice to be able touse a live player because you don't get
to use them in anything else otherthan Majors exactly. I will. I
(17:00):
do need to give a quick shoutout though, because I haven't had Derek
on since before the Masters, andhis dark horse pick was Bryson to Shambeau,
who has been doing really well inthe Majors. So well done,
Derek. You made us both looksmart. Thank you. It doesn't happen
very often for me. Yeah,because I had him on obviously. That's
(17:25):
how it works. Okay, Soyou earlier, earlier you mentioned you know,
misfairways, it's going to be alot of luck. What are what
type of player or what player thatyou could think of would stand out that
kind of benefits or does really wellwith that type of you know that that
can make something out of nothing.Are you asking for a dark horse pick
now, No, not yet.Well, I don't know. I mean,
(17:48):
I just I mean, like Alexsaid, he like why he likes
Cam Smith. I mean, Ijust think anybody that's obviously you need to
be mentally strong for sure, ButI think guys are creative, you know,
So anybody that's creative, you know, like Jordan's speed gets pretty creative.
Yeah, he's going to be mydark horse. Piss, I'll pick,
so I'll just tell you right now. But I like Sagala was leep.
(18:10):
Okay, all right? So wellthe other thing with Bryce, and
I mean, it's so far thatif he is hitting it into those areas,
he's got a different club in hishands and a lot of guys so
that typically makes it easier. Andyou've got yeah, okay, that makes
sense. Okay, well now,since we've just brought up dark horses,
(18:33):
and oh, that makes my handlook really large when I do that.
Since we brought up dark horses,Derek, you, we'll start with you,
since you already mentioned speed as yourdark horse. Tell us what you
like about him. Oh, Isaid, you pick. You're trying to
put him in on that my mouth. I wasn't saying that. Oh,
I thought you said speed because Isaid and then you said that's going to
be my dark horse pick, soit would be my dark horse. I
(18:56):
got really confused there. Uh yeah, No, I like him this week.
He's he was He played pretty prettydecent memorials last week. And I
think he likes shaping the ball anddoing different things, and he's creative it
looks like, and hits it prettyfar too so, and I think he's
just a gamer two. I reallylike his game. Okay, would you
(19:18):
put would you be willing to putmoney on it? How much? If
even put one hundred dollars on himto win? Would you do it?
Yeah? What about to if youhad to put five hundred dollars on him
to finish in the top ten?Would you do it? No? Okay,
too much money? What if itwas my money? Yeah? No
(19:40):
problem? Okay, Al who doyou who's your dark horse this week?
Uh? I you know this isa dark horse? Well maybe not.
I would say Willie z will zealtors top ten at the Masters and tea
nine there, good iron player.You know it's gonna be hot down so
(20:00):
the back will stays. But Ithink you know it all comes down to
the putter. With him, right, it all comes down to the putter,
So I like, you know,he comes out in majors again,
really really good ball striker, drivesit, drives it really well for the
most part. He would be mydark horse, okay, and Mark,
(20:22):
who's yours? I mean, Idon't know how much of a dark horse
it is, but I'd go withLudvin. He's you know, he hasn't
won one yet obviously, but he'saround and I just he could pop it
any minute, so I'd throw adart at him, all right. And
I mispronounced his last name every singletime. Is it Auburg? Yeah,
(20:48):
they've changed it so many times.Albert not Aberg that much. We do
know. I think if the RyderCup is Obert and then it came out
as Aberg or Oberg. Yeah,we'll call him luod a there you go.
(21:10):
Yeah, he is the new Louis, isn't Heah? All right,
Well you guys are down at theOregon Open. How are you feeling ahead
of this tournament? You've got goingon? Good? It's nice and warm
down yeah weather, okay, andyou're playing we're at what did you say,
(21:30):
golf ball goes far down here?Which is a nice change of pace.
That is nice. What course areyou guys? Atsa ranch? And
how many people are in the field? One? Yeah, something like that.
Yeah, eighty. I think seventymake the cut on is that right?
(21:51):
We don't know. Actually, wejust pay attention to our group.
Well, that's fine and that's fair. That's all I care about as well
for four people playing, and uhthat's the And you all better come home
with a lot of prizes. Arethere prizes involved with this tournament? Prize
money? Oh okay, Marco Brinholtsand golf balls for you? Yeah?
(22:14):
Perfect, I actually do need those, you don't. We have a bucket.
I can always use more, that'strue. Yeah, the amount I
lose, well, I won't keepyou guys any longer because you need to
get prepared to go win and doreally well in this tournament. Thank you
all for being I asked you foryour picks. Earlier, I asked you
(22:36):
for your you guys said more cowof Bryson and cam Smith. Well,
where are you being? Wait?Okay, so oh you were just saying
like who would be your that waslike your favorite who you got? Okay,
so who's your pick? Then?Who are you actually going with I'm
actually gonna go with Cam Smith.Oh you are all right? So you
like you like Al's reasoning over there? Yeah, I think And granted I've
(23:00):
never been to Australia like Al has, but I think that course sets up
a little bit like some of thecourses down there. Familiar with it?
All right, Al are you goingwith Cam Smith? I'm going with Cam
Smith. Bunker is too apparently,and uh, Derek, are you going
with Colin Morikawa? Yeah? Okaywas off the table, right, Yeah,
(23:21):
yeah, this is if this isif you've already us North Carolina.
Yeah, if he gets arrested,Scotty, whatever you do, just don't
go around the cars. Have someonedrive you. Exactly what's he doing driving
in the first place? Well,I love to in the videos where it's
(23:42):
like I've got my wallet and everythingin my player bag and blah blah blah,
and the videos where they're like,oh, so is Tiger Tiger Woods
really that good and then like,oh, you must be pretty good if
you play on the PGA tour.I was just listening to it, like
what is happening right now? Andhe's just like the nicest person ever.
They're like, yeah, pretty good, and then they're like, you're pretty
(24:02):
mellow for the number one player inthe world. Yeah he is. Yeah
he might not be like the mostexciting person, but man, he's really
good, really good. All right, Well, thank you guys. Cheers,
cheers, cheers, thank you,thanks and luck, have fun.
I love you. I
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