Episode 54 - #1 Political Golfer Tony Russo: Golfing with Legends, Bi-partisanship, and LIV Virginia

In this wide-ranging episode of Golf and Politics, Rob sits down with Tony Russo—a top Washington lobbyist, former collegiate golf standout, and the undisputed No. 1 golfer in American politics. From playing alongside Michael Jordan, Jack Nicklaus, and Greg Norman, to his early days on Capitol Hill working for Senator Joe Biden, Tony shares unforgettable stories from a life that’s crossed paths with legends in both golf and politics. Tony opens up about his personal journey—surviving leukemia in law school, leaving pro golf behind, and finding purpose through family, faith, and bipartisan friendships. They also discuss the LIV Golf vs. PGA Tour divide, the future of course design, the golf ball rollback, and how the game still brings people together in a divided D.C. Key Topics Covered: Playing college golf with Steve Stricker and caddying for Jack Nicklaus How golf shaped bipartisan relationships on Capitol Hill Inside scoop on LIV Golf Virginia and course setup at RTJ Tony’s thoughts on the rollback debate and golf architecture trends Why more golf in politics could solve real-world gridlock Bonus: Dream foursomes, Augusta vs. St. Andrews, and MJ’s short game Join the email list to be notified about the latest episodes: https://golfandpolitics.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices