1 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: The end of the first round was some of the 2 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: most fun I've ever had watching golf. Rom McElroy a 3 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:11,480 Speaker 1: bunch of guys. 4 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 2: We're just getting absolutely embarrassed by the bunkers. 5 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 1: I got daughts in my head. 6 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 3: Can't get him John, and not the thing what I'm 7 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 3: thinking about. Can't get him John, not the thing well 8 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:32,160 Speaker 3: I'm thinking about. 9 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: Hello, Welcome back to another fire Drill podcast. It is 10 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:48,919 Speaker 1: Open Championship Sunday. Michael Bamberger is at Royal Liverpool. I'm 11 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 1: in Carmel, California. Brian Harmon is playing such beautiful golf. 12 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 1: He's in such total control of this tournament and his 13 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: golf ball. We decided to start this podcast on the 14 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: back nine just to get it over with because there 15 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: is no scenario in which our short king is not 16 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 1: going to win this Open. So we're rolling the dice here. 17 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: What short king it's been. You know, there's been a 18 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 1: lot of jokes about he's playing he's under the wind. 19 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: You know, he has more time to adjust because it 20 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:21,839 Speaker 1: takes longer for the rain to hit him. Like there's 21 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 1: we can make all these all these all these mediocre 22 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 1: jokes about Brian Harmon, but the factor remains that in 23 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 1: sports power size are huge advantages, and it's always been 24 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: kind of this mystery where he was a dominant junior player. 25 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: He's not had this nice career on the PGA tour, 26 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: but's never had the kind of success that people thought 27 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: he might. You can imagine that when he when he 28 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: started playing against guys who are, you know, eight inches 29 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 1: taller and could hit the ball a lot farther, there 30 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: was an adjustment. But whatever, he's finally the player we 31 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 1: always expect him to be. What a performance by Brian Harmon. 32 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 1: What would you say about the guy across four days 33 00:01:56,960 --> 00:01:57,639 Speaker 1: here at the Open? 34 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 4: Why do we talk about On Harmon's height and not 35 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 4: Rory Mackroyz because he towers over He's got too interesting, 36 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 4: I would say. 37 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: Rory who claims to be five nine, No way, Well 38 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: it's because Rory hits Allan. 39 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 4: If Rory's five nine, Allen Iverson sixty three. 40 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 5: Exactly, well, because the way Rory swings the club, it 41 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,359 Speaker 5: hasn't affected his He's still a power player, so it's 42 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 5: not really relevant. 43 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 1: Harmon is much more of a finesse and a control player, 44 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 1: and it seems like, you know, being diminutive has perhaps 45 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: you know, held him back on some level because you 46 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:43,959 Speaker 1: watch him put here, you watch the control he has 47 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: of his irons. We know he's this tenacious competitor. I 48 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: guess it's just trying to explain why he hasn't won 49 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: more because it seems like the rest of his game 50 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 1: is so incredibly strong. But I like his answer when 51 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: people ask why haven't you why haven't you won more, 52 00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: and he said, I don't know. 53 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 4: It's it's it's It is kind of a mystery just 54 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 4: to go back to Brian Harmon the golfer, not just 55 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 4: because they're both left handed, but that is part of it. 56 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 4: He is a little bit like Phil where he's got 57 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 4: a really rhythmic Phil is so underrated it's a joke 58 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 4: for his golf. Phil's got a big, rhythmic, long swing 59 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 4: with a big turn boom and and this Brian Hartman 60 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:28,920 Speaker 4: really does the same thing without as much boom. But 61 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 4: he's got a big, long, rhythmic swing. It's beautiful to watch, 62 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 4: fantastic short game and it shows you. I think the 63 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 4: fact that he's got a commanding lead here as he 64 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 4: makes the turn on the back, not in an open 65 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 4: chip chip Sunday, is really a testament to both, of 66 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 4: course his skill first and foremost, but also the greatness 67 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 4: of links golf that it is an equalizer. This length 68 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 4: is not so important. The very brilliant Nick Price sat 69 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 4: eight years ago. It only needed to be said once 70 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 4: and it was so true. If you want to target 71 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 4: proof the courses to make them shorter, and that's sort 72 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 4: of what the Open chap shows, especially under these conditions. 73 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: You know, we had a tech falla yesterday and you 74 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: were talking about how much you've enjoyed this week. And 75 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: it's one of the fun things about the Open Rota 76 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 1: is just enough time passes between venues you sort of 77 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:26,799 Speaker 1: have to be reminded and they can kind of blend 78 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: together with the pop bunkers and the little towns. And 79 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: what did you enjoy most about about Hoylake and about 80 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: Liverpool as a host city. 81 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 4: You were here in O six and fourteen one show. Yeah, 82 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 4: but you missed you missed sixty seven. I think. 83 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:48,160 Speaker 1: I did sixty seven. 84 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 4: I didn't talk to it for all three. This course 85 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:59,479 Speaker 4: is wildly underrated. It's not as usually beautiful as Burkedale, 86 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 4: but it's very similar to Berthdale the way the holes 87 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 4: are just sort of fitted right in there bcause of 88 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 4: more traumatic piece of land. This is not. But it 89 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 4: really truly is one good hold after another until it's 90 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 4: seventeen about that leader. And it's weird that we get 91 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 4: here so seldom, you know, once in the Tiger, once 92 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:23,839 Speaker 4: in the Rorrier, and once in the Brian Harminger. But 93 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 4: so you know, the first joy for me is, you know, well, 94 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 4: is just to be here, to escape the American summer 95 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 4: for a week, to see this primitive form of golf 96 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 4: that we both love. H There was a story in 97 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 4: the New York Times today about whether well Fourth Call 98 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 4: would ever get in open, So that's cute. Wales has 99 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 4: never had an open Prince of Wales versus the Prince Wales. 100 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 4: Wales has never had an open. So it's a terrific 101 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 4: story about and Wyner. And so Christine and my wife 102 00:05:57,720 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 4: send it to me, and I wrote back on the 103 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,719 Speaker 4: yet Shouldnik and I have played there? Well, we've played 104 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 4: a lot of places. They're all terrific, and there's except 105 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:09,799 Speaker 4: for the infrastructure part, almost all of them could handle 106 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 4: in open because it's not so dependent onlinth. But the 107 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 4: fact that we come here so seldom RNA tells you 108 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 4: how much the golf there really is here. 109 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 1: It's been interesting, you know, monitoring the golf fans on Twitter. 110 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:31,159 Speaker 1: There's been some corvetching that it's not an exciting venue. 111 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:33,919 Speaker 1: I mean it is a sort of flatish piece of ground, 112 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:39,040 Speaker 1: but especially the back nine that you've got those really 113 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,479 Speaker 1: tough par fours and fourteen and sixteen, you've got the 114 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: closing par fives and seventeen. I want to hear your thoughts. 115 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: It's fun to watch on TV just because there's such 116 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: a pucker factor and you can tell the players have 117 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 1: a bit of fear and whether it's crossed the line 118 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 1: into being too small a target whatever, and it's certainly 119 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,279 Speaker 1: embarrassed Matt Fitzpatrick and some others in a way that 120 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: seemed a little disproportionate to the miss It's made for 121 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: great TV. What's your take on seventeens? You know, standing 122 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 1: out there watching players play it. 123 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 4: The joke that's been going around is that the members 124 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 4: put at sixteen, but I think they actually that's true. 125 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 4: The members quit at fifteen, so right near at the clubhouse, 126 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 4: and knowing how they play golf over here, that means 127 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 4: another fifteen to follow, So a pleasant thirty whole golf day, 128 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 4: which is, you know, four hours and forty five minutes, 129 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 4: you know they've played at the proper pace. Maybe five. 130 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 4: I think seventeen really doesn't fit in with this golf course. 131 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 4: Every golf course has its own personality. If you think 132 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:49,679 Speaker 4: a dog can have a personality, which is kind of strange, 133 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 4: although everybody, myself it's true. Certainly a golf course can 134 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 4: have a personality too. The personality in this golf course 135 00:07:56,400 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 4: is not flashy. And then and everything fit, and then 136 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 4: you get to seventeen and super flash. It doesn't fit. 137 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 4: It sticks out like a sort of bomb. For those 138 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 4: who haven't had a chance to see it. It's a 139 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 4: dish change. Fine, but it's totally locked by brand stands 140 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 4: and wind screens, so the players can't really feel the win. 141 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 4: And then you play. You play one hundred and thirty 142 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 4: yard uphill into the wind shot with a like a 143 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 4: clipped eight iron, maybe a full nine iron. But it's 144 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 4: basically the seventeenth follow TPC sawgrass because either you pitch 145 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 4: it on the green or you've got some wickedly unplayable 146 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 4: bunker shot. Maybe a good shot if you get a 147 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 4: good lie, fine, if you don't, you're making four or five, 148 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 4: six or more. Because it's so slow, it's so severe 149 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 4: that it's not super precise. It rolls off into oblivion 150 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:52,000 Speaker 4: and you play another shot. You I guess to use 151 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 4: the price group for using. It's definitely a tabletop green. 152 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 4: There's very few of us here. Actually don't know if 153 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:01,719 Speaker 4: there's any tabletops. Maybe that's really kind of point and 154 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 4: it's kind of like an infinity pool and that's cool, 155 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 4: Like fifteen that Augusta, you know, that back part is 156 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 4: sort of nuculey can't see how bad it is over 157 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 4: over fifteen. But it doesn't work. It doesn't fit in, 158 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 4: And the biggest objection is the philosophical one trying to 159 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 4: do something to juice it up for TV. That's not 160 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,319 Speaker 4: the RNA we know and love. They're the opposite of that. 161 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 4: They're just like play the course. So they're not doing 162 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 4: that here. So I think it's sort of add a character, 163 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 4: but you know, it's a moment otherwise territ the golfers. 164 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 4: So in conclusion, as we learned to say in junior 165 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:43,560 Speaker 4: high school, I would say just sort of doesn't really 166 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 4: fit with the whole thing. But Alan I'm here, I've 167 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:49,719 Speaker 4: been watching it live and in person, you're doing what 168 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:52,679 Speaker 4: the RNA knows millions of people across the world is 169 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 4: doing it watching on TV. How's it playing to you 170 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 4: on TV? Which is kind of it's wrong intention but 171 00:09:58,720 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 4: it isn't intentional. 172 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 1: I think it's fun because you don't have a sense 173 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 1: of the shift in the terrain or the feeling of 174 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: the course. All of a sudden, they're just on this 175 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:12,959 Speaker 1: really terrifying little hole and you can feel the player's 176 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 1: discomfort and there's been some great crack up. So I 177 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: think it's worked from a TV standpoint. I hear what 178 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 1: you're saying, but yeah, we have a different experience. But 179 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 1: this also gets to you, Michael, as the poet of 180 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 1: the Linksland. I'm really curious your take on what the 181 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 1: RNA did after Thursday with the Bunkers, because the end 182 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:32,960 Speaker 1: of the first round was some of the most fun 183 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: I've ever had watching golf. You had Rom McElroy, a 184 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:40,199 Speaker 1: bunch of guys. 185 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:45,080 Speaker 2: Were just getting absolutely embarrassed by the Bunkers. Probably again, 186 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:47,959 Speaker 2: you know, you're hitting two hundred and fifty yard shots 187 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 2: into a small target, you missed by a few yards, 188 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 2: and now you're. 189 00:10:50,559 --> 00:10:54,679 Speaker 1: Fighting for bogie. The punishment was probably too severe, but 190 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 1: as as someone who enjoys watching the best players suffer, 191 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 1: it was why entertaining. And it did as you said, 192 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 1: these courses are they're too short for these guys. We 193 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,960 Speaker 1: know that. I mean, any golf course on the planet 194 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 1: Earth is too short for the pros at this point, 195 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:14,520 Speaker 1: and something that koy Lag is way too short. So 196 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 1: I thought it was fun because it added real stress 197 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:19,440 Speaker 1: where if you knew you went in the bunkers, you 198 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: weren't going to drop a quarter of a shot or 199 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 1: half a shot, You're going to drop a shot in 200 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:28,160 Speaker 1: maybe two. And it made the targets that much more precise, 201 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:30,679 Speaker 1: and it added danger, which is so often missing in 202 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 1: championship golf now where the guys are hitting short irons 203 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 1: in the holes they are supposed to play really long. 204 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 1: So I loved it, but the players didn't like it. 205 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:42,160 Speaker 1: The Arnic capitulated. They they reshaped the sand so the 206 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: balls would roll up against the face, and that the 207 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:49,599 Speaker 1: championship just carried on. But what was your take on 208 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:53,320 Speaker 1: that decision? That midway you know, midstream in the tournament. 209 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 4: But let's not forget what the great Man did in 210 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 4: two thousand and six. I speak out of boging or 211 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:02,439 Speaker 4: big Jack with Tiger his own self did not hit 212 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 4: and tell me this is correct? Allum, this is my memory. 213 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 4: I don't think he was in a single trap the 214 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 4: whole week. Is that correct? 215 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 1: Yeah? I mean, and definitely in St. Andrew's in two 216 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: thousand in a single trap. I'm not as sure about 217 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 1: Hoy League. But whatever it was, this entire game plan 218 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 1: was built on not going in the bunkers and it worked. 219 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:22,320 Speaker 4: I covered it, and I'm suppose it hasn't come up 220 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:26,560 Speaker 4: that much this week, but I don't think he did. Yeah, 221 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 4: it was a true of the old course as well. 222 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 4: I mean, that's actually hard to imagine doing that, to 223 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 4: doing that twice, it's amazing. So that's the starting point. 224 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:38,840 Speaker 4: The architect is challenging, don't go in the trap. So 225 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:41,920 Speaker 4: don't go in the trap. That's number one. Number two, 226 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:45,320 Speaker 4: you could always get out in two shots because you 227 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 4: could no matter where you were. You could put up 228 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 4: to someplace more recently and they get your next shot out. 229 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 4: So then the players asked to go in there and 230 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 4: assess the thing. Three. I think it shows a tremendous 231 00:12:56,440 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 4: confidence on their RNA's part to admit that they overdid it. 232 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 4: I don't know that I would have done it, but 233 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 4: I think it's cool. I don't think they can pitch 234 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 4: lad of the players. I think they in their confidence. 235 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 4: I don't like this raise their high golf. IQ's people 236 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 4: are saying these days, but they did use their high golf. 237 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:17,840 Speaker 4: I us and yeah, we kind of overdid it too much. 238 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 4: Too many of these, too many these shots are finishing 239 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 4: right against the against the wall and leaving the players 240 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:27,440 Speaker 4: of nothing. So for it shows you, It shows you 241 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 4: how you know a golf course is a big, open, 242 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:34,959 Speaker 4: rugged playing field. But as the USA has found out 243 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,559 Speaker 4: more than once, you get the pin placement wrong by 244 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 4: three feet and it can be a day ruiner. And 245 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:43,199 Speaker 4: you get the you get the raking of the trap 246 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:46,079 Speaker 4: wrong by just the margin it can be. It can 247 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 4: be given the top of the day, which which you 248 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:54,319 Speaker 4: don't want. So I think I think that part's quite interesting. 249 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:58,199 Speaker 4: But my biggest take, I don't think it's a complete fantasy, 250 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 4: but it's a partial fantasy of the best golf courses 251 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:04,839 Speaker 4: in the world. Belport during the pandemic, Pine Valley all 252 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 4: the time do not have rakes at all. If you 253 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 4: go to Brow and gold Speed where the sheep are 254 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:14,680 Speaker 4: still in the in the bumpers they trotted up of 255 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 4: course with their with their boats. That's what she had. 256 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 4: I think that ship boots, I think so anyway, that 257 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 4: would be cool. Just smooth it out of your foot 258 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 4: like you do with Pine Valley and uh and it 259 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 4: would make the make the trapping more of a trap. 260 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 4: And really golf should go back to that. It's overly manicured. 261 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 4: So so that's my that's my week bit about that. 262 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:46,840 Speaker 4: So what's your week bit about that. It's just it's 263 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 4: just kind of weird about eliminating the rake. 264 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 1: Eliminating the rake. Sure, it definitely worked out during COVID. 265 00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:00,160 Speaker 1: I mean it for the for the amateurs, you know, 266 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: it's hard enough guys like us, it's hard to get 267 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:04,600 Speaker 1: out of a bunker sometimes if you have a perfect life, 268 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 1: it's sitting in a depression. It's really hard. So uh, 269 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 1: I think guys I guess need it more than the pros. 270 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:16,720 Speaker 1: They can handle bunkers with such ease. The the thing 271 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 1: about the rnade changing after the first round is what 272 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 1: mystifies me is they had Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to 273 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 1: watch the players play their practice rounds and watch how 274 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 1: the ball was running into the bunkers, and to talk 275 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:31,640 Speaker 1: to the players about it. It's kind of like, could 276 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:34,880 Speaker 1: they have gotten it right by Wednesday night? And once 277 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: they decided and they had all that, they had all 278 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: that data of all those practice rounds and all the 279 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 1: conversations and all the press conferences, Like I thought, it 280 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: was kind of weak sauce like this. You made a decision, 281 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 1: you want the bunkers to be more penal, just stick 282 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: to it, and that would have been that would have 283 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:55,080 Speaker 1: been part of the character of the tournament. So I 284 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 1: don't know, I don't like them. I don't like them 285 00:15:56,880 --> 00:15:59,000 Speaker 1: making that decision when they made it. 286 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 4: Maybe you've allved more closely than I, But was their discussion, 287 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:05,240 Speaker 4: you know, as late as Wednesday, that the traps were 288 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 4: unfair and that the ball was rolling right against the locus. 289 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 4: I remember that. And by the way, I don't even 290 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 4: know why I'm using the word unfair, because golf is unfair. 291 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 1: Yes, I mean I was reading I was reading the 292 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 1: pre tournament transcripts, and players were talking about it extensively. 293 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 1: It was, you know, it was a known thing on Tuesday, 294 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 1: like the ball was running up against the lips of 295 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 1: the bunkers, and that it was a decision that the 296 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 1: RNA made by keeping the bunker floor totally flat or 297 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: traditionally they'll they'll build a little sand up the face 298 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 1: brings the ball back. So yeah, it was. It was 299 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: definitely by by Monday people were commenting on it, and 300 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 1: certainly by Tuesday and Wednesdays, So it was. I don't know. 301 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 1: I was surprised the RNA, the PG of America. Yes, 302 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 1: they'll always cave to the players. I thought those old 303 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 1: boys might show more of a stiff upper lip. But 304 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: you know, I get it it. It could have dominated 305 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: the discourse if you had all the contenders just making 306 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 1: sevens after they missed a green by a couple of yards. 307 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:13,440 Speaker 1: I mean, you don't want it to stray into fair 308 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:15,720 Speaker 1: and unfair is I agree with your point. Golf is 309 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:19,680 Speaker 1: not inherently fair, but there is overly penal, and there 310 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 1: is there is there can be a fine line to 311 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 1: where it becomes somewhat absurd. So they took the safe 312 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:28,720 Speaker 1: way out. I wish they I wouldh they'd stuck to 313 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: their guns. I think it would have been a much 314 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 1: more interesting tournament. And the people at home who are 315 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 1: saying this has been boring and the course is nondescript. 316 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 1: I think it brings those hazards to life. I mean 317 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: they basically become like water hazards, like you hit it 318 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:42,919 Speaker 1: in there, you're certainly going to drop a shot and 319 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: maybe more, or you might get lucky in and be 320 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 1: able to play a beautiful shot like I think it 321 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 1: would have added to the texture of this tournament. 322 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:52,879 Speaker 4: I get all that, but I wouldn't go back to 323 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:55,760 Speaker 4: what I said earlier. I think it speaks very well 324 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 4: for the r and that they have enough confidence. I 325 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 4: don't think the caves to the players. I just think 326 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 4: I think they they are Any leadership decided this is 327 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 4: not the tournament who want to have. I think I 328 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 4: agree with that that reasonable people may make different It's 329 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:15,600 Speaker 4: really actually this discussion is actually part of the really 330 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:23,360 Speaker 4: intrinsic beauty of the game. Yeah. 331 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:25,080 Speaker 1: No, it's it's all fun to talk about. There's no 332 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 1: right answer, So let's talk about the pursuers. You know, 333 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 1: if you took Brian Harmon away, it was a hell 334 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 1: of a leader board. You had Tommy Fleewood, who, of 335 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 1: course was the emotional center of this tournament growing up 336 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 1: twenty miles away. John Rahm with his electric sixty three 337 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 1: on Saturday to get himself in the conversation. As always, 338 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: Rory was nibbling around on the on the board. This 339 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:58,760 Speaker 1: kid Scepts Traca was really impressive. I mean he's a 340 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 1: big dude and he hits a far but incredible putter. 341 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 1: I mean he seemed like he haven't looked at the 342 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:06,120 Speaker 1: final putting stats, but I felt like I saw him 343 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 1: make more fifteen twenty footers than almost anybody. Jason Day, 344 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: who's resurgent, and it's fun to see him in contention, 345 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 1: and he was the opposite. I mean every time they 346 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 1: showed Day he was he was hitting a beautiful putt 347 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:21,119 Speaker 1: that like burned the edge and you can see it 348 00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 1: on his face like how many how many times am 349 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 1: I going to singe the cup here? I mean he 350 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 1: really he really hit it well. So there was a 351 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 1: lot of you know, blue chip players, but they could 352 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:37,639 Speaker 1: never really make that run. It was like there would 353 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: be spurts, you know. Today on Sunday, Rory comes out 354 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,119 Speaker 1: in Birdi's three in a row early early in the 355 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:44,920 Speaker 1: front nine. It's like here we go, and then it's 356 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 1: just like they just flatlined the bars and Ron was 357 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:51,760 Speaker 1: never able to generate any momentum. Cam Young another one, 358 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 1: you know, playing in that in that final group with 359 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 1: his firepower and got all those kicking birdies on Saturday. 360 00:19:57,640 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 1: It felt like, all right, Cam Young, this is he 361 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 1: did it last year at St. Andrews's going to shoot 362 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 1: oother sixty four and make this interesting. But nobody could 363 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 1: ever close the gap of what was your takeaway from 364 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: the guys who didn't win this open, Well. 365 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 4: It's like it's you know, let's replace Brian Harmon, Sane 366 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:17,359 Speaker 4: Retarga Woods his name. Everybody you know wrote this, wrote 367 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 4: this game story sooner or later, the game story where 368 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 4: the winner was the guy from intersecond. So you know, 369 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:26,800 Speaker 4: if we think Brian Harmon now had a great, great 370 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 4: tournament and by the way, wonderfully eclected leader board of 371 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:36,679 Speaker 4: nationalities especially, but also playing styles and personality styles, you know, 372 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:40,640 Speaker 4: I think wherever golf is going, we're going to need 373 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:45,199 Speaker 4: these major championships, and major championships would be opened us 374 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 4: the best job of it. The others would likely do 375 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 4: a better job of its. Does a pretty job of it, really, 376 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:54,879 Speaker 4: gathering the best players in the world, ever you're going 377 00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 4: to try to define them from this is a critical 378 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 4: part all over the world to gather one place, and 379 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 4: golf is going to become more like tennis with the 380 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 4: four Grand Slam events. I don't even know what tennis does. 381 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:09,639 Speaker 4: The other fort they outing see here, I actually don't know. 382 00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:11,439 Speaker 4: I wouldn't even know. Weird to look. I don't have 383 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 4: a tennis channel. I don't follow. I don't care enough, 384 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:16,040 Speaker 4: but I do care about the majors. But we're good 385 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 4: or for bad. Golf is going to turn in that direction. 386 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:20,520 Speaker 4: So when you rattled off of you know, all those 387 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 4: names from and then the young man from India, pardon 388 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:27,880 Speaker 4: named mister Sharma. Were you familiar with mister Sharma before 389 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:30,920 Speaker 4: this week? You probably wear out you play. 390 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:33,639 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, it's actually one of my It's one of 391 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:38,560 Speaker 1: my great regrets. Is I think it's either seventeen or eighteen. 392 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:40,879 Speaker 1: He had a terrific year, one of a couple of 393 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:46,679 Speaker 1: big time tournaments around the world, contended at some wgc's, 394 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 1: and you know, he was really young at that point, 395 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 1: and I was I wanted to go do a story 396 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:54,879 Speaker 1: in India because his dad's a colonel in the military, 397 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 1: and India is a place I've always been fascinated with 398 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 1: that I haven't gotten there yet, and I would really 399 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:03,120 Speaker 1: far down the road I had, I'd gotten my visa, 400 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 1: I had booked a hotel, and I was dealing with 401 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: the family and then our bosses at Golf magazine. You know, 402 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:14,920 Speaker 1: it's not inexpensive trip. They kind of delayed it, and 403 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 1: it was like, well, let's see if this kid has 404 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:18,919 Speaker 1: another good year and then we'll definitely do it. But 405 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 1: it's the opposite, like there's so many times you got 406 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 1: to get the guys while they're hot because you never 407 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 1: know what nothing's given, and he hasn't really been a 408 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:28,200 Speaker 1: factor since then. It was just like after after Louis 409 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:30,680 Speaker 1: resize and won the Masters, we're not doing with the 410 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 1: Master won the Open. I wanted to go down to 411 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,440 Speaker 1: his farm in South Africa right around on tractors with him, 412 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:38,119 Speaker 1: and his agent said, oh, we love it, but you 413 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:40,440 Speaker 1: know he's has so many demands. Can we do it later? 414 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:42,679 Speaker 1: I said, there is no later, Like he's he just 415 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 1: won the Open. You know, this is the moment. And 416 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 1: the next year this was like in you know, January February, 417 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 1: I said, someone's gonna win the Masters, and someone's gonna 418 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 1: win all these terms. They'm going to forget about Louis. 419 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 1: It's like now or never. It's like, no, he's have 420 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 1: you seen his golf switing, He'll be around forever. And 421 00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 1: I'm like, well, I'm just telling you I've done this before. 422 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 1: Like there's there's a moment when when a guy is 423 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 1: ascendant and there's all this energy and their story hasn't 424 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:06,440 Speaker 1: been told over and over. That's when he got half 425 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: to go do the big features. And in Louis case, 426 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:12,239 Speaker 1: they didn't say yes. The Charmers are delightful people. They 427 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 1: were happy for me to come, but the trip got 428 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 1: deferred for for expense reasons and it's never happened. So yeah, 429 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 1: I've always been interested in him. You know, comes from 430 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:26,520 Speaker 1: this town in the north of India. I believe that 431 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:30,760 Speaker 1: it's supposed to be incredibly beautiful, and you know, his 432 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:32,920 Speaker 1: his dad is out there walking and it just seems 433 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:35,240 Speaker 1: like a neat story. And I did a big piece 434 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:38,360 Speaker 1: on Jeev milk is Seeing, who's kind of the patriarch 435 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 1: of Indian golf. And you know he's been he's been 436 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 1: Shoe Baker's mentor and and he's a wonderful guy too. 437 00:23:45,119 --> 00:23:48,439 Speaker 1: So yeah, uh, that's the one that's if you make 438 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:50,159 Speaker 1: a list of stories that got away Like that's when 439 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:52,480 Speaker 1: I always wish I could have done. It's never too late, 440 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 1: but he definitely has fallen off. But hopefully he'll this 441 00:23:57,040 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: is the beginning of you know, he'll become a scendant 442 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 1: and then they'll be another reason to make that trip 443 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:01,639 Speaker 1: over India. 444 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 4: And everything you say reminds me of Jim Harry, our editor, 445 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 4: Jim Harry Sports. Those used to say, write it or 446 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:13,200 Speaker 4: read it. You gotta write it, You got to write 447 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:15,440 Speaker 4: it while you can't. It's funny when you made that 448 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:21,159 Speaker 4: miscue about who's's tyson and his masters wins. I have 449 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 4: the same thing with Nick Price. In my mind, Nick 450 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,000 Speaker 4: Brice is one of the masters. It just seems like 451 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:27,960 Speaker 4: he has I can see him at the dinner. Of 452 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:29,800 Speaker 4: course he's not at the dinner. I can see him 453 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:32,440 Speaker 4: walking around with the coat. Of course that has never happened, 454 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:35,040 Speaker 4: and he was the same. I see him at the 455 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:39,959 Speaker 4: dinner and I see him walking around with the coat. Well, 456 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 4: it's funny. Yeah, you gotta write it. You got to 457 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:42,679 Speaker 4: write it while while you can. 458 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 1: And Nick Price does have a piece of the course 459 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 1: record Augusta National the sixty three. I mean he had 460 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:51,760 Speaker 1: a few chances. But we don't have to go through 461 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:53,840 Speaker 1: all the people who didn't win this Open. But let's 462 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 1: just tip our cap in the direction Roy McElroy, who's 463 00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 1: playing at an incredibly high level and he's going to 464 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: have another top ten in the majors. He's you know, 465 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:06,280 Speaker 1: he finished the top ten in all four in twenty 466 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 1: twenty two. He's gonna have three this year. He's he's there. 467 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 1: I mean, he's one or two shots a day away 468 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 1: from from an epic run. But he's just not he's 469 00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 1: not getting it done. What is your analysis of Rory 470 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:19,160 Speaker 1: this week? 471 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:22,520 Speaker 4: Well, with respect, I wouldn't say one or two shots today. 472 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:26,119 Speaker 4: I would say one or two shots on Sunday. You 473 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 4: know that that shot you need on the front side 474 00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 4: to really be there, and then that shot you need 475 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:36,159 Speaker 4: on the back nine, especially fourteenth to the house. You 476 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:38,560 Speaker 4: know Tiger didn't really have. If you look at Tiger's fifteen, 477 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 4: makers seemed to have that many close ones, but he 478 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:43,000 Speaker 4: had a number of them. He had both those things. 479 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:44,920 Speaker 4: He had that shot in the front. He was often 480 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:47,840 Speaker 4: playing in the last group, not always always, but often was. 481 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 4: You know, so that tells you not golf skill We've 482 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:54,720 Speaker 4: talked about this before, but it probably does bear repeating. 483 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:58,480 Speaker 4: Not about golf skill, it's about, you know, the missing gear. 484 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,479 Speaker 4: It's just it's it's going to get harder, not easier. 485 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 4: It just will. I feel for him, but I think 486 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:11,000 Speaker 4: he had, But I don't feel for him like I 487 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 4: feel like I feel for Tiger where he is in 488 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 4: his life right now, because I think Rory from what 489 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:20,760 Speaker 4: do we know? We don't know anything, but by appearances, 490 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:24,600 Speaker 4: by his relationship with his parents and his wife, his child, 491 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:29,959 Speaker 4: seems daddy, you know, friends place in the game, seems 492 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:33,960 Speaker 4: like he has a very contented life. Of course, there's 493 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:37,200 Speaker 4: always hunger for more than any world class athlete or 494 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:41,680 Speaker 4: any world class anybody. So I don't think it's deep, 495 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:45,159 Speaker 4: deep pain, but there is something missing. Is that? Is 496 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 4: that too Harshaw? No? 497 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 1: I mean I got into this minor dispute with a 498 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 1: literalist on Twitter. I mean Roy's last major was in 499 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 1: twenty fourteen. His next chance to win one is in 500 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:03,920 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four You can call it a decade since 501 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:05,880 Speaker 1: his last one, even though we can't see that officially 502 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 1: until next July. But the point is it is an 503 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:14,400 Speaker 1: astonishing amount of time and the contentedness you talk about. 504 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:17,919 Speaker 1: It's interesting because you know, he blew off the media 505 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 1: a lot this week, canceled his pre tournament press conference, 506 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 1: didn't speak after Saturday. You know, Saturday, he came out 507 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 1: and was absolutely flushing. The ball could have burdied like 508 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 1: the first five holes, picked off a couple, but you 509 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:35,239 Speaker 1: know it was I saw a stat between Sunday at 510 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:39,360 Speaker 1: the Old Course and Saturday at Hoylake. Rory hit thirty 511 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:43,720 Speaker 1: three out of thirty six greens, almost perfect ball striking, 512 00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 1: and had five birdies. In other words, he had twenty 513 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 1: eight birdy puts. It didn't go in like across two rounds, 514 00:27:52,320 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 1: like that will that will corrode your will to live 515 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:58,159 Speaker 1: when you're hitting it that good, and you know he was. 516 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:01,359 Speaker 1: These were not forty footers. He was missed in ten, eleven, twelve, 517 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:03,520 Speaker 1: fifteen footers like the rains that you got to make 518 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:05,600 Speaker 1: if you want to win one of these things. And 519 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 1: I don't think Rory's a bad putter, but it just 520 00:28:08,359 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 1: seems like he's lost the ability to make them when 521 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:15,360 Speaker 1: he needs them, when it matters most. And that's a differentiator. 522 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:18,080 Speaker 1: I mean, when Brian Harmon is having an all time 523 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 1: putting performance this week, and I was looking at his 524 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:23,400 Speaker 1: strokes gains from t to green. It's good, but it's 525 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 1: on the green where it's been phenomenal. And that's just 526 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:28,720 Speaker 1: often what it takes. You're playing against one hundred and 527 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:31,399 Speaker 1: fifty five other great players, especially on greens like this 528 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:33,800 Speaker 1: that are a little slower and little little flatter, and 529 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,160 Speaker 1: you can put aggressively, like you got to make the putts, 530 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 1: and Rory's just not doing that. 531 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:40,720 Speaker 4: Yeah, you got to make the putts. You got to 532 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:43,920 Speaker 4: find a way to get it done. I would say 533 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:47,600 Speaker 4: the Old Course last summer, what happened there that will 534 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 4: fall him around for the rest of his life as 535 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:51,960 Speaker 4: it follows around Tom Watson and others who had the 536 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 4: chance had it right there. I mean Watson didn't really 537 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:57,760 Speaker 4: have it right there in his hands, but it was 538 00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:00,959 Speaker 4: his to maybe win when you stood in that muh 539 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:07,840 Speaker 4: when Seve won, and Rory the same. He loves this 540 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:11,280 Speaker 4: game deeply, and anybody loves his game. Loves the open 541 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 4: and loves the open, loves the open at the Old Course. 542 00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 4: There's nothing greater than it. There's actually nothing greater than 543 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:19,480 Speaker 4: any professional golf than the Open at the Old Course. 544 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:22,080 Speaker 4: We had a fantastic week there a here ago that 545 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 4: was right there for now, you know, hats off to 546 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 4: cam Smith. What he did was spent on home. But 547 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:31,360 Speaker 4: still Rory had the chance, could have gotten it done. 548 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:33,920 Speaker 4: Didn't get it done, and that's good, just like Jordan Steed, 549 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 4: you know, hidden in the getting in the in the 550 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:40,760 Speaker 4: lake on the on twelve of augusta National quotes the Greek. 551 00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 4: You know, it's a moment in time where you had 552 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:49,040 Speaker 4: the chance and it's coming on now with Jordan SPIE's benefit. 553 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:53,000 Speaker 4: Of course he's got the coat forever. Uh. But let's 554 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 4: talk about you know, when you say it'll be a 555 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 4: year come next July, well that presumes you won't win 556 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 4: next year's Masters. I know everybody who cares about golf 557 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:06,480 Speaker 4: and like sorry, would love to see him win a 558 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:12,600 Speaker 4: Master's and complete the Great Grand Slam. But this whole 559 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:16,880 Speaker 4: of twenty twenty three, going back to July twenty twenty 560 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:20,800 Speaker 4: two and then eight years before that, it's going to 561 00:30:20,880 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 4: make winning the Masters even harder, even though in theory 562 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:27,960 Speaker 4: the Masters is the easiest one to win. Now you 563 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:32,440 Speaker 4: might talk about technical problems. As you've said, he's looked 564 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:34,560 Speaker 4: like a great, great better at times in his career. 565 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:39,640 Speaker 4: I guess maybe he hasn't been, but he's going to 566 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:43,200 Speaker 4: have two things going on in augusta very very difficult 567 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:46,080 Speaker 4: butts to greens to butt and read on Sunday especially, 568 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:51,120 Speaker 4: and then they get a dumb factor who knows where 569 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:54,280 Speaker 4: his career will go here on some level, he has 570 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 4: to feel it's kind of weird to say talking about 571 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:00,120 Speaker 4: a multi multi millionaire who seems to have it all 572 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:03,240 Speaker 4: and on some level that I wouldn't even know how 573 00:31:03,280 --> 00:31:07,760 Speaker 4: to articulate, there must be a deep, deep hurt inside 574 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:10,560 Speaker 4: him for the role that he's played for two years 575 00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:15,160 Speaker 4: now and defending the PJ Tour amid the rise of 576 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:18,000 Speaker 4: live golf now on you if you've reported that full 577 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 4: story more than anybody, what would be your insight into 578 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 4: what kind of and I know you'd have to root 579 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:25,560 Speaker 4: in tea leaves to some degrees or he hasn't talked 580 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:28,480 Speaker 4: about it that much, but just use this phrase sacrificial lamb. 581 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:32,560 Speaker 4: What's what's your reading into that phrase? And where his 582 00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:34,560 Speaker 4: head might be as a result, not just his head, 583 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:36,360 Speaker 4: but where's golf might be as a result. 584 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:41,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think Rory is going to exhale you know 585 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:45,160 Speaker 1: as he steps off a golf course today and be like, 586 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 1: this was probably the hardest year I've ever had in golf. 587 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 1: That you know, you could feel his energy at the 588 00:31:53,960 --> 00:32:00,400 Speaker 1: US Open and here like just the betrayal, the shock, 589 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:05,000 Speaker 1: the anger, the hurt of the way that he was 590 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:08,720 Speaker 1: basically used by Jaymon Hahn and his friend, his friend 591 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:12,320 Speaker 1: Jimmy Dunn and and these other cold blooded you know, 592 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:15,800 Speaker 1: boardroom warriors. I mean, Rory's an idealist and he thought 593 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:18,680 Speaker 1: he was fighting for something larger than himself and you're 594 00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:20,800 Speaker 1: bringing the money guys like a dun and a hurl 595 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 1: he and these other guys, and they see it in 596 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:27,640 Speaker 1: much more cold blooded fashion, and it's one of the 597 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:31,360 Speaker 1: all time you know, pulling the rug out from from 598 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:34,840 Speaker 1: somebody like And I don't. I still think it's he's 599 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 1: trying to find his equilibrium. And I think it showed 600 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 1: both at the open end here where his his golf 601 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 1: is so good. He can even with a broken heart 602 00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:48,680 Speaker 1: and a and a little subdued energy and a low 603 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:51,040 Speaker 1: grade anger, he can still go out there and contend. 604 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:54,880 Speaker 1: But you need a clear mind to win these things, 605 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:58,640 Speaker 1: and you need a you need to you need a 606 00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:02,640 Speaker 1: focus that is unwavering and I haven't seen that from 607 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:09,920 Speaker 1: Rory whatsoever, and so it's it's interesting he now has 608 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 1: nine months to recharge for a gust. I would love 609 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:17,959 Speaker 1: for him to be selfish and just wd from some 610 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:20,480 Speaker 1: of these events. You know, he's he goes hard around 611 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:22,320 Speaker 1: the FedEx Cup, then he goes over and plays a 612 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:24,440 Speaker 1: bunch in Europe because he's trying to support that tour. 613 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:28,600 Speaker 1: And I you know, we saw it this weekend, blowing 614 00:33:28,640 --> 00:33:31,320 Speaker 1: off the press like it's sad because Rory's always been 615 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:34,320 Speaker 1: so open and the reason why golf fans and golf riders, 616 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:36,000 Speaker 1: everybody loves him so much is he lets you in. 617 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 1: He's not like Tiger. He's very honest. He's very open. 618 00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:42,840 Speaker 1: He's very raw and real. But maybe this is the 619 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 1: beginning and that sued him well as an ambassador and 620 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:51,000 Speaker 1: has made him a beloved figure. But it's also all 621 00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:53,920 Speaker 1: the talking he's done is not backed up by you know, 622 00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:57,600 Speaker 1: the trophy case, right, So maybe maybe there'll be this 623 00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:01,080 Speaker 1: shift for Rory's gonna just be like, Okay, these guys 624 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:03,320 Speaker 1: didn't support me, I'm going to support them a little less. 625 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:05,680 Speaker 1: And I'd like to see him reduce a schedule I 626 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:09,560 Speaker 1: see him do less corporate work and just recharge more 627 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:14,800 Speaker 1: and downsize his golfing life and make it like Jack 628 00:34:14,840 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 1: and Tiger did, where it's all about the majors and 629 00:34:18,920 --> 00:34:22,480 Speaker 1: you know all the revenue streams Rory has from, you know, 630 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:26,320 Speaker 1: the Whoop deal where he got equity and golf pass 631 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:29,560 Speaker 1: and I mean just the money you can make on 632 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:32,520 Speaker 1: the golf course. Now, like why go chase the race 633 00:34:32,520 --> 00:34:35,080 Speaker 1: to Dubai? Who cares? It's not gonna change his life. 634 00:34:35,640 --> 00:34:37,640 Speaker 1: I mean, I presume he's got one hundred millions dollars 635 00:34:37,640 --> 00:34:39,600 Speaker 1: in the bank, what's another ten or twelve? Who cares? 636 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 1: And it consolidate his efforts around the term as that 637 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:46,400 Speaker 1: really matter and maybe not be stretched so thin. So 638 00:34:47,200 --> 00:34:49,400 Speaker 1: the fact that he's a little churlish with the press, 639 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:52,439 Speaker 1: it's not helpful for guys like us, but it might 640 00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:55,880 Speaker 1: indicate that he's kind of building this cocoon around himself 641 00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:56,560 Speaker 1: and maybe that's. 642 00:34:56,400 --> 00:34:57,000 Speaker 4: What he needs. 643 00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:01,440 Speaker 1: And if it means that these next ten years Rory 644 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:06,319 Speaker 1: can can you know, achieve what he's capable of, then 645 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:08,480 Speaker 1: it's I think it's a good trade because we all 646 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:10,120 Speaker 1: want to see him in full flight and we want 647 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:15,040 Speaker 1: to see him realize this awesome potential, and like you know, 648 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:17,759 Speaker 1: Tiger realized, the golf is enough. That's all I have 649 00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:20,040 Speaker 1: to give is the golf. I don't have to really 650 00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:23,280 Speaker 1: do any one on one interviews. I'll do the bare minimum. 651 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 1: I will talk after every round. I won't say anything. 652 00:35:26,680 --> 00:35:28,799 Speaker 1: I will show up, but I won't reveal the you know, 653 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:34,160 Speaker 1: the well guarded fortress of my inner self. And I'll 654 00:35:34,239 --> 00:35:37,160 Speaker 1: just do the required and I won't give you one 655 00:35:37,200 --> 00:35:41,480 Speaker 1: more inch than that. But the transcendent golf was enough. 656 00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:44,399 Speaker 1: That was his gift and to the rest of us, 657 00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:47,000 Speaker 1: and I I wouldn't be mad if Rory went down 658 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:49,400 Speaker 1: that same road. Just give us the golf, you know, 659 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:52,960 Speaker 1: and because he's given so much of himself already, but 660 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,360 Speaker 1: we'll see it. He may, he may, he may sleep 661 00:35:57,400 --> 00:35:57,959 Speaker 1: this one off. 662 00:35:58,000 --> 00:35:59,120 Speaker 4: And uh. 663 00:35:59,760 --> 00:36:03,759 Speaker 1: The the converse to that is that you have to 664 00:36:03,760 --> 00:36:06,000 Speaker 1: be who you are. And he's a naturally open, kind 665 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:07,839 Speaker 1: of gregarious guy. So if he tries to be Nick 666 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:09,920 Speaker 1: Faldough or he tries to be Ben Hogan, he tries 667 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:11,920 Speaker 1: me talk, it might not work. It might it might 668 00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:16,000 Speaker 1: hurt him, you know, So I don't know. At this point. 669 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:18,240 Speaker 1: All we can do is psychoanalyze Rory from the couch 670 00:36:18,360 --> 00:36:20,839 Speaker 1: because he's so freaking good at golf, but he can't 671 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:23,520 Speaker 1: win the tournaments that matter the most. It's all that 672 00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:25,440 Speaker 1: we're left is to try and figure this out. 673 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:32,160 Speaker 4: That was almost overlyly like in its ability to uh. 674 00:36:33,080 --> 00:36:35,719 Speaker 4: You could take what you just said, transcribe it and 675 00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:39,560 Speaker 4: put it in and publish it. There's only one significant 676 00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:41,600 Speaker 4: area where I would disagree. You say, you know, have 677 00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:44,520 Speaker 4: him focus on the majors. I think to me it's 678 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:47,040 Speaker 4: obviously he's too focused on the majors. He can win 679 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:50,320 Speaker 4: tournaments that are not majors, so why can he win majors? 680 00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:53,600 Speaker 4: People generally win majors at the exact same case it 681 00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:58,920 Speaker 4: wally win when non majors. So clearly to me, it 682 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:01,759 Speaker 4: seems obvious to me that he's putting a sort of 683 00:37:01,920 --> 00:37:05,719 Speaker 4: quote pressure on himself. There's an internal tension when it 684 00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:08,920 Speaker 4: comes to playing, you know, the for majors, and especially 685 00:37:08,960 --> 00:37:11,400 Speaker 4: I would say the Masters, but even last year's I 686 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:13,920 Speaker 4: would say last year's open up the old courses very 687 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:16,880 Speaker 4: equivalent to to the Masters, because it's such a special 688 00:37:16,920 --> 00:37:22,879 Speaker 4: category onto itself. So I would think the mental trick 689 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:25,279 Speaker 4: for him and Tiger wouldn't relate to this. He can 690 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:27,000 Speaker 4: talk to Tiger Toll he's blue in the face, but 691 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:29,640 Speaker 4: Tiger would not be able to give advice on This 692 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:33,520 Speaker 4: is how to treat majors more like Bay Hills and 693 00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:38,160 Speaker 4: even players Championships. I think it's almost impossible to do, 694 00:37:38,239 --> 00:37:40,960 Speaker 4: but I think that would be would be Yes, reduced 695 00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:43,279 Speaker 4: the schedule, but figure out some kind of mental trick 696 00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:43,759 Speaker 4: to do that. 697 00:37:44,080 --> 00:37:49,839 Speaker 1: Easier said, Yeah, no, I actually agree with you. I mean, 698 00:37:50,040 --> 00:37:52,799 Speaker 1: just reduces all the clutter in his life. So he's 699 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:56,680 Speaker 1: just sort of more refreshed, and he's more he's more arrested, 700 00:37:57,160 --> 00:38:00,440 Speaker 1: and he's more golf hungry. But yeah, I would love 701 00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:03,960 Speaker 1: to see him at next year's Masters fly in Wednesday 702 00:38:03,960 --> 00:38:07,680 Speaker 1: at eight pm. Go to t Bones tie one on 703 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:10,520 Speaker 1: show up ten minutes for his Thursday tea time. Don't 704 00:38:10,560 --> 00:38:13,680 Speaker 1: hit a single ball or a single practice butt, and 705 00:38:13,719 --> 00:38:16,120 Speaker 1: just go out and free wheel it, like why not? 706 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:19,720 Speaker 1: He's tried everything else. I mean, because remember the Ryder 707 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:22,080 Speaker 1: Cup when he almost missed his tea time. He got 708 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:24,880 Speaker 1: the time zones wrong, and he rocked up and he 709 00:38:25,239 --> 00:38:27,200 Speaker 1: took a few practice swings and ate like a banana 710 00:38:27,239 --> 00:38:28,960 Speaker 1: and he went out and he thumped Keegan Bradley, who'd 711 00:38:28,960 --> 00:38:32,680 Speaker 1: been playing amazing golf like Rory McRoy, so good at golf. 712 00:38:32,719 --> 00:38:34,960 Speaker 1: He doesn't need all this bullshit. Just just just rock 713 00:38:35,040 --> 00:38:39,120 Speaker 1: up to the first tee hungover and see what happens. 714 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:41,719 Speaker 1: And by the way, that was the day he met 715 00:38:41,719 --> 00:38:44,560 Speaker 1: his future wife. Was was at that Ryder Cup. So she. 716 00:38:46,880 --> 00:38:49,239 Speaker 4: Organized the car that got him there or something like that. 717 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:53,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, exactly. So I don't know. Yeah, I agree 718 00:38:53,520 --> 00:38:59,000 Speaker 1: what you're saying, like switch up the preparation somehow, but. 719 00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:02,600 Speaker 4: Harder to do. But well said what is your insight 720 00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:06,080 Speaker 4: to vinih too? How j Monaghan's first week back at 721 00:39:06,160 --> 00:39:07,120 Speaker 4: work went. 722 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:15,000 Speaker 1: Well? Of course, no, no, and he didn't. It was 723 00:39:15,040 --> 00:39:16,880 Speaker 1: funny because he didn't show his face at all. I 724 00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:19,759 Speaker 1: mean it's probably so tan from just like laying it 725 00:39:19,880 --> 00:39:22,439 Speaker 1: on the beach and they're trying to Jay. He looked 726 00:39:22,520 --> 00:39:27,879 Speaker 1: too well rested. I mean Ernie El's he had some 727 00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:32,400 Speaker 1: great quotes welcome back Jay, like you know he he 728 00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:35,080 Speaker 1: basically said, in my ear, he would have been he 729 00:39:35,080 --> 00:39:36,680 Speaker 1: would have been fired. We would have stood for this, 730 00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:40,040 Speaker 1: and you know, Xander Schoffley and George Speed the Scottish 731 00:39:40,040 --> 00:39:41,960 Speaker 1: Open had some tough things to say. It was not 732 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:46,239 Speaker 1: a warm embrace for the Commissioner upon his return. So 733 00:39:48,800 --> 00:39:52,160 Speaker 1: it's it's fraught. I mean, well there's always some kind 734 00:39:52,160 --> 00:39:56,360 Speaker 1: of news bake. We'll see what's next. But yeah, I 735 00:39:56,400 --> 00:40:00,919 Speaker 1: think he's he's Wantahan's in a tough spot. I mean, 736 00:40:01,040 --> 00:40:03,360 Speaker 1: he's really he's got to he's got to repair his 737 00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:10,040 Speaker 1: relationships with the players, with the golf press, with the sponsors. 738 00:40:10,080 --> 00:40:12,840 Speaker 1: His title of ce you know, CEO of all of 739 00:40:12,920 --> 00:40:17,719 Speaker 1: golf is a little tenuous. Like you know, it's been 740 00:40:17,760 --> 00:40:20,080 Speaker 1: this joke who's going to last longer, Monahan or Norman? 741 00:40:20,239 --> 00:40:23,200 Speaker 1: All this stuff came out about Norman has been sacrificed 742 00:40:23,239 --> 00:40:26,319 Speaker 1: at the altar. But I don't think mon Han's on 743 00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:28,759 Speaker 1: firm footing either. So I would say they're pretty much 744 00:40:28,800 --> 00:40:33,200 Speaker 1: neck and neck from their their odds of survival. But 745 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:35,480 Speaker 1: before we go, let's let's talk a little bit more 746 00:40:35,520 --> 00:40:37,560 Speaker 1: about Brian Harram. We got to give this guy his due. 747 00:40:37,719 --> 00:40:42,080 Speaker 1: I mean, he's just in your reporting this week, have 748 00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:44,200 Speaker 1: you have you turned up in any nuggets you want 749 00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:46,759 Speaker 1: to spoil by sharing them on this podcast. 750 00:40:48,239 --> 00:40:51,440 Speaker 4: No, nothing that has really been out there. A little 751 00:40:51,440 --> 00:40:53,760 Speaker 4: bit for that, I do want to share this. Uh 752 00:40:54,120 --> 00:40:57,080 Speaker 4: Our our friend and colleague, Dylan's your Cheer wrote this 753 00:40:57,440 --> 00:40:59,319 Speaker 4: the other day. It came from a question that Dylan 754 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:04,239 Speaker 4: asked him. Brian Harmon said something that was spectacularly insightful 755 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:07,000 Speaker 4: that I've never really thought of before. A friend or 756 00:41:07,040 --> 00:41:09,640 Speaker 4: someone that he knows said to him, tell me, if 757 00:41:09,680 --> 00:41:11,439 Speaker 4: you know this, elem if it's made the rounds enough, 758 00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:15,840 Speaker 4: engage yourself in activities where you lose track of time. 759 00:41:16,280 --> 00:41:18,839 Speaker 4: You know that it was worded much more artfully than that. 760 00:41:20,080 --> 00:41:21,600 Speaker 4: Have you heard that ever in your life or did 761 00:41:21,600 --> 00:41:22,840 Speaker 4: you hear that from Harmon this week? 762 00:41:23,560 --> 00:41:26,000 Speaker 1: Yeah? I did see that quote that you're talking about, 763 00:41:26,000 --> 00:41:27,800 Speaker 1: and he said, that's what happens, and when he practices, 764 00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:29,840 Speaker 1: he just kind of loses track of time. And that's 765 00:41:29,880 --> 00:41:33,080 Speaker 1: always a good sign. You're thirty six years old and 766 00:41:33,120 --> 00:41:35,600 Speaker 1: you've you've made thirty million dollars and you've played in 767 00:41:36,320 --> 00:41:38,520 Speaker 1: three hundred plus tour events and you still have that 768 00:41:38,680 --> 00:41:40,879 Speaker 1: love for it. 769 00:41:40,880 --> 00:41:43,600 Speaker 4: It's great and you can apply it to anything. I 770 00:41:43,680 --> 00:41:46,200 Speaker 4: remember being at baseball games when I was really into baseball, 771 00:41:46,200 --> 00:41:49,120 Speaker 4: where you're of course, baseball is famously not about the 772 00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:51,960 Speaker 4: clock versus a little bit more now but you're just 773 00:41:52,040 --> 00:41:54,600 Speaker 4: so lost in the game, especially to pictures of pitching. 774 00:41:54,680 --> 00:41:59,399 Speaker 4: Well absolutely almost completely lose track of time. Of course 775 00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:01,600 Speaker 4: Los Vegas wants you to do that. They don't give 776 00:42:01,600 --> 00:42:03,880 Speaker 4: me any clocks in the casinos for that exact purpose. 777 00:42:04,960 --> 00:42:07,840 Speaker 4: As Christina and I are Christina and I, we go 778 00:42:07,880 --> 00:42:11,480 Speaker 4: to movies and movie theaters for that same thing. But 779 00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:14,200 Speaker 4: it's so hard to do now because that cell phone. 780 00:42:14,239 --> 00:42:15,759 Speaker 4: You don't know what's happening on the other end of 781 00:42:15,800 --> 00:42:18,120 Speaker 4: the cell phone. But you go into the dark space 782 00:42:18,200 --> 00:42:20,440 Speaker 4: and lose yourself in the movie, lose yourself in the 783 00:42:20,440 --> 00:42:22,840 Speaker 4: baseball game, and use yourself in the practice, lose yourself 784 00:42:22,880 --> 00:42:24,920 Speaker 4: in the round the golf. It was. It was a 785 00:42:25,040 --> 00:42:28,000 Speaker 4: beautiful insight that I never really thought of, and just 786 00:42:28,080 --> 00:42:31,160 Speaker 4: the way that he said it. So I think Brian 787 00:42:31,160 --> 00:42:33,520 Speaker 4: Harmon is a very bright person. I know people want 788 00:42:33,560 --> 00:42:35,480 Speaker 4: to mock the hunting and blah blah blah, I met 789 00:42:35,520 --> 00:42:38,920 Speaker 4: at all hunter. I don't really get it. I do 790 00:42:39,040 --> 00:42:42,799 Speaker 4: think if you hunt the way he says he hunts her, yes, 791 00:42:42,880 --> 00:42:46,040 Speaker 4: you're killing animals where you're going to eat them. You know, 792 00:42:46,080 --> 00:42:48,760 Speaker 4: I hate fish, So I'm not going to speak myself. 793 00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:54,520 Speaker 4: You can do it. You know this I can get 794 00:42:54,520 --> 00:42:56,680 Speaker 4: into it's too much of a thing, but I just 795 00:42:56,719 --> 00:43:00,120 Speaker 4: think that was a spectacular insight into his mind in 796 00:43:00,160 --> 00:43:02,560 Speaker 4: his life really, And you know, I'm always looking to 797 00:43:02,560 --> 00:43:04,680 Speaker 4: try to learn something new, and when he said that, 798 00:43:04,680 --> 00:43:05,520 Speaker 4: I learned something there. 799 00:43:06,520 --> 00:43:08,120 Speaker 1: The one last thing I wanted you to talk about, 800 00:43:08,160 --> 00:43:10,360 Speaker 1: Michael is you've written about this, but it's such a 801 00:43:10,360 --> 00:43:14,400 Speaker 1: great insight. Last Year's Open when there was a celebration 802 00:43:14,440 --> 00:43:17,600 Speaker 1: of champions and Lee Trevino was putting a show on 803 00:43:17,640 --> 00:43:19,720 Speaker 1: in the driver range for Tiger and Jack and others. 804 00:43:19,719 --> 00:43:22,160 Speaker 1: I know Harmon was there watching and you chatted him up. 805 00:43:22,840 --> 00:43:25,120 Speaker 1: What did you take from that conversation, because that's a 806 00:43:25,200 --> 00:43:26,400 Speaker 1: very soulful moment. 807 00:43:27,239 --> 00:43:30,560 Speaker 4: It was neat and it's interesting. So it's two things 808 00:43:30,560 --> 00:43:34,160 Speaker 4: at the same time, Lee Trevino and Brian Harmony hitting 809 00:43:34,239 --> 00:43:37,719 Speaker 4: balls side by side. You know, cours Harmon's left, Intrino's right, 810 00:43:37,760 --> 00:43:40,720 Speaker 4: and so Trina's looking right at him. Trino loves studying 811 00:43:40,719 --> 00:43:43,560 Speaker 4: golf slings and of course missus Lee Travine, and he's 812 00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:45,279 Speaker 4: a genius. He can pick up on a lot of 813 00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:48,720 Speaker 4: technical things. And he started talking about weird foot position 814 00:43:48,840 --> 00:43:51,400 Speaker 4: with Brian Harmon, so in that sense it was technical. Well, 815 00:43:51,400 --> 00:43:53,319 Speaker 4: when I talked for Harmon afterwards, I said, what did 816 00:43:53,320 --> 00:43:56,480 Speaker 4: you really get out of it? And he said, right there, 817 00:43:57,360 --> 00:44:00,799 Speaker 4: he said that it was it was really bad. There 818 00:44:01,040 --> 00:44:03,160 Speaker 4: was no track man in Travino's day, and you can 819 00:44:03,200 --> 00:44:04,719 Speaker 4: see how well he hits the ball today in his 820 00:44:04,840 --> 00:44:08,520 Speaker 4: early eighties. It's not about track man. It's about feeling 821 00:44:09,080 --> 00:44:11,400 Speaker 4: the golf swing. And he said, you know, I consider 822 00:44:11,440 --> 00:44:14,839 Speaker 4: myself a field player. Here's the ultimate field player, even 823 00:44:14,840 --> 00:44:17,759 Speaker 4: though tremendous technical understanding of the golf swing, and I 824 00:44:17,880 --> 00:44:21,359 Speaker 4: need to get away from the numbers and get more 825 00:44:21,520 --> 00:44:23,800 Speaker 4: devoted again to just sort of feeling the way about 826 00:44:23,840 --> 00:44:28,799 Speaker 4: the golf round the golf course, no golf course as 827 00:44:28,840 --> 00:44:31,480 Speaker 4: a group of golf courses, nothing like Link's golf, to 828 00:44:31,560 --> 00:44:34,320 Speaker 4: get your away from track man and just lay the 829 00:44:34,400 --> 00:44:37,520 Speaker 4: shot in front of you with all the tricks that 830 00:44:37,600 --> 00:44:42,440 Speaker 4: your disculsion, including reading wayne reading balance, reading your emotions 831 00:44:42,480 --> 00:44:46,640 Speaker 4: and everything else. So yeah, I have to think I 832 00:44:46,680 --> 00:44:48,839 Speaker 4: would like to think that that moment Travino was helping 833 00:44:49,080 --> 00:44:51,239 Speaker 4: her do what he's doing right now. 834 00:44:52,080 --> 00:44:54,200 Speaker 1: Well, and now he will be linked with Lee Trevino 835 00:44:54,320 --> 00:44:56,400 Speaker 1: forever as a guy who's won the Open Championship and 836 00:44:57,440 --> 00:44:59,920 Speaker 1: Brian Harmon will be at the next celebration of champions 837 00:45:00,040 --> 00:45:03,640 Speaker 1: I mean, what a career upgrade, you know. For Yeah, 838 00:45:03,640 --> 00:45:06,279 Speaker 1: I saw a stat over the last two years he 839 00:45:06,360 --> 00:45:09,080 Speaker 1: had twenty something top tens. I mean, the guy's been 840 00:45:09,120 --> 00:45:11,160 Speaker 1: playing at a high level for a very long time, 841 00:45:11,320 --> 00:45:14,080 Speaker 1: so in that regard, it's not a fluke. It is 842 00:45:14,160 --> 00:45:17,920 Speaker 1: a surprise, but he clearly has the game and he's 843 00:45:17,960 --> 00:45:20,960 Speaker 1: going to be one hell of a wrter copper. I mean, 844 00:45:21,480 --> 00:45:24,319 Speaker 1: to play against someone who hardly misses a shot, makes 845 00:45:24,360 --> 00:45:27,239 Speaker 1: every putt and it just has that grind. I mean, 846 00:45:27,280 --> 00:45:29,120 Speaker 1: that's the that's archetype of the dude you don't want 847 00:45:29,120 --> 00:45:30,600 Speaker 1: to play against in match play. 848 00:45:32,280 --> 00:45:34,640 Speaker 4: He's the first cousin of Justin Leonard and no one 849 00:45:34,680 --> 00:45:41,359 Speaker 4: looks at Justin Lennon was not a dominant player because 850 00:45:41,400 --> 00:45:42,800 Speaker 4: he didn't have the length to be dominant, but he 851 00:45:42,880 --> 00:45:45,040 Speaker 4: had all the tools and he had to hit. And 852 00:45:45,400 --> 00:45:47,520 Speaker 4: you never really hear much of Justin Er anymore. This 853 00:45:47,640 --> 00:45:49,000 Speaker 4: guy's out of that same tuition. 854 00:45:49,239 --> 00:45:51,880 Speaker 1: That's well said. All right, well, Michael, it's been a 855 00:45:51,920 --> 00:45:55,200 Speaker 1: pleasure reading It's been a pleasure reading all your stuff 856 00:45:55,239 --> 00:45:57,960 Speaker 1: this week. Thanks for taking the time to pod, we'll 857 00:45:58,000 --> 00:46:00,640 Speaker 1: have an off camera conversation about the Twilight golf you played, 858 00:46:00,640 --> 00:46:02,200 Speaker 1: because I don't want to hear about that as well. 859 00:46:02,520 --> 00:46:09,000 Speaker 1: And anyways, start typing and thank you, thank you for 860 00:46:09,080 --> 00:46:12,760 Speaker 1: doing this. That was another fire Drill podcast for Michael 861 00:46:12,800 --> 00:46:16,040 Speaker 1: Bamberger from Highlake. This is Alan chip Nick. I'll be 862 00:46:16,120 --> 00:46:18,680 Speaker 1: back in your year at some point soon. And that's 863 00:46:18,680 --> 00:46:21,320 Speaker 1: the end of this podcast. Thanks for listening. As my 864 00:46:21,400 --> 00:46:26,879 Speaker 1: producer always likes me to say, that's the end. I'm 865 00:46:26,960 --> 00:46:28,040 Speaker 1: Ben big again. 866 00:46:28,120 --> 00:46:32,360 Speaker 3: I played the wind, made a fortune. When my ship 867 00:46:32,480 --> 00:46:36,279 Speaker 3: came in, I ran the table and never thought I 868 00:46:36,360 --> 00:46:38,080 Speaker 3: could fall down the wind. 869 00:46:38,120 --> 00:46:40,880 Speaker 4: It hit me like a canon the ball. 870 00:46:42,920 --> 00:46:46,440 Speaker 1: And now I can't shake this losing the stream. 871 00:46:47,280 --> 00:46:52,480 Speaker 3: Every road I take is a dead end street. I 872 00:46:52,640 --> 00:46:57,200 Speaker 3: got thoughts in my head, can't give him. Try and 873 00:46:57,400 --> 00:47:00,600 Speaker 3: not the thing what I'm thinking about, A kind of 874 00:47:00,760 --> 00:47:01,919 Speaker 3: fants in my head. 875 00:47:02,480 --> 00:47:03,560 Speaker 4: I can get them out. 876 00:47:04,360 --> 00:47:07,360 Speaker 3: Trying not to think what I'm thinking about.