WEBVTT - Fire Drill 033: Godspeed, Tiger 0:00:04.040 --> 0:00:06.600 It is about that skill set. It's about the hands, 0:00:06.680 --> 0:00:10.399 it's about the putting, it's about the imagination. It's you know, 0:00:10.520 --> 0:00:13.560 we're going to see a wide variety of shots come Sunday, 0:00:13.640 --> 0:00:17.200 the last nine holes, it's going to be it's going 0:00:17.239 --> 0:00:26.360 to be an incredible display of of artistry. Put another 0:00:26.480 --> 0:00:40.080 log on the fire nobody hears given time. Hello, does 0:00:40.080 --> 0:00:43.320 Allie ship knuckle? Welcome back to another fire Drill podcast. 0:00:43.360 --> 0:00:46.320 I'm with Michael Bamberger Matt Janella. Behind us is the 0:00:46.320 --> 0:00:50.040 eighteenth hole of the Old Course. Is ninety five pm 0:00:50.080 --> 0:00:52.599 on Friday. They are still playing golf. We're gonna try 0:00:52.600 --> 0:00:54.040 to keep her voice stops so we don't interview us. 0:00:54.040 --> 0:00:56.760 One's putting stroke on the eighteenth hole. There's a lot 0:00:56.800 --> 0:00:59.960 going on here. Um, guys, one hell of a dig 0:01:00.040 --> 0:01:02.680 off we got. We got to start with Tiger because 0:01:03.120 --> 0:01:06.440 he was as great as camp Smith played and Rory 0:01:06.560 --> 0:01:09.399 and Victor Hovland and Dustin Johnson, I mean, big game 0:01:09.440 --> 0:01:11.399 hunters on the leaderboard. But this is the day that 0:01:11.440 --> 0:01:13.679 was all about Tiger. So, Michael, what were your thoughts 0:01:13.680 --> 0:01:17.560 about Matt floor Right here I met Matt. Matt, what 0:01:17.560 --> 0:01:20.680 do you think? No, we're not we're not starting with Tiger. 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:24.640 Where we are starting with is the first tea announcement 0:01:25.400 --> 0:01:29.839 that Michael so boldly predicted would be to the first 0:01:29.920 --> 0:01:38.200 tea Mark Calcavecchia, Guys, I woke up this morning specifically 0:01:38.319 --> 0:01:41.959 to play this audio and trickle this into this podcast. 0:01:42.520 --> 0:01:57.880 Jake played the tape. This is game number one, and 0:01:58.000 --> 0:02:02.040 that's why we're starting with Mark Kucaebecia. Do you understand 0:02:02.040 --> 0:02:06.480 they that's yes, you missed the whole. It's only mistake 0:02:06.480 --> 0:02:10.000 I've ever made my life. Yeah, I mean that's epic. 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:12.880 Like they started at six thirty five, here we are 0:02:13.120 --> 0:02:15.880 fifteen hours later, they were still playing golf. It's an 0:02:15.919 --> 0:02:20.400 incredible testament to the will to get this thing in 0:02:20.639 --> 0:02:22.720 off of one off the first two only, which you 0:02:22.720 --> 0:02:23.799 have to do. I mean, you can have a guys, 0:02:23.840 --> 0:02:25.720 finish on number nine out there that would just be wrong. 0:02:25.800 --> 0:02:29.880 But it's the old courses, unique with all the holes 0:02:29.880 --> 0:02:33.040 that cross each other and the loop like it just 0:02:33.800 --> 0:02:36.280 leads to slow play. But all right, we thank you 0:02:36.280 --> 0:02:38.960 for that, Matt. We appreciate your efforts. He gave up 0:02:39.000 --> 0:02:41.080 your sleep for the listeners. Man, if you woke up 0:02:41.120 --> 0:02:43.359 to Mark huckebec yet, what do you think missus Sheila 0:02:43.480 --> 0:02:46.160 Walker did, because she's only down the street here one 0:02:46.240 --> 0:02:49.680 hundred and fifty yards. If that well, I feel I 0:02:49.720 --> 0:02:51.880 feel like we're gonna get to Sheila Walker, because I 0:02:51.919 --> 0:02:55.840 did end up talking to the great Sheila Walker, the 0:02:55.880 --> 0:02:58.760 great great granddaughter of old Tom Morris, as she was 0:02:58.840 --> 0:03:01.960 peering out her window as Tiger was finishing up. So 0:03:02.000 --> 0:03:05.880 we will get to her because that happened. I was 0:03:05.919 --> 0:03:08.600 able to reconnect with Sheila as she's looking out her 0:03:08.600 --> 0:03:13.040 window as she's overlooking the Eighteenth Green after Tiger Woods finished, 0:03:13.200 --> 0:03:15.919 which was a big part of the story I'm writing, 0:03:15.919 --> 0:03:19.560 which I'll file and published Sunday morning, about all these 0:03:19.560 --> 0:03:21.880 connection points that are happening for me this week. But 0:03:23.120 --> 0:03:25.360 now I feel like we can actually talk about Tiger. 0:03:25.400 --> 0:03:28.400 And by the way, before we talk about Tiger, I 0:03:28.400 --> 0:03:31.880 feel like we should hear the fact that Tiger was 0:03:31.919 --> 0:03:37.760 announced to the first tea earlier today, and that to 0:03:37.880 --> 0:03:43.200 me is worth listening to. This is Tiger Woods, the 0:03:45.680 --> 0:03:58.840 Tiger Woods. That's awesome. You gotta love it. I do 0:03:58.920 --> 0:04:01.560 want to note, in the context of Sheila Walker, that 0:04:01.600 --> 0:04:04.280 Matt said he would actually leave his wife for Stila Walker, 0:04:04.320 --> 0:04:06.280 considering she's like eighty years old. It's a bold statement. 0:04:06.320 --> 0:04:09.880 And we all love Katie, but um, that's the affection 0:04:09.960 --> 0:04:14.440 we have for Sheila. But unless also the accent, the accent, 0:04:14.520 --> 0:04:16.840 but also the apartment on the eighteenth hold. I mean, 0:04:17.400 --> 0:04:20.320 it's it's tempting for us all. Now let's move on, Michael, 0:04:21.120 --> 0:04:26.400 Tiger access to the first team. Can't you get us 0:04:26.400 --> 0:04:29.440 off the course? Yeah? Well did you? I read this 0:04:29.480 --> 0:04:32.480 week that some family had sixteen times on the old 0:04:32.600 --> 0:04:36.159 course in perpetuity. They were granted that as as some swap. 0:04:36.440 --> 0:04:39.719 And in nineteen ninety two the RNA sixteen times every 0:04:39.760 --> 0:04:43.320 single day foursomes on the old course. The RNA bottom 0:04:43.320 --> 0:04:46.440 out for like a quarter million dollars or pounds just 0:04:46.480 --> 0:04:48.520 to get those times back. I don't I don't know 0:04:48.560 --> 0:04:50.200 the whole story, but I want to know it now. 0:04:50.320 --> 0:04:53.000 For like the sixth time, let's talk about Tiger Woods. Michael, 0:04:53.560 --> 0:04:56.159 we were, we were out there right by the eighteenth green. 0:04:56.240 --> 0:04:59.080 Matt was the eye in the sky from his perch 0:04:59.080 --> 0:05:03.159 heir at the Russi's Hotel. It was a big moment. 0:05:03.200 --> 0:05:06.160 It was a little melancholy, it was emotional. The floor 0:05:06.279 --> 0:05:09.560 is yours. You know, I didn't appreciate until today. I 0:05:09.680 --> 0:05:12.120 just actually kind of never focused on it that he 0:05:12.160 --> 0:05:15.640 played in the nineteen ninety five British Open as an amateur, 0:05:16.720 --> 0:05:18.400 and then later that summer, let me see, I had 0:05:18.440 --> 0:05:21.920 my timing right, he won the US Amateur on Really, 0:05:21.960 --> 0:05:23.599 you know, people like to say, oh, I've played links 0:05:23.600 --> 0:05:25.880 scurses in the United States, there are very very few. 0:05:26.080 --> 0:05:28.080 There's no true links scorses. But I would say the 0:05:28.080 --> 0:05:30.680 closest thing I've ever seen to a links scores nine 0:05:30.680 --> 0:05:32.720 States be Fisher's Island, which not many people have gotten 0:05:32.720 --> 0:05:36.800 to say, a Newport Country Club back when Tiger won there. 0:05:37.160 --> 0:05:39.599 And when I think about it, this like continuum, which 0:05:39.880 --> 0:05:41.279 kind of a word of the week, like old Tom 0:05:41.320 --> 0:05:43.760 Wurrise is a phrase of the week for you. But 0:05:43.880 --> 0:05:47.960 this continuum of Tiger really beginning his links Land golf 0:05:48.120 --> 0:05:51.160 here and then winning at Newport against Buddy Marucci in 0:05:51.200 --> 0:05:53.720 the US Amateur, and then carrying on and on and on, 0:05:53.760 --> 0:05:56.560 and to think that this is could be the end 0:05:56.600 --> 0:05:58.359 of the line, likely will be the end of the 0:05:58.360 --> 0:06:01.320 line of his British Open on the old course where 0:06:01.320 --> 0:06:05.000 he so proudly says it's my favorite course in the world. 0:06:05.160 --> 0:06:06.680 It's my favorite. I don't know if he says it's 0:06:06.680 --> 0:06:09.200 my favorite, my favorite course in the world. I think 0:06:09.200 --> 0:06:10.920 you'd have to be emotionally dead not to be not 0:06:10.960 --> 0:06:12.560 to be moved by that. And the fact, you know, 0:06:13.760 --> 0:06:16.000 he's a jocular person when he says, you know, well, 0:06:16.000 --> 0:06:18.200 I've got a locker at the old course, but like 0:06:19.520 --> 0:06:21.760 he meant it, it's a big deal. He's got a 0:06:21.800 --> 0:06:24.520 locker in the in the RNA Clubhouse, and you can 0:06:24.560 --> 0:06:25.960 tell that it means something to him. And I think, 0:06:27.120 --> 0:06:29.080 you know, I think it has been forties. He's finding 0:06:29.120 --> 0:06:31.719 out that this game, like Trevino is saying the other day, 0:06:32.120 --> 0:06:34.920 has made his life possible. And to say that it 0:06:35.040 --> 0:06:38.920 is really to say that the people who support this game, 0:06:39.000 --> 0:06:40.520 like the three of us, and like you know, the 0:06:40.520 --> 0:06:42.360 few hundred people are show out here at ten o'clock 0:06:42.400 --> 0:06:45.680 at night, they've made Tiger's life possible. I've gone on 0:06:45.680 --> 0:06:48.480 too long here, but there's a lot going on here 0:06:49.080 --> 0:06:51.320 in every level. Well, and you know, Tiger, who we 0:06:51.360 --> 0:06:53.920 all know, grew up on these very scruffy public courses, 0:06:53.920 --> 0:06:58.200 these military courses. The fortress that is the RNA Clubhouse. 0:06:58.200 --> 0:07:01.159 It's the ultimate inter sanctum more than anywhere else in 0:07:01.200 --> 0:07:03.680 the golfing world. And you know, he's talked very publicly 0:07:03.680 --> 0:07:05.400 about he wasn't welcome a lot of places because the 0:07:05.400 --> 0:07:08.040 color of his skin. And now he has a freaking locker, 0:07:08.400 --> 0:07:11.760 and you that's something that you can't buy, and it's 0:07:11.760 --> 0:07:14.320 it's pretty cool. I know I've said this several times already. 0:07:14.320 --> 0:07:16.440 But the flip side to that, Alan, it's his public 0:07:16.480 --> 0:07:19.800 golf course. And I think we're all, whether you really 0:07:19.800 --> 0:07:21.520 think about it or not, I think we can't help 0:07:21.560 --> 0:07:23.960 but be drawn to the fact. You know, we're all 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:27.520 we all have public golf in our background, especially these days, Matt. 0:07:28.200 --> 0:07:31.280 But yeah, you can't overlook the fact that's a municipal 0:07:31.280 --> 0:07:35.040 golf course. Yeah, Matt, You've been a part of Tiger's 0:07:35.080 --> 0:07:37.000 professional life in a lot of ways. As the photoed 0:07:37.120 --> 0:07:41.760 Sports Illustrated, I think your your professional lives are very intertwined. 0:07:41.800 --> 0:07:45.240 What did you feel watching Tiger come up eighteen? No, 0:07:45.360 --> 0:07:48.840 it was a complete circle of my life. I mean 0:07:48.880 --> 0:07:53.440 it's a complete circle of certainly my professional life. And 0:07:53.880 --> 0:07:55.440 you know I was saying to you guys my first 0:07:55.480 --> 0:07:58.200 week at Sports Illustrated in nineteen ninety six, as the 0:07:58.200 --> 0:08:00.840 photo eder was Tiger's first week as a pro in 0:08:00.960 --> 0:08:05.680 Milwaukee Open, and obviously, I you know, so for me 0:08:05.840 --> 0:08:10.280 to sort of start there and then be here to 0:08:10.400 --> 0:08:14.119 watch him walking, you know, hit that opening T shot, 0:08:14.160 --> 0:08:17.120 walk down the fairway, and then to watch him hit 0:08:17.160 --> 0:08:21.200 that eighteenth T shot and walk up this fairway and 0:08:21.560 --> 0:08:26.560 over the bridge and down the middle and uh, you know, 0:08:27.600 --> 0:08:32.040 to acknowledge the crowd tip his cap. This was you know, 0:08:33.240 --> 0:08:37.000 the the one little glitch in the whole system was 0:08:37.080 --> 0:08:42.320 that he missed that birdie putment. This was am We're 0:08:42.440 --> 0:08:44.840 just being shushed, I think by the marshals because someone's 0:08:44.840 --> 0:08:47.280 putting out on eighteen. So I mean, I think it 0:08:47.320 --> 0:08:50.480 was the y'alls down, Okay, okay, we're going. But no, 0:08:50.559 --> 0:08:52.960 I mean I think it was definitely, you know, to 0:08:52.960 --> 0:08:56.480 answer your questions, is emotional. Definitely was emotional. It's not 0:08:56.520 --> 0:08:59.440 to say that I cried or that I you know, 0:09:00.080 --> 0:09:01.880 I'm not even sure that I got twos. But I 0:09:01.920 --> 0:09:06.640 just think that this was this was a ceremonial moment 0:09:07.080 --> 0:09:11.600 in the in the career of somebody who again eighty 0:09:11.640 --> 0:09:13.800 two and fifteen, this is this is something we're never 0:09:13.880 --> 0:09:17.040 going to ever see again. This is I think I 0:09:17.280 --> 0:09:20.280 always made a point of cherishing the idea that we 0:09:20.280 --> 0:09:23.920 were seeing greatness as it relates to what happened on 0:09:23.960 --> 0:09:27.360 the golf course. There's also a little bit of sadness 0:09:27.440 --> 0:09:29.560 to me that we're saying goodbye to a guy at 0:09:29.600 --> 0:09:33.440 forty six. We mentioned this yesterday. There's definitely a sadness 0:09:33.480 --> 0:09:35.840 to the idea that I'm not sure that this is 0:09:35.840 --> 0:09:38.079 the last time he's at Saint Andrews and the last 0:09:38.080 --> 0:09:41.720 time that he says goodbye to this crowd, because as 0:09:41.960 --> 0:09:43.839 several people have pointed out to us as we're walking 0:09:43.880 --> 0:09:46.160 around town, Jack Nicholas is still saying goodbye. Like Jack 0:09:46.240 --> 0:09:48.760 Nicholas said goodbye, he said goodbye again. He just got 0:09:48.800 --> 0:09:51.640 the Keys day United said said goodbye again. We're going 0:09:51.720 --> 0:09:54.920 to see Tiger Woods at Saint Andrew's. More, this was 0:09:54.960 --> 0:09:57.280 the last time he teed it up with the idea 0:09:57.360 --> 0:10:01.120 that he could potentially win the golf turn. That to 0:10:01.200 --> 0:10:03.720 me is what's sad at the age of forty six, 0:10:03.840 --> 0:10:08.679 like he is so broken by his own doing in 0:10:08.760 --> 0:10:12.400 so many ways, in so many levels. That's to me 0:10:12.559 --> 0:10:16.000 is what's ultimately sad about this that this was you know, 0:10:16.240 --> 0:10:20.880 and again eighty two fifteen, even missing years a worth 0:10:20.920 --> 0:10:24.280 of time as a competitor because of his own doing. 0:10:24.320 --> 0:10:26.760 Ben Hogan threw himself in front of his wife to 0:10:26.800 --> 0:10:30.640 avoid an oncoming bust, Like that's not what Tiger has done. 0:10:31.000 --> 0:10:36.240 So there was sadness, there was you know, there was emotion, 0:10:37.040 --> 0:10:40.520 but it's it's different. It's just different. It's I'm still processing, 0:10:40.559 --> 0:10:43.360 to be honest with you, well, to Michael's point, I'm 0:10:43.400 --> 0:10:47.360 slightly dead inside. But um, and I've never had great 0:10:47.400 --> 0:10:49.680 chemistry interpersonally with Tiger. You know, you can be so 0:10:49.800 --> 0:10:52.040 remote and when he was he was a golfed I 0:10:52.080 --> 0:10:53.760 just playing enter and we were SI we weren't on 0:10:53.800 --> 0:10:55.520 the team, and he kind of let us know that. 0:10:55.600 --> 0:10:58.200 And so I don't feel an emotional connection to him, 0:10:58.280 --> 0:11:00.360 even though I've loved writing about him and doubt he's 0:11:00.360 --> 0:11:02.760 made our writing lives way more exciting and interesting. But 0:11:03.400 --> 0:11:05.760 as I watched him coming up eighteen, I really felt it, 0:11:05.800 --> 0:11:07.800 like in my chest. It was it was a moment 0:11:08.000 --> 0:11:12.640 and um, the panorama of these glorious buildings and the 0:11:13.320 --> 0:11:16.080 just the these grandstands that go all the way to 0:11:16.120 --> 0:11:19.240 the sky, and I could hear a bagpiper out there 0:11:19.240 --> 0:11:23.120 on North Street and the shrieking gulls, and it was 0:11:23.200 --> 0:11:26.160 just very evocative. You know, Sheila Walker, Matt's crush hanging 0:11:26.160 --> 0:11:29.080 out of her window. Um, the tweety old gents on 0:11:29.120 --> 0:11:31.720 the on the balcony the RNA building. It was like 0:11:32.080 --> 0:11:34.960 all of Saint Andrew's came here to show Tiger off 0:11:35.160 --> 0:11:38.959 and to say a proper goodbye. And it was meaningful. 0:11:39.000 --> 0:11:41.520 He's he's given so much to the game and the 0:11:41.559 --> 0:11:44.760 game has taken so much from him, uh in certain ways. 0:11:44.760 --> 0:11:47.280 And um, I thought it was a special as happy 0:11:47.280 --> 0:11:51.280 out here. I was here for Jack Kubye um and um, 0:11:51.480 --> 0:11:53.560 you know that that was more celebratory. You know, he 0:11:53.600 --> 0:11:57.400 was hale and hardy and well into advanced age. And 0:11:57.440 --> 0:11:59.280 it was like it was the right time. As you 0:11:59.320 --> 0:12:01.760 guys said, it's too soon for Tiger, and we all 0:12:01.760 --> 0:12:04.800 feel that, but um, it was a moment, and I 0:12:04.800 --> 0:12:06.599 think we're all lucky to be here. And and I 0:12:06.640 --> 0:12:09.760 thought Tiger handled it with a great class. And the 0:12:09.760 --> 0:12:12.400 golfing gods never disappoint you know. Roy McElroy's walking down 0:12:12.440 --> 0:12:15.040 the first fairway. He's kind of the heir apparent to 0:12:15.120 --> 0:12:17.559 be the the voice of the game and the conscious 0:12:17.559 --> 0:12:19.440 of the game in a way that's maybe Tiger never 0:12:19.559 --> 0:12:21.880 was but um and for you know, I think that 0:12:21.920 --> 0:12:23.920 was what kind of broke something loose inside of Tiger 0:12:23.960 --> 0:12:26.079 was on Roy tipped his cap. That was cool, and 0:12:26.160 --> 0:12:28.440 right behind him was JT and Bones and they were 0:12:28.480 --> 0:12:30.559 making eye contact and it was there was a lot 0:12:30.559 --> 0:12:33.040 going on there, and it was it was special to 0:12:33.160 --> 0:12:36.840 be here, so special. I think, why don't we let 0:12:37.360 --> 0:12:41.400 the listeners actually hear what it was like to hear 0:12:41.520 --> 0:12:45.240 Tiger Woods come up the eighteenth fairway and all the 0:12:45.240 --> 0:13:51.760 way to the green. Jake rolled the tape. Shout out 0:13:51.800 --> 0:13:55.960 to Jake Wildowney, our ace producer back in the lab. Um, 0:13:56.000 --> 0:13:58.640 now we can we can move on from Tiger and 0:13:58.679 --> 0:14:02.000 we have one hell of a leaderboard here. You know, 0:14:02.080 --> 0:14:04.480 Cam Smith there was I was doing the math my head. 0:14:04.480 --> 0:14:06.000 Can you actually shoot fifty nine? I mean, if he 0:14:06.080 --> 0:14:09.040 birdied in you it maybe do something crazy on eighteen. 0:14:09.280 --> 0:14:11.600 But he played a phenomenal round to kind of take 0:14:11.640 --> 0:14:14.160 this tournament by the throat. But Rory went out really 0:14:14.240 --> 0:14:18.199 late today and he gave a great chase. Victor Hoblin's 0:14:18.280 --> 0:14:21.000 right there. Dustin Johnson kind of set the pace early. 0:14:21.080 --> 0:14:22.560 Let everyone know that this golf course was here for 0:14:22.600 --> 0:14:23.880 the taking. We should note that there was a lot 0:14:23.920 --> 0:14:26.560 of moisture overnight into the morning, and so the course 0:14:26.640 --> 0:14:29.960 definitely played slower and softer, and still it's still it's 0:14:29.960 --> 0:14:32.120 still a very firm and test, but it took a 0:14:32.120 --> 0:14:35.080 little fire and the wind never came today really, so 0:14:35.160 --> 0:14:37.760 it was it was the ideal scoring conditions. But what 0:14:37.840 --> 0:14:40.640 do you think of the way this leaderboard of shaping 0:14:40.680 --> 0:14:43.560 up hanging at the weekend? Michael, You know, it's interesting 0:14:43.560 --> 0:14:44.880 to hear your phrase to take it by the throat, 0:14:44.880 --> 0:14:46.720 because I don't have that feeling at all. I feel 0:14:46.720 --> 0:14:49.440 like a double bogey. Even though we haven't seen the blowups, 0:14:49.840 --> 0:14:52.960 we know they're coming only because they always do come 0:14:53.000 --> 0:14:56.040 in open championships. So you know, it's astounding that the 0:14:56.080 --> 0:14:59.080 guy's thirteen hundred through two rounds, but I think he's 0:14:59.120 --> 0:15:01.160 won double bow get from bringing a lot of people 0:15:01.200 --> 0:15:03.520 in and I think we'll have a crazily interesting weekend. 0:15:03.720 --> 0:15:05.880 And just one notice, as we're standing here, you know, 0:15:06.080 --> 0:15:08.360 in the in the in the dusk, like you can 0:15:08.400 --> 0:15:11.920 see how green this golf course got just with really 0:15:11.960 --> 0:15:14.800 another with just a little bit of rain. But at 0:15:14.800 --> 0:15:16.920 The point I'm trying to make is this golf course 0:15:17.120 --> 0:15:20.520 lives like very few places do, and like Augusta National 0:15:21.000 --> 0:15:23.480 is spectacular. We all live being in Augusta National, but 0:15:23.560 --> 0:15:26.880 august National so manufactured. Here's like it was brown yesterday, 0:15:27.000 --> 0:15:29.280 today it's green because we got a little bit of 0:15:29.280 --> 0:15:32.920 overnight rain. It's wild. Yeah, Matt, Matt, what do you 0:15:32.920 --> 0:15:35.920 think the way this weekend is shaping up? No, I 0:15:35.920 --> 0:15:38.120 mean this is all we could have ever asked for. 0:15:38.240 --> 0:15:41.480 Like I said, when the game I sort of tweeted 0:15:41.520 --> 0:15:44.000 that out earlier, is the week is like when the 0:15:44.040 --> 0:15:47.960 game really needed this kind of cleansing, this kind of 0:15:48.000 --> 0:15:53.120 soulful massage. You know. I was like, you can count 0:15:53.120 --> 0:15:58.480 on the old course and with the leaderboard, we've we've 0:15:58.640 --> 0:16:02.120 now you know, sort of said goodbye to Tiger. This 0:16:02.240 --> 0:16:05.560 clears the decks for for this battle. And it's it's 0:16:06.440 --> 0:16:09.880 there's this not a lot of people are gonna talk about, 0:16:09.880 --> 0:16:12.960 but there's there's kind of this battle for the for 0:16:13.000 --> 0:16:16.560 the soul of the game at stake. Like there's there's 0:16:16.600 --> 0:16:19.040 guys that are on the board that are live guys, 0:16:19.040 --> 0:16:20.640 and there as guys that are on the board that 0:16:20.680 --> 0:16:25.360 are very strictly you know, PGA Tour guys, and I mean, 0:16:25.560 --> 0:16:27.840 there's just seems to be so much more at stake. 0:16:27.920 --> 0:16:30.480 There's like, there's this one hundred and fiftieth playing of 0:16:30.520 --> 0:16:33.640 the Open Championship, and and I just I'm I just 0:16:34.040 --> 0:16:38.000 as a fan, as someone who loves to observe, you know, 0:16:38.320 --> 0:16:41.640 major moments. Certainly this is one of the most major 0:16:41.800 --> 0:16:44.600 majors that I've ever witnessed because of all that's going 0:16:44.640 --> 0:16:48.360 on here, I cannot wait to see how this unfolds. 0:16:49.280 --> 0:16:50.960 I disagree that people aren't going to talk about it 0:16:50.960 --> 0:16:55.200 because if you get Rory and Dustin on Sunday Live 0:16:55.360 --> 0:16:57.880 versus PGA Tour, I mean, really, these show horses reached 0:16:57.920 --> 0:17:02.120 circuit and no one dislikes Dustin. I don't think, Um 0:17:02.560 --> 0:17:04.400 I could say something snarky that might get a suit, 0:17:04.440 --> 0:17:08.440 I won't. Um. You know, Dustin's is a people's choice, 0:17:08.560 --> 0:17:11.600 but they're people will take sides, and of course Rory 0:17:12.160 --> 0:17:15.240 having you know, the quasi British background, and of course 0:17:15.840 --> 0:17:18.840 um being an Open champion like he will be the 0:17:18.840 --> 0:17:21.760 people's choice, but there will be a whole spiky element. 0:17:21.800 --> 0:17:23.600 You know. Greg Norman's gonna have a bunch of tweets 0:17:23.600 --> 0:17:26.399 in his draft folder waiting to see and Taylor couches 0:17:26.440 --> 0:17:28.879 on the board too. Um, we all shout out to 0:17:29.040 --> 0:17:32.359 Scottie Scheffler, who there is a great lineage between the 0:17:32.359 --> 0:17:35.359 Masters and the Old Course, a lot of repeat champions. 0:17:35.760 --> 0:17:38.840 And of course we all know that Bobby Jones took 0:17:38.840 --> 0:17:41.480 the design principles and the strategic values of the old 0:17:41.520 --> 0:17:43.000 Course and put him on a park land setting. And 0:17:43.000 --> 0:17:47.440 that was the genius of Augusta National. But um, yeah, 0:17:47.520 --> 0:17:54.119 it's it's definitely um oh, leaf blowers all right. Leaf 0:17:54.200 --> 0:17:58.520 Blower crisis is over one thing that Michael pointed out 0:17:58.520 --> 0:18:01.480 in our in our press room, bulls with Dustin. He's 0:18:01.520 --> 0:18:04.080 won on Oakmont, which is probably the ultimate US Open venue, 0:18:04.200 --> 0:18:06.640 He's won on Augusta National. If we were to win 0:18:06.680 --> 0:18:09.480 an Open on the Old Course, there's always been a 0:18:09.560 --> 0:18:11.439 sense that as much as Dustin has done, he's a 0:18:11.520 --> 0:18:14.880 slight underachiever. But if he gets this one, I mean 0:18:14.920 --> 0:18:18.200 that those are the crown jewels of golf, really and 0:18:18.880 --> 0:18:21.399 it would be also you could say a PJA Championship Valhalla, 0:18:21.520 --> 0:18:23.840 but that's it. Otherwise he's got them all, and um, 0:18:23.960 --> 0:18:25.960 that's a joke. People end up. But yeah, I mean, 0:18:26.520 --> 0:18:29.600 so there is it. I don't think Dustin is consumed 0:18:29.720 --> 0:18:32.919 by golf history per se, but he's very prideful. Like 0:18:32.960 --> 0:18:34.680 I mean, he told me one time he really wanted 0:18:34.680 --> 0:18:36.400 to win the freaking fed X Cup because it bother him. 0:18:36.400 --> 0:18:38.040 He's always second or third, and of course you want 0:18:38.080 --> 0:18:40.080 the money, but he's like, yeah, of course he wants 0:18:40.080 --> 0:18:42.080 some money. But it was also like there was an 0:18:42.080 --> 0:18:43.600 element there like I'm tired. I know I'm better than 0:18:43.640 --> 0:18:45.359 these guys and somehow they're finishing ahead of me, and 0:18:45.440 --> 0:18:47.320 that like bothered him. So I think there's a little 0:18:47.359 --> 0:18:50.399 more heat in there than that we would think. But 0:18:51.520 --> 0:18:54.520 what are the other potential storylines on the board that 0:18:54.520 --> 0:18:58.440 that gets you excited? Michael Well, I mean we you know, well, 0:18:59.000 --> 0:19:01.480 when you get beyond you got cam Smith one of 0:19:01.520 --> 0:19:06.119 the players, You've got Rory and of course Dustin Johnson 0:19:06.160 --> 0:19:08.280 representing their two tours. But just a quick side note 0:19:08.280 --> 0:19:12.280 on that. I don't think ordinary golf fans are going 0:19:12.320 --> 0:19:15.840 to see it as this live PGA Tour divide. I 0:19:15.880 --> 0:19:18.920 think one hundred and fifty year history of this thing, 0:19:19.000 --> 0:19:21.800 the thirtieth time being at the Old Course, I think 0:19:21.800 --> 0:19:24.200 that really carries the day, and I think people will 0:19:24.280 --> 0:19:27.680 just be so happy it's been such a harsh time 0:19:27.720 --> 0:19:29.840 in this world and just be able to sit back 0:19:29.880 --> 0:19:33.080 and spend the weekend watching, you know. And we've all 0:19:33.119 --> 0:19:35.640 had this experience being at home. You wake up early 0:19:35.640 --> 0:19:37.480 in the morning and there's the golf. They always say, oh, 0:19:37.520 --> 0:19:39.560 you're going to watch the golf. There's the golf on TV, 0:19:40.000 --> 0:19:42.280 and just let the whole thing unfold as it has 0:19:42.400 --> 0:19:45.960 here for for well literally centuries. I think that the 0:19:46.200 --> 0:19:48.439 I think they'll live PGA Tour Divide is not going 0:19:48.480 --> 0:19:50.399 to be a factor for the ordinary golf, and I 0:19:50.400 --> 0:19:51.960 don't think it'll be a factor for me either. I 0:19:51.960 --> 0:19:53.720 think I'm just really eager to see the shots and 0:19:53.760 --> 0:19:56.240 see how the course holds up to you in the 0:19:56.240 --> 0:19:59.080 modern game. I agree with that, but it is it 0:19:59.160 --> 0:20:01.720 is a funny sideline. Um some other names you mentioned, 0:20:01.760 --> 0:20:04.480 Adam Scott with a very sporty sixty five to get 0:20:04.560 --> 0:20:07.480 himself wild. I mean, he's been so quiet, but you know, 0:20:07.520 --> 0:20:09.200 I mean his stated goal is always to win the 0:20:09.240 --> 0:20:11.640 career Grand Slam. Like he that's the standard he set 0:20:11.640 --> 0:20:13.399 for himself and he's he's only a quarter of the 0:20:13.400 --> 0:20:16.760 way there. So um Patrick can't lay with a beautiful 0:20:16.800 --> 0:20:19.800 round to get himself in it. I mean Matt Fitzpatrick 0:20:19.920 --> 0:20:22.199 six under today and to get to surge up to 0:20:22.200 --> 0:20:24.880 a tie for twelfth. I mean, these are these are 0:20:24.920 --> 0:20:27.000 a lot of ballers. And it's so funny when you 0:20:27.000 --> 0:20:29.320 talk about the old course, like, oh, there's so many 0:20:29.400 --> 0:20:31.840 lucky bounces, it's so quirky, it's blind, it's the rub 0:20:31.880 --> 0:20:34.440 of the green, and yet it's the best freaking players 0:20:34.480 --> 0:20:37.480 on the leaderboard time after time. It's not luck. They 0:20:37.600 --> 0:20:40.120 deal the bad bounce better than the other guys. Maybe 0:20:40.160 --> 0:20:42.840 mentally they're stronger, but you can't have this many great 0:20:42.840 --> 0:20:44.920 players at the top and say there's any element other 0:20:44.960 --> 0:20:48.680 than just pure skill, imagination and shot making. Um, Matt, 0:20:48.680 --> 0:20:52.400 what do you think? Yeah? I mean that this this 0:20:52.640 --> 0:20:56.000 sort started saying this golf course will continue to identify 0:20:56.160 --> 0:21:00.560 like a champion in a way that is about that 0:21:00.680 --> 0:21:03.360 skill set. It's about the hands, it's about the putting, 0:21:03.400 --> 0:21:06.879 it's about the imagination. It's you know, we're going to 0:21:06.920 --> 0:21:09.840 see a wide variety of shots come Sunday. The last 0:21:09.920 --> 0:21:13.280 nine holes, it's going to be it's going to be 0:21:13.480 --> 0:21:19.440 an incredible display of of of artistry, so he thigala 0:21:19.520 --> 0:21:21.280 that we just that I keep bringing up, but like 0:21:21.640 --> 0:21:25.719 he's having so much fun. Like think about Jordan's Spieth 0:21:26.160 --> 0:21:28.600 in his prime or Rory McElroy in their prime, or 0:21:28.640 --> 0:21:31.520 Tiger Woods in their prime. The reason why they were 0:21:31.560 --> 0:21:34.080 in their primus because they were having fun playing the 0:21:34.119 --> 0:21:36.720 game of golf. And I think the person that goes 0:21:36.720 --> 0:21:40.719 out like Cam Smith, he's just an Like he's just 0:21:40.760 --> 0:21:44.000 an incredible putter. He's making putts from all over the place. 0:21:44.040 --> 0:21:47.000 He's a good ball striker. Obviously you don't when the 0:21:47.040 --> 0:21:50.280 players without doing that he's got, He's got all of it. 0:21:50.480 --> 0:21:52.800 So he's gonna be really hard to beat. Like you know, 0:21:53.359 --> 0:21:57.000 uh DJ's got a lot of raw ability, but like 0:21:57.440 --> 0:22:01.480 Cam seems to be so willing to make big puts 0:22:01.640 --> 0:22:04.199 or long puts and not even be surprised by it 0:22:04.240 --> 0:22:07.880 like he is, and you know, he he's just rolling 0:22:07.880 --> 0:22:11.200 the ball on the hole. So I as much as 0:22:11.240 --> 0:22:13.679 I would love to think that there's going to be 0:22:13.720 --> 0:22:16.119