1 00:00:01,480 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Son of a Butch podcast. As always, 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 1: I'm your host Claude Harmon. Just recently back from the 3 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:12,400 Speaker 1: PGA Championship at Aronomic, second major of the year, and 4 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:17,280 Speaker 1: Aaron Rye is a major champion. I don't think anybody 5 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 1: going into the week had him on their list of 6 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: players that were going to win. But what a performance 7 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: from a very very good player, a very very interesting player. 8 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: We're going to talk about how he does things and 9 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,920 Speaker 1: how he goes about playing the game of golf, because 10 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 1: I think what he did on Sunday is kind of 11 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:39,480 Speaker 1: keeping in some of the themes that we've been talking 12 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: about on the podcast about kind of sticking to strategy, 13 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: sticking to a game plan. The leader board was packed 14 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:50,240 Speaker 1: on Sunday with a lot of the big names Jon Rahm, 15 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: Scotti Scheffler, Rory McElroy, some of the superstars of the game, 16 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: but it was Aaron Raye who got it done on 17 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: Sunday in a very very interesting and unique way. So 18 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,039 Speaker 1: a fun week for me. Two guys in the field, 19 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: Dustin Johnson and Cam Smith, who I've just started doing 20 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 1: some work with in the last month, so want to 21 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 1: talk a little bit about that. But I like the 22 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 1: golf course. I thought the golf course was really good. 23 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 1: Setup was good, conditions were really I mean, there were 24 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 1: good conditions. The weather was cold Thursday and Friday, got 25 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: warmer on Saturday, much warmer on Sunday. The golf course 26 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: on Saturday played three shots easier than it did on Friday, 27 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: and so I think a lot of that was the weather. 28 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 1: Like I said, Thursday, it was cold, it was overcast, 29 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: a little bit of rain. Same on Friday. Everybody had, 30 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: you know, rain pants on, waterproofs, lots of layers, and 31 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: then Saturday, Sunday sweaters came off. Guys could free it 32 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: up a little bit more. I think the PGA. Listen, 33 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 1: a lot of people have been talking about how the 34 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: PGA has been struggling for an identity. A lot of 35 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: people think the PGA is kind of the weakest of 36 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 1: the four majors. There's been a lot of talk about 37 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: some of the courses. I think the PGA of America, 38 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: if I'm honest, I think they tried to go to 39 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 1: some golf courses maybe that aren't kind of the typical 40 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: major championship golf course. I really liked going back to 41 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 1: Aronomuk it's an old school Northeast golf course, heavy rough, 42 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: great old school design. I don't know if the PGA's 43 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 1: searching for an identity. Maybe it is with the fans, 44 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: It sure as hell isn't with the players. The players 45 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:33,239 Speaker 1: don't care. There's four Majors every year, and as a player, 46 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:35,119 Speaker 1: if you can win one, you don't care what golf 47 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: course it's on. You don't care how easy the golf 48 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: course is, you don't care what the setup was. Like. 49 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: The other thing Aaron Rai cares about right now is 50 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 1: he's a major champion. All of that is for the 51 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 1: talking heads to talk about, for the fans to talk about. 52 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: The players play the golf courses that they're presented, right 53 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: The organizers, the governing bodies, they pick the golf course 54 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: that the players are going to go to. So I 55 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: like the setup. I thought it was interesting that early 56 00:02:57,880 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 1: in the week there was a lot of talk and 57 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: I mentioned this, I think last or a couple of 58 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: weeks ago, the pot Thomas Dtree went up and played 59 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 1: some practice rounds and he said, listen, fairways are wide open. 60 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: There's you know, the rough is going to be thick, 61 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:14,239 Speaker 1: but he said, listen, there's going to be a lot 62 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: of wedges, and I think that's what a lot of 63 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: people thought in the practice rounds. I mean when you 64 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: got there, these were not really really tight fairways. There 65 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: was ample room. I mean the first fairway it was massive. 66 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 1: There was a lot of room. Did the golf ball 67 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:32,839 Speaker 1: so much so that on Tuesday ry McElroy was asked 68 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: about to set up. And this is a direct quote. 69 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: Strategy off the tee is pretty non existent. It's basically 70 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: bash driver down there and then figure it out from there. 71 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: When the traditional golf courses take a lot of the 72 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: trees out, it makes strategy not as much of concern 73 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 1: off the tee. So what has happened at Ironomic is 74 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: a lot of the trees. If you notice the aerial 75 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 1: footage that you would see from the blimp or from 76 00:03:57,760 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: the drones, a lot of the trees had been take 77 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: it out. So it was more kind of an open 78 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 1: set up, open meaning there weren't a lot of trees. 79 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: They took a lot of them out. So why is 80 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 1: that important? Well, the further off line you hit it normally, 81 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: when you're playing a tree line golf course, you're just 82 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: basically hitting it further into the trees, and what they've 83 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:20,839 Speaker 1: done is between the holes and the way the golf 84 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: courses routed, they took a lot of the trees out. 85 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: So there were some shots where players were hitting the 86 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:31,280 Speaker 1: golf ball off line. And I was doing TV last 87 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 1: week for Sky Sports in the UK and you would 88 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: see these shots and yeah, I mean the further off 89 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 1: line they got, they were going to be in an 90 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: area where the fans were walking and the grass was 91 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 1: going to be more trampled down than the rough just 92 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: off there. The rough last week at Aronomic was brutal. 93 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: The first cut. The balls were sinking straight down in 94 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:58,040 Speaker 1: you could hit a drive that was landing on the fairway. 95 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 1: A lot of the fairways that Aronomic were really really sloped, 96 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,479 Speaker 1: a lot of camber from right to left, left to right. 97 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 1: The best two examples of that were the fifteenth pole fifteen, 98 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: the long long par four almost five point fifty. I 99 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 1: think it was big, big slope from right to left, 100 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 1: so it was really tough to hold that fairway. The 101 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 1: sixteenth fairway the sixteenth pole, the fairway sloped significantly from 102 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: left to right. So you saw a lot of players 103 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 1: hit really really good shots, good drives off the tee 104 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 1: that took the bounce and then rolled into really really 105 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:36,799 Speaker 1: thick rough and hitting fairways. Eventually, even though Rory McElroy 106 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:40,360 Speaker 1: didn't think so, hitting fairways, especially on the weekend, became 107 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: a premium. It was hard to play out of the rough. 108 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 1: I think Rory on Sunday only hit maybe four fairways. 109 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:48,600 Speaker 1: Cam Smith, who had a chance to make a run 110 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 1: on the back nine, he got within one shot of 111 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 1: the lead on the back nine, I think he hit 112 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 1: three or four fairways still finish top ten. So I 113 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 1: thought it was interesting that a lot of the strategy 114 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:03,599 Speaker 1: and a lot of what people fought turned out to 115 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: be really really different, because if you look at that 116 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 1: leaderboard going into Sunday, there were not only big names, 117 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 1: but there were a lot of bombers. If you look 118 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,479 Speaker 1: at who was around the lead and who was going 119 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 1: to be in the last group. So John Rahm bombs 120 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:24,479 Speaker 1: it off the te Ludwig Goldberg bombs it off the tee. 121 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 1: Rory Xander, I mean we can keep going. Scotti Scheffler, 122 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: I mean these are not short hitters. Aaron Raye on 123 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:38,679 Speaker 1: the PGA Tour, I think he's one sixty in driving distance. 124 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 1: He doesn't hit it a long way off the tee, 125 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: so he has to do things. I think he averages 126 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 1: just under two ninety when I looked at the PGA 127 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: Tour stats, So I mean Rory Scotti, Xander John Rahm, 128 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:57,720 Speaker 1: they're giving him a I mean he's giving up a 129 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: lot of length to those type of players. Right, So, 130 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: how did Aaron Rye win the PGA Championship? Well, I 131 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 1: think it goes back to a lot of what I've 132 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: been trying to talk about on the podcast about playing 133 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 1: golf versus playing golf swing. Aaron Rhie is a very 134 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 1: unique golfer, right, I mean start off with the iron covers, 135 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 1: the two gloves. But when you watch him and you 136 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: watch kind of how he plays, how he prepares, he's meticulous. 137 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: He's very much attention to detail. I wouldn't say he's 138 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 1: a fast golfer. If you're playing in a practice round 139 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: at a tournament and Aaron rys in front of you, 140 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 1: you are going to go through him because he is 141 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: going to take a lot of time. So he is 142 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: preparing to play the golf course, right, I see him 143 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: on the golf course taking a ton of time. Is 144 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: he slow? I just think he's just trying to go 145 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 1: through his process. I think his superpower is him the 146 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:07,679 Speaker 1: way that he prepares. He works with Peers and Andy 147 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 1: from me and my golf, you know, shout out to 148 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: those guys. I mean they've done an amazing job in 149 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: mentoring him and helping him reach the heights. I mean 150 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 1: he wears their logo on his hat, he carried their 151 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 1: bag for a long time. I mean you would see 152 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: the three of them out on the golf course. I 153 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 1: remember we were playing at Aaron Hills and when Brooks 154 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 1: won his first major of the US Open, and we 155 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,079 Speaker 1: played through Aaron Rye and Peers and Andy were there 156 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:37,439 Speaker 1: and he was spending a half an hour on the 157 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 1: green and going through every possible shot. I think that's 158 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:44,959 Speaker 1: a strength. I think he marches to the kind of 159 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:47,439 Speaker 1: beat of his own drum. He's just not somebody you 160 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: would pick out to be a major champion when you 161 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 1: look at the skill set, the toolbox compared to the 162 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: way the game is played now. He doesn't hit the 163 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: golf ball a long way, so he has to get 164 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,439 Speaker 1: things done in a different fashion. And so if you 165 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:06,319 Speaker 1: think about what happened on Sunday, he's definitely not I 166 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: mean nobody was talking about him. Nobody on you Know 167 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:13,560 Speaker 1: Live from Brandel Rich, Paul McGinley, No one's picking him 168 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,079 Speaker 1: to win. He Berdi's the first, gets off to a 169 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 1: good start, Bogie's three, Bertie's four, Bogie six, Bogie's eight. 170 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 1: So he's one over going to the ninth tee and 171 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: shoots sixty five, shoots thirty one on the back, eagles nine, 172 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 1: Bertie's eleven, an unbelievable birdie at thirteen, the par four 173 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: where they moved the tee up to ninety just under 174 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: three hundred yards. On Sunday, you've got to go for 175 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 1: the green. He hit driver. A lot of players, John Ram, 176 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: some of the other bombers. They're hitting three woods. There 177 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:51,599 Speaker 1: was a really narrow shoot to kind of hit in 178 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:54,559 Speaker 1: between two bunkers at the front of the thirteenth to 179 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: kind of run it up there. Hit it over the 180 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 1: green is death. Ry McElroy hit it to the right, 181 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 1: struggled Aaron Roi hits it in the front bunker, lengthy, 182 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: lengthy bunker. Shot. Pin was on Sunday, cut very much 183 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:10,720 Speaker 1: in the back left hand portion. There was a ridge 184 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 1: in front of it. Hit a great shot, made birdie. 185 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:18,679 Speaker 1: I thought the best example of playing golf and not 186 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:22,920 Speaker 1: playing golf. Swing. So the fifteenth hole, almost five hundred 187 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 1: and fifty yards par four, fairway slopes dramatically from right 188 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:32,000 Speaker 1: to left. So you're trying to get that down there 189 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: as far as you possibly can, because the last thing 190 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:37,960 Speaker 1: you want to do is be going into that hole 191 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:41,439 Speaker 1: where the ball's going to be significantly above your feet. 192 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: For the right handed golfers with a I mean Scotti 193 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:49,319 Speaker 1: Scheffler on Saturday, I mean hit a wood into that 194 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:52,679 Speaker 1: hole on Sunday. Everyone's trying to drive it all the 195 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 1: way down there, and the majority of them missed the 196 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: fair way to the left. Then you've got a really 197 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 1: difficult shot out of the rock. A lot of players 198 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:04,080 Speaker 1: were trying to hit some kind of like chip cut, 199 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 1: bump and run to kind of bounce it onto the 200 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 1: front edge because you couldn't fly it onto the green 201 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: because of the distance that you were carrying. So you've 202 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 1: got Aaron Rai, who's been four under through his last 203 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 1: five holes, right, he's in the lead. He hits three wood. 204 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 1: Why is he hit three wood? Hit the fairway? He 205 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 1: didn't get baited into trying to hit driver, trying to 206 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 1: bomb it down there. Because the risk versus the reward. 207 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 1: In that situation, there just isn't any reward. He's also 208 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 1: got a driver in his bag that's probably six seven 209 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 1: generations all that's probably three four years old. Again, he 210 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:49,360 Speaker 1: marches to the beat of his own drum. I think 211 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 1: that's a superpower, very much like Bryson d Schambeau. Interesting setup, 212 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: the way Bryson goes about things. To me, they're very 213 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:01,320 Speaker 1: kind of similar characters. They're kind of quirky, they're kind 214 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:04,679 Speaker 1: of very specific, they're very meticulous in the way that 215 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 1: they do things. But I thought, taking three wood off 216 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 1: of fifteen just take your medicine. Right. He's trying to 217 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 1: hit the fairway. I mean, his number one goal there 218 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: is to hit the fairway. So he had two hundred, 219 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 1: almost two hundred and thirty yards for his second shot, 220 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:25,719 Speaker 1: but he's playing that from the fairway, hits it to 221 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 1: twenty five feet, hits a really good pot. And what 222 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 1: does he do. He sprints to the par five sixteenth 223 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:38,120 Speaker 1: hole with a par and at a time in the 224 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:43,000 Speaker 1: tournament where it's chaotic, it's late in the day, it's 225 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 1: deep deep into the back nine of a major championship, 226 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 1: it's unchartered territory for Aaron Rye. He's never had the 227 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: lead in a major championship with five holes left to go. 228 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:55,360 Speaker 1: So in all of that chaos, in all of that 229 00:12:55,840 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 1: just madness, he thinks, clearly he has a specific strategy, 230 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 1: and he has two thirty from the fairway, and at 231 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:09,439 Speaker 1: a very very difficult time in the tournament, he makes 232 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: a stress free par a very stress free par gets 233 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: to the sixteenth hole and it's over, I mean sixteen seventeen. 234 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:22,680 Speaker 1: He basically just slams the door and like I said, 235 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:24,719 Speaker 1: I was in commentary, all of a sudden where like 236 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:26,880 Speaker 1: Aaron Rye is going to win a major championship, he 237 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:30,680 Speaker 1: Bertie's sixteen. He hoops it from almost one hundred feet 238 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:34,719 Speaker 1: on seventeen and pars eighteen and shoots sixty five and 239 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 1: the tournament was over. But the way that he went 240 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:41,000 Speaker 1: about that is exactly what you know, we've been trying 241 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 1: to talk about on the podcast, playing golf, not playing golf. Swing, 242 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: out of the twelve people on the leaderboard going into Sunday, 243 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 1: he hits at the shortest, So he has to do 244 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:54,599 Speaker 1: things in a very very different way, and you know, 245 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 1: managing the chaos on a back nine, he's stuck to 246 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 1: a specific game plan. He birdies the first, but then, 247 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 1: like I said, he's one over standing on the eighth arms, 248 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 1: going to the ninth te one over and shoot sixty 249 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 1: five eagles nine, then shoots thirty one on the back 250 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: hold a lot of great potts and just played really 251 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: good golf down the stretch. If you think about it, 252 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: you know, and I said this when I was doing 253 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 1: commentary for Sky, his preparation is kind of tailor made 254 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 1: for major championship golf. You're trying to limit the mistakes, 255 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 1: and I think he knows that he's not going to 256 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 1: be able to overpower the golf course. A lot has 257 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 1: been made about you know, what type of golf courses 258 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 1: that you're playing, right, So a lot of the commentary 259 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: this year about Live and the way guys have played 260 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 1: in the majors is they don't play hard enough golf courses, 261 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: so they're not prepared for difficult golf courses. And the 262 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 1: competition that they're playing against is in the high level competition, 263 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,520 Speaker 1: whether you're in a major champampionship, whether you're playing in 264 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 1: a tour event anywhere around the world, whether you're playing 265 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 1: at home. Always remember this, you're playing the golf course. 266 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 1: You're not playing your playing partners. If you're in a competition, 267 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 1: you're not playing against the competition. Everybody is playing against 268 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: the golf course. And I think the preparation that over 269 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 1: the years I've just watched in practice rounds at tournaments, 270 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 1: you know, watch the attention to detail that Aaron Rai 271 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 1: and his team and the way they go about it. 272 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 1: It's kind of tailor made for major championships because you 273 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 1: can't be going into a major championship trying to find it. 274 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 1: You're not going to do that. And I think one 275 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: of the really really cool things is Aaron Rai's scoring 276 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: got better every single round. Seventy in round one, sixty 277 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: nine in round two, sixty seven in round three, and 278 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:58,160 Speaker 1: sixty five in round four. He got better every single round. 279 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: And I just think with all the talk about distance, 280 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:10,000 Speaker 1: ground force, reaction ball speed, club head speed, you know, 281 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: there are a lot of people traditionalists to say the 282 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: golf ball's going too far, the golf courses are too easy. 283 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: You know. Roy McElroy at the beginning of the week 284 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: is saying the setup's too easy. It's just bomb, no 285 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 1: thought process. The guy that wins is the guy that's 286 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 1: probably thinking about preparation and strategy and playing the golf 287 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 1: course the most, because the toolbox that he had on 288 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: Sunday isn't even close to the toolbox that John Ram has, 289 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 1: the Scotti Scheffler has, the Xander Schoffley has that Roy 290 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 1: McElroy has. All four of those players multiple major champions. 291 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 1: Aaron Rye is a major champion, and I think it's 292 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: a great throwback to just when you think that, okay, 293 00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 1: you know, you can't win a major unless you vomit. 294 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:00,120 Speaker 1: Aaron Rye stuck to his guns. So when you're on 295 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:03,880 Speaker 1: the golf course, ask yourself, what is the best version 296 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 1: of your game that you can bring? What strategy do 297 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 1: you need to employ? Like I said, it's almost a 298 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:15,640 Speaker 1: five hundred and fifty yard part four. It's begging everybody 299 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:18,440 Speaker 1: to hit driver. But if you hit driver, you run 300 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 1: the risk of missing the fairway and then you run 301 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: the risk of having a very stressful second shot and 302 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 1: you're going to play the golf course in from there 303 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:30,320 Speaker 1: in a very very stressful way. So I loved it. 304 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:32,440 Speaker 1: I thought it was great. I thought it was a 305 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:35,720 Speaker 1: major that was fun to watch. I liked the fact 306 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 1: that on Saturday there were a bunch of players. The 307 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 1: leaderboard was really bunched up. That was another comment that 308 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 1: Roy McElroy had, because the leaderboard's bunched up and no 309 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 1: one's really separated themselves. He thought that that maybe had 310 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:49,920 Speaker 1: something to do with the setup, and the setup wasn't good. 311 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 1: I thought it was great. The commentary was fun because 312 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:55,680 Speaker 1: we saw players playing good. We saw players take the lead, 313 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:58,719 Speaker 1: we saw players get close to the lead. He gained 314 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:02,879 Speaker 1: almost four shots in approach with his irons. He was 315 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 1: top in the field in proximity with his irons all week. 316 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 1: He had one win on the PGA Tour, the twenty 317 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:11,920 Speaker 1: twenty four Windom Championship, three wins on DP. But he'd 318 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:15,000 Speaker 1: never sniffed being in contention on Sunday in a major. 319 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 1: And he's trying to play the golf course and play 320 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: the golf course in a way that matches what his 321 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:27,720 Speaker 1: strengths are, and on the right golf course, he was 322 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:30,639 Speaker 1: able to get a major championship. And I thought it 323 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 1: was really really fun to watch. I think it's going 324 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:35,800 Speaker 1: to be interesting now. I mean, it's a life changer 325 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 1: for him. His life is going to change, the demands 326 00:18:39,359 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 1: on his time, the expectations, all of the perks, all 327 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: of the spoils of winning the money. He is a 328 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: major champion for life. But ask yourself next time you're playing, 329 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,920 Speaker 1: think about the way that Aaron Rye played. Go back, 330 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: and I mean you can go back on the PGA 331 00:18:56,640 --> 00:18:58,760 Speaker 1: Championship website and go through and look at a lot 332 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 1: of the shots that he hit. I was going through 333 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 1: it last night and just watch from start to finish. 334 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:07,440 Speaker 1: Go back and go to the leaderboard, go to Aaron Raich, 335 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:10,200 Speaker 1: click his scorecard, and then you can click on a 336 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:12,239 Speaker 1: lot of the shots that he hit, and you can 337 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:14,640 Speaker 1: kind of go to the play by play and look at, 338 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:18,200 Speaker 1: you know, kind of how he went about playing the 339 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:22,000 Speaker 1: golf course. And I think that's something that's that's really 340 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:26,680 Speaker 1: really interesting to do. He eagles nine birdies eleven, but 341 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,920 Speaker 1: on ten, you know, he misses the green, gets it 342 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:33,680 Speaker 1: up and down. On twelve, he misses the green, gets 343 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:35,879 Speaker 1: it up and down. So he's getting it up and 344 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:38,919 Speaker 1: down with his short game. He's holding putts for par 345 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:41,719 Speaker 1: that are important. I thought it was a great tournament 346 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: and Aaron Raye is a major champion. Great for the 347 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:49,920 Speaker 1: game of golf, great for growing golf around the world. 348 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 1: First time in I think almost fifteen years that a 349 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:57,159 Speaker 1: non American has won the PGA. So I'm interested to 350 00:19:57,160 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 1: see what this does for Aaron in his his career. 351 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:01,600 Speaker 1: I mean interested to see how he plays the next 352 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 1: two majors. And listen, he does it his own unique way. 353 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:09,680 Speaker 1: The two gloves, the iron covers, you know, equipment that 354 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 1: isn't necessarily the newest, but his superpower is him. It's 355 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 1: the way that he plays, it's the way that he 356 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:24,040 Speaker 1: sees things, and it was really really fun to watch. 357 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:27,200 Speaker 1: So I mentioned briefly started doing some work with Cam Smith. 358 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: Cam asked me to watch him hit some golf balls 359 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 1: at the live event in Mexico City after his second 360 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 1: round on the friday. He came down to see me 361 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:38,199 Speaker 1: the following week here at Floridian, and then I went 362 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,159 Speaker 1: up to see him in Jacksonville and we're doing some 363 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: we're doing some pretty good work. We're trying to change 364 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:45,199 Speaker 1: a little bit of what's going on with his backswing. 365 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:47,920 Speaker 1: Cam's always tendency has always been to get the golf 366 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:50,919 Speaker 1: club a little bit deep and inside and behind him 367 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:53,679 Speaker 1: on the backswing. That's when the golf club, then has 368 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 1: to elevate and get across the line at the top. 369 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:58,640 Speaker 1: A lot of people know that Cam's golf swing tends 370 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: to get really across the at the top. Then he 371 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:05,239 Speaker 1: has to drop underneath it and he fights. The main 372 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 1: miss that he fights is the left miss or he 373 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:10,239 Speaker 1: can block it with the driver, but he can kind 374 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:12,880 Speaker 1: of get the double miss. His stance had gotten really, 375 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 1: really narrow. I think it was a difficult decision. He'd 376 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 1: worked with Grant Field, his longtime coach, since I think 377 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:20,719 Speaker 1: he was about nine ten years old. I think Grant's 378 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 1: done an amazing job with his golf swing, done an 379 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:26,360 Speaker 1: amazing job with Cam as a person, as a mentor, 380 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 1: as someone who has gotten him to win a major championship, 381 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:33,160 Speaker 1: to win the players, and I know it was difficult 382 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 1: for Cam to make that call to Grant. Listen, you 383 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:38,440 Speaker 1: never want to be fired by a player, right, It's tough, 384 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:41,879 Speaker 1: it's never fun. I know those situations for the players 385 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 1: are difficult. It's always difficult. As a coach. Cam felt 386 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 1: like it was time to make a change, and listen, 387 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: I've been on the other end of that, right. I 388 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 1: started working with Brooks Koka. I got fired worked with 389 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 1: him from twenty twelve to twenty twenty won four majors, 390 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: got to number one in the world, and I got 391 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 1: let go. I got rehired in August of twenty twenty two, 392 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:06,439 Speaker 1: and from August of twenty twenty two until the end 393 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:10,119 Speaker 1: of twenty twenty four, Brooks won five times, won a 394 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 1: major and finished second the Master and I got let go. 395 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 1: So it happens. I know that was a difficult decision 396 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:19,480 Speaker 1: for Cam. I know it's tough for Grant, but that's 397 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 1: the world, unfortunately, that we live in. I don't think 398 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 1: Cam gets to where he is today without Grant and 399 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 1: the role that Grant played, not only in his career 400 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 1: but in his life. And you know, I'm lucky to 401 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:36,240 Speaker 1: walk into a situation that Grant helped build and helped 402 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:39,800 Speaker 1: build the foundation for. I think when players struggle sometimes 403 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 1: they just need a different set of eyes, a different 404 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: view on things. But there is no way Cam Smith 405 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 1: gets to this point in his career and the successes 406 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 1: he's had in his career without Grant Field, and all 407 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:58,440 Speaker 1: the successes that Cam Smith will have moving forward will 408 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 1: be in large part to the unbelievable foundation and mentorship 409 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:09,840 Speaker 1: and nurturing that Grant helped Cam achieve. My job is 410 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 1: to come in now and try and get the golf 411 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 1: swing in a little bit better place. I think my 412 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 1: job is just just try and come in And I 413 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: said this to Cam. My job is trying to make 414 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 1: golf simpler for you right now. I think when players 415 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:23,960 Speaker 1: struggle and they're not hitting it good and you're working 416 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:26,160 Speaker 1: on a lot of things, it's hard to go out 417 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:29,120 Speaker 1: and play golf. So we're doing a lot of Yeah, 418 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:34,400 Speaker 1: I've done podcasts before on these three phases of practice, right, technique, transfer, 419 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 1: and then execution. And the execution phase is where you're 420 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 1: just playing. Aaron Rai was in one hundred percent execution 421 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:45,680 Speaker 1: phase on Sunday. In our practice sessions with Cam, we're 422 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 1: trying to do a tremendous amount of technical work, technique work, 423 00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:51,440 Speaker 1: a lot of drills. So the number one goal for 424 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:53,240 Speaker 1: me is to try and get the backswing to not 425 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:57,719 Speaker 1: get so inside so quickly, so then we can minimize 426 00:23:57,800 --> 00:23:59,760 Speaker 1: how much the golf club gets across the line at 427 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:02,040 Speaker 1: the time it's across the line at the top right 428 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 1: now with the driver. That's a work in progress, but 429 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 1: I've been really, really impressed with the iron game. We've 430 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,960 Speaker 1: had in looking at the stats, we've had a lot 431 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 1: less left missus with the irons. So the iron game 432 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 1: is looking better. The club is working in a better position. 433 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 1: He's trying to feel on the backswing that the kind 434 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:24,000 Speaker 1: of the hands stay in and then the club stays out, 435 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:27,160 Speaker 1: and then the club feeling like it works more up 436 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 1: and vertical as opposed to in and around. And the 437 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:34,960 Speaker 1: live event in DC, he said that he felt like 438 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 1: the rounds were a lot more stress free. He still 439 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 1: hit some, you know, Thursday at the live event in DC, 440 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: he hit two foul balls with the driver right that 441 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 1: cost him four shots, but the rest of it was 442 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 1: pretty much stress free. There weren't a lot of doubles, 443 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:51,920 Speaker 1: there weren't a lot of triples. And so what we're 444 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:54,680 Speaker 1: trying to do is use data and look at what 445 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:57,960 Speaker 1: he's doing on the golf course to kind of quantify 446 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 1: the changes that were making. So Ryank Reisler, who I've 447 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 1: had on the pod here, Ryan is going through and 448 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:08,000 Speaker 1: watching all the shots that Cam hits, putting it into 449 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:11,119 Speaker 1: clips so we can get a really good idea of 450 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 1: what's improving and what areas we need to work on. 451 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,440 Speaker 1: So in looking at Cam's data at the Masters and 452 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 1: at the live event in Mexico City, you know, we 453 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: notice that he's missing greens from cam works and meters, 454 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:26,600 Speaker 1: so one hundred and twenty meters to one hundred and 455 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: eighty meters. I think Cam thinks he needs to hit 456 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 1: it closer from those distances. He's missing greens from those distances. 457 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:35,639 Speaker 1: So the lowest hanging fruit is just don't miss greens 458 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:38,919 Speaker 1: from one twenty to one eighty. Those are scoring clubs 459 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 1: for tour players, right. For the rest of us, those 460 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:45,320 Speaker 1: are some longer clubs, but for tour players, those are 461 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:49,280 Speaker 1: wedges maybe up to about eight iron push at a 462 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:53,359 Speaker 1: push seven iron. So looking at the data, saying to Cam, listen, 463 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:57,199 Speaker 1: just hit more greens, right, Just hit the target. Hit 464 00:25:57,280 --> 00:25:59,159 Speaker 1: the green. You don't have to hit it close, you 465 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:02,960 Speaker 1: just have to hit the target. His superpower is short 466 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:06,760 Speaker 1: game in putting. He is an elite, elite short game guy. 467 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 1: He is an elite butter. He's got one of the 468 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:12,240 Speaker 1: best pure short games I've ever seen, got one of 469 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:14,919 Speaker 1: the best pure putting strokes I've ever seen. Those are 470 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:18,040 Speaker 1: his calling cards, Those are the superpowers he has. He 471 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:20,920 Speaker 1: still uses a blade putter, and you look at everybody 472 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:24,120 Speaker 1: inside the top twenty five in the world. Everybody's gone 473 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:27,120 Speaker 1: to a mallet. Cam's old school, but he's been using 474 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 1: short game and putting for life support. And also in 475 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:34,879 Speaker 1: looking at the data, we're trying to make it as 476 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:37,200 Speaker 1: simple as possible. And I sit to him, you just 477 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 1: need to hit one more fairway around, one, not five, 478 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 1: not ten, not unattainable numbers. Start off by just hitting 479 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:50,239 Speaker 1: one more fairway around. One more fairway around will give 480 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 1: you more confidence. You're still going to make bad golf swings. 481 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:55,920 Speaker 1: No one is a robot. He didn't drive it good 482 00:26:56,080 --> 00:26:59,240 Speaker 1: on Sunday. But the positives I think he takes away 483 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:02,640 Speaker 1: from last week, the positives certainly that I take away 484 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 1: from a Campsmith had an inside fifteen feet on. I 485 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:09,760 Speaker 1: think on thirteen for Bertie, sixteen for Bertie, eighteen, for 486 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:13,760 Speaker 1: Bertie finish seven. He converts those he finished a second 487 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:17,879 Speaker 1: most likely, and on sixteen in the middle of the 488 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:22,120 Speaker 1: golf tournament where he is won two shots off the lead. 489 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 1: Late on a Sunday, the sixteenth hole is The par 490 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:32,439 Speaker 1: fives in major championships are kind of your scoring opportunities. 491 00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:35,639 Speaker 1: The par fives on Sunday in a major championship when 492 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:38,879 Speaker 1: you're on the lead, those are where you're trying to 493 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:41,639 Speaker 1: take advantage the rest. You're just trying to hang on 494 00:27:42,520 --> 00:27:45,399 Speaker 1: and to stand up. On the sixteenth hole, where that 495 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:50,200 Speaker 1: fairway was really really hard to hit, he just roasted 496 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:53,399 Speaker 1: a driver down there. To me, that's a positive, right. 497 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:56,639 Speaker 1: I don't look at all the other fairways that he missed. 498 00:27:57,160 --> 00:28:00,879 Speaker 1: I look at Okay, under the most pressure, in the 499 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:05,200 Speaker 1: moment when he absolutely needed to stand up and execute, 500 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: he was able to do that and gave himself a 501 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:11,119 Speaker 1: really legit. Look at Bertie, if he puts it all 502 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:14,439 Speaker 1: down the stretch, his position and where he finishes looks very, 503 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:18,720 Speaker 1: very different. So obviously the driver is a work in progress, 504 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:22,720 Speaker 1: we know that. But the technical changes and the technique 505 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:25,760 Speaker 1: changes that we're making, we're trying to get the backswing 506 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:28,280 Speaker 1: in a better place. If the backswing gets into a 507 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 1: better place, there are a lot of things that he 508 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:34,240 Speaker 1: doesn't have to think about on the downswing. When I'm 509 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:40,000 Speaker 1: working with players, especially elite tour players, I'm trying to 510 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:44,080 Speaker 1: figure out what swing changes we can make from a 511 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 1: technical mechanical standpoint, and can we make those changes to 512 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 1: where we're just focusing on one thing and not four 513 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:55,640 Speaker 1: or five six things. And I know that the domino 514 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 1: effect for Cam, the bad domino is the backswing gets inside, 515 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 1: and when that happens, especially as the clubs get longer, 516 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 1: that's where the dominoes just start to fall and go 517 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,680 Speaker 1: in the bad direction. The first initial move off the 518 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 1: golf ball is the number one thing that we're working on. 519 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:16,080 Speaker 1: We're working on two moves to try and have the 520 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 1: hands stay a little bit closer to the body going back, 521 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 1: to try and have the club head at kind of 522 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 1: waist high, not be so far behind his body, and 523 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:28,440 Speaker 1: then have the golf club feel like it works more vertical. 524 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: If he does those things, a lot of the stuff 525 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 1: that wasn't falling in place on the downswing starts to 526 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 1: fall in place on the downswing. We've widened his stands. Listen, 527 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 1: the worse you hit it, you're not going to try 528 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:44,480 Speaker 1: and be more aggressive. You're going to try and slow 529 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 1: the car down, get out of the fast lane. I 530 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:50,000 Speaker 1: thought his stance had gotten really, really narrow. Cam said 531 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:53,400 Speaker 1: it's been difficult for him to practice short game and 532 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 1: putting the way that he normally does and the way 533 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:59,040 Speaker 1: that he likes to because he's working so much on 534 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:01,880 Speaker 1: his golf swing. He's working so much on his ball striking, 535 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 1: so my job is to try and get him thinking 536 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 1: less on the golf course. I was doing commentary for 537 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:12,560 Speaker 1: Sky Sports on the weekend, so I wasn't even in 538 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:17,040 Speaker 1: any of Cam's warm ups on Saturday or Sunday, wasn't 539 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:18,840 Speaker 1: able to get to the driving range to work with 540 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:21,440 Speaker 1: Cam afterwards. But I actually think that that was a 541 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:24,440 Speaker 1: good thing that he was able to kind of without 542 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:27,040 Speaker 1: me being there, kind of say Okay, what are these 543 00:30:27,160 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 1: feels which ones work and talking to his caddy Sam, 544 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:34,800 Speaker 1: he said that, you know, he basically just said, on 545 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:38,200 Speaker 1: the golf course, I'm just going to really commit to 546 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 1: the swings I'm trying to make. And I thought, hitting 547 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:44,840 Speaker 1: nine fairways the first round, Cam Smith and a major 548 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:47,600 Speaker 1: hitting nine fairways, I mean, it's been a while since 549 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:51,760 Speaker 1: he's done that, so I'm incredibly excited. I think he's 550 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:54,240 Speaker 1: very close to winning again. I think he's going to 551 00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:57,960 Speaker 1: be back to contending in the last two major championships 552 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:01,000 Speaker 1: and to have a chance on Sunday to win a 553 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:04,600 Speaker 1: major and you're hitting three four fairways. If he just 554 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:08,640 Speaker 1: starts hitting five, six, seven, the driver will get better, 555 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:11,280 Speaker 1: and you know that's going to be the big focus 556 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:14,280 Speaker 1: over the next couple of weeks to just try and 557 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:17,320 Speaker 1: continue to get that better. But really excited for Cam. 558 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:19,360 Speaker 1: He said he was really excited to be back on 559 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:21,440 Speaker 1: the golf course in a major championship and feel like 560 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:26,040 Speaker 1: he could compete. And his caddie said, we're playing golf again. 561 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:28,720 Speaker 1: We're not playing golf swing. We're working on his golf 562 00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:30,840 Speaker 1: swing on the driving range, We're working on his golf 563 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:33,640 Speaker 1: swing in the practice rounds. We're working on his golf 564 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 1: swing when we're at home. The other thing that's really improved, 565 00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:38,719 Speaker 1: I think for Cam is the quality of the strike 566 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:40,400 Speaker 1: is better. He's hitting it more in the center of 567 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:43,600 Speaker 1: the face, he's hitting it more solid. His body can 568 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:46,200 Speaker 1: react in a positive way to that, in the same 569 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:48,720 Speaker 1: way that your body reacts in a negative way when 570 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 1: you're not hitting it solid. But they're playing golf again 571 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:55,240 Speaker 1: because they're not going out worried about where the golf 572 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 1: ball is going to go. The golf balls in play more, 573 00:31:58,520 --> 00:32:02,160 Speaker 1: it's more solid. Still going to hit bad shots. Everybody 574 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:03,920 Speaker 1: hits bad shots. You're still going to make a bad 575 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:06,560 Speaker 1: golf swing. Everyone makes a bad golf swing. I think 576 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:08,640 Speaker 1: the rest of twenty twenty six is going to be 577 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:10,880 Speaker 1: big for Cam. I'm excited to see what he does 578 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 1: and look forward to the next two to three months 579 00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 1: and continuing to get that golf swing in a better position. 580 00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 1: Dustin Johnson last week played really really solid. Big positive 581 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 1: for the week for DJ. No double bogies. He's been 582 00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:26,240 Speaker 1: on the double bogie train this year, at least won 583 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:28,800 Speaker 1: every tournament and it's it's kind of kept him from 584 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:33,720 Speaker 1: finishing higher last week at the PGA Major Championship. No 585 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:38,520 Speaker 1: double bogies. That's progress four rounds. So the live event 586 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:42,200 Speaker 1: in DC the week before the PGA DJ had four 587 00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:44,920 Speaker 1: rounds where he had over one hundred feet of putts. 588 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:47,120 Speaker 1: So the work that he's doing with Eric Dietrich and 589 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:50,520 Speaker 1: his putting, I think it's been fantastic. It's really helped him. 590 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:52,960 Speaker 1: He feels like he's hitting it good, he feels like 591 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:56,920 Speaker 1: he's driving it good. Finished with two bogies on Sunday, 592 00:32:57,120 --> 00:32:59,000 Speaker 1: which I know is disappointing for him, but I think 593 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:01,480 Speaker 1: there are a lot of positive for DJ. He's looking 594 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:03,920 Speaker 1: forward to the US Open and I think he just 595 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:07,880 Speaker 1: needs four good rounds to where the ball striking, the 596 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 1: putting match at the same time that he drives it 597 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 1: good and hits his irons good and putts. I mean, 598 00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:16,600 Speaker 1: obviously everybody's trying to do that right, but right now 599 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:19,600 Speaker 1: he hasn't been able to put all the elements together. 600 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:22,840 Speaker 1: For four rounds, we're seeing glimpses of it. I'm excited 601 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 1: for the rest of the summer with DJ. I think 602 00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:28,120 Speaker 1: Aaron Rye's win it's a good win for golf. I 603 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:31,200 Speaker 1: keep saying this the last five years. It's easy to 604 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:33,760 Speaker 1: say golf's in a bad plays, golf's in a bad plays, 605 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:36,040 Speaker 1: golf's in a bad place. I just don't think it is. 606 00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:39,240 Speaker 1: I think the golf that I am seeing on the 607 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:43,000 Speaker 1: golf course, from the players that are playing it, I 608 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 1: think we are in a really good spot and I 609 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 1: think we're seeing some really, really good golf. We've got 610 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:51,520 Speaker 1: two majors left. I'm really excited to see what these 611 00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:54,040 Speaker 1: great players can do. And I think what we're seeing 612 00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:58,160 Speaker 1: on the golf course is fun to watch. Rate review, 613 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:01,239 Speaker 1: subscribe wherever you get your pot cast. It's the Son 614 00:34:01,280 --> 00:34:03,120 Speaker 1: of a Butcher podcast. We will see you next week.