WEBVTT - Fire Drill 029: The Inner Sanctum 0:00:02.600 --> 0:00:05.320 What is it like to try and pull the putter 0:00:05.360 --> 0:00:08.799 back with tens of thousands of people watching you. It 0:00:08.920 --> 0:00:18.680 was horrible. It was horrible. Put another log on the 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:32.080 fire nobody hears give time. Hello, this is Allen ship 0:00:32.159 --> 0:00:35.880 knock Back for another Fire Drill podcast. We have Matt 0:00:35.960 --> 0:00:39.919 Janella on the line from Ireland, Michael Bamberger from Philadelphia. 0:00:40.000 --> 0:00:42.159 I'm here in California. We will all be rendezvousing in 0:00:42.159 --> 0:00:45.600 Saint Andrew soon, but today we want to talk about 0:00:45.600 --> 0:00:49.919 the jp Mcmannus pro am. Matt was let behind the 0:00:50.080 --> 0:00:52.440 velvet rope and got to experience it as a competitor, 0:00:52.479 --> 0:00:55.240 as an observer, and we'll go deep on that, the 0:00:55.320 --> 0:01:00.640 larger meaning of golf in Ireland, the ongoing live undercurrents 0:01:00.640 --> 0:01:02.600 because a lot of those guys played in Ireland. But 0:01:02.880 --> 0:01:04.440 before we get to all that good stuff, let's just 0:01:04.520 --> 0:01:07.399 do a quick shout out to our corporate sponsors who 0:01:07.400 --> 0:01:08.960 help us keep this the lights on here at the 0:01:09.000 --> 0:01:13.479 fire Pit Collective. Thank you to part points our favorite 0:01:13.760 --> 0:01:15.640 golf scoring app. I think you guys have heard of 0:01:15.720 --> 0:01:17.640 us to talk about it before. It's a very ingenious 0:01:17.680 --> 0:01:20.440 way to play the game. If you're looking to spice 0:01:20.480 --> 0:01:23.040 things up with the usual forsa or if you have 0:01:23.160 --> 0:01:27.399 kids or beginners, or works for all levels. But it's 0:01:27.400 --> 0:01:31.240 definitely a fun way to introduce the sport to people 0:01:31.280 --> 0:01:34.440 who may be intimidated by the idea of making triple bogie. 0:01:34.800 --> 0:01:37.960 I still make triple bogies anyway, So thanks to part 0:01:38.040 --> 0:01:41.480 Points for all that they do. Let's just jump in 0:01:41.560 --> 0:01:45.320 here and I think that the average golf fan knows 0:01:45.319 --> 0:01:46.960 this is a really cool event, but maybe it doesn't 0:01:46.959 --> 0:01:49.920 know who JP is or why every great player on 0:01:49.960 --> 0:01:53.200 planet Earth decided to show up in his honor. Just 0:01:53.320 --> 0:01:59.560 tell us a little backstory on this very unique gathering. Boy, Well, 0:02:00.160 --> 0:02:04.560 JP McManus, prominent Irish businessman, uh you know, well connected, 0:02:05.720 --> 0:02:09.760 came from Limerick, Ireland, right outside the gates of the 0:02:09.880 --> 0:02:13.120 A Dare Manner. He went on to buy the Adare 0:02:13.160 --> 0:02:16.079 Manner several years ago, has poured a lot of money 0:02:16.320 --> 0:02:19.480 into it to refurbish it, brought Tom Fasio in to 0:02:19.600 --> 0:02:22.960 redo the golf course. It will host the twenty twenty 0:02:22.960 --> 0:02:25.800 seven Ryder Cup. That was kind of a dream come 0:02:25.840 --> 0:02:29.720 true for not only Ireland in general, but also for 0:02:29.880 --> 0:02:33.840 JP himself. I once asked, JP, could you have ever imagined, 0:02:34.520 --> 0:02:38.400 you know, owning a Dare manner. And he stopped and said, Matt, 0:02:38.560 --> 0:02:41.040 you know, as a little kid growing up a Limerick, 0:02:41.200 --> 0:02:44.240 I could have never imagined even getting inside the gates 0:02:44.520 --> 0:02:47.760 of a Dare manner. You know. He came literally from nothing. 0:02:47.800 --> 0:02:51.440 He started as a young kid, you know, running bets 0:02:52.280 --> 0:02:55.200 for a bookie and has done some book in himself. 0:02:55.240 --> 0:02:59.120 He's an incredible backgammer's famously you know, probably one of 0:02:59.160 --> 0:03:03.160 the best backgamma players in the world. He's won millions 0:03:03.160 --> 0:03:06.120 and millions of dollars off back cam and games. He 0:03:06.520 --> 0:03:11.880 owns you know, very successful horses. The horse racing in 0:03:11.919 --> 0:03:16.480 Ireland essentially you know, goes through JP McManus and friends 0:03:16.480 --> 0:03:19.079 and partners with Dermott Desmond a lot of big business deals. 0:03:19.120 --> 0:03:23.320 Own Sandy Lane where Tiger got married. The relationship with 0:03:23.400 --> 0:03:25.880 Tiger goes back to the late nineties with Payne Stewart 0:03:25.880 --> 0:03:28.640 and Marcomera and the fishing trips that they used to 0:03:28.639 --> 0:03:35.720 take prior to the Open Championship. JP has cultivated a 0:03:35.800 --> 0:03:38.320 lot of relationships over the years with a lot of 0:03:38.320 --> 0:03:41.480 prominent players in a lot of different ways, you know, 0:03:41.560 --> 0:03:47.120 connecting with players, you know at Dunhill links at at 0:03:47.280 --> 0:03:50.920 and t pro Ams just you know, he's he's a 0:03:51.080 --> 0:03:57.040 self made billionaire, self made billionaire who has this amazing 0:03:57.640 --> 0:04:01.360 philanthropic heart and also this incredible humility. And I think 0:04:01.400 --> 0:04:03.960 a lot of those guys are drawn to that level 0:04:04.000 --> 0:04:07.320 of humility and and when they make a commitment to them, 0:04:07.320 --> 0:04:10.560 they keep it. I mean, there's a lot of rich 0:04:10.640 --> 0:04:12.480 dudes who love golf, but they're not going to get 0:04:12.480 --> 0:04:14.600 Tiger Woods to fly across the ocean to play in 0:04:14.640 --> 0:04:18.480 their event. I mean, I'm trying to puzzle out, like 0:04:18.680 --> 0:04:22.760 what makes this guy so wired into the golf world 0:04:22.760 --> 0:04:25.600 that every top player wanted to come and pay homage 0:04:25.640 --> 0:04:28.640 and donate their time for for his charity causes? Like 0:04:29.000 --> 0:04:31.800 what is the secret sauce there? Well, I think there's 0:04:31.800 --> 0:04:33.880 probably goes both ways. I think there's a lot of 0:04:34.080 --> 0:04:37.200 contributions he's made to their charities over the years, or 0:04:37.240 --> 0:04:40.200 a lot of contributions to the greater good of their life, 0:04:40.320 --> 0:04:43.280 whether that is you know, allowing them to come and 0:04:43.360 --> 0:04:46.760 get have a private wedding at one of his properties. 0:04:47.920 --> 0:04:52.919 And there's a mystique about JP that a lot of 0:04:52.920 --> 0:04:55.680 people are drawn to. And you know, I said, I 0:04:55.960 --> 0:04:59.359 asked a lot of people. What is it about JP? Why? 0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:01.640 Why are you here? Why? You know this has been 0:05:01.680 --> 0:05:04.400 a three year kind of stop start because of COVID 0:05:04.760 --> 0:05:06.560 that you know a lot of people have had their tickets, 0:05:06.600 --> 0:05:09.320 their hats which would wear their tickets for for over 0:05:09.440 --> 0:05:14.200 three years. And I think it's not only his philanthropic efforts, 0:05:14.360 --> 0:05:17.680 but the word that just kept Kemp coming up was humility. 0:05:17.760 --> 0:05:22.360 His humble nature, the way he goes about his business, 0:05:22.680 --> 0:05:26.520 and he spares nookes mase. He takes incredibly great care 0:05:27.080 --> 0:05:30.720 of not only the players, but their wives, their caddies. 0:05:31.160 --> 0:05:37.360 He goes above and beyond he is. He showers people 0:05:37.480 --> 0:05:41.800 with out of the good stuff, to the point where 0:05:41.839 --> 0:05:44.520 you're like, I can't is this really happening. I mean 0:05:44.520 --> 0:05:47.760 it was such a fantasy land for the last five 0:05:47.839 --> 0:05:50.120 days at a dare manner, with that backdrop and that 0:05:50.200 --> 0:05:54.400 golf course and forty thousand people and that field. It 0:05:54.520 --> 0:05:56.680 was I mean, you know, we get to be a 0:05:56.720 --> 0:05:58.480 part of a lot of special things and a lot 0:05:58.480 --> 0:06:01.880 of special you know acts says this to me is 0:06:02.520 --> 0:06:05.680 like using the horse racing analogy, this is my this 0:06:05.760 --> 0:06:10.160 is my secretariat, and in second place is way way 0:06:10.160 --> 0:06:13.800 back there kenn Offer just went insights, Matt. That was 0:06:13.839 --> 0:06:16.560 extremely well said, and being a little bit on the 0:06:16.560 --> 0:06:19.200 prophet of these guys, I would just only add to that. 0:06:20.279 --> 0:06:22.960 And this is true in all of the human condition. 0:06:23.160 --> 0:06:26.120 There's a chemical element to life that you can't figure out. 0:06:26.400 --> 0:06:29.159 And the qualities that you're talking about, Matt, Jimmy Dunn 0:06:29.200 --> 0:06:34.640 has it, m Eddie Lowry had it, Johnny Morris, I 0:06:34.680 --> 0:06:39.760 think Johnnyrris. Yes, I don't know Johnny Morris, but I 0:06:39.760 --> 0:06:43.000 didn't know Eddie Lowry. H do you know Jimmy Dunn? 0:06:43.160 --> 0:06:47.960 And there are qualities that man named Sam Reeves lesser known, 0:06:48.040 --> 0:06:52.159 but some of us Non has it, Arnold had it. 0:06:52.279 --> 0:06:57.640 Arnold had it in spades. And there's magic in the 0:06:57.720 --> 0:07:01.440 human condition that you He asked a early fine question, 0:07:01.839 --> 0:07:04.520 but the greatness of the answer is that there is 0:07:04.560 --> 0:07:08.279 no answer. There's just a chemical magic sometimes that makes 0:07:08.320 --> 0:07:12.440 something work. And you can have the money, but it's 0:07:12.480 --> 0:07:16.280 not enough. Mike, Mike Kaiser has it. Bill Core has it. 0:07:16.400 --> 0:07:19.160 Ben Crenshaw has it. You know Johnny Morris, by the way, 0:07:19.200 --> 0:07:21.200 the guy who started bass Pro shops out of you know, 0:07:21.280 --> 0:07:24.600 his father's liquor store. Again very similar self made billionaire 0:07:24.600 --> 0:07:31.120 who then goes overboard with philanthropic contributions that make I think, 0:07:31.200 --> 0:07:37.680 make them stay close to where they're from, who they are, 0:07:38.600 --> 0:07:42.640 and makes them feel good about a greater impact on 0:07:42.720 --> 0:07:47.880 the world they live in. Right and right, Matt, and 0:07:47.880 --> 0:07:50.239 I would add to that, And you mentioned the name earlier. 0:07:50.680 --> 0:07:56.040 If you're totally flying solo, like a Howard Hughes, you 0:07:56.120 --> 0:07:58.800 don't have it. And if you have a wingman like 0:07:58.920 --> 0:08:04.120 Dermot Desmond is to McManus, then you then you do 0:08:04.200 --> 0:08:06.640 have it. And of course part of Anold's great appeal 0:08:07.600 --> 0:08:11.400 was that he had wingmen. And part of almost really 0:08:11.480 --> 0:08:14.000 the loneliness of looking at Tiger's life is that he 0:08:14.400 --> 0:08:20.120 hasn't had that. It's well said, and and and Tiger 0:08:20.200 --> 0:08:22.760 was there. And Tiger took to the mic last night 0:08:23.960 --> 0:08:27.520 in this Galli ballroom filled with two thousand people. And again, 0:08:27.560 --> 0:08:30.200 you know, JP has raised one hundred and forty million 0:08:30.200 --> 0:08:33.240 dollars for charity and that was before through this program, 0:08:33.280 --> 0:08:36.160 but that was before this year's program. So whatever the 0:08:36.200 --> 0:08:38.840 final tally is is going to be north of one 0:08:38.880 --> 0:08:44.160 hundred and forty million. And although Tiger wrote around in 0:08:44.200 --> 0:08:48.520 a cart and didn't look good and uh, and you know, 0:08:48.760 --> 0:08:52.880 quite frankly, you know, everything that we were hearing is 0:08:52.920 --> 0:08:55.840 he's not feeling good. It's not going well. His body 0:08:55.960 --> 0:08:59.840 beyond his leg is just not working right now and 0:09:00.120 --> 0:09:03.520 may never work again in a way that allows him 0:09:03.600 --> 0:09:07.200 to be truly competitive at the level that he wishes 0:09:07.240 --> 0:09:09.920 he could be. But he said at the mic, he said, 0:09:10.000 --> 0:09:12.040 if you you know the next program you have, I'll 0:09:12.080 --> 0:09:15.560 be here. Yeah, they're everyone you have, I'll be here 0:09:15.720 --> 0:09:18.880 and you can count on that. That's incredible. I mean, 0:09:19.600 --> 0:09:21.679 given the Tiger may only play two or three times 0:09:21.679 --> 0:09:23.200 a year for the rest of his life in a 0:09:23.200 --> 0:09:27.800 competitive scenario, to pledge that over you know, the the 0:09:28.559 --> 0:09:32.880 PGA Championship or the US Open, I mean, it's remarkable. Um, 0:09:33.240 --> 0:09:35.240 all right, so Matt, you know, you, as you said, 0:09:35.240 --> 0:09:39.520 you've done some really cool things in golf. But this 0:09:39.600 --> 0:09:42.960 was a whole different magnitude. What is it like to 0:09:43.080 --> 0:09:46.320 try and pull the putter back with tens of thousands 0:09:46.360 --> 0:09:50.040 of people watching you? It was horrible. It was horrible. 0:09:50.040 --> 0:09:55.920 Thing was it was I striding to the first team. 0:09:55.960 --> 0:09:58.559 I mean, honestly, guys, I just said. I did a 0:09:58.800 --> 0:10:01.000 radio show in San Diego, the Ben and Woods, who 0:10:01.040 --> 0:10:04.360 you've been on. Allen and Ben Higgins asked, like, what 0:10:04.440 --> 0:10:06.800 was it like, you know, getting on that first team, 0:10:06.800 --> 0:10:08.960 playing in front of forty thousand people. I said, it 0:10:09.040 --> 0:10:11.760 was like, you know, if we were you know, how 0:10:11.800 --> 0:10:13.440 many times have we huddled around the first tee of 0:10:13.440 --> 0:10:15.920 the Masters, right we're there, we're watching those first tea 0:10:15.960 --> 0:10:18.640 shots surrounded by all those people. It would be like 0:10:19.160 --> 0:10:22.160 the starter saying, hey, Alan, you got your clubs on, 0:10:22.240 --> 0:10:26.320 you go grab your clubs. You're gonna play the Masters today. 0:10:26.360 --> 0:10:28.080 You're gonna You're gonna be a mark. It would be like, 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:32.040 you know, being a marker at the Masters as an 0:10:32.040 --> 0:10:34.680 eight or nine handy. I mean it's like we, you know, 0:10:34.800 --> 0:10:37.240 we have really no business being out there. I mean 0:10:37.280 --> 0:10:39.360 we you know. My first thought is like I really 0:10:39.360 --> 0:10:42.480 don't want to hurt anybody. I mean, you know that 0:10:42.480 --> 0:10:45.600 that would be terrible. And I tried to put the 0:10:45.640 --> 0:10:48.240 tea in the ground, and my hand was shaking so badly. 0:10:48.320 --> 0:10:50.960 It took me an odd amount of time just to 0:10:51.000 --> 0:10:54.400 try to get the ball on the tea, And so 0:10:54.440 --> 0:10:56.240 many things are racing through your mind. I mean, you 0:10:56.360 --> 0:10:58.000 don't want to kill anybody. You don't want to make 0:10:58.000 --> 0:11:03.200 a fool of yourself. You know, it really shrinks, you know, 0:11:03.280 --> 0:11:06.720 and and you know, I'm shoulder to shoulder with guys 0:11:06.720 --> 0:11:09.560 like Graham mcdall or Dustin Johnson. People are yelling for 0:11:09.600 --> 0:11:15.280 their autographs and pictures and the intensity, the energy is palpable. 0:11:15.880 --> 0:11:18.720 It was, you know, I hit just enough good shots 0:11:18.920 --> 0:11:22.360 and contributed just enough to feel like, okay, I'm you know, 0:11:22.360 --> 0:11:24.760 I eventually drank enough guinness where I kind of called 0:11:24.800 --> 0:11:29.120 my nerves because I was trying everything. It was, it was, 0:11:29.559 --> 0:11:34.199 it's it's it's it's uh. It's fun, it's it's fantastic, 0:11:34.880 --> 0:11:38.760 but it is daunting and humiliating. Who was in your 0:11:38.760 --> 0:11:45.840 group Matt Greg McLaughlin who UH obviously worked with Tiger 0:11:45.880 --> 0:11:49.320 Woods the foundation for a long time and then UH 0:11:49.800 --> 0:11:52.560 now works for the works and manages the first you know, 0:11:52.720 --> 0:11:56.240 overseas the first tea in the World Golf Hall of Fame. UM. 0:11:56.360 --> 0:12:01.880 He ran the Champions Tour for many years and and 0:12:02.600 --> 0:12:04.480 the first day it was Graham McDowell, second day was 0:12:04.920 --> 0:12:12.960 Dustin Johnson, and then Keith Sabarbaro. Sabarbaro, who runs Taylor 0:12:13.000 --> 0:12:18.200 Maid's Equipment, played ASU with Phil Mickelson, has a long 0:12:18.240 --> 0:12:22.360 standing relationship with Phil. Very good player, like, you know, 0:12:22.920 --> 0:12:26.480 an elite level ball striker, at at at in every 0:12:26.520 --> 0:12:29.840 aspect of his game. So we had a zero I 0:12:30.040 --> 0:12:32.280 played as a five because they took seventy percent of 0:12:32.360 --> 0:12:34.680 handbcap because it was shamble so you could use the 0:12:34.679 --> 0:12:36.679 best drive and then you all played him from there 0:12:36.720 --> 0:12:39.000 and it was a one ball out of the foursome. 0:12:39.120 --> 0:12:44.280 So Keith greg is about I think he got eleven shots. 0:12:44.640 --> 0:12:47.440 I got five shots. Keith got zero. And then we 0:12:47.480 --> 0:12:50.000 had Graham Day one who shot one under, in DJ 0:12:50.200 --> 0:12:55.880 Day two who shot two under. That's so cool. Yeah, 0:12:56.040 --> 0:12:59.120 Keith a barbaro. You know, he's a character in my 0:12:59.160 --> 0:13:02.679 Phil Mickelson because they grew up playing together and they 0:13:02.679 --> 0:13:05.880 were both taught by Dean Ryan Myth. And Dean told 0:13:05.920 --> 0:13:09.199 me that that Keith was so freakishly long as a 0:13:09.200 --> 0:13:12.840 as a young teenager um and that really trying to 0:13:12.880 --> 0:13:15.280 keep up with him defined Phil's approach to the game, 0:13:15.320 --> 0:13:17.960 like he's been chasing distance since he was like thirteen 0:13:18.040 --> 0:13:20.400 years old because of Keith to Barbaro, because he was 0:13:20.679 --> 0:13:22.600 he was thirty yards behind him, and so it's just 0:13:22.640 --> 0:13:25.680 a it's a funny, uh it's funny that you guys 0:13:25.760 --> 0:13:28.720 crossed paths. And I approached Keith about an interview for 0:13:28.760 --> 0:13:30.439 the book. He's so discreet, like he's one of the 0:13:30.440 --> 0:13:32.640 most discreet guys in golf. And he said, I'd love to, 0:13:32.800 --> 0:13:36.400 but I can't, basically, And um, so it's cool that 0:13:36.400 --> 0:13:38.080 you got to see his game up close, because I've 0:13:38.080 --> 0:13:40.800 been hearing about it for a long time. Well, Keith 0:13:41.040 --> 0:13:45.160 really yeah, sorry, Keith is really close with these players, right, 0:13:45.280 --> 0:13:49.120 He's really He's in and and and he explained to 0:13:49.160 --> 0:13:50.880 me that it's just it's just not of it in 0:13:50.960 --> 0:13:53.320 his best interest in any way, shape or form to 0:13:53.360 --> 0:13:57.600 have any kind of conversation about the players he knows 0:13:57.720 --> 0:13:59.800 or the relationships he's built or though you know, it 0:14:00.080 --> 0:14:03.599 just it just doesn't work for him. And and and uh 0:14:03.640 --> 0:14:06.000 and and that's that's his you know, that's the way 0:14:06.040 --> 0:14:08.520 he goes about his business. And that's why he's probably 0:14:08.559 --> 0:14:10.680 had a long standing career and why he has the 0:14:10.720 --> 0:14:14.160 reputation he has. But I one little anecdote about his length, 0:14:14.200 --> 0:14:17.400 because you know, I'm not long, but I'm not sure 0:14:17.480 --> 0:14:19.480 I'm some you know, I when I when I, when 0:14:19.520 --> 0:14:21.720 I connect with one, it goes a fair you know, 0:14:22.120 --> 0:14:24.560 a good enough distance from where we play, right the 0:14:24.640 --> 0:14:29.560 teams we play, and Keith would hit it seventy or 0:14:29.600 --> 0:14:33.800 eighty yards by me and and so I was like, 0:14:34.000 --> 0:14:36.400 you marveling. I mean, he's he's got an action that 0:14:36.560 --> 0:14:40.080 is just outrageous. And I said to him, you should 0:14:40.080 --> 0:14:42.640 be playing inside the ropes way more often than these 0:14:42.800 --> 0:14:46.200 these occasional programs. We're on the driving range the second 0:14:46.240 --> 0:14:50.120 day before um we're playing with DJ and Ross Desmond 0:14:51.080 --> 0:14:55.880 Dermott's son is hitting balls between me and Keith, and 0:14:55.920 --> 0:14:57.840 I'm you know, I'm marveling a kid. We're all watching 0:14:57.920 --> 0:14:59.680 Keith and I go, man, I can't believe al far 0:14:59.720 --> 0:15:01.720 he hits. And Rosco's yeah, I used to know him 0:15:01.720 --> 0:15:03.960 when he actually hit it far. And I was like, 0:15:04.000 --> 0:15:07.800 wait what because he's old his mind, Yeah, he's old. 0:15:07.960 --> 0:15:10.280 He's older now, and he's and and he doesn't like 0:15:10.760 --> 0:15:12.880 he would have been a hundred and twenty yards by me. 0:15:12.920 --> 0:15:15.520 I mean that this guy is, as you say, freakishly 0:15:15.560 --> 0:15:17.360 long and a very good player. Was fun to watch 0:15:17.440 --> 0:15:22.360 him play golf. That's cool, my my, uh, we probably 0:15:22.400 --> 0:15:24.800 all have this experience with Keith, and so, like, Keith, 0:15:24.800 --> 0:15:28.200 can we talk about the technical aspect of Tigers Club's 0:15:28.480 --> 0:15:30.960 specs and all. He said, Yeah, it's great if it's cool. 0:15:31.200 --> 0:15:34.000 If it's cool Tiger, it's great. Well, it's never cool Tiger. 0:15:34.040 --> 0:15:39.040 So the answer is now, exactly what did DJ have 0:15:39.080 --> 0:15:41.720 any insight into your golf game or your position at 0:15:41.720 --> 0:15:45.800 the top. Yeah. No, they all gave me a hard time. 0:15:46.080 --> 0:15:49.440 Um and uh, and that's part of That's part of 0:15:49.440 --> 0:15:52.760 the fun, right is that is that they kind of 0:15:52.800 --> 0:15:56.920 make fun of you. Um and my, my, I have 0:15:57.360 --> 0:16:01.600 a real I fight, you know, a fast sort of downswing. 0:16:01.680 --> 0:16:05.000 I fire early. I don't let it drop in. It's thing. 0:16:05.160 --> 0:16:07.200 It's just it's I think about it, but I can't 0:16:07.280 --> 0:16:10.880 do it. And in that circumstance, under this kind of pressure, 0:16:11.120 --> 0:16:13.920 it really is hard to relax and let it fall in. 0:16:14.120 --> 0:16:17.200 I mean and so and I had at one and 0:16:17.280 --> 0:16:21.200 because of those green surrounds, there's you know, and if 0:16:21.240 --> 0:16:22.960 I could, I'd put it or I'd hit a little 0:16:22.960 --> 0:16:25.040 punch six iron and I'd play it like I play 0:16:25.080 --> 0:16:30.320 Pineers number two or play Links Golf Abandoned, etc. And Um. 0:16:30.800 --> 0:16:32.560 But there's occasions where you got to go up, you 0:16:32.640 --> 0:16:34.400 got to try to hit the flop shot and on 0:16:34.440 --> 0:16:38.200 the ninth hole yesterday playing with DJ, and I got 0:16:38.200 --> 0:16:40.640 a shot and I'm trying to hit a flop shot 0:16:40.720 --> 0:16:42.640 up and over, and I'd kind of pulled my my 0:16:42.760 --> 0:16:45.120 approach shot on my second shot on a part five 0:16:45.480 --> 0:16:47.400 into the crowd. So I'm over there and the crowd 0:16:47.520 --> 0:16:49.240 is all surrounded me and they're all give me hard time. 0:16:49.240 --> 0:16:51.840 And I'm drinking again as to again try to call 0:16:51.920 --> 0:16:53.520 my nerves. And I got to go up and over 0:16:53.560 --> 0:16:55.840 and the grass has already trampled down to the ball 0:16:56.000 --> 0:17:00.000 balls sitting. You know. It's it's a very very messy situation. 0:17:00.080 --> 0:17:02.680 And behind me as the backdrop of the adare manner, 0:17:02.720 --> 0:17:05.639 and I got to go up over this bunker and 0:17:05.760 --> 0:17:10.560 I fire this. I unleash holy hell on this downswing 0:17:11.560 --> 0:17:14.200 and I catch it thin and it went like two 0:17:14.400 --> 0:17:17.040 hundred yards. I mean, it was like fu it was. 0:17:17.160 --> 0:17:19.639 It was like yelling for was unnecessary because it was 0:17:19.640 --> 0:17:23.440 going so far out out of the realm of possibility. 0:17:23.920 --> 0:17:27.440 And DJ like started cracking up. He's like, you had 0:17:27.440 --> 0:17:30.679 a two hundred miles per hour swing speed on that downswing, 0:17:30.760 --> 0:17:34.160 Like I have never seen anybody attack a golf ball 0:17:34.200 --> 0:17:38.120 on the institute like that. He's still talking about I guarantee. 0:17:38.160 --> 0:17:40.240 I mean it was it was so bad. And then 0:17:40.480 --> 0:17:42.439 the people all laugh and I'm like, well, there you go. 0:17:42.520 --> 0:17:44.840 That's the best Iron Hive hit all day. And the 0:17:45.600 --> 0:17:48.320 Irish lady says, you know, as I pick up my guinness, 0:17:48.400 --> 0:17:50.480 she goes, I have one thought for you. You might 0:17:50.520 --> 0:17:54.760 want to get off the drink. And I was like, actually, 0:17:54.840 --> 0:17:59.080 that's the only chance I have. I mean, that's nightmare fuel. 0:17:59.160 --> 0:18:03.240 That holes in there. God, it was crazy. It was 0:18:03.560 --> 0:18:07.640 I'm having I'll have nightmares seriously for days to come now. 0:18:09.080 --> 0:18:11.879 So you know, you're sort of traveling on two passports 0:18:11.960 --> 0:18:14.520 because you're treated as an equal. You have access to 0:18:15.720 --> 0:18:19.000 the bars, the lounges, the driving rains of putting green, 0:18:19.359 --> 0:18:22.120 but you're still kind of an observer and a reporter 0:18:22.320 --> 0:18:26.280 at heart. So I know you have to be discreet 0:18:26.280 --> 0:18:27.800 because a lot of these things were told you and 0:18:28.160 --> 0:18:31.280 sort of set my confidence. But what was it like 0:18:31.440 --> 0:18:34.600 to be have that intimacy with all these great players? 0:18:34.640 --> 0:18:36.679 And probably people saw on social media that picture of 0:18:36.720 --> 0:18:41.600 you and Jordan's speech, justin Thomas Ricky Fowler just hanging 0:18:41.600 --> 0:18:45.520 out having having a paint like you're you're a fan, 0:18:45.760 --> 0:18:49.520 you're a reporter, you're a competitor, like you're wearing different hats. 0:18:49.520 --> 0:18:50.919 So just what did it feel like to be in 0:18:50.960 --> 0:18:56.439 that arena. It's all of it's it's well articulated in 0:18:56.480 --> 0:18:59.199 that that's that's what's happening at all times. You know, 0:18:59.320 --> 0:19:01.960 you walk down the hallway, you bump into somebody, You 0:19:02.040 --> 0:19:04.920 take an elevator, you know, I had you known elevator 0:19:04.920 --> 0:19:09.280 with Jay Monahan, crossing paths with Rory McElroy or Justin. 0:19:10.040 --> 0:19:12.359 You go to a bar and there they all are, 0:19:12.400 --> 0:19:14.760 you know, Jordan, Justin and Ricky with their wives, and 0:19:14.800 --> 0:19:17.600 they're they're having fun. They're in Ireland, they're doing you know, 0:19:17.600 --> 0:19:20.800 we're all watching the hurling semifinals. And we end up 0:19:20.880 --> 0:19:23.960 at the bar and I'm you know, and and having 0:19:24.400 --> 0:19:27.280 conversation with Coucher and Lee Westwood and I are four 0:19:27.359 --> 0:19:29.000 nand our fans go way back, you know, and as 0:19:29.040 --> 0:19:31.480 its just and Keith Pelly and dinner with Jay Monahan 0:19:31.560 --> 0:19:34.520 and watching Brooks come over and talk to Jamon Ann's 0:19:34.520 --> 0:19:38.760 first time they've talked since Brooks's wedding and having casual conversation. 0:19:38.840 --> 0:19:43.560 It was this. I think there was a lot of uh, 0:19:44.640 --> 0:19:47.639 I think I talked to JP afterwards. I said, JP, um, 0:19:48.320 --> 0:19:51.760 are you able to take a moment and be appreciated 0:19:51.800 --> 0:19:56.440 and enjoy what's just happened here, That that you brought 0:19:56.480 --> 0:19:58.840 all this to Ireland, you brought this together, you brought 0:19:58.880 --> 0:20:02.199 this field together. This actually happened after three years of 0:20:02.240 --> 0:20:05.360 stop start And he said, oh, Matt, you know, I'm 0:20:05.400 --> 0:20:08.440 just I'm just happy there's been no incidents and that 0:20:08.480 --> 0:20:12.000 the gloves stayed on, that that the gloves never came off, 0:20:12.040 --> 0:20:14.800 Because I think there was a general sense of that, 0:20:15.520 --> 0:20:18.600 with how personal things have gotten, you know, in this 0:20:18.640 --> 0:20:21.960 situation with live and so many things have been said 0:20:22.000 --> 0:20:25.440 back and forth, that that something might happen, there might 0:20:25.480 --> 0:20:28.600 actually be an incident in which someone would you know, 0:20:28.800 --> 0:20:32.760 confront somebody, and that didn't happen. As far as I know, 0:20:32.960 --> 0:20:35.840 I didn't. I'm not aware of that, whether that happened 0:20:35.920 --> 0:20:38.920 you know, through text message or DM or or or 0:20:38.920 --> 0:20:41.560 where at a situation where I wasn't aware of possible. 0:20:42.320 --> 0:20:46.560 But I think everybody sort of tried to kind of 0:20:46.600 --> 0:20:51.159 remember why they were there, who their host was in 0:20:51.280 --> 0:20:55.480 reference in reverence and respect for JP to just make 0:20:55.520 --> 0:21:00.560 it about the golf and the giving back and and 0:21:00.560 --> 0:21:03.240 and it seemed to work. You know, I think Ireland 0:21:03.359 --> 0:21:08.560 is also a disarming place people feel comfortable and more 0:21:08.880 --> 0:21:11.840 at ease with who they are. I hope, you know, 0:21:11.880 --> 0:21:14.639 there's a chance there was some productive conversations you know, 0:21:14.680 --> 0:21:17.680 had amongst you know, I know Patty Harrington, Shane Lowry 0:21:18.440 --> 0:21:22.520 was congratulating certain guys for their situations. You know. Again, 0:21:22.600 --> 0:21:26.760 Paul Casey signed while we were there with Live and 0:21:26.800 --> 0:21:29.320 I walked up to him and uh, and he was, 0:21:29.480 --> 0:21:32.920 you know, Paul Casey goes, hey, hold on, I'm about 0:21:32.920 --> 0:21:36.520 to turn forty five. I got a bad back. I 0:21:36.520 --> 0:21:38.840 don't have a lot a lot left, you know, I 0:21:38.920 --> 0:21:43.240 got five years until the Champions Tour. I try to 0:21:43.240 --> 0:21:45.600 make a living play in the game of golf. And 0:21:45.720 --> 0:21:47.520 you know, he summarized it just like that, you know, 0:21:47.600 --> 0:21:49.360 and then he hit his tea shot and he walked off, 0:21:49.359 --> 0:21:52.119 and it was like, it's really hard to argue with 0:21:52.440 --> 0:21:54.960 It's really hard to argue with um in the in 0:21:55.000 --> 0:21:58.920 their situation. I think Graham uh feels the same way, 0:21:59.200 --> 0:22:02.960 you know. You know, these guys Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, 0:22:03.000 --> 0:22:07.919 like these guys are are They're in that tweener phase. 0:22:07.960 --> 0:22:12.240 Of their career in which again they've woken up every 0:22:12.320 --> 0:22:16.800 day since how young they were, tried to get really 0:22:16.840 --> 0:22:19.399 good at golf and earn a paycheck so that they 0:22:19.440 --> 0:22:22.879 can keep playing the game that they love. And you know, 0:22:22.920 --> 0:22:24.720 Graham mc now said, you know, I might lose my 0:22:24.800 --> 0:22:27.960 card And is the PGA Tour going to come and say, hey, 0:22:28.119 --> 0:22:30.000 I'm sorry, Graham, but you know, let us let us 0:22:30.040 --> 0:22:32.240 give you more money. You know, you're not playing anymore. 0:22:32.240 --> 0:22:35.639 You're not you're not you're not competitive at this level anymore. 0:22:35.680 --> 0:22:36.960 But we want to help you out. We want to 0:22:36.960 --> 0:22:39.520 give you a retirement, you know, or some form of, 0:22:39.680 --> 0:22:42.760 you know, a way to make a living. What's he 0:22:42.800 --> 0:22:46.480 going to do? Matt, what was your what was your 0:22:46.480 --> 0:22:51.080 reading on on Monahan? Just physically? How did he see him? 0:22:51.119 --> 0:22:55.640 And do you feel like he's ready for what he's 0:22:55.920 --> 0:23:01.640 facing here? Well, I think he's really overwhelmed. I think 0:23:01.720 --> 0:23:06.480 he's he's I think he's doing what he can in 0:23:06.520 --> 0:23:14.639 his mind to try to sort this out. This is 0:23:14.720 --> 0:23:18.200