The Shotgun Start

This Wednesday episode begins with some brief news on Bryson releasing a fancy video with his Masters scripting despite the fact that there is no Masters this week. We also discuss the Masters field being finalized right now at 96 players, even though the tournament will not be played until November. Then our SGS Spotlight focuses Fred Couples. We dive into his upbringing in a middle class neighborhood in Seattle, learning to play at a local muni, and eventually working his way to Houston. His two Players wins, his Masters victory, and his peak years as the world No. 1 force are given the treatment. We also review the critiques from his contemporaries about his apathy, absentmindedness, and aversion to practicing. His struggles, both with tragedy in his personal life and with his injured back, are also discussed as consistent themes that kept popping up in research. This was an enjoyable one on Boom Boom, aka Mr. Skins aka the Czar of the Silly Season.

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This quick pop-up podcast takes on the wave of schedule announcements that came from the various organizations on Monday. Eamon Lynch, a columnist at Golfweek and contributor at Golf Channel, reported on the discussions between golf’s organizing bodies last week and that reporting came official on Monday. Eamon discusses the process of the PGA Tour, R&A, USGA, PGA, and Augusta National coming together to create a makeshift schedule for the rest of 2020 immediately after The Players was abandoned. We discuss the R&A’s decision to cancel The Open and how the delay in reaching that caused some tension at the end of an otherwise collegial process. We also discuss the USGA’s “creativity” in the process, from cutting down its field to considering Riviera as a 2020 venue, as Eamon reported on Monday. And finally we consider what further changes may be coming and how tenuous this current schedule may be for the rest of the year. Thanks to Eamon for joining us for this interview.

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A break from the SGS Spotlight pace of the past couple weeks to follow up on a call for Ask Me Anything questions from the end of February. We tried this back around the holidays of 2018 with relative success and had planned one even before golf went on hiatus. We pore through your questions, in part 1 of what will be an attempt to answer every single one even if it is dodgy reply. We discuss mostly golf, our ideal major rota, what the Tour will look like after this crisis, our favorite fruits, the origins of this podcast, 5-year-olds saying the f-word, the best time zone, our past occupations, and if Andy has ever been to the zoo.

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This portly Friday episode begins with the latest news on what may come of a 2020 men’s golf schedule. We cover Golf Digest’s report that The Open will be canceled, and then review Eamon Lynch’s wide-ranging report on the initial plans for shuffling around the Masters, FedExCup, Ryder Cup preparations, and a potential west coast U.S. Open. Paddy Harrington’s plea for 12 captain’s picks and a Ryder Cup committed to 2020 is also discussed. Then we get to our SGS Spotlight subject, Curtis Strange. Is he the player of the 80s on the PGA Tour? We proffer some nuts-and-bolts facts on a great career, hit on his outrageous title winning moment in college, and then his rise up the money lists and at the majors. We relay some legendary stories about his redass instincts and hot-tempered outbursts that got him in trouble even with Arnold Palmer early in his career. The back-to-back U.S. Opens are discussed in detail -- the playoff win over Faldo and that “Soak Hill” Sunday run to put him in company with Hogan. The ‘85 Masters he nearly (or should have) won after shooting an 80 in the opening round is also covered in detail. The Ryder Cup pressure and ignominy of 1995, which resulted in heckles about choking for years is recalled via some vicious Rick Reilly columns. Reilly also humorously pops Strange for his mishandling of Sunday singles as captain in 2002. *That* Tiger Woods interview is also debated before a closing discussion on his legacy and HOF credentials.

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This Wednesday episode begins with news of a PGA Tour memo to players indicating that they should still plan to be back in action at Colonial in mid May. The memo also, per reports, outlined details of field increases and more opposite field events to maximize playing opportunities when the season resumes. The new pace of play policy, however, is pushed off to next year and this, along with a deluded memo that the Tour may resume in mid May, has us aghast. What also has us aghast is a Valero Texas Open all-time power rankings that put Charley Hoffman No. 1 ahead of Palmer, Snead, and others based on … all-time earnings. Then we get to our SGS Spotlight of the day, focusing on Woosie’s nearby boyhood rival, Sandy Lyle. This is a fun deep dive into Lyle’s upbringing, his hyped amateur days, his peak run at the top of the Order of Merit, and his quick-strike efficiency picking up two majors and a Players in an otherwise underwhelming record at those “big events.” A career intertwined with Nick Faldo is closely examined from their earliest days to their distinctly different personalities to their rise as two British legends. The quirks of the ‘85 Open and the improbability of the ‘88 Masters are discussed, as well as the circus atmosphere of his ‘87 Players. Some fun stories about his propensity for skipping range warm-ups, the late-career tiff with Monty over a Ryder Cup captaincy, and once drinking four glasses of wine before unexpectedly making a playoff are also among this reliving of the Lyle legend

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A delayed Monday episode begins with Phil Mickelson’s tease that he’s working on a potential The Match-type event with Tiger Woods. This gives us occasion to pass along a tasty and completely unverified rumor we heard over the weekend about such an event. We also discuss further scheduling changes with a potential six-month lockdown in the UK impacting The Open, a new Olympics date for 2021, and reports of the U.S. Open being postponed. There’s also a brief interlude of optimism for better days when we are out of this. The second half of the episode is a deep dive into the fast life, amazing upbringing, and legendary career of Ian Woosnam, aka The Wee Welshman aka Boozy Woosie. We hit on his childhood growing up the son of a farmer and how working on the farm gave him the strength that eventually made him an absolute masher of the golf ball at a diminutive height. There are fun stories about working his way up on the Safari Tour, living in a van, and riding on handlebars of a bike to make his tee time. His Masters win is given a full account, including his back-and-forth with the Augusta fans rooting against him. His Ryder Cup heroics and celebrations are praised, and his captaincy -- called “the most pathetic” captaincy by one snubbed player -- is reviewed. We also discuss his partying ways and his run-ins with the law before assessing his legacy and hall-of-fame credentials.

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This Friday episode begins with an appreciation of the great Sunny “Abacoa” Kim getting the stage he deserves after his MLGT win with the rest of the golf world on hiatus. Then we briefly discuss the PGA of America’s anger at Brandel Chamblee over comments that teaching has been “b**** slapped” back to reality. Our SGS Spotlight segment focuses on the great Vijay Singh. This is a lengthy one worthy of the career of the Fijian. We relive his outrageous peak years and climb to world No. 1 in the middle of the Tiger era. We discuss his three major championships, including a Masters that almost feels overlooked. His sui generis path to the game is given a full account, such as the spartan circumstances of learning to play in Fiji as the son of an airport technician. The controversies of his career are also discussed in depth, including the 1985 cheating scandal that followed him his entire career, his sexist comments about Annika Sorenstam’s exemption into Colonial, the Augusta locker room confrontation with Phil, and his general prickly demeanor with the press and fans. We close with some anecdotes about his work ethic, the admiration he engenders from the pros on the range, and his legacy.

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This Wednesday episode disposes of some brief news before a lengthy dive into the life and career of David Duval with special guest Sean Martin, Senior Editor at PGA Tour dot com. The brief news is an Olympics postponement and Justin Rose using the occasion to show off his fancy watch on social media. Then we get to our SGS Spotlight subject: David Duval. Sean joins us to discuss this turn-of-the-century legend but quickly becomes an observer to an unexpected back-and-forth on O’Meara vs. Duval. We pore over Duval’s career with a fine-tooth comb, from his amateur days to his Nike Tour success to his legendary four-year run that put him at No. 1 in the world. Some stats from his 59 at the Bob Hope, his close calls at Augusta, his Players, and his Open are given the treatment. We discuss the sudden and precipitous fall after that Open win and potential comps in pro golf history (and present). Then we read from and marvel at some of the details of his personal story and tragedy, much of which was captured in an all-time profile from the great Gary Smith, a piece of writing that had us tearing up at times during research.

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A Monday episode begins with news that PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan will forfeit his salary as golf is suspended. We briefly discuss this and also some of the numbers of positive tests coming out of Florida about 10 days after The Players went on at TPC Sawgrass. One person reportedly likely positive for Covid-19 is Pete Cowen, world-renowned coach who was on the range at TPC Sawgrass and undoubtedly interacting with a number of players and staff. We also hit on the uncertain future of the Olympics despite organizers saying it’s not postponed or canceled yet. The new USGA rules adjusted for the new realities of playing golf are also mentioned before we transition to some angst about the lack of classic programming during these golf-less days. The SGS Spotlight for this episode focuses on Mark O’Meara. We highlight his U.S. Amateur win as an underdog, his penchant for winning “B” events, his Tiger friendship that went south, and his amazing late career run at the majors in 1998. Some amusing anecdotes about Johnny Miller playing at Cypress in the Bing Crosby, ‘98 Open runner-up Brian Watts losing it on the Japan Tour, and the Mark-it-Nearer nickname are also included.

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This Friday episode begins with a reader submission on how a relatively middling player could use this layoff to then make a #brandactivation splash when golf does resume. Then we discuss the fact there are now odds for our beloved Minor League Golf Tour and the potential for fixing down on that Tour. We discuss the current range of golf course operations and adjustments across the country, from outright closures to pared down staffs, and what we think maybe should be the appropriate solution. A truncated Flashback segment focuses on K.J. Choi’s Tampa win wielding a Sasquatch just a week after he put the quadrilateral driver in the bag. Our SGS Spotlight features focuses on Hal Sutton, aka Halimony aka The Bear Apparent aka Prince Hal aka Popeye Arms. We hit on Hal’s outrageous run as an amateur out of Shreveport, his amazing success in his first two years as a pro, his game falling off a cliff in his prime for “many reasons,” and the resurgence at the turn of the century, including his staredown of 2000 Tiger Woods at the Players. We also hit on, uh, his propensity for marriages (failed ones), his off-the-course cash haul and spending habits, and his Ryder Cup dustup with Phil Mickelson. It’s a long one with many entertaining quotes and excerpts from a sui generis career.

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We begin this Wednesday episode with an update from our social distancing lives before proceeding to the major wave of upcoming schedule cancellations and changes. We discuss the PGA’s postponement, the report of a Ryder Cup move to 2021, and the likelihood of a U.S. Open happening on time. We ponder who is taking the biggest hit in all of this and the many concessions the PGA Tour has and will have to make. Some new schedule proposals and ideas based on the many rumors and reports are discussed, from a new Masters date to a new PGA date and why it might then make sense for the Ryder Cup to bail on 2020. Some Bears and Browns free agency talk sneaks its way in as well. On the occasion of Bobby Jones’ birthday, we present one listener’s argument for why he is the one true GOAT. Then, in our second installment of SGS Spotlight, Corey Pavin’s career is put under consideration. We discuss his slap hitter ways, media constantly talking about his height, the ‘95 U.S. Open win in brutal conditions, and a hilarious Rick Reilly description of Pavin and that win. On the Ryder Cup disasters of 2010, we hit on the rain suit malfunction, Lisa Pavin as “The Captainess,” a blow-up fight with Jim Gray, and the conspiracy theory that Pavin stacked his captain’s picks with born-again Christians as a convert himself. We contemplate his legacy and wonder whether he is “Boomer Rickie” and should be left out of our hypothetical Hall of Fame.

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This Monday episode will be the first of many with no golf results to discuss or recap. So first, we begin by revisiting the conclusion of The Players, reviewing Jay Monahan’s last press conference of the week, and pushing back on some of the apologia touting how they made the “right” decision when in fact it was the only decision after a series of wrong ones. The Masters postponement and the new CDC recommendations leaves us wondering if this will be an entirely lost year. What would a fall Masters look like and what are the options? The Premier Golf League’s chances of getting off the ground took on another blow Sunday with Brooks Koepka coming out against it with some cogent remarks on the foundations and guts of the PGA Tour, before Jon Rahm then also joined him later in the night. We conclude with a lengthy new segment called the SGS Spotlight, in which we will pick an era and drill down on a handful of marquee names and characters from that era. First up is the OWGR era and Colin Montgomerie. We spend probably too much time reviewing Monty’s body of work, from the dominance on the European Tour, some majors he thought he’d won, his marital troubles, his troubles with American fans, and the Jakartagate incident that led to a feud with fellow Scot Sandy Lyle. We close with some discussion of the brutal missed opportunity at Winged Foot that has become overshadowed by Phil Mickelson’s choke job, and debate Monty’s legacy in the game.

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We recorded this episode prior to news of the Players Championship cancellation, so there’s a 7-minute addendum at the front of it talking about the final decision to pull the plug on the remaining three rounds. The rest of it still stands and applies regardless of the Tour reaching that final decision, and the rest of it covers their obstinance all week from refusing to pass on the media tour with markets in freefall to being one of the last sports on the island to cancel events. The decision to have fans on Thursday is also panned in the week of Ponte Vedra feet dragging. There is a certain level of empathy expressed for the truly crap hand they were dealt, but it’s the process of how they played that hand is why the Tour showed some ways in which its come unmoored. A short discussion on the actual golf on Thursday focuses on Hideki’s course record round, how in the world they didn’t get done before darkness, the bunker cam impediment, and how a relatively dry few weeks produced a round rife with mudballs. Flashback Friday hones in on a Players and Sawgrass record that may never be matched as well as some colorful writing about Fuzzy Zoeller.

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Finally, major championship season has arrived. This Wednesday episode will be a rollercoaster of a preview without much nuts-and-bolts preview-y discussion. We start with Andy’s big debut as a walking reporter for a broadcast and some of the technical difficulties of his maiden voyage. Also, did a mistake he made on the first tee impact a play?! Then we get to Jay Monahan’s rough media tour to announce his new rights deal on Monday morning and the tough spot he never should have been in on live TV. The Tour’s initial response to coronavirus is also reviewed. A new sponsor read somehow leads to a panning of the latest Scott McCarron anchoring footage. We make one-and-done picks and also lament the reported soft conditions this week that will be a changeup from the prior two legs of the Florida swing. What’s the best grass for demonstrating short game skill and, setting aside the marketing, do we actually love the golf product of The Players? Why will Carson be there again on Wednesday? Lots of questions before Rory and Brandel’s comments on the PGL are discussed and a closing with a Masters fact of the day on Augusta National’s original 19th hole.

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This Monday episode begins with a discussion on the Florida swing brutalizing the best players in the world over the last two weeks. It got even harder over the weekend at Bay Hill, and we discuss some of the eye-opening numbers as well as our opinions on if it’s been a fun product to watch. We praise the flammable Tyrrell Hatton and express our surprise that he was able to keep it together on a tough scoring day, and Andy ponders if he’s better than Thomas Fleetwood. Some concern is shown for Brooksy’s newfound love for rigorous practice habits, as well as the “golf bender” he’s currently on with the schedule. The return of the Masters Fact of the Day (thanks to @BamaBearcat) focuses on the quirky necktie proclivities of Clifford Roberts. Andy tells us why he’s in Bandon and what might be coming this week as a result. Jorge Campillo and Ernie Els get their time as winners on the Euro and Champions tours before a transition to some Players matters. Did NBC and the Tour disrespect Mr. Palmer with coverage of featured groups for next week and live shots of an empty 17th hole? Is Tiger taking a pass proof of a concerning injury? Why is Jordan Spieth in a featured group? We run through all the featured groups to close it out before a full-on TOUR assault from PVB the rest of the week.

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Out of respect for Arnold’s event this weekend, there will be no official comment or notes for this Friday episode.

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This Wednesday episode begins with the schedule for the week and a discussion on the evolution of Bay Hill. But first, an Andy digression on how the hole-in-one is now overrated. We discuss how Bay Hill stands out on the Tour schedule as a long-iron test and Arnold’s affinity for the place, as well as putting home sites around the holes. Francesco Molinari’s tailspin is spotlighted since his win at API last year. The PGL featured group of Reed, Bryson, and Phil segues into a tidbit Andy got about the long con Bryson was playing with his comment about figuring out how shafts work. Rickie’s uniform scripting activation-happy ways are discussed. Brendan complains about the spelling of Tucson while Andy rants about how people pronounce “catch.” On the European Tour, we discuss the Education City GC where the Qatar Masters is being held and on the Champions Tour, we make a plea for Bo Hoag to get an exemption into the Hoag Classic. News focuses on DJ taking a pass on Tokyo and the crazy new gauntlet of a schedule next year with the Honda Classic moving after The Players, featuring a tip about a potential venue change coming for the Honda.

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This is March. It’s a new month and our first episode of the month goes into the Sunday shenanigans at the Honda Classic. We praise the extremely aggressive approach of Sungjae Im that paid off at a PGA National that did not yield many mid-60s rounds. Im continues his climb up the world rankings and will almost certainly be at the Olympics, where he can play his way out of military service. Also from the Honda, we discuss Paul Azinger really twisting the knife on the European Tour and the significance of winning anywhere but the PGA Tour. Mac Hughes’ hard tug left and Tommy Fleetwood’s balloon ball into the drink provide another referendum and disagreement on protracer. The logic of the Bear Trap name is questioned by Brendan while Andy is apoplectic about someone on TV calling it “the best three-hole stretch in all of golf.” Ads with an anthropomorphic Cologuard box provide a natural segue into Bernhard Langer’s win in Tucson. Are we fully appreciating what he’s done in a Champions Tour career that’s longer than most would dream of on any Tour? In news, we discuss the USGA’s new brand campaign for the U.S. Open as well as David Feherty not holding back when asked about the “oblivious” Patrick Reed.

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This Friday episode wanders around a bit at the beginning trying to get loose discussing weekend plans, Comcast outages, and the official new Shotgun Start coffee blend from our friends at Bixby Coffee. Eventually, on golf, we discuss Lee Westwood’s opening salvo at the Honda Classic and how it all sets up for the care-free paunchy Englishman. We discuss the PXG mutiny among the #troops, starting with Bill Horschel’s discharge. Then there’s a guessing game on which pros might actually drive a Honda vehicle. In news, we review Martin Sleeps’ comments that the R&A is looking for venues that can accomodate 200k fans, potentially leaving Turnberry and Muirfield out in the cold. We contrast that with news that the USGA has agreed lower ticket availability for Winged Foot after membership concerns about damage to the East Course following 2006. Also in news, we discover and bathe in the navel gazing vanity of this “Greg Norman’s Biggest Fan” contest being run by … Greg Norman. Flashback Friday focuses on Cologuard Monday qualifier Jarmo Sandelin and his wild history of carrying an obscenely long driver, nearly coming to blows with Phil Mickelson over machine-gun mimicry celebrations, cheating accusations against him and at Mark O’ Meara, and playing the villain at the 1999 Ryder Cup. A second Flashback for this leap-year weekend hits on Camilo Villegas’ 2010 Honda win and what has happened to “spiderman” since that title.

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It’s Swamp Week on the PGA Tour and we dive right in on this Wednesday episode. We begin with some earnest discussion of PGA National and how you can’t fake it around the hazardous bear-infested layout. Then we transition to a less-serious discussion on the mid-life-crisis party scene both at the course and around town the week of the Honda. We lament the weakening of the field as the Honda fights for room on a crowded, “elevated” part of the schedule. Andy then proposes a GoFundMe to get Geronimo out to every event to become a season-long storyline (and maybe slowly drive JT mad). The Cologuard Classic is given a full account, with news of each player getting a free box kit in his locker as well as a tip about continued anchored putting strife among not only the players, but also their significant others. News focuses on Pat Reed’s Mother-in-Law’s Facebook activity and the quotes, and contradictions, from Brooks Koepka’s GQ profile.

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We get back to our roots in this episode with an opening admission of some significant Sunday night worse for the wear status. An SGS host may not be the only one down on Monday, as we express empathy for our new friend Geronimo after a tough Sunday for Justin Thomas. We also consider the truth of the statement that they have a “great relationship,” as well as another one from the broadcast that Paul Casey is popular in Mexico City. In more relevant matters, we then praise the beauty of watching Patrick Reed actually hit golf shots while scoffing at all the other attendant BS. Andy makes the point that his game will always position him as an overachiever of sorts. Is Reed good for the PGA Tour and should they just embrace having a villain? Is he truly setting an example for the kids, as he noted in his press conference? We also put a pin in the Bryson science narrative balloon, which was fully inflated all weekend. In Puerto Rico, we praise Viktor Hovland’s work but worry that his career may now be over given the curse. News focuses on Tiger and several other stars skipping Honda as well as the PGL CEO coming out of the shadows. Was this WGC just a tease of how much better the product could be on this proposed PGL?

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A loopy Friday episode begins with a celebration of democracy and the voting process that will put Lee Westwood on the PGA Tour Live feed all day Friday in Mexico. This is interrupted by a rant on every day now having a theme, strategies for handling overenthusiastic co-workers, and a plea to keep track of the times UPS is quickly cropped out of the Westwood feed. On actual golf, we discuss the beauty of Rory’s round and his chase for every golf “slam” known to man, as well as a conspiracy theory about his hat as to why he didn’t play the Olympics. In Puerto Rico, we touch on the Jay McLuen problem and the PR Open Curse that strikes each winner before jumping into a flashback Friday on one of the players down there this week, Ryo Ishikawa. The trip down memory lane focuses on the comparisons to Rory early in last decade and the mania that followed Ryo in his nascent days on Tour. In news, we discuss Peter Kostis lighting the world on fire and Rory coming out against the PGL and the odd rush to pronounce his albeit admirable stance as the death of the concept. A completely rambling final segment then also hits Acushnet’s statement on the distance report, rampant corruption and conflicts in golf media, Scottie Scheffler, and bald Casey Urlacher’s illegal gambling ring with his friends “Sweaters” and “Uncle Mick.”

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Finally, it’s World Golf Championship week. But first, on the occasion of Michael Jordan’s birthday, we provide some amusing details on Grove XXIII, MJ’s own newish club down in South Florida. Back on the WGC Mexico Championship, we dive into the field at Chapultepec this week and discuss some of the names who aren’t there and those who are, including Rory McIlroy and his chase for the venerable WGC Slam. That prompts a trip down memory lane on Tiger Woods and his ridiculous run at this event winning at venues all over the planet. Andy offers a new appreciation for the Mexico City course that admittedly “offends his sensibilities.” The oppo field event in Puerto Rico is then discussed, or more appropriately, a list of the sponsor’s exemptions and alternates is read aloud. We close with a news segment that revels in Brooksy calling out Pat Reed’s sand castle architecture and compare it to the current run of MLB players lambasting the Astros in the absence of real discipline from their league.

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Greetings! And apologies for this delayed Presidents Day edition of the Shotgun Start. We begin with a deep discussion on our favorite Presidents and a plea for podcasting holidays. Then we get to Adam Scott’s impressive Sunday at Riviera and why a course like that promotes a talent like that at the top of the leaderboard. We review Scott’s career and his lament that his natural driving advantage has been stunted. We also address Tiger’s terrible weekend and the no good, very bad Sunday for CBS (as well as our favorite graphic inanity). Andy argues that the PGA Tour is not really concerned with venues because it might take away the spotlight from the players. The Riviera difference and how it amplifies the top talents and an event as a whole is explained. On other Tours, we shout out Inbee Park’s impressive work down under, the lack of starpower on the Champions Tour and how it should maybe fold up shop, and the wounded duck collecting his first OWGR points in two years. We conclude with Andy’s thoughts on attending the All Star Game (and Guy Fieri’s presence), raving about the format in contrast with the Tour Championship and offering up some skills challenges that could be golf’s version of All Star Saturday night.

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Love is not in the air for this Valentine’s Friday edition of the Shotgun Start. The massive movements in the foundations of golf rumbling this week are given a full account, with a few inside bits and some speculating on how things may look in the future. But first we begin with some instant thoughts from Riviera, notably the aesthetic beauty of watching Tiger execute on the front nine and the alarming quotes from Brooks Koepka that his knee may never be 100 percent again. Then we get to the drama portion, focusing first on the Premier Golf League concept, which continues to be a hot topic in LA with all the prominent players on scene. Are the Saudis now hellbent on this happening? Will it all come down to Tiger? Then comes the report that the PGA Tour will now be taking over the production of its broadcast, feeding those assets then to the network for their presentation. Will this be a State Run Media sham or perhaps actually improve the product? And is there a separate larger, long-term play with this change? Lastly, we discuss the rather significant matter (that was largely ignored by golf media) of the world No. 1 player, Rory McIlroy, coming right out and saying he’s all for bifurcation and contrast that with Bryson’s thoughts on the issue. We close with a Flashback Friday segment that leads us into a potentially unanswerable question: Who has had the better career -- Sergio or Adam Scott?

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The best week on the PGA Tour schedule is here and we spend the first chunk of this Wednesday episode covering all that makes it No. 1. We go into some of the defining characteristics of Riviera, how it could be better, and the “Black Swan” ownership structure that may be limiting its potential. We lament the new “invitational” status and check in on some of the highly rated courier cup players that are on the outside looking in this week. Some one-and-done picks are made in between a long diversion on Craig Hodges and a past NBA All Star weekend scandal. Then we get to Tiger’s press conference, notably his comments on the distance report and an equivocation that certainly does not close the door on his interest in the Premier Golf League concept. In other schedule news, we discuss the LPGA cancelling two more events because of the coronavirus, the nature of a Champions Tour Monday qualifier, and the emergence of a long lost Dick Johnson back on the KFT Tour.

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This freewheeling Monday episode jumps to-and-fro on a variety of topics from an eventful weekend in golf. We begin with Sunday at Pebble Beach, where some firm conditions and high winds created a highly entertaining challenge for the final pairing of Nick Taylor and Phil Mickelson. We get into the teeny greens of Pebble and, setting aside architectural quibbles, praise the chaotic watch it created on Sunday. The 12th hole is also put under the fairness microscope. A Dump in the Cup is awarded to one player who got blown out to sea when he needed the points. We also discuss Jason Day’s balloon therapy getting lots of publicity, his vomitous putting, Larry Fitz’s potential sandbagging, and the backboarding ways of Lawrence the Cable Guy *and* Commissioner Jay Monahan. We then somehow end up on a lengthy diversion ranting about the new Union Green golf ball model. In news, we hit on some of the OWGR movements, including Jordan Spieth sneaking into the next WGC. We wrap with some thoughts about inane rollback arguments and Webb Simpson’s opinion on how to make golf hard again.

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This Friday episode begins with some quick reactions to early scoring from across the world of golf. This prompts further angst about the fact that there is no Shotlink at the other venues this week as well as a listener submitted take comparing David Duval and Jordan Spieth. On the LPGA and Euro Tours, we get into the joy of a mixed event and call for more on all tours. Then there is a segment on some of the responses to the distance report, ranging from DJ’s lovable indifference, Paul Casey’s real estate quackery, Phil taking the “it’s the athletes not equipment” line, and an unnamed PGA Tour spokesman falling back on the line that the game is more exciting than ever. We react to some of these and give them their proper weight. In news, Bryson’s inclusion on a Top 50 fittest athletes list is covered as well as Phil’s adamant stance that he will not accept a U.S. Open special exemption. We wrap with Flashback Friday that gets into the 2010 Pebble Pro-Am, one of the rare instances when David Duval posted a top 10 after 2001.

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The Shotgun Start goes back to its roots for a short and sweet Wednesday episode brought on by Brendan’s lack of a voice. We begin with the news of the day and perhaps the news of the next decade: the USGA and R&A distance report. Andy rejoices in some of the language used in the report and we discuss what it might mean in the instant and in the long term. What does the “local rule” sentence open the door for and where? How messy is this going to get and how long will it take for actions? We discuss how in our lifetimes we’ve perhaps never seen such a moment of tension and potential conflict among governing bodies and leagues, especially with the PGL now on the table. Billy Horschel’s befuddling tweet is also thrown into the discussion. The report gets the lion’s share of the first half of the podcast before the usual business occupies the back half. We hit on the schedule for the week, event of the week, one-and-done picks, and a refresher on why Jason Day just loves the Pebble Pro-Am so much.

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This flu episode begins with some thoughts on the Super Bowl and the halftime show in Miami. Brendan also apologizes for his absence last week, the late release, and his horrible sounding voice. Once on golf matters, the Phoenix Open is given a full review with high marks for Webb and criticism for the modern day Avis man, Tony Finau. How impressive is Webb’s work given where he stands on the driver rankings? Andy also praises the brilliant course conditions that provided a different test for the Tour player. On Saudi Arabia, an edict is issued clarifying the distinction between a “no fans” event and a “soulless” marketing ploy of a tournament. Graeme McDowell’s win is praised and Phil hitting bombs while cozying up with some PGL backers is discussed. Andy also revels in GMac getting a slow play penalty after doing a mid-round interview. Davis Riley is given some run for his win on the KFT, which has a confusing new ad and out right at the moment where it’s buried from TV coverage. Brett Quigley’s Champs Tour win in Morocco illuminates the potential issues for that senior circuit. We wrap with some shout outs for the winner and high finishers of the first month of the first ever SGS pool.

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Shane Bacon fills in for a flu-ridden Brendan Porath to talk about the Waste Management, Jordan Spieth, life, and a potential revamping of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

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This Wednesday episode begins with an appreciation of the Phoenix Open and how it’s worked to build a completely unique identity on a crowded schedule of “regular” PGA Tour events. We lament the copycat attempts and ponder other tournaments that we’d like to see carve out (and bust their ass to build) their own identity that puts in a wider world of sports discussion. Rickie’s specially designed shoes for the WMPO, however, are used to illuminate some of the setbacks of those glomming on to what was an organically built machine. We also marvel at its field being overrun by guys on Major Medical Extensions. Elsewhere around the world of golf, we are *stunned* to hear Sergio now loves the conditioning of the course over in Saudi Arabia. We also wonder who in Morocco demanded more Duffy Waldorf and why a Champions Tour event ended up there this week. We discuss some recent announcements by the PGA Tour about charitable giving benchmarks and Players purse increases and how it ties in with Jay Monahan’s email to Tour members about Saudi money being involved in the proposed Premier Golf League. We end with comments from Brooksy and DJ that imply they’re TBD for the Olympics and we wonder who got to Brooksy after a remark that apparently prioritizes the FedExCup over the Games.

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We begin this Monday episode with a solemn note on the loss of Kobe Bryant at 41 years old and how the tragedy on Sunday immediately became a part of the much smaller story happening at Torrey Pines. On golf, we discuss Marc Leishman’s win and his admittance to the prestigious Swedish Pancake Club. We also hit on some of the course changes, Tiger’s game, another JB-Grammys scare, Faldo’s stumbles, and Jon Rahm not knowing the score on the 72nd green. Over on the European Tour, we get into Bryson being put on the clock and then immediately tanking on the back nine on Sunday. We also discuss his new beefy Jersey shore boardwalk dweller look. In news, we get to the The Players bumping its purse as Andy intimated it would last week. We sign off with some more discussion on the World Tour, including their press release full of shots at the PGA Tour, and some comments on the concept from Phil, Rory, and others.

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This Friday episode begins by immediately diving into the major scoop from Geoff Shackelford on Thursday night that the concept of a new World Golf Tour is on the table and being taken seriously by star players and the PGA Tour. We discuss the format, why it could work, why it’s needed, and why the PGA Tour could be vulnerable to such a challenger. This atypically serious discussion then transitions into a quick review of the early action at Torrey Pines, including impressive showings from Rory and Spieth, DL3’s TV debut, and an incessant Rahmbo shouter. There’s also a tip about Sungjae Im’s tee box snack choice and a reader question on the lack of Shotlink on the North Course that provokes a rant. On the European Tour, Andy questions the pronunciation of the first name Thomas -- and that’s about it on the action from Dubai. We wrap with some fun and inane products, sights, and sounds from the PGA Show and a discussion on the ethics of range finders, which leads into two amusing stories from our caddie days about getting yardages.

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This Wednesday episode begins with a mix of anticipation and anxiety about some PGA Show travel. Then we get to the schedule for the week, starting with the leaderboard for the Wednesday finish on the KFT Tour. We learn some new things about the life and times of Jared Wolfe and ponder why the PGA Tour can’t seem to provide more coverage and archival footage for their subscription video service. Andy relays a “hunch” about a sizable purse increase coming for The Gold Standard and also gloats about some new Rickie endorsement news that he foretold. The annual stop at Torrey Pines gets a preview, with a startling name making his way onto the ballot for Fan Vote Friday. We run down the possibilities for Tiger’s season, from best to worst to realistic cases and we also rant about having the context of career benchmarks always crowbarred into the narrative every time we watch him. Lastly, we finish with some PGA Show whimsy on five extremely expensive inventions/products at the show targeted towards fixing the intractable problem of getting around a golf course.

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This holiday Monday episode of the Shotgun Start begins with a jubilant Andy shouting about the Packers loss and Lee Westwood’s win. We dissect Westy’s new approach to life and practice, his ball-retrieving putter celebration, his “dry January” likely coming to an end, and his potential lukewarm desires to make a Ryder Cup team. This leads to a semi-serious discussion on all the different approaches to the game and life before a discussion on one approach that does not appear to be working: hitting bombs. We proffer some data that might indicate Phil’s chase to hit nothing but bombs has tanked his chances to win more often, contrasting that with Westy’s contentment. At the LPGA’s Tournament of Champions, we express dismay at the playoff continuing to go to the same hole and the two competitors parring us into darkness. John Smoltz’s self-standing putter is also reviewed. We relay some nuggets on the awesome backstory of the Latin America Am winner and how this 17 year old husky boy from Argentina is exactly what these Am events should be promoting at Masters. Hosung’s dangerous club throw has Andy doubting his commitment to the four-fingered fisherman but Ernie’s arrival on the senior circuit prompts a different, more startling admission. Finally, we wrap with Woody Austin’s bag sponsor and ponder how much that costs.

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This Friday episode focuses on the off-course drama that seems to have sucked up all the oxygen in January. During a leaderboard check-in, Brendan and Andy get to Abu Dhabi and discuss the Bryson-Brooks beef that’s boiled again this week. Is Bryson a genius or really just an idiot? Is there a worse person to goad than Brooksy right now? This gets them into a quote from Jordan Spieth that he wouldn’t mind seeing more adversarial rivalries in the game and ideal beef pairings they’d like to see. This is interrupted by news that the PGA Tour threatened Cam Smith with a fine for speaking the truth on Pat Reed. This also dovetails into the alternate universe the Tour tried to create by ignoring Tommy Gainey’s recent indiscretions during a win and week when he was featured prominently and constantly on the broadcast. In other Euro Tour matters, Sergio saying the Saudi event will get to see the “real Sergio” and rumors of two American players boycotting Sky Sports are discussed. Flashback Friday highlights a near-miss at the Bob Hope by the then Boy from South Africa, who alleged a marshal wanted to “play soccer” with his golf ball and that Tiger was “ducking him.”

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This Wednesday episode begins with a lengthy digression on Topgolf and what may or may not be considered proper Topgolf etiquette and behavior. Then Brendan and Andy get to the schedule for the week but not before another disagreement over the Solicitor General being allowed to play and potentially win on the Korn Ferry Tour. The featured groups for the American Express are examined, including a specific quartet of singles hitters. In Abu Dhabi, the dress-up session in lab coats amuses. Bryson DeChambeau’s comments on how slow play times won’t be an issue anymore because of how far he is hitting it is put under the microscope. Also, they discuss the Tour’s Player Advisory Council passing on Bryson despite his lobbying for a third straight year. How would a PAC meeting proceed with Bryson at the table and who from the current group should get the boot? The Tour’s new slow play “enhancements” are compared to the Euro Tour’s more fleshed-out actions. They close with a comparison of the Astros discipline to the punishment of Patrick Reed and then finally some alarming detail about the CT numbers for a new 3-wood.

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The new week begins with new grist for the “no fans” movement. An interminable end to the Sony Open that included balls rocketing off jumbotrons, generous grandstand drops from horrible hooks, and human richochets brings Brendan aboard Andy’s long-held position that there should be no fans at PGA Tour events. They comb through the circus-like finish at Waialae that included Ryan Palmer failing to hit a provisional, “Steeley” yanking one into the Bernie Zone, and a defiant squeegee crew holding up play on the 18th green. Cam Smith is given his just due as well and they ponder where he might go in what is still a nascent career. Andy also rants about Tommy Two Gloves, now known as the Solicitor General, is playing and leading the KFT event while dope offenders get months-long suspensions. Charl Schwartzel’s move to a “secret society” of golf ball owners is also critiqued. In news, they hit on the disgraceful decision to move the Byron Nelson out of Trinity Forest after this year and close with some thoughts on the creepy video of Charlie Woods’ swing.

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This Friday episode begins with stories from the field. First, a note about a run-in with Ed “The Pool Boy” Fiori, who was made aware of his new fanbase. Second, some intel on the whereabouts of Robert Allenby’s caddie from the infamous night of the “kidnapping.” Then Brendan and Andy get to the Thursday news from an Eamon Lynch article that Patrick Reed and his team had an attorney fire off a Cease and Desist letter to Brandel Chamblee for using the c-word. They discuss how this seems to be a curious PR strategy that puts the controversy top of mind and also wonder about the Tour’s posture in this tiff between one of its members and a rights holder. After a fun Dry January update and nominal ad read, the two hit on a variety of topics from opening day at the Sony Open -- the wind, the leaderboard of misfits, and the Kayak exemption. A news segment begins with reverence for Pete Dye’s reach and impact before pivoting to the scene of perhaps his most famous work, TPC Sawgrass, where Rory and Carson reunited this week.

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This Wednesday episode starts with the schedule for the week, leading to a discussion on the Coetzee brothers, the Hong Kong Open, and love for the Great Exuma Classic and its maniacal setup. The Sony Open gives Brendan and Andy occasion to discuss what they love about this first full-field event of the year, including the course characteristics, setting, and rookie appearances. There’s also a re-living of all the weird things that have happened here, from the Allenby sidewalk assault to the Golf Channel camera strike to the nuclear attack false alarm that had John Peterson jumping for cover in his bathtub (as well as comment on the efficacy of such a protective measure from a missile attack). A lengthy news segment focuses on the PGA Tour Commissioner defending Patrick Reed’s Hero World Challenge actions and saying “I believe Patrick.” This prompts Andy to relay some of the recent David Stern remembrances and contrast the Tour’s handling of the Reed cheating with how Stern might approach it. They also get to Bryson’s 400-yard drives and “secret” wedges as discussed on his Fortnite stream show. Finally, they wrap with some nominees for breakout players for the upcoming year.

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The new decade is off to a rousing start on the PGA Tour and Brendan and Andy recap the fantastic late night playoff in Maui to get your Monday morning started. They discuss the sometimes underwhelming and nervy play from a star trio of characters vying for the first title of 2020. Who gagged the worst or did no one choke out of Xander, JT, and Pat Reed? The conditions on Maui are praised as are the different shotmaking skills required at this “refined” Kapalua course that produced some truly ugly plays down the stretch. The loud heckle of “Cheater!” during Pat Reed’s putt is discussed as well as the broadcast’s handling of the moment and Reed’s recent shoveling ignominy throughout the weekend. This will seem to be a recurring issue on Tour and the framing from the coverage will be under the microscope. Patrick Cantlay’s mai tai open mic night on Friday is also reviewed but fears of a chilling on the sounds from the course are conveyed. They wrap with some disgust over the benevolent drop given to DJ thanks to the 18th hole grandstands and some concern over Jordan Spieth withdrawing from the Sony.

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The new year brings a fresh Friday episode where Brendan and Andy begin by discussing the creative categorization of majors by PXG. Is the FedEx Club a major now? Does it matter if a player was not using your clubs when they won it? These are the big questions asked as the new decade begins with some Shotgun Start red meat from PXG. Then they get to the action in Kapalua, discussing the soft conditions on a newly refreshed Plantation Course. The challenges of playing to different elevations and off uneven lies are praised before they turn to the possibility of some coming drama about another centerline bunker added at a regular PGA Tour stop. Will this be another litmus test for how much the members can be catered to in this member-run organization? Some brief 2020 predictions are made for the majors as well as potential hotspots and controversies. The episode wraps with a fun Flashback Friday on Danny Chops’ Kapalua win and the incomprehensible fact of someone winning Comeback Player of the Year in *consecutive* years.

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With the New Year’s holiday falling on Wednesday, the mid-week Shotgun Start arrives on Tuesday morning. In this episode, Brendan and Andy preview the Tournament of Champions starting the calendar year on the PGA Tour. They discuss what makes Kapalua stand out as a course on the schedule, the depleted 2020 field, and make some one-and-done picks to start of the year. Then they get to the final installment of the 2019 Year in Review, covering Shane Lowry’s win at Portrush, JB and Rory’s Open disasters, the illegal driver scandal, Bryson’s slow-play meltdown at Northern Trust, and the Net Tour Championship in Atlanta.

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The year-in-review rolls on but not before Brendan and Andy discuss the closing of bitterly disappointing seasons for the Bears and Browns, who did not give Freddie Crockpot the time to make his meal. Then they move to the news of a relatively weak field at Kapalua and Bryson DeChambeau’s pick if given one choice to build a golf course. This leads to some brainstorming on what might be some of Bryson’s golf course architecture preferences should he go into the business. Then the arduous Year-In-Review march continues, hitting on Brooksy’s sleepy week in Hartford, “Area 313” in Detroit, and Bryson’s mind being blown by sticky note science in Minnesota. What was supposed to be the final part to this year-in-review exercise is cut short, however, as Brendan, who is parenting solo, has to tend to constantly interrupting children.

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A post-Christmas Friday edition of the Shotgun Start begins with some brief stories about holiday worse-for-the-wear woe. Andy also relays some #JupScoop on a rumor about the funhouse conditioning tactics of the PGA Tour for the Presidents Cup. Then an ad read for Journeyman turns into a discussion about DVD vending machines before they get to Part IV of the comprehensive, even exhaustive, year in review. This section starts the week after the Masters at the Heritage and runs through the U.S. Open. at Pebble Beach. They discuss the walkup music at Zurich, the brilliance of Brooksy and his near chokejob at Bethpage, the “Power Hour,” Matt Kuchar’s double ballmark, Bryson’s slow play angst, the intrusive Pebble Beach blimp, and much more from the national championship.

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This Monday episode picks up with more Year in Review discussion and goes deep on the historic Masters. But first, in news, Brendan and Andy hit on Adam Scott’s Aussie PGA win, Fred Couples’ disclosure that Tiger was not healthy enough to play Saturday at Prez Cup, and the 12 new names going to the 2020 Masters via the year’s final OWGR ranking. The Year-in-Review portion of the episode hits on Justine Reed bringing in David Leadbetter, a wild week of Kuch-Sergio drama at the Match Play, the legendary underdog Bjerregaard story, and Tony Romo’s DR adventures. Then they get to the Masters, where they re-live some of the amusing pre-Tournament storylines, Bryson figuring out how shafts really work, and the outrageous Friday of content from the slide tackle to ZJ’s false start to Kiradech’s tumble to the balloons. It concludes with some of the best moments of Tiger’s final round.

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This Friday episode begins with Andy calling in from an Uber, where, interestingly enough, the rider has a lower rating than the driver. Brendan and Andy quickly discuss the TaylorMade Christmas card and one notable omission from the Year in Review opener before getting to the second part of this Bryson-paced exercise. Part II picks up at Riviera, where Matt Kuchar put his foot in his mouth and quickly backtracked and J.B. Holmes became the subject a pitchfork mob. This part also includes the eventful Honda Classic, where the war over the new rules peaked, as well as the season’s “first major,” The Players. The start of the “season of championships” is remembered for Rory’s big win, oddball rules infractions, marketing word salad, and a true triumph of democracy in action. The episode wraps with an amusing story about an encounter with a PGA Tour executive at the Masters after the Fan Vote Friday coup at TPC Sawgrass.

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This Wednesday episode begins with some brief news on the engagement of Vegas Dave and Holly Sonders, and then quickly addresses the massive new media rights deal for the PGA Tour. Then Brendan and Andy turn to the second annual Shotgun Start year in review, which begins with a pace somewhere between Bryson and J.B. levels. It’s a comprehensive approach that will jog your memory on the some of the controversies and forgotten inanities that made this year so fun. It starts in Maui with Bryson short circuiting over how to take a knee-high drop and also putting with the pin in with great initial results. Rules furor, tipping scandals, Davis on Dru, Rickie overcoming adversity, and Phil wanting to play deep into the darkness at Pebble are some highlights of Part I but come for the smaller, forgotten side dishes with those main courses.

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A glorious Monday morning edition of the Shotgun Start opens exactly how you would expect: with a discussion on the QBE Shootout and the possibility of Gainz Tway also taking up Slovak citizenship. Then Brendan and Andy shift to more prominent matters and run through what they loved and what irritated them from an outrageously eventful Presidents Cup. They discuss Ernie Els’ closing comments that the International side needs to get away from the PGA Tour and have its own oversight. They hit on Tiger’s masterful work on a Royal Melbourne course that shined in primetime. The endlessly amusing week of Bryson DeChambeau is dissected. Pat Reed’s disgraceful week is covered, including his golf, his cheating, his unscrupulous in-laws, and his future on these team events. The hypothetical of whether Andy would boot Mitch Trubisky or Pat Reed from his life first is proposed. Justin Thomas’ antics, Haotong Li’s ambivalence, and Matt Kuchar’s big moment are also covered, among other inanities.

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