The Shotgun Start

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So bad it’s good at VidantaWorld, White House meeting hiccups, and Potgieter Electric Factory Feb 24, 2025

Show notes

Andy and Brendan are buzzing on this Monday episode, recorded immediately after the playoff finish at VidantaWorld. Andy is claiming a Victory Monday for Illinois after Brian Campbell took down Aldrich Potgieter at the Mexico Open. The two unpack Sunday's stretch run that led to the two-man playoff. They discuss Potgieter's first pop-up on a PGA Tour stage, how he leveraged his driving distance into a second place check, and some of the decisions he and his caddie made that may have cost him the win. Andy and Brendan also react to Campbell's final drive of the event, destined to go out of bounds before hitting a tree and bouncing back into play. They share some disappointment in the performances of Aaron Rai and Stephan Jaeger as both failed to convert on chances that could have resulted in a win. Elsewhere, Brendan shares some listener reporting from the Magical Kenya Open, won by Jacques Kruyswijk. On the LPGA Tour, Angel Yin won the Honda LPGA Thailand and A Lim Kim's use of aimpoint on a tap-in went viral late Saturday night. A roundup of weekend news closes this episode, with Andy and Brendan touching on Tony Finau's one-match deal with LAGC, Eamon Lynch's reporting on the PIF-PGA Tour White House meeting, and Jordan Spieth playing next week's Cognizant.

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Tiger, Jay, and Saudi PIF go to White House, A practice proposal, and a Mexican legend FBF Feb 20, 2025

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A Friday whiparound episode covers a wide range of topics, including Tiger, Jay, Yasir, and Adam Scott meeting with President Trump at the White House on Thursday, a bevy of golf content coming to streaming services soon, and a ranking of Girl Scout Cookies. Andy breaks out the soundboard early after not using it much in the month of February before Brendan shares some unsubstantiated rumors about Girl Scout Cookie sales inside the moat at PGA Tour HQ. The two then discuss Thursday's meeting between the PGA Tour and Saudi PIF at the White House, which has not yet reached a deal at the time of posting. On the PGA Tour this week, Tosti is off to a hot start in Mexico and Andy wonders why everyone's ready to anoint Jake Knapp as the "Next Big Thing" during his title defense this week. A new sponsor debuts this episode, with Brendan and Andy sharing their new favorite venison from Maui Nui. SGS Golf Advice returns with a listener's list of worst names for golf clubs, a suggestion for PGA Tour practice rounds, and a question about simulator etiquette. Brendan wraps this show up with a Flashback Friday on Mexican golf legend Esteban Toledo and one notable rules issue he encountered during his career.

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TGL Miracles and Jup Disasters, Golf Reunification Theory, and a Slovak emerges Feb 19, 2025

Show notes

Four TGL matches across two days makes for a great Wednesday episode! Andy and Brendan went live on YouTube following NYGC's blowout victory over Jupiter Links on Tuesday night to discuss the bevy of content coming from the SoFi Dome. Brendan is immediately furious with his beloved team's performance, wondering about timeout management, roster construction, and if Jup Links can ever contend while building around Tiger Woods. Andy unveils his first-ever SGS TGL Power Rankings, leading to an entire segment of disagreement regarding where he put his Ballfrogs. The two recap Monday's P-Day marathon, which was "very fun" and a success story for the league in its first season. Unfortunately, that momentum did not carry over into Tuesday night, but PJ is excited that his NYGC team is in the win column thanks to help from the Mets. The ESPN broadcasts are critiqued and the technology is questioned, but Andy and Brendan both agree that TGL found something good on Monday. In non-screen golf, the field for the Mexico Open is deemed "too good" to play In/Out/Alternate, so hammers are thrown on some fire picks ahead of a week at a bomber's paradise. The Magical Kenya Open is awarded Event of the Week thanks to a field full of notables such as "The DVD Player!" Finally, Patty Tavatanakit is defending her title in Thailand on the LPGA Tour this week. In news, Sun Day Red finds its first non-Tiger athlete and Charlie Woods gets a special exemption.

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The Signature Event model, Ludvig’s arrival, and LIV’s balance sheet Feb 17, 2025

Show notes

This Sunday episode starts with a Sports Minute in which Brendan asks Andy to answer for Illinois hanging a banner upside down during Saturday night's game. There's also some chatter about the USA-Canada hockey game ad the Four Nations Faceoff. In a positive for golf, the Sports Minute closes with an agreement from everyone that the Presidents Cup has more juice than the NBA All Star Game! From there, Andy and Brendan discuss Ludvig Åberg's first win in a Signature Event at the Genesis Invitational. They talk through Ludvig's come-from-behind victory, chasing down Maverick McNealey at Torrey Pines. There's some intel from the ground that Ludvig skipped out on buying the media beers after his ace which leads to Brendan ranting about this ridiculous tradition. Andy has some critiques about the setup on Sunday and the two also discuss Tiger's appearance in the booth coming down the stretch on CBS. With the West Coast swing over and done, Andy, Brendan, and PJ give out some awards to commemorate the first six events of the season. After some internet issues due to cold weather, the conversation moves on to LIV Adelaide, won by Joaquin Niemann. Brendan dives into some reporting about LIV's ratings in Australia and their balance sheets from the past few years showing that the league is spending billions of dollars without much return. Champions Tour Minute checks in on the spread at the Chubb Classic to finish this episode. Justin Leonard won for the first time since 2008, but folks are upset about Papa and Zinger not being on-site for the call!

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Rory and Jay speak on “reunification,” Ryder Cup temp taking, and LIV CEO rambling Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Love is in the air for this Friday episode as Brendan and Andy discuss their plans for Valentine's Day to start the show. If you're looking for a last-minute gift, a tipster passed along a run of Zach Johnson "Tour-Issued" memorabilia currently up for sale on eBay. Andy has PJ make some picks for collectors looking to invest, leading to a discussion about whether ZJ is out there wearing a Small polo when playing. Golf's premier gambling podcast then shouts out some LIV odds for Adelaide, where 52-year-old Richard Bland finds himself favored over Dustin Johnson in a head-to-head market this week. Andy and Brendan briefly chat about DJ's career and current standing in the game, noting how much things have changed for him since the 2020 Masters. Speaking of changes, Andy went full data boy to compare the potential teams for the Ryder Cup this fall. With the median OWGR of these teams being almost equal, Andy dispels the notion of a large advantage for the Americans as many thought there would be following the rout at Whistling Straits. Data Boy Andy then shares some numbers showing that it may be beneficial for big names to play events in the fall in order to hit the ground running at early-season Tour stops, but Brendan isn't so sure about his data set. At the Genesis, both Rory McIlroy and Jay Monahan discussed the potential PGA Tour-PIF deal. Rory commented on his recent round with President Trump, who is apparently not a fan of LIV's format despite hosting events at his courses across the globe. There's also some talk about reunification, leaving everyone wondering whether the PGA Tour or the Champions Tour would benefit more from having LIV players back in the fold. Brendan received a Champs Tour scoop and sent PJ on an investigation into a potential Champs Tour Cutthroat Corner for this week's Chubb Classic. Brendan then briefly reads some comments from new LIV CEO Scott O'Neil before saving the rest for Monday. Flashback Friday returns to send you into the weekend with Brendan remembering the anniversary of Wayne Levi's 1982 Hawaiian Open win, the first-ever with a neon golf ball on the PGA Tour.

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Is PGA Tour-PIF deal almost done, Tiger WDs, and TaylorMade breaks up with DJ Feb 12, 2025

Show notes

Andy and Brendan start this Wednesday episode by wishing for the return of landline phones as society's primary communication method after some emails received earlier this week. In a light week for pro golf, two preview the Genesis Invitational, being played at Torrey Pines South instead of Riviera this year. They discuss their mixed feelings toward this event following the change in venue due to natural disaster and Tiger's WD after his mother died. Nonetheless, hammers are thrown on this week's fire locks as golf's preeminent gambling podcast looks to get back on the board with a win at Torrey. PJ takes a big swing with his pick for the week and apologizes for Kenny Gainwell's total yards prop loss, provoking some discussion about Sunday's game. Andy and Brendan then note the lack of TGL matches this week and wonder whether Tiger chose to have the league take a week off during his hosted event. Without a DP World Tour or LPGA event this week, the Champions Tour gets second billing ahead of the Chubb Classic. Andy shares some on-the-ground insight from Tiburon before looking ahead to the upcoming Cologuard Classic. LIV moves from Riyadh to Adelaide this week for their premier event, complete with the Watering Hole making its return. Brendan shares that the league will make its FOX debut on Saturday night at 11 pm ET due to the time change from Australia. Naturally, some ratings talk comes next with numbers from both LIV Riyadh's final round and Thomas Detry's Sunday at the WM released on Tuesday. Things wrap up with a news segment covering a reported update in PGA Tour-PIF negotiations and Dustin Johnson's split with TaylorMade as his equipment sponsor.

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Victory Monday and Spieth flashes in Phoenix, LIV’s opener ratings Feb 10, 2025

Show notes

Andy is on cloud nine for this Victory Monday episode, as Illinois alum Thomas Detry won the WM Phoenix Open going away. Brendan and Andy discuss Detry's first PGA Tour win and his outstanding play on the weekend that earned him a champagne shower and victory hugs on the 18th green from international stars like Matt Wallace, Ryan Fox, and Christiaan Bezuidenhout. The two wrap up more stories from Phoenix, including a big week from Jordan Spieth, a tie for second from Daniel Berger, and a faulty back nine from Scottie Scheffler on Sunday. Rasmus Hojgaard also received some flowers from Andy, leading to a wider conversation about possible European Ryder Cuppers in February. Andy and Brendan then recap the golf weekend across the rest of the world. They share their favorite Haotong Li memories as a way to commemorate his win on the DP World Tour and wonder how the U.S. Virgin Islands became the title sponsor for the LPGA's Founders Cup. PJ jumps in to detail how Bob Papa was growing the game of golf in Morocco while covering Miguel Angel Jimenez's win on the Champions Tour. The golf recaps close with a segment on LIV's debut under the lights, where Andy calls winner Adrian Meronk the "GOAT of Night Golf." This episode ends with a brief discussion about Tiger Woods playing in next week's Genesis at Torrey Pines, a place where he's won eight times.

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Tour meets with Trump, LIV has all of the lights, Global Home cafeteria cost cutting Feb 07, 2025

Show notes

Andy starts this Friday episode by breaking the news of the latest Cavaliers trade to Brendan just before the NBA trade deadline on Thursday afternoon. Brendan parlays his excitement about the Cavs into a recap of LIV's first-ever round on FS2, complete with dancing robots, strobe lights, and a Backstreet Boys appearance! Brendan shares details of his morning watching the 54 players in Riyadh and calls Thursday's first round "the golf broadcast of the year" to this point. With solid first rounds from names such as Dustin Johnson, Lee Westwood, and new signing Tom McKibbin, there's some anticipation for the final two rounds of competition in Saudi Arabia. In other LIV news, the USGA announced an exemption category for LIV golfers, the first major to have an explicit category for LIV qualifiers. On the PGA Tour, a statement regarding Jay Monahan and Adam Scott meeting with President Trump was released just before recording. The three met to discuss a potential deal between the PGA Tour and PIF, which the statement alleges is becoming closer to being a reality. Andy and Brendan then talk through Rory McIlroy's response to Charley Hoffman's letter taking "thinly-veiled" shots at him earlier this week. On the golf course, the WM Phoenix Open has turned into a influencer event, which has Brendan wondering whether it could be that exclusive if everyone's invited. Brendan shares some reports from PGA Tour HQ about cafeteria prices being raised, and Andy wonders if this is an SSG operation to recoup some money spent on other sports teams. This episode wraps with some SGS Golf Advice questions about joining a club and some Super Bowl chatter before the big game on Sunday night.

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The Phoenix party ‘venue’, Ballfrauds boat-raced, and Aimpoint gets roasted Feb 05, 2025

Show notes

This Wednesday episode is yet another TGL Tuesday Live Show! Andy and Brendan went live on YouTube to react to the Ballfrogs getting blown out by LAGC at the SoFi Dome. Brendan begins the show by coining the term "Ballfrauds" and questions how a this roster is losing to Justin Rose. Collin Morikawa was a revelation again, staking his claim as perhaps the best simulator golfer alive and explained that KPMG was now sponsoring his strategy regarding The Hammer. Andy and Brendan discuss the goings-on of TGL Match 5, where the screen technology failed to register a Tommy Fleetwood approach shot. In outdoor golf, Schedule for the Week begins with the WM Phoenix Open. The venue is discussed at length, with the golf course being only a minor factor in what this "venue" entails. Andy, Brendan, and PJ make their fire, mega-lock, hammer down gambling picks for the Waste Management in an effort to bounce back after a poor showing at Pebble. Elsewhere, Lexi Thompson, the retiree, is back again to play at this week's LPGA event, and the Champions Tour is in Morocco! Andy and Brendan also preview LIV's 2025 debut under the lights in Riyadh, airing on Fox Sports 2. In news, the LPGA has a new pace-of-play policy, Lucas Glover wants to ban aimpoint, and the Pebble Beach Pro-Am posted big ratings thanks to Rory's win.

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Rory rolls at Pebble for PGA Tour booster week, Charley Hoffman pens letter, and DLF intel Feb 03, 2025

Show notes

Andy and Brendan went live on YouTube late Sunday night to recap Rory McIlroy's win at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, his 27th career victory on the PGA Tour. They dive into what was a quality weekend of golf on the PGA Tour, providing a much-needed boost to the product after a sleepy start to the season. The two unpack Rory's dominating performance driving the ball, including the ridiculous line he took on the 14th hole which lead him to an eagle on Sunday to practically seal his win. Andy and Brendan also compliment the CBS broadcast, which elevated the event even more than its "signature" status. They discuss what turned out to be a packed European Ryder Cup leaderboard, with strong performances from Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, and Sepp Straka. TGL superstar Tom Kim was also a factor, finishing in a tie for seventh after being put on the clock for slow play (again). In addition to Rory, Scottie Scheffler also made his first start of 2025, finishing in a tie for ninth. After wrapping up with more discussion about why venues matter on the PGA Tour, Andy and Brendan turn their attention to perhaps their favorite venue, DLF. Ollie Schniederjans won for the first time in nine years, blowing out a LIV-heavy field in India. Andy shares some intel from someone who's played DLF about the course and why Bryson was perhaps not the biggest fan of the greens there. A Lim Kim won the LPGA's Tournament of Champions, which ended right in the coverage gap for Pebble Beach, outlasting a late charge by Nelly Korda on Sunday. In golf news from the weekend, Brendan shares a letter written by Charley Hoffman that was shared with PGA Tour members on Sunday night. Hoffman is suggesting that top players need to show their support for the Tour by playing in more events, despite taking time off to play overseas or in TGL matches on Mondays and Tuesday nights. To wrap this episode up, Andy, Brendan, and PJ react to the Luka Doncic trade in an NBA-focused Sports Minute.

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