The Shotgun Start The Fried Egg

It’s a major week, so that means daily podcasts for the fifth straight year of PGA Championships on the Shotgun Stat. Even if the scoring and setup don’t really feel like a major. Andy and Brendan begin their Thursday episode discussing some early amusements from the day, including the club pro named Bowser sort of looking like a Bowser. They offer an unsubstantiated rumor about John Daly and cigarette usage at the champions dinner. They discuss some gripes from various agents and stakeholders about how the PGA made up this field. And then they get to the course this field is on, and how it’s simply from a bygone era and cannot test the modern tour pro. Did it make for an exciting morning? Sure! They hit on Rory “scrapping” it around and Xander looking flawless. They offer up a "Who’s Not Dialed In" segment with some amusing nuggets on Butch Harmon, Talor Gooch, and others. They close it out with some games within the game and some quick reaction to the PGA press conference on Wednesday.

Andy and Brendan convene for this PGA Championship preview that was an attempt to be live that quickly became marred by technical difficulties. They begin with what has already been an insanely eventful week for Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Scottie Scheffler, and the PGA Championship. Michael Block, however, began his week with a thunderstorm jamming his big press conference return. They discuss the three big favorites, the news of Rory’s divorce and Scottie’s child, Brooksy flying under the radar a bit, and how Valhalla sets up for all of them. They do the usual quote roulette segment from a full day of press conferences, some on the course, some on the PGA Tour board, and others on Scottie vs. Rory. They pick some of their favorite and least favorite tee times for Thursday and Friday. Then they close with news of Jimmy Dunne resigning from the PGA Tour board on Monday night citing no progress on the framework deal and what it says about the current state of things on the board. 

Andy and Brendan roll into another major week with pro golf on a bit of high following impressive wins by Rory McIlroy and Rose Zhang. But first, Blockie. They didn’t intend to go there, but they react to some early scenes of Michael Block’s arrival at the PGA, the threshold for getting a “Miracle” documentary made about you, and some props for the week. Then they belatedly get to Rory McIlroy going supernova in Charlotte to win for the fourth time at Quail Hollow. What impressed them most and what does it mean for his career resume? Can we see it at major next? They also discuss Xander Schauffele falling off when it became winning time. On the LPGA, they hail Rose Zhang’s return to the winner’s circle in a crazy two-person duel in Jersey. Chris Gotterup’s career over-under wins are put in the Gainz zone. The plight of the Champions Tour winner is empathized with after they learn about his surgeries the past year. They close it out with news on RBC threatening the PGA Tour about its sponsorships, and the finalization of the PGA Champ field.

It’s Friday! Andy and Brendan are full of energy, joy, and anger for this episode ahead of Mother’s Day and a major championship week. They begin with some Mother’s Day gift mishaps and plans before getting to the Wells Fargo Championship, where Xander Schauffele is your leader after an all-time “lucky” drop situation. There’s outrage and confusion over how you get out of jail free and a call for some common-sense reform. Perhaps a new committee? Those are apparently being created out of thin air every other day at the Global Home, where a new Transaction Subcommittee has been created for a potential deal with the PIF. Rory McIlroy is allowed on that one, just days after he was kept off the PGA Tour policy board. They discuss the absolute circus that is the PGA Tour, its organization, its leadership, and the constant make-it-up-as-you-go approach. Does it end with Jay Monahan’s ouster? Then they close with an all-time SGS Golf Advice email about a hotel disaster and awkward range warm-up session.

This Wednesday episode is bursting at the seams with some unsubstantiated rumors, some in-out-alternate, PGA Tour board fights, LIV exemption roulette, and some quotes from the head of NBC golf about their plans for the U.S. Open. Andy and Brendan begin there, with news that the LPGA event, where Nelly Korda goes for her sixth straight win, will be relegated to a couple hours of tape delay coverage this week is rolled out alongside an interview with NBC exec Sam Flood counter-punching recent accusations in an article about cost cutting. They discuss the interview and the four-person booth plan for the U.S. Open. They have some unsubstantiated rumors about the ongoing PGA Tour board kerfuffles which leads to an amusing game comparing those characters to the ones in Succession. Then they get to a rousing game of In-Out-Alternate to kick off schedule for the week with the inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic. At Wells Fargo, they pass along some unsubstantiated rumors about where that event might go next year with Quail Hollow hosting a PGA. They close with news of the PGA Championship handing out exemptions to Talor Gooch and a few other of his LIV compadres and what it says about future major exemptions.

It is Victory Monday for Brendan and his Cavs, but there is not much else to rejoice about in this episode. Andy is home from Bandon and he has some thoughts on his trip there. Then they get to just a tough, tough scene for the PGA Tour product in the CJ Cup Byron Nelson at Craig Ranch. They are both down and despondent about it, but congratulatory to Taylor Pendrith, who is likely heading back to the Presidents Cup. There are some more harsh words for the host course. They wonder about any LIV momentum especially given what appears to be continued board gridlock. They discuss Brooks Koepka’s win there, a solid leaderboard, and the comments from Greg Norman that they might buy some golf courses. In news, they discuss Tiger’s exemption to Pinehurst. He will apparently be there but it’s still unclear who will be the NBC lead analyst, which prompts further discussion with that network apparently putting in a bid to spend on NBA rights. Alejandro Tosti’s visit to Six Flags is also covered, and there’s excitement about his potential inclusion in the Summer Olympics.