The Shotgun Start

Fried Egg Golf
  • 4.7 (1.7K)
  • Golf
  • Updated Daily

The Shotgun Start with Andy Johnson and Brendan Porath of Fried Egg Golf is a podcast waiting for you early in the morning that quickly blasts through a variety of topics (usually) related to golf and (ideally) relevant to the day. It covers news from the pro tours around the world, amusing and important topics from the amateur game the rest of us play, and some irreverent stuff in between. There will be short interviews, previews, reviews, and dives into the archives. It provides what you need to know on golf through a rapid and fun catch-up discussion.

  1. 20h ago

    Saturday at the 2026 Open Championship: Burns leads, Rory reacts to “performative” Bryson as penalty debate rages

    Andy returned to join Brendan! for this beefy recap of moving day at Royal Birkdale. The two went LIVE on YouTube right after play ended to discuss the fallout from Bryson's two-stroke penalty, Rory McIlroy's response, and the actual golf tournament that's unfolding. Andy gives his take on the Bryson situation and the two-time major champion's impressive Saturday round that still has him in contention for his first Claret Jug. Rory McIlroy, pending insanity, is not in contention to win, but did offer some pointed thoughts about the penalty and the penalized player in his post-round press conference. Kevin Van Valkenburg stops in to share more thoughts from the ground, including some comments from other players about the penalty and how it was handled by the R&A. Brendan spent the day following the tournament's leader, Sam Burns, who looks to move past the heartbreak of Oakmont, Augusta, and Shinnecock and secure his first major on Sunday afternoon. Andy and Brendan play a lengthy game of Contender or Pretender, highlighting a strong top of the leaderboard after big Saturday rounds from Si Woo Kim and Ludvig Åberg. PJ is called to the carpet to explain Cameron Young's failure to launch despite his place in the penultimate group on Saturday and provides some context for Kevin Kisner's mid-day tweet-spree. To close things out, Brendan once again quizzes Andy on some of the insane official slogans of the Open Championship, found in various places around the golf course this week. We will return on Sunday evening with a comprehensive recap of the 2026 Open Championship and continued coverage of Bryson DeChambeau's latest exploits!   Mercedes-Benz is proud to be an Official Patron of The Open Championship. Visit mbusa.com for more details. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Saturday at the 2026 Open Championship: Burns leads, Rory reacts to “performative” Bryson as penalty debate rages

  2. 1d ago

    Bryson DeChambeau Penalty Controversy Erupts at Birkdale: 2026 Open Championship Round Two Recap

    Despite two record-tying rounds of 62 on Friday at Royal Birkdale, Bryson DeChambeau remains the lead story yet again. Brendan, Kevin Van Valkenburg, and Joseph LaMagna went LIVE on YouTube to recap the second round of the 2026 Open Championship, only to have a two-shot penalty assessed to DeChambeau, then in second place, derail the entire show. The three reacted in real-time to the theatrics playing out on the fifth hole, where DeChambeau re-enacted his movements from earlier in the day in front of rules officials from the R&A. Kevin went to go scout out the scene on the ground, leaving Joseph and Brendan to make sense of what was unfolding. The two-shot penalty moved DeChambeau from solo second, just one shot back of Lucas Herbert, down to a tie for fifth alongside Sam Burns and Si Woo Kim. Joseph, Brendan, and PJ do highlight standout the two 62s from Burns and Herbert, as well as the continued strong play of Cameron Young and Ryan Gerard, but the majority of this episode is spent on Bryson and the ensuing ruling that could cost him his third major championship. The three mention notable missed cuts before setting the scene for a weekend at Royal Birkdale that is sure to deliver, even more than we originally thought!   Mercedes-Benz is proud to be an Official Patron of The Open Championship. Visit mbusa.com for more details. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Bryson DeChambeau Penalty Controversy Erupts at Birkdale: 2026 Open Championship Round Two Recap

  3. 2d ago

    Thursday at the 2026 Open Championship: Bryson Returns to the Ring

    Fresh off a full day at Royal Birkdale, Brendan joined Andy as they went LIVE on YouTube to recap Thursday of the 2026 Open Championship! The two discussed the biggest storylines of the day, leading off with the return of the Content King, Bryson DeChambeau. Bryson fired a 67 and is in position to make the cut at a major for the first time this year. Despite declining to talk to the media, an interview with the Open's digital team became the main story of the afternoon after Bryson took subtle aim at Nick Faldo's comments from earlier in the week. Andy and Brendan also discuss a strong start from Scottie Scheffler, a possible return to form for Cameron Young, and a "vintage mid-2010s round" from Rory McIlroy. "Storylines Nobody's Talking About" makes a Thursday return, highlighting some struggles from Champions Tour legends and a potential World Cup-induced hangover for the Englishmen in the field. We will be back again tomorrow afternoon as play concludes to set up the final major championship weekend of 2026!   Mercedes-Benz is proud to be an Official Patron of The Open Championship. Visit mbusa.com for more details. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Thursday at the 2026 Open Championship: Bryson Returns to the Ring

  4. 4d ago

    A 2026 Open Championship Preview: New Birkdale, Same Scottie and Rory

    Andy and Brendan went LIVE on YouTube for this final major preview episode of 2026! Brendan is in high spirits after traveling across the pond to find a baked-out Royal Birkdale that he describes as "fiery, firm, and brown." The two get going on the course setup and the choices that players must make on a variety of holes throughout the round. This is a new-look Royal Birkdale following an extensive renovation ahead of this year's Open Championship, and reviews seem to be mixed on whether the course is better than it once was. Scottie Scheffler made some pointed comments about the course during his pre-tournament press conference, leading to a discussion about whether this venue is truly "forged by nature." Andy's 5 Guys to Monitor This Week highlights the two best players in the world, two hometown heroes looking for their first major, and a LIV defector who can lock up PGA Tour status for next year with a good showing. With a relatively wide-open field, it felt like a good time to re-rank the top five players in pro golf heading into the week, as well. Kevin Van Valkenburg joins in the fun to discuss Tuesday's press conferences getting deeply existential and shares some scuttlebutt from the grounds. To put a bow on this preview, Andy, Brendan, KVV, and PJ make their picks to win the Claret Jug and choose sides in a much-anticipated installment of Games Within a Game. We will return on Thursday afternoon following round one of the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale!   Mercedes-Benz is proud to be an Official Patron of The Open Championship. Visit mbusa.com for more details. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    A 2026 Open Championship Preview: New Birkdale, Same Scottie and Rory

  5. 6d ago

    Tom Kim’s Scottish crowning, Early Open thoughts, and Firestone’s farewell tour

    With Brendan in transit to Royal Birkdale, PJ assumes the host chair for a rambling episode with Andy and The Boys. They talk about the sanctity of the Scottish Open and its threatened identity in the changing golf landscape. Then, the trio discusses Tom Kim's career arc and where he stacks up in professional golf after an impressive Scottish Open victory. They cover Steven Fisk's win at the ISCO, Haeran Ryu going back to back in major championships, and, of course, Zach Johnson's dominant performance at the Kaulig Companies Championship before wrapping with some thoughts on expectations for this week's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.   Mercedes-Benz is proud to be an Official Patron of The Open Championship. Visit mbusa.com for more details. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  6. Jul 11

    Revisiting the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale

    In this bonus edition of The Shotgun Start, Brendan Porath and Joseph LaMagna take a trip down memory lane after rewatching the final round of the 2017 Open Championship. The two recount Jordan Spieth's roller coaster of a final round, his famous drop on the 13th hole, Matt Kuchar's heartbreak, and forgotten moments and amusements from a memorable finish. They hand out a few awards, including Worst Dressed and Favorite Commentary, before a quick lookahead at what's to come when we return to Royal Birkdale for next week's 154th Open Championship.   Mercedes-Benz is proud to be an Official Patron of The Open Championship. Visit mbusa.com for more details. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  7. Jul 9

    Links Season Arrives! An Open quiz, FBF on Americans at the Open, and an Evian defender argues his case

    At long last, Coffee Golf season is here! Andy and Brendan are just about ready for the final major of 2026 and kick off this Whiparound Friday episode with some more discussion about the jumbled pro golf schedule this week. Andy was especially excited to watch the Scottish Open on Thursday morning and was befuddled that it wasn't on television, further exemplifying why events like the Evian Championship and Scottish Open shouldn't share the same week. Brendan brings up a Padraig Harrington quote from last week at Scioto to kick off a discussion about the continued evolution of the pro game and how today's top players can differentiate themselves from the pack. One of these ways is to spend your time preparing for the Open with a film crew in Canada, which is where Bryson DeChambeau has apparently found himself this week. Andy wants to get to the bottom of who the best player without a major is, but first pops PJ about the continued breakout of Pete Crow-Armstrong for a mid-episode PCA Minute. After things get back to golf, PJ sticks around and quizzes Andy and Brendan on some of the players filling out the bottom of the field at Royal Birkdale next week. Kevin Van Valkenburg then jumps in for a Mercedes Flashback on the 1961 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale before Brendan chats with Matthew Galloway about his belief that the Evian is actually worthy of being a major championship. We will return on Sunday evening to recap the Scottish Open and more as Brendan heads overseas for the last major of the year!   Shop at perfectpractice.com and use promo code SGS for 20% off. Mercedes-Benz is proud to be an Official Patron of The Open Championship. Visit mbusa.com for more details. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  8. Jul 7

    The PGA Tour's Europe dilemma, ISCO In/Out/Alt, & Soccer ignorance

    Despite this week having two (2) PGA Tour events and two (2) major championships, this episode must kick off with a Soccer Minute following the USMNT's 4-1 loss to Belgium on Monday night. Andy and Brendan compare the aftermath of the loss to that of a Team USA loss at the Ryder Cup and also try to figure out which golfer is most like Christian Pulisic. After selecting teams to support for the rest of the World Cup, the two move on to this week's Scottish Open. They wonder about the future of the co-sanctioned event and whether it'll appear on the "Championship Series" in 2028 and beyond before absolutely detonating on the final Sponsor Exemption into this week's field. Andy's list of 5 Guys to Monitor This Week has a distinctly DP World Tour feel, as he highlights the Bumblebee, Dick Sterne, and other SGS favorites teeing it up at The Renaissance Club. PJ leads a game of In/Out/Alternate for the ISCO Championship, making Andy and Brendan guess whether the likes of Sangmoon Bae and Dru Love are playing this opposite field event. There's a debate between which of this week's two "majors" - the Amundi Evian Championship and the Kaulig Companies Championship - is more fake, before the American Century Championship and its celebrity field rounds out the Schedule for the Week. In news, Lasagna-Gate continues after Sergio's bad lunch, and Brendan is a big fan of the Open Championship's new "last chance" qualifier for the final spot in the year's last major.   We’ve teamed up with Shady Rays to bring you an exclusive offer. Head to shadyrays.com and use code: SHOTGUN for 40% OFF 2+ pairs of polarized sunglasses. Try for yourself the shades rated 5 stars by over 300,000 people. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See All (1.1K)

Hosts & Guests

4.7
out of 5
1,735 Ratings

About

The Shotgun Start with Andy Johnson and Brendan Porath of Fried Egg Golf is a podcast waiting for you early in the morning that quickly blasts through a variety of topics (usually) related to golf and (ideally) relevant to the day. It covers news from the pro tours around the world, amusing and important topics from the amateur game the rest of us play, and some irreverent stuff in between. There will be short interviews, previews, reviews, and dives into the archives. It provides what you need to know on golf through a rapid and fun catch-up discussion.

Information

  • Creator
    Fried Egg Golf
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.1K
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    2026 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
  • Show Website
    The Shotgun Start

You Might Also Like