The Shotgun Start

Champion Golfer of the Year Ryan Fox joins Andy and The Boys to discuss his Open win, his mindset down the closing stretch, the best text messages he received, and more. Andy, PJ, and Joseph also discuss Bryson DeChambeau reportedly asking to phone U.S. President Donald Trump during last Friday's rules controversy, winners and losers from the Open Championship, Presidents Cup hopefuls in the field at TPC Sod Farm, and picks for the Senior Open Championship. Additionally, on Tuesday, Golf Digest reported that the Asian Tour has struck a deal to partner with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. Andy and The Boys react to the news and what it means for the future of LIV Golf.   Use code FRIEDEGG at mobjak.com for 15% off. Preorders for Fried Egg Golf Volume 2 are open now through September 4th, to begin shipping October 7th. Go grab yours at proshop.thefriedegg.com!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a Proper Victory Monday episode following Ryan Fox's first major championship win! Andy and Brendan went LIVE on YouTube on Sunday afternoon to recap a whirlwind of a final round at Royal Birkdale. Of course, they begin with the 2026 Champion Golfer of the Year, Ryan Fox, who birdied the 18th hole to win in regulation and avoid a playoff with Cameron Young. Kevin Van Valkenburg stops by from the Open Media Center to share some notes from his afternoon following the final group, setting the scene for one of the best major finishes in recent memory. Brendan spent his time on the course with local hero Tommy Fleetwood and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, latter of whom found himself in a rules situation with the same walking official as Bryson's group on Friday. Brendan was front-and-center for one of the great TIO debates of our time and provides a bevy of information as to what was happening in the moment. He then gets Andy going on his thoughts on Royal Birkdale and the course's recent renovations that prepared it for this Open Championship before Andy continues on with some critiques of NBC's coverage throughout the weekend. There are plenty Storylines Nobody's Talking About to wrap the week, covering all-important Wikipedia Top Tens, Rory's work as a lead negotiator, and what was going down on Twitter during the Sunday broadcast. PJ gets tapped to share his thoughts on a runner-up finish for Cameron Young, whose score of -9 looked like it may hold up for the last 2.5 hours of the tournament. Thank you for following along during another year of daily major podcasts, and we look forward to doing it again in 2027!   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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 149th 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.

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.

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.

Sure, Chris Gotterup just won for the fifth time on the PGA Tour, but this episode could only really start in one way. Andy and Brendan immediately discuss the influx of social media content from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding guests, because if you don't post a picture of you attending a wedding, did you really attend any wedding at all? Justin Thomas took a break from defending the Travelers Championship to appear at MSG this weekend, so Andy gives him a chance to get back in the comments by pointing out some similarities between the Travelers and the John Deere Classic. He makes a compelling case, dubbing the JDC "just the Travelers with a worse field." As previously mentioned, the event was won by Chris Gotterup after firing a 62 on Sunday ahead of the final groups. Andy and Brendan discuss Gotterup's continued rise to superstardom and look ahead to what he may be able to do overseas after a strong run at the Scottish Open and Open Championship last year. They also discuss Ben Kohles, who was unable to force a playoff on the 72nd hole, Zac Blair, and Blades Brown before PJ shares a distressing update from the Spieth Trackers following a t58 finish for their favorite player. Brendan throws out a Game Within the Game for Birkdale of Spieth vs. Padraig Harrington, moving things along to a U.S. Senior Open recap. Harrington won for the second consecutive year, putting an end to Stew Cink's run for the 2026 Champs Tour Grand Slam. Michael Block finished t31, but continued to make "headlines" by finding himself in some YouTube Golf drama on Sunday morning! After running through the rest of the results from across the globe, Andy and Brendan briefly discuss Brooks Koepka's WD from the Scottish Open before wrapping things up with a Soccer Minute ahead of the USMNT's Round of 16 game on Monday night.   Order this week and get your Coffee Golf setup dialed in for The Open next week. Everything’s available at proshop.thefriedegg.com. Join Fried Egg Golf Club today at thefriedegg.com/membership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The impending holiday weekend has Andy and Brendan in a chipper mood for this Friday recording, although Andy is questioning whether the 4th of July being on a Saturday is actually a good thing. After "Federal Holiday Minute," there's a quick check-in on early returns from the U.S. Senior Open - including plenty of Blockie, already - and the John Deere Classic, where the leaderboard is serving as a warm welcome to "tier two" for Brian Rolapp. Andy and Brendan then discuss which "tier two" events should be bumped into "tier one" in 2028, highlighting longtime Tour stops like Colonial and PGA National that shouldn't be "relegated" for good. In perhaps the biggest news of the week, Sergio Garcia revealed that his quest to qualify for the 2026 Open Championship was derailed by eating lasagna for lunch in the middle of the two 18-hole rounds. Nobody can believe that a 46-year-old major champion would make such a ridiculous mistake, so Andy, Brendan, and PJ submit their own lists of Worst Meals to Eat Between Rounds. This discussion serves as a great segue into SGS Golf Advice, where listener questions about a Pinehurst trip, the Old Course Singles Ballot, and a YouTuber stiffing their country club are answered.   Celebrate "The Summer of Cotton" with B. Draddy with promo code SGS30 at BDraddy.com! This November, we're hosting a one-of-a-kind trip to visit Seth Raynor's Metairie Country Club and take in a game at LSU's Tiger Stadium. For more information, head to thefriedegg.com/events!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's not just a First of the Month recording - it's a First of the Month recording during the Summer of Cotton! After Sunday night's passionate discussion about the Travelers Championship and TPC River Highlands, it's only right that this Wednesday episode begins with a recap of Viktor Hovland's playoff win over Scottie Scheffler. Andy and Brendan discuss the one-hole finish on Monday morning and (sarcastically) wonder if Scottie actually hit his approach "too close" to the hole, forcing him to miss a four-footer to extend the event. They give Viktor Hovland his flowers before transitioning to this week's schedule, packed with Open qualifying, a senior major, and perhaps the PGA Tour's most preeminent "Track 2" event. Brendan runs down the early results from the Open Championship Qualifying Series, where podcast favorite Matthew Jordan has found his way into the field at Royal Birkdale! The Bryan brothers were among those who did not qualify, but that didn't stop the YouTube chat from badgering the R&A to show more of their shots on Tuesday afternoon's livestream. At the John Deere Classic, Zach Johnson is set to make his 24th start at his home event. He chose to skip out on this year's U.S. Senior Open in order to play the Deere and provided plenty of color in his pre-tournament press conference. Jordan Spieth also took to the microphone to pop Long Island golf fans and golf gamblers alike, even though he is a FanDuel Sportsbook ambassador in his free time. Andy shares his "5 Guys to Monitor This Week," leading with a former Deere champion and a big-name player making his professional debut. Lastly, PJ pops in for a brief preview of the U.S. Senior Open at Scioto Country Club as we all wait to see what's next for Michael Block on the Champions Tour.   Celebrate "The Summer of Cotton" with B. Draddy with promo code SGS30 at BDraddy.com! Get involved and join Fried Egg Golf Club today at thefriedegg.com/membership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Monday playoff between Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler will serve as an exclamation point to one of the best golf weekends of 2026 thus far. Andy and Brendan! are fired up for this episode, recorded after watching a birdie-fest at TPC River Highlands, another women's major, and Blockie's near-perfect Champions Tour debut. They can't help themselves and begin with a brief section on the Dick's Open, an event that made some consider if the Champions Tour really needs Tiger Woods at all. Upstate New York's finest sporting event provided plenty of fodder, from Bob Papa singing Zac Brown Band, to the emergence of a "Paddy Stopper," and so, so much Michael Block content. The two then move on to the unfinished Travelers Championship, where a score of -21 got into a playoff to be held on Monday morning. Andy and Brendan discuss Viktor Hovland's turnaround from hitting hundreds of balls on the Shinnecock range after a missed cut last week to now potentially a Signature Event win in just seven days. They also debate whether Scottie Scheffler already missed out on multiple chances to win the tournament in regulation on Sunday afternoon on an extra-soft course after a lengthy rain delay. Andy is hung up on a Keegan Bradley quote from earlier this week alluding to the Travelers as a "vacation week" after a tough U.S. Open, and openly wonders if TPC River Highlands can fit into the PGA Tour's new Championship Series model. While the event itself is enjoyable, does the golf course leave too much to be desired as true test of professional golf? Haeran Ryu won her first major championship at the KPMG Women's PGA at Hazeltine, holding off a charge from Brooke Henderson, Ina Yoon, and Nelly Korda. The broadcast coverage was the big story of this Sunday, with a weather delay pushing the finish off of NBC and moving it to Golf Channel. A lengthy discussion about rights deals and coverage windows ensues, with ideas about ways for the LPGA to branch out and not be buried by non-major PGA Tour events on its biggest weeks of the year. Lastly, Andy and Brendan react to Alan Shipnuck's latest article on Phil Mickelson, full of more scandalous details following up on the Golf Digest report about Phil being removed from The Farms in San Diego.   Celebrate "The Summer of Cotton" with B. Draddy with promo code SGS30 at BDraddy.com! We’re hosting our first Fried Egg Golf event at Pasatimepo later this month and we have a few spots remaining. For more information, head to thefriedegg.com/events!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brendan and KVV begin this Friday episode with some clean up on the sweeping changes announced from the PGA Tour this week, including the initial “reporting” and subsequent freak out that places like Pine Valley, Cypress Point, and Seminole could host the re-imagined PGA Tour Championship. They discuss some Travelers odds and ends, where Scottie’s missing belt is a big story, and this also leads to a devastating drive by of Arch Manning. Then they discuss video of Rory McIlroy playing Birkdale on the day of a PGA Tour Signature event and reporting from Bob Harig that he has received a special discretionary exemption to maintain his membership even though he will not meet the minimum number of starts after another skip this week. Nelly Korda’s early start at the Women’s PGA is also discussed, as well as her embrace of being the star of that tour. They also discuss the new pronunciation of Turkey or Türkiye before getting to a Flashback Friday on another U.S. Open rules classic, namely the double chip of TC Chen that lost him the 1985 U.S. Open. They close answering a handful of Golf Advice questions on buddies trips, ride along watchers, and awkward pairings.   Use the code FRIEDEGG at eightsleep.com/friedegg for up to $500 off. The 4th of July sale ends July 12. To learn more about how T-Mobile supports the USGA inside the ropes and provides exclusive benefits to its members outside, visit https://t-mobile.com/usga.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy and Brendan are finally both back home from a week-plus on Long Island (home of the worst fans in golf? PJ defends here!) and ready to get to the week-to-week grind of the PGA Tour. That Tour dropped some expected bombshell news from the Travelers Championship, where the new track 1 and track 2 structural changes were officially announced by Brian Rolapp, who is now also commissioner in addition to CEO. They debate the merits of the new Tour, with multiple “series” --- Challengers and Championships -- within it. How will the Tour Championship look if match play is brought into the fold? Are places like Cypress Point and Pine Valley ACTUALLY on the table as a host? Which events are making it into this Championship Series and what courses in some of these big markets might host new events. They have a wide ranging discussion and reaction to all the news outlined in the Tour’s big announcement. Schedule for the Week gets into the Travelers Championship and its own issues, before moving to Women’s PGA, the Champions Tour, which might have lost its branding, and the DP World Tour, which also had a rough day with the new details from Connecticut. Lastly, PJ Clark defends Long Island golf fans against the avalanche of takes this week that the island can no longer host major men’s golf because of their behavior.   FRIEDEGG discount code for 15% off at mobjak.com New red, white and blue hats, headcovers, t-shirts and polos have landed in the Fried Egg Pro Shop. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy and Brendan are live from Southampton after a full day chasing the contenders around Shinnecock Hills on an exhilarating major championship Sunday. They debrief their day, and week, following Wyndham Clark, the villain for this New York crowd and now a two-time major winner. They discuss Clark’s status, his game this week, and the hate that seems to have flowed his way throughout the final round. They review the main challengers in Sam Burns, Tom Kim, and Scottie Scheffler, if you can call it that. Some winners and losers are coldly separated, focusing on the USGA, the golf course setup, Rory McIlroy, Joaquin Niemann, Miles Russell, and more. The rollback of the rollback is also discussed with some great frustration and skepticism about where we go from here. Then they bring in Joseph LaMagna and Kevin Van Valkenburg to offer their insights from the day on the Wyndham treatment, the notion that this was a putting contest, and much more. Thanks for listening throughout the week!   Visit Dick’s or Golf Galaxy in-store or online to purchase Maxfli Tour Series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Long Island fans skipped out on Saturday of the 2026 U.S. Open, so Andy and Brendan have to recap everything they missed! After an even-par 70, Wyndham Clark now has a six-shot lead heading into the final round over a gaggle of players at -1, including Scottie Scheffler. How likely is it that Scottie can complete the Career Slam on his 30th birthday? Is Sahith Theegala live to run down Wyndham? Will Deputy Sam Burns finally earn a promotion with a strong Sunday shift? Andy and Brendan run down the leaderboard and look at the (few) contenders and (many) pretenders. PJ shares some observations from his day on the grounds and defends the Long Island fans for leaving due to a disastrous train schedule. Joseph LaMagna chimes in at the end to set up the third major Sunday of 2026.   Visit Dick’s or Golf Galaxy in-store or online to purchase Maxfli Tour Series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wyndham Clark finds himself firmly in the driver's seat after two rounds at Shinnecock Hills. Andy and Brendan discuss Wyndham's bid for a second U.S. Open victory as he currently sits four shots clear of the field. They bring in Kevin Van Valkenburg to break down Xander Schauffele's impressive Friday round and KVV sticks around for the rest of the show. The three discuss missed cuts from Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, making this another disappointing showing for LIV Golf in what could be its major swan song. Andy presents some Storylines Nobody Is Talking About to send us into the weekend, focusing on a "Frenchman," a drone, and a nightmare scenario for Oakmont Country Club.   Visit Dick’s or Golf Galaxy in-store or online to purchase Maxfli Tour Series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The winds and fog came in the morning, but the afternoon wave found themselves with a favorable draw on Thursday of the 2026 U.S. Open. Andy and Brendan record after a "golf nirvana"-type day at Shinnecock Hills, commenting on the setup discourse that is already dominating this installment of the national championship. They empty the notebook and look at both the real leaderboard AND Andy's "Actual Leaderboard" with most of the first round completed. Wyndham Clark is four ahead, perhaps signaling that Lanny Wadkins was on to something with his renovation of TPC Craig Ranch. Andy and Brendan also share their experience with some Thursday evening traffic in Southampton after a post-round coffee run.   Visit Dick’s or Golf Galaxy in-store or online to purchase Maxfli Tour Series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy and Brendan are live from Southampton and bursting with enthusiasm for what may be the major championship of the year, the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. They begin with some initial reactions to the golf course setup and conditioning after a couple days on the ground, discussing a potential clarity and change in approach for the USGA at this venue that has produced controversy the last two times around. They review the stars and “guys to monitor” from Scottie to Rory to Bryson and more. They rip through their favorite tee times and nominate a “worst” tee time as is custom for every major preview episode. They bring in KVV and Joseph late for a Flashback on a past rules controversy, some further thoughts about the course setup, and their picks across the board to win.   Visit Dick’s or Golf Galaxy in-store or online to purchase Maxfli Tour Series. To learn more about how T-Mobile supports the USGA inside the ropes and provides exclusive benefits to its members outside, visit https://t-mobile.com/usga.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this very special episode (now with enhanced audio!), Andy and Brendan kick off U.S. Open week alongside Maxfli ambassador and three-time PGA Tour winner Ben Griffin. The three sat down at the Maxfli pop-up store in East Hampton, New York, to discuss Ben's preparation for this week's test at Shinnecock Hills, his continued success on the PGA Tour, and much more.    Visit Dick’s or Golf Galaxy in-store or online to purchase Maxfli Tour Series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is an all-time Victory Monday at the Shotgun Start, where a member of the podcast can truly celebrate a world championship. PJ Clark sat down for this episode after being awake for 36 straight hours, roaming the celebratory streets of New York like a nomad. PJ details his evening around Manhattan and the emotions of watching his Knicks win the championship. Then Brendan and Joseph turn to the golf in Canada, where Bud Cauley got his first PGA Tour win after turning pro some 16 years and many, many health issues prior. The Cauley round and story are given its due on a Tour that is increasingly difficult to win on in 2026. There’s also some great delight in Tosti getting in the mix with what may be the highlight clip of the year so far. They discuss Brooks Koepka’s injury with some concern and melancholy. On early U.S. Open chatter, the three discuss some juicy early weather reports and how the USGA could get into any trouble again at Shinnecock and if the past will have fans approaching the week with some level of bloodlust. Zach Johnson’s “dreams” being realized with a Champions Tour win are also discussed, as well as a medical exemption dilemma, the Curtis Cup, Juli Inskter bursting through the Cochran zone, and much more.   Visit Dick’s or Golf Galaxy in-store or online to purchase Maxfli Tour Series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are four wide on this busy Friday with a lot of news to discuss as the week closes before the U.S. Open. Brendan is joined by KVV, Joseph, and PJ. They begin with the Golf Digest report on allegations against Phil Mickelson of nonconsensual and inappropriate physical contact with a female employee at his home club that led to his removal from said club. They discuss the late stage spiral of Phil, and the seriousness of this now most recent allegation, the mess he’s made of his career, what could have been, and what will never be now. Then they get into a spate of LIV news from reports on the future of its remaining four events in the Financial Times, to a report on confusion about the contracts for players like Jon Rahm, to one more about the Australian Open perhaps becoming the “death knell” of LIV’s reimagined plans. Joseph brings some provocative comments about the TPC Toronto test for the Canadian Open and the PGA Tour putting bumpers up for the highest level of pro golf. KVV has a Flashback segment on a former rules kerfuffle at a U.S. Open that had players tweeting angrily all through the evening. Then they close with a wide-ranging PJ minute on the Knicks, an all time win, and an all time rant about Carmelo’s place in franchise lore.   Visit your local Golf Galaxy and download the Golf Galaxy mobile app today. 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. To learn more about how T-Mobile supports the USGA inside the ropes and provides exclusive benefits to its members outside, visit https://t-mobile.com/usga.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PJ is off playing the 100 Hole Hike (Donate Here!), leaving Andy and Brendan to fend for themselves on this Wednesday edition of SGS. So it begins with a rambling first 10 minutes on the World Cup, Knicks, Kramer Hikock, the Bears moving to Indiana, and much more. Eventually, they get to “Golf’s Longest Day” and the multitude of stories that emerged from final qualifying for the U.S. Open, including Charlie Woods “carrying” the young phenom Miles Russell to Shinnecock. Event of the Week honors had a crowded field to chose from between a national open in Canada, the Curtis Cup, and a Champs tour stop at Wakonda Club in Iowa. LIV heading to CNBC for a pitch, with minimal leverage, and an unclear future, is assessed as a strategy play. Lastly, news covers the PGA Tour officially partnering with the Australian Open and what that means for a global tour. The death of the Rocket Classic in Detroit is also discussed, leading to a few ideas for how the new Track 1 and Track 2 schedule might operate and survive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a "fabulous golf weekend," Andy and Brendan return to recap the best-case scenario unfolding at the U.S. Women's Open and a marathon Sunday at Jack's Place that ended up in yet another playoff finish. They begin with Nelly Korda's win at Riviera, her first U.S. Open title and another leg down on both the Career Grand Slam and Career Super Slam. The two are joined by former LPGA caddie Matthew Galloway to break down the weekend and what this monumental win could mean for women's golf moving forward. They discuss how to improve the broadcast experience on NBC as well as the impressive list of future host courses for the U.S. Women's Open. Andy and Brendan then move on to the Memorial, where The Postman delivered on Sunday! J.T. Poston took down Ryan Gerard in a Sunday playoff after playing 33 holes due to a rain-shortened Saturday round. Poston's win and Gerard's continued 2026 emergence are propped up as evidence that the Signature Event model is working as intended, with both Andy and Brendan criticizing the idea of "Track 2" players not being able to play their way into "Track 1" events on the new PGA Tour schedule. They also discuss Scottie Scheffler at length following a now-viral interaction with Ted Scott on Thursday afternoon and another disappointing finish at perhaps his best course-fit on Tour. PJ pops in to share that Ben Crane has FINALLY won on the Champions Tour, solidifying the quality reporting that he and Andy did earlier this year. Andy and Brendan also pepper PJ with questions about his upcoming 100 Hole Hike on Tuesday and how he's planning to survive the marathon day while staying sane while the Knicks have a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals.   Donate to PJ's 100 Hole Hike with the National Links Trust: https://www.nationallinkstrust.org/the-hike-pj-clark Visit garmin.com to browse the ongoing Father's Day Sale. Use our code FRIEDEGG at eightsleep.com/friedegg for up to $350 off the Pod 5.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of the the national championship's return to Shinnecock Hills in two weeks, Andy, Brendan, and Kevin Van Valkenburg continue their rewatch of the 1986 majors with a Flashback Friday on Raymond Floyd's U.S. Open win. The three share their favorite moments from Sunday's round, available for viewing on the USGA's YouTube Channel. They discuss the main stars of the day, including Floyd, Greg Norman, and Lee Trevino, and give some takes on the ABC broadcast itself. In a new add to these major rewatch episodes, Andy, Brendan, and KVV hand out awards such as "The Patrick Cantlay Housecat of the Week" and "The Tommy Fleetwood Memorial Yellow Square" to players who deserved some recognition for their efforts 40 years ago. Kevin sends this episode off with some detailed research about Raymond Floyd's off-the-course business ventures, including the management of a first-of-its-kind band in the United States!   Welcome to 140 years of setting the standard with Mercedes-Benz. Visit mbusa.com to learn more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a jam-packed week of golf across all levels of the game, and this Wednesday episode immediately kicks off with some takes about the oversaturation of competitive golf on television. Andy and Brendan debate whether the Powers That Be should work to spread out major events such as the NCAA Championships, U.S. Women's Open, and a PGA Tour Signature Event in order to not stack on top of each other in a short timespan. Andy points out that the PGA Tour is not truly driving engagement in amateurs playing recreationally and is disappointed that the NCAA dream matchup of Jackson Koivun vs. Preston Stout didn't get the attention it deserved. Brendan then shares some notes from a morning reading stories by legendary writer Tom Callahan, including one note about Ernie Els serving as an early mentor to Tiger Woods. The two preview this week's U.S. Women's Open at Riviera with a very in-depth Agronomy Minute highlighting a different course in June than we're used to seeing on the PGA Tour in February. The Schedule for the Week rolls on from there with a preview of the Memorial Tournament at Jack's Place. Jack Nicklaus himself had some interesting comments on the rollback and more during his pre-tournament presser, and Andy's 5 Guys to Monitor This Week somehow was a list of seven players. PJ chimes in and is excited for the team event on the Champions Tour in Madison, Wisconsin due to the "superteam" of Stew Cink and Zatch Johnson teeing it up. Lastly, Andy reacts to the news of John Deere potentially sponsoring a new "Chicago" tournament in 2028 after an Adam Schupak report from Tuesday afternoon. We will return on Friday with a potential beefy Flashback for all of your weekend listening needs.   Use our code FRIEDEGG at eightsleep.com/friedegg for up to $350 off the Pod 5.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This First of the Month recording has everyone in a great mood off the jump, with Andy immediately taking a victory lap for a big weekend from Pete Crow-Armstrong against the Cardinals. Brendan quickly transitions things to Russell Henley's playoff win at the Charles Schwab Challenge, the sixth PGA Tour victory of his career. Henley birdied the final three holes in regulation to tie Eric Cole before making another on the sole playoff hole. Andy brings up some other six-time winners in an effort to contextualize Henley's career and his chances of winning a major championship. Brendan calls Henley a likely Presidents Cup lock despite believing the U.S. should look to build some younger stars ahead of Adare Manor. The two discuss Colonial's continued run as a challenging Tour stop and suggest that this should be the main Texas event on the new schedule. Andy and Brendan then run through results from the rest of the golf world, starting with yet another Joaquin Niemann win for LIV Golf. Despite the individual win for Niemann, the Crushers still took down the team title in Korea, aided by Bryson DeChambeau's use of Google Gemini to help fix his swing. Nobody can fathom any player other than Bryson needing to use AI in order to help figure out swing woes, but Andy thinks this may HELP his chances at Shinnecock. This episode wraps with a recap of the Men's NCAA Championships through Sunday, with the final individual round and the team match play still to come early this week.   Shop at perfectpractice.com and use promo code SGS for 20% offSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy and Brendan! went LIVE on YouTube for this Friday morning recording covering the latest in college golf results, LIV golf rumors, and a hot start for Tom Kim at an outdoor golf venue. The two recap Stanford's win at the NCAA Women's Golf Championship and wonder why college golf has not taken off like other non-revenue sports like baseball and softball in recent years. Brendan shares some intel from LIV Korea, where it seems like tensions are high heading into next week's stop in Spain. Talor Gooch has the early lead there, perhaps as a tribute to his beloved Thunder's deep run into the Western Conference Finals. LIV also discontinued its "Any Shot, Any Time" feed on the app, making Andy wonder just how many app viewers are now left in the dark due to this unannounced change. A beefy Flashback Friday on the PGA Tour's history at Colonial Country Club makes for the bulk of this episode. Brendan did some digging and found articles written by one of Lee Harvey Oswald's pallbearers that go into detail about the hijinks about the early days of the PGA Tour's time in Fort Worth. As we come to find out, some articles even quoted a player as naming Colonial “the premier girl-watching stop on Tour." SGS Golf Advice rounds out the week, with Andy, Brendan, and PJ tackling submissions about playing golf with randoms, a late WD from a buddies' tournament, and what to do if someone skins a squirrel they kept in a cart cooler.   Visit BDraddy.com and use promo code SGS30 for 30% off your 2026 Presidents Cup gear!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy makes his triumphant return to the pod after missing out on one of the great content bonanzas in golf history over the holiday weekend. He joins Brendan! for an "all over the place" Wednesday episode previewing yet another week of rainy Texas golf on the PGA Tour. After a brief foray into whatever the "Enhanced Games" are (and naming some favorite MLB steroid users), the two react to a Josh Carpenter report regarding the first half of the 2027 PGA Tour schedule. Not much has changed in terms of actual tournaments, but dates have shifted for events like the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Cadillac Championship, and this podcast's beloved CJ CUP Byron Nelson. There's an element of nihilism from both Andy and Brendan as they both wonder what these changes mean, if they mean anything at all. As a proud supporter of the MAC, Brendan is fired up about Eastern Michigan Women's Golf making a Final Four run at this week's NCAA Championships. The Charles Schwab Challenge is previewed at length despite Michael Block not being in the field. One-and-done picks are made with three big names coming off the board for this #GamblingPod's selections before diving into 5 Guys to Monitor This Week. This segment is where things spiral out of control a bit, as you'll find a look at the "American Sports discourse," PJ's Knicks celebration, more rollback conspiracies, and "YouTube Golf Minute" all packed in between chatter about Kevin Kisner and Justin Thomas. Sepp Straka is NOT in Texas, but he is in homeland for this week's Austrian Open at what Brendan has heard is "a horrible golf course" that may have a Design Disaster in play! Brendan also shares an on-the-ground report that Andy Sullivan's family has been made aware of his "Bumblebee" nickname. Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson spoke to the media yet again at LIV Korea, with each making some interesting comments regarding the league's future. Lastly, some Tiger Woods news closes out this wide-ranging Wednesday episode that may require a closer look at his major championship future (across all levels of the game).   Visit BDraddy.com and use promo code SGS30 for 30% off your 2026 Presidents Cup gear!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brendan and The Boys return for a Monday recording recapping perhaps the biggest content week of the year! Now armed with a weekend of data following Friday's bonus Happy Hour episode, the three further unpack the absolute domination of Lanny Wadkins' $25 million renovation of TPC Craig Ranch by this week's field at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson. Wyndham Clark shot a final-round 60 en route to his first win in over two years, edging out Si Woo Kim and Scottie Scheffler atop the leaderboard. Joseph comes armed with stats showing that this might've been the easiest PGA Tour event ever and PJ is basking in the glow of a week that provided some of the most insane quotes possible regarding a host venue's ability to test the best players in the world. Brendan ponders whether Wyndham is back on track for a spot at this year's Presidents Cup as he seems to be in a better place after a "year of adversity" as was so often referenced on the broadcast. Blades Brown felt right at home during this week's birdie-fest, claiming that his time on the Korn Ferry Tour prepared him for tournaments like this. He secured his Special Temporary Membership on the PGA Tour with his top-15 finish, leading to a perplexing situation where he'll have to sacrifice much-needed KFT points in order to continue playing PGA Tour events. Brendan and Joseph argue that this should not be the case and wonder if this pathway will be adjusted moving forward. The three whip through the rest of this weekend's results, with PJ providing some exclusive on-the-ground nuggets from the Champions Tour stop in Morocco. They foray into a brief bit of news reporting from Eamon Lynch regarding the "Tier One" and "Tier Two" events on the 2028 PGA Tour schedule and whether the top-tier of players will be allowed to "move down" for a week and play "Tier Two" events. To close things out, Brendan, Joseph, and PJ follow up just a little bit on Friday's breaking news that Don Rea was dismissed from his post as President of the PGA of America. Don has stayed silent to this point, and so has the PGA despite promising a formal announcement on Friday afternoon. How long will this silence last? This podcast pledges to provide the most in-depth coverage possible regarding this ongoing situation.   Visit BDraddy.com and use promo code SGS30 for 30% off your 2026 Presidents Cup gear!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was late Friday afternoon going into a holiday weekend, just when everyone should unplug from being online and go about their merry way. And they tried to slip one by us at the PGA of America with a letter to members that Don Rea had been suspended for the remainder of his term. So PJ, Joseph, and Brendan gather for some degenerate hours when they had zero expectation to be online on Friday for a happy hour chat. The Removal of Rea and at the absolute castration of Craig Ranch, where $25 million was spent in part to challenge the pros but scoring is as low as ever with Si Woo Kim almost breaking 60 and Jordan Spieth piling up birdies. Is Lanny Wadkins going to pop off at a soft PGA Tour setup? Will it become a circular firing squad? Would it have been better to light the money on fire? The Boys and Brendan gather to go through these two massive subjects on a Friday evening bonus episode thanks to the breaking news.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Friday episode kicks off with a good old-fashioned Sports Minute following the latest exploits of Andy's beloved Pete Crow-Armstrong. Although bad, PCA's struggles seem like nothing compared to Brendan's Cavaliers after a historic collapse in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against PJ's Knicks. As a follow-up to Wednesday's show, Brendan provides an early update on the Browns' QB competition before transitioning into the all-important RATINGS! report for the 2026 PGA Championship. The masses turned out to watch Aaron Rai's back nine at Aronimink, giving CBS its highest viewership for the PGA since Phil Mickelson's win at Kiawah. With limited returns from the first go around Lanny's Place, the bulk of this episode focuses on Bryson DeChambeau's impending "choice" between playing professional golf or becoming a full-time YouTuber. Appearing on Katie Miller's podcast this week, Bryson implied that he must choose between pro golf and content creation with no way to do both simultaneously. He also confirmed that he DOES believe the moon landing happened - only because Elon Musk told him so - but doubts that the video footage of the event is real. Andy is willing to put money on "Bryson Plays Golf on the Moon" within the next decade, if anyone is willing to take him up on that. Elsewhere on LIV, ESPN has reported that Scott O'Neil's plan for a re-imagined LIV Golf has "significant interest" from potential investors. Brendan and Andy then take a look at a Josh Carpenter report about the 2028 PGA Tour schedule and the new markets that the Tour is looking to hold annual events in. Brendan is especially enthused about the Pacific Northwest getting a yearly stop, although it does not look like it will be at Chambers Bay as of now. Andy briefly checks in on the International Presidents Cup Team standings during a check-in on under-performers through two majors because he's worried about Pendy's status for Medinah. Viktor Hovland and the aforementioned Bryson are highlighted by Brendan, but Andy is much more focused on players like Neal Shipley and Tony Finau. To wrap things up for this post-major week, SGS Golf Advice returns with a layered question from a listener who unwillingly finds himself as a club committee chairman.   Get your summer going at proshop.thefriedegg.com! From Thursday May 21st to Tuesday May 26th, take 15% off with code SUMMER15. Use our code FRIEDEGG at eightsleep.com/friedegg for up to $350 off the Pod 5.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who needs a major championship when you have The CJ CUP Byron Nelson right around the corner?! Andy and Brendan are giddy for another installment of a longtime favorite event of this podcast, this time with a new twist! That's right, the Lanny Wadkins-led renovation at TPC Craig T. Nelson Ranch is ready for its much-anticipated PGA Tour debut. Andy and Brendan read through multiple articles from Dallas-area news publications detailing the behind-the-scenes work that went into this $25 million project. Did TPC Craig Ranch really need to spend all that money? It seems like that's up for debate, providing plenty of content for this Wednesday episode to chew on. Andy brings back 5 Guys to Monitor This Week (For Various Reasons) and highlights both Scottie Scheffler and a local PGA professional to tie a bow on last week's major championship. Elsewhere on the Schedule for the Week, the Champions Tour is off to Morocco. A piece of social media content has sent PJ deep down a rabbit hole with Brendan calling this PJ's "best work yet." Andy brings up "The Bumblebee" yet again as part of a look at this week's DP World Tour stop before a look at the first set of U.S. Open Final Qualifying results. Podcast favorite Matt Jordan will look to break par at Shinnecock after getting through at Walton Heath, and Caleb Surratt did Caleb Surratt things to get through in a playoff at the Dallas site. This episode also contains two different Sports Minutes, one previewing the Eastern Conference Finals between the Knicks and Cavaliers, and one focusing on the QB competition brewing in Cleveland. We will return on Friday to (hopefully) discuss the first round at Lanny's Place!   FRIEDEGG discount code for 15% off at mobjak.com Visit your local Golf Galaxy and download the Golf Galaxy mobile app today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A eventful, punchy, spicy PGA Championship week has come and gone so Brendan and Andy provide a full debrief following Aaron Rai’s win at Aronimink. Andy did show up and there are flowers to be given to Rai, whose story and Sunday are worthy of ample praise. They discuss the Sunday overall, and whether it fell flat or was an appropriate cap to what both considered a strong week for the PGA. That trends into a course and setup discussion, which was more of a hot topic than anything this week, and whether it delivered an appropriate major week testing the full range of skills. They are joined by KVV and Joseph LaMagna as well, and run through a Regret Index for players who came close, but could not put a major on the resume, such as Rory, Rahm, JT, Scottie, Ludvig, and a host of others in what was a condensed and chaotic weekend. They have some thoughts on the PGA’s future, upcoming venues, and the superstars as we roll towards Shinnecock and the U.S. Open. They close with a few amusing odds and ends and one big takeaway from what became a very memorable PGA.   Learn more about Fried Egg Golf Club and join at thefriedegg.com/membership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This unforgettably unique PGA Championship goes to Sunday with an absolute boatload of players who could be considered “in contention” with 18 holes to play. Andy and Brendan break down a wild Saturday that saw birdie barrages early, a million different leaders, and a condensed leaderboard going to the final round. There is a beefy game of “Contender or Pretender” going through all the players from Alex Smalley out in front to some studs like Rahm, Rory, and down the board to Cam Young and Scottie Scheffler, who are six and five shots back. They discuss some storylines that nobody is talking about as well, from Big Potty to Brian Campbell, and close with Joseph LaMagna coming in with a glass of wine to offer up further discussion on the course setup quibbles and hollering about hole locations.   We’ve teamed up with Shady Rays to bring you an exclusive offer. Head to shadyrays.com anduse code: SHOTGUN (for SGS) 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.

Do we have proper major setup or a total sham on our hands at the Aronimink for the PGA Championship? The golf course setup debates are raging in Philadelphia, as the PGA pushes pins to the corners and a leaderboard has condensed going to the weekend. Andy and Brendan get into some of the setup quibbles, what the data is saying, and just how enjoyable it has been to watch over the first two rounds despite some online chatter. Then they get into the stars like Scottie, Rory, Blockie, and the leaders like Smalley, Potty, McNealy, and Gotterup. Some missed cut disappointments like Bryson DeChambeau are called out before KVV joins late to discuss his impressions at the 36-hole mark in Philly, including some reaction to late Rory comments on the setup not being great.   Learn more about Fried Egg Golf Club and join at thefriedegg.com/membership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What a day! Andy and Brendan are giddy from a Thursday at the PGA Championship that delivered a cornucopia of delights from Blockie rumbling back into our lives, Bryson DeChambeau’s dumb coat, an AI PGA Assistant that went haywire, and the incredible Garrick Higgo late-to-the-tee penalty and explanation. They begin with some Aronimink course thoughts, hailing the Donald Ross design, the greens, and the test that came stiffer than what was imagined. They discuss some stars that flopped, like Bryson and Rory, and others who soared, like Scottie and Potty. They close it out with the “real” leaderboard and some Storylines Nobody's Talking About as we head to day two at the PGA.   Use FRIEDEGG discount code for 15% off at mobjak.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy and Brendan return just in time to preview the second major championship of 2026! Brendan is on-site at Aronimink Golf Club outside of Philadelphia and spent his Tuesday gathering plenty of nuggets on subjects including Michael Block's speaking fees, Rory McIlroy's toe blister, and player issues with PGA of America Setup Czar Kerry Haigh. Andy provides insight into the Donald Ross-designed course and illuminates some setup issues facing the world's best this week due to modern equipment. The two bring in The Boys to make the all-important Gambling Pod Picks as the crew looks to stay unreasonably hot and select the winner of a second consecutive major. Andy and PJ cooked up a dozen Philly-themed Storylines Nobody's Talking About, calling out past Philadelphia sports moments and connecting them to players in this week's field. This episode has all the usual SGS Preview flair, from Best/Worst Tee Times, player-specific previews, and use of the Blockie button on the soundboard. We will be back with daily episodes following each round this week!   Shop at perfectpractice.com and use promo code SGS for 20% off.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SGS goes to the bullpen as PJ and Kevin Van Valkenburg slide into the big chairs for a late Sunday recording. The two aren't entirely sure how they got here, but they applaud Andy for taking the night off to celebrate the Bulls securing a top-four pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. Things stay on the rails to start, as PJ and Kevin quickly get into another "juice-less" week at Quail Hollow for the Truist Championship. Kristoffer Reitan broke through for his first PGA Tour win after getting into this Signature Event on the Aon Swing 5 list, defeating a smattering of European Ryder Cup hopefuls like Alex Fitzpatrick and Nicolai Hojgaard. Reitan successfully navigated the "Green Mile" to round out his Sunday and got to show off an unlikely sponsor during his winner's interview on CBS. Kevin is quick to jump on a runner-up finish for Rickie Fowler and suggests that a Rickie win at the PGA could be the best possible outcome for the sport of golf. PJ is concerned about a "Space Jam" situation unfolding after Justin Thomas bragged about stealing Cameron Young's putter and a tough Sunday on the greens cost Cam a back-to-back win. There's also plenty of Jordan Spieth discussion after he resurrected the "go get that" moment early in an uncompetitive week. In other news, Team USA's captain has won on the PGA Tour yet again! Brandt Snedeker took home the title at the OneFlight Myrtle Beach Classic, his first win since 2018, but was quick to note that he has absolutely no plans to play in the Presidents Cup this fall. He is excited to play in his first major since 2021 this week, and PJ suggests keeping a close eye on who Snedeker tees it up with in practice rounds at Aronimink. Lucas Herbert went wire-to-wire at LIV Virginia, holding off a charging Anthony Kim on Sunday and securing his spot in the 2026 U.S. Open. In a very important installment of Champions Tour Minute, PJ recaps Boo Weekley's win at the Insperity Invitational and shares a special shoutout that Boo received from a famous friend on social media. Overseas, Yurav Premlall might've been the most unlikely DP World Tour winner of all time at this week's Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship, and Chris Wood returned to the winner's circle to round out this week of 2016 throwbacks. In news that we couldn't make up if we tried, professional wrestling company AEW held a show in the SoFi Dome on Saturday featuring wrestlers tackling each other into the very same bunkers that Kevin Kisner hit shanks in for Marty Smith's entertainment! Eamon Lynch also sat down with new PGA of America CEO Terry Clark to get the scoop on Don Rea's whereabouts (among other things) as we arrive at the year's second major championship. Andy and Brendan will return on Tuesday night for a LIVE preview of the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brendan is joined by The Boys for another installment of Golf's Preeminent Birthday Podcast, this time celebrating both Cameron Young and, of course, Brendan! himself. Joseph LaMagna comes in fresh off his first round of 2026 and admits he's been having trouble sleeping as of late, leading things perfectly into another Pillow Talk segment to kick off this Friday show. It was a sleepy Thursday round at a rain-soaked Quail Hollow for the Truist Championship where Matt McCarty leads at the conclusion of play. Joseph and Brendan take stock of the Truist as an event and Quail Hollow as a PGA Tour venue, making its return to the regular schedule after hosting last year's PGA Championship. Speaking of the PGA Championship, the "special invitations" into next week's field went out over the past few days and Joseph is taking exception to some invitees getting in ahead of Canada's sweetheart Sudarshan Yellamaraju. The bulk of this episode is spent on more news from LIV Virginia as seemingly everyone is now free to speak their mind about the league and its future. Brendan, Joseph, and PJ run through quotes and posts from Ian Poulter, Anirban Lahiri, Graeme McDowell, and Bryson DeChambeau after the latest rounds of media availability. Bryson seems to have a misunderstanding of the PGA Tour's social media policy and admits that it could factor into his decision about where to play in the future if he doesn't re-sign with the Crushers. The trio wonders if Bryson now sees himself as a YouTuber more than a Professional Golfer and how that mindset will impact his choices moving forward. Brendan then takes The Boys back to the 2005 Wachovia Championship for Flashback Friday, remembering Sergio Garcia blowing a record-tying six-shot lead after 54 holes. Things wrap up with some assorted amusements from the world of sports and Joseph's initial thoughts on next week's PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club. We will return on Monday for another week of major championship golf, including live shows on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!   Use our code FRIEDEGG at eightsleep.com/friedegg for up to $350 off the Pod 5. Visit BDraddy.com and use promo code SGS30 for 30% off your 2026 Presidents Cup gear!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Content Gods delivered an absolute goldmine of press conference quotes for this Wednesday episode! Andy joins Brendan fresh off of U.S. Open Media Day at Shinnecock Hills and he airs some grievances about all facets of Long Island without PJ present. The two discuss whether Shinnecock is possibly the best golf course in the world and remember the most iconic shots from previous U.S. Opens played in Southampton. After a brief tangent regarding the new programmatic ads inserted into the audio version of the show - there's a first time for everything! - things get back on track with three major LIV stories from Tuesday. First, Jon Rahm has reached an agreement with the DP World Tour to pay all outstanding fines and pay the necessary events to retain membership. Rahm suggested that concessions were made on both sides, but the DPWT is merely forcing him to play one fewer event. Rahm also had some interesting comments regarding his future with LIV Golf, saying "I don't see many ways out," when asked about his contract. While Rahm got existential, Bryson DeChambeau spent the day at the White House alongside Todd Golden, Noah Syndergaard, and TJ Oshie among other "sports stars" as part of a new initiative from President Trump. He also revealed his plans for the future of his YouTube channel, including dubbing his videos into different languages to give the world a reason to watch YouTube! Before the LIV main event, there is a brief Truist Championship preview segment as the PGA Tour returns to Quail Hollow after last year's major championship delay. Rory McIlroy is back after another Masters win, Xander Schauffele looks to re-insert himself into the major conversation, and this Gambling Podcast looks to stay hot on picks! The two run through the rest of the Schedule for the Week, including an alternate event featuring Brooks Koepka, the LPGA's stop in New Jersey, and a Tiger Woods-less Insperity Invitational. It is then SHOWTIME for this episode, as Brendan does a dramatic reading of today's Scott O'Neil press conference at LIV Virginia. From 50+ mentions of "business" to a ridiculous Mother's Day greeting, you will not want to miss these quotes as LIV kicks off its first United States-based event of 2026.   Visit BDraddy.com and use promo code SGS30 for 30% off your 2026 Presidents Cup gear!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For one final time, Andy joins Brendan from The Shed(!) for this Sunday recording as they look back on the formative years of this podcast. It's often said that the more things change, the more they stay the same, so it's nice that Cameron Young's dominant 2026 season remains in progress despite Andy leaving The Shed behind. Mr. 1,000 blitzed the field at the inaugural Cadillac Championship, defeating World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler by six in the end. This event was practically over on Friday afternoon and Cameron secured his third PGA Tour victory despite calling a penalty on himself for his ball moving at address on a day with Preferred Lies. Brendan found the whole week at Trump Doral sleepy and wonders if there's anything the PGA Tour can do to make events between majors truly stand out. The two discuss which PGA Tour events matter on their own and nearly all occur before the Masters. Andy gives major props to Cameron Young for his continued evolution into a top three player in the world and there's a debate whether the foursome of Young, Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Matt Fitzpatrick have separated themselves from the rest of the world. In other Doral news, Adam Scott looks likely to qualify for his 100th straight major, Justin Rose's McLaren irons didn't make it out of the garage, and Alex Fitzpatrick secured a top ten finish without his brother! Brendan and Andy then run through results from the rest of the world, including a back-to-back runaway win for Nelly Korda, a famous Michael winning on the DP World Tour, and a SECOND major championship win this year for now-Ryder Cup Vice Captain Stewart Cink. Lastly, Brendan wraps up this show with some... enthusiasm for a Game 7 performance from James Harden!   Visit BDraddy.com and use promo code SGS30 for 30% off your 2026 Presidents Cup gear! Visit your local Golf Galaxy and download the Golf Galaxy mobile app today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

LIV Golf might've learned something from Andy's weekend of garage sales as they're looking for buyers ahead of the 2027 season. Andy joins Brendan! from a very empty house for this First of the Month Recording packed with - you guessed it! - more LIV news from the golf story of the year. As first reported by Josh Carpenter, Yasir Al-Rumayyan is OUT as Chairman of LIV Golf, leaving his post on the league's Board of Directors as the Saudi PIF pulls its funding at the end of 2026. LIV replaced Yasir with two new board members on Thursday, one of whom has a long history of joining companies cleaning up the pieces after filing for bankruptcy. Andy and Brendan bat around some LIV takes, including what value, if any, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm might actually bring to the PGA Tour if they were to return. Should LIV fold or look drastically different moving forward, it's decided that the biggest winner could be the DP World Tour with players such as David Puig and Tyrrell Hatton playing there full-time next year. Meanwhile, the PGA Tour is playing this week for another $20 million purse at Trump Doral, where True American Patriot Cameron Young broke the course record on a day with no wind in Miami. Justin Rose debuted his shiny new McLaren clubs en route to a disappointing score, but Brendan is especially appalled at the retail price of these new irons. In yet another example of wild money being spent on golf for unknown levels of return, Andy and Brendan then read a statement from Motor City Golf Club that accompanied a logo release for their first TGL season in 2027. After a Playoff Basketball Minute, Kevin Van Valkenburg stops by to share a B. Draddy Flashback Friday about an International Presidents Cup legend winning at Doral. 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. Visit BDraddy.com and use promo code SGS30 for 30% off your 2026 Presidents Cup gear!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Still reeling from last weekend's garage sale, Andy joins Brendan for this "efficient" Wednesday episode while on hold with an AI chatbot. The garage sale tales continue to begin the show, with Andy explaining the latest wrinkle in furniture sales around the Bay Area: the existence of toll bridges. After cleaning up the remaining fallout from Andy's weekend, Brendan transitions things to the ongoing LIV funding saga. It seems like more and more information comes out each day regarding the league's future, which Scott O'Neil reiterated was set for the remainder of 2026. That may be true, but the much-anticipated LIV New Orleans event scheduled for the end of June has now been postponed. This means that LIV will play zero events from June 7 to July 23, leaving players on their own to prepare for two major championships in between those dates. Andy and Brendan read through the press release from the State of Louisiana regarding the postponement and wonder what the rumored "exposition" LIV event coming to the Big Easy in the fall could possibly be. Andy settles on an idea that he thinks could salvage LIV and actually allow the tour to become somewhat financially viable, but doubts whether this will be put into practice. Speaking of financial viability, there's plenty of discussion about a possible Signature Event bubble on the PGA Tour with five top players skipping out on this week's Cadillac Championship. Despite the spotty attendance, the Tour returns to Trump National Doral's Blue Monster in Miami, now adorned with a "Gold Man" statue overlooking the driving range. Andy submits his list of 5 Guys to Monitor This Week, keying in on some players who might be extra comfortable with the amount of gold on the premises. One-and-done picks are made, as always, with Andy looking to stay hot after back-to-back wins at the Masters and RBC Heritage. A look at the remaining events on the Schedule of the Week brings us to Dick Teder's DP World Tour debut, yet another Champions Tour major, and Michael Block's continued domination at the PGA Professional Championship. Visit thefriedegg.com/events for details about our 2026 Events schedule.

Golf's Preeminent Birthday Podcast makes a triumphant return to celebrate Andy Johnson's 40th birthday. The birthday boy is a bit worse for the wear after a "full swing" on Saturday night, but has plenty of stories to share with Brendan after his weekend running a garage sale. Andy's garage sale was NOT the only family-first event on the schedule this week as the Fitzpatrick brothers took home the trophy at the Zurich Classic. Matt Fitzpatrick might have wins in back-to-back weeks, but his younger brother, Alex, now has a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour and a spot in the upcoming PGA Championship thanks to a successful week in New Orleans. Andy and Brendan recap a chaotic finish to the PGA Tour's lone team event where it looked like nobody actually wanted to win before one of the best shots of the year from Matt Fitzpatrick on the 72nd hole. In non-Fitzpatrick takeaways, Andy is stunned to hear that Joseph LaMagna has sold off his Davis Thompson stock after a tough Sunday, and Tom Hoge was spotted at the casino late on Saturday night ahead of a t6 finish. After Brendan and KVV's special YouTube episode on Friday, Andy offers up his take on Jim Furyk leading Team USA at the 2027 Ryder Cup and wonders if Nick Saban would've legitimately been just as good of an option. Nelly Korda made her jump into the "temporary water feature" at Memorial Park - or as most people call it, a pool - after winning her second Chevron Championship and third major. Korda went wire-to-wire in Houston, but it remains to be seen if the event was a business success for the LPGA given broadcast constraints and what seemed like limited attendance. To top it all off, the much-anticipated pool jump was cut from the NBC broadcast and moved behind the Peacock paywall at the last minute. Paul Azinger made the most of his time on cable TV with Bob Papa this weekend while calling the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, filling PJ and Brendan with joy due to his one-liners. Retief Goosen held off a charging Stephen Ames and Zach Johnson to win the event. Lastly on the recap schedule, Andy's Event of the Week on the Legends Tour didn't go well for tournament host Ian Woosnam and questions arise about Henrik Stenson's inability to contend on the Euro's version of the Champions Tour. We will return on Wednesday to preview the return of the PGA Tour to the Blue Monster at Doral. Visit your local Golf Galaxy and download the Golf Galaxy mobile app today!

Brendan! is back stateside and returns just in time for the seventh annual Zurich Classic Walk Up Music Quiz! Before we get to that, Andy is eager to discuss a bit of their trip to Scotland as part of the first-ever segment of "Pillow Talk." Brendan shares some shopping woes when trying to get gifts for his family and Andy is still reeling from his 24-hour travel day earlier this week. Brendan then calls Andy out for his new TaylorMade Spider putter, supplied to him by Big Equipment after he called for them to be banned on Tour earlier this year. After missing out on Wednesday's discussion about the "Pool Seen 'Round the World," Brendan gets some takes off about the Chevron's new "water installation" and Andy wonders how the LPGA can allow this to be the main storyline of the one major championship they own. He also takes some (deserved?) shots at the city of Houston, as well! Ian Poulter did NOT miss Wednesday's episode and decided to take to X, the Everything App, to cement his status as an impending PROBLEM on the Champions Tour. The Boys are praying that he will be their next guest for Lunch to break down his big debut at the US Senior Open in July. Andy and Brendan also discuss the ongoing LIV funding saga and doubt if anyone can even come close to replicating the purses that the PIF has funded in the last five years. Lastly before this episode's main event, PGA Tour is out of Hawaii and announced dozens of layoffs on Thursday as a cost-saving measure as the for-profit business moves forward. Andy and PJ went to town on the 2026 Zurich Classic Walk Up Music Quiz, peppering Brendan with songs for perhaps the worst field in PGA Tour history. How do Shawn Mendes, the Eagles, Gordon Lightfoot, and Nelly all fit into this week in New Orleans? You'll have to listen to one of our favorite annual segments to find out. Use our code FRIEDEGG at ⁠eightsleep.com/friedegg⁠ for up to $350 off the Pod 5.

A jet-lagged Andy is back in America and is joined by Shane Bacon for this Wednesday episode about slightly more than nothing. This wide-ranging conversation hits on dozens of important topics, such as the core values of Talor Gooch's new OKGC team, TGL's choice for 2026 Player of the Year, a Newark airport review, and a dramatic reading of this week's Legends Tour field in Barbados. There is actual golf discussed at some points, as Andy, Shane, and PJ dive into the Zurich Classic and the ridiculous teams competing for 400 FedEx Cup points and a two-year exemption this week in New Orleans. Shane offers his thoughts on the new pool at Memorial Park ahead of this week's Chevron and throws the gauntlet down on Nelly Korda's recent performance in major championships. In non-pro golf news, PJ recaps his day with the USGA at Winged Foot and his new GHIN before Shane brings us home with the story of his latest hole-in-one. If you made it this far in the description, congratulations! Also... why? Nevertheless, we hope you enjoy this episode!

Andy, Brendan!, and Kevin Van Valkenburg check in from Scotland, recording this episode from separate bedrooms in the same house overseas. Andy declares a "Victory Monday" despite not publicly submitting his "pick" of Matthew Fitzpatrick to win the RBC Heritage on Wednesday's episode. Constable Fitzy took down Sheriff Scottie Scheffler at Harbour Town after one playoff hole, securing his second win of the 2026 season. The three discuss Fitzpatrick's ascent to the top five of the OWGR after being outside of the top 70 at this time last year and how working with Mark Blackburn could be a perfect personality match for the Englishman. The crowd in Hilton Head broke out USA chants down the stretch on Sunday, leading to Jim Nantz dropping the word "jingoistic" on the CBS broadcast. Brendan also points out two other stories from the week in an ill-timed club toss from Max Homa and another disappointing showing from Tony Finau. Attention then shifts to a busy week at LIV Mexico City, where Jon Rahm won again and Bryson DeChambeau withdrew with a wrist injury after complaining about course conditions earlier in the week. What does this latest Rahm win mean? Will LIV actually be back in Mexico City next year? Will Scott O'Neil find funding to keep the league alive moving forward? All of these questions are discussed at length after Brendan, Andy, and Kevin missed out on Friday's newsworthy episode about PIF pulling funding from the league. PJ chimes in to recap a dominant win from Stew Cink at the Senior PGA Championship before this episode wraps with a smorgasbord of random news items from around the golf world. 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. Visit your local Golf Galaxy and download the Golf Galaxy mobile app today.