McIlroy, Lowry, Faldo feature in bumper Open preview from Royal Portrush | Sky Sports Golf Podcast

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Jamie Weir is already in place at Royal Portrush to bring you a very special Sky Sports Golf Podcast, looking ahead to The Open. He’s joined by three time winner Sir Nick Faldo as well as US Ryder Cup Captain, Keegan Bradley. We also hear from home favourites Rory McIlroy and former winner here, Shane Lowry. Plus, defending champion Xander Schauffele moments after handing back the famous claret jug. 

#golf #theopen #rorymcilroy

00:00 Is this the most visually pleasing open course?
04:45 ‘We’ve been a little unfair to Rory’
08:16 Rory McIlroy interview
09:30 Scottie Scheffler – ‘He’s world No.1 and you wouldn’t teach his golf swing’
13:30 Xander Schauffele
17:30 Shane Lowry grab
20:03 Faldo’s first major championship 87
26:05 Faldo’s three Masters comebacks
34:00 Where is Tommy Fleetwood’s next win going to come from?
36:20 Becoming Ryder Cup captain
42:00 Robert MacIntyre
44:00 Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau
48:00 Top five Open courses

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Hello and welcome to the Sky Sports Golf podcast presented by Callaway and presented from glorious, beautiful, spectacular Royal Port Rush ahead of the 153rd Open. And alongside me, the glorious, beautiful, spectacular Sir Nick Faldo, a man whose name, that’s a good build up morning. Well done. A name who is a name who’s on that clar jog not once, not twice, but three times. Sir Nick, uh, great to have you with us and and just what do you make of this? I know. It’s great, isn’t it? It’s It’s lovely. I I was here a month ago, would you believe? Actually, in May, end of May. It was 70° actually for the whole week. We played, we loved it, we took photographs, and you know, people are swimming, paddling, everything. So, uh, but this is this is a true length. You know, this is this really is a I mean, you know, Reovic is 800 miles that away. So, they It felt like Rekuic first thing this morning. I can tell you in stark contrast to yesterday. We bumped into each other yesterday and it was like the Mediterranean yesterday. It was almost too hot. We actually were down in Nice uh last week and I think the pilot was very proud to say, “Oh, Dublin, there’s the same temperature as Nice.” So, you know, so um yeah, it’s been cooking up here. But it’s now it’s proper golf weather. Looks the weather forecast looks great, you know. Looks it’s in the mid60s. Um but this good old a true Lynx wind is up. That’s for me. That’s probably what I’m going to be talking about all for the next hour or so next week. Absolutely. And for those watching this version of the podcast on YouTube, as you can see, we have got the North Atlantic behind us here. And this is the spot, as Sir Nick was saying, where everybody poses for a photo. The back of the fifth green, White Rocks here, White Rocks Beach below you, you’ve the Giants causeway, Dunloose Castle just in the distance here. I mean, it is. Here’s a question for you. With Turnbury no longer on the open rotor, is this the most visually spectacular open? Probably. Yeah, we’re the only one that’s really this close to, you know, the ocean like this. Um, it’s a great links, you know, real undulating links, super natural. Um, very demanding. So, yeah, this this is this is a a great test this week. What did you enjoy about it when you played it? Never played it. Oh, you didn’t play when you were here in May? No, I Oh, sorry. I thought I thought you meant No, not in an open technic. Yeah, with a scorecard in my hand. Um, well, we lucked out. It was actually really I’ve been here twice in May. Two years back. Two years back, I was trying to hit a, you know, the mini driver at 16. Yeah. And it wasn’t working. I’m thinking, how you got to hit a rope hook on, you know, the skill this week is is all about detecting Yeah. the wind. I mean, a real a real true wind direction because just because it’s right to left, but it can be right to left into it can be right to left down. And that that when it’s like this will make a huge difference. You that I think that’s that is the number one skill between you and your caddy. calling the right wind, picking the right shot, all that sort of thing. And the thing about this course as well is, you know, an oldfashioned traditional links if you like the nine hole out, nine holes back. This doesn’t really have that. This is a bit more like Murfield where obviously you had great success where every hole is kind of pointing in a different direction. Yeah, that’s that is that is very key. Um, you really do change you you’ve come along through one two three four straight down here up there across that way. Then need that you do a 180 and another 180 down eight and nine. Yeah, you’re right. It’s it’s ever changing which is makes it a great test. Would you have loved this to have been on the open road? I would I would I would have loved this in my day. Yeah. I would like to come here straight from playing really well at Murfield maybe in 92 when it was you know that was a test because we had to where you landed the ball short of the green and you’re going to have to do you know Lynx golf is all I’m trying to help people summarize it. It’s either making the ball release to get to the flag or making the ball stop. Sounds obvious, but it’s a when you’ve got a wind and you’re like, “Oh, how do I make it run when I’m going into the wind? I need this to run, but I’m going into the wind.” Get me? And then obviously I need to make it stop and I’m coming down wind. So that that is what Lynx golf is all about. And if you’re good at doing that, you know, working the ball against the wind and then how much do you work it against the wind? Because here this is heavy. Obviously, you know, this is ocean breeze. I mean, I’d love to I’m sure Bryson’s got the air density worked out. You know, from from Palm Springs to here, you know, it would be different. This golf ball just some you get it wrong against the wind. It you lose 30 yards, not three. I mean, the thing just goes walop gets gets knocked gets knocked down. So, it’s picking the right club and the right shot is really do that all week. You deserve to be the champion. Yeah. And the wind can really pick up around here as well. Let’s get into a few of the sort of runners and riders this week. And we have to start by talking about Rory Mroy. Obviously, a lot of people thought, I’m sure you thought, I certainly thought that a weight would be lifted after completing the career grand slam. And in his own words, he was playing with house money. Instead, we’ve almost seen the opposite. We’ve seen him be irritable, which is unlike Rory, disinterested, unmotivated. But surely being back this side of the pond, being back in Northern Ireland will light a fire underneath them again. Oh, absolutely. You know, to be honest, we’re being a little unfair. No, nobody, none of us. Well, only Jack, only Jack and Well, Gary, Jack, and Tiger can tell you what it feels like. Yeah. To have won the Grand Slam. It’s something pretty monumental. So, yeah, we don’t know how you’re meant to react. And yeah, we all thought, well, after going 11 years, then finally doing it, he’s going to go and just go for But hey, maybe things felt weird for a while. And he go, yeah, got it. He thought he thought, oh, I thought it would feel better than this. And maybe it was one of those. Yeah, but maybe it takes time and I’m not sure if that happens the next day. Yeah, I don’t think you our game’s never like the next Oh, freedom. Let me go. It’s so things happen, but I think obviously coming here motor I I’m I wonder he’s actually staying right up there. So, he’s got himself parked close, but he’s got 300,000 people pulling. So, whether that works as a positive or or like give me some space, I don’t know. Um who knows what side of the draw you’re going to get, all that sort of thing. Um I I personally I think he’s got a lot to deal with coming home. It’s not that easy just to say home. It’s not like a football match when you want you’ve got home support and you know and you know where you p this thing you you got to battle all day long to play this and if it goes well sure but but it’s really you and your caddy and you being a golfer getting around here. Sure, it’s great to have the the support, but you’ve got to work hard to make it happen. And look, we saw six years ago that the pressure was too much on that first day, perhaps the worst swing of his golf career, like a very to hook an iron out of B first and then you’re behind the eightball before the tournaments even got going. Did you especially when you take eight? Yeah, exactly. Do do you ever experience pressure like that when you’re like, I can barely swing a club here. Um whether Yeah. What came to mind with me is Ryder Cup in my my 95 RDER Cup. I that last wedge shot when my 93 yard when I was getting up and down, you know, to flip the the RDER Cup that I when I addressed the ball, my knees went on and I went, “Oh, I haven’t felt that before.” Yeah. You know, I’ve been and you know, Mfield, I was huffing and puffing. You can see my chest heaving on that one, you know, coming up the last, you know. So, yeah, you get you get pushed to the you get pushed to the max and um which is kind of weird and wonderful in a in a in a perversive kind of sense, but but yeah, it I think he’s he’s a different player since then though, isn’t he? And he’s changed as a person as well. He’s become a dad since 2019. I think he’s maybe more mentally equipped to deal with the pressure this time around. You would have thought so. Yeah. But but once you get onto the golf course, you just you just want it to be it to be you and your C. You’ve got a lot of work to do. You got a lot of decisions. Get you got to be totally engrossed in what’s going on. I mean, that’s the real bottom line. Yeah, absolutely. Look, it’s going to be fascinating to see how Rory Mury gets on. Interesting that he was out practicing by himself. The first player out in the golf course this morning before most of the fans had come in. He obviously wanted to get out there when it was reasonably quiet and after he finished his practice round, I caught up with him. Were you seem a bit more yourself? you haven’t really for the last couple of months whether it’s you know unmotivated struggling to find what the next goal is after achieving your personal dream but surely being back here has lit that fire again. Yeah, absolutely. I think just um you know sort of being back in Europe um you know being back in familiar surroundings getting away from the sort of grind of the week in week out you know PJ tour life it can take a toll on you and I think what I struggled with after the masters was I felt like I I couldn’t like I you know there was all these like not obligations but was like I it just didn’t feel like I had the time to really let it soak in and it was like okay well got got to play in this and then got to play in that and you know it was it was hard to you know it was hard to not find the motivation but um you know I I guess I just sort of wanted to go away somewhere and sit in my green jacket for a couple of weeks and no one annoy me but that sort of wasn’t that’s always never going to be the case but uh yeah I’m look I’m I’m super happy to be back um I had a good week last week in Scotland which I felt like was really good preparation you know coming in here uh sort of shake the competitive rust off if there was any and I felt like my game progressed as as the week went on. Had a really good weekend. Hit a lot of good shots. Had a little bit of breeze as well which was nice to to play in. Um and then yeah coming home you know in in front of these fans you know my first sort of my first time back really with you know after having done what I did in April at Augusta. It’s yeah, it’s amaz it’s going to be an amazing week. And look, there’s going to be a lot of talk about 2019 and in particular that first hole in 2019. I don’t think you were quite ready for what was greeting you in that occasion. What makes you more mentally prepared this time around? Well, I think I’ve been through the experience once, so that’s that’s a part of it. Um, but I’ve also played a little bit more at home since then as well. Like, you know, the Irish Open at County Down last year. Yeah, look, it’s not the open, but still that feeling of the home support and people willing you on so much like that, you know, there there’s a there’s a similarity there um to what I’m going to feel this week and I I I performed well then. I didn’t quite get the win, but I but I performed very very well. So, um I think just a little bit of experience. I think I’m more of a well-rounded golfer. I feel like my person I’m way completely different scenario in terms of my life and and where I am in my life. I think um I also I think I’m a little more self um like I I manage myself and I manage my game better. So even in my off days, you know, very rarely now is it a 79 like it was that Thursday at Port Russian 19. It’s more like a 72 or 73 and you don’t shoot yourself out of the tournament. So I think just you know all those things combined, you know, I feel like even you know say I don’t get off to the best start here this week, I still feel like I have enough you know, in the tank to be able to climb claw my way back into contention by by the end of the week, which I felt like I probably didn’t have back in 2019. Just finally, it’s almost 20 years to the day since a certain 61. Have a little look at this. Look at that. I mean, he’s barely aged today. I don’t know about that. Do you think you could talk through every one of those 61 shots? I don’t I don’t think so. Still have the bounce in the step. I have to say they headed to a white with just the pink strong look as well. Swing’s pretty good. Swing was probably better back then than it is now. Um I I remember a lot of the back n uh Ricky McCormack was catting for me who’s now catting for Tom McKen. Um yeah, so we were both two 16 year olds going around Port Rush and and shooting 61. But uh yeah, amazing day. And you know, I remember that was um the open was going on at St. Andrews. uh in ’05 then and I remember like news had filtered over to that side of the IRC that I’d shot 61 around Port Rush and um that was sort of my I guess my coming out party in some way. But um yeah, amazing day, you know, a long time ago um signing autographs even then. But yeah, it was it was it was a cool day. But amazing to be back here 20 years later to do what I’ve done in the game and yeah, it’s it’s pretty cool. The curls sticking out from underneath the cap have disappeared, but they’ll be back in a few weeks time. They’ll be they’ll be back. They’ll be back. They’ll be back for the Ryder Cup in September. Okay, man. Have a great week. Thanks very much. Cheers. That was Rory who certainly seems to be more himself. Bit more of a pep in his step. Say he got his haircut. Do you know what he said? He had it cut three weeks ago and has actually grown out a bit which makes you think how short must have been then. But I said to him what he said to Amanda Balio about oh you know I thought because I’m going gray I’d get it short. I said you’ve got your logic is flawed there. It’s your roots that are gray that’s the problem. So if you’re if you’re getting a cut short, you’re going to look even grayer. But um he certainly seems more himself. He seems more of a happy bunny now. This side of the pond. Let’s talk about um the world number one Scotty Sheffller. He looked for as if he wanted to speaking of hair tear his hair out of the Scottish open the putts he was missing. And I think Lynx golf is still something he’s trying to master. You’re right. It’s a different It’s a very different surface. You do need a different stroke. I mean the the the grass is coarse. You’ve got the elements. I mean honestly that obviously the sea air even sticks on the greens. They can get really sticky some days. Um, you know, and they obviously they’ve been down for an awful long time. I love going to St. Andrews obviously when and you go, I wonder when this they actually put this grass down. It might be, you know, hundred of years old that grass and he’s got, you know, it’s got you can still see the sheep footprints in some of the greens, you know. So, and you have to learn to you get little trough lines as well, but these these are probably smoother than that. Great surface, but it’s still a different surface. It’s still a different stroke, especially if you’re getting blusted around. You can’t stand up and do a beautiful super smooth thing. I had a I had my secret basil brush one when I used to brush it. Used to whack the ground, you know, give it a one, two, and give it a whack and get the thing to give me a bit of, you know, come out a little faster. Yeah. So, you have to learn to adapt. It is different. Yeah. So, but he’s a fascinating golfer. I mean, technically, it’s unbelievable. He’s world number one. You would not teach his golf swing. Isn’t that ridiculous? I mean with the feet moving and the arm rotation, the wrists and everything, but he has a gift of from here to here, you know, understanding the relationship between his hand and the club face is is just brilliant. And that’s how he’s doing it. I always and he’s he’s kind of riding the wave where everything is good, you’re thinking positively and all that sort of thing. So, you know, one day if it all goes wrong, what’s plan B? When you what did you suddenly work on? But we we wor we worry about that when that happen. My ball striking in particular is just amazing. I mean, have you ever you ever play with somebody who you were you were almost in awe of their ball striking? Um, you like to say yourself? Well, no. Well, yeah. We talk about this distance, you know, distance control. You know, anybody who’s playing great has that like Jordan Speed had that, you know, his run, which is now 10 years ago. Yeah. His distance control every time you hit, which means you’re striking it great, doesn’t it? It means you’re picking the right club, you know, doing the right thing. But you got to strike it great for that ball to keep finishing flag high. And yeah, I mean I mean I always had my own stat was how many times in within 15 feet was I in a round. I mean that’s all you need to know. They’re your birdie chances. Are are you creating enough birdie chances each day? So he does that. I mean he has this great fun ability to grab a club and know exactly how far he’s going to hit it which is which is really cool. It’s a nice skill to have. Just to round off the world’s top three, the defending champion Monday tradition now at the open is to return the clar to the RNA and that’s what Xander Schoff did this morning. Look, he’s not the Xander Sha of 12 months ago when he won two majors and that back nine at Trun last year was one of the great major back nines. He had that ribb injury obviously at the start of the season and it almost feels like he hasn’t been able to kick on from last year but he does have a knack for peing at major championship. Well, I I would have thought when you come here defending and you know what this golf course is like um he’s got a very good ball flight. I mean I think if you draw the golf ball it would kind of make sense here because you’ve got a as I’ve been describing this blustery bridge. I mean this is I mean look the h the flag is hardly going but you know you know if you hit it straight up six you’d miss the green way right wouldn’t you if you you’ve got to shape it you got to do something. Yeah. So you’ve got to be picking it. You’ve got to have a good ball flight to keep the women thing in play all day and just keep it moving forward how you how you intend it to you know fly. Yeah absolutely. Look well Sha as I said hasn’t been the season he’d want so far. Um he’s had that clar jug in his possession for the last 12 months. He actually says to me that he’s been keeping at his dad’s house for the last 12 months and his dad has enjoyed some good clar out of it in that time. But the clar jug is now back in the RNA’s possession and after he handed it back, he caught up with Tim Barter. Xander, you told us how incredible it was to receive the clar jug a year ago. How are the emotions now you’ve had to hand it back? Yeah, it sucks to be honest. Um but uh definitely, you know, obvious motivation to to to win again and and to to get it back. Sander, what does the claric jug mean to a guy that’s won it a champion golfer of the year? It it’s a it’s it’s a dream. It’s it’s what we dream of as kids. Uh winning um my dad being European, it’s something that, you know, him him being my swing coach for quite some time. It’s definitely something that he he brought up once or twice uh while while we’re preparing for tournaments and and as I got older. So, it’s it’s a moment we’ll cherish forever. Por Harrington, the last man to successfully defend. How do you fancy your chances? Yeah, I was just actually with Patty at the airport. So, um hopefully he can he can rub off some good vibes. We’ve already spoken about Rory Malary. There’s actually a champions locker room this year, somebody was telling me earlier on and it’s all in alphabetical order, Sir Nick. So, one side of Rory he’s got Phil Mickelson and the other side of Rory, he’s got his great pal Shane Li. And obviously, six years ago, it felt as if the entire island had descended upon here on the Sunday. And those scenes as Shane was walking up the 18th with the rain teeming down, that was just a magical week. And Shane is a much better golfer now than he was six years ago. But no, I agree. I I always pick him when I was doing my TV work. Anytime the weather got rough, I said, “Look at Shane. I mean, he’s used to this. If you’ve if you enjoy this, you have the ball flight, um, all that sort of thing.” And obviously the momentum, you know, he’s done two amazing things, you know, winning in Ireland when he was an amateur and then coming here when it came. I had a sense as I was at Wimbledon and I and I was doing an interview there and they said I said just keep an eye on Shane Larry and I you know first time going back there. So I got a feeling he he’s he must be really looking forward to this week as well. I if he can if he Rory takes all the media and he can just come in and say hey look I’m really looking forward to it. Bof job done. Get out there and get on with it. He’s got to have a heck of a chance. He’s got to believe that you know he played great last year and then couple of things went wrong at Trun so come here with some motivation to and you know I I when I went back to Mufield suddenly honest you know I said well I’m defending you’ve preempted a question when the press guys turned it around the tip and said is Felder right doesn’t matter if I’m right it doesn’t matter if you’re right it’s I came back I thought s you lot I’m defending my bloody title again why And it it’s another little bit of motivation. You we we look for funny little things to to give us a bit of a drive in the week. But um you know, and if you enjoy a golf course and you know what to do, you know, a bit of experience around here is really key, isn’t it? Because you know, knowing where to go, you know, there’s so many falloffs. There’s magnificent runoffs on some of these greens. Well, you just better stay clear of them because the ball will go off 20 yards. I mean, that second green is amazing. Have you seen the left of that? You’re you’re miss you miss the green by a foot. You’re gonna be 20 yards in the rough and you can’t see where you’re going. Yeah. So you might as well know I better be right at this flag. So you have to play smart in that sense. You look at some shots and if you you know one side of the green is horrendous. Well you know if I’m going to miss this let’s keep it whatever left or right of the flag or short or long whatever it is. And that’s smart play. If you do that more than the other the other guys you’re going to be all right. And there must be a thing in when you arrive back at a golf course where you’ve won, especially a tournament of this size, that you almost feel mentally too under before you’ve even teed up. You must have felt that not just at Mirrorfield, but at Augusta as well. Yeah, absolutely. You want to you want to feel comfortable that you’ve you’ve seen a lot. You’ve done a lot of prep. You can draw on stuff from past as as part of your preparation. Yeah, absolutely. The only slight question mark with Shane is if this had been two months ago, he would have been coming in in cracking form, seemingly sort of in the top 10, top 20 every week. He’s missed the cuts in his last two majors. There’s a little question mark over his form, but do you just throw that out the window when it comes to link score? I would have thought so. Yeah. I mean, he obviously went to the US Open, didn’t like it, you know, but he played what, five holes and walked in one day or something. Obviously didn’t like the court. Forgot to mark his ball on the green one. Oh, yeah. Forot. Yeah. That just shows you when your your brain is spinning that much. I I did that once. I walked off the green once. I think I think it was with the players cuz the guy said, “Uh, have you finished out?” I said, “You’re right.” So, you can tell when you’re not when you’re not in it, when you’re not doing great, you’re like, “Oh, to haircut with it.” But no, coming here, he he’s got to be seriously motivated. He’s got to feel that he’s one of the you know, if he’s if he’s if he’s on his game, he’s going to one of the top guys this week. Absolutely. Well, he’s also refreshed. He’s had a few weeks off, Shane, and I caught up with him once he finished his practice round a little bit earlier on. Shane, you’re smiling from ear to ear. You really seem to have a real sort of skip in your step. I think getting off the hamster wheel, getting over this side of the pawn seems to have done you the world of good. Yeah, also it’s Monday. It’s not Thursday yet. So, I’m smiling. Everyone’s smiling today. But yeah, look, I I uh I’m I’m delighted to be home. Like, I’ve I’ve had I hadn’t been home since Christmas. Um and like don’t get me wrong, like we have a great life in Florida and we love it. Uh, but I’ve been away from the girls for a few weeks and it’s just been it’s been it was hard and I wasn’t playing good golf and it’s hard when you’re not playing good golf and uh nice to get home and kind of refresh and rejuvenated and you know I did some good work last week and I’m I feel feel really ready to go out there this week and uh try and do something special. Does any part of you feel like the defending champion this week? No, actually no. People keep saying it and I’m like I don’t feel like it. I you knowander is a defending champion. Like I won it six years ago. Um and uh I I I really feel like I I don’t feel like it’s just another tournament because we’re here in Port Rush and you know what I did the last time was obviously very very special. Um but I I do feel like it’s just another open like it’s it’s another open in Port Rush and um I I definitely don’t feel like defending champion. We know what happened to Rory in 2019. I think he’s open enough to admit he couldn’t really sort of cope with the mental pressure and expectation you did. So, A, how did you come with that expectation? And B, do you still feel that same pressure when you’re playing? I feel I feel like I I really felt that week that it was all about Rory and I felt like I came in under the radar and I think that’s what helped me. Um Um, but now you’re not under the radar. Yeah. And I know it’s it’s a lot different this week, but I feel like I’m probably more equipped and he is as well to be able to deal with the pressure of, you know, and at the end of the day, like I have no doubt if Rory Rory plays the first hole better that tournament. he does way better, you know, and and I think it’s all about for us getting off to good starts. I think if we can get off to a good start, you know, you can put yourself there cuz we’re going to have like the whole crowd is going to be behind us and like you can use that whatever way you want. But I think I’m pretty good at using that uh to my advantage. Um like I did in 2019 and uh yeah, but I think it is all about temper and expectation though, like because the the want to succeed here is just through the roof. It’s more than anything we have, you know, any other time of the year. So, uh, like I think the next few days are going to be all about like practicing and preparing obviously very well, but there’s going to be a lot of like talks between me and my coaches and just trying to feel right going into Thursday. I think for me it’s all about feeling right in my head rather than how I’m actually hitting the golf ball. I think if I feel right in my head, I’ll be okay. It felt like the stars align six years ago. I I suppose you’ve been asking yourself, you know, every day for the last six years if you could just bottle that. I mean, what was it that happened that week? Uh, that Saturday in particular. Yeah, the Saturday in particular was like, you know, people talk about in the zone. That was me in the zone and I I don’t know if I’ve been there since, but um I feel honestly uh I just like you say, the stars aligned um and it just all came together. And I always say like I’m quite fortunate that it happened on the right week. Uh you know, and I got to do this in Port Rush. It’s look and and I always say like no matter what I no matter what happens for the rest of my career, I’ll always have that week. Look, I obviously want I’m here and I want to do it again. Um but like if it doesn’t happen this week, I know that I’ve I’ve put everything into it over the last few weeks and the whole year and the last few years to try and come back here and and do pretty well again. And we’ll see what happens. When you’re having a low day, do you watch those sort of pictures walking up 18 and I try not to to be honest on the green? I haven’t. It’s funny because I was here a couple of weeks ago and I hadn’t watched I hadn’t seen any of it for a few years and then you stand here with the grand stands and you start to remember what happened and it’s just like like their memories that you know I’ll hopefully someday be sitting down and showing the grandkids or something and uh yeah very very lucky person. Have a great week. Thank you. Cheers Jimmy. Yeah, Shane in cracking form smiling from ear to ear. Happy to be back at the course where he won the open championship six years ago. We’re going to take a quick break there. But when we come back, we’re going to be talking about this man’s three open triumphs in 87, 90, and 92 and taking a look at some of the other players who could be contending for the clar jug this year. Hello, welcome back to the Sky Sports Golf podcast presented by Callaway and presented today from Royal Port Rush ahead of the 153rd Open. Sir Nick Faldo still alongside me and we’re just loving this backdrop here of White Rocks Beach below us. And you must have enjoyed the hospitality in Port Rush Town as well. Yeah. Well, I can’t get out much, you know, get kind of swamped, which is very nice, but and I’ve got a chef this week, so uh Oh, how the other half. I know. And and it cost me a fortune. So, I’m going to eat everything. So, this is one week when I can’t say no because I thought I just I think it’s a lot. Yeah. I’m feeding I’m feeding a few at home, so I might as well eat it. Yeah. Enjoy it. Are you partial to pine of the black stuff? Oh, yeah. My Guinness. Oh, yeah. It’s good for you. Got iron in it. It’s good for you. It does. Yeah. been down to the Harbor Bar probably last Yeah, some we did. We ate down there in May or last year somewhere. I just want to say this is terrible for people listening to the podcast, but for those watching it on YouTube, these are my new um my new sho. I’m going to take I’m going to take them off just so you can see. Look at these. What’s wrong? Look at these Guinness. Oh, really? Like that Guinness boots. And they’re Look, they’re in Guinness colors. So they’re like lovely sort of dark brown, white, little gold accents to them. Do you like those? So you have to wait 1 minute 42 seconds before you can start walking in it. Absolutely. So yes, thank you very much. There’s Travis Matthew and Guinness have sent me those. They got Guinness on the Oh my gosh. Like that. Yeah. I’ll see. I’ll have I’ll have a word. I’ll Guinness underwear then. I’ll see if I can wangle a pair for a threetime open champion. Um let’s speak of which, let’s get into those. So let’s go 87 to begin with. Yeah. You never won a major champion at this point. 40 years time. This is uncharted territory. And you go into the final round a shot behind. Is that right? I think so. Was it was Zingering? Yeah. And obviously it’s now famous for for the 18 cars in a row. At what point during that Sunday did you think this is I’m doing something pretty special here? No. No. You didn’t even obviously didn’t think of it because it was squaly. You know, people say that sounds boring, but you know, it’s good old Mirfield on that particular day. We came out and I called it the pea soup and you know, the golf ball was going nowhere. There was that there was that misty fog and you know and we know Mufield I mean there’s so many tough fours in there to actually just keep churning out pass on those you’d take any day of the week especially the open and you know we had a squall down the second hole and it went from you know that second hole was you know a wedge shot and I ended up the wind was swer broly I chipped to seven iron I remember that from nowhere like 115 yards you kept adding a club thinking no ain’t going So things like that and then I made I made a couple of good So I made three gray bunker shots on seven I hit in left bunker uh the pile three which is a three iron shot in that in that day and then and then the bunker shot I hit on eight which was short you know that 30 yard I hit to two feet that was probably the great shot of the of the day. Um you know when you go back there and look and you know and again when you look at the clubs our wedges were 56 degrees and that’s that was it. those 60s. Yeah. And to, you know, you’ve got that up and down and I made a good part on 11 and that was it. And then, you know, and all I kept saying, honestly, I was walking and and my world was a blur. You outside about two paces in front of me. Everything was really was a blur. And I just, you know, I’m dealing with this first time this feeling thinking, can I do this? And I was using this line when Rory was Augustine say, you know, one I was thinking, you know, one great shot’s going to win this and one bad shot’s going to cost me. You know, Rory had about six of each, didn’t he? August. So, but for me, that’s the way I was thinking. I just kept churning out good shot, good. And I felt really nervous with the putter, honestly. I’m looking I was trying to hold everything. Didn’t feel great with the putter. Um, and then when we came in, my goodness, I mean, I remember so 16 was 187. And I bust a two iron. Two iron went 182. Right. Yeah. In this weather. Good old days blades and bilata golf ball folks. So not that. And then 17 the cross bunkers there were 200. And I thought I don’t think I can get across the cross bunkers with my I had a two-wood in the bag in good old brassy you know pimmen. So I hit a five iron. So I hit drive five iron five iron into 17. Wow. You know. Yeah. So I I forgot about that. I actually hit a really good putt. I saw the putt the other day. I mean, cuz I’m thinking if I hold this, I’ll get a no. And then I come to the last and that’s probably why it was really it was like a four or five and I thought I’ve just been bashing two five irons, so I might as well bash another five iron. So that’s why I hit the five iron and it and there’s a there’s a mound right on the front of that green and it hit it and killed it, you know. And then that first part was like, as I would say on common umpire signals wide, it was like 5 foot wide and I’ve now got this. So like a like a kid I’ve got a five-footer which I felt was fully over. I said to myself, you did were you aware of what Zing? Yeah. I looked up and Roger Davis was in at four. Yeah. And and I and I said to my So I guess Zinger is still six or something. Yeah. And well, of course he was. So um and I just said to myself, well, if you want to win, you have to hold it. Yeah. Yeah. As simple as that. If you want to win, you And I got over that thing and I went, “Yeah, jump.” And in it went and then and you can see my shoulders go. Yes. went wall up and then I went in and sat in the scorer’s tent and I I sat between two TVs and I couldn’t look. I just put my head down and I heard Alice say, you know, this is going to change this part’s going to change one of these guys’ life. And that was Zinger trying to hold a 15footer for a part misses it and what and all I said was it was relief because you know I’d gone through that twoyear swing change the rebuild. So really it was just relief. That was it. That was the first thought and the first emotion of in my mind. Fanny was on your bag in No, no. And Angie Proger. Proj. Okay. At no point did you say to Proj like on I don’t know standing on the 15th Tig or something. Bloody hell PJ. I’ve had 14 bars up to this point. Yeah. No. No. I No. Absolutely not. You It wasn’t like I couldn’t What people could see from the outside I wasn’t seeing from the inside. I wasn’t Oh, that’s weird. Look at that. Another one. Oh, no. Not even close to that. You’re so so engrossed in what you’re just trying to churn out another good shot, another good hole. That was the best I could do. And I was kind of you didn’t have to even see this the leaderboard. I didn’t know that Zinger got to eight until 20 years later, honest. So, um, you’re just so engrossing what you’re doing and you kind of knew from the feeling and the crowd. It’s the same as 92, funny enough. Um um I jumped to that just for the story cuz I heard the murmurss of John Cook taking five at 18 and if you there’s a great shot as we’re going up Fanny turns and looks at the leaderboard and she turns to me and goes he took a five you know as we’re walking I just went I know and she’s like well how does he know that you obviously I know that what was said so you can see thinking how does he know that but I I heard it I literally felt it I felt you can you can sense what’s going on really on the golf course. So, you know, so I didn’t need to look. I knew I was in there. I was just churning. That was the best I could do. And yeah, you know, and that’s how I got to, you know, that score. We may never see it again. 18 pars. It’s quite funny. So about 30 years later, I’m lying in bed and thinking what everybody kept saying on on, you know, on social, oh, I nearly did a fou. So I thought, so I thought one night, well, I should have a company called 18 pars, you know, why not or something. Exactly. Um, we chatted before the Masters and we were saying, “Oh, all three of your Masters were final day comebacks for me.” And obviously in ‘ 87, you were trailing Zinger by just a shot going into the final round as well. 1990 by stark contrast. You have a great round on Saturday. Yeah. And then you have to sleep on Saturday night on a five shot lead at the home of golf. Look, this is you’re about to you’ve won the Masters the last couple of years. You’re about to do join a club of people who have won a Masters at Augustine and open at Roy at at St. Andrews. So, what were you feeling that Saturday night? Yeah, that was weird. Well, suddenly I was I was all right. I was actually very good at all all of that. I got up the next morning and I you know at the weekend to kill time because you know you’re staying at the old course the ranges across. So Saturday I went across we did a full warmup. Yeah. Did a just to kill time like at 11:00 in the morning to 11 to 12. So I did the same thing and and I went over there and you know and and somebody said something like you know how do you play with a five shot lead? And I’m like yeah you’re right. How do I play? And I thought, well, and I was lost with, do you play aggressive? Do you stand up and whack a one four foot past and miss it? And you think, you’re a three time major childhood by this point. But but you’ve never experienced this. No, it’s right. It’s a weird feeling. I think, so what do I do for my strategy? Well, how do I do it? And you and I honestly didn’t really know. And I thought, well, you you try and play cautious a little bit. I birded one. I came out hit it like that again. But then again, you know, you get you um just keep doing the same thing and you know, there wasn’t brushing the putts in like it was tough to stand up and let one go. You get a little tight and you know, you don’t have that freedom when I was putting so well on from 20 feet. You know, those first couple of days, anything I looked at it was like have a slap at it, the thing was going in. So suddenly you look and we start positioning the ball around the hole ra just give it a whack. So that went on for a while and then I I remember I came down 15 and sudden I was only two ahead and then I hit a really good five iron again at 15 to about 8 ft not that win and that gave me the the cushion and I always played 17 cautiously. you know, you always play that for a five just in case and then um and then boom, they I suddenly end up being five in the lead again. So, and is that is that walk up the 18th? Yeah. Then there was different I mean Fanny was still kind of brand new. She’s only Fanny started with me that year. So, and I just and then she loves it. She said, “God,” I said, “Have a look around. This is this is different.” Or or did I say, “Have a look around. This is worth seeing.” Or something like that. Take it all in. we we may not see this again like this. So, um yeah, that was amazing because I can still see it now and you’re running through the crowd and everything and then that my putt when you know I had people right in the valley of sin right below me right when I’m putting I put it down I got all these eyeballs at me and then which obviously you don’t see anybody at St. Andrews, everybody has to be left or right. So So um yeah, that was that was a you know I would that was special because I went there on a mission. You know obviously I was playing good. I hit the hole at US Open. I really went there and I said right I’m going to win the bloody open at St. Andrews. So you know when you feel that good and and you plow on it’s it’s pretty amazing to think about. And does the magnitude of it hit you immediately? Are you where this is a pretty unique club? I’ve won the two biggest tournaments in golf in the same year at the two most iconic courses on the planet. No, you’re not. It’s funny. I’m now here I am sitting 35 years later from these stories and and you’re just you’re just so wrapped up in it just doing it’s like and I’m amazed when you know here I am and I think that was that guy 30 years. You’re getting up in the morning. You think about you’re getting up in the morning and you’re going to go for a wander to try and win the open. Yeah. I mean seriously. Yeah. I mean, I wouldn’t get out. I wouldn’t I’d fall over in the in the car park now, you know, but to think then you’re striding out there and that’s your mission and and you know what to do. You know how to prepare and you know and off you go and you can’t wait. I think it’s it’s been amazing to be honest. Yeah. Incredible. And then fast forward another two years and we’ve already sort of touched upon your field. You you say you felt like the defending champ defending champion there. I think you had again what was a four shot lead at Yeah, that was tough. So I can I went in there everything. I’m world number one. I’m I’m the favorite and whooshing off I go and I’m leading by four and um you know on that particular day I just kept frittering it away. Yeah. It was really weird making little mistakes. I kept going back to the bag. I always used to say I kept saying I’m all right but I’m screwed up. Just three putt it in a b and then and then then walop. Um I walked off offuh 14 and I’m two back. Yeah. And you know then and I did a really good job on myself. I just I I was into all the I was doing a lot of meditating in that time and all that sort of thing morning and night and I just said forget everything. Forget the whole week every nothing matters. You got and I said you’ve got four holes to play. You better play the best four holes your life. And the five I hit at 17 is the best five I ever hit. Yeah. The four iron I sorry at 15 the the you know I got up and down at 16. I had a four iron into 17. Well actually the drive was fantastic because I there was a there was a you either a foam box or a letter box red little letter box and I aimed at that thing and it and I went for a tiny little draw and I hit it which is pretty good for me. And then I got four iron in. You know that pin’s behind the mound on the front right. So the best you can do is 20 ft left and I hit it 20 ft left. nearly made the putt and then you come to the last um honest I walked off that green and I think it’s like 87 paces and I and I just kept saying four to win four to win four to win four to win on like that. Yeah. And then um you know and I had that three iron into the last which was the best threeon I I hit in my life and I and thanks thankfully Lind is we got I’ve got a uh giant wall of that three a mere impact on the wall on the way to my gym in our little new house in Montana. So, so that was, you know, to hit those shots under that kind of pressure is um and you could tell that’s why I was a basket case when I finished. The most emotional you’ve Yeah, cuz I thought I’d lost because I thought I’d blown I would have I would have been scarred. I’m really lucky as you’ve probably heard me say. I’ve I’ve lost majors, but I don’t have any scars, thank goodness. I don’t walk around going, “Oh, yeah.” Hit it in the pond. You pick that would have been a star leading by four and then blowing it and that sort of thing. But I clawed my way out of that and um there was some amazing golf, you know, in the whole and then blob like a baby on the 18th grade. Well, yeah, you Well, not quite. Yeah, but you know, you don’t people you don’t appreciate what goes into it. Oh, go ahead. You know, well, you do, but you know, I don’t I’ve never won an open channel, but Yeah, but you’ve been close to it, you know. You It’s not It’s not a five minute fix anything, you know. That’s That’s Where am I now at 92? How many years have I been a pro? says, “So, I’ve been near whatever 15 odd years as a pro or more, and you know, you’ve bashed away, changed your swing, gone through this and that, and then said, you know, to to be able to believe you can still do, that’s probably the that’s the nicest feeling is to go, I can still do it. I can still finish it off.” That’s that’s probably all you really say to yourself. Yeah. Um, great insights and thank you for all those. And we who would have thought in 1992 that we would still now here be in two 2025 and we we haven’t had another English winner of the Open Championships then since then. Runner up here six years ago was Tommy Fleetwood. He had that agonizing runner up just a couple of weeks ago at the Travelers as well. His game seems tailor made for Lynx golf and I almost feel as if like Tommy’s next win is going to be a big big win as well. And what a week this problem is well problem is finishing it off. um you know he does you know under pressure it’s he goes with that draw a lot not really a fader of the golf balls which I feel you’ve you know to step it up to win a major you’ve got to be able to do a bit of both to be honest you know because you there’s no simple shot here you can’t um you’ve got to be able to dig in there and maneuver the golf ball he struggles with that and obviously he and you know and he obviously felt the pressure a couple of weeks ago he hit that wedge fat coming up the last and so you know all those things hurt. All those things go in the that’s a tick in the negative box. So, and he obviously were doing great here six years ago right in there. So, he would be a fan favorite, all that sort of thing. But, you know, it’s it’s what’s deep down inside him. Has he got the trust to uh to to make it happen on the, you know, on the back n because look, we we all love Tommy. He’s one of the nicest guys you meet and he’s so giving of his time and there does need to be a question mark over him on on on those back nent. It’s yeah it’s the mental strength of you know you look at all they they put a thing out on social media again the usual you know players best players not to win a major well there’s a reason why you didn’t win a major it’s the mental strength you have that is the 15th club it’s a real it’s probably more important than anything you know you’re you’re physically and me technically you can have a you can be an eight out of 10 but you have to be 10 out of 10 to win you You got you got to have the mental strength. You will not you can’t softball that whatever you know. Yeah. You’ve got to have you got to have mind. You got to have a steel trap for a mind you know to to to keep plowing on. You have to take so much. It is you know so much so many mental decisions to make and hang on. And the trust you got to maintain a I think our game you have to have 100% trust. I don’t think you can even get away with maybe get away with 95% but generally you got to have 100% trust in what you’re doing. And speaking of mental strength, I’ll tell you who’s somebody who has that in spades and who will be on a lot of people’s lips this week. Runner up in the last major championship. Um Oh, I think tell you what, hang on a second. I think we might we might have a guest coming and joining us. Mr. Bradley, hey, congrats, Mr. Captain. Have us have a little Oh, boy. Have we got a question for you. Oh, boy. I wonder what it is. No wonder what it is. Go on, Nick. Uh, we don’t know yet. Really? If I was you, I would play. You would? Yeah, absolutely. You’re playing great. You think you can you think you can do both? No, you you you designate enough. You got enough vice captains. I do. Yeah. I think I think you if it was me, I would I would play first and give up the captaincy and say, “I I’ll have it again, mate.” Well, I I don’t know if you could do that. I don’t know if I have the power to do that, but Uh I do feel I I do as the process has gone on you and I’ve gotten the vice captains I definitely have feel more comfortable doing playing. Um but I still got there’s still such a long way to go. I you know I I don’t know. What do you mean it’s the next it’s the next thing after this? It’s not that long. It’s not that long is not that long. It will go like that. Yeah. It’s not that long, is it? No. We’re mid We’re late July. We’re in the final stretch. August se by time. Have you picked the right color shirt? So you’ve done all the jobs all the jobs. We’ve done the bus schedule. We’ve done the food. You don’t have to do anything get except get to the first tea on Friday now. That’s right. Well, we this it’s strange because like I don’t have somebody to ask questions about this and this has never really been done. I can’t ring up Arnold Palmer and see how he did it in ‘ 62, but um I got great people around me and um some big decisions ahead for sure. Let let me flip the question that you asked Nick on you. Do you think you can do both? Do you think if because you need to have if plan A isn’t going going according to plan, you need a plan B or C. Oh, let’s ask the captain. Well, we can’t the captain’s out in the course playing Rory Mroy. You know, what if it gets to that? Well, I think uh I was going to I’m going to rely on my vice captains a lot anyways. I I you know, even if I was just playing, you know, I’m going to rely on Jim Furick. I’m going to rely on Sneder and Ker and Web and Gary more than most captains would have just because of, you know, I’ve never even been a vice captain before. So, um I think you can do you know what I think hats off to you because what I think is remarkable is becoming a Ryder Cup captain. It’s very easy if you’re still a current player for your game to completely disappear. You’re a you’ve become even an even better player in the time that you’ve been a captain. Yeah. I I again like I don’t have uh everyone assumes you’re going to play worse, but there’s no there’s no record here. There’s no no one’s ever done it. and was unprecedented in in you know Tiger or Phil or Nick when he was young like they guys could have all done this if they were named captain at 38 or nine like I was. Um so it it this could be the future for our team. We don’t know but um certainly trying to navigate how to handle both but it’s taken pressure off both sides of my game where I I I leave the course and I have to be the captain and not worried about my driver. I’m you know my swing. I’m thinking about that and then when I’m here I’m able to sort of let that captaincy go a little bit. Okay, I’m going to digress. You’ve never heard of Ian Jury and the Blockheads, have you? Great band. Great song. Ian Jury and the Blockheads. Great punk band back in the day. He had a line in one of his songs. He says he’s got shoes like dead pigs noses. I mean, those are awful. Well, what about Well, the front of yours look weird. Well, there’s a square. I heard they make you hit them farther. Exactly. Just What do you think of my shoes? Guinness. He’s got Guinness shoes right here. 30 is 30 is that’s what would Brooks say. It’s fashion, bro. That’s what it is. I don’t want to keep you any longer. Thank you very much for joining us. We got a scoop. He’s going to both play and be captain. Thank you very much. Well, that was unexpected. That was an insight. There we go. Well done. A hard-hitting question. There’s a journalist in there somewhere. Throw it in. Just I don’t care. Um, what else? What else do you want to know? Well, let’s just quickly because he’s just joined us. Do you think he can do both? I know. I agree. I’m I’m not messing. I When you’re playing that well, God, why why would you give up a chance? Here’s the thing. If you’re the captain, it’s really your duty is to have the best 12 players and he’s one of the best. It is one of the Yeah, absolutely. You want if you really believe I mean, it’s there’s a couple of weird things you have to do, you know, as a captain once they get going. So, you there’s a the team goes in obviously the night before, but then you have to pick your team on, you know, Friday and Saturday, you know, for whatever they’re playing in the afternoon. So you got to make a decision. But he would you can have that all planned with your with your vice captains and then you know you tour around and you ask your players look are you good? You’re going again this afternoon. Are you happy you’re going with so and so? da da da da. But do you know that can all be be pre-planned and you see I mean to be honest it’s it’s again what if the players are happy it’s like hey you two want to play too in the I’m thinking of you two in the afternoon and they go well it’s job done you know I mean it’s and it’s only if somebody says comes in and says ah son’s really playing badly really struggling or whatever and said do you duck and dive or whatever that sort of thing but a lot of it in the RDER cup because of it’s not like it’s not like um President’s Cup where they pick opposites. You you put your four players out. You put your four groups rather and and that’s really and you don’t know what you’re going to get. You don’t know every whether your opponents are going to go out in 29 or 39. You don’t know. So, it’s it’s a bit of luck of the draw. We shall see. We shall see. But you’re right. Not long to go. Now the question I was forming before we were joined by the captain was I was saying speaking of mental resilience and and you know grit and he was so close a few weeks ago at Oakmont finished runner up Bob McIntyre. I’m sure he’s somebody that a lot of people fancy. Yeah. It’s funny I looked after 36 and I thought oh Bob you know under the radar I think that’s the sort of play he’d been not quite so maybe a little bit more under the radar the fact that you know Scotsman’s in Ireland so it’s not quite it’s not that far away by the way. I know. You can see it. Actually, it’s right. Yeah, he can see it yesterday. He can. Yeah. Um Yeah, he’s got to love it. Yeah, I think um the fact he played well. He felt it, you know. He suddenly felt well. I bet there was a moment those last three three four holes he thought, “Wow, I could win this.” Yeah. Which is not which is a good thing, isn’t it, to have in the in the memory banks because I can promise you you change when you suddenly think, “Oh crap, I could win a major.” Yeah. Um so yeah, he could bring that here. Yeah. And you know like you look back to last year winning the Canadian Open with his dad in his bag just a few weeks later winning the Scottish Open which which I guess must almost feel like a major for Bob. I must be the one as a kid that you thought I’d dream of winning that almost as I said was knocking on the door Oakmont he does perform when when the chips are really down Bob. Yeah he does to hold that part to win the Scottish Open last year. What a great feeling. Um he’s really come along cuz there was times at the Ryder Cup wasn’t in Rome when we he was like wow he’s delicate you know we’re not too sure wasn’t great in the Friday got together really you know he really did shine even in the singles he’s like wasn’t it one of those holes when he you had one of these and missed him but it got in you know so that was huge because I think you you learn a lot of self-belief from that particular week if you can perform under that pressure so he’s yeah you never know he um I think this is going to be a great even in the sun. Yeah. You know, this is still a tough golf course just because it’s, you know, there’s nothing going to be easy about it. So, uh, yeah, I think you got to have a good solid game plan of how to just sneak a couple underpar each day. You you’d do great. Just a couple more guys I want to mention. Uh, John Ram and Bryson Dashambo. Now, they’ve come straight from Liv. They’re playing in Valorama for the last two days. I mean, Valdderama could not could not be two more different courses. Did you if you were playing an open did you like to at least have the sort of feel of links golf before you got there? And do you think coming from a a course as different as Valdderama to this puts you behind the eight ball? I think I Yeah, I don’t think it helps. I mean, you were down there in 90° and you know um totally different golf course, totally different grasses, all that sort of thing. The fact you were competitive is is obviously a plus. But yeah, you come here and get up this morning and different world. you don’t get a win like this and you know everything’s got to be a mad you know Bryson plays go he likes he’s he’s crash bbang walop isn’t he you know and I and you can’t play crash bang wal you know you have to thread it round it you know when he when he said last year I’m going to go and attack the links you true and I said good luck you don’t miss the cut by a lot exactly you thread it you thread your te you look at you look at holes and go you have to have great respect for the rough and the bunkers out there you just cannot risk going near it. It’s no point saying, “Oh, you know, I’ll thread it between the two bunkers, you know, but if you have a little bit of don’t like the look, you’ve got to hang back. Keeping you know, Jack, I got to to play with Jack.” He said, “Don’t don’t go level with the bunkers, either short or long.” Mfield. So, I that worked. Yeah. So, so I think the same thing, you got to look down and go, where can I safely put it? Just because it’s a flamming two iron instead of trying to hit a 350 yard drive. No, I’d rather be there and get the right angle and get the right trajec and short irons don’t work on a links. They really don’t. It’s no point and it’s no point having anything less than a blooming eight iron to be honest because when you’re playing like this wedges just go like unless apart from around the greens but hitting you’ve got to really learn how to grab a two clubs more. Grab that a ton and you chip it 1820 yards. You’ve got to learn that shot. Um just because you’d see 120 you think oh grab a wedge. No it thing goes off. So I mean look at feel it right now. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. I mean that’s more than 20 isn’t it? That’s a 20 mph. It’s changed us whilst we’ve been sitting here as well. Yeah. So you you try hitting a wedge on this. No, you got to learn to flight it and you got to trust it. You know you can’t just freeze on punch shots. You got to better drive them through the wind. So it is a lot more skill than just standing up with a yardage and and playing, you know, that way. A lot of people watching or listening to this will be having a little flutter. So if they were to take some advice from a threetime open champion, who do you who do you fancy this? I go I I go long shots. Go on then. Straker. Yeah, because he’s like a 60. Well, for a place I mean I don’t know about I like looking at guys who I can get big odds. I mean the leaders I mean putting a pound on them and five to one’s no good, is it? I know I’m trying to get the 66 to1, you know, and get get me some odds. Get you some value. Yeah, a couple of guys like that. Harry Hall’s been playing quite nicely, but you know, at the top end, um Oberg will be my number one pick really. Well, I love I love his swing. My goodness. Yeah, probably the best swing out here. And if he, you know, and if it becomes a ball striker’s golf course, he he was, he did nicely last week, so he’s obviously found it. You know, I’d like to come here just nailing it. If I knew I could outplay everybody just from T Green, I think you got a heck of a chance. If you believe that you’re a better ball strike than anybody, you you will survive the week here. We’re just going to very finish because I think the Hooser’s just gone, which means the weather’s about to close in, which doesn’t see at the moment. The sun is shining. What? So, we’re very quickly going to finish sun and they’re going to call us in four seasons in a day. That’s what you get in this part of the world. We’re going to very quickly finish with I’m going to put you on the spot here a bit. Top five open courses for you. Well, St. Andrews because the atmosphere Yeah. Mfield, thank you very much. Love Bdale. I thought Bertdale was a great test. Uh I actually I actually enjoyed obviously Royal St. George’s and I actually enjoyed Litham. Yeah. Yeah. I like Lith. And I know it’s crammed in, but it’s a lovely, you know, and it’s a brutal tough bat now. And you come back and left it. So, hey, well, I did it. I did it in a flash. And if Royal Port Rush had been in the road in the 80s and 90s, would that have sneaked into the tough? That’s true. Yeah, cuz I didn’t play and I I blurted it out. Yeah, this fella uh I guess this for me could sneak in. It’s maybe a tie with Bertell. I mean, it’s um it’s a different start. This is this is probably tougher than Bertell. This is this would come in a number three to be honest. Then put Bale behind it and then Yeah, I think is a this is a toughy. I mean the fairways are undulating. The Greens are undulating. Yeah, Bertdale’s little fairer. It’s the flattest fairways they probably you know on they play. So they’re all good. They’re all good. Exactly. And it’s always great. We love the Open Championship. It’s been great to have you with us today. Thank you so much for your great stories of 87 and 90 and 92 and your insights for this week as well. Uh the hooter’s gone which we find remarkable because the sun is shining where we are. But we are going to but the wind’s going that way. Work that way. Well, you’re probably very good at sort of watching clouds and seeing. So I can’t see where the rain’s about to come from, but apparently it is coming. So we’re being told to wrap up. Watch which way the sea goes walk. That’s the secret. That is that right? Yeah. Yeah. There you go. You heard it here first. Um thank you very much for uh your time today. Thank you for watching and listening to the podcast. If wherever you get your podcast, please do leave us a review and give us a like or a subscribe. We are set for four fantastic days here at Royalport Rush. Cannot wait to see who’ll be lifting that clar jug on Sunday evening. And on Monday morning, we’ll be back to review it all. Thank you and good night.