Emerging PGA star Chris Gotterup and Sports Business Journal writer Josh Carpenter joined the show today. Gotterup talked about the start of his season and how better course management has led to his rise and win at the Scottish Open, how the pairing with Rory McIlroy on Sunday made him lock-in and how that win changed his season by qualifying for The Open, where he finished 3rd, and touched a bit on knowing he is at least now part of the Ryder Cup conversation. Carpenter talked about what will be priority for Brian Rolapp, the LIV TV situation, the business side of the upcoming Ryder Cup and more.
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[Music] Good morning. Welcome into five clubs here on Golf Channel on this Tuesday morning. Of course, you can also listen. That is SiriusXM’s channel 92. That is PJ Tour Radio. I am Gary Williams. This program brought to you by Century Insurance. If you have business insurance needs, they will not only meet, they will exceed what it is that you need. They are right by you. Their investments in golf from the USGA to the first, they make great choices. Your best choice is to align with Sentry Golf Pride. The Align Max grips, which I now have on my new irons, best grips I’ve ever had. They have more offerings. They have better materials. That is why the best players in the world down to everyday recreational golfers trust Golf Pride more than any other grip company in the world. Peter Malar. Every single thing that I wear head to toe is Peter Malar and have for 15 years. Great savings right now on all the summer items at petermalar.com. And that fall line is right around the corner. And of course, Pinehurst. I cannot wait to get back there again. I have not seen the new clubhouse at number 10. I have not seen the completed cottages at number eight. They have a brand new restaurant that they’re going to open this fall in the main resort. Every time you go, it seems like there’s something more for you to enjoy at the Cradle of American Golf. It’s interesting that I mentioned Pineer, and of course we do every day because we’re lucky enough to be aligned uh with that great place. That is where Ben Hogan won for the first time individually. He won a fourball event in 1938. And it gets to where we’re going because this week is the last week of the regular season on the PGA Tour. Appropriately, it is up the road in Greensboro because after Ben Hogan left the North South, which he won in 1940, March of that year, he came up the road to Greensboro, North Carolina, and he won again after spending two days in the O’Henry Hotel putting on the carpet because it was snowing in Greensboro. And then he won again there. And then he went up to Nashville and he won the great Land of the Sky Open at a couple of different golf courses including Builtmore Forest. And so here we sit in the state of North Carolina where we originate from in Charlotte. And it is right that the regular season end right here. And so I’m going to get to some details about some guys who are right around the bubble. Uh and that identity is not a very comfortable identity to have. You do not want to be the bubble boy unless you are in that bubble in that episode of Seinfeld and your dad drives a Yohoo truck. No, you don’t want to be 70 this week. You want to be well inside that number. So, we’ll get to some of those guys in just a second. We will have Josh Carpenter in studio from the Sports Business Journal. He’s going to be joining me right here in less than 15 minutes. his thoughts on where we sit because the PGA Tour after kind of a sluggish start which I thought was grossly overrated as it relates to the audience itself has had themselves a good year and what are the reasons why that is and Liv has made some announcements as it relates to purses going into next year and of course Ian Baker Finch is transitioning out of the booth and what does that mean for maybe a slot being opened uh when it comes to understanding and covering the media side of the professional sport of golf. Josh is an essential voice at the Sports Business Journal. Lucky to have him right here in Charlotte. He’ll be with me. And then bottom of the hour, it is Chris Goddarup. Maybe a month ago, Chris Gotup would be that guy right around 70. But no, he has had a torid stretch that now doesn’t put him in peril as it relates to the playoffs. It puts him right in the crosshairs of being fitted for swag to represent the United States on the RDER Cup team. He’s with me at the bottom of the hour. Let’s get back to Greensboro, though, because the first professional event that I ever went to was the Greater Greensboro Open. And it was where I saw the likes of Chi-Chi Rodriguez and Billy Casper. And yes, Arnold Palmer for the first time as my dad pointed to that guy and said, “Dad said, Gary, that is the John Wayne of golf. Didn’t know who John Wayne was. Figured it out eventually. I also have a glove signed by Arnold Palmer that isn’t in my home office. I’m not a big signature guy or memorabilia guy, but I’ve got that glove. My dad bought that glove at an auction right around the Greater Greensboro Open. So, it’s nostalgic. I have an affection for the event. I also have great appreciation for what the people who have continued to maintain that event. And it should be and it’s going to fall into a different date next year, even closer, uh, and right where it should be, right at the precipice of the postseason of the PGA Tour. because the event itself started in 1938 and then of course as I said it was Hogan who won it in 1940. Weirdly Jack Nicholas was not somebody who frequented greater the Greater Greensboro Open because what he found out was not playing the week before the first major of the year worked out like 1963 and 1965 and then again in 1966. if you win three masters in a four-year period, are you going to change your pattern? He didn’t. And it was kind of an an odd relationship, but Jack came back to Greensboro 10 years ago in 2015 around a charity event. It was the same year that Tiger showed up for the oneoff when he played in that event, the Windham Championship. And I’ll never forget, it was like Elvis coming to Tupelo when he came to Greensboro for that one week. don’t think he went to Stamy’s uh for some pulled pork and some hush puppies, but nonetheless, he came to Greensboro. So, here we are. And as the guys put up the screen here, let’s take a look at the guys who are hovering around that number, the number to get into the playoffs. This is not about employment. These guys are good when it comes to having fully exempt status on the PGA Tour next year. But look at some of the players who are in that 61 to 70 range. Uh including Ricky Fowler there at 61. Ricky’s not going to um be wanting necessarily for starts on the PGA Tour next year, but nonetheless, there he is at 61. He’s fine. He is going to be in the FedEx Cup playoffs. But let me give you an example of how tough it is to be in the playoffs. You go back to the origins of the FedEx Cup series when 125, which I associated then with employment also got you in the playoffs. That didn’t make any sense to me. You needed to differentiate. And now they’ve done it so much that Matty Schmid who’s at 70. Think about this just to get into the postseason. This is somebody who has four top 10s this year, seven top 25s. That includes a second at the Colonial. That’s a really good season. He may not be in the postseason. He may not be in me Memphis. And then guys, roll it on to that next screen and let’s show some of the guys who are 71 to 80. Nikolai Hoygard who’s sitting there at 71. He’s got three top 10s in just 14 starts. He’s got six top 25s. His last three starts alone. 24th and then fourth at the Scottish and 14th at the Open. He’s currently not in the FedEx Cup playoffs. Now, some of you may say, “Good. You need to be really, really good to see the FedEx Cup playoffs.” Look, that’s a really solid season. He’s also trying to satisfy a number of starts on on the DP World Tour to acrew points to give himself a chance to be on that European Rder Cup team. And then lastly, let me mention Keith Mitchell, who’s sitting there at 72. He’s only missed four starts this year. He’s got two top 10, seven top 25s. He’s only played in one major and that was a PJ. And that the problem for Keith is that he got no points at the PGA and also at the players where he missed uh two cuts. This is also somebody who has a runner up this year second at Pontaana. Got a sponsor exemption at the Truis. Had a chance legitimately to start that Sunday to win that event at Philly Cricket. W finishing in a tie for seventh. He is currently not in the FedEx Cup playoffs. That’s tough. That is really, really tough. And then finally, let’s look at another group of players, including some players obviously you’re familiar with. There you see Rasmusard. Very reasonable chance for him to be a European Rder Cup member, and yet he’s 82nd. Also like his brother playing on that DP World Tour, Adam Scott, uh, in in real peril. He needs an excellent week, like top five, top three week to launch himself uh into Memphis in that first playoff event. Matt Wallace again, he’s hanging around the periphery of that European Rder Cup roster. He is at 92. Joel Damon sitting there at 101. Joel’s been here before. Now, you remember Joel last fall. Uh and and here’s one other caveat to these names. Max Homa, you see him there at 106, Harry Higs at 115. The thing about all these players is that this is not truly end of the road because they do have the opportunity with a a series of events in the fall. It’s not a wraparound construct like it used to be for those several years, but these guys have opportunities to improve their status and their positioning as it relates to employment in 2026. And we know that that Joel Damon pulled that off at the RSM at Sea Island at the end of the year, the last event with that unbelievable final round, but it is not easy uh this week for those guys. This to me is the essence of professional golf. And I would even go below her whether it’s the corn fra tour or guys trying to Monday queue. Uh, and that’s why guys like Ryan French matter because they tell all these stories of the guys who were, you know, getting in cars and driving overnight and trying to force spot, which really those opportunities are few and far between. Now, this is a seismic change for the PGA Tour in terms of the way that their workforce is going to look going forward. You better be. To get on tour is an amazing accomplishment. To remain fully exempt is even more of an accomplishment. And to be embedded among the top 30 to 50 players in the world on this tour is insane. Truly. This week nostalgic. Yes. Starting in 1938. And to Mark Brazzle and the great staff up there at the Windom and Bobby Long who’s kind of been their heartbeat. We hope they have a great week and an event that embodies kind of the birth of the modern tour of what is now the PGA Tour. By the way, their new boss started yesterday officially, Brian Rolap. I’m glad you got him uh some nice new golf shirts to wear uh to work. Thoughts on him and a whole lot more as it relates to the business of the PGA Tour and men’s professional golf. Josh Carpenter, Sports Business Journal. He joins me next bottom of the hour, Chris Goddarup. Great to have you with us Tuesday here on Five Clubs Golf Channel and SiriusXM’s PGA Tour Radio channel 92. Back with you right after this. [Music] Welcome back into Five Clubs here on Golf Channel Series XM as well. That’s channel 92 on PGA Tour Radio. This segment brought to you by Peter Malar. Those summer items, great savings right now at petermalar.com and the fall line is starting to roll in. Whatever your needs are, they’ve got you covered. They have refined performance, luxury, and style for more than two decades. Speaking of stylish, he’s got a regimenal striped tie on today. He could be the Greens Committee chairman at oh, I don’t know, about a hundred of the top 100 clubs in America. From the Sports Business Journal, he is Josh Carpenter. Good morning. Good morning, Gary. You know, my my wife told me uh she said, “You got to look a little bit better next time you go on.” I said, “I’m I’m going to be in the room with the man who has the best hair in golf and usually the best wardrobe in golf.” So, uh got to step up my game a little bit. Yeah. Well, it’s good to see you. Thank you for making the time. Um interesting times because it’s the end of the regular season and you have regime change regime change for the PJ tour. Brian Rolap started officially yesterday. What do you get the sense as you cover uh a lot of the media dealings as it relates to men’s professional golf, all of professional golf? What do you think his priorities are? I think the big fish kind of the elephant in the room that everyone’s looking at is these PJ tour media deals which come up in 2030. Um 2030 seems like a long way off 5 years from now, but if you really look at the tour, they’re going to be going to market with those in three years or so. Brian Rolap, one of the most brilliant minds in sports media really at the NFL for 20 years, the number two at the NFL. Um, I think that’s the big thing. But I think, uh, Gary, it’s been interesting to see kind of the the slow buildup to them hiring one of the most brilliant minds in sports media. If you look going back maybe like 5 years, how these golf broadcasts have changed and evolved a little bit. Tinkering here, tinkering there, adding a little bit here. uh a ton of focus has been put on the broadcast and uh you know the commercial ad time around those how do we improve that and fans are voicing their opinions on we don’t like this and we do like that. Um the PJ tour just opened up their new PJ tour studios earlier this year. So there’s kind of this confluence of things that are coming together as they hire Brian Rollap. Um talking to folks in the industry, I don’t think you’re going to see Brian change the core of the golf broadcast. They don’t want to do that. It’s pretty good as it is. It’s these things around the edges that they’re going to change. You you see, you know, the walk-in talk interviews that they’re doing, the drone tracing that they’re doing, all of these little additive things that kind of build up to making the product better. Um, you know, at the NFL, Brian’s not going to, you know, when he was there, they are taking Chiefs and Bills out of the 425 slot on CBS on Sunday afternoon. Now, are they going to add a game on Thursday night? Maybe. What’s the best way to watch the NFL now? Red zone, right? We know that being in this market, this team locally has not been good for about a decade. So, Red Zone is the way to watch it. Um, it’s things like that, you know, can we see a multi- view, a quad box on a golf broadcast on a YouTube TV? We’ve started seeing that at some of the majors. Can we see that weekly uh on PJ tour broadcast? I know that you have spent time you you know examining and really the finite granular aspects of looking at commercial load and and the way especially in major championships which are not PGA Tour products but overall I mentioned this at the top of the program after what was a sluggish January which again I always think that’s overrated. You’re still competing uh w with the National Football League and now college football has extended uh their season. The PGA Tour has had a good year. What what do you think that’s rooted in? Well, I think from a ratings pers perspective, you know, their numbers were down double digit digits across the board last year. So, naturally that and that was kind of an outlier last year. So, naturally, they’re going to come up a little bit, right? But they are up double digits. They’ve gone beyond what they trying to make up for last year. Yeah, I think that the ratings have been very good this year. If you look back, going back to farmers in January, I think there’ve only been five weeks, Gary, where there have has not been a year-over-year increase on Sundays, which is kind of what the advertisers look at. Y on linear TV. So, um the numbers have rebounded. I think you’ve had better winners um on the tour. And I think that the general viewing public has kind of realized that this kind of fractured nature of golf that we’ve seen over the last four years, I think people are kind of just they’re seeing it for what it is right now. And there’s no longer this, it doesn’t seem like, at least to me, there’s not this battle between Liv Golf and the PGA Tour. You’ve just got, you’ve got both of them kind of operating in their own silos, doing their own thing. Scott O’Neal, who took over at Liv this year, like he’s taken a different tack than Greg Norman did when he was running that league. Greg Norman was in your face. He was we’re going headtohead with you guys. I think Scott has tried to really kind of just like live and operate like they’re going to operate. They’re going to do their thing. They’re going to be global. All this stuff. And I think the PGA Tour on their side probably feels like they’ve kind of won the battle and they’re kind of content to just move along and go, you know, stay in their own lane. Um, we’ve seen these talks with the public investment fund and the tour. I don’t know that they’ve met since February to talk about that deal, right? So, I think both sides are kind of just content to operate uh in their own lane right now. And I think the general public kind of senses that and they’re just kind of getting back to watching what they want to watch. you reported that that Liv is going to bump uh some some purses in terms of uh going from, you know, 25 to potentially 30. Are they really bumping purses or is it just allocating money in different directions as far as the way that they have the ownership of those teams structured? Their purses are going up from 25 million to 30 million. But yes, it’s the public investment fund which is funding these, you know, the league and it funds the teams and live the way it’s set up. They want these teams to operate independently of the league, sign their own sponsorships, sign their own players. Um, and so the way it’s operated until now is that the top three on that team leaderboard, they get payouts for finishing in the team competition. The rest of the teams get nothing. And so the idea, I think, is to bump these these purses and now all the teams are going to get at least a little piece of that purse based on where they finished. And then that money can go back into those teams so they can operate. So yes, technically the, you know, the purse is going up, but as you mentioned, it’s all being funded by the PIF. So yeah, you could, I did get that text yesterday afternoon says, isn’t this just moving money from one pocket to the other? Yeah. Um, it is a little bit of that, but I think the the idea from Liv and from the PIFF is to help prop up some of these teams so they can operate on their own a little bit more. So for for Liv, for them to have the the the Fox outlet and for that as their distribution partner when it comes to television, their numbers are are decidedly different when they get on big Fox. Uh just simply because people wake up and they flip the TV on if they’re a Fox viewer. There it is. And and FS1 is still very significant. It’s a very viable um platform. What is your takeaway on this first year with with Fox as their media partner? It it was a very big win for Liv to get on Fox. Just that in and of itself to say we’re on Fox, that’s huge. Um I think it has been interesting. Fox has a you know a wide distribution 120 million homes across the US I think is a number. But then when you look at FS1 FS2 that distribution is cut substantially. If you look at their media deal with the CW the prior two years, that’s a national network. That’s a broadcast network and 120 million homes. Every single live event was on CW last year. So, you knew exactly where it was going to be and it was on that wider distribution sports division that’s trying to grow. Yes. But I I think going to Fox where you’re they’re moving their events. One day it’s on Fox, the next day for two hours it’s on FS1, for the next hour it’s on FS2. I think that’s hurt them a little bit just in terms of people being able to find it. Um, you know, they are an international league. I think the expectations ratings wise were pretty low uh coming into this year with, you know, the deal came together late. They don’t have some of the best windows. They would like to be on Fox, Big Fox a little bit more next year, I think. Um, all that being said, I expected their ratings to be a little bit higher. Okay. You know, they play that event at DAL earlier this year. They had all their big names there. They were going up against a PJ tour event. I think it was Valera Texas Open. Brian Harman Brian Harmon wins in a runaway. Yep. Um didn’t crack 500,000 viewers. I would expect them they you know Scott O’Neal said earlier in the year he said hold me accountable sag for them that way. It was and so I I would expect those numbers to be a little bit higher. Um I feel like they’re probably feeling optimistic about they have three events coming up in the US to finish their season. They’re in Chicago next week. you’re going to go and cover that. They’re going to be up there in Chicago. Um they’ll be in Indianapolis, which has sold really well from a ticket standpoint, and they’ll finish out their season in Detroit. So, three domestic events. I don’t know what their windows look like uh for those events, but I think they have to be hoping that being in the US, maybe being on Fox a little bit more, some of those numbers will increase. Um so, we’ll we’ll see what happens with with respect to their viewership. Okay. The Ryder Cup is a monster in every possible way. you’ve been following the secondary market uh with respect to to tickets. When they rolled out the tickets, it was shock among everybody. Shock and appall by a lot of people saying, “How can you do this?” You know, this is what it is. Um I’ll tell you what it is. It’s a monstrous professional sporting event that happens once every four years in the United States. I was not surprised by the pricing. you consider the market how elusive uh it is in terms of how infrequently it’s here. Have they been validated the PG of America with respect to what the secondary market is showing as far as ticket sales? I think they feel like they were validated 48 hours after those tickets became available when they sold out. Yep. And we’re talking about a $750 starting price for a general admission ticket to the RDER Cup. Um but let’s let’s again point out that this is in New York. It’s in the fall. This is being buil as the biggest golf event. You know, it’s not once of this millennium or something. Once every four years. It’s once every four years in this country. And it’s in New York. And you’re coming off a Ryder Cup in Rome where the Euros dominated. That was two years after the US dominated here in the US, you know, and we thought, man, Team USA is set up for for years. So there’s all this appetite. And I think the PG of America set this up thinking of like this is like a Yankees Dodgers World Series. Like that’s what this is. Um and again, people don’t have a a problem swiping their credit card and saying like we’re yeah we’ll pay $1,500 for two tickets. But we’re going to be at the Ryder Cup at Bethage Black. And if you look at that secondary market, Gary, you know, I checked it out a couple weeks ago. Cheapest price on StubHub, 1,400 bucks. And so the PG of America has to be thinking, yeah, I think we set the market the price pretty spot on for those for those tickets. Yeah. um whether it’s specific to the rider cover just in general. One last thing going back to to the way that the PGA Tour and professional golf is is going to give alternate opportunities for viewing wagering. How quickly do you think that we’re going to have that on a regular basis in terms of a wagering content distribution product? I think you’re already seeing it um you know across golf with what Keith Stewart’s doing the line with Andy Lack and Inside Sports Network and you’ve seen these um ESPN bet telecasts on on the signature PJ tour events, right? You’ve seen those at major championships, the ESPN Bet working with the PG of America on the PJ Championship. I think um it adds so much in terms of just if a viewer can place a bet on the 3M open and he’s got a little if he’s got five bucks riding on the 3M open, he’s going to be much more uh willing to to tune in than if he didn’t. I didn’t have anything riding on the 3M open this week. I’m not a big better, but if I did, I probably would have been a little bit more, not to knock the frame open on folks, but you know, it’s going to add a little bit to that viewing uh experience. And so, the more that people can just bring in a couple people here, a couple people there, then of course the tour is going to lean into that heavily. And and yeah, it’s going to be a weekly thing, I would think. Yeah, for sure. And the fact that you can get that kind of engagement literally almost to the very end in terms of the way that you can continue uh to place wagers. Great to see you. Thank you as always to see you, Gary. All right, Josh Carpenter, Sports Business Journal. If you are interested in anything regarding the business of golf, he is an essential voice. We take a break. Chris Gotup will join us, winner of the Scottish Open, somebody who’s become a very interesting name in professional golf as we head toward the RDER Cup. We’re back with him after this. [Music] Welcome back in here to Five Clubs on Golf Channel, also on SiriusXM’s channel 92. That is PJ Tour Radio. This segment brought to you by Golf Pride Alignax. Those are the grips that I now have every time that I need to make a change. The reverse taper putter grip series, which was introduced a little over a year ago. They have the best materials, the best product, the best options. More players trust Golf Pride than any grip in the world. All right, joining me now won the Scottish Open, third alone at the Open Championship. He won everything in college as well. This is not a particular surprise, but he’s on a heater. Uh, and he’s a Jersey guy, lost in Oklahoma. Not really, but that could be a movie. I’m speaking, of course, of Chris Gotup. Good morning. How you feeling? Um, I’m not really sure. Definitely a little tired, but uh just trying to, you know, take this week as a as a recovery week and um and get ready for the playoffs. I uh I I know that, you know, rest and recovery when you’re on a heater is is important and you you went right from the open championship to the 3M and you continued the great play. But I we’ll get to all that. I I want to go back though for you and your family, athletic families. Your dad can play golf. your dad Morton who’s won five, I think five New Jersey state uh amateur titles, v various different events. Your sister playing lacrosse at the Naval Academy. You played lacrosse. What was your house like growing up? Was there equipment everywhere? Was every day like a fire drill trying to get you and your sister and your dad to all these different events? Yeah, I mean it still is. Um my mom still gets mad at me for I got clubs here, clubs there, lacrosse sticks and and all that stuff. So um yeah, it’s we we always have something going on in our house which which makes it exciting. Did you um did you feel whether you were I don’t know 8 10 12 years old particularly competitive do you remember dying lousy to beat your dad for the first time? I don’t remember exactly when it happened, but I remember we played each other in the club championship um at Rumson Country Club and he beat me the first time and I and then I’ve gotten the the best of it since. But um yeah, it’s it’s been it’s been fun. I I didn’t really care enough until I I don’t know when it just clicked, but then I started started caring and and wanted to wanted to beat him and everyone What did that look like and sound like you playing against your dad in the club championship? Was it civilized? Did it get a little chippy? Um, I was still young enough to where it was civilized. He actually I I remember he was like upset that he beat me um the first time and then like once I started getting older and and could talk some smack and and I probably bothered him um then he really wanted to beat me. So, uh we we definitely went back and forth. I think we played two or three times in the club championship and the club liked it too because they knew that we we go back and forth with each other on the golf course and um yeah, it’s just fun. No, of course. All right, let’s get to now, but but let’s go back to the spring. You started playing, you know, again, people in the media, people who cover the sport, you know, you follow the top 10, top five, but you were building and you were getting good results. 64 on a Sunday uh the CJ Cup Nelson and 65 at Myrtle Beach in your defense of winning a title. US Open, another good week. Maybe you wanted more out of that Sunday. What were you finding? Where were you the form that you got as you were headed uh to the Scottish? What was working for you? Um I would say the start of the year I really just did not drive the ball particularly well and that’s you know that’s my game. Um, if I’m driving it well, I can play well anywhere. Um, but yeah, I I wish, you know, like people have been asking me these last couple weeks what’s clicked and I everything’s been I’ve been playing better obviously, but I don’t know the real answer other than that I’ve just really tried to focus on, you know, each course and how how I’m playing and and managing my misses and just trying to manage the manage myself along the golf course. um you know, just making sure I’m missing in the right spots. And I think I think I’ve done a really good job of of of that over the last couple last couple weeks. When you shoot 61 on Friday at the Scottish, immediately the the line is well, it’s you know, you know, it’s hard to follow a low with a lowen. Do you have a theory as to why that is? Because that is that is something that everyone says and has said since the beginning of time. Why? I think it’s like, you know, unless you go shoot a back nine 27, you you get off to a good start and the round just seems easy. Um, so you, you know, let’s say you’re three under through five and then, you know, you start the next day and you’re even through five and you’re just like, wow, I’m three shots back of yesterday already. And then I think he’s trying to start to push a little bit and maybe the ball’s just not going in like it was the day before. But um I don’t know it it is a fascinating the psychology of it is is fascinating. So you shoot 70 Saturday and the way everything conspires you know before you go to sleep Saturday night you’re going to play with Rory on Sunday. Okay. Were you alone that week? Did you I don’t I don’t know if you had any friends or family with you because obviously when you won you got very emotional in the fact that you know the support you got. Were you alone? Like what did you do Saturday night? You go to dinner down the street. What did you do? I’m trying to remember. We teed off. I ate at the course um because we teed off at 400 p.m. So there was nothing open at North Barrack at the time at, you know, whenever we were done at 9:00. Um so yeah, I was by myself all week other than, you know, a couple buddies that were playing in the tournament, too. We were all staying at the same hotel, but um yeah, I I was just kind of hanging and doing my own thing all week. and uh we would walk to town and get dinner some nights, but um for the most part I was just doing my own thing. So So Sunday, you mentioned the late start Saturday. Wasn’t quite as late on Sunday. They the the times were a little bit earlier, but it’s still it’s not like you teed off at 11. Um you know, you’ve got Rory knowing that you’re paired with a guy who is as big a star as there is in the game. Did that change the way that your mind was operating heading into Sunday? I don’t know. I think if anything, it probably helped me because I had time to prepare and the fact that I knew I was going to have to bring it. Um there was no and and I mean and I was playing with Windham as well who’s, you know, a major champion and multiple time winner. So I when you have those guys behind you, you know, especially when you’re playing with them, you know I’m going to have to go put up a good score today. one of them is going to play well along with the other guys, you know, in the groups behind. Chris, what do you remember about, you know, the 18th hole? I’m watching you and it’s not in the bag. Uh, you’ve got a little cushion, but again, you know how it is. You got to focus all the way to the end, but you guys, you and Rory were kind of chirping with each other walking down the 18th fairway and then when they walk to the side of the green and you hold your putt, you win. You had a nice exchange there in the scoring thing. What do you remember about maybe the words that were shared between you guys uh on that last hole and when it was over? Yeah, it was funny. We were talking off the T- box. We didn’t we hadn’t talked on the back nine much just cuz we were, you know, opponents in in the heat of battle. But um someone said something out of the crowd and in ter along the lines of like you know Chris you need to lose this so Rory can win and then um and Rory said something to the guy and we were just laughing about how people are you know no matter where you go someone’s always going to say something dumb and we were just laughing at you know we were talking about stuff that’s happened and whatnot and um yeah it was cool after the round He he was very very nice and um you know he he said congrats and I think he realized for me it was a big moment um in my career and you know I think I did a good job of stepping up to the plate and and didn’t back down from from him and um and I think he probably respected that a little bit. Most certainly. I Chris, look, you grew up in Jersey, you know, the these these home teams and the idea of winning on the road. You want a road game, a bonafide road game, and you looked at the biggest star for the home team, and you heard Come on, Rory a million times on that Sunday. You had to leave there even more emboldened, don’t you think? Yeah, for sure. Um, it was it was so crazy just because it all just happened so fast. where like, you know, obviously you leave that week and you feel amazing about what you just did, but then all right, my whole plan’s just changed. I have to book a flight to Northern Ireland, get all that set up and get ready for a major championship. Um, I think, you know, if there was a week off after this, things might look different. Um, you know, I could probably have, you know, sailed into the sunset a little bit after a win, but um, yeah, I definitely I definitely parlayed it into a couple good weeks for sure. You you absolutely did. and and I’m looking at your your little media scrum after the open championship where you you you step up and and you and a couple other guys kind of were close to putting some some heat on Scotty’s the back of his neck but but not entirely. So you solo third and one of the things you said afterwards was when you asked about the Ryder Cup you’re like look I I haven’t thought about it at all. That’s changed now hasn’t it? Yeah, I mean I’ve I’ve talked about it a little bit, but at the end of the day, I know I have an important three-week stretch coming up here, whether the Ryder Cup exists or not. Um I want to finish as high as I can in the FedEx Cup and uh get ready for, you know, a good off season. Um and whatever comes with that comes with that and you know, we’ll let the chips fall where they may. So after the open and between the open and this morning, have you talked to Keegan Bradley? Um, we have we have exchanged text, but um that’s that’s about it. Did you know that he had your number? Uh, I did not, but I mean in the golf world, I’m sure you can you can bark up whatever tree you want to find find whatever you need. That is true. Now, nobody’s reached out to you about clothing measurements. No, we No, I I got to go I got to go earn it these next couple weeks. And um you know, if if not, I’ve still had a great season. And if so, it would be it would be an amazing, you know, achievement as well. You know, one of the things that I find interesting about about Look, you you did everything at the college level. It’s not like you you didn’t have pedigree. you’ve got as much as anybody, but now you’re in a place where look, guys like me and all these other media outlets, they want a piece of you. Have you always been pretty good about keeping the noise where the noise needs to be and when you need to focus that that’s easily achievable? Yeah, I think so. I think I’m good at turning it on and turning it off when it needs to be, you know, whatever that needs to be. Um, yeah, and obviously, you know, there’s different levels of, you know, media and and interest in what I’ve been doing now than, you know, before, but um but yeah, I mean, it’s good problems to have and and obviously I’m excited with what with what’s happening and um but definitely ready for, you know, just just trying to make sure I prioritize what’s important, you know, in the given situation. So whether that’s getting ready for a tournament or like this week, you know, making sure I’m resting and recovering, but also making sure my game still sharp for, you know, the playoff stretch here. Uh, did you clap back at somebody who declared themselves an expert on the 3M Open? Yeah, I I was on I was on my phone, whatever, just scrolling. we were flying um back from Ireland and I think someone might have sent it to me and you know you got to have a little fun with that stuff. Um and I’m fully aware that if I said something you know that I would expect people to give it back to me as well. So, I’m not I’m not afraid to to poke a little fun if if I feel like it’s needed. And um I’m also willing to to take it as well, knowing that that’s what comes with that. Uh no doubt. I I thought that the the little thing you posted uh after you won the Scottish, had you been waiting to use that about give me my money? We used it in school. Um, it was like a video that that you know I just have all these funny videos on my phone from my friends sending them or whatnot just and I always used it when we won in college and we’d won a lot that year and now every time that I’ve won I’ve used it. Um, and I think it’s just a funny like the video is hilarious. It’s hilarious. It’s it’s also just it’s just a you know, no one’s going to complain about, you know, winning an event and making a couple bucks and and I think it’s just a funny video on top of it. Oh, it’s great. All right, let’s get Chris out of here. Five quick questions to go. Uh the first one, I don’t know how good. I’m sure they’re good. The deli in Monmouth County, New Jersey. What’s your go-to Jersey deli sandwich? It depends on if it’s in the morning or in the afternoon, but I’m usually a pork or egg and cheese guy um on a bagel if it’s in the morning. But if it’s the afternoon, there’s this place um Giani’s in my town who they make a uh chicken vodka wrap which is pretty good. I I’m sure I’m sure it is. All right. Give me the tour player that you think is the most enjoyable guy to play with because of how quickly they play, their pace of play, the company. Who’s the most enjoyable pairing on tour for you? That’s a good question. Um I don’t know. I don’t know. I I will say um last week I played three rounds with Windham. Um and we had a good time out there. our counties are really good friends and uh you know he he likes to give it to me and I’ll give it back to him. So um yeah, there’s so many there’s so many good like Lucas Glover is great. Um there’s there’s a lot of there’s a lot of guys who just there’s a lot of guys who are fun to play with. I I couldn’t I would have a hard time saying one off the top of my head. All right, give me the golf course in Jersey, not Pine Valley, that is your favorite because that doesn’t count. It’s not a fair fight. your favorite Jersey golf course. Not PV. I mean, biased. My course RSON Country Club is my favorite. I’d play there every day, but um in school we played playing field a bunch and I I really I really enjoy that place. Very, very good spot. Uh there’s so there’s so many. All right. Your dad’s basically my age and and I had a certain comedy genre that I love. Is there a comedy that your dad loved when he was your age or younger that you’ve watched that you like? Comedy movie. Not a movie, but he loved um Top Gear, the like the BBC Top Gear. Um that was his like I mean like he’s more of a like like a intense movie guy. I’m probably more of the comedy and, you know, stupid humor person than in our family. Okay. So, you never saw like Stripes or Trading Places. Oh, God. Chris, you you I’m going to kill you with movies. I haven’t seen all the good ones or anything. You’re not alone. I I ask Sheffler about movies all the time. He’s like, I haven’t seen it. I haven’t seen it. I’m like, gosh, you kids. All right, last thing. Your favorite sporting event that you attended as a kid. Uh, the most memorable for me, we went and watched the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach. Um, I just remember being I think I was like 11 at the time and like I had never really been to anything like that. and you know, Tiger Woods on 18 uh 15 people deep and you’re on the ocean and stuff like that. For some reason, that one’s ingrained in my brain. And then we’d been to Knicks games and stuff uh living close to the city and you just kind of get a good appreciation for for like where you are when you’re at events like those. No doubt. Uh is that an open championship hoodie you got there with that with the logo? No, that’s strong. Very strong purchase right there. Listen, thank you for taking the time, getting up early. Know you’re trying to get some rest. Good luck in this big stretch coming up. Awesome. Thanks, Gary. All right. Thank you. Chris got her up again. 20th in the FedEx Cup standings. Also in the RDER Cup. Final break. We come back, wrap it up right after this. Back in final couple of minutes here on this Tuesday. This segment brought to you by Pinehurst. When it comes to deciding where you want to go to play golf, there are very few places that offer more. And I’m not just talking about the number of golf courses in addition to the cradle, but also the offc course offerings that Pinehurst provides. That’s why they are the cradle of American golf. Tomorrow, Ian Baker Finch, he will call his final broadcast on CBS this weekend at the Windham Championship. And we will also go live to Beth Page for somebody who apparently is going to sleep in his car overnight and and play the golf course. A live report from the site of the RDER Cup coming up in late September. That a Wednesday edition plus picks and dogs. Get your dogs to us. It’s dogs at fivecubsgolf.com. I started watching Happy Gilmore 2 last night, partly out of obligation, but partly because I wanted to see it. Uh and yes, the cameo overload is real. It is very real. I mean, every every scene for the most part includes somebody who is either playing themselves or playing somebody else who you know is whoever it is that they are. And I’m not through the movie and I will have more thoughts when I do get through the movie. But my favorite cameo and a lot of people are giving Willis a lot of run. He deserves it. Been excellent so far in the scenes that I’ve seen. My favorite, Nelly Corda, who by the way celebrated her birthday yesterday. She really doesn’t say anything other than just appearing as somebody who’s part of what is a a board deciding whether uh somebody is going to release be released from prison. She’s excellent. She could have played that part in a major motion picture, which this obviously is as well. I will watch the conclusion. I promise. Have a great rest of your Tuesday. We’ll see you tomorrow.
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