Today’s show was the final of three LIVE from Rusacks St. Andrews overlooking the iconic home of golf at St. Andrews. We were joined by Kevin Kisner and Brentley Romine. Romine led it off talking about the U.S. Am that enters match-play and he gave quick bios on several big names for that event and the Walker Cup. Kisner discussed the Playoffs, the value of making it to East Lake, Scottie Scheffler, Keegan Bradley and his thoughts on The Old Course at St. Andrews.

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Welcome in on a Wednesday to five clubs here on Golf Channel and also it is channel 92 that’s PGA Tour radio on SiriusXM I am Gary Williams and no we are not in Charlotte North Carolina if you’ve not been with us Monday or Tuesday we are at the old course we are in St. Andrews, our final day here when we made the decision to come here going, “Well, you don’t know what you’re going to get. You’re going to do the show outside and good luck to you.” Uh, that is not green screen. Several people have texted me saying, “You’re not really there, are you? It can’t look like that.” It can and it does. And we thank Rousax for their amazing hospitality. I have more to say about them before we’re done here at 9 Eastern. It is 1:00 in the afternoon here in St. Andrews. This town is alive. People who live here are like, “It’s too hot. Feels like Miami.” No, it doesn’t. I have three layers on, but it is absolutely delightful. And of course, our partners, the people, we cannot do this program without Century Insurance right by you. If you have business insurance needs, they have the answers for you. And they invest in golf in great ways with the USGAA and the First E Golf Pride. when it comes to grips and options and the quality of the materials and that is through the bag to to that reverse taper putter grip system. They are the best. Peter Malar again so proud to wear this line and the fall line is available at petermalar.com. One of those items which is going to be available on Friday. I will showcase that as we have really all year but it is now available to you the consumer on Friday August 15th. And of course the cradle of American golf. It is Pinehurst and the Pinehurst Resort and all that they have to offer to you. What this place has to offer is nourishment, a sense of vitality. And well, we’ll talk about St. Andrews uh a little bit more as the morning progresses here. Like I said, it’s a little bit after 1:00. Brenley Roine’s going to join me. Look, it’s 1:00 in the afternoon uh here in Scotland. Well, it’s 5:00 in the morning in Northern California and he is kind enough to get up early. He is covering the United States Amateur Championship and they do not know what that uh field of 64 in the in the match play bracket is yet because they’re going to have 20 players for 17 spots that they’re going to resolve this morning. So, he’s going to be joining me in less than 15 minutes from Golf Channel, golf channel.com. He covers Amir Golf as a true professional. So, I’m I’m interested to hear his thoughts on not only the medalist who is already on that Walker Cup team, but other players who are on that Walker Cup team. And we know that there are a number of slots that that Nathan Smith, the captain, has to feel has to fill. So, we’ll talk to Brenley here in about 15 minutes. And then at the bottom of the hour, Kevin Kizner will join me, the lead analyst for golf on NBC. He will be at Caves Valley for the BMW Championship. And coincidentally, Kevin Kizner, his last start in an Open Championship was right here in 2022, and it was actually a good week for him. So, I will, in addition to getting his thoughts on what we saw last week, what we might see this week at Caves Valley, he was in the field the last time the BMW Championship was there. Uh, looking forward as always to talking to the kids. But let me talk for just a moment here about the BMW championship because we really have not addressed it much at all yesterday or the day before. And this is an event that has done, I think, an effective job of rotating and going to different markets. And as I just mentioned, this event was at Caves Valley several years ago. And when it was there, I I was there and it was a rousing success. Not just because they got a marathon scintillating playoff with Bryson D. Shambo and also Patrick Kentlay who really if you want to go to the origin of when people started calling him Patty Ice, it a lot of it had to do with with that particular week and that particular day because he was so placid and he was so level uh during what was a great lthered up environment there at Case Valley. And that’s the other part that I want to address is that we have lamented to a degree and and been kind of critical of the fact that look, Atlanta is is what it is. And as much as I appreciate East Lake, most importantly, what Tom Cousins uh did there and his passing certainly is going to be felt significantly next week in Atlanta. in Memphis. Understandably, with the event uh being at the home of FedEx, they have poured tens and tens and tens of millions of dollars uh into not only this series, but into supporting the PJ tour at large. So, there there’s an understandable element to to both of those things, but those businesses exist far beyond the boundaries of those two cities, Atlanta and Memphis. And that’s why I think this time of the year it’s good to look elsewhere which is why we get back to the BMW Championship which its origins are rooted in the Western Open which was Chicagoland in the greater Chicagoland area and it’s one of the great events in the history of men’s professional golf and really before the advent and the creation of the Masters Tournament the Western Open was a big big big deal and it always was a big deal and then it morphed in through through corporate sponsorship the BMW championship for many, many years. It stayed right there and then it started to move. And when it started to move, some of those markets made sense. Baltimore makes great sense. One, it’s a great sports town. And secondly, Caves Valley, 35 years of age now at Tom Fosio Golf Course, which has undergone an extensive uh like hyper uh renovation restoration. They did this massive project in what I believe was 103 days, which is an extraordinary accomplishment by everybody involved to install what was essentially an underground agronomic skeleton system because they put in new grasses to create firmer, faster conditions, which is great. Not easy to achieve in that part of the country in the Mid-Atlantic, especially in the summertime, as sweltering hot as it can be there. and a new drainage system and the green complexes and the contours on them on those greens are going to be very very new. But beyond that and equally as important to that is they’re thirsting thirsting to have the event there. If you can recall when it was there a couple of years ago, the buildout was massive and the atmosphere was tremendous, especially coming down the stretch. And that golf course, the way that that land is, you drive up to the clubhouse and it sits up on high and then you play along a ridge, but primarily you play down into a valley and then back up to finish. It’s built beautifully with natural amphitheaters for viewing. And I bet you that they’re going to get a spectacular atmosphere at a golf club that doesn’t like golf. They love golf. And I hope they have a great week. So with that, we got to get to our club five. We haven’t done it in the last couple of weeks and we’ve had some movement and obviously because we had the best players in the world playing last week. We know this that the winner of club 5 is going to get that walnut window pane jacket and as I said a couple of minutes ago that jacket will be available to you the consumer on Friday through petermalar.com. Uh I have already placed my order. Don’t know if I’m going to be able to pull off the five clubs patch there on the on the breast pocket. Not sure about that, but the winner of club five at the end of the year is going to receive said jacket. So, let’s take a look at our standings. Again, this is our own kind of hot list algorithm uh in terms of it’s it’s much more of what have you done very very recently. And so, with that, let’s start with number five. And the guy who’s number five is a guy who won a couple of weeks ago, Cam Young. And it’s not just that he won that event at the Windham championship. He he won it in emphatic fashion, a win for the first time. You add the the tie for fifth at the FedEx last week, knowing that he needs to continue to put together good results to to put himself in position to be undeniably a member of that United States RDER Cup team. His last seven starts, four top fives. The guy’s on a good run right now. And I think you’re going to see before the end of the show that some people like his chances at the BMW Championship. At number four is JJ Spawn. JJ Spawn did not just get into a playoff last week. He shot 65 on a Sunday, paired alongside Scotty Sheoffller. He was in the playoff with the players. He obviously won the US Open. He’s having a next level breakout type of year. It was not just, you know, lightning in a bottle with Oakmont. He’s done so much more and that’s why obviously he was a lock already to be on that United States Rder Cup team. But number three is Justin Rose. Now look, he’s 45 years of age. I know how it is about guys that age going to clubs. He may not stay long. I don’t mean like like in club five, but like theoretically in a club setting, he may want to go home early. I don’t know that he’s going to. He’s fourth in the FedEx Cup standings. And again, it’s not just him winning last week and winning for the 12th time. His trend line has been very, very good. His last three starts, sixth in the win. Uh so his numbers have been excellent. At number two is Rory Maroy. Now, look, he hadn’t played competitive golf. He’s been on the yacht. Uh he’s been in the South of France. Good for him. Why wouldn’t you be? But let’s take a look back uh just to the US Open. He had that great final round, he gets into the top 20 there. Then the next week at the Travelers, ties for six. Then he goes to the Scottish Open and he’s outplayed by Chris Gddup, but he finishes second. Then he’s seventh at the Open Championship. So, it’s not just the win at Pebble, the Masters win, and the players win. He is having a very, very productive back end of the summer. And then finally, speaking of production, he’s the PGA Tours plow mule. It’s unimaginable that this guy can do what he does every single week. You can substitute caddies and he’ll have another sub on the bag this week. Uh, with Ted Scott not being there, 12 straight top 10s, the four wins. He finishedes third last week. He’s going to win the Varden Trophy. It will be interesting if he can get to five wins, then that’s backing up a seven- win season with a five- win season. And that’s another thing. Five win seasons don’t happen much. We see them very infrequently. Just look over the last decade or so. Speed and Jason Day had one in 2015. Justin Thomas had one in 2017. Of course, Scotty had that monster year last year. So, Sheffller, it looks like that walnut window pane sport coat. I’m thinking I don’t know this for certain. I’m thinking 46 long is going to the Metroplex. It’s going to be hard for somebody to pull that from the grips of his uh of his hands. But we’ll see. We’ll see. What if Rory wins the next two? I don’t know. All right, we’re going to take a break. We transition from professional golf to amter golf. The US amter. They got to resolve 17 spots this morning to get in that bracket of 64 into match play at the Olympic Club. Brentley Roine covers amateur golf expertly. We will get his thoughts on what we’ve seen already. The medalists, some other names that you’re familiar with. You may not necessarily be familiar with them, but their last names as well. Not to mention the number one am in the world comfortably through to the matchplay bracket. And at the bottom of the hour, Kevin Kner. Yes, that is real behind me. We are at the home of golf at St. Andrews from the balcony of room 116 at the Rousax Hotel. It’s great to have you with us on this Wednesday. It is five clubs on Golf Channel and channel 92 on PJ Tour Radio SiriusXM. We’re back with you right after this. Welcome back in on this Wednesday, Five Clubs Golf Channel and Channel 92 on SiriusXM’s PGA Tour Radio. This segment brought to you by Pinehurst, the cradle of American golf, when it comes to making a trip, knowing you’re going to have all the options you could imagine golf-wise. And then when it comes to dining, choices of where you want to stay while you’re playing in and around the Piner Resort, book a trip to Piners if you haven’t already. It’s like coming here. It is one of the places that you must come to to feel like your golfing life uh is completely fulfilled. We appreciate their partnership and their support. I also appreciate somebody who’s willing to get up at at 5:00 local time because it is it’s 1:16 here in St. Andrews and Scotland and out in the Bay Area. Uh it’s 8 hours earlier. Brettly Romine from Golf Channel.com. It’s Brentley GC on Twitter X. He joins me now from the Bay Area. I know it’s been a glorious run for you to cover the US women’s amitter abandoned last week on the Oregon coastline to go down to the Bay Area for the East US Amter. I know you’re headed to Cypress. You and I played a couple holes uh to together or we were around each other for a brief period before I had to depart at Cypress. You’ll be there at the Walker Cup. Thank you for getting up early. How you doing? I’m doing great, Gary. I think you might be the only guy ever to only play like seven holes at uh Cypress Point. So, um, but I mean all this talk about green screens, I think I got the original green screen behind me. So, you walk up that beach, I think I think we can get to F in, uh, you know, about 72 hours. No, you’re right. All right. There’s much to get to. I was I was sharing very briefly about how uh, and this is not uncommon. You usually in a field of that size, uh, it’s not easy to to get a clean 64. So, we’ve got 20 players this morning for 17 spots to get your round of 64 bracket. Give everybody a thought on what is most interesting or noteworthy uh to you, whether it be the what or the whom. No, I I think it’s a little bit of both. I mean, I I remember these these playoffs could go quite a long ways. Back in 2016 at Oakland Hills, I think it went something like 11 or 12 holes. And then a couple weeks ago at the US Junior, we didn’t even have a playoff. But it’s it’s kind of an interesting wrinkle um and something that probably doesn’t get appreciated enough. But you know, you look at the home, there’s some heavy hitters in this. I mean, Paul Chang, who has such a great backstory starting out as a club golfer at the University of Virginia, rode a scooter uh to the course every day, emailed the coach over and over again, and just by happen stance, you know, was able to earn his spot. And I always joke, if you played the US Amter every week, Paul Chang might be the number one player in amter golf. He made a great run a couple years ago, was leading after 18 holes of stroke play last year. So hopefully he can get in there. Nile Shields Donigan, who’s from Scotland, just transferred to North Carolina. He’s kind of on the outside looking in right now for the GBNI Walker Cup team. And of course, his dad is Lawrence Donigan, who’s a colleague of ours in the the golf journalism uh industry. Does some great work with uh McCeller Golf Magazine. And uh a lot of people don’t know, but he was in a couple rock bands back in the day as a bass player. and knows how to slap that base. And um yeah, there there’s a lot of big names. Jacob Alleski from Notre Dame who’s kind of on the bubble for the US Walker Cup team. And uh this is a nerve-wracking morning. I remember a couple years ago Carl Phillips laying the sod on uh over the ball on the 15th hole, hit it about 65 yards at Ridgewood back at 22. Doesn’t get through. So uh uh it’s going to be exciting here at 7:30 local time when things get going. Yep. No, no question. Let’s go. And I’m gonna have you give some real deep thoughts on on this Walker Cup with respect to players who were not on the side who missed the cut and how perilous now their positions are. We’ll get to that in just a minute. Let let’s have you kind of explain the pedigree and the talent level of the guy who is the medalist. This is not a shock at all. Preston Stout has got chops big time. Give everybody a thought. If you started to kind of stack up this talent of which you know all these guys as well as anybody, where would he where would you slot him? I I mean he’s he’s probably ranked right where I would probably have him, you know, just behind Jackson Kovven. I think maybe looking forward, you know, this is a guy who, you know, definitely has the skill level or skill level to win major championships as a pro. He got his first taste of a PGA Tour event a couple weeks ago at the 3M Open. Almost made the cut there. Just a really tough kid from Richardson, Texas. Would probably rather be hunting or fishing right now than playing golf. That’s how much he loves that. It’s kind of therapy for him as he told me yesterday. And uh he’s skipped some junior tournaments in the past to do that. But you know, I mentioned kind of the grit, the tenacity. Um this is a guy who’s won back-to-back Big 12 individual titles and he did the last one. And it was kind of like the Jordan flu game of college golf. He was falling asleep at his locker, couldn’t keep food down, and celebrated in the team van while his uh teammates were eating dinner. So, a guy who’s going to give you everything he’s got, and there’s a reason he’s at Oklahoma State. They seem to always identify the best talent. Um, and he could be the sixth US Amter champion in that program storied history. You mentioned Jackson Civven. We had him on this show last week. Interestingly, when he made the putt on the last hole at the Windham to produce another really good result in a PGA Tour event, you tweeted that based on on, you know, watching this young man for the last several years be as good as he’s been at the college level, you think he will be among, if not the best putter on the PJ tour in just a couple of years. That’s heady stuff. So, I want you to explain why you feel that way. And then secondly, if you look at the totality of all that he does, what else stands out about him? Well, I’ I’d like to take credit for knowing all the intricacies of putting. I’m sure the guy that’s going to follow me on the show, Kevin Kisner, could probably break down the stroke better. Um, you know, I don’t really have an original take, but I do talk to people who are very smart. And Buddy Alexander, former USM champ, a legendary coach at the University of Florida. He’s now the assistant coach at Auburn. his wife Jones worked there for a few years after a career at the tour and uh he’s the one who said it. He said Jackson Kovven’s the best putter I’ve ever seen at that age and he coached a guy by the name of Bri Brian Gay at Florida. So um that’s high praise and I think we’ve seen I mean last summer it was I thought it was unprecedented what Luke Clinton did, you know, with all the top 10s and surpassing what Jack did, you know, a half century ago. Uh, and I didn’t think it would be matched for multiple years, let alone the very next year. I mean, Jackson Kovven, I’ll count that T11 as a top 10, but three, you know, almost three top 10s this summer, led the field in strokes getting off the tea at the Windom. And when you combine that, um, with with the putting, as I mentioned, that’s a lethal combination, and it’s something that these guys don’t have. I mean, these guys are are Trackman machines. I mean, there’s a kid by the name of Arie Spencson who is from Iceland who probably spends half the year hitting balls and Trackman. So, they’re such great ball strikers, you almost don’t get, you know, more of the the artists at this age um as Jackson Kovven, but he reminds me a lot of Jordan Spe um a little bit different different personalitywise, but a guy who I’ve really enjoyed watching kind of mature from someone who, you know, barely said three words to someone who’s a leader of this Auburn program going into what I think might be his final year as a junior. We’re starting to see kids, athletes choose golf that have physical traits that we’re not used to seeing. Tommy Morrison is one of them and and he is a big boy. And interestingly enough, I know that he he decided to go on a diet. Like he’s leaned up, he feels better. He had a very good two days. Give everybody and I know he just celebrated his 21st birthday. A young man who’s entering his senior year at the University of Texas. just kind of a little bioblast on him um and how realistic among the guy the best players his chances are to make a deep run. I I’ve always been very impressed by Tommy’s ability to travel and kind of be up for whatever. I mean, there was a time at Q school six or seven years ago where he was a I think still in middle school and probably about 67 still. Uh but he was catting at Cornfurry Tour Q School that week. He’s just been someone who will play anytime, anywhere. And it’s funny enough, you’re actually in uh St. Andrews. I know that’s, you know, old Tom Morris, young Tom Morris. Well, big Tom Morrison has been uh across the pond the last two years. And you mentioned the diet. Uh it’s it’s kind of funny because when he left the UK this summer and he he had a pretty solid showing at the British AM of course European amateur champion last year played in the open but when he got back he he kind of developed a rash and they weren’t really sure what it was and um I I’ve been a little bit critical of the name image and likeness era uh of college athletics but this is kind of one of those examples where where an NIL sponsor urban golf performance who Tommy uh you know signed to deal with at the start of the year had a huge impact on his health and they were able to kind of strip everything away from his diet. The rash went away, no carbs, no sugar, and he lost 25 pounds. I mean, he’s 235 now, 69, almost looks like a completely different person. But he said the energy level, this is the most energy he’s had. This is the best he’s hit the ball, the furthest he’s hit the ball. And after making the semi-finals of the Western Aam last year or last week, which is uh an absolute like just ball buster of a tournament, you go right into another one, another one that’s a marathon. And you know, so having that endurance, uh it’s it’s almost half the battle. Let’s uh get a quick thought and we’ll we’ll dovetail this thought on Miles Russell into the Walker Cup. um as somebody who has gotten a lot of attention over the last couple of years because of how talented he is and and turning up at a cornfairy event and acting like he belongs based on his performance. Um, do you think based on what he’s already done for two rounds and whatever might happen afterwards that he’s played his way on and then with that kind of take everybody through because you tweeted this last night in terms of guys who are on the team and their results, guys who missed the cut, who are, you know, the likely contenders to fill out that Walker Cup team for Nathan Smith. Let’s start with Miles Russell. What do you think? A lot of guys have have helped him out, Gary. And I I I almost had him close to lock ter lock territory earlier in the year. I mean, of course, if he makes the team, he’ll be the youngest player uh on either side in the history of that event by four days over Conor Graham, who a couple years ago at at the old course uh set that record. Um, a guy who’s won just about everything you can win in junior golf, including Sage Valley this year, but also nearly won the Northeast AM, won the South Beach AM last year, nearly won the Jones Cup at the start of the year. So, his stroke play pedigree is, I mean, well beyond his years. I mean, he kind of reminds me a little bit of Benjamin Button. He’s like a 75year-old in a 10-year-old’s body. But the the the uh kid can can absolutely play. My only concern and and and why I’m not, you know, 100% sold him yet on him yet is his match play record is not very good right now. And he’s young. He’s 16 years old, but he’s 0 and2 at the Windham Cup. Lost a singles match at the Junior Ryder Cup a couple years ago. Same at the Junior President’s Cup. And Luke Colton, a fellow junior who’s kind of gunning for one of those spots as well if he has a good week. He’s 2 and 0 against him. Uh including at the North and South Amitter this summer at Pinehurst number two. So that might be the only knock on Miles. Uh, but there’s there’s a ton of other guys. I mean, we you kind of mentioned it’s it’s a 10-man team. You know, you got five guys on it with Preston Stout, Ethan Fang, his teammate, Kin, Ben James, who played two years ago out of Virginia, Michael Lasasser, the NCAA individual champ. They’re already on. Uh, but and the interesting thing is is Ryder Cup people are so conditioned. You have a points race and you have captain’s picks. Well, the Walker Cup has neither. There’s no points. They’re all picks and they’re not picked by the captain. It’s picked by the international teams uh selection committee, the the working group that the USGA put together. So, they will decide. Uh Tommy Morrison based on what he’s done uh won in Hawaii earlier this year has has such a solid year, ranked fifth or sixth in the world. He’s a lock. Chase Sum won the Western out of Oklahoma. He’s a lock. So, we’re looking at that three spots. One of them’s a mid. Evan Beck, Steuart Hegga said both missed the cut yesterday. Uh so, it’s going to be about what have you done for me lately? Stew has played a lot this summer. Uh or what did you do in kind of the big events last year? The Coleman, the Thomas, the Midam, Evan Beck won all of those, but he hasn’t played much. So, is he trying to protect the points? Uh so, that’s going to be something interesting uh when they announce this team on Sunday. So, it’s really four or five guys for two spots. Jacob Odleski’s in that playoff. Max Herendine’s into match play. Cameron Tankersley qualified for the US Open. But if I was a betting man, Gary, and I I don’t think there’s anywhere in the world, although maybe in the UK you could bet on amateur golf, but um I would say Jacob Bodlesy and Miles Russell right now are in the driver’s seat for those last two spots. Uh but let’s see what uh you know what can happen. Luke Colton uh someone who gets overshadowed by Miles. I mentioned the matchplay record against him. If he makes a run, he’s going to make uh the USG’s decision very, very tough. Uh very quickly, Poulter and Daly, uh John Daly II, Luke Palter, both have made it through to to match play. Um they both won an event. I know that that John II won the Southern Am and I know that that Luke won I think the Shankle Invitational Collegiate event. Um do is there sense that these guys have a next level? Oh, absolutely. 100%. There was probably a little bit of uh wonder is is you know could this be a little bit of a nepotism situation with you know these these sons of of great players but you know both came into college probably you know you’re you’re right expecting to be kind of these role players who could ride the coattails of their parents but Luke Coulter back injury missed seven months last year with a stress fracture he’s come back better than ever Florida had nine guys in this championship Luke Cter might be the best one. And then John Daly completely has turned around his game off the tea. Uh hit it like his dad, but probably 10 times as crooked up until last year. Has put a lot of work uh with Barrett Lace, the former assistant coach at uh Arkansas. Also spent a lot of time working with his dad. Really leans on him for his swing. And a really cool thing about John Dilly, you mentioned the Southern Am win uh earlier this summer at the Blessings, Arkansas’s home course. Uh well, he’s got a full scholarship now coming into his final year of college golf for the first time ever. So Brad McM uh who will raise his hand and say I kind of screwed him up a little bit. Um blame me for some of the poor play. Uh but kudos to little John for, you know, turning the game around, becoming a player who could win a championship like this. Uh and and now he’s going to have his college paid for along with the Hooters NIL deal for for next year. a tremendous amount of great information. Really appreciate you being kind enough to get up at that early hour. I know you’ll be out there at 247 to determine uh that round of 64 bracket. Look forward to seeing you soon. Enjoy the rest of the week. You’re on a great run from here onto the Walker Cup in Cypress. Thanks so much. Thanks so much for having me, Gary. And if Olympic history is any uh indication, you’re Jack Fleck, Billy Casper, Lee Jansen. Uh we’re going to get some really wild finishes here over the next few days. You’re right. It is a graveyard of champions and match play. Why would it be any different? That is Brentley Roine. Again, his handle for all of the amateur golf coverage. It is Brentley GC at Brentley GC. We’re going to take a break this glorious day midafter afternoon here uh in St. Andrews on Golf Channel and is channel 92 series X and PGA Tour Radio. Back with you right after this. back in on this Wednesday here on Five Clubs from the balcony room 116 at the Rousax Hotel. Looking back over my shoulder to the RNA buildings. Great to have you with us here at Golf Channel and of course SiriusXM’s PJ Tour radio. That is channel 92. This segment brought to you by Peter Malar. It’s everywhere in this town. And if you have any needs, wherever your life takes you, whatever event you’re going to, on the course, off the course, they’ve got you covered at Peter Malar, petermalar.com. Appropriately, the guy joining me now, he’s in sconc headto toe every day, no matter what he’s doing. He of course the lead analyst for golf on NBC. The last time we had him on, I think he was in the principal’s office. I don’t think his kids the second day of school have gotten in trouble yet. Uh, so but he’s already been yelled at by my producer, so he’s ready now to go to work for Tommy Roy this weekend. Of course, Kevin Ker, how are you, my friend? I’m doing great, Gary. It looks like you’re doing well, as I can see in the background, but I appreciate you having me. Thank you always for giving me some time and giving me some thoughts. I want to get a thought about this place because you played in the open here in 15 and in 22 before we’re done. But let let me start with the playoffs just at large. I remember when you lost your card, uh, went back to the corner tour in 2013. Then in 2014, you’re back on tour and you get to the playoffs and I think we focus naturally on all these stars, but getting there for the first time is a big big deal. Did that feel like a a right of passage, like there was some type of building of where you’d accomplish something? clearly you hadn’t done it before specifically, but that it was a building block for you to get to that space for the first time. I think it definitely gives you a level of confidence that you belong, that you actually have earned your job and kept it and and you got to the part where you made the playoffs and you feel secure in what you’re doing as a player. Um, I know it it’s sprung me to the next year of 15, one of the most successful years of my tour career after making the playoffs the first year in 14. So for sure I I think these guys that I saw yesterday on something on Golf Channel, maybe on your show, all the different churn of of players that have made the playoffs this year compared to last year. It’s it’s amazing the turnover and how much confidence these guys that are making the playoffs this year are going to gain from being in it. You you mentioned 15 and it was a monster year and it was also getting to the tour championship of which you you did you’ve done it five times which is big time stuff and and to get to that space. Do you think players in that locker room recognize how impressive it is, whether it’s Adam Scott or someone like yourself, to go there repeatedly and in turn, do you think fans recognize it enough? How impressive it is for players to get all the way to East Lake? Well, when you’re doing it, you think you’ll never play poorly again, right? You know, when you’re on top of the game, you’re like, well, that’s is easy. I’ve got it all covered. And then when you’re playing poorly, you think you’ll never play well again. It’s just such a hard uh dynamic of of professional golf. But like you mentioned Justin Rose, you know, he he’s talked about not being back at East Lake since 2019, how much that was eating at him and that was his goal going in. So I think once it’s taken away from you, you realize how important it is. And and to answer your other question, I don’t think fans have uh appreciate how successful of a year you have to be in the top 30 on the PGA Tour. you know, and what other profession do we celebrate just the top 30 overall in the world? And that’s what East Lake does. And if if all the guys that make it, I think should cherish the opportunity to be there. You know, Kevin, the way I look at it with the National Football League, the Pro Bowl has been devalued. They don’t even play the game anymore and and so many people are substituted that that that they have a tremendous number of players and they’re all good obviously, but I’m talking about all pros. We need to determine one player at each position. Okay, that’s 22 guys. All pro guys who have a number of those go to the Hall of Fame. That’s the way that I equate the tour championship. If you’re among those 30 and you do that repeatedly, you are like an allpro in the National Football League where you’re recognizing like the all 22. Do you think that’s a fair a fair comp? Well, if you’re going to just mention Hall of Fame, I think you have to look at wins too, Gary. think major championship wins are such a big part of that. I I agree. But I think in golf we have so many different categories of success that in my opinion you have to have major championship wins to be a Hall of Famer. You that’s the ultimate test with the most pressure on the hardest setups in the world. Um and then you have to add in the tour championship as a culmination of your entire year and multiple years there over. So, I think you just kind of layer it as as it gets to a Hall of Fame type career that you’ve done all that and I think tour championship is definitely one of the categories. Yeah, it’s it’s it’s hard to compare a team sport to an individual sport. I just I I think it is bold type, but you’re right and it does start with wins and and that gets me to JJ Spawn because in 2015 that year for you when you lost the playoff to Jim Furick at the Heritage, then you go to the players and you’re in another playoff and you had a putt to win and then by the end of the year you were a winner. Now look, he had won a golf tournament and now he’s won a US Open. Do you remember after the players being on the biggest TV Sunday stage that your sport can have in addition to the four majors feeling different? Well, I felt like I knew I could perform under the biggest stage, right? I I played well in the playoff. I didn’t really give the tournament away. Uh I think that’s kind of the way JJ felt. Um so it gave him confidence in a loss. you know, he felt like he hit a good shot on 17 in the playoff and in insane conditions, if we’re just going to qualify as that, where some of it’s luck. So, he didn’t really he didn’t walk away like, man, I I gave it away. I choked or whatever. He felt confident in what he was doing, and I think that gives you confidence going forward, which has propelled him to have a heck of a year and continue to show up on big big moments. the um the the Sheffler thing, the dynamic of of kind of the persona he now possesses in terms of you know that he’s he lives in the top 10. He generally contends. He doesn’t really come off the pace much. He’s done it on occasion. He did it at the players. He did it at the Olympics. But like he’s so omniresent. Um is that the intimidation factor, if there can be one, that he is a shadow that doesn’t go away? I I think it would just intimidate you as far as you know, you can’t make a mistake because he never does. He he he’s just always around and it’s like, well, I know he’s going to hit the fairway and then he’s going to probably hit it to 12 feet. So, it’s just whether he makes those all day long. And what I’ve been most impressed with over the last few tournaments that I’ve called, Gary, is how many par putts he’s holed to keep his round going. You know, you saw that at Port Rush and how excited he got and how pumped up he was on the par putts. And I think that’s something that Tiger Woods always did in his career. I know he did some comparison and he’s so far away from a tiger-like career, but on kind of the same trajectory and and I remember how much Tiger Woods hated a bogey. Like he didn’t even celebrate birdies like he did par putts. And I see kind of that same build out of Scotty. Uh let’s let’s get to the whole Keegan question. Um I’ve talked to to various people who are involved in the process. Obviously you you obviously are involved as well. Um, if he plays, I’ve heard people say, “Well, he’ll only play one session a day.” Is that true? And if that’s true, aren’t you already conceding that he’s being looked at differently from the other 11? I don’t see how we make that decision on August 13th, Gary. We still got seven weeks to go. And if uh we show up at Beth Page and he’s absolutely striping it and playing great and his models model the best to play more than one session a day, we we can’t make that decision right now. If he goes out in the first match on Friday and and wins seven and six, you want me to go tell him he’s sitting out on Friday afternoon or I just don’t see how we can we can make that decision. I think that’s crazy to uh to kind of script when he’s going to play, if he’s on the team, and and what match I I just don’t see that as a case. I I think those things uh you know, that’s just a lot of rhetoric that people are trying to come up with scenarios. Yeah. I to me and this is this is where I fall on all of this is you know what it’s like because you look at these captains that you played for and you’re like one of the primary responsibilities they have is to shield you from all the noise as a player doing all the doing all the interviews doing the gas baggery of all these press conferences and trying to help you manage your energy as best you can. Can he be best at both if he’s trying to do both? Well, I don’t he’s not going to if he plays and we pick him, he’s not going to relinquish the captain duties. This is what he’s done for 16 months or whatever to prepare. And it’s his baby. And I think what he’ll do is uh, you know, delegate certain responsibilities to the vice captains. If if he’s going to play, then we’re going to have to take over some of his responsibilities because he just can’t do it all as a captain and play. So, I think we’ll all work around it. Um, but obviously there’s two huge weeks still to go before we can make a decision on that. And and uh, you know, like I told him on the phone the other day, he better start playing a little better. I love it. All right, let me get you out of here with you. Give me a thought about this place over my shoulder. You played in two opens here. You almost won an open at Carnoui in 2018. You were telling me, you know, when you would land, you’d love going to North Burick and and just kind of gassing yourself, getting off a plane in the morning, playing golf, and then collapsing at the end of the day. You played well here in 2022. Uh you finished tied for 21st. What do you like about this place? Well, I really liked it that Saturday morning when I showed up early on on the third round and got out there with no wind and played that front nine and something like six or seven under. I was thinking, man, I really kind of like these major championships because you know as well as I do, St. Andrews is getable with no wind on the front nine especially. But when you make that turn and it comes in out of the left on that back nine, I feel like everybody just holds on and uh it’s just a great place for golf. When when the conditions dictate the golf, I think that’s the greatest way to play golf. And there’s so many options, so much character to the to the golf course. It just really shows who who plays the game and not just hits the ball hard and far. Well, listen, Tyler barking at you was just a way for you to be ready for the weekend with Tommy. Thank you as always, my friend. Have a good call this weekend. Thank you, buddy. I’ll be ready after that, Tyler. I appreciate you barking at me early on this morning. There we go. Kevin Ker, lead analyst for NBC. He’ll be on the call this weekend. And that was winning words presented by Century Insurance. his thoughts on the game of golf. Greatly appreciate that and greatly appreciate them. If you have business insurance needs, Century Insurance is your answer. They are right by you. And we continue. We’ve got our picks and we got the best segment imaginable with a little bit of a wrinkle this week as we continue from St. Andrews here in Scotland, room 116 on the balcony of Rousax Hotel on Five Clubs Golf Channel and channel 92 SiriusXM’s PGA Tour Radio. back with you right after this. Couple minutes to go here on this Wednesday. Final day from Scotland for us. And of course, it is time for Dogs of the Week. This segment brought to you by Golf Pride. When it comes to making choices about your grips, the only thing that you touch on the club, more players at every level, trust Golf Pride, understandably because of not only the options, but the quality of the materials. Golf pride. All right, dogs of the week. We do it every week. We want you to send your dog in. If your dog has any type of connection to the game of golf, please send it in. It’s dogs at fivecubsgolf.com. But this week a little wrinkle because on Sunday I was lucky enough to go out and walk the old course because if there’s not a competition going on here on Sunday golf course is closed. Those two dogs this past Sunday as they approach the 18th green. Yep. It’s all theirs. So from sun up until sun down it is the world’s most famous dog park. And it’s not just the dogs on the golf course at the old course. It’s also around town. Those two glorious hounds right there. Wody there on the left being very obedient uh to his owner. The dog on the right was fetching balls uh in the course on the right. That dog that’s at the Jiggerin which is to the right of the road hole the 17th at the old course. Uh just sitting there enjoying some lunch. That’s Charlie on the left. And then that dog on the right is just above the 18th green at a great new hotel called Seatin House. uh just sitting there with with his dog. And there is Charlie again approaching the 18th. You think he’s got a little spring in his step. Those are the dogs of the week St. Andrews style. And really I will tell you that that that the origin and the motivation and the inspiration for us to do dogs of the week was coming over here for the years in which I’ve done it, which is a while, and seeing how they’re so ingratiated and immersed in the culture of golf. They’re obedient. They’re part they make the experience fuller and better. And I’m glad to see just by virtue of us doing dogs of the week, there are a lot of dogs that spend time on golf courses in the United States. I hope that there will be more. All right, with that we transition to our picks, second week of the FedEx Cup playoffs. And last week, something historic happened. I mean, so significant that we thought about devoting the entire program to it. The guy at the bottom of the standings earned a million dollars in one week. He hadn’t done that all year. That’s Brendan De Young because he picked Scotty Sheffller. Taylor continues to lead. Johnson second, Emma there at third. I nudged ahead uh in one of the worst pillow fights ever ahead of Gil Hance because I Jason sits down there wallowing as he should be uh down there just above Brendan D. Young. And one of the things I will say the caveat that you can’t use any player more than five times all year. And so we have several guys. Taylor, he’s out of Scotty Sheffler picks. Gil was out of Scotty Sheffller picks back in May. Just wearing it out. So here are our picks. Emma Carpenter has now used her full aotment. She takes Scotty again this week. Myself and Brendan I don’t feel as bad because Brendan for by his standards is on a heater. Uh we both pick Cameron Young. Johnson Wagner could pick Scotty Sheffller this week and next week and he’s choosing not to. I get it. Pat won the BMW championship at Caves Valley. Jay Bilis picks Xander Schoffley. Xander by the way in order to get to the tour championship based on where he started the week needs a solo 21st or better. And there you see Taylor Zarzer who is in the lead taking Rory Maroy. And here’s the thing about Rory because it’s the first time we’re seeing him uh play golf, competitive golf since the open championship this two weeks, this week and next week. And look, the Tour Championship’s been very, very good to him. He will be off at 11:16 local time with Scotty Sheffller tomorrow. That’s a great way to start the BMW Championship. This has been the best way uh to be able to spend three days at the Old Course. I cannot thank Rousax Hotel, their amazing staff, that the incredible management of AJ Capital, which owns this property, all the marine and lawn hotels in Scotland. They’ve now got a partnership with the great properties like Pine Needles uh there in the Sand Hills of North Carolina. And most importantly, our great team that has managed to execute all of this stuff so well back in Charlotte, North Carolina. For all of us here from five clubs and Signature Sports Group, we say goodbye from Scotland. We’re back Monday in Charlotte.

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