The Walker Cup needs to something radical (or does it?) | The bunkered Podcast

Another Walker Cup, another US win. Last weekend made it five in a row for the ‘Stars and Stripes’.

So is it time for the match to get a Ryder Cup-style shake-up? Or maybe enlist the support of some of the game’s best-known pros? Michael, James and Lewis discuss on this week’s episode of The bunkered Podcast.

Elsewhere, there’s reaction to Rory’s win in Ireland and a warning to fans, as well as news of another tour pro’s premature retirement.

Oh, and Michael would like to apologise to Ryan Fox in advance.

Tune-in now!

#thewalkercup #walkercup #walker cup2025 #irishopen #rorymcilroy #golf #golfer #thebunkeredpodcast #bunkered

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Video shot on location at The Duke’s Course, St Andrews The Duke’s Course | Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa | St Andrews

[Music] Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of the Bunkered Podcast in association with Callaway. I am Michael Mchuan. Thank you very much for tuning in. It is Tuesday the 9th of September. I’ve just realized that it’s one of my pal’s birthdays today and I have totally forgotten. Good friend as well. Remind me when we finish recording this. I have to send him a message. As soon as I saw it, I was like, “Oh, no.” He’s The problem is he’s that guy who messages me like before I get out of bed. I wake up and there’s a WhatsApp, you know, one minute past midnight. He’s that guy in there with the message, “Happy birthday. Hope it’s a great year. Hope the girls spoil your daughter. Oh, and you’ve forgotten up until nearly lunchtime here. You wouldn’t. It’s just as well. We’re doing the podcast today. You would have forgotten completely. Would have if he’s been texting you one minute after midnight, he’s probably expecting the same back. So, he’s not slept. [Laughter] Swiping away all the other notifications. Yeah, I’m sure that’s lovely, Mark. Thanks for the messages. Where’s Michaels? Yeah, exactly. Anyway, at the end of this, I appreciate that. Please don’t forget. Anyway, you heard their voices there. My lovely, delectable co-hosts, the Debbie McGee to my Paul Daniels, bunker performance editor, Lewis Fraser, about the same size, frankly, as Paul Daniels, and a man who probably eats Paul Danielsiz plates of food for breakfast. Gear editor James Tate. Hello, gentlemen. Welcome. Hello, Michael. Thanks. How am I? Yeah, thanks James. I would be a whole lot better if I could just send a WhatsApp right there. Do you have Do you have your phone? Do you want to actually send it to right now on on air? You can wait. I’m just going to take a quick note. Yeah, I I did put it in my notes after P. But no, apart apart from that, I’m good. I am I’m in a good place. Weekend was fine. I you know what I did actually speak. It’s funny podcast speaking at the Balfron Book Festival. the inaugural Balfron Book Festival and I was the the first ever speaker at it talking about books and writing. Obviously, their budget was tied and I’m guessing Joe Nesbo said no and thought JK Rowling unavailable. She’s probably tweeting. So, yeah, it was it was lovely. It was really nice. It was it was a fun evening and something I would like to do more of. Yes. Well, I like talking. Really? Yeah. Well, we can Yeah. If anyone wants Michael to to speak after dinner, any events that you’ve got coming up, get in touch. Get in touch. You know where to find him. He’s right here. So, yeah. You’re like my agent. Yeah. I can do that. We’ll talk about that after after the birthday shout out. We’ll do some negotiation. The Scottish national team. Not a massive disappointment. Fantastic. Four points from six. That was good. And I also I haven’t played much golf. So unlike when at the start of the show would usually say, “What you got up to?” And you’re like, “Oh, I played in the Texas Scramble at the weekend.” And you probably played three. I did actually. Chances. And you’re away like getting ready for the World Long Drive Championships and I don’t really have much to contribute. So instead, I’m going to throw in a little mention here for my wife’s cousin’s son, Adam Bower. Adam is don’t know how old he is. I think his mid20s. Absolutely top lad. Really got into his golf in a big way in the past couple of years. Good stuff. Adam had his first hole in one last year. No way. Fantastic. First hole in one. That’s amazing. at Balmore Golf Club, I think it was. She obviously has the picture up there, you know, holding, you know, one strap over the shoulder holding the ball, cheesy grin, buzzing. I’m absolutely disgusted to be honest with you. Like, can’t help but take it personally. The golf gods are going, “Yeah, you’ve been playing two minutes. Have a hole in one.” Something that Michael’s not done in the last 40 years. But this is it. Well done, Adam. Good on you, Adam. Congrats. So, yeah, that’s my golf contribution. How about you guys, James? What’s the What’s the latest in in your world? Um, literally, no pun intended, getting back into the swing of things after uh winning winning last weekend. So, yeah, just gearing up for world champs. Had had a lesson actually yesterday, which is quite good. You seem to have a lesson like every single weekend when we talk about this. You say you what people should do. Yeah. Yeah. Normally, when you’re trying to get better at something, you take a lesson so they tell you what you’re doing wrong so you can then Okay. recorrect that to be better. I withdraw my comment. There you go. Um, how you feeling? Yeah, you look relaxed, James. For the first time in a while, you look really relaxed. I kind of feel Thanks. I’ve I’ve been uh I’ve been getting cuped a lot. Um, which is obviously you’ve seen the bruises on the back. Um, but yeah, sports massages. I’ve had probably two in the last three weeks, which is probably the most I’ve had in three years to be honest. But it’s it’s made a massive difference. My body actually feels good instead of feeling broken half the time. Um, but no, just gearing up for world champs. Feeling pretty good. I think speeds are a little bit low from where I was kind of wanting them to be, but it’s just muscle memories. So, that’ll come back in a couple weeks time. Okay. Which will be in perfect timing. Well, yeah. That’s what they call peaking at the right time, is it not? Correct. Um, so yeah, so just been just been working that and then had a fight with a tree. Yes, you did. That is Wow. the belter. That’s a crack of that. Yeah. And then that producer decks like Harry Potter. Yeah. Ouch. Oh my word. I know. So, uh, yeah. Was walking walking the dogs the other day. One was behind me. One ran in front. I was looking down and not looking up and the tree. Yeah. Sucker punched me right right in the head. So, I’ve got an absolute shiner. So, walking around like walking around the house like Harry Potter. You wear a hat all the time anyway. So, it’s all right for any of us for that to happen to. Did you cry? No. I tell you what though, it it caught me flush. Yeah. And I was like I thought I was seeing seeing little birds flying around my head for for a split second. But I but I was uh I was walking with Aly and Ay was just like are you all right? And I’m like yeah like how it’s like am I bleeding? She’s like oh it’s just a little we scratched. I came back. I’m like a little scratch. Blood all over my face. I dried dried blood down the side of my face and everything. Oh, it was Patrick Baitman. It was a massacre. Yeah. Just walking around the walking around the the woods with a with a bloody face. Great. It’s not not a good Patrick Baitment before you walked in there myself and producer Dex. Yeah, that’s so weird. Um Paul Allen like business card thing. So there you go. Yeah. American psycho chat over here. Anyways, that was my weekend. Louis trees. Texas scramble. I was quite a lot of trees to be Texas Scramble. Um yeah, Blair Gary the the lands down course there just great golf course. Yeah, fantastic. Two really good 18 hoers there and yeah was in a lot of trees but we shot what did we shoot? 61 rubbish. So yeah, rubbish. The Texas scramble no use. We’re actually not getting the job done at all. We’re 18th out of 36 team. So right in the middle of the pack. Couldn’t be any more central if you Brighton and Albin. Yeah. Crystal Palace just absolutely mid-table obscurity but enjoyable nonetheless. Midt mediocrity. That’s Yeah, I was going with obscurity but mediocrity is fine as well. So yeah, apart from that um delighted with how Scotland are looking. So you know the we’re looking at flights for the USA next year. Um you’re laughing but it’s true. The group chat last night the boys are are looking at that. So hopefully we get some obviously three group games in the World Cup when we qualify. So it’d be nice to have one a good city in the USA or even Canada would be good. You know, Toronto or Mexico. Not Mexico, please. I don’t want to go to Mexico. Scotland are going to qualify for the World Cup and our home games will be like Guadalajara. Yeah, that’s what I’m worried about. But nah, hopefully they’ll they’ll You might as well not get a return trip. You’ll never see me again. So So there you go. That’s it. Yeah. Bunker’s Mexican. Where’s Louis? Yeah, Carlos RT exclusives every single week. No, that’s that’s that’s nice. I’m I’m pleased for you, but I wouldn’t go booking anything just yet. No, we’ve not booked it. We’ll wait until the games come out. Yeah, it’s too much. Yeah, but no, feeling good about that. Confident. Good. Not quietly confident, clearly, cuz I’ve just said that. But you said when we qualify. So, you’re quietly confident. Yeah. Not quite. Manifest. Manifest. Precisely. James, make your dreams come true. Just like James here. Uh-huh. Exactly. Right. Okay. Let’s get on with the golf chat. There’s a lot to discuss and we’re going to kick off with a little bit of Walker Cup chat for you coming up in just a sec. The Bunkered Podcast brought to you by the new Elite Driver from Callaway. Yep. Big thank you Callaway. Huge supporters of my man James here. You can see just lean this way a bit, James. That’s the ticket. There’s the Callaway Elite driver that he’s using to devastating effect. So, yeah. Thank you, Callaway, as always. Big question this week, gentlemen. Should the Walker Cup be opened up to European golfers? So, most recent edition of the match. By the way, I should add right at the outset. Big disclaimer, I’m a huge fan of the Walker Cup. I had a a great time there. First one I covered was 2007 Royal County Down, Rory’s amateur swan song. Great great players on show that time. Dustin Johnson, Ricky Fowler, Rory obviously. Who else was there? Billy Horhel Park rivalry, wasn’t it? I wanted to do like one another well at first. No, but what what a match when you look back on it and it was it was great fun. So I I love the Walker Cup. Just throwing that out there. But the most recent edition took place at the weekend and Great Britain and Ireland led by Dean Robertson on the wrong side of a pretty heavy defeat. Let’s be honest. 179 the US beat them at Cypress Point in California. GB and I were they won the first session. That’s the that’s the other part we can’t forget. So they picked up the first session but were trailing six and a half five and a half after day one. They haved the morning forsomes on the second day. remember two days of competition unlike the RDER Cup which is three two days of competition have the third session so there was only a points worth of a difference going into the final single session all players on the golf course and it just got away from them the US won eight eight of the 10 singles another one being halfed GBNI’s solitary solitary rather singles point coming courtesy of Gavin Tieran with a two-1 win over Michael Lasasso great aim Brilliant name, Connor Graham. He got a half point against his fellow 18-year-old Mason Howell. A very impressive half point actually to be fair. Incredibly well. But yeah, it wasn’t to be for for GB and I. It is their fifth defeat, Gents, in the match in succession. And yeah, if I’m right in saying, yeah, that last win was 2015. They haven’t won in America since 2001. Yeah, the next match takes place next year. Funnily enough, the match would usually take place every two years, but shift into even numbered years to avoid a conflict with the world amateur team championship, the Eisenhower trophy. So, next year’s match is taking place at La Hinch. going to talk more about venues perhaps in a little a little minute. But obviously another defeat and people are out there saying that it is time time for the Walker Cup to do what the RDER Cup did in the late ‘7s and that is expand from GBNI to Europe. Europe versus the USA is the suggestion that’s been tabled. I’ll bring in some listeners thoughts and followers thoughts in a second, but before I do, I want to gauge you guys opinions. James, start with you. What what do you reckon? Um I I think you know it I’m a traditionalist when it comes comes to Walker Cup. I think you know it’s been going on since 1922 to build relation relationships with America through golf. Um I don’t think it needs to change. I I love the way it h it has been and the way it will continue to go. I think if you were going to kind of make those bigger changes and let’s say you start bringing in you know European players um we already have that it’s called the Ryder Cup. Um but there’s also a chance for you know younger players as well to to play in something like that and that’s the Junior Ryder Cup. But I think yes we are maybe getting a bit of a you know a pasting shall we say but I I don’t think is necessarily, you know, a bad thing to happen, but it also, if you were to bring in Euros, it takes away the chances for other guys to get the opportunity to represent their countries as well, like GBNI players specifically. Right. Okay. So, long and short of it is you like it the way it is. Yeah. And we’ll maybe drill into some of the reasons for why then we’re on the receiving end of so many, you know, consistent defeats, why it is such a struggle to win away. Lewis James is in the don’t change camp. Where are you? I’m in the don’t change camp as well. I’ve thought a lot about this and I can see both sides of the argument, but for me, James has kind of nailed it and that this isn’t the competition isn’t about the competition, which might sound a bit strange, but this is about giving experiences to best amateur golfers from the USA and GBNI. And right now, the USA has what top six ranked golfers in the wagger and probably quite a lot of others in the top 20. It doesn’t matter who you’re going to bring in to play against the USA. They’re probably going to win most times and that’s what’s happening at the moment. So, we can go into more reasons in a bit, but yeah, for me I don’t think it’s time for change. Well, I am completely the opposite. I knew you were. I I think it is time to change it. Yep. And there are many reasons for it. Number one, simply be I think that one of the justifications is well this is how we’ve always done it. That is I think in anything whether it’s golf, sport, any walk of life, just because something is the way it has always been doesn’t mean that’s the way it should always be. Evolution is something that we can’t hold back. It’s something that we shouldn’t resist. And change is frightening. Change is something we are conditioned to fight against as as humans, as as this species. But it doesn’t feel like this is a sensible thing to resist. I get it. It’s hard. It’s changing years and years worth of tradition, but I think it is the right thing. Bear in mind, when the Walker Cup was invented, and yeah, you’re right, James, it does predate the RDER Cup, but when it was invented, golf wasn’t as much of a global sport as it is now. If you look at the current Wagger rankings, the highest ranked European, including GBNI, the highest ranked European is a lad from the Czech Republic. Mhm. Philip Jacobic. Yeah. I mean that if nothing else demonstrates that the game is expanding into new frontiers and I don’t think it is appropriate for the 10th best guy in Great Britain and Ireland to be going up against the best guys in America and I say that’s an even contest. I would need to look for certain, but I would be confident in saying that there are 10 continental euros who are ranked higher in the world amateur golf rankings than the 10th ranked GBNI player. Yeah. Mhm. I I completely get your point. Let’s look at, you know, going down that list. So, Philip Jacob, you’re right. The top six are all Americans. Then we’ve got a Czech lad. Then there’s an English lad, Tyler Weaver, who played, he’s in 10th place. Going down the next highest ranked European. Where do you think he’s from? Take give me a give me a country. I can already see it already. So you can see it. Go for it. Where’s he from? Spain. Iceland. Oh god. Yeah, of course. Iceland. Gunlower Aries Spinson. Then we’ve got Cameron Adam. The next is a Norwegian. Michael Alexander Masith. Further down the list, we then come to to Luke Palter, a German lad is 31st. Tim Vermier. I would wager right now that continental Europe and GBNI are I think you get a stronger 10 than you do but just sticking with GB and II. I think it would make it much more competitive. Oh yeah, I don’t disagree. Yeah, it absolutely would make it more competitive. Then the point No, I don’t think it is. What’s the point? I think it’s to give tradition and honoring things that used to be important. There’s part of tradition there, but it’s also a part of giving these players who are going to hopefully go on to have brilliant careers in the professional game the best chance to do that. Don’t continental Euros deserve that opportunity as well. Yeah. And then just create a different tournament. They have that they have that in the the St. Andrews Trophy as well, the Eisenhower Trophy like you mentioned. Eisenhower is so different to the Walker Cup. I mean, it’s every country pretty much. The St. Andrews trophy, we have GBni. We have basically an equivalent for all of the main major match play events like sevy trophy and so on. We have equivalents for that throughout amateur golf. But when it comes to the Walker Cup, we’re going, “Oh, but no, no, we better not change it. We need we need to make sure that the British and Irish lads get the opportunities.” I just don’t I No, not for me. Why Why do you Why do you think it needs changed? Because it’s not I mean, the results speak for themselves. And at some point, it’s a bit like the President’s Cup argument. At some point, the event will be devalued if it’s the same winner time and time again. And I mean, if you guys wanted, you could throw it back to me and go, “Well, would we be as quick to write off the US if they lost five in a row?” You know what? Maybe. Yeah, genuinely maybe. There would maybe be a case to go, should we make it North America? Mhm. I think, as I’ve said before, change is the price of survival. And at the moment, the Walker Cup has become a non-event. With the greatest of respect to the GBNI team, the selectors, the captains, and everyone behind the scenes, nobody was expecting them to win at the weekend. Nobody. I didn’t see or hear from one person out with the camp who’s like, “This is going to be close.” Everyone assumed it was a foregone conclusion the Americans would win. That’s not healthy. That’s not competition. And that’s not sustainable. I still think it is competition though. there is that up until the singles it was very close. So that’s to me yeah is saying that this is still worthwhile. I don’t think that adding continental Europeans is going to fix this issue because the Americans are probably still they’re going to still be the favorites regardless. They probably will be the favorites but the favorites in every single RDER Cup. Yeah. But it’s so much more competitive. Imagine the GBNI team that played in the Hero Cup was your team to play America in the RDER Cup in a couple of weeks time. Would you be confident that that team is going to win? No, but then then it’s less competitive and it’s less compelling. Yeah, I don’t think it’s less compelling. I was compelled watching it and I think from Look, we’re biased because we’re all from GB and I here from Scotland. Yeah, but talking Norwegian over here. No. Well, yeah. Maybe that’s that’s where this is coming from. And look, I I see that side of it. If you’re wanting to watch this match to be a close competition, then by all means, invite continental Europeans. But for me, that’s not what this is about. But like you go to this event and it’s about trying to nurture the best talent from the USA and GBNI and I just to the expense and detriment of all others. Yeah, fine. Like I don’t have an issue with that. So let me articulate why that might be an issue. It’s the RNA and USGA that are responsible for delivering this event. They have global golf governance responsibilities. They’re not the PGA Tour which is running the President’s Cup. They’re not the PG of America and the DP World Tour that govern the RDER Cup. Their responsibility is to the development of Global Golf, is to the development of all players around the world and shouldn’t be to the exclusion of all others. They’ve got a bigger responsibility. Now, if the Walker Cup wasn’t governed by those two organizations, I’d see the point. Mhm. But it is. And so, the point falls. Yeah. I don’t think it does fall. Like, we can go back. Yeah. We’re not going to mess I do get your point. Somebody messaged me on Twitter and said the competition is akin to Ohio State playing Columbus Senior High. That means nothing to me. Ohio State is one of the bigger universities in America. He’s basically saying it’s like one of the biggest universities playing a high school. Right. Okay. It’s not though because it’s two nations up against each other. Look, the Americans have the best golfers at the moment. There’s no doubt about that. You could bring in the rest of the world and the Americans are probably still gonna win this match and it’s still gonna be comfortable. But on the same right look down like results from the last few years. There’s actually been a lot that have been very close there. Like there’s been a 1412 and I don’t have the results up in front of me but there has been close matches and up until the last session two out of these four sessions were very competitive. If you watched the Sunday morning game like Tyler Weaver and Connor Graham you mentioned that match has completely flipped on them. They should have gone and won that and it should have been level going into the singles. Mhm. So just because we’ve had like bad results in the last few years doesn’t mean that this should be changed in my eyes. Like I’m all for I get your global government’s argument and making this similar to the RDER Cup, but the appeal of the Walker Cup to me isn’t that it’s similar to the RDER Cup. You go to the Ryder Cup, like you’ll be going in a couple weeks and it is the biggest event in golf. Like anyone who’s been to a Ryder Cup will see this is an unbelievable stage for these players. You go there and it’s about the teams and it’s about the rivalry. The Walker Cup’s not about that. You go if you’re at Cypress Point like anyone who’s listening to this if they were at Cypress Point will be coming away from that thinking what an incredible experience. Any of the players whether it’s any of the GBNI players, USA players will be thinking that was unbelievable whether they got beat or not. went to the uh last event back in St. Andrews and as much as the result was similar, the result was similar because the USA producing best amateur golfers on the planet at the moment, it doesn’t take away from the experiences that GBNI players are getting. So, by all means, like it would be great for continental Europeans to play in this, but for me, like some things in golf are just sacred and should be, and I get why you want change, but I don’t want it. So, I hear you. Ryder Cup is all those things that you just said it was. All those great things because it changed. Yeah. It wouldn’t be what it is now. I’m absolutely certain of it wouldn’t be what it is now. It may not even still be going had they not changed and they changed because it had become a non-event. You can argue the point about competitiveness and say, “But the players are competitive. The sessions are close. The result is all that matters.” There was too many instances of the Americans beating GB and I previously GB by the way Irish were fairly late arrivals but too many instances of that. It was happening too regularly and somebody had the sensibility to go this isn’t sustainable. We need to change now otherwise we’re not going to have an event. We aren’t at that tipping point I grant you with the Walker Cup just yet. couple more defeats for GB and I like it extends to seven losses in a row, we will get to that tipping point. I’m certain of it. Yeah, I I agree with you on that, James. Yeah, I think Yeah, I do agree with I agree with you on that point, but I just think right now, you know, Lewis has touched it. Like some of some of some of the contests have been incredibly close. Like if you actually look at at the singles and and what some of the guys won by, it’s like two in one here, two in one here. That’s not a huge a huge loss when in a singles match by any any means. And as you know, like you get a bad break here or there, a putt drops, a putt lips out. It’s so marginal that yes, okay, on paper that looks like a a heavy defeat, but there’s so many things in every single one of those matches that could have gone like the other way as well, but didn’t. But didn’t. So, it is consistently don’t. Yeah. Well, there’s that, too. But I think if there’s one thing that yeah, this as a GB and II team, they were very much like a a David going in against Goliath, but we always like a little kind of like underdog story as well. And I think that’s that’s a little bit of it as well. But there’s only so many times you can see David fight Goliath and lose before you go, this isn’t a fair fight. We should probably think about changing it. We need backup. Call for backup. No, like Oh my god, that’s the Warriors [Music] from the cavalry coming at the back. No, but look, I I hear you and I think like I said at the at the beginning, I do like the tradition of the Walker Walker Cup. I am very traditional when it comes to it. I think you do take away some of the opportunities from some of the guys that will maybe never get to represent their country at at a higher level. Um, but yeah, you are right in and you’re not wrong in saying that maybe it does need to change. I just don’t think it needs to change right now. You just don’t want it and you don’t think it’s necessary at this moment. Yeah, I hear that. That’s totally And I think I think if it was like you said, let’s say we do get handed another couple defeats, then that’s probably when you need to kind of start looking at maybe changing it up. But right now I you don’t think it’s so sentimental argument here of course you’re both totally entitled to be wrong. I respect that problem. You’re the host so you know. Yeah. Moving quickly on. Um no look. Okay we’ve identified and I think we’ve agreed that there might be a problem whether it’s right now there’s a problem imminent or happening right upon us. Problem is that the USA are really really good. Yeah. There’s a and play that’s something we can’t control. So let’s control the control. Maybe we maybe maybe it’s something that you know what we need to do something better in in the UK and developing younger golfers because the Americans seem to come to doing it better. There’s a lot more Americans than there are Brits. I know and a lot of the the team from GV and I would have been in the states in America and that’s where we have identified a problem right I think we agreed on that whether it’s happening right now or it’s you know coming down the line it’s there. So, if you don’t want to change it, then you know me, I don’t like problems, I like solutions. If you don’t like that solution, what else could we do that’s going to try and elevate the match a little bit? [Music] It’s a good question. I think for me, there’s there’s been attempts. Well, Dean Robertson’s a good example of this. He’s the first professional to be captain off a Walker Cup side. And anyone who knows Dean will know that he’s a brilliant character. And he’ll have gone into this having left no stone unturned to try and give every single advantage to the team. So bringing in good captains from that out. You look at Junior Ryder Cup like Steven Gallagher could be great job done there. Brilliant job there. Something along those lines could help. The Curtis C have done that with Katrina Matthew taking the reigns. Somebody like Paul McInley. I mean there’s a lot of chat on on social media with that cuz it’s going to be in Ireland. So that would be a great show. Yeah. Total no-brainer for me. I would bring in Paul and experience, you know, we’re talking about experience of players being one of the most important things here. If you’re bringing someone like Paul McInley and that’s who’s played Ryder Cups and whatever else, that would be the experience invaluable. Yeah, exactly. A proven winner, a lot of experience, like you say, someone that every single young guy in that room is going to look up to. They frankly probably aspire to be him and have people this Paul McInley all the time and it pisses me right off like he’s just riding the coattails with that win in 2014 and getting lucky. Piss off. He he absolutely owned that. And by the way, so many people would love that career. Fine, no major win, but everything else is right there. So those guys in the room would be looking up to him and going, “Yeah, I’m going to listen to him.” I’m not saying they’re not listening to Dean, right? Or they’re not listening to people listen to Dean, you know, people like Nigel Edwards who’ve gone before him or Craig Watson or whoever else it might be. But I think someone who’s been there and done that at the highest highest highest level of the game, not the amateur game, commands a different level of respect. Plus, we’re running out of career amateurs that are going to step up. That’s why Nigel Edwards did the job like three times in a row. I’m pretty sure certainly multiple times. So that would for me that would feel like the obvious thing to do to bring in somebody like McInley, as you say, James LaCinch next year. Yeah. What a time and place to do. You can’t argue with the venues. You know, if they were playing it in poor golf courses that weren’t attracting much attention, you’d say, “Well, that’s the next step.” Like watching, it’s not often you watch something on TV and think that’s absolutely incredible. But Cypress Point was just unreal. Like I was slack jawed watching walks from like 15 to 16. Unbelievable. Just incredible. Like the TV coverage and social media coverage from the teams there just elevate the event so much for me. So you can’t argue with that. Um really impressed, by the way, by what the RNA and USGA do with that. They’ve clearly gone, how do we ring every last ounce of our authority out of this event? I know we’ll go to only the best courses. Look at where they’ve been. So, Cyprus going backwards, old course, St. Andrews, Seol, Royal Liverpool, LA Country Club, Royal Lith, National Golf Links of America, Royal Aberdine, Marian, County Down, Chicago Golf Club, and then look at what’s coming up. Leah Hench like we said 28 Bandon Junes 30 Princes 32 Oakman 36 Chicago 44 44 way in the distance Pine Valley oh my goodness I mean you just well done lads that is unbelievable finally there’s been a use for a blazer just put just put all your Are you angling to get in just put all your bucket list courses down on paper That’s it. Yeah, there’s only one that’s missing and we all know what that is. Yeah, that’s not going to happen though, is it? Who knows? No, I don’t know what I’ll have a word with friends. On a on a slightly more like serious point, going back to the the continental Europeans, do you think if they were part of the match, we’d then take it round courses around continental. You’d have to. You’d have to. I was which for me takes away slightly because links golf that is a leveler for everyone as we know bringing Americans over here like uh when where was it 2015 Lim and St. Ans so I can only imagine that that week the GBNI team have probably done well as a matter of that point. Does that worry if we’re going to places like Marco Simony only mention that Ryder Cup venue? That’s the one thing about the RDER Cup that I don’t like is that some of the venues are monumentally underwhelming. And I’m not going to name any names. Would I like to see a Ryder Cup played on a Lynx course like we had, you know, generation ago? The, you know, they played at Murefield, for example. They played at the old course. Yeah, I’d absolutely love that. Imagine a Ryder Cup on a Lynx course. The trouble is a Ryder Cup probably couldn’t go to any of those because they’re not big enough of property now and they don’t have the infrastructure to support. So maybe the only one. I mean, yeah. And even then, it’s probably a bit of a push, isn’t it? You’re trying to marshall that crowd that goes to the open. You’re trying to marshall all of them around three, four matches at any one time with the exception of the singles. Obviously, that’s hard. You need big big stands. Marco Simone, like when I went there for the RDER Cup two years ago, I was blown away by just how big that is. It’s a long walk. Glenn Eagles has three, four and a half courses and a massive amount of land and a decent infrastructure. And then the golf national is the same humongous stadium course. A dare manner is going to be interesting. That’s a relatively speaking, it’s a small site, best facility you’ve ever used, but a small site in a tiny part of rural Ireland. That’s going to be interesting. They’ll figure it out. It’s JP, you know, JP McMan everywhere and make a stadium. Well, yeah, JP McManus is putting the money up. If they want to build new roads, JP will make it happen. He’s got two years and it’s probably on the case. But yeah, I think if you go to continental Europe, of course, you then need to bring in other venues. But there are enough good venues on the continent. I think sometimes you just talk them down. Yeah. You know, somewhere like Brohoff, for example, in Sweden, brutally tough stadium golf course. would love to see a Walker Cup played there. Valdorama potentially. Yeah. I mean, love that course. The golf national like I’ve mentioned previously, there’s some great places in Germany as well. There are lots of developing places, lots of Let’s go to Bulgaria. Yeah, Cliffs or whatever it’s called. They played a DP World Tour event there before the match play. So, they could host the Walker Cup quite easily. Stunning location. Loft and links. Well, that would be quite something. The air bill, the flights bill would be huge. But yeah, it’s venues. To answer your point more succinctly, Lewis, you would lose some of the links courses undoubtedly. I think that you have the potential to grow the event in multiple ways by going into continental Europe. Yeah, fair enough. I don’t think it needs to be grown. I think part of the appeal is how like intimate. Yes, that’s the word. Bique. Yes, boutique. That’s exactly what I was going to say. Uh yeah, look, I see both sides of it and I I completely get your point. We’re not going to agree on this. No, we’re not. Some people on social media have been in touch. Craig Mikl, I think it should change. It would give the European arms a taste of competition. Thank you, Clarky. Definitely time to change. I’m not just reading out the ones that agree with me. Uh someone on Facebook, it has to if there is hope that it’ll be competitive. That’s my burner account. Yeah, I think there seems to be out the ones that agree with you. Trying to find ones that don’t. I mean, jeez, I can read it from here. Everyone everyone’s saying like, “Yeah, it needs to change.” You guys are just the outliers and a lot. But listen, as I said, that’s that’s quite all right. Opinions are great. Mhm. Facts are even better. Let us know your thoughts. Get in touch. Slide into our DMs. Should the Walker Cup be expanded out and opened up to allow European golfers to compete shoulder-to-shoulder with their GBNI cohorts? Do you agree? Do you disagree? Let us know. Before the break, gentlemen asked and answered. Here we go. Again, I’ll give you the correct response after the break. But before we do, if the answer is 35 years old, what is the question? Who wants to go first? Is it the average age of the halfeaten Nature Valley bars in my golf bag? Oh, that is disgusting. Those things just get everywhere. They honestly just you open them and then take a bite out of it and I need to play my shot now. Put it back back in the bag. Forget about it and then it’s just crumbs. You need to just get a new golf bag at that point and it becomes wet and it rains. Oh my god. It’s like mush. Awful. That is one of the worst things about having a golf bag. Yes. It’s one of the worst things about the sport to be honest. I think we need to be finding a way to get around this. I found stuff in my golf bag that I didn’t even know I owned and the bacterial element of it, you know, the mold and so on. I’m probably I’m probably the new Alexander Fleming. I just don’t know. There’s the next penicellin is festering in my bag as you your bag like bananas. Nothing. Oh jeez. I don’t eat bananas, but producer Dex is shaking his head. He’s done it where you put a banana in your bag and then forget about it for like oh you go to grab a provisional cuz you’re raging. Oh god. Covered in banana. Now I’m guessing that’s not the answer to this question. Could be. Yes, that’s that’s actually rank. James has got a different color. Yeah. Well, no, it’s because it’s so true. It’s like you put your water bottle and then all of a sudden you realize there’s been a banana there for like the last four weeks and it’s like I will take a pencil or a tea shooting up a nail. Oh no, that’s more than I had two three week old banana. I don’t know about that. James, what about you? What have you got for us? If the the answer is 35 years old, what is the question? How old was I when I actually started believing in ghosts? What? You believe in ghosts? I didn’t until now. Did you not just turn 36 last week? Correct. So, hang on, hang on, hang on. What happened? Did you see a ghost? I genuinely was convinced I’d seen a ghost and I was like, go on. So, I was Where was I? Um, you had my interest. Now you’ve got my attention. Yeah. So, I was in um the it was in Porto at the Tailor Made event. Um I’ve not told anyone this cuz I thought it was going mental, but um here we are. This could have been a great one for Bear Lies. Um but we were in this massive grand palace and I can’t remember the name of it, but it was very old building, really old. Um and it was a wee bit dark, like no air conditioning in these rooms at all. roasting and um was going down the hallway. We were all I was on the top floor um kind of walking walking towards the room. Everything’s really grand. Corridors are really dark and there was what I could only see at the end of the corridor like was like like a shadow and it just went like that and just shot and I was like looking behind me. I’m like there’s no lights projecting my shadow down there. What the [ __ ] was that? And no way. I I swear on my life it was as if someone had just like bombed it and Yeah. So yeah, that was Did you go and investigate? Did a [ __ ] I locked my door. I went to bed. I’ve seen those movies, Michael. I would have been coming back in a box. I wasn’t doing it. Oh my god. That sounds like The Women in Black. Yeah, exactly. It was kind of like that in But instead of that kind of figure rushing towards you, it went the other way. Thank god. I was just a European golf journalist this morning. Just roam about corridors. That was uh that was that. How didn’t we know this? I don’t want to tell anyone anyone. I was like, “No, you just told the world.” Yeah. So, you do believe in ghosts now. You’re convinced that what you saw was I’m I’m convinced there’s definitely definitely the team. Ghost Hunter. Ghost. Ghostbusters. Ghostbusters. You believe in ghosts? I do now. Yeah. After hearing that. Yeah. Um Yeah. There’s got to be something. There’s got to be something there. shaking his head. That’s an interest in that. Lives in lives in lives in the real world. Lives in the water in the world. 35 years old. Michael, any any suggestions on that? I know. You know what it is, but is it um well semi is it something to Stuart Hagistad? You got to be in your bonnet about So he’s 34, right? And I really admire Stuart Hagistad. He played in the US Cup team at the weekend. Fifth fifth appearance on the World Cup team. He is a career amateur. He’s the problem with this match because he wins every m he wins every game. I I’ve got a theory. I think he just loves playing the best courses in the world, but he knows that as a madam he’s probably or whatever level he’s at, it’s going to be harder and harder. So stick around. And if I turn pro, what’s the best case scenario? I get in the US RDER Cup team and I’m going to have to go and play, I don’t know, some rinky dink venue coming up in the next 10 years. Whereas stay am like we’ve just discussed, you know. Yeah. Well, he’s played Cypress Point. Not many people have. Not many amateurs 34 years old have played Cypress Point. He knows what he’s doing. Absolutely. He knows what he’s doing. But Stuart Hagistad is 34. So unless the question is, how old will Steuart Hagistad be on his next Walker Cup appearance? That would be a very good question, would it? It wouldn’t. It would be a bit [ __ ] I will give the answer in the second part. Before I do some suggestions from our followers on social media, remember you can get us on Twitter x the bunkered pod. search for us there and facebook.com/thebunkeredpodcast. So what we’ve got Steve the ref. Steve the ref’s been in touch with something that isn’t a point of order. Well done. Well done Steve. He says is it the age that Charlie Woods will be when he completes the career grand slam. Someone’s got high hopes for Charlie. That’s very high. Probably won’t win as a professional. That would be my guess. Stephen at some like procrastinator. He’s used, you know, when you’ve got words and then you throw in numbers and letters. Yeah. Well done, Stephen. Steven says, “How old is the worst ball in my bag that I can never lose?” That’s very You never lose a crap golf ball, do you? No. Tee up a new chrome tour and straight in the water. How many How many times have you grabbed a ball that you’ve found literally from when you’ve gone and lost the original one, found it in the bush, teed it up on an echo, played with that the whole round, and then played some of the best golf of your life? Never. Dex Dex is shaking his head. Nodding his head. Jamie Develin, how long does your round feel like when it when the group in front of you won’t let you play through? Oh, that is tough. Absolutely. Pulling teeth. Golf mind. This is a weird one. At what age was Rory Mroy last truly happy? He’s 36. Yeah. Is it because he was 35 when he won the Masters? Is it Is it about like his sort of epiphany after climbing Everest like we were talking about? Is it something that he’s making? Derma question. How old is my putter? Maybe. Don’t know. Derma. I mean, you probably have the answer to that. What What model is it? Like when was it made? Maybe. 2005. CB27. What is the average age of Steve Clark’s subs? Yes, actually that that’s accurate. That’s very close to that. Yeah. Andrew Hunter, what is the number of years older than his actual age that Scotty Shiffler looks? Such good. Wow. Clarky again. How old were the sheets in Michael’s hotel room? Masters. Wow. Yeah. Hotels around there are bad, aren’t they? Is that in the ghetto? are just the absolute worst that I can’t even I don’t even want to think about. And Paul Clydesdale finally what age will Frankie Fleetwood be when he finally gets his ball over the water of the Nole at the August. That’s a winner. Very good. That is so good. If you don’t know what we’re talking about, Google Frankie Fleetwood’s Masters interview. That we guy is just it’s already media trained as well. He’s he’s the coolest and that is one of the great I’ve been trying my hardest. You’re right. It’s the little rofal shake of the head. Been trying the hardest. Just not making it this year, but just got to keep practicing. Unfortunately, none of those are the right answer. I will tell you what that is right after this. Tea off with our exclusive hotigal breaks at McDonald’s Golf Hotels and resorts, including Spay Valley Aviore and Cardona Resort in Peebles, both recent hosts of the Tartan Pro Tour with stunning locations and a championship golf course featured at both four-star hotels. One night golf breaks from only £95 per person at Cardona and £115 per person at Spay Valley. Be flexible on date and get the best rate, but be an early birdie. Limited spaces available. Search McDonald Hot Eagle Brakes for more. Welcome back. Part two of this week’s Bunkered Podcast in association with Callaway, Michael, James, and Lewis. And probably some books inspectors from Porto also here with you. Honestly, I’m I want to go to Porto where you were staying to find that ghost. That is absolutely amazing. Yeah, lights off. Yeah, I’m not going on that trip. So, before the break. Oh, James, you’re absolutely Is anyone here? Before the break, we were playing Aston. If the answer is 35 years old, what is the question? Great suggestions from those in the room, those in social media, but all wrong. The correct answer is that it’s the age of Alexander Bjork, who’s become the latest DP World Tour pro to retire following hot in the heels of Mike Lorenzo Vera just I think a week ago. Bjork, Swedish player who made almost 200 starts on the tour, won once the let me see Volvo China Open in 2018 I think it was reached a careerh high of 59th in the world rankings. He said he’s made the decision to spend more time with his family and start a new chapter in his life. Very best of luck to Alexander York. It’s been nice to retire at at 35. Good on him. Something maybe that we’re going to see a bit more of though in golf. I mean, it feels like there’s been a lot of early retirements. I don’t know if that’s just because the the top level of the game shrinking and opportunities for these guys to make full and long careers, lots and lots of money out of playing professional golf is maybe not quite as broad an opportunity as it was previously. Yeah. I mean, 35, I’ve missed that boat, haven’t I? So, well, yeah, just that’s over. No, I think it Yeah, I mean firstly must be lovely, but secondly I think you know they’re probably been on tour trying to chase that chase that dream for like a long time as well and it’s you know week in week out like all that all that traveling as well like it will start taking its toll and not being able to spend huge amounts of time out at once with your families and stuff like that. you’re you’re probably at that age where you’re wanting to become more of a family kind of man. Yeah. And I think when you’re seeing like all the best players playing somewhere else in something else and you feel miles away from it but still playing at a high level must kind of feel I don’t know. You must feel a little bit like the game’s forgotten you a little bit. a little bit almost that feeling that you’re kind of on the outside looking in a little bit like you have that elite group of players and maybe you’re just kind of come to the conclusion at the age of kind of 35 like and you’re just not going to be able to kind of even though you are an elite level player yourself you’re just not going to be able to quite get to that next step’s an interesting one turned pro in 2009 and took the long route Swedish golf tour Nordic Golf League Challenge Tour, DP World Tour. He actually got his PGA Tour cards in 2024, so he played a little bit over there and was unable to retain it. I mean, it’s hard hard graph going the long the long way. That is a grind. You see that DP World Tour now like it’s a global tour if you’re wanting to someone like Bork’s a really good example of that and you mentioned one in China, did he? So having to travel the whole world, you’ve got a young family at home, like the the appeal can wear off pretty quickly if you’re just out there grinding trying to trying to make cash. But I suppose in the point of like more players doing that, there’s more money in the game to be made now. So if you’re someone who has either had a really couple really big paydays but then struggled, you’re sort of grinding the challenge to her. Do you think, do I really want to be doing this anymore? And if the answer is no, you probably you can go back and be a a club pro. Like at the end of the day, they’re teaching pro. There’s nothing wrong with doing that. So yeah, I can see more players thinking, you know what, this just isn’t for me anymore. Yeah. Retiring early, you know, instead of like getting to 50, holding out till 50 and joining the Champions if you decide to do that. Mhm. Yeah. You’ve got to really love it if you’re doing that. Like you you’ve got to you’ve got to love it and you’ve got to love the traveling side of it as well because if you think about not so much in America, but when you’re playing on the DP World Tour, you’re traveling all over the place and it’s not and you’re going from Spain to Portugal to France. You’re going all over. You’re going into four different countries where they’re speaking different languages and then all the food’s completely different as well. So like you’re having to you’re not getting any real consistency. So I’m sure you kind of find it when you’ve been on the tour for Yeah. as long as your man has there. But like still it’s it’s it’s hard having to adjust every single week. So it takes its toll. Mhm. It certainly does. It certainly does. Before we go much further, today Tuesday 9th of September, my mate’s birthday is also thank a greener day. You may be seeing some of this if you’re a active social media user. On behalf of everyone at Bunker, the Bunker podcast and everything else, yeah, we’d like to take the opportunity just to say a big shapo to all of you guys out there, guys and girls who are maintaining our golf courses. Without green keepers, there’s no golf. There’s just big overgrowing fields with guys with lios trying their best. But you guys do an incredible job. Under underrated, quite honestly, you’re the unsung heroes of the sport. You’re the reason that we get to play golf. There are we get to play some of the best courses in the world and enjoy them to the extent that we do. So, and often at very antisocial hours as well, getting up at 3:00 in the morning. I’ve done it for a day. I was a green keeper for for a day with the the team at St. Andrews Links. And it was brilliant. You know, it was it was a nice day. You live in St. Andrews, James. You know that on a beautiful morning, it’s hard to beat. It was cold, but you know, I can deal with the cold, but it was such a such a thrill to go out and be part of that for a day. I totally salute anyone who makes a career out of it because, you know, it’s a tough job. It’s a physical job and you do all your work. You’re finished by I don’t know 9 10 in the morning and then you’re putting your feet up and some deck comes in and complains about the speed of the greens not being consistent from one to the next. You guys take a lot of flack. Um just hope you know that you are appreciated. So all of you greenies that are listening, keep up the great work and thank you for all that you do. Absolutely. James, you’re wearing something rather fetching today. I am. Tell me about it. So, this is the Under Armour brand new warning collection. Oh. Um, in ahead of the big head-to-head between Europe and the USA match can’t really talk about, which is why I’m talking in riddles right now. Yeah. The battle of Beth Page. Battle of Beth page, which is also going to be the secret secret code. Oh, right. Okay, let’s I don’t know what’s going on here. Just if any listeners really confused, so am I. So, basically, James is wearing this lovely fetching bright blue under arour hoodie. Cool. On the back, actually. Oh, I do like that. Warning, only for highly skilled golfers. Ah, I see. That’s why we didn’t get one, Michael. Very fetching. I do like it. And so there’s a a whole capsule collection there. Capsule collection. There’s a hoodie. There’s also another pullover as well. I’ve got the t-shirt on underneath. Nice as well. And there’s also a polo as well. Um but it’s obviously with the battle of Beth Page coming up. And the warning is based on one of the signs up at Beth Page as well. Not familiar with that sign. I’ll need to look it up. There you go. There you go. So yeah, very cool new nice and bright blue. Very very on brand for something that’s happening. On on brand for you say like a European team or something like that. Yeah. So but it’s very comfortable. Very nice. Under Armour have very kindly given us a hoodie and a polo shirt to give away to one lucky listener. So this is very straightforward. Basically we’re going to play a game of James’ magic word. I immediately regret this. James is going to give us in a second a magic word. And what you need to do with that is go to the Bunker website, bunker.co.uk/competitions. Follow the onscreen prompts. You’ll then have a little form to fill in where you’ll have to input James’s magic word. Give us your personal details like your name and email address, your sizes, and from that one lucky winner will be drawn at random to receive one of these hoodies and a polish shirt very kindly donated by Under Armour. That makes sense to you, Louis? Yeah, that makes sense. Excellent. I’m following. Good. In that case, James, with no further ado, please make this as straightforward as possible. What is James’ magic word? Competition. We’re going to keep it for God’s sake. That’s useless. You’ve got one chance to pick any word you want. You pick competition. I was going to go really like ridiculous, but I’m but I’m not. Just keep it nice and simple. Competition. Enter it now. React to something like that ever. Okay. James has spent a lot of time thinking about that. The magic words from James is competition. Go to bunker.co.uk/competitions. Follow the onscreen prompts and you could be the lucky winner of one of these hoodies that James is modeling and a polo shirt to go with it as well. Right in time for oh, I don’t know, the end of the month. So, yeah. Excellent. Thank you, James. You’re welcome. That was worth it. Anytime. Let’s talk a little bit about Rory Mroy and that win last week in Ireland, Mr. Tate. Those scenes on Sunday, the fans going crazy. Describe that for me. What was that like? Oh, it was I don’t know. It It was almost like watching a repeat of Augusta, to be honest, wasn’t it? It was unbelievable. I think um I mean it all started off with him holding the eagle putt on on 18 to force the playoff and that in itself the place just erupted. You could see the kids behind the green just going absolutely mental like well that’s going to stay with them for for forever. Um, but yeah, I mean to do something on on home soil like that with the crowd, you know, right behind you and to hold a pot that’s, you know, a good 25 ft for Eagle. It doesn’t get much better than that, does it? It was spectacular. I haven’t heard a roar like that outside a Ryder Cup for a very long time. It’s one of those ones that I don’t say this often, but I wish I was there, Lewis. Like to be part of that scene, to be part of that noise, that atmosphere, experience it for yourself in person would have been something pretty special in my opinion. I mean, is it just Rory that can do that? Cuz he seems to have something special about him. I think it is. I was thinking about this before. I do think it’s Rory. He mentioned um after the round that maybe John Ram and Spain could have a a similar reaction, but I don’t see it to be honest. I think Rory the the crowds over there so passionate for him. I saw it at Port Rush. Like you wouldn’t have thought Sheffller was about to win the Open because every single shot that Rory was hitting was the main event on that Sunday. So he’s a hero to the country. He is an absolute hero to the island. Yeah. To the whole island. Yeah. He’s an absolute legend to them. So something like that’s just incredible. Like James said, like the noise coming through the TV. You almost hear it like in real real life. If you opened the window, you probably could have heard it across in Scotland. Just an unbelievable reaction like kids celebrating as if like and those were the best won the world. Great angle that the DP World Tour managed to capture which shows fans behind Roi and there’s a father I presume a father and a son and their reaction jumping up and down hugging each other. It’s like it was like Ireland had just scored the winning goal in the World Cup final. It was just spontaneous and it was just all the good stuff. Yeah. To be honest, I got out of the couch as well. I was like really I was like straight into a tree. Yeah. No, my nephew um Archer who’s only just turned one was like to to the left of me and Camila was there with the little ones as well. And my mom your sister’s Camila just for the volume of doubt. That’s a couple of got mentioned. Don’t want people think Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So Haley, mom, Camila, and my two nephews were there and my all of our arms went in the air and the archer started crying his eyes out cuz he got the shot in his eye. So, but no, like even even I was like like over the moon cuz I was like, “Oh, if he holds this, this is just going to be mental.” And he did. And I was like, “No way.” It’s just amazing. But you just knew he was going to make it though, didn’t you, Mike? See, I think that’s part of the reason why it’s so good because with Rory, you don’t always know that he’s going to make it. With Tiger, it felt that there was a sense of inevitability. Like I think back to the 2008 US Open at Tory Pines and he needs to hold that 20 foot part across the green that is just, you know, picked to pieces bobbling all over the joint. Even then, you felt, oh, this is a tiger moment. It’s about to happen. With Rory, I never have that same certainty. And I think I’ve just seen I’ve seen the movie too many times to know that it doesn’t always work out like that, which I think is why when it does happen, you tell yourself this could happen. Yeah, Rory has that ability. Not all golfers have that to the same level. With Tiger, it’s like this will happen. With Rory, it’s there’s a good chance this will happen. And then when it does, you’re like, “Holy [ __ ] I can’t believe that just happened. That’s absolutely incredible.” So he’s he just he I think he makes you feel things without sounding too pretentious. He makes you feel stuff that other golfers just don’t. I think it’s modesty in his part, false or otherwise when he says that John Ram does the same thing in Spain. John Ram is not the biggest deal in sport Spain. That’s probably Carlos Alcarz right now or leyal. John Ram is a big deal but he’s not the deal. Rory is the deal in Ireland. No disrespect to all the other Irish athletes out there. Rory’s comfortably comfortably the very best in the lot. He’s their pied piper. So there’s not many golfers that have that cut through to other sports. Yeah. Like well I use the WhatsApp test. You’re quite right. I use the WhatsApp test on again a reminder. I need to message on Sunday when I was watching that my phone started pinging. Some pals that are really into golf and some pals that aren’t. That’s the difference. Rory makes that difference. Those pals that aren’t into golf aren’t messaging me like that. If correct, no disrespect, Shane, but that’s the case. I think Shane would admit that himself. Rory, to your point, Lewis, connects with a broader church of people than most other golfers. Yeah. Yeah. I love him for it. Yeah. I love him as well. I think unlike the the point of it being inevitable that was going in on his second shot I was like if he hits the green here he’s going to make the putt but he could also hit this into the water and you’re thinking what an idiot how have you done that with an eight iron that’s why we love him because he’s not he’s not robotic you’ll have moments where like the 13th Augusta you think what on God’s green earth have you just done there but then you can pull off the spectacular as well he’s so good to watch you you said it yourself like he is the needle like he doesn’t just move the needle. Everything that he does gets a reaction when he does something like that. Just incredible. Yeah. The one thing I did think that was probably going through his head was he’s hit an even harder shot closer before with that fivewood when he’s won there previously. Good point. Yeah. I cuz that’s that was a good cuz I saw the plaque. Um it’s like 260 odd yards around about and you stand and you look at him. Jesus Christ what a shot that is. Solid seven for you. Easy. And um but then you’re you’re kind of like, right, he’s got an iron in hand. This is a flick. Like he’s got so many good memories of having to produce the goods when when he needs to do it. He’s probably like, “Right, yes, there’s maybe a bit of nerves, but there’ll be a whole load of confidence in there as well.” And he just stepped up and executed one of like a a good shot, like one where it’s just given him a chance, and then he’s just converted the putt as well. Some boy. Yeah. Unbelievable. He was asked where this season ranks amongst his best years because yeah, so he’s won his home open again. By the way, find you someone that loves anything or you ideally as much as Rory loves home national opens. He is I love the fact that he treats them with such respect, bordering on reverence. He’s elevating the likes of the Irish Open, Scottish Open, the Australian Open later this year, South African Open he’s played before. I love that. He he totally buys into the fact that these are important. It’s not just, you know, some guy came along representing a company a couple of years ago that’s got tons and tons of cash and let’s just create something that’s big. He’s like, “No, this matters. This has got names on it that I respect and I grew up admiring and wanting to emulate. I want to win those. These are the events that matter.” I I love that. I think that’s so cool and commendable. But yeah, he obviously he’s won his home open. He’s won the Masters. Let’s not forget he also won the players. We kind of forget that he won the players and because of the way it happened after it. Exactly. And he won at Pebble Beach. Clearly, he says this season is right up there amongst his very best. James, it’s number one, isn’t it? Oh, without a shadow of a doubt. I don’t think you need to question whether or not it is. But yeah, I mean, he’s had a hell of a year, hasn’t he? Let’s be honest. And I think what would make it even better is, you know, taking it to the the Americans obviously in RA Cup. That would be the icing on the cake for him. That would that would literally you couldn’t you could not like have a better year than that. No matter how hard he tried if he won. I mean, poor Rush would have been nice. Yeah, but it wasn’t meant to be. But yeah, I think if if they get if they get the Ryder Cup over the line, like that’s he’s not going to be able to repeat that at all. Like just that’s one that’s just going to live with him forever. James is right, Louis, isn’t he? I mean, if Ro was writing down his ideal wins this year, then there’s only one that’s missing and one that could still happen. Yep. Yeah, that’s Yeah, it’s his best year. I think it was his best year by the middle of April to be honest. Anything Anything after that is just a bonus. Let’s be honest. you’ve been wanting to do that since 2014 and he did it and it’s probably it’s interesting we spoke about at the time about is this going to free him up and he’s going to you know do a play like the Rory Mroy we know he can and for a couple months after it didn’t quite work out that way it almost felt like the converse was true that he needed that burden that that chip in the shoulder that thing to strive for. Yep. And we kind of debated whether this was like going to be the start of like a downward sort of going towards like autumn of his career kind of thing. I think we were talking about and the second half of the year has proved that’s probably not the case because he can still pull off these incredible moments. He competed in the open like he wasn’t far away at all. I think you had a brilliant week. Like you really enjoyed it. Won the Irish Open and now like you say James going across to the States and that would be yeah the icing on the cake is the way to put it because he’s had an incredible year no matter what happens. And he’s at Wentworth this week for the BMW PGA Championship. We’ll talk about that in a second. But we can’t ignore [Music] there’s no other way to put it a sour moment a sour couple of moments at the Irish Open with the the treatment of Wim Lagrren in the in the playoff. Obviously Rory is the big heavy home favorite. There’s a Partisan crowd that are cheering him on. I think for me what was disappointing was that that Partisan crowd didn’t stop there. Cheering on Rory is fine and that’s that’s the whole point. But they were actively and audibly rooting against Lagardin. Shouts of get in the water after he was hitting some of his shots. We are going to, I’m almost certain, be talking a lot about Burish American fans in a couple of weeks and we’ve been speaking a lot about the prospect of that New York crowd. You know what? Got to call it out when we see it on our side of the pond as well. And you know, there was a lot of it at the open. Scottish Sheffler was subjected to some pretty grim treatment when we were out there. We heard it ourselves. and then Lagerin getting that that’s that’s crossing the line James is it not 100% I think obviously um our uh our friends across the water like to drink so I think you know it’s a long day there’s been a lot lot of people having probably a few too many scoops um and yeah people probably getting a little bit brave I think with some of some of their words but it doesn’t and stupid yeah and it doesn’t excuse it it just it shouldn’t happen, you know. Yes, Rory is the, you know, the the hometown favorite and everyone’s wanting him to win, but you have to respect the other golfers as well. He’s also there to do the same job. Um, especially in the way that he managed to get himself there, which was that ridiculous fivewood on 16 which Eagles and then obviously Birdie 182 like he is got every right to be there as as Rory Maroy. He’s ear he’s earned his way into that into that playoff. He’s earned their respect. Exactly. He’s entitled to expect it. And I quite honestly I would expect better from an Irish crowd. I’m really honest as well with, you know, as we know that like Irish people in general are very welcoming. Mhm. Um just a couple morons like the Yeah. And that’s and that’s kind of it. There’s there’s just a couple of people thinking they’re probably being funny to their mates kind of thing. Yeah. and act in a fool. Um, but even that’s best case, isn’t that? Yeah, exactly. Generous. I know. But you you have to feel for him as well because like he played some incredible shots um especially in that playoff and to handle that the way he did. Mhm. Against someone like Roy Moy um was very very impressive. But you know the fans kind of they just need to be better. They need to do better. And I don’t know I don’t know what you’re going to do to try and stop that because you just don’t know what people are going to do. They’re unpredictable unfortunately. How do you stop someone when you’ve got a huge number of people there? You can’t stop everyone. So exactly. So and I think the difference for me Lewis is Cup, team event, tribalism and team sports do tend to go hand in hand. Yeah. Mhm. Individual sports. I think we all as sports fans know when to root for and against. Yeah. And at football matches I will root for and against. I’m not gonna pretend I don’t. I mean I will cheer against the opposition as much as I cheer for my team. Individual sports has never been like that. I’ve got my favorites with tennis. I always wanted Dandy Murray to win. I never ever ever cheered against Yeah. or tried to distract anyone he was playing or Jamie Murray might have been playing. And it’s the same with golf. I’ll cheer on the guy that I want. Yeah. But I will not undermine and disrespect the individual that he’s against. Yeah. Does that make sense? Yeah, it does. Absolutely it does. And golf, like you say, individual sports are so different, but golf in particular, like guys cheering when Lagrin’s putts were missing and then shouting like pretty much every shot that he hit was followed by shouts of get in the water. Yeah. Which is poor. Um, but it is a minority. Like most golf fans there will be absolutely fine and want Rory to win. That’s absolutely no problem. Cheer for him and maybe just say nothing when Lagrin hits. But yeah, it did s a bit like you say. I just hate hearing stuff like that. There’s no need like just be respectful. I think you’ve just nailed it. There’s no need. There’s no need. I don’t know. You can’t unless Yeah. It’s impossible to enforce like unless you actually chuck someone out. But then how do you do that? Because you can just say, “Oh no, it was him. It was him.” Yeah. Like whatever. So yeah, I don’t know how it’s going to get better. I don’t either. And it’s probably going to be worse. fifth page black. Not going to. Yeah. Yes. Yes. There’s no point sugar coating it. It’s going to be worse. The focus, as I said, now switches to Wentworth this week. Just a quick line on that. We’ll probably talk more about that next week. But is it just me or is the September date for Wentworth now finally starting to click? It’s taken a while. I miss May, but I now look forward to Wentworth where it is in the calendar. I’m not sure it’s the best place, but I’m more accepting of it. I look forward to it. The way the golf season is now is that it’s so condensed for the biggest events in the the majors. So having something like this for UK golf fans, I think is really good. It’s weather dependent of course, but anything in the UK is frankly. So yeah, I think the the date really works well. Like for this year, Ryder Cup, it’s sort of a a bit of a precursor to that. European team all getting together and for that reason, it’s really good to see the whole team kind of before they go off. But then even out with the RDER Cup here, like I say, you have such a like everything happens at once in the golf season that gets past the open. You think, “Oh, is that it?” Whereas now for golf fans around here, you have something else that you can look forward to, especially going to the event because it’s brilliant. Get get so close to these players. So, yeah, I’m all for it. Fan of it. Yeah. I mean, I I was I was there uh last year for um as part of the Shen Shen lo. Yeah. So I got to got to see a little bit of the uh of the proam uh as well which is that in itself is great. You know you got the likes of Andy Murray playing um who is one of my heroes. Um but then you’ve also forming Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Um which is it’s quite cool. I know he played in the last year but to to get to see even like your comedians like Michael McIntyre love him or hate him. He is a great entertainer. Um, but he’s Well, there you go. Um, point point proven right there. It’s just it’s too much. It’s too It’s too much now. He’s he’s But here I am on the tea and this is really exciting. And I’m going to run around and just his hair just like all over the place. But yeah, he uh he leans into leans into character quite a lot. But then you you’ve als you’ve also got your um you know your Gareth Bales and and people like that as well who are actually in incred Yeah. real celebrities who are actually very competent golfers as well. So you you get to see all these kind of celebrities and professionals kind of mix and up close on those on those days. Um which is which is great to see as well. And you can see the you know the the pros re uh kind of relax and be themselves and you can actually see their personalities a little bit rather than the kind of stern face like focused field the proam part of it has really elevated it the course is still the course let’s be honest yeah the course is still the course it’s not anything I played it a couple times it’s it is what it is um forgettable yeah I would say I I think out of the full. Yeah, I’d probably say 11 12 12 to par five where you have to kind of hit over over the big tall trees. That’s probably Yeah, it’s probably for you. It’s probably the most memorable hole. Uh aside from 18, that’s it. And even still, that’s a push. Maybe 17. But yeah, I know what you’re I know what you’re saying. But no, I like it. I think like we’re saying it’s it’s a great event to especially have you know 11 out of the the 12 12. Yeah. Uh there from the European team for the Ryder Cup is also pretty cool to see. Um just shows you the the level um that’s going to be there this week. Absolutely. Yeah. Should be fun. We’ll talk more about that next week. Before we go, time is marching away. So no time for bear lies today. I’m afraid we’ll finish up instead with Pod of Merit. Going back two weeks to the European Masters, Omega European Masters. I say that in the hope that Omega will send me a se Master being so kind as to mention them. Not holding my breath. No. Chroman Tana. Stunning. Always great. Every year we get two things as an absolute certainty. In January it’s Dubai. When someone compares a picture of Dubai 1980 with or 1990 with Dubai now it’s like look at the difference and with Cro Montana it’s like is there a more stunning setting on tour? Well the answer is no there’s not it’s beautiful. Get back to the bloody golf. So yes, Hex Lewis, you had gone with Matt Fitzpatrick, former winner there, of course, uh, a conserier specialist. And so it proved once again finished in fifth place. Timely probably punched his ticket for the RDER Cup off the back of that. James, you went with another my another RDER Cup hopeful not to be in the end. Marco Penge, you finished in the tie for eighth. And I don’t know why I bother to be honest. Miscaugh Mutin. That is your nickname. I mean MC. You can’t spell Min. Yeah, true, true. We should actually get the listeners to send their He’s struggling here. I went with Aaron Ry who again needed a big week to have any chance. Even then it was remote, but any chance of getting into Europe. And he flopped. Missed the cut. Yes. So, let me see. Lewis, two points for you. James, one point for you, zero points for me. Which means that at this still very early stage of this Potter season, Lewis, you’re on six points. James, you are on two. We both know, we all know what I’m actually nada zero. Tough, isn’t it? Uh-huh. There’s still time though. Like you say, there’s still time on. All you need is a couple winners. You pick the next pick the next two winners. Pick the next two winners and go. Easy. Oh jeez. I used to be good at this game. Then you guys joined the podcast and it’s all gone to [ __ ] So pick order for this week. BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Lewis James. And then I’m sorry in advance. Lewis, on you go. Who are you choosing? Well, I was saying to James that I thought I’d pick someone left field because I’m aware I keep picking favorites for events and James said, “No, no, don’t don’t do that. Don’t do that. Just pick who you think.” So, I’m going to pick John Ram for that reason. That’s an interesting one. Do you think John Ram? Yeah. Like, you need to drive the ball well around Wentworth like James talking about so many trees, treelined fairways as we always like to say. Oh, well, no, I’m still picking him like he’s he’s due he’s going to win at some point. He’s playing so good on Liv and that’s the point. hasn’t he’s been playing well but hasn’t won. Yeah. Well, as long as he makes the cut, then you’ll beat your bloss. So, playing the percentages. Yeah, the percentages. So, I’m quite happy with that. James, uh Tommy Fleetwood. Yeah, fair enough. First one on home soil. That would be for him, I gather. Hasn’t won in England before, has he? I mean, there’s not many events in England to begin with. No, no, that would be a good one for him. Something to good vibes, good juju. Yeah, you you would think so, wouldn’t you? And I think you can definitely tell by the way he’s played this year and the way he’s striking the golf ball there’s every every chance he’s going to produce that on you know I went with so yeah go on Tommy I’m looking at the list thanks for listening anyway I’m looking at the list going who do I dislike the most who you going to jinx who’s anyone from there pretty much I’m thinking you know who who deserves it who’s going to miss the god whoever you pick this week is going to be like, “This is Michael like me.” I’m just so sorry. I’m so sorry in advance, Ryan Fox. I knew you were going to choose it. Great record around there. True. And I genuinely I cannot express this enough. I feel really bad for this because I feel like I am now the Jinx. I love Ryan Fox. We all love We’ve all met him. He’s a solid guy. Such a good bloke. And he deserves better than to be picked by me for too heavy. Who do you not like then? Start choosing them. Oh, D. I’m actually looking for someone I don’t like. No, I like them all. All right. Even um No, even your No, we’re not going there. No, that’s a different podcast for a different time. Ryan Fox, I am genuinely so sorry in advance. You’re a top man. Love you to bits, but I need to get some points on the board. And if the universe is going to work in my favor, if ying and yang is a thing, if balance is even a thing, then you’ll probably win this week and I will get three points. And I am right back in there. But good luck, Ryan. Yeah, if not, I’m turning my phone off on Friday. So, there we have it. Oh dear. Oh, God almighty. What have I done? Anyway, poor guy. Can’t wait for that. Gentlemen, thank you for your time. Birthday. That was good. I enjoyed that. Yes. Birthday. Birthday. I will do that straight away as soon as I wrap this up. Thank you for your time, gents. As always, thank you. Thank you Callaway again for your ongoing support of the podcast. Doesn’t go unnoticed and is very much appreciated. And thank you to you for listening, watching however you consume. Appreciate it very much indeed. Getting very close to the RDER Cup. a reminder that we’ll be doing daily podcasts from Beth Page, probably with some rabid New Yorkers shouting obscenities in the background. So, they’ll be coming to you every single day from Beth Page. Get ready for that. And yeah, lots of content happening across the board. Keep across the bunker social channels. Keep on top of all the latest stories and talking points and our website obviously. Make sure you enter that competition to win the Under Armour goodies. And until next week, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, particularly Ryan Fox, it’s bye-bye for now.