Smylie Kaufman is joined by a James Nitties – a fellow former PGA and Korn Ferry Tour pro who has found success as a broadcaster after the conclusion of his playing career. James and Smylie discuss all of the Korn Ferry Tour graduates to the PGA Tour, and project which rookies will have the most success in the 2024 season.
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We got James nites joining the Smiley Show we’re just talking about how we’ve played together on the corn fairy tour back in the day it’s it’s been a minute I know both of our games are probably not as sharp as they used to be but before we get there into into the golf
Conversations we have to start with the Dallas Cowboys what what happened man oh please uh I didn’t think I was going to have to talk about this on this golf podcast uh cons look considering my wife’s a Packers fan she she’s born in Wisconsin and we went to a Packers bar
For the game and I was quite confident that we were going to come away with the dub and it was over pretty much after the first 10 minutes of the game so yeah thanks mate uh I haven’t uh haven’t heard that uh just enough yet in my life
About how the Cowboys just were terrible oh man I just picture you in that Dallas Cowboys star hat I mean you you wore that like that was your I mean I don’t know if you were sponsored by the Cowboys but it seemed like you wore that everywhere around yeah I just found a
Good hat that fit really well it’s uh and I was an adopted Texan at the time I’ve been in Dallas since 2009 so met Tony Romo at a bar and I was like he seems like a good guy played golf with him since and that was my reason to go
For the Cowboys I didn’t realize that they were universally hated and uh they weren’t going to ever sniff the second round of the playoffs for the last 13 years so yes I mean you’re so you’re from Melbourne Australia so what would be the equivalent to that for the Dallas
Cowboys in Australia so like if if I was going to be picking a a rugby team or a cricket team in Australia what what am I picking what’s what’s the team you’re recommending with the two rugby codes so the most popular is AFL um I would say Collingwood the
Magp mag pies that is an electric team name it’s a great name uh they’re probably the most you know universally liked and hated at the same time in Melbourne and then rugby league probably either the rabitos or the Sydney City roosters so I mean these are incredible
Names the magp pies and the Sydney City roosters yeah there’s some tenacious uh lineup of animals there really um everyone’s really obsessed with with birds and rabbits and and small creatures considering I’ve come from Australia and we have nearly everything that can kill you I don’t know why we
Don’t have something you know like the the great whites actually my favorite rugby team’s the sharks so there the Sharks and that’s uh where where they base out of is it Melbourne uh canala which is just a couple an hour north of Sydney an hour north of Sydney okay any
Reason why just just because you like sharks is that the that’s half the reason yeah I loved one of their players and then I loved sharks so it was pretty simple for me dud that’s awesome I mean is there is it pretty much rugby and then Cricket
Like which one would be the the favorite of an Australian like is it kind of back and forth or is it rugby the the the football if you will of America so it depends where you grew up so I was born in Melbourne Australia I grew up close
To closer to Sydney I moved to Sydney uh Newcastle when I was a young whipper snapper and um well I didn’t move my family moved me there but uh so it’s whatever you close to like the north northeastern states are more rugby league um the most popular is AFL
Australian football so they’re two separate kind of codes it’s you know too hard to get explain how the games work one’s more in the air and one’s more like traditional tackling and then you’ve got Rugby Union which is pretty much worldwide it’s like you’ve probably heard of the All Blacks um it’s like
That’s the World Cup was just on so there’s kind of three different codes AFL is probably the biggest in Australia uh League’s my rugby league’s my favorite but rugby unions followed worldwide uh and you have some of those bigger teams and then there’s a whole bunch of ruges in America in over in
Europe it’s actually catching on a little bit in America but it’s got a long way to go to catch up to NFL that’s for sure I mean I heard like three different codes I mean golf was always been pretty it’s it’s turned more complicated than it’s ever been it was
Pretty simple back in the day when we used to play now with multiple leagues that that we’re dealing with and then we have the the general ecosystem that we’re used to I mean we’re gon to be talking about a lot of that in this in this episode but before we get there you
And I both have made the transition to broadcasting mainly because we couldn’t get it into the hole fast enough but I mean it’s it really is a way to stay connected in the game for you how has that transition been look it’s I’m very fortunate to have that transition I
Think every professional golfer and professional in the world goes through that period of retirement or not making money like me or not good enough for others where you’re like what do I do for my life now all I’ve known how to play is a professional sport and it’s a
Daunting position so I was you know I was like I I don’t know how to lay brick or build a house or you know be a plumber or do anything to make a hens meat so for me it was I had an opportunity um I actually when I was
Still on the corn pre tour and had full status I got to stick around in Nova Scotia and after I’d miss cut of course and uh I did some TV work for Golf Channel just did on course and the producer was like Hey man you’re pretty
Good at this uh call me up when you you want to have a have a go it and for me it was I still was exempt I had aspirations of getting back to the PGA Tour all that sort of stuff and I was like chuckled it off but you know cut
Cut it about six seven years later and I started to realize that you know the game was going in a different direction and my game was going south that um I would try to take up the opportunity of having that chance and Golf Channel and corn free tour kind of reached out for
Me to do a test event um that was a couple years ago and it went pretty well you know they called me back to do a couple more and then a couple more events turned into I think it was my first year um which was two years ago
Was I did 13 events for PGA Tour live on ESPN plus and I did uh six events for the corn free tour so I went from being playing full-time and doing Monday qualifiers and mini tours and trying to get back to the tour to doing nearly 20
Events in one season and I was like hang on a second you know I might have something here I I didn’t miss one one cut and I got a check in my pocket every week so this is pretty good so yeah just kind of Blossom from there I did you
Know did a TV show called one shot away on CBS for for the Corf free tour and then uh podcasting like you for the corn free tour but you know so it’s uh there’s a lot of opportunity very lucky to have it now it’s a it’s pretty Cutthroat industry
You would know there’s like golf there’s so much talent in the broadcasting space so you’ve got to be on your toes you got to know your facts and you got to be I think especially in this day and you got to be a little different um and less
Kind of mundane yeah no it’s well said I mean you’re very fun to listen to if you listen to James most of you recognize the accent first and foremost I think that always brings an earr to anyone when they explain something different it just it has a different tone to it which
I always like but first off you’re fantastic at what you’ve been doing as well I enjoy listening to you but you you mentioned the corn fairy tour and that’s where most of this conversation is going to be centered around today which is the class that just came out
You were the analyst all last year so you were very familiar as anyone of all these players that just Advanced through and you know like anybody else in the TV business how important it is to kind of tell the story of of what’s kind of happening that week who what are you
Know who are the players that are competing for what and particularly in this year you would say that or really any year the corn fairy tour the storylines every week are just insane because if if when you win these guys lives change yes you said it perfectly and
It’s getting to the point the corn Fur tour now with the way as you said the climate in golf and all the tours around the world that I think the corn free tour is the second best tour outside of Liv um and the PGA Tour obviously but
Outside of Liv but as a feeder tour I think the corn free tour is got some of the greatest Talent that’s unknown um to a lot of people out there in the golfing community so I kind of set a you know I went out on my a very rickety small
Branch and I predicted that we would have four to five winners on the PGA tour this year from this this class of the Corn fery tour graduates now um you know I didn’t say it on this podcast but Grayson Murray he’s a corn Fury tour graduate this year he has played on the
PGA tour before but splitting time between two tours um it’s uh so that’s I claim that as a win that’s one under my belt so I’m getting closer but it’s just a testament to the Superstar that we have coming off the corn-free tour and no one knows about them if you were like
An avid Gambler you loved you you’re a golf nerd I’d be following the corn Frey tour you know every week because you don’t know what which one of these guys that could come out and be the next L VI or um anyone any any other guy that’s
Going to maybe be a superstar that’s no one no one has heard of and so without the T like put the talent aside then you like you said the these guys you’ve got guys that like Eric Cole who you know was a rookie of the year on the
PGA tour he barely had corn Frey tour status before he was 35 gets on lifechanging you know no one knew about him so he came from the corn Frey tour it’s like you you have th those stories of veterans that have just needed an opportunity to get onto the PGA Tour and
They’re going to do something special and then you’ve had you got the guys that spend six months on the corn free tour like coming out of college and they pierce and Coe he’s you know he’s already won three times and he’s barely played a season and a half on the corn
Free tour so it’s very big contrast then I’m sure we’ll talk about it but Hayden Springer he got through Q School yeah um this season to finally get his first time he’s getting a pga2 a card incredible story about how he lost his daughter three months ago um and now
Actually he’s playing well this week playing well this week yeah all so it’s uh yeah I’m sure we’ll we’ll touch on a fair few of those stories but you’re right it’s the spectrum of stories but also talent I hate to be that guy that’s like hey it’s uh Billy who’s working in
A pizza shop and he finally got his chance on the corn fur and then he’s going to go Miss 15 cuts and you never hear from again no there’s there’s a lot of really substance like field stories here but also a lot of talent off the
Corn tour and that’s why we brought you in I mean you’re the expert you you follow these guys all year and I’m gonna start right at the top Ben Cole’s a guy that’s been on the PGA tour twice and really this is the first year that
Uh the guy that was the number one player out of this tour they are fully exempt in to not only the PLAYERS Championship but also the US Open next year which is an a huge huge deal to be Exempted to both of those major championships and I’ll ask you this
James for Ben Cole’s a guy that won twice last year basically dominated from the start to finish made $692,000 his two times that he’s been on the PGA tour he’s finished 148th and 179th on the FedEx Cup why do you think it’ll be different this time around for Ben
Kohl’s he said it himself uh he’s just a changing attitude um you know he his statistics don’t jump off the page he’s one he’s on the shorter end of the scale of distance off the teer I think he averages around 295 yards which is it’s funny these days we say average is 295
And he’s he’s not inside the top 80 in driving distance but he’s just set it him self he look he won his first two events on the corn free tour as a professional so he’s a four-time winner but he talked about getting out to the PGA Tour and just not believing in
Himself and then if you go watch him play or what I’ve seen this season um especially when you’re in that position of number one on the points list and then you’re able to go back it up by winning like big events while you hold that position and especially the in the
Final event of the year the two championships he probably should have won you know Paul bjon came from a long way behind to win that tournament also got as you mentioned got him a PGA Tour cut had to top five actually but the way the way Cole’s like it’s it’s the last
Event of the year you’re knowing you can you you can lose that number one position last season Kyle Yuan who’s playing well this year he was number one all year and then justtin sck came and stole it in the last event to get that number one position so it’s very hard to
To to hold on to and the way he did it under pressure looked calm looked like he kind of knew that he was bigger than the corn Frey tour he’ll never say that but the way he played golf it was almost like okay you know I’m better than most
Of these guys I deserve to be back on the tour so very interesting to see you know how he kind of especially set settles himself this time round on the PGA tour um with this new mindset where he’s just trying to have a little bit more fun
Um not put so much pressure on himself and uh you know to tie B in it he actually you hear a lot of veterans that have bounced back and forward from the PGA Tour to the corn free tour and the same thing is said over and over I need
To put less pressure on myself I need to have more fun go back to hitting shots like it’s it’s almost moving away from that robotic game that everyone’s used to playing these days so yeah I think with his new mindset he could he could
Do some on the PGA tour not only is that perspective good for Ben Kohl’s but it’s it’s a good perspective for a broadcaster as well you know when I removed myself from the game I was like holy crap I need to have more fun at this oh 100% And and it’s actually it’s
It’s one kind of piece of advice that I give to players that I’ve learned as an ex-player doing broadcasting is you know what everyone struggles a lot of guys hit you know get bad breaks a lot of guys get bad bounces most guys hit it in
The same areas when they hit a bad shot so when you’re a player you feel like you’re the only one going through it you’re like well the world’s against me everyone else is making every putt how did that putt stay straight but then you watch a broadcast or you call one and
You’re like he’s not making this putt because everyone’s missed it here it’s all you know it’s just one of those things I wish I knew when I was a player that you know what everyone’s going through it it’s it’s it’s a tough game it it really is that was one of the
First things I realized was how miserable everybody looks at on the golf course and the guys that are playing the best are having the most fun but really hard to tell a guy that when their livelihood is on the line so um with that being said somebody that really has
Not really had a ton of struggle in his career from what I could tell uh Chan Kim he was next behind Ben Kohl’s on the points list finishing second and I did not realize that he had won eight times already as a professional mainly on the
Japan where he’s won the order of Merit over there but the thing that stuck out to me was he’s a guy that travels with a PC and plays Call of Duty all the time so I was like all right I’m a fan sign me up yeah and he’s uh actually by his
Peers on the corn free tour he’s one of the best uh Cod players okay there you go I I love Chan Kim uh if you have any time to go back and look at the footage or find it on YouTube of him he’d had a couple drinks after the T championships
Who and someone someone gave him a microphone and he started interviewing all the players that graduated to the PGA tour it’s some of the greatest content and it’s it’s what golf needs um I love I need to watch that I need to watch that oh you’ll love it he’s got
Swagger I like how he can send it and party a little bit that’s kind of fun you know that in this day and age no one has any fun off the golf course anymore except if it’s you know I don’t mean to be sidetracked but
Me and Shane Baker we talk about it on the cor like we’re looking at all the interests of all the players and everyone is exactly the same it’s like enjoy outdoors I like Dr Peppa let’s go fishing you know let’s go for a long walk and I’m like come on someone just
Throw something in but you’re right Chen Kim uh eight time winner on the JP Japanese tour he’s played Seven Majors um he’s 33 I think he’s been on four different tours he got to as high as 61 in the the official world golf rankings when they actually were done properly
And meant something um and to be honest I don’t think he played that well on the corn free tour I think I think the PGA Tour suits his game much better than the corn free tour does and he kind of said that halfway through the year he was
Struggling um you know and he came out and he’s like I need to play more aggressive I didn’t know the corn fre tour was like this I need to change the way I play and then bam rattles off two wins in very convincing like style um
But I I think he was one of the guys I was going to mention I didn’t know how many guys we’re going to talk about but he was one I was like this this is a guy you need to watch because yes he’s 33 but flights it beautifully hits it way
Up in the air good wedge player hits it a long way still and uh you know if he he putts well he’s usually around the lead so what is for a guy that you said he’s 33 is that right is that what I heard what would you put like a ceiling
On a guy like Chan Kim is he a a player that is good enough to contend in major championships is is he like this level of talent you’re kind of talking about this at his age I’m 32 I’m acting like I’m old but this is The Game’s so young
Now you know what I mean you’re right you’re right um I think because of his skill set his ceiling’s still pretty high it’s look it’s easy for me to sit here and be like hey I think he’s GNA go and do this stuff but just the quality
Of his game the quality of how he he’s won the Japanese you know the Japan golf tour uh predominantly difficult golf courses very tight Fir and fast greens long r rough um and and lengthy at times too and he just dominated that tour like he won the order of Merit three times I
Think and just wow didn’t realize scores he was winning with as one of then he shot something like 32 under par and this was after he I think he won Q cor to a q school here then flew straight and uh to Japan and then won two weeks
Later over there so his game travels so the the different you know corn free tour has a style of golf course about eight or n courses that are difficult play up to T standard but there’s a lot of you know pitch and putts short yardage golf courses soft greens so I
Think the tour suits his game I don’t know if he’s going to Rattle off a bunch of Majors but I would not be surprised if he gets comfortable um because he has played in seven majors and hasn’t fed too well yeah that um yeah he could definitely Flash in Majors but I think
He could sneak up and win a PGA event okay well I’m I’m looking forward to watching we did some features and stuff on him uh last week of the Sony Open as a guy that actually grew up he’s he’s from South Korea but actually grew up in
Honolulu so we were doing some features and stuff on Cham didn’t get a chance to watch him play but he I mean shoot got off to a very nice start here at the MX shot8 under 64 so like you said that’s more aggressive play um definitely going
To be looking out for Chan Kim now uh the the man who finished third behind Chan Kim I definitely want get your take on this guy because I’ve heard so many different things Alejandro toasty is that how you pronounce it first off Alejandro toasty yeah pretty good great
Got it got it right on shot 66 today at the MX I’ve heard nothing but positive reviews about his game the fact that I’m just if if you ask anybody about the corn fairy tour season last year it’s like yeah this guy’s really really good
But he’s also a little bit all over the place temper kind of out of control at times I mean it’s see the John ROM T Hatton of this class is that the best way to describe him tons of talent but also just a loose cannon yes 100% I
Think he’s he’s a great Hatton comp uh similar size but probably hits at 25 by haton um oh wow for a kid that he I think he’s 56 57 and he finished third in the driving distance on corn Fury tour oh wow so look I get that’s insane
Yeah shling stats on corn Frey and not as accurate as PGA Tour but man this guy moves it and a thing he he does well he won on one of the most difficult golf and his game so explosive now he is fiery I’ve never met the guy because a
Lot of the broadcasts that I’ve done aren’t on site um but I’ve heard some stories and you know he got disqualified from event for bad behavior so that doesn’t just happen like that’s a buildup of like strike one strike two strike two and half strike three right
Yeah it was look I I don’t know if he took out half a grandstand with his poter I look I’m I don’t know any stories but all all we were surprised because this he just shot this was a boy and he just shot 65 in the first round
And we see DQ next to his name and I’m like all right what rules infringement with this and it wasn’t a rules infringement so it was it was Unbecoming Behavior or something like that we didn’t get the full story um he all he’s very opinionated voices his opinion very
Fiery um and you know what I’m here for it I think golf needs more parody it needs more someone for you to like really be on I love this guy’s style or someone I’m like well he’s not my cup of tea so you know maybe I’ll go for the
Other guy so look he’s he’s he won he’s won on the PGA tour Latin America got onto the corn free tour and he just you know 20 months ago he was, 1400th in the world and then now he’s he’s 107 so yeah that’s not reflective of his talent yes
So it just shows how quickly his game is escalated in the right direction um but yeah a lot of tool good tools plays as I said plays well on all style of golf courses hits at a mile um and has that has that fiery kind of attitude which I
Kind of like I think we need it you know that’s kind of a different style of game of the top three from the regular season last year Ben Cole’s a guy that’s short just a guy that stands his game very well good putter Chan Kim a guy that’s
Won it uh on the Japan tour so many different times it seems like playing a bunch of majors and then you got another guy Alejandra tosy who is you know a very long player but has just kind of come into form and realizing how good he
Could be so what a mix of just the top three there I mean I think you could go down the list of the top 30 and say that yeah there’s probably um maybe some players that have some more talent but these three kind of they separate
Himself a little bit from from the other guys last year oh definitely and look at I I’ve always I always look at the top 30 and you know there’s 20 rookies that have never played on the PGA tour I know but you know there’s as I said I think
There’s five or six guys that I think can will win and it’s you know um you know we talked about graceon Murray but I think Chen Kim was one of those guys Ben koh’s I think look I I think his step and his advancing on the PGA tour I
Think he can be very consistent like get himself into the top 50 be that type of guy I don’t see him coming out and and and winning a couple times but then the other two guys like toasty I can I can see ruining a lot of people’s lunches um
And you know Chan Kim another guy that could miss a you know a couple cuts here and there but then just get so insanely hot that we’ll just post a score like his two his two wins he you know Boise he nearly nearly set the scoring record
He cooled off a little W there yeah considering Boise uh a guy played in so it was Co David Koka was you know only a couple groups in front of Chan Kim right so you’re thinking final day you’re a couple groups in front of the leader kok
Shot 59 and still didn’t win the tournament so just there you go there’s a little uh you know little taste that’s the story lines we’re talking about as a broadcaster you have to deal with you know these these guys lives are changing but then now you got to deal
With a guy that shoots 59 and then another guy who’s in the lead that ends up shooting what did Chan Kim shoot on Sunday to win he shot Seven under so yeah it’s just like wow don’t get me started on the corn look we had 359s this season alone last
Season alone and not one of those guys won the tournament so it just You’ got to goow that’s stat might show up at your Buffalo Wild Wings on trivia night so exactly so it’s if if that’s not entertaining enough to tune into the corn free tour I don’t know what is you
Know yeah I like birdies personally I don’t like Bogies um well we’re going to touch on a lot of other guys and I think this is probably the most intriguing maybe story of the entire class of 30s you got two two brothers that are fraternal twins Pearson Cy and Parker Cy
Both playing together at Texas and Pearson like you mentioned has won three times already on the corn fairy tour which is hard to believe there was a two seasons involved in that but um I’ve seen Pearson play and I’m very impressed with his game Solomon Colonial haven’t
Seen Parker G play yet but to you what sticks out the most about their games what do you like and also who you picking to win first on the PJ tour between the two it’s uh yeah if you asked me this question around about six months ago I
Said Peace and hands down but uh a quick side trivia do you know any of any other twins to have held a PGA Tour card uh that’ll be I believe it’s Allen and Curtis Strange oh wow I thought I would have stumped you there I do my homework
I do my homework oh good stuff good stuff yes uh Derek and Daryl fath played in uh pg2 events but both didn’t have full status and then actually um you got Jeremy Paul that just won corn corn free Tour event in the Bahamas I recognized
Him yeah his brother y Yanik Paul I was like I know this guy but like why do I know him I like Jeremy that I’m so glad you told me that because that was Bing the crap out of me I was like this this guy looks like yanic yeah and they
Actually did a a prank one day on the corn free tour where one of them switched out every so so often holes and and were trying to like put their Pro ire is in a position where they is this the same guy you know it worked perfectly oh that’s great that’s great
So it’s I don’t know the boom of the twins in professional golf you you know you got the Hoy guard brothers too so it’s there you go I don’t know what’s going on but it’s crazy stuff but look you said it Pearson Cy burst onto the
Scene uh he won PGA Tura University he was the you know he’s a guy that came out that he won his third event um like he said um is 13 three times in in 33 events on the corn fre tour so I would have just put him you know he nearly won
He he was right there in one of the final groups at the arold Palmer Invitational with a SP sponsors exemption so at that point I was like okay this guy’s built for the PGA Tour um he the only the only thing I would say about Pearson that I’ve noticed is
He gets anxious for some reason he gets a lot more tighter than Parker so uh you know meeting them talking to him Parker is a lot more chill um and Pearson’s more focused so and he talked about it he he went through some rist injuries actually both of them back at school uh
I know I’m getting a little Sidetrack again they’re in a relay race together and they’re so competitive they do everything together they bust through the finish line and ran into the barrier and both broke an arm in the exact same spot like part of their arm EXA same so
Um but yes uh Pearson he has a pedigree he’s shown it he won in Springfield last season on the corn fre tour Parker finished second yeah but Parker’s had to take a different approach uh you know Pearson burst onto the scene one early on the corn free tour Parker had to go
To PJ tour Canada yeah then he won out there still didn’t get guaranteed uh cornr TS status you know he got conditional status head into last season um through the middle of the year he he barely was into any events then he Monday qualifies into Kansas City
Finishes fifth off the back of the Monday qualifier and then just picked up steam you saw Pearson went excuse me Pearson went to the PGA Tour played like four or five events on sponsors exemptions and then Parker started just picking up steam and and playing well in
An events and then he he kind of got that confidence that where he’s like okay you know I’ve compet comp with my brother all these years I know I’m as good as him but now I’m kind of the one in form on the corn Frey tour then
Pearson came back and he’s like I need to focus a little bit back more on corn Frey T and then they both just finished the season off really strong so if you were to watch them play they both swing it barely similar they both hit it very
Similar but very short stocky guys that hit it a long way too but their ADV they like kind of secret weapon is it’s like they’ve been a veteran Pro for years the the way they act the the way their attitudes are um how competitive and focused they are they know to lean on
Each other for advice and you know they they compete but they know it’s like such a a great kind of advantage to be able to use each other travel with each other so yes they they were two guys you know I’ve got a list here of guys that I
Wanted to tell you that I think might have a chance of you know winning this year or keeping eye on guys and you you’ve hit pretty much all of them so far well I I was always thinking about the twins list as well you mentioned a
Couple of we had on this podcast we had David and Maxwell Ford North Carolina players that will eventually be on the corn fre tour they’re both like top 50 in the Amer world golf rankings but just thinking about twins it’s like okay there’s that and then the the also the
Personalities of Pearson um and Parker remind me when you were talking about how Pearson’s a little bit more more wound up Parker’s a little bit more chill laid back that reminds me of Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick Matthew’s like very like focused like um more by the book and everything I hear about
Alex he’s like chill laidback so there’s there’s kind of some some different uh different brother combos that maybe not are twins that are kind of relatable to these two so very fun to getting I’m looking forward to getting to know those kids better but uh definitely some great
Insight but I know the guy that has to be your favorite player on the corn fairy tour for this next year and it has to start with the mustache it’s chanler Phillips right ah my my favorite Tombstone chanler Phillips I love Chandler Phillips he’s
Uh this what a guy to come out he burst onto the scene he played in some you know pretty spectacular I think it was a was it a walker Cup team that he was on that was just insane um he actually he talks about a pretty funny story about how he he was
In Japan uh you know he’s a young country boy he loves hunting more than he does golfing he won’t admit that he always because he has to be media friendly he’ll he’ll always say that he likes golf just a little bit better but there’s no chance he’s the Sam Burns of
Like this class oh yes and look just so so in genuine and in ring and it’s almost talking to an old man that’s been you know in the world for 90 years when you listen to him talk he’s just he’s just very thoughtful thinks about his answers um so don’t let looks deceive
You the mustache obviously you know I’m a lover of a mustache and uh yeah he’s just uh he’s an explosive player he’s you look at his golf swing a lot of baseball tendencies said he played a little baseball when he was a kid but he’s he kind of you
Know so like yako Neeman like a little bit like that kind of low rotation through the ball um but very very good top to bottom uh he lights up a stat sheet hits it not not as far as you probably would like but not short by any
Means but he he almost he’s he’s another one of those players that kind of needs to get himself in contention and then he stays there like a tick he’s very good compor um so you know he can get a little bit sidetracked here and there
But and this is when I say that like it the corn free tour all these guys they’re on the range from sun up to sun down there there’s no when I say sight like he might you know lose interest a little bit we’re talking about it’s 1%
Of the time where he might think of how the Ducks are flying or you know how early he’s getting up in the morning so it’s uh yeah he’s definitely one of my favorite his favorite movie is Tombstone but but just an interesting cat very interesting like you look at him and you
Know he flies under the radar a little bit because he’s kind of you know short and quiet sticks to himself but man he lights up a he lights up a microphone he tells a story about how he was cuz he went to uh Texas A&M and um he’s on the
Range just shell and Bulls but didn’t have his golf clubs there and there was a there was a girl I think he was with Sam Bennett there and um you know it was getting late they probably spend hours on the Range practicing as you do in the
College days and you know one of the girls team was just there hitting balls and he just kind of grabbed her driver and he just sent one and he’s like wow man that’s pretty good right there and it’s just that’s s my poor attempt of southern accent but he did it again and
Again and then he’s like the next day he calls up the pingre and he’s like I need a driver with this shaft in it and it’s a stock stiff sharp that you could find at Dick Sporting Goods um you know not a telephone pole like firm Flex yeah and
He used it like unfortunately he’s not using it like man end corn tour he just stopped using it but I mean pretty much got his PGA Tour card because of that driver because he’s a lefty right no no he’s a righty but I don’t know why I was
Thinking he was a lefty yeah it’s uh it’s a great story just the fact that he he was using you know pretty much a regular Flex driver for a long time and and the pingre was like what are you talking about I don’t even know if we
Had these on the truck so it’s uh yeah he he’s uh he’s one to watch um I’d like to see him get comfortable out there because he did talk about how um you know he’s it’s it’s a new thing for him and so like it is for all the rookies
But I think when he gets comfortable um and kind of believes it’s his place that you’ll see him flash yeah talents there and me kind of Bree who to get his card um I think he finished in that top 10 let’s see I had him met right at number
10 so yeah that’s really kind of flying through that’s not a you’re not quite worried about it when you’re at 10 but when you’re around 30 that’s for things that get a little crazy um and I’m really actually interested in this next answer of yours because this is kind of
The you know if you were you know Mel Kyper or Todd McShay and you’re trying to figure out a draft board of you know who’s got the most Talent of this draft class and I think there are a bunch of potential options here and I’m curious which way you’re heading on which
Players the most talented in this class oh and look it’s it’s probably a tossup between two guys and when I when we talk about Talent it’s it’s the eye test it’s they get on the wrer Cup team um and people are like you’re nuts like who is
This guy I’ve never heard of him you know he’s been out of college 6 months but you said it before addc Adrian deont disasa the Bel big Belgium 62 attractive kid walks down the range as a rookie I’ve said this on another podcast but even the veterans that don’t they’re
Kind of turning around like who is this guy like he he has a presence and he hasn’t been as I said hasn’t been Pro for more than six months and um you know he played his first event as a professional on the corn Frey tour out of college
And won so I’m like okay well we’ll see you know like did he get lucky you know he was pretty good in PGA toour University didn’t win finished third there but you know obviously ludig won the PGA T University didn’t sniff the corn free tour because he’s the next
Prodigy but Adrian came out he wins his first event and then I’m you know I’m just casually sipping on a a a nice brew and I’m checking the leaderboard and who’s in the lead again in his second event event and who loses in a playoff
So he he should he should have won his first two events in a row so then he rattled off four more top 10 to tie the corn Frey to a record of top 10 consecutive top 10 in your debut so it’s um look I watched him on the Range and
It was a severe left to right Breeze I was sweating and I wasn’t even hitting a shot I’m like I couldn’t wouldn’t be able to keep this within a 50 yard radius with a driver and he was moving it both ways comfortably this was 15 minutes before he teed off in another
Event where he had a top 10 and I’m like okay this is I you know because I try to write write notes watch the way guys move watch them play some holes and this guy just had it all now he hasn’t played great since um and I was a little
Worried because I was been touting him for so long and then he comes out in his first event on at Sony and finishes down the bottom of the leaderboard but you know he’s playing pretty well this week got off to a good start he’s he’s 6 under after the first round so what
Another guy that’s kind of a l big 2.0 I think um and just kind of knows it has a very does interviews well very calm nature U never looks stressed but has the eye test has the presence um and then just the way he plays and fills up
The stat sheet he he really I really think he he’s a guy that could go to the next level and you you had two guys in mind so who who was the other one um Chris G uh do you know what’s so funny about this I I sat here and wrote
Down which rookie from this class would you say has the most Talent you want to know who I wrote down two names addc and Chris g yep those are the two names I wrote down yep I was like so you know I wrote some notes down and I’m like okay who’s
He going to want to talk about you know we can’t talk about all 30 oh even though I’d love to cuz everyone’s got a great story but what what are the guys but gup another one so yeah these were the two where I’d be like I’d be
Surprised if gup didn’t win he didn’t win on the corn free tour but another guy that I think suits the PGA Tour better hits it 330 on average with a baby F and it’s low I’m just like how does this ball that’s this low carry
This far I played with him in in Puerto and he was still maybe he still in college I think he was at Oklahoma just getting out and like I can’t keep it on the map and this dude is just absolutely bombing the ball and then his irons were
Great too and and if I was cading for him that week he would have won I really do think if he would have known what he was doing he would have won the golf tournament oh it’s he’s a great wedge player you know bit streaky with the
Putter but everyone is when you hit it that great um yeah the dri’s he’s accurate it’s something like 65% accuracy and hits these like bombs like you said it’s it’s it’s a it feels like it’s a steep angle of attack cuz they look like like little Fairway finder
Cuts they go miles I mean he was he was busting it by cam champ when he played with him I think it was a 3M open um and it’s he’s not an ego guy so he’s very like I try to get stuff out I did a couple interviews with him and I tried
To get him to admit he was better than most guys and he’s like no you know I’m just I’m just out here to do the best I can and but he didn’t win but he’s already had two top 10 on the PGA tour like I think Puerto Rico I’m not sure if
He should have won that week I I think he top 10 yeah so he finished seventh as an Amer I think yeah um and then he nearly won John Deere finished fourth there on a sponsor exemption so he’s made a ton of cuts on the PGA tour
Already um corn pre tour he was he plays well on all style of golf courses like he didn’t win but he he finished in the top three top five on easy and tough golf courses um but I feel like he could have if he put it all together like you
Said he could have won by three or four in certain events like so he’s been very you know was right there at the end of the year when there was pressure on him to make you know because he’s the guy that everyone is like dude why are you
Out here on the corn free tour you should be on the PGA tour so a little added pressure from the outside but in his interviews especially kind of gave up a lead at the um Simmons Bank open uh where he was right there tied for the
Lead with about three or four holes made a a very soft bogey coming down the stretch um but he was like you know what I’m confident where my game is I’m I’m confident I’m going to get my PG a tour card um I’m very you know so the fact
That you’re in contention and you’re leaving shots on the golf course it’s almost a good weapon to have because you know that that’s not your best stuff um so yeah he’s been my favorite for a long time I’ve spent a lot of time with
Him great guy um you know and I just I think the tour I’ve said this about a couple of these guys but I think the tour actually suits his game better than the corn fre tour yeah so um once again it’s just going to come down to if he
Gets comfortable and he starts hitting that driver as accurate and as long as he does and he dials in his wedge play makes a couple puts he’ll be right there yeah going to be a guy that probably G is close to Leading the tour in birdies
Or par par five in birdies as far as those percentages go and when I when I watch talent and kind of how I evaluate it you know like can I compare you to anybody else and for Chris God up from his just general talent I mean you can
Say you know the game comes Supernatural to him he doesn’t look like he’s having to think very hard it just everything just seems very easy and I think when when you can kind of look at that and say like is he kind of like Dustin but
He’s he’s kind of in his own category and when you have guys that are like just so totally different than what everybody else is doing it’s like that is that’s talent that’s raw talent a guy that James n’s if he’s the GM for the Dallas Cowboys he’s drafting that guy
You know what I mean oh yeah 100% And he’s yeah you’re trying to find a comir him on the PGA to I think it’s a hybrid between like you know cam champ and Dustin Johnson that’s I had to yeah so it’s but he you know he’s probably got
He hits it like cam champ but he hits it straighter and he’s got a better wedge game maybe similar to a little bit of Dustin but got to work on it yeah he’s exactly he’s it’s just you know it’s he’s a rookie again so it’s he’s played
PJ T events but this is a guy that’s been around for a long time and been great yeah I mean how about that though that you and I both writing those two names down is is pretty Epic the for 30 guys you know you could have gone a lot
Of different directions there and and you and I both were on the same page but I didn’t write anything down for this next question which is who is your sleeper for this class the player that maybe is a little bit under the radar that you think is got a little bit more
Potential than maybe he believes or maybe just kind of what meets your eye oh it’s uh this guy’s got so much potential and he unfortunately he’s a guy that I think will miss a bunch of cuts and then he’ll burst on the scene and and could be leading at a huge event
By four or five and you definitely have heard of him I’m sure he might have been no he’s a little bit after your era but Norman Jong um just and like your reaction right now you’re like yep yep yep I’ve heard of him so you know he was
He was he was John ran before was John run like the I think H Haskins Nicholas award Casey Martin at Oregon said that this guy is the closest comp I’ve ever seen the Tiger Woods in my life so you know it’s pretty huge when he had all this expectation coming
Out of college breaking every record he won a million times um signed a huge huge contract huge I remember everybody was talking about it and then he gets out there and there just is nothing like what in the world is going on and does nothing for a long time I mean nor like
They call him the panda is his nickname I’m sure you’ll be touting him but he was he’s only 25 but he still young he’s only had two years of status on the corn-free tour and it was no he has had three years sorry his first season on
The corn-free tour was straight out of college and I think he made five of 21 Cuts so then after that went disappeared like sponsors exemptions milked everything out of what everyone thought he was going to be and then comes in two 2018 Monday qualifies into
Witchar uh corn t y and and wins and not only wins but wins by sorry not 20 this was 2022 yeah not only wins but wins by five over peering Cy so but you Monday qualify and then you go on to win I think he shot 31 under or something something
Ridiculous and then um once again this season he’s been a little bit up and down but then has given himself opportunity but it was the way that he got it done at one of the most difficult golf courses on the corn-free tour in the playoffs at one of the
Most difficult style of weather conditions SL course conditions it was almost a US Open and what battling it was Scarlet Course in Ohio oh yeah okay yeah brutal I mean you know how tough that Golf Course is but it was cold it was firm fast it’s one of the longest
Courses on the corn fre tour longest rough guys were you know you you could barely see below their shins in the rough um players were complaining that it was too hard which I love it was a great broadcast so and then you got Chanley Phillips was playing well Norman
But Norman Jong came into the last round he’s right there wakes up with a neck injury thought he would possibly have to withdraw so took a bunch of painkillers he’s stretching he’s doing all hit seven golf balls before the final round goes out and plays one of the most Flawless
Rounds I’ve seen to comfortably win by four I think he shot 65 or 66 in the final round that’s stupid out there did it easy um comfortably winning and I just think he’s a sleeper not a guy you would bet on season round because I feel
Like he will miss a lot of cuts but the type of guy that you’d be he could just come out and be leading by six shots through two rounds and you’re like who’s where is this guy and everyone will be like oh yeah Norman Jong I remember him
But don’t realize that he’s just gone through the doldrums and the mck of you know engulfing terms of where he was when he came out of college and and now as a professional but look out for him as a sleeper um once again hits it so far but just is electric doesn’t phase
Him difficult golf like he was hitting shots from Fairway bunkers where I’m on the broadcast he’s making me look stupid because I’m like well you might want to hit this one out short of the green you know he’s a high lip there and he’s got
200 yards he’s hitting an a IR I know he hits it to six feet and makes 30 so just uh you know not fun for a broadcaster when you’re trying to cover a guy that has the talent of him because trying to make it relatable to the general public
That’s watching is very very difficult so uh but he’d be a fun guy to go watch play you know as far as his character goes he’s pretty quiet doesn’t do interviews we barely heard him talk all season that’s why the Chan Kim interview at the tour championships was amazing
Because he actually got him to talk I think he said like three words so but he’s a super nice guy everyone’s you know all his teammates you know he’s he just doesn’t do interviews I don’t know why he just got told not to to speak so
A little a sidebar you can you you to un for the year noted well the um the last kind of question I have of this all these categories I’ve kind of come up with is you know all the all the people that are listening or watching are you know have
A better idea of of kind of some of these players but for those that that maybe we didn’t mention or even the ones that we did um who would you be rooting for the most next year or this year excuse me we’re already playing golf that’s um there’s some fantastic stories
Um we just talked about Hayden spring and now he wasn’t a corn free till graduate but he he got through and received one of the five cards at final stage Q School um presented by corn Fury always meant to say that but um he’s a
Guy that I played mini tour you know at the end of my career I played a lot of mini tour golf with he lost his daughter to Tris 18 she was three years old she passed away three months ago um she you know just a tough tough to you know the
Doctors said that she wasn’t going to live past maybe 12 months so the fact that you know she she held on and and the family you know supported everything around him around Hayden’s golf Hayden having to deal deal with that look it’s it’s a deep story you know I’d suggest
Go read it on NBC sports did a great article but it also Al gets you know kind of put aside of how good of golf he’s been playing of late um he won two of his last three events on pga2 Canada to get number one on the points list
That got him into final stage Q School also got him his Corf free tour card so he was kind of free rolling at Q school but it came down to he was comfortably inside the number now back in the day there used to be 25 30 cards at Q school
When I got m card so now five the number switches so quickly that you can make a b double and you’re Wayside the number so he was three shots inside and hit it in the water on 17 the second last hole Julian Siri right like he was the one
That another shank on the final hole to cost him he going three toour a card but Hayden had to get up and down for bogy out out of the greenside bunker and then he had to he could bogey the last which was you you know after making a great
Bogey on 17 double that last easy you double 17 so he came down found the Green in two um awesome story for him to get through playing great this week off to a flyer I think he shot what he shoot 62 today at the first round of American
Yeah so great story there you know he’s hits it a mile hits it big guy he’s you look at him because he’s a gentle giant me and bacon were having this kind of argument I was like who do you think’s one of the biggest guys on corn Frey
Tour and he’s like you know Patrick Fishburn he’s a big guy uh and I’m like dude hay Hayden Springer is uh he’s like 64 220 230 so sets up to it like Rory doesn’t have the same swing as Rory but bombs it um talented guy uh it’d be good for him to
Get off to a good start in the season um kind of you know set it comfortable get comfortable um so watch out for him another cool story Tom Whitney gr graduate of the Air Force Academy you know served four years in the air force uh only there’s only been
Two guys to ever get a PGA Tour card out of the Air Force Academy it’s Tom Whitney and it’s uh last year uh who did it it was kle West mland kle West Mand was the first guy to do it and Tom Whitney was second guy to do it I know
Tom fantastic guy wife three kids veteran 35y old never played on the PGA tour what his job was at the Air Force Academy or in the Air Force when he was active service was he was a nuclear missile controller that’s a big button that’s a big Buton huge button so he’s
Spending I don’t know how many it was hours on end underground around these explosive devices that could do some serious damage and he was you know the pressure of am I going to get a call is something going to have to go down so um what a story there he’s another guy that
Can get hot he’s playing well this week too so um that’s a fun one so yeah there’s a there’s a couple there and last one like another guy that is Wonder to watch he’s one of my favorite guys Jake knp he um probably the biggest arms
On the corn free tour and will rival for the biggest on the PGA Tour he’s uh he was longest on the corn-free tour off the tea because of his wingspan yes huge and muscles not the tallest guy but hey he was a security guard at a restaurant called the country
Club that turned into a nightclub for later on festivities not only maybe about a year and a half ago he was doing that in the Summers to make a little cash on the side so anyone that can be a security guard and hits it that far
Number one on the tour and made 14 Cuts in a row set a record on the corn free tour so he’s consistent so look he watch out for him so that’s another cool story but you’re going to have to get to know all these guys because I’m sure they’re
Going to be flashing on uh the old NBC coverage uh a fair few times well you don’t have to convince me on Jake knap my my producer when we did the topical episode uh recently when we were trying to pick who is going to win Rookie of
The Year my pick was for Jake knap mainly due to his consistency I like a guy that that that makes a lot of cuts and then if he has a hot week or so then hey that’s about what you need to you know it’s kind of what Eric Cole did he
Didn’t win um on the PGA tour to to win that award so um it could be done without winning but I mean from what we saw at the beginning of this class and we’ve talked about Grayson Murray a little bit and this is kind of how we’ll
Close this section I mean Grayson Murray has already won on the PGA tour before but now being in this class uh I guess he won’t be eligible for rookie of the year because he’s not technically a rookie I didn’t think about that so who is going to win Rookie of the Year
That’s the question and I was gonna say we already know Grayson’s won but he’s already been on the tour so who you got I had Jake Gap I already picked it I can’t take there’s no takebackspace just let’s throw something in the fire and just let it burn like
Let’s just see if we can ruffle some feathers with toasty getting Rookie of the Year um another another guy that we didn’t talk about but Joe High Smith he’s another guy that’ll go under the radar that could sneakily be very very consistent on the PGA tour if injuries
You know he suffered from some injuries but yeah let’s let’s run with toasty uh you can run with your boy nap and uh yeah the the old uh revision of all these predictions will be pretty interesting at the end of the year because I’m like Oprah I could give all
These guys wins like you can have a win you can have a win exactly I’m the same way for me I just hope that we get four or five corn free till graduate or Q School wins so I can act like I was right on something I mean I’m an
Optimist like you I mean on the broadcast you just I mean you got to have a sense of Pride too you know when you cover these players and then you see them go on to win and and you know how much it changes their lives but also you
Cover them when you know they didn’t have all the money and and the the stars and all the media attention and being you know just so popular wherever they’re from so to you that’s got to be an enjoyment of the job too right look I love the corn free tour I spent the
Majority of my professional life on the corn free tour it’s it’s more homely out there everyone gets to know each other everyone hangs out it’s uh yeah everyone Roots each other on everyone wants people to play well um it’s not as much as a business as the PGA Tour is and so
Yeah it’s pretty close to my heart and and the fact that I get to know these guys throughout the season um you know it almost feels like you got friends going out and you just want to be proud and see them do well so you know these guys are probably like who’s nitties
Never heard of him never talked to him but uh little do they know that no we we really pride ourselves in in in knowing the stories and enjoying them when they come true for these guys and like you know uh one of the coolest things about the corn fairy tour is the
Truck I mean the truck is what everybody I mean people that are like wait what is the truck the truck is where everything goes down if you if you win a golf tournament you get to go and you you sign the great white which is the big
Cooler which just all of the alcohol in there for after a big win and then you get to sign the great white and that was like the coolest thing like being a I think it was 23 years old when I won and and uh those guys couldn’t have been
More nice and all they said was okay when whenever you leave us and you go to the PJ tour the only thing you have to do you have to sign uh the major championship flag that you win and send it back to us on the truck so there’s
That homey type of vibe and for not only just the officials but the players that have been there long enough buy into kind of it is just a it’s a big family that unfortunately they’re all competing for for jobs but it’s it is a great place to play uh professional golf oh
They 100% and look Alex B when is doing a great job with the tour she’s trying to to move it in in a way where it still feels like that she’s really passionate um also you mentioned like everyone everyone involved with corn-free tour from the media to the rules officials
They all they’ve all been there kind of for a long time and and then you go to the truck you said after winning you know you get to sign great w i i got to sign at once you get to have a couple beers but you know what if you come off
The course and you have a rough day the boys are always for like come on init we’ll you out just it’s like like the good parent everyone you know we talk about good parents or friends that are just there for you for a hug when you need it and uh they do
Everything for no one knows what goes on in the truck but what goes on is everything they do everything from from rules to scoring to food to you know the a lonely beer or even to fixing ropes everything goes on in the truck and uh yeah no they’re great in there they look
After everyone and then the truck tournament I played in that a couple times that’s also good fun I’m sure you played as well I’ve never played probably back in Australia or something but yeah I heard it’s it’s an epic time where many uh fun times are
Consumed yes yes and things are on the up on the corn fairy tour last last year um I have the stat they they were pay play playing for increased purses $28 Million last year and the year I mean that’s up from 37% from the year before
Which was at 2.35 million so now they’re playing for more money on a weekly basis and the finals they’re playing for $1.5 million purses love to see those continue to go up the ecosystems kind of changing but as you kind of look forward to 2024 and and kind of where the pures
Are at um you know where what are you most looking forward to with a 2024 SE besides the story lines just like the tour as a whole it’s look we they’ve added another event to the broadcast the the Club Car Championship in Savannah um I just look
I see a lot of the stuff that goes on behind the scenes and there’s just a a big push not only to to make the tour as good as it can be to make it better for the players but to to kind of not move
In a different way of the PGA Tour but but help these guys guys be the stars that they are like kind of put them on a little bit of a pedestal and not to say that they’re in a feeder tour or they haven’t made it yet so it’s it’s almost
Like looking after the players to where they feel like they’ve they’ve succeeded somewhat in professional golf being on the corn free tour so just I remember when there was times where it just wasn’t a fun place for me to play and it wasn’t because of how it was run it was
Just a grind and I think they’re trying to help the players out more in that retrospect that everything’s gotten better with you know everyone’s doing more to make it feel like a big tour for the players so I’m just excited to see look I’d love some rotational changes I
Would love you know different golf courses I I feel really feel like if you had some Championship golf courses it would shine through on the broadcast you would get a lot more eye eyeballs um but we’re trying we’re trying to make this something fun uh try to cre create a new
Avenue for younger viewers to come and watch something exciting um we you know me and M Shane bacon have a great time on the broadcast it’s uh you know it’s kind of fun jovial with also being you know descriptive about all these guys but yeah I’m just I’m looking forward to
To being a part of what I think is a tour that could really shine it’s going in the right direction so not only for the players but for the viewership on TV and uh just just for the shatter of like like we’ve had I could we could talk for
Hours about most of these guys how diverse the stories are and it’s just a it’s good to see that bloom from the corn free tour and uh yeah I just I just want it to get more uh you know more in the Limelight and a little bit more
Viewership and uh and Fun For All well you got me excited about these next this next wave of stars that are coming that I’m sure will come out of this 2024 corn fairy tour season and and James thank you for coming on we could have we could
Have done this probably for another hour I actually had an entire another section uh of things for us to talk about so you’re going to have to come back on to break all this other stuff down when it comes to the ecosystem of the game of
Golf that we’re just G to have to get into later but we I feel like touched for the most part you know a good chunk of the Corn fairy tour graduates this past year and I think I know at least I got a a ton of great nuggets uh that you
Gave us but I feel like I’m much more prepared to know who I’m going to watch when I’m out on the grounds watching these boys on the PJ tour and um and as always thank you sorry about your Cowboys and uh as always uh rooting for
You and and you’re doing a great job and and thank you for coming on we’re gonna have to do this again man anytime mate yeah sorry I can talk underwater with a mouthful of marbles with the best of them so I love it anything corn fre you
Know I’m in for any golf really and it’s AB blast yeah we’ll have to have you on again sometime and uh until then I’ll see you soon sounds good mate take it easy see buddy I’ve actually watched a couple of episodes of of y’all earlier and uh you
Guys have some good takes so thanks for uh thanks for what you guys do it’s cool to see what you guys are doing and uh I I know golf fans appreciate it but we we do too so please keep it up I think you’re doing a tremendous job and and
You know I listen to this podcast it’s really cool and
2 Comments
Big fan of James.. great interview.
Very interesting interview. I'm a golf nerd so I'll watch Korn Ferry also. I enjoy James on those calls. Thanks for another great podcast.