Jack Bushman and Ross Baran are back with another episode to discuss 29-year-old rookie Jake Knapp picking up his first PGA Tour victory at the Mexico Open, Sami Valimaki’s blunders down the stretch, when Tiger Woods will make his next start, the Charlie Woods drama, & the 144-player field for this week’s Cognizant Classic at PGA National.
W what’s up everyone welcome back to another episode of golf on tap today we’ll be discussing Jake nap’s win at the Mexico open outdoing outdoing excuse me Samy valami on the back nine the 29-year-old entered Sunday with a four-shot lead but it got hairy for him early on Sunday we’ll also be discussing
Anthony Kim’s comeback at Jetta this week for live golf we’ll also break down Taylor G’s interesting comments that he made here this afternoon some thoughts on uh the Charlie Woods drama surrounding his pre-qualifier for the cognizant classic and of course this week’s cognizant classic at PGA National
Got a lot of good stuff to be getting into everyone out there who’s tuning in first off thank you for all your support make sure to go and jump into the YouTube feed of this so you can interact with all of us throughout the episode let us know your thoughts on Jake knaps
Win uh Anthony Kim coming back maybe some players your target for this week’s cognizant classic make sure to go and do that we greatly appreciate you all interacting with us as always I’m Jack Bushman joined by Ross Baron Ross we got a lot to get into here today brother but
Before we do how you doing this afternoon busy week for us man I stayed busy at the clinic today but was excited to jump back on get back in our normal routine after yesterday’s episode with Mark get in our normal routine talk some more Golf and talk nap time yeah I’m
Very very very sad that I did not end up betting on Jake Napp and for anyone who’s watching this or listening to this right now if you tuned into last week’s show Jake knap was actually someone that Ross shouted out when we were scouting uh the players in the field and I was
Asking him which guys he felt like had a good chance this week Jake knap was someone who he brought up and when he did that my eyes got super wide because he actually was someone I was really targeting going into the week uh but I didn’t end up betting him for for
Whatever reason just throughout the course of the next couple of days I was running my models taking in a bunch of information and that sadly led me elsewhere and led me to not having any money in my betting accounts come Sunday afternoon I was very upset and to make
Matters worse Ross um before we even did the show last week it was actually before um before the Genesis had wrapped up I texted my buddies who I been on golf with every week in our group chat I texted them before the Genesis had even wrapped up I’m really interested in Jake
Knap next week and again for whatever reason didn’t end up pulling the trigger on him but yeah what an incredible performance out of Jake knap but uh it did get a little bit sketchy for him down the stretch on Sunday he was absolutely lights out Ross um from te to
Green Friday and Saturday and was making his putts I even saw some people posting on social media saying uh for those who have been wondering what it looks like for Scotty Sheffer to actually make putts take a look at what Jake knap is doing right now at Vidant varda he was
Incredible in the second and third rounds but didn’t have his aame on Sunday he bogied two of the first three holes to cut that four shot lead that he started the day with down to one shot in a hurry Sammy valami was on his heels but never could really get it going when
He had an opportunity to uh it also felt like me personally Jake knap got all of the breaks while Sammy valami didn’t get any but regardless how the job got done Jake knap the 29-year-old rookie pulls through for his first PGA Tour Victory Ross what were your thoughts on Jake nap
Nap time throughout the course of the event and uh how he came through on Sunday despite not having his best stuff so I think one of the most interesting things about did you did you see the final stat for him winning on Sunday how many Fairways he hit two in
Two he hit two Fairways in the in the final round to wrap this up and get his first PGA win but the funny thing is um he did an interview on Smiley Kaufman show a couple weeks back and one of Smiley’s questions he asked him is you
Know with your G with your game everything are you gonna go play in Mexico and he said yeah that he had it circled he looked at the previous winners and he thought his game matched up and smiley B basically told him just go down there and [ __ ] rip it because
You don’t have to hit a fairway you just have to bomb it and the difference is going to be when other guys are hitting a five and six iron in you’re going to be hitting an eight and nine yeah and that’s kind of the method that we’ve
Seen at Vidant in terms of the winners the last couple of years yeah previous to this it was John RAM and Tony fow the two best players in the field but what do they do they absolutely bombit off of the T in with these 40 yard wide Fairways plus very benign Fairway rough
Distance really is everything on this course and Jake knap certainly has a lot of distance the ball speed is remarkable uh and it feels like that’s even though he’s 29 years old that’s kind of like the new standard for guys emerging on the PGA tour you just see a lot of them
Hitting the ball further than it’s ever been hit and yeah Jake knap I believe he led the field in driving distance this week averaging 300 over 320 20 yards per Drive which is just incredible but yeah didn’t need to uh hit Fairways down the stretch she had the uh the Double miss
Going on he was missing left he was missing right but what was really sharp for him and what actually ended up winning him this tournament Ross was his short game uh the up and downs that he made while Samy valami wasn’t able to take advantage and make some birdies in
Those closing holes Jake knap really just needed to not lose any strokes and you know he kept missing greens and leaving himself little delicate pitches that you know really aren’t all that tough for the standard PGA Tour player but given the circumstances and everything involved in winning a golf
Tournament made it certainly a little bit more difficult but every time man he was nails with the short game and with the putter that’s really what won him this event yeah I I mean it it became it became clear um I I think one one I
Don’t know if you noticed but when they were coming down the back nine there there were times where you could see Samy looking at Jake and trying to figure out essentially what had what Jake had lined up for for his Putt and you could see Samy like the wheels turning in his
Head on I think I have to do something a little more drastic here because Jake has that yeah I was man I I really thought it was gonna be Sammy valak’s Day the way that Jake knap was hitting the ball from ta to Green but it it it
Felt like he was almost missing that Killer Instinct a little bit and to be fair he is also a PGA Tour rookie who doesn’t have a b load of experience I’m sure the emotions were running high for him in those moments as well but there
Was even that I I want to say he was on 16 where Jake knap had missed the green Sammy Val Sammy valami was on um and he could have elected to go first and put the pressure on Jake knap a little bit for his chip but instead he just let
Jake knap go first and nap put it to like four feet basically ensuring that he was going to make par and it felt like there was no opport like Sammy if he was look this is not a fair comparison but the Tiger Wood’s mindset that it feels like you need to win golf
Courses it felt like that kind of eluded him like he wasn’t the alpha he wasn’t the aggressor down the stretch and I I really think that’s what cost him because it was there for the taking the way that nap was playing but valami just couldn’t come through in the
Clutch yeah I’m actually really glad that brought that up because that was one of the examples where you know Big Big Time moments come from Big Time plays and big in a big time mentality and in that moment you had the complete reverse where you were expecting Sammy
Vaki is away on that hole even though Jake knap is off the green Samy vaki is away and naturally has the right to go first and Jake knp just walked up there like [ __ ] it I’m gonna go yeah and then and and Sammy vaki just kind of sat
There like oh oh okay I I guess and then he and then of course he hits the chip to like a foot and then you see all the life drained from Sammy vaki that I me I probably should have went first and put the pressure on him and and now and now
He’s gonna walk up he’s gonna tap this in he’s G he’s gonna essentially birdy this hole and I’m struggling here for maybe a par yeah and it it was a long birdie opportunity for valami that you know didn’t really have much of an opportunity to go in but if he puts that
To two or three feet all of a sudden you’re making Jake knap think a little bit more and even the NBC sports broadcasters and I forget exactly who it was that was down on the course following that final pairing for the Sunday round but they even said there
Was no conversation between valami and and Jake knap there um Jake knap just kind of took charge he was going first and look again I don’t know if Jake knap necessarily had the alpha mentality down the stretch with the way his game was but in what felt like it could have been
A crucial moment um Jake knap was the one who kind of instigated the dance if you will and I don’t think that’s surprising considering how the tournament wound uh finished out yeah no it definitely felt like one of those momentum swings where Samy really did have the opportunity there and Jake knap
Just kind of stepped in stepped up to the ball and hit it and slammed the door shut like any chance you had is gone now and what what also really surprised me about the ending of this tournament Ross was that no one else pressed Jake knap and Sammy valami and I understand again
That nap had a four shot lead over valami and then a seven shot lead over anybody else but nap was 19 under going into the final round and he won this tournament at 19 under and Mexico is Vidant is a getable course I know the Sunday pin locations are always the
Hardest but you know Chan Kim ended up shooting even he was one of those guys at 12 under to start the day uh Eric Van Ruan was at 11 under he only shot one under in the final round Henrik norlander was kind of there like no one
Really made that late charge to put extra pressure on both of those guys and that that kind of surprised me a little bit I I expected that Sunday was going to be a a two-horse race between nap and valami in that final pairing because I assumed like you said before we recorded
Based on how they had played up to that point I figured one of them was at least going to shoot minus two or minus three take advantage of the par fives and get out of Dodge with the victory but considering that all Jake NAB had to do
Was shoot even to end up winning this tournament that kind of caught me a little bit by surprise Ross yeah I I completely agreed I I think it this is one of one of those tournaments that it was kind of apparent you know Sammy went really low on on
Saturday Jake knap went low on Saturday they kind of separated themselves from the field and it the overall Vibe I was getting was you know this is going to be a two-horse race going into Sunday I don’t really just everyone kind of stayed put on Saturday no one really
Made a huge jump aside from the two of them where it really did feel like this was going to be one of the first tournaments of the Year where you could Circle the final pairing like the the winner is coming from there I I’m not I
Wouldn’t wasn’t G to be surprised to see someone come up and make some noise but it w it was going to be the final group Falling Back Down to Earth for someone to catch them but you essentially we knew the winner was coming from the final pair what was more perplexing
Overall was just like you said the fact that Jake nap shot even you know they they didn’t go they didn’t go low they didn’t they’re not both up you know 24 under whatever M making a run for it like they just kind of stayed put and no
And where ideally it would you thought if you had known that going into Sunday you would expect someone to make noise and come up and try and try but just no one took advantage of it no one was able to play that course the way and take
Advantage of the length and the fact that it’s basically a wide openen field just knock it the hell down there that even if it’s not in the Fairway you’re going to have a great look up up to the hole and just no one was able to take
Advantage of it everyone just kind of stayed put and even the leaders stayed put and I would probably attribute that to the strength of the field that was had this week considering probably one of the weakest that we’ll see on the PGA tour schedule this year um those guys
That were in contention not exactly top-of the- line PJ tour players so not guys that you could maybe pencil in to make a late Sunday charge but yeah surprised that one of them didn’t go low in in the slightest but yeah Jake Gap man an impressive Victory I know a lot
Of people are uh super excited for his future now I I am curious has your opinion of Jake knap changed at all after this week because um in on gambling social media on gambling X I was about to call it gambling Twitter gambling Twitter sounds so much better
By the way um I saw some people posting like oh I’m gonna go bet Jake knp to go and win the PGA Championship now or or stuff like that and yeah it’s incredible that he led the field from uh in terms of Strokes game approach and strokes
Gained off of the te do you feel any differently about Jake knap now that he’s actually won an event at all Ross I’m more confident in him BEC because you and I have kind of noticed you know the first several events obious he’s a rookie literally just got his card off corn
Faery we have a limited sample size but you and I have chatted about him in the past that his game is impressive his swing is beautiful that like that that thing if you are trying to fix your golf swing and find a standard watch Jake gap’s swing it it is just absolutely
Immaculate I think there’s more confidence now because he checked off that box I got there I won an event on T I’m a PGA winner I don’t know if that’s immediately going to translate going into these next huge tournaments I think we’re gonna see some consistency I think he’s GNA make noise
Being you know that middle middle upper tier of the board somewhere in that seven to 15 range I’m I’m not going to be surprised to see him consistently sit there and maybe later as we s make the swing into the late spring the early summer when we have some of those mid
Tier events again I wouldn’t be surprised to see him come up and NAB like one of those and maybe lock a win or two down at some of those lower tier events in terms of the big tier events maybe a top 10 at one of one of
The majors you know make make some noise I don’t think it’s all going to come full circle in this season I do really like the game and the ability that he has I just don’t know if it’s all there yet but I do think this is going to be a
Huge confidence boost in the game and he essentially knows he can compete yeah I kind of feel the same way about it I don’t know if he’s ready to contend for a major championship or anything about uh anything along those lines but that winds up being the case we’ll certainly
Be here for it we’re Big Jake naap fans and what I also love to see out of Jake knap you know I loved him before I was already on the bandwagon I love the flow that he’s got going on I love The Vibes that he brings and the mentality that he
Has I also love to see him celebrating after the win shotgun shotgun and some brewhas with the fine folks in attendance at Vidant vayarta following his victory I thought that was pretty hilarious and just showing uh the friendly and fun side of Jake knp well I mean I I love the hockey jersey
I mean you you and I are definitely hockey guys on the side too I love the fact that he’s sponsored by Anaheim Ducks the Ane ducks are one of his are one of his sponsors it’s one of those weird crazy things just like when you look at you know camon young every
Weekend you go out and there’s a huge major league baseball patch on a golf shirt it’s just another one of those funny crazy things that I just love that there’s another pro team that’s just invested in this guy because they they dig The Vibes just as much much as we do
So I am a Hu I am a huge nap time fan I think it’s going to be exciting moving into the summer to continue to watch him grow and he’s another one of the guys that you know kind of fits that Windom Clark mold from last year where come and you get an
Event really early and we’ll see where it Springs into the summer and when we move you know maybe competitive enough that if he keeps playing the way he’s playing may maybe he’s one of those people at the end of the year that’s in contention for a potential you know
President’s Cup pick I actually think that’s a a rather interesting comparison you make about uh wam Clark because funny enough I bet wam Clark last year at the Mexico open I figured he would be a great course fit I might have even used him as my oneand done last year
That I do with Joey ricot um but yeah ended up not winning that event but won a couple of weeks later of course at the Wells Fargo Championship so yeah who knows what could happen with Jake Napp and you mentioned the Anaheim Duck sponsorship that’s a little bit of a of
A double double whammy for me because for anyone who knows me I’m a really big hockey guy and uh loved that Jake knap was sponsored by the Ducks I was actually talking with my buddy about it a couple of weeks ago during the Waste Management Phoenix Open when they were
Showing some Jake naap highlights I was like you know that guy sponsored by the Anaheim Ducks and to make it even worse Ross Samy valam maki’s got a hockey connection as well is I believe it’s his cousin plays for the Arizona Coyotes you so valami and I’m like dude we got two
Hockey guys in contention I’m a big hockey guy myself and I don’t have money on either of them when I mentioned both of them on the show last week it was not gonna lie to you Ross it was a bit painful to watch that on Sunday knowing
I had interest in both of them but ended up with money on neither it really stunk hey you know we are a we are a team here so we can chalk it up that golf on tap officially has one outright on the season so there you go yeah there you go
We need we need him where we can get him right now because your boy is cold as ice the only other outright uh we have this year was from Joey he hit an outright on wendam Clark at Pebble Beach and that event didn’t even go into
Sunday so who knows if wiam Clark would yeah who would have actually known if he closed that thing out but hopefully I’ll be able to get back on track this week for the cognizant classic we’ll get there in just a moment folks but uh what
I wanted to talk for a moment about next Ross is the Anthony Kim comeback it’s real it’s actually happening we’ve heard Whispers of this over the last couple of weeks that he could possibly be uh the mystery man into the tournament at jeda this week we saw a promotional video
That Liv put out yesterday and yeah Anthony Kim making his comeback this week after a long Hiatus a guy who was a fan favorite at a young age when he burst on the PGA tour beat Sergio Garcia um at at the Rider cup um someone that a
Lot of people were thinking was going to have a very bright career ahead of him and then just kind of fell off the face of the Earth for like a decade there but now he’s officially back playing for live golf there’s that conflict um in terms of his the Clause that’s in his
Contract if he were ever come back to the PGA Tour live golf makes a lot of sense for him your thoughts on Anthony Kim coming back this week Ross I love Anthony Kim being back in the game because it’s been it’s literally been 12 years the only thing is I’m just not
Interested in how it’s kind of being set up they’re they’re playing at jeda they’re playing in another time zone this is going to be through the middle of the night it’s not really going to be broadcast most of our comeback everything that you and I specifically are going to follow because obviously
We’re going to follow it it we’re going to get it through like X and Facebook and news like that that oh Anthony Kim makes his return and shot one over in the first round of the LI of the live event whatever the this this the setup
Is just making it really hard for me to be excited about it we’re like I get it that they want to do it sooner than later and get and give him a trial I just think the event that they pick doesn’t L line up for if you want that
Exposure and you want that injection into your tour you know and I get it’s waiting another month but in a month they’re in [ __ ] Miami man like why the the market you’re attempting to get is the the United States right like that there there that is where the Anthony Kim Market is why
Not wait till that event where you know it’s in South Beach it’s on the courses there everyone will tune in to that event because it’s the return of AK this no we’re we’re going to do it in jeda and a lot of people are going to the
Dieh hard lit golfers guys are gonna watch on YouTube and watch on the CW at four o’clock in the morning to you know watch watch Anthony Kim probably post like somewhere I’m guessing between a 69 and 74 yeah it I’m certainly excited for Anthony Kim making his return but it’s
Not going to make me turn on the television like you said for amm or go on YouTube or wherever live is going to be streamed at that point in time um yeah it’s just not going to make me it’s not going to make me change my my
Schedule about it I’ll go and you know find out how he’s doing the following morning seeing stuff on social media and the post and all that but yeah I did think it was rather weird timing as well I’m pretty surprised they didn’t do it in Vegas a couple of weeks ago because
Could you imagine if Anthony Kim made his return in Las Vegas ahead of Super Bowl Sunday that that could have potentially stealing stolen a little bit of Thunder out of the Waste Management Phoenix Open for sure especially with the the weather stuff that was going on
There like that could have been a huge opportunity for Liv oh AB absolutely and there this is I I love Anthony Kim I am excited that Anthony Kim is making a return to the game we’re gonna get to see him play I just feel like that the ball has kind of
Been dropped in this return I think there was better events I I mean like like I said if you if you wait four weeks they’re they’re in Miami man the that makes so much more sense it just it just makes so much more sense especially for we know what target
Market you’re going for you’re trying to get the US market because live live is Big overseas I’m I’m not gonna discount that you know over overseas they have a following that that people pick up on that and pay attention they’re trying to draw more into the US market and
Especially a former Ridder cup hero for the US team it just seemed like that was such a better fit to make your announcement and build up to not that not like we said the we’re gonna I’m not gonna turn on jeda at three or four o’clock in the morning to watch an
Anthony Kim po post go anywhere from I don’t know maybe we’ll see a nice three under maybe we’ll see a couple over whatever it is he works out the Kings but uh it’s that’s not enough for me to wake up in the middle of the tonight
Sorry yeah no not at all if we get Anthony Kim In Contention or something maybe that’ll move the needle a little bit but um yeah we’ll see what happens with Anthony Kim and his return this week at Jetta that gets underway uh on Thursday um speaking of Liv golf Ross
Taylor gu was in the golf headlines today for making some kind of interesting comments and then continuing to double down on his Antics when it really felt like he he should have just kept his yapper shut you kind of want to take it over uh take over and discuss the The Saga
That was going on with Taylor gu today I know you were fully intertwined into that so I watched this from first thing this morning to when it broke and I just progressively watched Taylor gu dig himself deeper and deeper in a hole and just not back down and chirping at
Everyone trying to come back because he made he I mean I get it you you want to be outspoken because you’re not in the Masters and and but the comment of if Rory wins the Masters this year and completes the career Grand Slam that there has to be an asterisk on this
Because the best players are not all in the field yeah only to have the internet sloths go and basically prove him wrong in a matter of minutes for the fact that there are 12 active live golf players currently participating in the Masters which is actually almost a quarter of
Live golf’s members are in the event the only member not in the event that is in the world top 50 is Taylor gu so this is Taylor gu basically saying if Rory wins the Masters and completes the career Grand Slam it’s not because Liv golfers weren’t present it’s because I wasn’t
There and I didn’t get a chance yeah it sounds like these three wins last year that Taylor gu had on live golf is kind of to get into his head here I think Buddy forgets his only career PGA Tour Victory occurred at the RSM classic during the fall swing when uh if you’re
Actually one of the best players in the world you’re not playing during then so yeah I don’t really know what Taylor gc’s strategy was I’m uh I’m pretty sure his PR team wasn’t very happy with those Antics because it only ended up making himself look foolish and by debunking
Everything that he was said that he said which the internet always does he basically made it seem like he said if Rory maroy doesn’t win the Grand Slam because I’m not there it’s not going to count it’s like Taylor gu buddy who do you think you are and he only has
Himself to blame for not being in the Masters he didn’t make any of the attempts and we have this conversation time and time again going to live golf getting your bag I understand it but if you’re not going to play in DP or Asian tour events or find other opportunities
To get the qualifying points to get yourselves into those tournaments I’m I’m just not going to feel bad for you and Taylor gu uh I don’t really know what he expected to get out of this conversation did he like actually did he actually think people were going to side
Up with him and be like yeah that guy actually does have a point if Rory wins the Masters this year I don’t know if I’m going to take it seriously like what what are we talking about no it’s it’s absolutely asinine and it it just got
Worse and worse for him and like you said he only had the only person he can blame is himself because because the Masters is its own entity they make their own invites and one thing that they made very apparent with is that they didn’t want to fully discriminate
With live golf they they encouraged players you know I know you can’t get points B in owgr because of Liv but we but if you go and play alternate events AKA go play the Asian tour the DP World Tour when you can as long as you perform there
That is going to be on our radar and you can get you can get an extension and an invite to to our tournament there are multiple players on Liv tour that have not even won a Liv Tour event that are in the Masters because they went and
They played the Asian tour they played the DP World Tour they played several events they finished in the top 10 and they won a couple of them Taylor G attempted to play one event outside the live tour last season he finished tied for 46 I’m sorry Taylor you [ __ ] did
It to yourself case closed end of story better luck next year boom that’s the judge hitting the table with the gavl as I think we all probably feel the same way that this wasn’t the wisest decision by Taylor gu um live golf this weekend if you enjoy waking up at three o’clock
In the morning hats off to you hope it’s a good tournament hope it goes well for everybody um moving on from live golf though I feel next we only have to talk about this for a brief moment Ross but we’ve kind of discussed this uh behind the camera in
The last couple of days the Charlie Woods stuff with him attempting to uh pre-qualify for the 2024 cognizant classic it felt like it really got blown out of proportion and I even had people especially the coverage on Charlie the PGA torson and camer Cruz out there to go and film him walking
Into the tournament felt like a little bit much there and when when he ended up shooting that uh 12 overpar round I I even had non-golf fans like sliding into my DMs and like posting or or like sending that to me and being like this isn’t very good is it and that’s like
That’s the sad reaction that people are getting from this because they don’t realize it’s a 15-year-old playing a professional setup against other professionals but the way the PGA Tour pumps it out to everybody feels like everyone’s expecting Charlie Woods to already be capable of going and competing on the PGA tour it’s a
Reminder that it is a a sad world that we live in sometimes at least that’s the way I felt based on how they were treating Charlie in this event and the reactions following that round yeah honestly you know I was excited because it’s the Cub that and you love Charlie Woods he’s so
Entertaining when he’s with his dad and he’s and he’s in all AMS everything everything and just like celebrity tournaments this was just supposed to be for fun let him have a crack at it he he’s just trying we’re we’re just gonna make an attempt we’re gonna see and this
Turned into such a [ __ ] circus that by early morning prior to the round I was already scared for him like this is being blown up so so out of proportion he’s just trying to play golf and do his his own thing and then you know it it
Got worse and when you read through the reports that people are going over the ropes they’re going out onto the course because they want to be close to Charlie disregarding security everything he hits a ball off into the rough and into the bushes people are diving in the bushes
Trying to find the ball to pocket it because they want a souvenir it’s got people screaming at him because he won’t sign his dad’s book in the middle of the round when he’s on a t boox and it just turned it such a circus show where if
I’m tiger and like this might just be the dad in me if I’m tiger I’m with being the Ambassador for the PGA Tour I am I’d be contacting the PGA Tour and say never [ __ ] do that again yeah 100% 100% and look Charlie’s life is always going to be difficult because who
His dad is that part feel all the way feel all the ways you want to about it that sadly is just going to be a reality for the rest of his life people are going to be looking at him like he’s the next big thing or just always wanting to
Get a piece of him or get close to him or just have those interactions and whatnot but there is a a line that it feels like as human beings that moral line that still has to be respected and it felt like this went above and beyond that and I think you’re absolutely right
Tiger Woods with the Outreach and the respect that He commands and you know his legendary status it feels like at some point in time especially as Charlie continues to go through the ranks and hits that next level goes and plays college golf or whatever his next step
May be it it feels like it’s only going to get ramped up the like closer and closer he gets to potentially being a pro if that winds up being the case we certainly don’t know I’d love that to happen but golf’s a crazy game it it
Feels like it’s only going to be tougher and tougher for him and I do wonder if at some point in time like how Tiger’s going to go about this how even golf courses are going to handle this because it feels like it’s gonna be Insanity whenever Charlie Woods is playing big-
Time golf you know what I mean yeah I I absolutely think that you hit nail on the head that this is this is Charlie Charlie is the son of quite literally the goat Charlie’s trying to find his own way and what I think a lot of people don’t realize is Charlie is so
Young but expectations are so high that no one actually realizes there’s a very very probable and real chance that Charlie never even makes the PGA tour right and people don’t even consider the the game is so hard to be successful and make it this far there is a very realistic chance
That Charlie Woods never plays on the PGA tour at all and I I think it’s just we everyone needs to tone it the hell down bring it back he’s 15 this is a game he he loves and he likes to play but if this continues to happen when he goes to do
These things that he likes and he makes strides in his own game and makes his own attempts if he gets push to the edge and these things happen there’s a very good chance you’re going to ruin it for him before he even gets close he just
Says I’m done yeah and I think that’s yeah a realization that people need to have is the kid can’t even drive yet he’s 15 years old and the expectations are so outrageous and people fall out of love for a people fall out of love with golf for a lot of different reasons and
They you know have the game even like what Mark was telling us yesterday the guy who he witness shoot uh the best round that he’s ever seen at Whistling Straits quick plug he said you know that that guy was a division one golfer one of the better players on his team he
Just didn’t have it mentally he didn’t love the travel he didn’t love the grind and there are lots of different things that come with professional golf that maybe people don’t realize and um kind of leads to people struggling throughout that process as they’re trying to take
That next step who knows what all of this pressure and everything is going to do for Charlie Woods and his psyche because like it’s it’s just some tough shoes to walk in having your dad be tiger you’re also playing golf people are just going to assume you’re maybe
Not going to be as good but at least going to be a stud and who knows if that’s even going to be Thea case with Charlie we don’t know because again he’s only 15 years old and that doesn’t really tell you anything and we’ve seen some of the best Collegiate golfers
Struggle on the PGA tour Justina is someone who was in that conversation with Victor havin and Colin morawa coming out he’s struggle thus far Patrick Rogers was a stud at Stanford he’s still looking for his PGA Tour win golf is is not a linear path it’s not a
Linear path and just because you’re good now doesn’t mean anything you literally gave the perfect example that I was hoping you were gonna hit Patrick Rogers Patrick Rogers in college came up with that group of Justin of Justin Thomas Jordan spe the supposed to be the next level of PGA Tour
Superstar two of them came out and we can look you know 12 years later unbelievable careers Golf Hall of Famers based on what they’ve done Patrick Rogers still looking for his first win yeah it’s a crazy game man that’s how it be sometimes just because you’re good
Now does not guarantee you anything not even years in the future a couple weeks in the future man the turnaround and the spirals that happen in this game it’s just it’s part of it but I I mean but I guess you can also have to put the vice
Versa that good things can happen late AKA Jake n being 29 I’ve seen people go 20 29 you really think he can be a PGA Superstar um I would just like to point out VJ Singh didn’t win his first PGA event until after the age of 30 it’s
Certainly possible I’m not gonna go and call Jake Naf a potential super Superstar just yet but I will say his game is rather impressive he’s got the goods not only did he win Mexico but he also contended earlier on in the season at Tory Pines and played well at some of
The big boy events so yeah gonna be interesting to see what happens for him gonna be interesting to see what happens these next couple of years with Charlie Woods certainly as he begins to creep into those upper teenage years uh I’m sure the pressure is going to be a lot
On him and how he handles it is is going to be rather interesting but speaking of the Woods Family Ross just for a Qui quick second here before we get into the cognizant classic we thought maybe this could have been a spot for Tiger Woods or um maybe he’s just going to wait
Until the players it’s not even confirmed that he’s going to be there yet when do you expect to see big cat back on the course I think we’re gonna see the players I I I I just have a feeling I it’s too widely spread and talked about there are too many golf
Personalities out there that constantly mention this that I I feel like it’s almost a setback for him if he doesn’t go at this point and I think that would be an indicator as well that the flu wasn’t what actually forced him to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational if he is
Able to play at the Players I think that’s a pretty good sign that his body’s feeling good he’s physically able to withstand and shoot we don’t even know if he’s able to withstand 72 holes because we didn’t get to see it at Riviera but definitely would be a
Positive sign and I think if he wants to go play the Masters he he absolutely has to play at the Players or at least one time before the first major of the year because I don’t know how he could expect anything good to happen yeah tiger always makes the cut at Augusta that
That happens but we know Tiger’s mind he’s not just trying to make the cut at Augusta even if it does seem wild he still has that belief himself and that’s what makes him uh the great of all greats but it does feel like the players if it’s not going to be at API
Which doesn’t seem like a good fit for him it’s not this week as we know it feels like it has to be the players before the Masters yeah and just the way it’s setting up and the way you know I the way he set up how he wants to do his
Year I get it the I I want to ease myself back I which is already one thing for him to admit like I’m not GNA just fully jump back in because I’m gonna hurt myself I know I’m gonna hurt myself it’s going to be too much I’m gonna play
Several events over the course of the Year strategically pick them you know in like he said one a month so realistically we’re looking eight maybe he’ll squeeze a ninth event in there we already we already lost Genesis because because of illness it just feels like overall this is going to be a huge
Setback for this comeback if he does not go play Saw Grass yeah I completely agree hopefully we’ll be seeing tiger at TPC Saw Grass here in just a couple of weeks hopefully I’ll hit a big bet and maybe I’ll just go book a flight and buy
Some tickets to TPC Saw Grass if I hit an outright winner this week Ross and I desperately need it brother because seriously since I’ve kind of been in this game if you will for the last three years or so last year was really when I started going uh every week and had that
Belief in myself that I could come out on top this is the coldest stretch that I’ve ever been in man I didn’t hit anything during the FedEx Cup fall which was really good for me the year prior and I’m still uh without a win here in
2024 so hopefully we can get one this week at PGA National the cognizant classic formerly known as the Honda Classic I really just want to call it the Honda Classic but before we get into the the field and the rundown on PGA National and some players we may like this week
Ross I I think just Honda not being the typ sponsor of this event any longer after being the pre uh the longest running sponsor on the PGA tour for 402 years Honda’s not even with the PGA Tour anymore as I wrote In My article breaking down this event I think that’s
A pretty strong indication of how things are going for old J Monahan and company right now Ross well I mean I don’t know if you’ve noticed but it gets even funnier than that did you see if you Google cognizant classic the only thing that pops up all
Over all over is it’s still the the Honda Classic logo that yeah we all we all we all know what this is We’re not gonna call it that other name even though they’re not paying for it anymore yeah I feel like I almost gota like
Force it out of my mouth calling it the cognizant because Honda obviously an icon iconic business partner with the PGA Tour but also Ross this is one of my favorite events and I really do like the Florida swing I think they’re all difficult golf courses they require you
To be good from te to Green there’s a lot of water a lot of ways to make big numbers and and that type of Carnage is what I like watching I don’t like watching these guys go and racking up seven unders after eight unders and the
Winning scor is at minus 25 yeah that’s awesome that the PGA tour players can dominate courses like that but I like to see a true test of golf and you get that here at PGA National man one of the hardest non- major venues on the PGA tour it’s been the most difficult non-
Major course in six of the past 10 years the winning score has eclipsed 10 under in just five of the past 13 there’s water everywhere it comes into play on 15 holes you got tight Fairways penal Fairway and greenside bunkers of course there’s the iconic bear trap holes 15
Through 17 one of the most grueling three hole stretches on the PGA tour and numbers six seven through eight is also another brutal stretch for these players so Ross this is these are the types of golf tournaments that I really like watching even though it is a little bit
Of a a lackluster field this week which isn’t surprising because we have two designated events coming up in the API and the players but but I personally love this event I’m really excited for it and I just enjoy the Florida swing in general do you feel the same
Way oh when when they set the season up to go off to the West Coast and Bounce Around by the time when they make this swing you’ve been especially for golf fans like us that you have to adjust your schedules to they’re on the west coast it’s all
Happening ending later when they make this swing over here and it falls right in your prime time slot oh baby let’s go to me it it listen the Genesis is awesome Waste Management Phoenix Open awesome Tory Pine’s awesome now that football’s over this feels like when golf season really
Starts to me and feels like this is when yeah everyone’s trying to go and win those events early on in the year I’m not saying that but it feels like this is really when guys are starting to try and find that Peak form leading into Augusta National which is also starting
To creep up to us Ross we I mean we we can’t mention too much about that because I’ll get too excited and we’ll go on a rant for for another 30 minutes or so that because that that’s the one my C my calendar for
Work is blocked off um I will not be in the office those two days I will not even be working from home those two days I I took those days off you will you will not reach me you will find me I will be back the Monday after but
Thursday through Sunday I have dedicated to my couch and austa and that is it you are the man for that Master’s Master’s week is one of my favorite if not the favorite week of the entire year and it’s funny it takes me back to my college days Ross we had this thing in
My fraternity back at College where whenever the Masters was on we were drinking um oh my gosh the drink is eluding me right now holy cow wow this is rather sad it’s gonna come to me but there was a drink that we’d always make and watch it watch it
All together in the living room I can’t believe I’m forgetting the name of this right now that’s how you know you’re getting old been out of college for far too long but it’s just got that Nostalgia it’s got that buzz I won’t get too far into it because uh I know it’s
Still a few weeks away but certainly looking forward to that that but yeah this feels like the the real start of the PGA Tour season when guys are really trying to get their game in the right place but this week Ross we got a couple
Of the top end guys um at PGA National Rory maroy of course is the one that’s going to grab the headlines the former winner of this tournament it feels like it’s him Matthew Fitzpatrick Tom Kim and then kind of a just a group of past champions like Keith Mitchell Ricky Fowler sep
Straa uh Russell Henley is also here it’s still an intriguing type of field and we were even talking yesterday Ross like you were looking at this middle range of like maybe guys who are 40 to 60 to one and I know you’re not a big betting guy whatsoever but there’s a lot
Of intrigue in that range and I’m just curious um at the top and out of those guys in that range were there any in particular that stood out to you and I gotta ask because you’re riding the Jake naap heater even though you didn’t bet
On him a great shout out last week who are you liking this week as we kind of creep into the tournament so I’ve looked at this I actually came up with a handful of names okay okay and I have a handful of names I’m gonna read off and here’s the
Thing I’m throwing Rory I’m throwing Matt Fitzpatrick I’m throwing all those guys out I don’t think it’s happening this week I I think we’re gonna ride that train of the new Young wave coming in the tour and another one of these guys is going to come up and get that
Win okay who you liking speak that truth first of all came very came very close in the past I think this is gonna be finally potentially we get a breakthrough from Eric Cole I love it I love it and listen I already bet Eric Cole so I can’t make
The same mistake as as last week and not bet him I actually called on social media a couple weeks ago I’ve been feeling this for a long time this is Eric Cole’s event not just because he came so close last year and lost out to Chris Kirk but this just feels like a
Really good course for his game I’ve always thought when he is going to win it’s going to be on one of the more difficult courses and not one of the birdie Fest because his te to Green game is so good and he can Putt and also he
Grew up just 10 miles away from PGA National he’s very comfortable on Florida golf course is very comfortable on this course so it seems I really like that call out of Eric of Eric Cole this week Ross who else you liking brother we drop a little further on the list this
Is going to be one of my outliers we not a new player but a big new win plays this course really well you and I have t talked about it off camera I like Daniel burger here with with the bounce back after almost two years away
From the game I think this is a very good week for him to to get up there and compete and have his name back at the top of the leaderboard where he’s used to being I think this could be one of those tournaments that rejuvenates this
Comeback okay that’s one of my boys as well the guy who actually got me into golf gambling because the first golf bet I ever made it was when golf came back from covid I placed a $25 wager on Daniel burger at 40 to1 he ends up winning the Charles Schwab challenge I
Take a thousand dollar and end up going to Las Vegas and you mentioned it plays really good at PGA National another Florida guy ball striking numbers were good out on the west coast the chipping and putting kind of alluded him but he’s back on Bermuda those are the green
Surfaces that he’s most comfortable on I like that play as well Ross after that we’re going to move a little further down the list we’re going to jump down to a 60 to one I don’t know why I’ve watched him play recently for some reason I’m getting Vibes out of it
I like someone from the middle of the pack like d Doug gim coming up okay the Buffalo Grove Illinois native not too far from my neck of the woods and he actually played really well at the Players Championship ship last year was in contention at the Waste Management
Phoenix Open before kind of a ho hum Sunday I’ve saw or I saw a lot of people really interested in Doug gim last week at Mexico listen he’s kind of got the same odds that he did last week I I kind of like Doug gim in this
Spot I don’t know if he’s actually going to win but I I certainly could see him being in contention I like that call as well no no lie I like all these calls so far not just saying that and then I I have I have two La I have two last ones
One bouncing back from an injury again has been putting it together getting in on a lot of exemptions be off of his injury but making the best out of what he’s been given I’m getting more and more impressed every tournament that MAV McNeely plays that’s funny you say that
I bet him last week in Mexico really did Parton my language didly [ __ ] until the final round when uh he finally was able to make some putts I I kind of feel like and I actually funny enough mentioned this to my group chat today I bet on
Maverick mcney I bet on Austin e root two guys who didn’t play very all that didn’t play all that good in Mexico until those final rounds I kind of like their Style again on this course I don’t know if I’m gonna a bet on either of them but Maverick
Mcney man I I had seen enough at the Waste Management Phoenix Open to take a chance on him in Mexico it didn’t work out but maybe could be riding that momentum from a six under Sunday I want to say so I do like that call as well
Maverick mcney perked my ears going into this week you got one more I got one more and I mean this one’s not a surprise he’s taken the last several weeks off enjoyed his time refreshed his game but once again because we are fans and he basically finishes in it seems
Like the top 10 to every event he plays to begin his PGA Tour career along with a win um let’s bring back matu pavon yeah matw pavon getting a little disrespected in the odds I I or at least when he opened this week um you could
Still get him at 50 to one out there 55 to one maybe depending on where you’re looking those are some pretty solid numbers for I I’m I’m looking right right now we we have at 50 to one yeah I’m looking as well I do like that call
Matchu pavon so big now he can skip out on Tigers event what a crazy world for matchup pavon but playing really really good golf ever since last September has just carried over that fire that he found there onto the PGA Tour during his rookie season it’s crazy
The amount of rookies that we’re getting like playing some Elite level golf right now while a lot of the big guns just aren’t at their best to kick off the new season it has been rather intriguing but as far as the guys that I’m interested in this week Ross I’ve only made two
Bets so far I was 100% Going to bet Eric Cole whatever the number was at when he opened because I knew people were going to get get on him and that number was going to get smashed down I bet him at 33 to one I also bet former Champion
Here Russell Henley at 28 to one someone who plays really well on these shorter courses that have a lot of par fors really good total driving stats hits the Fairway a lot but hits it far enough that I think will benefit him on these courses feels like it always comes down
To the putter for Russell Henley and throughout his career on this track he’s gained Strokes in five of his nine career starts and has a lot of high-end finishes in addition to that win so those were the two guys that I bet but a lot of uh a lot of intrigue like you
Said in that middle range JT Poston is just I just have a soft spot for JT Poston and I’ve been feeling like the wind’s been coming a long long time for that guys so a 33 to one is kind of interesting to me uh I’m not going to
Bet this number but Matthew Fitzpatrick opened this tournament at 30 to1 because he just simply has not been playing good golf recently but make no mistake about it outside of Rory maroy Matthew Fitzpatrick is the best player in this field and that seems like a really good
Number on him I don’t think I’m going to get there but I did think that was a little intriguing uh Shane Lowry is another guy who’s played really well not only on this course but uh during the floor to swing Ross before I talk about
More guys I don’t know if you remember a couple years ago Shane Lowry should have taken this thing down Daniel Berger opens Sunday with a six shot lead he ends up gagging that away Shane Lowry has the lead down the stretch sep straa goes and ends up taking it from him and
Finishes out and then Shane Lowry while he’s playing the last two holes on this course the last being the par five 18th he still has a chance to go and make birdie to tie the lead and force a playoff it just absolutely starts downpouring out there I don’t know if
You remember that by chance but poor Shane Lowry uh just got caught in the rain and I felt like it ended up costing him a victory there but I think his odds are good this week do you remember that though I do and I don’t know if you
Notice your boy if you’re gonna if you’re gonna sprinkle something I’d sprinkle soon because he’s dropping quick JT posting is now down to 3 to1 yeah I know uh I was saying that that’s the 30 that I’ve seen as well DraftKings is offering a plus 300 boost and if um I
I probably want that 33 to one on JT posting if I was going to bet him but I appreciate the call out um some other guys that have caught my attention I like I said I’ve only made two bets so far but Luke list 50 to one I don’t know
If he’s going to be able to putt like he did for those first three and a half rounds at Genesis that’s always the question with him but we know the dude can absolutely strike the hell out of the ball so he was interesting to me
Um one guy that I did think was rather intriguing and be honest with me Ross do you like his chances this week do you not like his chances this week Christian bazen hoot has been playing really well with his irons and the guy can absolutely roll the rock do you like
Christian Baden hoot call or no not feeling it for his number yes okay I can live with that fall falling in the 55 I’m I’m looking at 55 to one right now I mean he’s he’s matching he’s matching guys like yes the field last week wasn’t
Wasn’t as top tier as we’d expect but bayen who’s going off at 55 won Jake nap last week’s winner is going off at 60 yeah so I don’t know if I’m going to get there yet just curious as to your thoughts um one guy I do want to shout out here
Though real quick because we talked about his number last week he played salad in Mexico he’s basically at the same number again and I could probably find him bigger I don’t know if this is a good course for him but they’re throwing out onet on Robert McIntyre
Once again man and he’s been striping the hell out of the ball he just can’t putt but that feels like a good number that’s a good number and if you’re intrigued by that right back um right back up there in a more intense field they got thunderbear down up up
There again at a 60 to1 two yeah I saw that as well I don’t know if I’m going to get on thunderbear exactly I’ve actually never bet on him in my life and I don’t know if it’s going to start this week I feel like I’d want to see a
Little bit more from him on the PGA tour but the way these DP tour guys are doing so far this year maybe that’s a mistake maybe I should try to get on him early but speaking of that Ross the last guy who has caught my Intrigue maybe the
Furthest down the board um I don’t know if you’re looking at DraftKings or wherever but there’s an 150 out there on FanDuel for Samy valami and I just thought that number was crazy and I’m not comparing these two guys but back in the fall before you joined on tap Ross I
Hit Lucas when Lucas Glover won at the Windom he opened up going into the FedEx St Jude the first playoff event after the win he opened up at 125 to one and I ended up hitting that number for a win Sammy valami opening at 15 listen I get
It last week was Mexico this is PGA National a much more difficult course a much stronger field even if it is a little bit lackluster I still feel like 150 to one’s a good number on the guy yeah I I I I found it disrespectful
Because I mean we you PO he posted a solo second literally three days ago yeah the G the game looked good he imploded he imploded down the stretch overall the game the game looked good and I think he got a lot of confidence out of what happened last week I
Certainly agree and maybe we we won’t see it right here right now and you usually don’t but those types of experiences usually wind up benefiting players later on down the road so I feel like maybe it won’t be this week I’ll probably still end up betting Sammy Val but I feel like there
Will be a time this year where he’ll be a little bit more comfortable on those situations based on what we saw Sunday that’s the way I feel about it at least absolutely and I know we’re approaching an hour and we probably need to wrap it
Up for our fans but I wanted to end this episode with something fun and that is on the count of three we’re both gonna shout out who is someone absolutely we do not trust to touch with a 10 foot pole this week okay hold on let me let me scroll through
This field list real quick okay I have a feel I have a I I have a feeling we both might shout the same person and if we do that’s gonna be the funniest thing ever all right hit the countdown one two three camon young
Watch him go and win just to rub it in our face but no I I just can’t I just can’t back cam young at 22 to1 man and I’m not even someone who like bets cam young a ton I have been guilty of it
But at at 20 22 to one odds if he goes and wins this thing that’s one of those that I can live with man but I I just don’t trust him for four rounds I love his game he hits the ball along way we know he can get H with the putter the
Approaches can be really good as well we’ve seen it in major championships I just don’t trust him playing four rounds on this golf course right now with all the water and all the penalty um and it feels like even when he’s in contention the putter kind of gets lost
On Sunday when it matters most so I I’m yeah I’m out on cam young yeah I think Camy young is probably one of the people on the tour that is this close to being a superstar at some point but he just cannot put it all together I mean just
Technically you could say he was a Ridder cup snub because he was in he was in the top 10 yeah they ended up putting Captain’s picks ahead of him because he just wasn’t consistent enough so you could say he’s right there on the verge of being one of those guys the the the
Game is not consistent enough there’s not wins that that he really needs to go out and I’m not even saying win one I need cam young to go out win multiple events for me to truly turn a corner on him and put and solidify him up there in
In on the tour yeah and it’s a really big season for Cameron young after people were super high on him going into last season and no other way to put it it it was pretty disappointing for him that he wasn’t able to capture that first
Victory so will he be able to get that done this year or is the pressure going to get on him that’s going to be something we’re going to see throughout the rest of the season and Ross you got anything else you wanted to uh bring up cognizant related or not before we kind
Of wrap things up here my man not really I’m interested to have us monitor the internet and see I don’t know maybe Hideki takes a bag maybe he sticks around I forgot about that we definitely should have talked a little bit more about that but yes Hadi Matsuyama uh from multiple sources and
One of them being Greg Norman himself has said they are going after haki Matsuyama right now and dude if I were hadaki I’d do it wh why would he not do it at this point in time just won the Genesis opportunity to capitalize on that you know it’s going to be an
Absolute bag because He commands all of Japan he’s a superstar over there why would Hideki not go I’d 100% go if I was Hideki 100 per. yeah I mean I I don’t I think it’s a no a no-brainer for him especially he’s got the major exemptions now we still I mean still because
Because of the Masters win why why you know you can still compete for Majors why not go get your bag I 100% agree well we’ll definitely keep our eyes open for any Hideki updates if something breaks we’ll be sure to break it all down here on ontap
Golf and I think that’s going to wrap up today’s episode or golf ontap I apologize at onap golf is where you can go and find us on social media and make sure we are now on Apple podcast and on Spotify so go and show us some support by subscribing to those 100% free
Wherever you get your podcast Apple podcast Spotify whatever it may be you can find us there for all the latest episodes of golf on tap we appreciate everyone tuning in for today’s episode it was a lot of fun as always Ross uh to everyone out there we greatly appreciate
It again and we’ll see you next time on golf on tap cheers Ross good episode buddy later guys
