Recapping a great weekend of professional golf, plus talking upcoming events and of course the Masters.
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What’s up guys it’s Taylor with Country Club hacks uh coming at you with the very first episode of the podcast this is something I’ve really wanted to do for a long time is start a golf podcast it’s it’s the sport that I play almost every day and I I follow more than any
Of the sports out there while really um and also I just I think it’s a really good time to start something like this because there’s so much to talk about in the golf world world right now there’s some really good golf being played out there between both circuits
With the with the PGA and live and um also too I think it’s a really good time to start it because we just had two very good tournaments over the weekend with the live golf being in Hong Kong and um PGA Tour being at the the Bay Hill for the Arnold
Palmer um two I watched the live event a lot more than I did the PGA I didn’t really watch any of the PGA actually um I caught some of the highlights seemed to be a great tournament the live event was kind of hard to watch because it actually
Started at 11 o’clock at night eastern time um so I was really only able to watch a little bit of it live before I would actually fall asleep um and then I would just catch the full highlights of the round the next day um but I guess that’s
Sort of what we can get into first um is the live event and then we can move on to other topics such as the Bay Hill and upcoming stuff um but the live event in Hong Kong it was one of the better tournaments I believe that they’ve had
As far as the level of play and it seemed like the fans really showed up and and supported it they seem to really enjoy the event um I know at times it was it was weird because you would see coverage from like whole one or 10 or 18
You know the main holes and you would see hundreds of people um but then they would cut over to like a random group on a on a par three or Par Four whatever and there wouldn’t be a fan ins sight so those those uh few instances weren’t
A weren’t a good look for live but the fans were definitely there you just you had to catch the right coverage on the right hole and um it seemed like that’s kind of what they were doing was just lingering around the popular spots and following the popular groups uh with
With some big name guys in it and obviously the the leading group but it was a really good event I was very glad to see Abraham aner get his first win um he is a player that I’ve followed he’s probably my favorite player honestly in golf um he’s a player
That I’ve followed since about 2019 me and my buddy went to the players and I think it was the Saturday round we went and he was actually like either leading or top three or something and we were like dang who’s this guy just started following him uh really since
Then and I love his game he’s very lowkey he’s an awesome guy I actually met him uh at the Masters in 2021 um but yeah I was super glad to see him get his first win it it was actually crazy because my other favorite player if you
Were to ask me who are my top three favorite players I would tell you Abraham aner cam Smith and Bryson Lambo and if you watch the live event you would know that Abraham aner and cam Smith as well as Paul Casey went into a three-man play off one whole playoff so
It was pretty nerve-wracking to try to figure out who to pull for um in the playoff but obviously cam has won three events already on live that would have been his fourth and and answer hadn’t really he hadn’t won one yet so I was rooting for him it was pretty easy
Decision actually um to pull for him to get his first first live win um which is actually shocking that it was his first because I mean if you look at previous leaderboards it’s not like he ever plays bad I mean he’s always kind of one of
Those middle of the pack May creep up there every now and then uh guys he just um just happened to everything click this weekend um he was actually bogey free for I believe 40 hole 40 or 41 holes before his first bogey on the final round um so everything clicked for
Him this weekend so it was good to see I mean he went into it with a five shot lead which is a very comfortable lead but you can also it away and he we almost saw him do that the final round something just wasn’t clicking that final day he was missing Fairways missing
Greens uh just complete opposite of what he was doing the first two days so he he allowed some of those guys to uh really creep up there um and almost catch them I mean technically two of them did catch him because they had the playoff but uh
I mean guys like John Ron crept up there Bryson Des Shambo snuck up at the at the very last Walky Neeman of course doing what he’s doing right now came within one um so answerer I mean he he tried his ass off to give it away but I’m
Super glad he he finally caught it and got in the groove there on that playoff hole it was it was weird because obviously I fell asleep for the final round I tried to stay up and watch the whole thing but so I had to catch the playoff um on the highlight reel on
YouTube but it was weird I mean they they cut the playoff and then they showed Abraham ancer’s t- shot and his second shot but they never showed um Paul Casey or Cam Smith te off or hit their second shots in the Fairway um but I’m assuming that cam
Smith’s Drive must have went out of bounds to where he had to drop because like I said they they didn’t show either him or Paul Casey shots and they cut to the green where everybody’s on there and Paul Casey’s got like a pretty lengthy birdie putt um and then cam Smith was
Putting for par all of a sudden uh after just first being on the green so he must have had a a wayward t-shot or something so um and then obviously Abraham he stuck he stuck one in really tight looked to be like within five feet or so
So he I mean pretty much had a a guaranteed birdie um Paul Casey had a lengthy birdie putt obviously he missed and then cam just tried to give that par putter run to put some sort of pressure on on answer but he was in there so tight that it was pretty much a
Given uh that he was going to win but super glad to see him get that first win and like I said it was a very good event there was some good golf played um like I mentioned earlier walki Neeman he’s I believe the hottest golfer
In the world right now I mean you could argue him or Scotty but uh walk Neeman I mean he was kind of slow the first uh couple days um but that final day he just he went on a tear he actually had a hole in one and then ended up coming just just
One shot off the lead and uh to get himself into that playoff as well but he is he’s on a tear right now uh John like I said playing really good DJ actually got a hot he got hot the final day um deshambo was kind of middle of the
Pack up until the very end he went on a tear um actually got The Crushers team the team Victory which was pretty crazy because I believe going into the final day they were like seven shots off the lead um which is I think what they were
Behind in the myoba event which was the last event they came from behind and and won the team uh aspect of it which I don’t really keep up with the team aspect of it I mean it’s pretty cool um part of Liv that they do that but I’m
Really more into just the individual aspect of it who’s goingon to win um but another thing too to mention too is that uh Anthony Kim actually tied for the lowest round uh of the final day he actually shot a six 65 which was good to see I mean he’s been he’s been
Struggling tremendously I mean I’m sure everybody has seen that I think he came in dead last in his first event myoba and that him and Phil were pretty much back and forth for dead last uh in this event um but then he just he he caught
Wind of something and shot him a 65 that final day which which was good I mean it’s he’s somebody that I I never really kept up with him when he was full-time on tour but somebody that’s been away from golf for 11 12 years is trying to
Make a comeback I mean you you can’t really help yourself but to root for him um so it was good to see him finally get it together on that final day and she a 65 um I really wish he would sort of look the part a little bit better on the
Course it’s pretty tough to see I mean he’s he’s got a big bag untucked shirt with shorts down to his knees it’s a big messy man BN it’s just he’s not he’s he doesn’t look good I can tell you that um so I wish he would do a little bit
Better job at looking the part on the course it’s still uh still good to see him try to make that comeback um but all in all it was a great live event um moving into uh the a PGA event like I said I didn’t really watch any of it I kind of
Watched the final day highlights um Scotty sheffler just doing what he does um it’s good to see him get a win too I root for Scotty as well um he did a great job but his I know his putter has been giving him hell lately so I
Guess like I didn’t really watch any of the tournament but I’m guessing his putting must have gotten better because he won the event but uh some good golf being played by guys over there too I mean I know Scotty’s like the number one guy but you’ve got I mean
Will zator is starting to get it back which is really good to see he’s a excuse me he’s um he’s a player too that I I found myself rooting for when when he was going on that tear uh before his injury um especially at the PGA I
Mean there was there was so many times where he was coming in second I I mean that PGA Championship when when JT one I was it was him and zuris battling and out I was really rooting for zuris he’s another one of the guys on the on the PGA that I
Like it’s good to see him playing good wam Clark obviously coming in second he’s another guy that is playing some great golf I know that there was a a case of him maybe getting caught cheating on the course with the improving that lie with the wedge I
Looked at it I saw the video of it on Twitter I didn’t see it live but my buddy texted me when it happened and so I went over to Twitter and of course found the clip of it I mean it was with the camera angle that it showed it was
Very hard to see whether or not like the actual Club was you know banging up against the ball or not or if it was just kind of resting on the ground but I mean it definitely did appear that the ball was moving but I think the way they ruled it was
That the ball did yes move but I it moved back into its original position so I guess they didn’t end up pursuing a case there but nevertheless he is playing good golf you can’t you can’t deny that so um he had in a second place finish Shane Lowry coming in third that was
Good to see he’s he’s always a guy that I’ve kept my eye on he’s a he’s a good sleeper pick in a bunch of these big tournaments um he’s usually probably the sleeper pick I always pick as far as like when Majors come around big tournaments like like this um he’s a
He’s a good sleeper but from what I saw oh another one to mention too is uh sahit theala he’s he’s really proving himself to to be a good addition to the tour I think he’s gonna be a guy that has numerous wins when it’s all said and
Done he’s he’s one of the guys on the tour that I I find myself rooting for from time to time um but from what I saw from the final day highlights and just looking at the leaderboard itself it seemed to be a very good tournament too so there’s
There’s a bunch of golf being a bunch of good golf being played um across the two tours and um it’s just really exciting to see I know uh live golf is about to go to Miami uh first weekend in April uh they’re going to play at the Trump
Trump National Dural the blue monster course which will be a very good test for those guys on live that are that have got the the Masters in by because I mean the blue monster as everyone knows is no joke the tff course I think it’ll be a great prep for those lived guys
That are going to Augusta the next week um that will be a very I’m actually going to that tournament myself so it’ll be cool to it’ll be my first live event um so it’ll be cool to see one in person and try to get you know a personal
Takeaway on how the events are and how they’re run and the pros and cons of it I mean I’m I would consider myself to be a live Guy versus PGA just because I mean mainly just because the three guys that I mentioned earlier that are my favorites all three
Of them are on lip so I really have no choice but to watch it and be a fan of it um there are some things I I wish that would change about it but as far as it is as far as it goes right now I mean
I have no issues with it it’s it’s fun to watch and and stuff like that but it’ll be good to see those guys play in person I know that uh there’ll be some good scores that weekend because those guys are really going to be uh trying to prove themselves going into Augusta and
Shoot you never know I mean maybe a new winner may live may win on live that week again and and may end up getting a last minute invite I don’t know what the cut off is on on invites but I really do hope that Abraham answerer is extended an invite to
Augusta with his win in Hong Kong but you never know I mean he and he’s played at Augusta before and I think it’s a it’s a course where he that fits his eye um I mean I think you look back at the 2020 Masters uh the year DJ won uh I
Believe after the second day answerer was either tied for the lead or solo lead or top three or something so I mean it’s definitely a course with where if he could get in he could also be sleeper pick to win he’s proven he can play good there I I actually believe he
Finished 13th that year so I mean a solid finish um but like I said I don’t I don’t know if there’s a cut off for invites but you never know a guy could could win the the Miami event and get a get an invite but that would be exciting and then um I
Know the PGA is going to TPC for the players this weekend I’m actually going to that event myself too uh that’s always an event I’ll try to go to no matter I mean I know none of my my guys are able to play in it anymore but it’s
Still a super fun event probably my favorite um PGA event to go to so it’ll be good to see that um I believe that’s going to be I mean it always is a great event it’ll be good to to see all those PGA guys and see some good golf probably
Just go in and sit on 17 and watch a bunch of groups come in that’s usually what I do there every year um but yeah it’s a super fun event uh but but speaking about the Masters um I kind of want to wanted to go into like a little
Preview of the Masters and talk about some some potential early picks you can say um first one obviously you’ve got Scotty I mean we could talk about the two hottest guys on both tours you got Scotty sheffler already a Masters champion that’s somebody you have to put at the
Top of your picks list but also too I mean walk Neeman he got the invite and and uh excuse me I think that’s somebody that people should definitely look out keep on their radar um I don’t know if he’s played in the Masters before I
Think he has I’m not sure what he shot but that’s it seems like a course where that would suit his eye I mean it’s seeming like every course is suiting his eye right now the way he’s playing but um so I mean those are those are two
Guys that I think you have to have at the top of your list um obviously for me my pick going into it is going to be uh cam Smith he’s had two runnerup finishes there I think uh another top 10 maybe two other top 10 I can’t remember how
Many times he’s played in it but I know it’s a course that he seems to dominate he just hasn’t quite got his hands on that Green Jacket yet um cam Smith and then I mean you got the guy obviously you’ve got John ROM coming back as the defending Champion just a
Little bit different now he’s on Liv now so that’ll be kind of interesting to see how they uh talk about that and then you’ve got also guys like DJ and like I said Shane Lowry is another sleeper will zalatoris he’s got his game back he
Could be another one so I mean there’s a there’s a good group of guys that like are in my picks list that it’s going to be exciting to watch oh and Brooks Brooks kept it I mean how could you forget him he’s he’s proven to to play
Really good at austa I mean last year he was pretty much set to win the thing and kind of threw it away that final day but um it’s it’s going to be good to see all of those guys finally get to play together again and just see all the the top tier Talent
All in one tournament um I don’t think that this year they’re going to I don’t think they’ll blow up the whole we can’t have a live guy win that would be so bad for the game of golf I don’t think they’re really going to play that card anymore I know I mean
A lot of it they tried to make it seem like there was a bunch of animosity between the players that went to live and the ones that stayed I really think that that was just a whole blown out of proportion thing with the media I mean
You you look and and see what the how these guys say like if you watch the the Netflix documentary the full swing you can easily pick it up on the fact that there was no was never any animosity towards any of those guys they still hang out they still go play probably
Casual rounds together when they’re I mean a bunch of them live in Jupiter so I know like Rory and Brooks and those guys they they all went and played still even after you know some some left and went to live so there was never any any hatred or anything any
Any bad feelings toward each other for those ones that went the ones that stayed but I don’t think think they’ll try to play that card anymore this year that a like it’ll be bad if a live Flair wins because I mean I think I mean Liv’s
Only been around for two years now and I don’t really think it can be taken as a joke anymore with the level of golf that’s being played over there I mean I think I guess when it first came on the scene that everyone just thought that these guys were uh just getting big
Amounts of money to just go play casual golf uh just because there’s music playing and and they can wear shorts but if you watch any of the Live Events you know those guy I mean you could see it clear as day that those guys are serious like
They’re trying to win they’re trying to help their team win even if they’re out of the the individual they’re still trying to get out there and make birdies try to help the team win if they’re in convention um so you I mean they nobody can really view live as a joke anymore I
Mean I know there’s probably super PGA Loyals out there that will that will always have some sort of hate towards Liv and never take it serious but if you really watch it and understand it you would know that there’s Superior golf being played over there I mean you had
Des Shambo last year shoot a 58 you had nean shoot either I think he was either 58 or 59 in the first event this year and he’s actually won two out of the four events this so he’s won half of the events uh you’ve had a few and ones
Between the uh the four events so I mean it’s just it’s something that you just you can’t take those guys lightly anymore it’s G to be very interesting to see once they all get back together at Augusta to see if they try to sort of play like any sort of
Um you know media if if the media just tries to pull anything or set some new agend push some new agenda about Li but I don’t think that’s going to happen I think it’ll actually be a pretty smooth sailing uh major with the the guys getting back together um but it it is
Definitely going to be an exciting one to watch I can’t wait for it it’s sucks that we have to wait just until the majors to see all the all the top guys playing in the same field again I really wish something would would eventually come of this merger which I
Think it will I just when I say that I mean I hope it comes soon uh with the merger that happened to where these guys can start playing in in all the events together if they want to whether it be you know they can PGA guys can go play
In some of the Live Events and the the live guys can go play in some of the the PGA events that they want to I’m sure they would want to do that because I know those those bigger tournaments like that appeal to some of those guys like
Um the waste management RBC Heritage and especially the player it’s like that’s that’s technically the fifth major it always had the most loaded field out of any of them and uh so I know there’s some events that those guys would love to get back to so I really do hope that
Something happens with this merger soon to where those guys can get back at it um and and I mean another thing too is why I think a lot of people once the murder to sort of take action is because it the way golf is right now
It’s very divided and if you if you watch the PGA you’ll find that um the events just the fields are not strong at all I mean I know you have um like this past weekend with with the Bay Hill that one usually has a strong field and then
Like the waste management usually does too but the ones that are in between these big ones I mean you turn it on and it’s a a top 10 leaderboard shown and it’s a bunch of no-name guys with maybe one usually like Scotty at the top I
Mean it’s it’s just a bunch of guys that nobody’s ever heard of um I mean I guess just a bunch of corn fairy guys that are that are getting in now that a bunch of people like a bunch of the top talent is on live now which is good for them I
Mean that’s that’s awesome that these guys that people may not have ever heard of are getting the chance to to Showcase their talent because I mean it’s also proving that there was there’s just so much talent underneath like the PGA Tour and stuff like that and these guys are coming up
And getting to Showcase their skills and it’s proving that there was a bunch of talent while just waiting to get on the big stage so I mean you got you have that aspect of it with the PGA it’s just it seems like there’s a bunch of Mame guys
It’s it’s kind of hard to watch and then with Liv um which this is my biggest pet peeve with Liv is that I think the thing that is single-handedly killing lip the most is the fact that it is very hard to watch like just as a everyday person
Turning the TV on and trying to watch some golf it’s it’s not like that at all you I mean they have the the live golf app to where you can pull it up if there’s a tournament going on and you can watch it on the app just on your
Phone if you’re on the go which is cool but if you’re at home you can AirPlay it to your TV and I mean not everybody that wants to watch live I know is is techsavvy and probably knows how to do that if they’re you know at the house by
Themselves and doesn’t have a younger person around that kind of understands technology and so I mean you found that way to watch it and then you’ve got um the CW channel but the the issue with the CW channel is I don’t believe it’s it’s a channel that’s provided by all the different um
TV services like fubo and uh YouTube TV and you know um the stuff like that so it’s just that is what I think is single handly killing it is that it is just very hard to get access to watch it as just an everyday person that wants to
Sit down and watch a round of golf on TV just turn on the TV find the channel and Bam you’re ready to go it’s I really hope they change that that is my only big complaint with li and I really really hope which I think they will because I’m sure they
Understand that because I don’t think their their viewer ratings are very high so I’m sure they’re coming up with a solution on how to hopefully land a TV deal with a bigger name like you know ESPN or Fox Sports One that is available to most
People so it’s just tough I mean you got just those two situations with both of the tours right now um which is it’s very hard for people golf is it’s very divided right now so I really hope all things get situated with the merger I hope Liv gets a better TV deal
And Le Fields start to get back stronger just apart from the majors um but I mean that’s pretty much everything I I wanted to cover in this first episode I definitely wanted to talk about the first uh or not the first but the the two tournaments that
Happened over the weekend is they were two great events um just sort of break down PGA and live and where they’re at right now and obviously get a little preview of the uh Masters and some early predictions and stuff like that but um this is a podcast
That I would really like to try to put out once a week most likely on a Monday especially if we have you know two two maybe two events between Liv and PGA the the prior weekend um it would be good to I mean it would already be good topics
To sort of start out the podcast with uh going over the two tournaments and what’s upcoming but yeah and maybe I mean maybe even twice a week um if there’s some exciting news that that unfolds in the world of golf but I’m really really excited I’m finally glad that I I bit
The bullet and started this podcast because I think it’s going to be great I hope everybody that listens really enjoys it and continues to listen um but yeah I will probably be back with episode two after the players Sunday so I’ll probably release that Monday but um just want to thank
Everybody for tuning in and and stay tuned for more
