Hear from Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau and much more as Matt Adams gets you ready for the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in North Carolina. Tee times are out and the weather is clearing up, lot’s to unpack!
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Welcome to the most listened to golf in the world. The Fairways of Life show on air, online, and around the world with the most candid interviews, unforgettable stories, taking you beyond the ropes. Here’s your host, New York Times bestselling author Matt Adams. Welcome in to the PXG Custom Studios. You’ve never played like this before. PSG.com is where you can log on for more information how you can play your very best. It is PGA Championship week. We are delighted with your company as we are on the morning of the eve of the 107th PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. Everything right now is pretty much kind of I’m going to call it on a lockdown, but it makes it sound more dramatic than what it is. It’s the weather. The weather is there in earnest. We’re going to go over the weather forecast with you in just a moment. Right now, as we speak, Rory Maroy is addressing the media. We will have that for you in its entirety, or at least those parts that Dom has chosen to show on our Fairways of Life platform, our Fairways of Life YouTube channel. I can’t tell you this much that Rory had an interesting discussion with the media where they were like, you know, where you at mentally, I’m paraphrasing, but where you at mentally now, thoughts, emotions, goals. and he effectively said, “I’ve accomplished everything that I sent out to accomplish in the game. I’ve been number one in the world. I’ve won every single major. Uh, anything that I do from this point on feels like a bonus, which I think I don’t take that as a resignation. I take that as a very, very powerful mindset from Rory Moy. So, like I said, you will find Rory Sound along with everybody else, which we’ll be getting to the latter uh coming up in the next segment who have addressed the media to hear their thoughts coming into this second men’s major of 2025. As to tea times and featured groups that has been released, information coming out. Let’s show you some of what we know right now. Notable tea times for the PGA Championship. These are all Eastern time. 7:30 a.m. Brooks Kepka, Ricky Fowler, and Shane Lowry. Say that again, Dom. Did you just say something my headset? Oh, 7:38. He was correcting me on on the uh first tea time. You can see it on your on your screen there if you’re watching us in the television side. 7:38 a.m. for Keepa, Fowler, and Lowry. At 7:49 a.m., Phil Mickelson, Tommy Fleetwood, Jason Day. At 800 AM, John Rom, Patrick Kantlay, and Matt Fitzpatrick. 8:22 a.m. Rory Maroy, Xander Schoffley, and Schoffley, and uh Scotty Sheoffller. How about that group? 8:22 a.m. Maroy Schae and Sheffller. 8:44 a.m. Novak, Bradley, and McNeely. You’re going to hear from the United States Ryder captain coming up in the show today. 12:52 p.m. As we jump to the afternoon, Lucas Glover, Max Homa, Walk Neman at 10:03 p.m. Terrell Hatton, Wills Al Touris, Adam Scott at 1:14 p.m. Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Colin Morawa. 125 is Jordan Spe, Patrick Le Reed, Lud Vigberg. at 1:47 p.m. on Thursday. Bryson Dambo, Victor Havlin, Gary Woodland. At 1:58 p.m., Sergio Garcia, Daniel Berger, Russell Henley at 20:09 p.m. Justin Rose, Cameron Smith, and Brian Harmon. You heard me mention the weather. Uh, Dom, I guess the the updates are continually come in on the weather in the Charlotte area. I’m sure you’re getting the same stuff there in the Raleigh area where our second studio is. Uh what are we seeing? What are we hearing? Yeah, you can see there on your screen. It’s looking pretty solid now that the tournament is here. There’s obviously some potential for a little bit of rain in the forecast, but nothing like the days leading up. I’ll read this now officially. Uh this came out literally a couple hours ago uh from the organizers. There may be some passing showers, isolated thunderstorms in the pre-dawn hours of Thursday morning. Otherwise, drier weather is expected as a ridge of high pressure builds into the region, producing hot and humid conditions Thursday through Saturday with the highs reaching possibly as high as 90° Fahrenheit. A cold front will move through the state at some point Saturday afternoon, Saturday night, and that could kick off isolated thunderstorms as it passes. Less humid conditions can be expected Sunday as the front settles into the south of the area. And if you’re looking there on your screen, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday for tournament weather, something that I think is of consequence, Matt, is if you look at the bottom there where it says winds 10 to 15, 6 to 12, gusts up to 20 miles hour west and northwest over the weekend. You know, that that could play a role. That’s that’s actually windy. 20 mph gusts, that’s going to cause problems. Yeah, Saturday is even a little bit more than that. Up to 25 I see on Saturday. So, yeah, it is 15 miles per hour. 12 to 15 miles per hour is at least a half a club for those guys depending on circumstance. And on a golf course that’s already wet, this wind coming in, it’s it’s westerly and then it starts to go west northwest on Sunday. Uh it’s it’s going to be a different wind coming in. It was southwest for example. So there’s there’s some dramatic changes in the wind direction as the week progresses and those gusts will make it very interesting. Uh I have heard speculation already that they might have it’s a full field as you can imagine they might have some trouble getting everybody through 36 holes by the end of day and Friday. But we’ll see how that continues to play itself out. So, here’s my other question, Dom. Before we went on the air today, Dominic was telling me that there were some pretty significant changes in the odds. Uh, and because we’ve been talking about that all week, let’s let’s jump into that and tell us about what you’re seeing in terms of the odds. Where were the changes? Uh, the changes were everywhere. Uh the the the most noticeable changes are at the very top of the favorites. Roy Moy, who was 5 to1, is now a neck-and-neck favorite going into the PGA Championship tomorrow morning with Scotty Shelf. They’re both nine and nine-2, which is 4 and a half to one essentially. Bryson’s odds have improved considerably. He was 12 to one and I believe he was as much as 15 or 16 to1, you know, several weeks ago. He is now 8 to one and Justin Thomas’s odds have gotten a little worse. He was 18 to1 just yesterday and he’s now 20 to1. And then there’s some movement in the pack a little bit. You know, some of these guys like Jordan’s odds got a little worse. Daniel Ber’s odds got a little worse. Cory Connor’s odds got slightly better. So, there’s a little bit of movement in the pack. But the the big news, Matt, is that Rory and Scotty are now just straight up neck-and-neck favorites. And Bryce, the oddsmakers are saying, Matt, it’s Scotty, Rory, and Bryson. That’s who’s going to win the PGA Championship. It’s one of these three people because there’s a sizable gap now between that group and the rest of the field. And that was not the case just two weeks ago. It is interesting to see some names on this graphic that we have up on the screen, folks. And I’ll and I’ll go through what I’m looking at here for those of you that are listening to us on the radio side and the audio side where if you were inclined to look for odds that say long shot but players in the way they’re playing are not long shot. For example, Seb Straa is 60 to1, right? That sounds like a like a pretty good look right there. Daniel Burgerer is 80 to1. Russell Henley is 80 to1. Now, I know Russell Henley doesn’t have great length, but remember last time coming into the final round, Kevin Knisser was leading the PGA Championship here. So, this course is is not all about length because of the the size of the greens and accessibility, etc. It’s going to be long because it’s wet. I get it. Patrick Reed is 80 to1. Sunjm is 90 to1. Cam Smith, Windham Clark, they’re both 101. That neither one of those are are moving me one way or the other. with uh Minu Lee at 100 to1 is is something of interest to me. Sam Burns at 125 to one I think is interesting. A Batia at 125 to1 is interesting. Justin Rose at 125 to1. I know he was he didn’t feel well last week but he’s on site this week and he’s practicing. It doesn’t seem to be any accounts that he’s not feeling well. That’s another one that I think is worth a look at in terms of the other end of the spectrum. as we were talking about Scotty Shefflin, Rory Mroy, who as of this morning with the the uh odds, which the way that we do it here at Fairways of Life is this is not a single source of odds. This is this is a combination of multiple houses that we bring you the average of. So Scotty Sheffller and Rory Maroy are in a dead heat at at 9 to2 or if you please four and a half to one if you’d rather do it that way. Bryson Dashambo is 8 to one. And then you get to all the rest. Justin Thomas, Xander Schoffé, John Rom, all at 20 to1. Colin Morawa, Lou Vberg 25 to1. We Neman is 30 to1. Tommy Fleetwood, we were talking about him yesterday and Tommy was 35 to1. That is where he is today as well. Patrick Can is 40 to1. I think Patrick Canlay is worth a look. Brooks, Kepka, Victor Havlin at 45 to1. Victor Havlin has one of the lowest averages, scoring averages at Quail Hollow, which I thought was interesting. You know who else does Dom? You’re going to get a kick out of this. Who’s one of the top 10 in terms of scoring averages there recent rounds? Mark Hubard. I thought you’d find that of interest. Terrell Hatton is 50 to1. Hideki Matsuyama’s 50 to1. Shane Lowry is 50 to1. I think Shane’s another pretty good bargain at 50 to1. So there’s a look at the current odds and where we stand. All right, we want to get to the more important stuff, which is you hearing from the players directly. Where are their minds right now? When we come back on the Fairways of Life show, that is exactly what we are going to do. You’re going to hear from some very, very big names indeed. Head down, water down the left, walker down the right, take the club straight back. Wandering minds. When golfers lose their focus, they’re totally But Bridgestone can help. Introducing mindset. 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[Music] as we welcome you back to the PXG Custom Studios. You’ve never played like this before. Log on to pxg.com to find out more. All right, so as I mentioned to you, Rory Maroy has just wrapped up in the media center and we will have that sound for you in the Fairways of Life uh YouTube channel coming up. Dom, what are we hearing? What quotes are you getting from the transcripts early on? Uh there’s a couple things I can uh I can uh relay. One of them is making its rounds on it’s making its rounds on social media already is Bryson said this is a question for Rory. Bryson said after the final round that you barely spoke to him because you were so locked in. Talk about that. Rory said I don’t know what he was expecting. We’re trying to win the Masters. I’m not going to try and be his best mate out there. Look, everyone approaches the game different ways. I was focused on myself and what I needed to know what I needed to do. That’s really all it was. It wasn’t anything against him or anybody else. It just felt it it’s just that I felt that’s what I needed to do to try and get the best out of myself that day. Another note another note I think here is someone asked him what’s it like to achieve the dream of your life winning the Masters. It’s everything I thought it would be. Rory said I thought the I I think the outpouring of support and congratulatory messages has been amazing. Everyone needs to have goals and dreams and I’ve been able to do something that I dreamed of for a long time. I’m still going to set myself goals. I’m still going to try and achieve things, but I sit here knowing that that very well could be the highlight of my career. It’s a very cool thing. I want to still create highlights and high points, but I’m not sure if any other win will live up to what happened a few weeks ago. So, we’ll we’ll clean the best of this stuff up once this becomes available and put it on the site and you guys will be able to watch what he says. Uh, but there’s some cool stuff coming out there. He’s obviously in a great headsp space, Matt. So that from Rory Maroy, Rory Moy addressing the media on Wednesday and giving us some insight into again who is Rory now? Who is Rory today? Who is Rory after achieving the career grand slam? Who is Rory after vanquishing the Ghost and winning at Augusta National? And what could it all mean towards his future? we can see what it means towards this week, this PGA championship. Now, for Scotty Sheffller, who coming into the week ended up dead tied with Rory Moy as the odds on favorite to win this PGA Championship, coming in he was asked about trying to stay present on the golf course, be where your feet are, if you will, having momentum coming into the week of a major championship. And he was asked about because of all the rain, the course conditions. I think a lot of times at majors you can almost overprepare. Um so coming in this week, making sure you’re rested. It’s a big golf course and it’s pretty wet out there, but the greens are still staying pretty firm. You know, they’re still fairly new and when you get that new Bermuda, the greens greens can stay firm and so golf course will play long. Um but it should be a good test. It’ be silly to say that I can’t ride the positive momentum from a good week like that. I mean to finish off the tournament the way I did and have it not not really be too close on the back nine. I mean I played some really nice golf and um you know I talked a little bit about how I felt like my game was trending and so it was nice to to see some results from you know a lot of hard work to start the year and um I feel like my game’s in a good spot and so I think it’d be silly to say I can’t ride a little bit of that momentum going into this tournament. Well I just felt like my swing was coming around. um felt like my ball striking maybe held me back a little bit at the beginning of the year and um you know I kept the ball I drove it really nice uh last week at at the Byron and hit some really good iron shots and was able to give myself a lot of looks around that golf course is what you need to do and was uh able to hold some putts as well. I think it’s always a battle to try to stay in the present. I think when I was in college my my college coach did a really good job of helping me kind of learn that skill. You know, he he really preached on when you’re at the golf course, you’re at the golf course. When you’re in class, you’re in class. And you know, when I’m out with doing stuff with my friends, like I don’t want to be at home hanging out with my wife thinking about my golf swing. You know, I don’t want to be out here at the golf course thinking about being at home. Like we have certain time throughout the day and I think when you’re in the present, you try to make the you’re able to make the most of those situations, whether it be, you know, enjoying them to the fullest or getting the most out of the work um that I put in when I’m at the golf course. So, I think it’s a constant constant battle. Really interesting stuff there from Scotty Sheffler because and and in particular, I’ve noticed it in 2025 that Scotty Sheffller seems to be getting more comfortable with opening up with all of us. I’d say with the media, but it’s not really with the media. He knows he’s speaking to the world of golf and he’s giving us more than what he used to. And that idea of mindset, when I’m away from the golf, I’m away from the golf. And when I’m inside and devoted to the golf, I’m 100% where I need to be. I thought it was fascinating stuff. Bryson Desambo is also always obviously fascinating coming into the week and again with this philosophy of why we do this. Uh he was asked about contending and contending consistently in major championships. Who is he today as a competitor uh in in that regard? his reaction uh that he got from and since winning the US Open last year at Pinehurst. Has it kind of changed him, redefined him or just revealed him from that standpoint and how excited he is coming into the week about Quail Hollow? Well, I remember you’ve got to drive it well and so far I’ve been driving it well this season. Hopefully it continues. Um greens are tricky. Got to have great irons. I mean, you got to come in with a full complete set uh of clubs that you can you feel you you feel comfortable with attacking flags at and um you know, just strategizing your way around the golf course. So, it’s got to be a full it’s a full test of golf this week and I’m certainly excited for the challenge. Yeah, I I think that it’s it’s been quite special for for me seeing everybody um give me praise and whatnot. Although I don’t, you know, feel like I always deserve it, I I’m just very blessed to have that type of following now and continue to grow it. I I want to do more than just the game of golf. I want to grow outside of the game of golf. I want to bring other golfers that have never seen the game of golf into golf. And YouTube’s been a great platform to do that. I’ve been very blessed and fortunate to have partners at YouTube and um Google now. And I’m super excited to see uh what the future holds because there’s a lot more room to grow. Yeah. I I feel like I’ve always had the capacity to play well in major championships and contend consistently. A lot of things have to go right in majors for you to play well and your whole game has to be on. And so I felt like at Vajala, especially after Augusta, that was the second time that I’d play well played well in in a major. And it kind of gave me that confidence I could just keep moving forward with that at every major. And uh keep hammering down on on majors and and besides the open championship, which I feel like is something I’ve got to continue to work on, which I am rigorously working on, I feel like I’ I’m I’m moving in the right direction with with giving myself a lot of multiple chances to win these major championships. So, I felt like at Baja last year, it was more of an assurance of saying, “Hey, I can do this and I can do this for a long time, uh, God willing.” Um, so I’m going to continue to just try and play my best golf. Hopefully that expresses itself positively this week and in future weeks at different majors and even at live events, but my goal is to play the best every single week I I possibly can. But Bajala definitely gave me some confidence for the rest of the majors last year and then even this year. really interesting to hear from Bryson Desambo because as I I enjoy seeing from young athletes is to watch them mature right before our eyes. Watch them become who they eventually are going to be. And we can see that with Bryson. Even though I feel a lot of our perception and understanding of Bryson as a person has been a what I led into his sound with a revelation versus a change. There is a maturity factor that’s that’s there too. I think it’s a self-awareness that Bryson has become better with and we’re getting to see the Bryson who he is who is a very very generous person willing to give of himself in a way that kind of stands alone honestly amongst the players at the top of the field. So many eyes of course were on Justin Thomas coming into this week. Uh and he was asked about a number of different things. He was asked in his press conference about you know what he thinks about Rory as a driver of the golf ball. I I love the question he was asked about whether he possesses a competitive jealousy. Here’s Justin Thomas. Definitely. I I feel um especially Hilton Head. I mean, I I and Tampa too, it’s I’m just more patient. I’d say I don’t feel like I’m forcing the issue as much. Um just just trying to trust, you know, my game and myself um quite a bit more. I feel like it, you know, some of the events maybe earlier this year or last year where I had a chance to win, I just felt like I maybe pressed a little too much. But, um, you know, it’s um, we all want to win and I and I’m no different. I just think sometimes you’re you’re in a a better headsp space than others to um to to try and capitalize or or to give yourself a chance. And I feel like that’s kind of how it’s been the, you know, last couple events. Uh, it’s it’s tough to say. I mean it’s um I think that the thing you have when you’re young is not that I don’t have any fear now but you just I mean I was very fortunate to have success at a young age but when you’re 23 24 years old I mean it’s just like you know what you you don’t have anything else to think about or to to have to worry about. You don’t have any scar tissue. You don’t have any you know experience. It’s just like hey you know the PGA that I played here in 17 like it was just my like third PGA I’ve ever played in. So it’s um you know I I the only really time I had a chance to win I was in the final group at Aaron Hills earlier that year. So it’s like it’s just earlier in your career you you it’s it’s a different it’s similar mindset of obviously we want to win. We have a lot of fire and and and we work hard but it’s just it’s a different kind of thing. But um I mean I I feel yeah I feel great about my game. I would like to think and hope I’m a more mature person and golfer. Um, but you know, I don’t think it’s fair to play the comparison game and and I just, you know, I I believe and and I hope but firmly believe that, you know, some of my best is still ahead of me and I know that I have that in there. I just have to kind of, you know, go find it and prove it a lot. It’s um you know it I just I remember that a lot from you know my first couple years on tour in Jordan having a lot of success and playing well and um it is I mean over your course of your career you’re obviously it it’s not like the you know when you’re in college and you have someone that turn turns pro early and they’re winning tour events and you’re like you know I’ve beaten him before or kind of thing. It’s like I we obviously all beat each other quite often, but it’s um you know I I have a lot of faith and a lot of ability and and or trust in my ability and and feel like I can I have confidence and I feel like what I can do. So it’s I I told Jill uh after watching the Masters, it was like of course and and obviously I knew I’ve always wanted to win the Grand Slam, want to win all the majors. Um, but for some reason like watching somebody do it firsthand, it reminded me almost of like, damn, yeah, I forgot I, you know, I really do want to do that kind of. It’s just, it’s weird. It’s, it’s something I think all of us, it I’m sure certain people maybe hit us a little different ways in terms of jealousy or drive or whatever you want to call it. But um yeah, anytime someone wins that isn’t me that, you know, if it’s a friend, I’m obviously happy for him, but there’s always going to be a part of me that’s jealous and wishes it was me. I think you’d be kind of crazy to say otherwise. I would argue he’s the best driver of the ball I’ve ever seen. Um and that is extremely important here. But I think his shot shape I I I think this golf course fits a high draw really really well. Um there’s a lot of T- shots, you know, whether it’s holding fairways or or fitting dog legs. Um you know, taking bunkers out of play, whatever it is. And then I mean, he just has when he’s on, he has such control at that driver. It seems like he can hit it, you know, in a window and an area that you’re, you know, some guys are trying to hit short irons. And um I mean that’s a tremendous advantage or threat at any golf course, but I feel like a place like this where it doesn’t necessarily require a lot of thought or or strategy off the tea. It’s generally, you know, pulling out driver and I’m just I need to hit this as far and straight as possible. Um and he’s really really good at that. So I think it, you know, that’s that’s something like I said is an advantage at any golf course. But I think just the shot shape and and that is a good combination. Rory uh is the person that JT was just talking about there with the driver and the proficiency and power of the driver on the golf course. He also mentioned about his aspirations to win a career grand slam, which causes one to think, could we be seeing the first generation of golfers where we have multiple players, talking about maybe three or four or five players that have the uh chance to and perhaps even accomplish the career grand slam within the same era because there’s a lot of players that are starting to knock on that door. That’s a good place to start with mindset coming into the week of Jordan Speed who was asked about how much he’s thinking about the Grand Slam this week. I don’t think so. It’s it’s been more um I’ve been surprised at you know there’s been a number of years I’ve come to the PGA and no one’s really even asked me about it and there’s been some years where you know where it was you know a story line I guess. Um and I it’s funny I think if Rory didn’t then it wouldn’t have been a story line for me here necessarily. I mean, it’s all I mean, it’s always a storyline if I work my way in, but at least ahead of time, I’ve just felt like I’ve been asked about it more than, you know, other years, including years where I’ve come in, I want to say 22. I came in after winning and then finishing second back to back. Um, which I would have thought would be a, you know, a time where uh that would have been one. So, it’s I’ve kind of been surprised by the dynamic a little bit. Um, but, you know, it’s always circled on the calendar for me. It’s a, you know, I guess if I could pick one, if I could only win one tournament the rest of my life, I’d pick this one for that reason. Um, and obviously watching Rory win um after, you know, giving it a try for a number of years. Uh, was was inspiring. You know, he had to you could tell he was fight it was a harder win than most of the time. He makes it makes it look a lot easier. Um, and so that that obviously was on the forefront of his mind and um, so something like that has not been done by many people and there’s a reason why. And um, but I’d love to throw my hat in the ring and give it a chance come come the weekend this week. Um, I think it’s more about the golf courses than it is anything else. you know, they they’re just going to present a little more of a challenge in a different way. And each one’s each major is different from the next and what that challenge is, but you know, whether that’s, you know, side to miss on on the fairway that you might get away with in a PGA tour event that you don’t get away with in a major. Um, just it’s just a little bit of an extra level of course management and it’s ahead of time. It’s a lot of the the course management preparation that’s that’s more of kind of the mental side, but you know, I mean, the crowds are bigger, the grand stands are bigger. Um, that over time kind of just becomes a blur. Um, we always have huge crowds at this event. It’s one of the I think one of and a lot of amphitheater type seating um here at Quail Hollow. So I don’t think it’ll look as different as maybe when we go to an unfamiliar place with huge, you know, like Valhalla last year with huge setups, but we don’t know the course very well. So it all just, you know, is a is a is a big thing. This is this is normal um for here. Things you obviously not triple decker, they’re maybe double-decker, right? Um the PGA, you know, always throws in some pretty incredible grandstands, whether it be the PJ Championship or the Ryder Cup. So, um it’s uh it’s just a everything’s just a little bit more heightened. Um but I think as you it’s more ahead of time and as you start to get into it, I think it’s actually a little easier on the mental side um to not easier than um than it is ahead of time. It just kind of settles into more of a normal tournament. Um as you start to contend on the weekend, that changes. you know, you sleep a little uneasy. I mean, majors have that, you know, historical um, you know, presence to them. Um, you know, they mean more to every every player that’s playing this week. Um, we’ll tell you if there was they were going to win one of four tournaments, they’d probably pick one of the four majors. So, um, that settles in, you know, as you work your way into contention and then that becomes a little bit of a different animal, just sleeping a little more uneasy and anticipation. And I think it’s it’s all it’s all the off the course stuff that’s harder to handle. mentally than on the course? Not necessarily. I I think the longer lever and the more full shots last year were better for me with where my mechanics were off. Um, and that would that would be um, you know, I I was I was not in a place that I’ve played very good golf from, but because it was a longer lever, the timing was just easier hitting full shots with the driver. Not to mention, I mean, the drivers that I have now are just incredible. I mean, my the improvement Titleus has made in in their drivers, like the mis hits being just as fast and just as straight. Um, I think the technology has a lot to do with it. Um, but you’re looking at strokes gain, so that’s relative to everybody else having better technology, too. I was just more comfortable in full hard shots and um and yeah, it was more it was less of it was um coincidental that the driving was better and the approach wasn’t. I mean, um, I I wasn’t mechanically sound, um, to to hit, you know, all the all the shots needed to have an approach game that was, you know, up there with the best of them. So, um, it pushing drive, I didn’t try to become a better driver by any means. I was just, uh, it just kind of happened. Um, and this year it feels pretty good. Um, and luckily I think, you know, I’m on the right path to to having everything kind of follow it right behind it. Isn’t that fascinating? I mean, isn’t it great when we get a chance to hear directly from the players to hear what’s in their thoughts, hearts, and minds. And I love to hear from them and their mindset and their thinking at the start of a major championship week. Yeah, we have the the luxury of looking back and having the ability to have uh you know retrospect on on whether their mindset, their approach, their strategy was correct or not. But I’m but the bigger point that I’m trying to make is I think it’s great when we get to hear directly from the players instead of just hearing from pundits with all due respect that are trying to impress you with their interpretation. Why not hear directly from the players and let them speak for themselves? I love it. Uh speaking of which, Xander Schoffley last year got it all started with the PGA Championship. An absolutely historic season for him. And he starts with this sound talking to us about what his mindset is like winning in contention. I think when you’re in a position to win, you sort of forget um you don’t really hang your head on anything that that can kind of bring you down. You know, I think when you know like I look coming back from injury earlier this year um I’m nitpicking myself around every corner versus when I’m in sort of mid-season form, I’m hitting the similar similar quality shots or bad shots or good shots, you know, um across the board. And the difference really is when you’re in the moment, you know, I think you you don’t nitpick. You’re just on a mission. You’re on a mission to do one thing and that’s to win. And it’s sort of a whatever it takes mentality and you’re not sitting there nitpicking yourself on sort of the small things or if you mishit it or you miss your line by a little bit. Um things of that nature. So, it’s been a process for me to get back to that point where I’m I’m okay with, you know, hitting bad shots or, you know, hitting it out of place and and just making making the best of it and and sort of moving along from there and and allowing myself to get a good nine hole stretch in um and go low. So, that’s been a process coming back and thinking back to the 72nd hole there. Um I was just in in a in a good state of mind. I was all I was trying to do is win that tournament and it didn’t matter if you know I had to hit a shot lefty on the last hole, I wasn’t going to be rattled. I think when you look at just the statistics that way, you know, I think you’ll just point there’s probably an emphasis or a certain weight that driving carries if you’re able to hit it in the fairway and hit a certain distance. But shoot, I mean, you can hit in the fairway all day and miss a lot of greens and you’re going to have a really tough go around. So, um, you know, you know, I think it’s, uh, it’s a really tough golf course. You I think everyone knows what they need to do. So there’s no sort of trick to play this golf course. You a lot of people will hit it to the same spot. Um a lot of people will miss it to the same spot as well. And it’s about who, you know, it’s not bad because it’s like who who can get up and down better when they’re out of position and then who can capitalize when they’re in a good position. So it it seems to be pretty fair and and yes, maybe it does air, you know, or you know, if you do hit it far, it does help. But uh for the most part, you know, I think it’s a pretty fair property. I think in terms of growing the game at some point, you know, making it global, it’s always been a little bit global, but making it a global uh uh sport, you know, I’m sure that’s something uh that the tour is looking at. I I would be shocked if they weren’t. So, um you know, m you know, having having big events in, you know, in Ireland or in England uh or in in in somewhere in Europe or in Asia um or in Australia, you know, I think there are certain markets for it. It just needs to make sense and the timing needs to work. Um, and then I think if you make it make sense for everyone, then I think you’d see a lot more players doing it. There’s a growing murmur in the game, whispers really about the idea of taking a major championship such as the PGA Championship, a concept that was originally floated by Ted Bishop when he was president of the PGA of America. So, credit where it’s due with with Ted and his vision. Ree said, you know, maybe once a decade you take the PGA Championship and you move it outside of the United States. You go someplace globally. And he initially suggested Ireland as a great place to bring it. I think it’s a brilliant idea to take the PGA Championship and make it more of a global major instead of three of the four majors, just be anchored in the USA. I think it’s just a brilliant brilliant idea with all the great golf courses that are around the world and the ability and the impact that it would have uh to grow the game in in these different areas. Speaking about an international player, uh it is certainly that of John Rom and he had a really interesting answer when he was asked about what he’s learned about skill set mindset uh in contending in majors. You always feel like to play the to win the major, you have to play perfect, which is not true, right? I remember uh the RNA did this this 20-minute little documentaries with open champions and Podrick Harrington said, I think it was in Mirfield in O2 when he played about as good as he could play and didn’t win and he got to the point where we thought he had to get lucky to win a major championship. I think that’s a little bit of part of it, but at the end of the day, it’s just a lot of it is, you know, keep playing golf, keep playing solid golf, and take advantage of the of the good stretches you’re going to have throughout the week. Uh, but by any means, you don’t have to play perfect. It’s funny, a few times I’ve gone back and seen reruns of some of my rounds, like both Sundays, and especially the one at the US Open, I thought I played so good and I didn’t realize how many fairways I missed and how many shots that I considered that weren’t good and but did all the things right to minimize the damage, right? So, it’s funny. I think nine 10 years ago, I was thinking I had to play my absolute best in every aspect of the game. And I think if anything, you just have to have full faith in all aspects of your game and and just learn how to manage the golf course that week. Yeah, of course. I mean, only what is it, six people now in history that have been able to do it. Yeah. I mean, I would love to do it. Uh, obviously it’s not easy and I think obviously it would be a lot more in my mind if I were to win a third different one. uh kind of like Jordan has been able to do. But as in right now, if I ever had a thought, I’ll focus more on quantity of majors rather than which ones, right? Obviously, um in a sense of let’s say I never achieve it, I rather have a situation like like Sir Nefaldo where he has six of two of them instead of having maybe three different ones, right? If that make any sense. So, uh, now if you get all four of them, even if you won each one once, I think it’s so significant that you might take that over six, right? So, uh, but as in right now, I rather just think more about number three. And if he happens to be the open or the PGA, then I’ll focus on on a possible grand slam. But as in right now, I don’t want to think about it too much. But yeah, of course, it’s I think it’s a goal of all of us who who play the game. I’m aware it’s been probably the one I’ve been haven’t been my best at. I think my best finish was was Bel Reef. I think uh and I think it’s possibly because of the versatility and and variability of this event. Like when you go to Augusta, you know what you’re getting. Same course every year, too. The US Open nine out of 10 times you know what you’re getting depending on weather. And same at the Open, right? It’ll be firmer or less, but you know where you’re getting. is is this championship that would change venues and drastically change the way they set it up like the way a Southern Hills might play to the way this week might play to the way a Beth Page might play. They’re all drastically different, right? So, it’s possibly the the the difference which is more about okay, it just your game needs to be a very high level as opposed to uh possibly the other three that you can adjust a little bit more knowing what’s coming. at that point. That’s just a bit speculation. I think it’s just more coincidence that I haven’t played yet. I love hearing from the players like this. Absolutely fascinating to me. It is obviously always fascinating to hear from a captain of the Rder Cup. Keegan Bradley is Team USA’s captain, but Keegan is of an age and of a game such that his name is actually in the mix to be on the team, but he’s captain of the team. So, the questions start with what kind of captain will you be? Yeah, I think uh we have to see how this how the team takes shape here in the next couple months, but we’ll definitely be using uh analytics to help us make the picks along with, you know, obviously the eye test of of who we think is going to be suited for Beth Paige. But I think I think when you get down to it, it’s they’re always really tough decisions. So, the more information you can get uh helps you with those. Um but we’ll see how the team takes shape in the next couple months. We we had that RDER cup uh dinner the other week, but we’re working every day every week to for for the guys for for Beth Paige. But I think it’s important. I know for me as a player, I loved going to these meetings because it started to get real like this is coming and and you know, I really want to get on this team and try to motivate the guys to be excited to play for our captains that we have and get excited to play at Beth Paige Black. And I, like I said, as a player, I was always just so excited to go to stuff like that because it’s our dream to be on these teams. And even getting invited to a meeting like that is special because it means you’re you’re could make the team. This Ryder Cup and what comes with this, no one cares about what’s going on in this side PJ tour live. Like we’re we’re trying to put the best team together. And it could mean there’s one live guy, two live guys. That doesn’t doesn’t matter. We’ll see how this year shakes out. But it was really great to have them all together with the guys. It’s been a while since we’ve been able to do that. It’s different this year because my my main job at the Ryder Cup is to be the captain. Right now, I go about every day as the captain. I’m not I don’t even think about me as a player at this point. If I get to, you know, the end of the year and I’m in that conversation, I’ll I’ll change that. But for now, I have to I have to operate every day as if I’m the captain and make decisions as the captain. I don’t I’m not thinking of myself as a player on the team at the moment. What fascinating stuff from Keegan Bradley. Fascinating stuff from all the players that we heard from. We are not done yet on the Fairways of Life show on this day. When we come back, some equally fascinating numbers that dig into the history of the PGA Championship and how that history ties into today. Stay with us. More coming up. In Ireland, golf is more than just a game. Come and experience our world famous Lynx courses and our world famous Parkland courses. 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Family-owned Hubs peanuts have more protein than any other nuts. So whether it’s a boost on the course or a special gift, the variety of flavors guarantees Hubs Peanuts is just what you need. Family-owned, nutritious, delicious, and sustainable. Hubs Peanuts. It’s just right. Hubsspanuts.com. When you choose Newton Chefs, you’re choosing more than a product. You’re choosing innovation, pride, and excellence right here in America. We pay attention to the minutest of details, and you can feel that in the performance of our [Music] shafts. Yeah, that’s the stage upon which it is all playing out. PGA Championship Week on the Fairways of Life Show. I am Matt Adams. Andrew and Dom are behind the glass. Time now for our did you know segment presented by Flight Scope because if you know I’m talking about your distance, your data, your gapping, Flight Scope’s new I4 rangefinder that you see right there. It is awesome. Personalized club recommendations along the way. It’s like a caddy in your pocket. Did you know that only six players in history have won the PGA Championship three or more times coming into this week? Here is that list as of Monday of the PGA Championship week. If you please, Walter Hagen tied with Jack Nicholas both having won it five times. Tiger Woods four times. Jean Sarasen, Sam Sneed, and one Brooks Kepka have each won it three times. who might add to that list for a tournament celebrating its 107th edition. That list is really kind of short. Think about it for a second. Another incredible statistic that might shock you. 88 of the 106 PGA Championship victories that have come from Americans, five from Australia. No other player in the world representing any other country coming into this PGA Championship has won more than two. The United States, they have truly dominated the PGA Championship clearly. But you could dominate your club play with Flight Scope’s new I4 rangefinder. Make it easy. Make it Flight Scope. All right, folks. Enjoy the PGA Championship. We’ll be with you to recap everything that took place. Cannot wait to share all of it. Until then, be well and goodbye for now. [Music]
