The Ryder Cup Was a Kick in the Nuts — And Golf Needs to Fix Itself | Colt Knost w/ Straight Facts

The Ryder Cup Was a Kick in the Nuts — And Golf Needs to Fix Itself | Colt Knost w/ Straight Facts

Hey everybody, what’s up? Trey Wingo here. Welcome in to another edition of Straight Facts Homie, the podcast where we don’t yell at you, we don’t argue with you, we don’t tell you how we’re feeling. We show you what’s happening in real time based on historical data and statistics that will show you why things that happen or are going to happen are more likely than not because of, you know, this thing called information. It’s what we believe in. If you believe in it, too, make sure you click that like and subscribe button wherever you get your podcast. You’re watching on YouTube, make sure you hit the subscribe. We got a lot to get into in this episode, but first we want to have an other discussion about what happened at the Ryder Cup and what happens going forward. The guy we’re talking to in our trusted voices segment this week is none other than Colt No, a former PGA Tour player who does great work covering the PGA Tour on CBS and was front and center for it all at Beth Page Black. So sit back now and enjoy our conversation with Colt Nost. All right, Cole, now that you’ve had a couple of days to digest what happened over the weekend at Beth Page Black, your biggest takeaway from the whole disaster would be what? Well, I I feel like so many people are trying to blame the Americans for poor play or uh bad leadership, which I think is kind of unfair. There was definitely some bad golf being played, but I think the biggest takeaway is the Europeans played phenomenal golf. I mean, especially the first two days. I mean, you’re talking historic numbers they were putting up out there. I think my favorite one is just talking about the alternate shot on Friday and Saturday in the morning. Friday they go out there, the Europeans shoot combined 16 under, which they had never heard of anything like that and they won the session 3-1. On Saturday morning, the Americans are 16 under par combined. They lost 3 to1. Uh the Europeans were 22. So sometimes you just get beat, Trey. I mean, I I know you’d like to see things go a different way. There’s a couple of changes I would have liked to have seen made, but for the most part, when the Europeans are rolling it the way they were, I mean, they could not miss those first two days, that’s going to happen. And they found themselves down seven points heading into singles. Yeah. I mean, you everyone knew it was pretty much a fat comple. I mean, that’s almost the double the biggest comeback that’s ever happened, 99 Brook line and 2012 Madina. But did you ever with the way and because I remember at one point the the Europeans were leading in the first five matches in singles on Sunday and then that all flipped around when when that was going on did you ever say oh my god they might pull this off. So yeah so I was actually the analyst for Sirius XM um calling it on the radio. I was sitting next to Brian Kendrick and we go in there you know we get in the booth around 11:15 or so for the 12:00 start and I was just looking at BK. is like this is going to be the longest 6 hours cuz they’re going to close it out so early. Like we’re going to have so much time to fill what in the hell are we going to do? And then like you said, they lead the first five matches and now I’m like, oh man, who’s going to make the the winning putt, right? Who’s going to it’s going to be one of the second or third guy possibly, possibly Rory in the fourth if he beats Scotty. But then all of a sudden, a few putts went in for the Americans. Uh Cam Young makes the massive one at 18. Justin Thomas, and then it seemed like everything just shifted the Americans way. every time they went to a new shot, it was the Americans making a putt. And I really did think they had a chance there. Obviously, the Henley match was so crucial. I thought if he could have closed it out there on 17, but the big my biggest thought was I was like, “This is going to end in a 1414 tie. They’re going to retain and then this envelope rule is going to make all hell break loose and it’s going to get really weird.” Yeah. Thankfully for everybody involved, that wasn’t the case. And for those that are just new to this or just drifting in, because Victor Havlin has suffered an injury, you have to put somebody’s name in an envelope and then whoever that is, that match is hald. And that would I mean, so they started up seven, but they’re actually up seven and a half. Yeah. You know, by the time Sunday morning rolled around because they’d already have that match with with Harris English and Victor Havlin. So let let’s let’s start there actually because you brought that up. A lot of people want a lot of things to change before we go to a dare manner in 2027 in Ireland. Do you think the substitution rule, the envelope rule, whatever, however you want to call it, do you think that will be changed uh dramatically by the time we get to Ireland in 2027? Yeah, I do. I mean, I know it’s been used three times since it uh came about and I believe 1971. Uh 1991 was obviously a massive moment when Steve Pate had to pull out because of injury. Um 93 Sam Torrance for the Europeans had to pull out. I I don’t like it. I mean, I joked with some guys on Twitter. They were like, “Oh, Keegan wasn’t mad in 1991 when it helped them win.” I was like, “Kegan was six. He wasn’t giving a damn about what was going on with the envelope rule in the Ryder Cup. I know he knows the history, but I I just don’t like the rule for a lot of those guys, Trey, like a Harris English. This could be his last RDER Cup. He doesn’t even get a chance to go out there on Sunday singles. I think that sucks.” Um, and also with how close they were, and I’m not saying Victor did this. I’m sure Victor was 100% hurt and he’s not that kind of guy. But if you if you do have a guy that’s struggling like, “Hey man, um we can just let you say your back hurts or something, then all of a sudden you get a half point for our squad, that’s unfortunate.” I I’m all for carrying 13 guys. And the only time you can sub Yeah. The only time you can put that sub in is on Sunday singles because you have four guys sitting on Friday and Saturday. You can just sub someone that’s normally there. But just in case that happens, either that or the the people that withdraw, their team has to lose a point. Um I think it’s got to be a full one. I don’t think it’s fair to gain something. As my man SE who I do all the the shows with, he said Bryson Dashambo are the same amount of points as Victor Havlin for that Sunday singles and Bryson came from five down through seven holes. That just doesn’t seem right. Yeah, I think that’s fair. And and quite frankly, you know, you look at majors in golf and they’re littered with alternates getting in, including John Daly infamously. Yeah. What was he the ninth alternate crooked stick in ‘ 91 and he went on to win the damn thing. So I I hadn’t even thought about that. So good kudos to you, good sir, because I hadn’t even thought about carrying a 13th member just in case. I like that idea. And quite frankly, what’s what would be the objection to it? You have it in case you need it. And a guy I mean we have alternate jurors for crying out loud in court cases. We should be able to have an alternate writer cup member come play on singles on Sunday if it’s necessary. Did you think someone else did someone else come up with that? I’ll be honest. Listen, golf is my life. I did think of that one. Um, let me let me ask you this because you’re you’re more of the football guy than I am, but haven’t they changed the rule the last few years where now teams can carry a third quarterback just in case an emergency quarterback. That’s exactly We got an emergency rider cup player and we could have used a lot of those maybe uh on Sunday with the way things went down. Okay, so that’s one thing that’s going to change. Is there something that needs to change from the way we prepare? Because listen, I I knew, you know, in covering sports all the time, you hear fans say, “Oh, the other team wanted it more than us.” And 99% of the time, that’s total [ __ ] Okay? It’s total [ __ ] I don’t think it’s [ __ ] at the Ryder Cup. When Shane Lowry, after sinking the putt that determined that they were going to retain the cup because he got the half, he said, “I won an open championship in Ireland. This was bigger to me.” Like that is an indication. It means more to them. It just does. So, how do you combat that? Yeah. So, I I I don’t agree that they want it more. Like, I know these guys on the American team. I know how much it means to them. Okay. Okay. But let me ask let me before you go any Let me ask. Would Scotty Sheffller say, “No, I don’t want the Masters. I’d rather sink the RDER Cup putt.” Would Bryson Dshambo say, “No, I’ll trade away my second US Open Pinehurst for the the having putt to win the Rder Cup.” I don’t think they’d say that. Well, Scotty Sheoffller said he’d give up a major for a Cowboys Super Bowl, so he he he might that Well, we all have our delusions. We all have our delusions, but no, I think a lot of that was Shane caught up in the moment. Now, I know how much the Ryder Cup means to him. He talks about it. I remember him hugging Luke Donald over in Rome and saying, “Thank you for giving me a chance.” Because that does mean so much to him. And I I would have to I think if you talk to him now, I would say it’s probably pretty close as far as how the moments are ranked with winning the Open Championship in Ireland. I mean, that scene coming up 18 for him was second to none in my that was unbelievable. Um I it’s hard for me to say that the Americans don’t care. I I really think No, I want to be clear. I didn’t I didn’t say they didn’t care. I want to be clear. I don’t I don’t I don’t think it matters as much to them as it does to the Europeans. Yeah. I don’t know. you know, I’ve never been in that team room. I’ve never seen how they act after a loss. I’ve never seen how they prepare to go out there and battle. Um I I would hope it it means as much to them because you are representing your country. This is uh I mean, in my opinion, one of the greatest events in sports, not just question, without look and I I’ve gone on record and people think I’m crazy when I say this because, you know, a lot of people associate me with the NFL and all this kind of stuff. I would rather watch the RDER Cup and be at a Ryder Cup live than any other event. And I mean that sincerely that it it is like up until recently what I loved about it is it it was just about the competition. What other sport do you have guys that are were essentially up until this year playing for free, right? They were playing for free and it just was about the competition of the thing. And that’s the thing that I’ve always uh been so drawn to like you know years ago in the 90s when the Euros would come over here and come in the Concord, they would save a seat on the plane for the cup so it had a seat to fly back with them. You know what I mean? That’s the kind of stuff you just don’t get in a lot of other highlevel competitive matches. Can I ask you something? This is this is a thought I threw out there and this is one of the big mistakes I think we made and the PGA of America made because in my opinion, you never have to announce that you’re giving $300,000 to each player’s charity of choice and $200,000 travel stipen. You just keep that behind there like this. we know this is what’s going to happen. And then this money thing doesn’t get used against the American players because you saw Luke Donald bring it up twice in his opening speech. That is something like I don’t think you have to announce that. That’s nobody’s business. I agree. Uh someone once told me there’s the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Some people get the truth, some people get the whole truth, and some people get nothing but the truth. And I agree with you. Sometimes say less. Say less and you and you don’t get yourself in trouble. Like to to put this in some sort of uh current football analysis, you know, everybody’s running over to Shadur Sanders right now when Joe Flacco is benched and Dylan Gabriel’s named the starter. Why are you going over there? You don’t have to go over there. Why don’t you talk to the guy that’s going to be the starting quarterback? You’re looking for Shadur Sanders to say something and make an issue out of it, you know, like so how you how you approach these things, I think, is just as important as sometimes what people say in these situations. So, I agree with you completely. But while we’re on that subject of what the PGA decides to say and not say, what did you make of Don Ray’s comments in the BBC interview where basically it was the it was a layup, Colt? It was a layup. All he had to say was, “Yes, there were some fans that crossed the line and we don’t like that.” Instead, he doubles down on this ridiculous, “Well, you can go to a youth soccer game.” And I’m sure you’ll hear somebody saying, “F you, Rory, you little f it.” You know, I I just that to me when we talk about the PGA uh sort of making a own goal on themselves, that was another big one. It was an easy opportunity to say, “Hey, yes, some fans went too far and we need to correct that.” And he just couldn’t do it. Yeah, huge mistake. I I was shocked when I saw it. Um I mean, you go back to the PJ Championship this year, he had some interesting comments, too. I can’t remember what it was all about, but there was there was attention brought to him that didn’t need to be brought to him. Let’s just say that. in this in this interview afterwards, I’m with you. I mean, everyone that was out there knows exactly what was going on. Uh I’ve had people American fans, American people involved in the Ryder Cup that said it’s the worst we’ve ever heard. Uh so why not just own it? Like there it was a mistake was made. The New York fans were out of control. By the way, I I put a lot of blame on the media, which I’ll include myself in this for because we the second it was announced that Beth Page was going to host a Ryder Cup, we all went, “Oh boy, this is going to be rowdy. this is going to be the most rockous RDER Cup of all time. And they I’m guessing a lot of the fans felt they had to live up to that and some of them just took it way too far. Um interrupting shots too is one thing. Like the personal things, the family stuff that that has no business here and I know that does in some other sports like people say that stuff, but you’re not right next to the golfer or you’re right not right next to the pitcher as you’re screaming at him. Um that stuff is way over the line. And then interrupting shots. I mean when a guy takes it back, come on, show some respect. Let the guy hit a shot, then you can give it to him the whole way. Walk into the green if you want. As long as it’s not over the top. Like you can boo him, you can he somewhat heckle him, but just keep it somewhat classy for us. Well, yeah. That that’s the thing that another thing that I thought where we sort of have another own goal here is that, you know, they hired the comedian who started it. I mean, like that was your employee. And by the way, they didn’t fire her. They just said she decided to leave. It was really easy to say if the PGA wanted to like sort of clean this up, we made this decision. Instead, they’re like, “Oh, she decided to leave.” I mean, that made no sense. And then I I I I want to get your take on this because I remember in the practice rounds walk walking up to it, you know, and you know, Keegan’s running around with the American flag and then Friday morning he gets up there in the microphone to the crowd and says, “Let’s [ __ ] go.” And I’m like, “All right, how about you say, hey, pull for our squad. we need you guys, but let’s make sure we put it in the proper place. I felt like the whole runup to this, to your point about saying it’s gonna be rocks and all that kind of stuff. They kind of fueled the fire and they, meaning the PGA, I felt some of the things Keegan said on full swing on Netflix. We’re going to go to Beth Page and kick their [ __ ] ass, which was up, by the way, in the European team room for everybody to see. It was almost as if everyone was saying whatever it takes to give us an advantage. Yeah. You know, and that’s one thing like I I love Chad Mum and the Netflix the full swing. They’ve done a phenomenal job. Tremendous. Yeah. I feel like there’s some stuff that because I’ve always been told most of the players at least uh don’t have final cut. They don’t have an edit on that. And like there’s some stuff said in the heat of the moment in those locker rooms. Like that was it right after they won the President’s Cup for Keegan when Scotty Vil is his his caddy threw him the ball and he said that and I’m sure going back he’s probably like I don’t really need this out there. Um, but it was the Europeans, like you said, wrote it up in the locker room. Um, could he does he probably wish he could go back and not drop the fbomb on the first T? Probably. Yeah. I mean, he’s trying to get him hyped and everything. Keegan cares so much. I mean, Keegan probably hasn’t slept there’s no question since this loss. I mean, it it this is going to take him a while to get over and I don’t know if he’ll ever get over it, but I I’m with you. The PJ of America um just the whole setup. Yeah. Bringing her in. By the way, I I listened to her her apology on her podcast because one of my friends had it linked to her bio. Her podcast her her apology was horrendous, too. She’s basically like, “It wasn’t my fault. I was hired to do this.” The crowd started chanting, “F you, Rory.” And I just kind of went along with it. Then I stepped away. Um it was Yeah, it was it was a mess. It was just there was a lot of things, you know, you wish you had about 12 mulligans. You could go back and redo a lot of things. Um it just wasn’t a very good week, right? And listen, I I’m not sure no matter what Keegan would have done, it wouldn’t have mattered the way they played, right? Like I have some issues. I have some issues with a couple of things. Like I don’t know why Sam Burns isn’t playing an alternate shot when he’s the best putter on tour. Like you know, if you if you in alternate shot, you want a guy with a wand that can make up for mistakes on maybe careless approaches. Same thing with JJ Spawn. I would have put those guys out in alternate shot instead of forsomes. I would have started with forsomes or for four for four for four for four for four for four for four for four for four for four for fourball instead of alternate shot because we’re better at that. You know, I would have I would have done that. I would have not put together Harris English and Kamora and then put them out a second time when they got worked the first time they went out there. But but yeah, go ahead. No, I just I I agree with most of what you’re saying there. Like the JJ Spawn thing. I play golf with JJ a lot here at home in Scottsdale. We were playing together uh I believe Thursday before he left and he shot 60 on me by the way. So, he looked in pretty good form, but uh I said, “Any idea like off the record like who you going to go with?” He’s like, “I know I’m not playing alternate shot.” I said, “What?” And he said, “Yeah, like uh part of it I’m the only one who plays a strict on golf ball, all this.” And I just I looked at him and I was like, “You’re in my opinion a top three ball striker on that team.” And an alternate shot, it’s all about giving yourself chances for birdie. I mean, he’s a great driver of the ball. He’s a great iron player. He’s also a great putter as we as we’ve seen. He’s he’s really good. And like I get it, he’s a rookie, so send him out maybe on Friday morning. But when the deficit happened and him and Scotty played pretty good Friday afternoon, they just got beat. They were nine under. The other team was 11 under. I couldn’t believe he wasn’t thrown out there Saturday morning. We saw Cam Young, which that wasn’t in the plan, but they moved him out there with Bryson. Um, as far as the format switching, and I heard Mark Roing on your show, uh, talk about this, and I love Ralph. I just there’s some things. The one thing I did agree was he said it’s a crowd quieter format. crowd quieting format, which I do agree with that because if it’s not going well, it can get real bad. But when you look at the numbers, the home team has dominated in in forsomes. Um, you go back to 2008, Europe is 236 and three at home. They’re 919 and four on the road. So, US has done extremely well. The the home team is plus 27 points in the last six RDER cups in in Forsome. So, the numbers add up. I get that. Uh, I do agree with him about what he said about the format, how it can be get the crowd a little quiet, but I wasn’t totally against them putting the the foresomes out there first. Uh, just judging by how good we’ve been at home, but obviously it uh it backfired. Okay. So, I was listening to Michael Breed a little bit on on SiriusXM and I thought he made a really good point, which is whatever we’ve done isn’t working, right? I mean, we’re the first this is the first time in six Ryder Cups that the home team lost. Uh I I think and and I’m you know I may I’d like to get your take on this. I think 2021 was kind of fluky because you know we had to wait an extra year and because of co there were travel restrictions so it didn’t really feel like a full writer cup in terms of the European crowd coming over here. Now we look we killed them 199. I I get that, but I I feel like it’s, you know, outside of Hazeline in 2016 and Valhalla in 2008 and Brooklyn in 99, we’re not really good at this anymore. So, we we’ve got to figure out a way. And I thought what Michael said was really interesting, which was we need to come up with a program. We need to come up with something that will develop us. And you know, he talked about the Europeans having the Sevy Cup and and that sort of gets them ready for everything that they do in Ryder Cup. Are there things that we can do with the PGA of America that will help us become more prepared for these things? Cuz honestly, we’re just not very good at it anymore. Yeah, I have an opinion or an idea that I don’t think is going to be very popular with the PJ tour. But it’s get rid of the the president’s go. Yes. Thank you. I have been saying this for years. Look, I get it. It makes money for the PGA Tour. Cool. The rest of the world, you know, Canada, Australia, uh, Korea, all, you know, Japan, they can all come in and play, but I think it sucks that every year the Europeans get two years to stew up and froth about this and we got to go play that ridiculous uh, event, which is nice and we want to win, but it’s not the same, and nobody really cares. I I am comp I’m so glad you said that because I’ve been saying this for years and people have been like h well maybe it’s such an advantage for the Europeans that they get two years to work themselves into a frenzy over this and we got to do this every year. Yeah. I’ll give you a couple examples like the last time we won the cup on foreign soil was 93. President’s cup started in ’94. We’re 4 and 11 since the President’s Cup started. Uh, in my opinion, I think it gives Europe a little bit of an idea of who we’re going to play together. And also, look, the Internationals have a lot of great players, but the United States dominates them every single time. I mean, they’ve won we won one before they before we even got to Sunday. It was 14 and a half to three and a half. So, we Sunday was was not necessary. Yeah. And and you throw out teams like I’m going to use Scotty and Russell Henley as an example because they played together in this last one and they just dominate. And I think it gives us a false confidence going in being like, “Oh, they’re very good together. They dominated, but they’re not playing the same competition as they are at the RDER Cup.” And so I think we need the full two years to prepare and have some people like your job is to focus on the RDER Cup. you’re you’re here to, you know, do all the numbers, break down best possible teams, run everything we could possibly do and be ready. I mean, Keegan Bradley played the President’s Cup a year ago. So, he was focused on getting ready for that. He’s focused on playing his PGA Tour season. I know he gave being a captain all he could. Um, but it was a lot to ask for. And I I I don’t know if it was a mistake. Like, I thought it was great to mix it up as far as get a younger guy in there, but it was just so much every single week it was Keegan, are you going to play or are you just going to be a captain? Which one is it? and he was playing so great. Um, like he earned having that question asked to him every week. But yeah, I I honestly think I in my opinion if with this whole SSG thing and them committing money to the PGA Tour, the PJ tour needs to buy into the PJ of America and they need to share the they need to like team up and develop the RDER Cup and and solely focus on that the on that. The President’s Cup, it just ain’t it. Let’s be honest. Yeah. Yeah. It’s it’s not a thing. It’s not a thing. And and I’m glad you mentioned that about Keegan because I feel like the whole thing with Keegan was almost a make good for him not making 2023 when he should have made 2023. So they made him a captain. And quite frankly, I think the things that made him a really good player in Ryder Cup format, I think a lot of us remember him going after Miguel Jimenez’s caddy or or Miguel and Helenneith when he was after Keegan’s caddy. Like that competition, that fiery thing served him better as a player than I think it did as a captain. Yeah. I mean, he’s passionate. Uh, we saw him when he played with Phil Mickelson in his RDER Cups, his two Ryder Cups. I mean, they were going nuts out there. He uh he gets into it. I mean, Keegan is a fiery guy and I know he was pumped up for this RDER Cup. I just think going out there and being down 3-1 in that opening session was just a kick in the you know what, the nuts. It was a kick in the nuts. It was a big time kick in the nuts. It was a kick in the sleeves is what it was. the big league. So, so with so with that in mind, okay, where do we go next in terms of captaincy? You know, I I’ve heard a lot of people say, “Well, it’s got to be Tiger.” Well, no, hold on a minute. I No one loves Tiger more than me. I want to be clear about that. When I was looking at ESPN, I had a folder at work that was just all his accomplishments. And I mean, I knew every single championship he won. I have in my phone now, a Tiger file, all the amazing records that he has. I can throw those up to you. The thing I can tell you, only one player has more losses in Ryder Cup history for the United States than Tiger Woods, and that’s Phil Mickelson at 22. He has 22 losses, Tiger has 21. They both have losing records in the RDER Cup. So, if we’re trying to fix this thing and we’re trying to find someone that can take the steering wheel and drive us where we are, if I’m being honest about it, as much as I think Tiger is the greatest player I’ve ever seen in my life, and I know he’ll never have Jack’s 18 majors, but I will still die on that hill because I think he has a better all-around game, I don’t think they’re the right guys to do this. So, here’s my thought, and I think it’s Tigers if he wants it. Um, but does he want it? I don’t know if he wants it. It’s a good point. It’s like you said, it takes a lot of time away from you. Tiger’s a busy guy. I would just like to see this because and it’s probably not going to be very popular, but give Keegan another go. I think he learned so much in this first one. And I think this is a a thing that they do. I have heard from they when they develop their whole team or whatever to get ready for the Ryder Cup, they have basically decided a rookie captain will not captain on the road. That is their thing for Europe because it’s just so overwhelming. It’s just different. Luke Donald came in on short notice, did a phenomenal job in Rome, takes the job, goes over to the United States, and dominates at Beth Page once again. Keegan made some mistakes. He knows he did. I think he’ll be ready. The team loves him. I think he would be ready. He would be probably paying a lot more attention to what’s going on over these next two years and be focused on what he can do to make the team better. I just think it’s a big risk. And you take Tiger out of the equation like other guys people are talking about is Justin Leonard who has one of the most famous putts in Ryder Cup history 179 Brooklyn. Yeah. And so but Fred Coubbles has been a President’s Cup captain. Justin Leonard hasn’t. But I think it’s uh it would be very difficult for a rookie captain to go over there with everything that’s been going on with this. I mean losing what eight of the last 11 or whatever it is. Um it’s it’s just bad. And I think Keegan could adjust and and really help the United States team out. I just I’m terrified to put someone new in there. I really am. Yeah. Well, I mean, if it’s not okay, how how do you like I hear what you’re saying and I think it makes a lot of sense with Keegan, but how do you sell it? Cuz like you got to sell that, right? You’ve got to figure out a way to sell that when we just got, you know, thunder stomped at home basically. And I know it was a magical comeback on Sunday, but it was over, but it was over. So, how how do you if if you’re going to do that and what you’re saying makes a lot of sense, how do you sell that to people that they’re going to buy into it? And I don’t mean the players because I I agree with you. The players love Keegan and I think he made something, but how do you sell that to everybody else? Well, here’s my deal is I I just think the captain gets entirely too much credit when the team wins and they get entirely too much blame when they lose. Like can’t hit a shot like it’s like a quarterback. Yeah. He he goes out there, he he sets the team. Now, he made a mistake putting Harris English and Colin Moro together twice. There’s no doubt he will admit that that was that was a bad decision, but for the most part, like, okay, Scotty Shuffle, Russell Henley, two great players, Bryson Desambo, Bryson Dashambo, Justin Thomas, like all these teams when you see him, you’re like, yeah, this is this is a squad right here, and they go out there and they lose. That stuff happens. Um, that’s not on Keegan. He he did all the research. Um, he I know he regrets a couple of those matches he put out there. He regrets how he set up the golf course, which That was the first thing I noticed. I stepped foot out there on Wednesday morning and I got on the first team and I was like and I I played two FedEx Cup playoff events there and I stood on the first team. I was like, “What? What is this? This this is not it.” I mean, the guys that sleep in their car for eight hours that go out there and play it play it in more difficult conditions than what we have for the Ryder Cup right now. That’s just not right. Yeah, I agree with that. Um, a and something else you just said I thought was really interesting because if it I if if if we don’t have our horses, it’s never going to work, right? If our horses don’t perform, Rory showed up. Tommy Fleetwood showed up. Justin Rose at his advanced age showed up. What is it about Scotty? Because we we’ve I just mentioned Phil and Tiger, the probably the two most dominant players of of an era in in in US golf and and PGA Tour golf. And obviously Tiger far exceeding Phil, but our our best guy has to play well. And he, you know, he finally won a singles match. He was 1 and4. You know, he got worked at Rome, lost a match, nine and seven. How how do we get our best guy to be better in these situations? So, I really liked my argument for this until you told me Phil has the most losses. Um, but we’re just going to take that out because he’s an anomaly. Okay. But Tiger and Scotty Chef, they have a lot in common, actually. So when you watch them play day in and day out on the PJ tour, it’s 72 holes, they wear you down. They don’t make many mistakes. They pro they make fewer mistakes than anyone. Scotty’s a guy who hits it on the fat side of the green, gives himself 15 to 20 feet every single hole, gives them birdie putt after birdie putt after birdie putt. Tiger was the same way. Those are probably those two and Jack Nicholas probably the three most conservative golfers we’ve seen. In the RDER Cup, it’s an 18hole sprint and playing safe, playing to the fat side of the green doesn’t work. And I think that’s why both of them their singles record is just fine. But the team part when it’s best ball, even when it’s alternate shot, like you got to go. Especially the way Beth Pageige was set up. It was a birdie fest. You got to go. You got to get in insanely aggressive. But also, you just get beat. I mean Scotty his he played those first four matches. The teams he played were 32 under par in 66 holes. They made 34 birdies and two of that’s alternate shot. Like you’re just not going to win. Scotty’s teams were 22 under. It’s not like they were chopping it up and making bogeies all over the place. They just got beat. But you you are the world number one. You have to deliver. And like you said, their studs delivered. I I took their four studs, which I I included Turo Hatton in this. I took Tommy Fleetwood, Rahm, and Hatton. Okay. Combined, those four, they earned 14 points. Yeah. I mean, they did their part. They they retained the cup by themselves. Yeah, they did. And the wedge Scotty hit on to 18. Oh my god. I I’ll never I mean like he how does that happen? But Trey, I’ve known Scotty Sheffller since he was six years old when he moved to Dallas, Texas. I’ve played a thousand rounds of golf with him, seen him hit a million balls. I have never seen him hit a shot like that. Yeah, as as a Dallas resident, I’m sure you remember the great WFA reporter, George Reeba. Of course, he did a great segment where it was it was just Jordan Spe, Scotty Sheffler, and Will Zallurus all competing in some sort of Dallas Junior amate championship. I was like, “Oh my god, there’s that guy. There’s that guy, and there’s that guy.” Uh, it’s really an incredible clip. Now, you mentioned Rom and Tier Hatton. I’ve gotten a lot of I call them Liv bots because, you know, they’re trying so hard to prop up that thing, man. Look, nobody’s denying that the LIB doesn’t have good golfers. The product is just terrible. Let’s just be honest about it. If it wasn’t terrible, somebody would watch it. Nobody’s watching it. Um, so, so with that in mind, I’ve getting a lot of push back from Livbots. They’re saying, “Well, they missed Brooks Kepka. They missed Dustin Johnson. They missed Patrick Reed.” And my response has been if they were playing better, they probably would have been on the team. The only Liv players that played well enough to be on the team on either side were Bryson Dashambo, John Rom, and Terrell Hatton. So where do you go into the idea that the Liv people not being there, especially for team USA because Patrick Reed had that great match with Rory at Hazeline, which was like, you know, a World Wrestling Federation match. It was ridiculous. And obviously we’ve seen what Dustin and did and Brooks did in 2021. My thing is, yeah, if they were playing like that when they were good, then they’d be on the team. They’re not playing like that anymore. No, they’re not. I mean, Dustin would tell you, and Brooks said it in an interview. He’s like, I’ve played my way off this team. I have not performed the way I need to. Patrick Reed, you know, there was some talk about it. Could it possibly happen? He finished third at Augusta this year. He goes out um and wins on live in Dallas, which I mean, you can I don’t I’m not hating on it. Whatever. He he won the golf tournament. He beat the people that were in the field. Uh he had a great opportunity to go out there and play well at the open championship, the last major of the year, and make Keegan Bradley look at his name and think about it. He went out there and missed the cut. Like, I’m sorry. Like, you had a chance to perform. I know his record is really good in the RDER Cup, but the one thing he did that will never leave him is he threw his team, his captain under the bus in Paris when there was Justin Thomas’s first Ryder Cup. Him and Jordan Spe are boys. They always play together. You know, they that broke up Spith and Patrick Reed. Patrick Reed got put with Tiger and he complained. Yeah. Like you I’m sorry. You lose all respect right there. Like you cannot throw your team under the bus and do that when you’re when you’re partners with the greatest player of all time. Yep. I agree. And by the way, you wear red on Sundays because of him. So if you’re complaining about that, I don’t know what your issue is. Well, I probably do. There are a lot of issues with Patrick Reed that we don’t want to go into. All right. Obviously, the RDER Cup is going to be talked about forever because, you know, it’s just the thing that I mean, again, it’s my favorite sporting event, and I know it is yours, too. But there’s a lot of other things we can talk about on the PGA Tour. Brian Rolap, the new vice chairman, Grand Puba of Time, Space, and Dimension, whatever his title is, comes over from the NFL. I’ve known Brian a long time, and I love the thing he said, Colt, which was, “Hey, we’re going to be we’re going to honor the traditions of the game of golf, but we’re not going to be bound by them.” As soon as he got the job, I I DM’ him and said, “You got to fix the schedule. There’s no way we should have the last major of the year in July. It just shouldn’t happen.” You know, we we have everybody plays golf in the month of August. Golf is still very much in everybody’s mind and it just goes away until the Ryder Cup or the FedEx Cup FedEx Cup playoffs. You know, it just doesn’t have the same zing it used to when you had, even though it was grammatically incorrect when TNT used to call the PGA Glory’s last shot. Glory doesn’t have a shot. You have a last shot at Glory. Separate issue entirely. Always bothered me. But they’ve got to move the PGA championship back to August. I hate the fact that we had Scotty Sheoffller winning his fourth major in the same number of days from 1 to four that Tiger had. I think it was 1,197. All this kind of stuff. He’s doing Tiger Woods type things, although it’s going to take him a decade of doing it to be close to what Tiger’s dominance was. And it ends July 20th. That makes no damn sense to me. Can we fix the schedule? Can it be fixed? Yeah, I I have I I agree with you. I think we have We have too many tournaments in my opinion. And if you want people This is where I I mean, you might not like this at all, but I think golf should end right before football. Um I think then you actually have an offseason like these fall events. I’m sorry. Like Sanderson Farm is going on right now. Like it just doesn’t get me going. Like I want to watch football on the weekend, but I have to talk about it on Monday. But golf goes all year long. So the the real golf fan is never starved for PGA Tour events. Make them be starved. Make them be excited when Hawaii comes around. Have three, four months off and let these guys also rest. If they want to go play overseas, the Australian Open, want to play in India like Roy Moy is, play these fun events like Uhill Grant Thornton, Dunh Hill, whatever you want, go do it. But if you want to take three, four months off, fine, you can. And but I just think as a viewer, it’s like they they’re scrolling through the channels like, “Oh, another golf tournament.” Yeah. No, that’s true. I would like Yeah. I would like to see 25 events that mean a lot. Yeah. I I agree with you. And I always think it’s, you know, you you get through, first of all, the players championship is in March, then you have the Masters, and then all of a sudden, oh, really the PGA’s in May and then the US Open, like where’s there a rest for the guys that are trying to win these things? And that’s those are the guys that the C, you know, look, I love all of it, but there’s so many guys that casually watch golf. They want to see the stars at the big events. and there’s no chance for them to sort of reset the battery and maybe take a couple of weeks off, then play for a couple of weeks, then get yourself ready in in the in the way the format is set right now. It’s this just super highway through four months and there’s never a chance for people to gather themselves and sort of have a second run at something. Yeah. And now you got the addition of the signature events where they’re $20 million purses. You got all the big names playing in those. I mean, there’s a stretch coming up this year in 2026 where if you’re not in the signature events, I believe you’ll play one opposite field event in the team event in New Orleans in like seven weeks, which just isn’t good. Um, I hate how they’re shrinking the fields on the PGA Tour. I don’t like the small fields. I like I love a good underdog story like most people that watch sports. Uh, I I love seeing that lessername guy battling it out with Scotty Sheffler and Rory Mroy. That’s great TV. That is fun. Get to know more about these guys that we don’t know. Um, but I’m with you. Yeah, I I like being able to spread it out a little bit and having a break in between it make you you got to be able to you got to want to crave something and when it goes the Masters right into Hilton Head, which I think is one of the best events on the PGA Tour schedule, but now it’s a signature event. Yeah. But it’s like, oh, it’s a signature event. We’re going to have no cut. Like this is when you take a breath from Augusta and relax and it should be a full field event. It’s one of the most well-run tournaments on the PJ tour and one of my favorite spots. But all these signature events based around the majors and stuff and like Scotty Sheffller doesn’t like playing the week before a major championship. This past year, the truest was it up in Philly cricket. He skipped it. Like Scotty doesn’t give a damn about money. It doesn’t m matter if the purse is 1 million or 20 million. He’s going to play what’s best for him and his schedule. Um and I I just think it’s unfortunate how this route we’re going right now. Yeah. And look, you may not know this about me, but my whole family’s from Texas. My dad’s from San Antonio, Eric Gonzalez, actually. My mom’s from Texas Arcana. I have relatives all over the Dallas Fort Worth area. I hate the fact with the way this is, the Byron Nelson and the Colonial are just afterthoughts. And those were great events on tour for a lot of years and and there’s so much history and heritage in those two events. And with the way the schedule’s set up, it’s like we’ll figure it out. I mean, you look at Mr. Palmer’s event, Mr. Nicholas’s event, like they have they carry so much weight with the PJ tour players. Byron Nelson was one of the greatest to ever do it. Correct. The Texas Gentleman. Ben Hogan, one of the greatest ever do it. Those are their two tournaments. And fast forward to 2027, Trey, you’re going to have a stretch where it’s the Byron Nelson, the PGA Championship is going to be at PGA Frisco and then Colonial. Like, we’re having three weeks of big time golf in Dallas. Like, what what do we do? We got to fix this. This is that’s too much. Yeah, I agree. And hopefully uh by I love the fact that Brian, one of her first directives was to form a competition committee because that’s that’s the committee that makes all the rules in the NFL. They get together and say, “We like this. we don’t like this, let’s fix it. And I love the fact I love the fact that Tiger’s involved in that. I’m just not sure how much I want Tiger involved in the RDER Cup when he is, you know, he’s been sort of like I’ll never understand how the guy who won three straight USGA junior uh amters championships three years in a row and then went on to win the US amer championship three years in a row. So, he won all these match play events six years in a row. it hasn’t really translated outside of singles records to, you know, to the RDU format. So, um, the the other thing that is completely on hold right now, Colt, is this whole broker between the the live deal and the and the PJ tour. And I think that’s because the PJ tour is like, we don’t really need you guys right now. Yeah, I’m I’m with you. Um, and you heard recently, I know Martin Kimer did an interview where he said, you know, those guaranteed million-doll millions of dollars contracts are not around right now. Um, so in my opinion, like why why would you want to go there? I mean, the purses, yeah, they’re they’re pretty big. They’re they’re pretty big on the PJ tour as well. And you know, you always have somewhere to go if Liv shuts down at some point. Where are you going to go? I I don’t think there’s anything going on between those right now. Like you said, I don’t think the PJ tour thinks they need them. Um, the ratings were the best they’ve been in a very long time this past season. Uh, there’s only a couple of guys now that I think they would really want back and if those guys leave live when their contract’s up, I don’t know what the hell they’re going to do. I mean, if a Bryson Desambo and Brooks Keepa leave, what do you do? Yeah. I mean, I and we’re honest about it like and there’s some guys that are out there and look if they’re the last leg and I like guys like Herod Varner and uh uh Richard Bland from is it the Richard Bland that his name? Yeah, these guys, look, I’m taking this money cuz, you know, I’ll never see this kind of money again, but if we’re honest about it, what lib guys would you want back on tour? It’s Bryson. It’s Brooks, it’s Rom. Uh, I guess you would put Dustin on there and probably Terrell Hatton. Is that about it? Yeah, maybe. Yeah, we Nean for sure. Um, but there’s not a ton. I mean, Walk Nean’s not selling an extra few thousand tickets each week. Correct. Um, and and honestly, like I don’t think John Rom is either. And John Ram was my buddy. Like I think he thought going over there it would have gotten this thing back together sooner and I honestly probably did too. It just didn’t happen. But you know going back to Harold who I just love and I respect so much. He is he is one of the first guys. He texts me and he said, “Hey, it’s getting announced tomorrow. Like I just want to let you know like I’m I’m going.” And I was like, “Dude, I totally get it.” And he told me this whole text which I’m going to keep between us just I mean how basically about his family and everything like how he grew up to what this can do for him. And I just thought it was awesome. Uh, I I respect Harold so much. He was It’s wasn’t, “Oh, I want to play less.” All this nonsense. Like, no, that’s what Dustin said. That’s what Dustin said. Yeah, that’s what DJ said. Patrick Reed, who by the way, played like 40 something events like three years in a row. Like, come on, man. You don’t want to play less golf. It’s a [ __ ] ton of money. Just admit it. There’s nothing wrong with taking more money. But just say it. Yeah. Just say it. Like I But you’d grow the game my ass, you know? It’s like I’m sorry. I I you know that that’s that that bothers me and you know will Will Zelators had a best line for a lot of these guys is not life-changing money. It’s just more money. Yeah, that’s great. Yeah. I mean like Scotty Sheffller I mean what are you going to offer him? He you could offer him 500 million. He’d be like no I’m good. By the way, I like being in America. I like being able to get home to my family. I play the tournaments I want and I’m competing against the best in the world every single week. You mentioned Rahm and and he’s a friend of yours and you know that was the one that bothered me the most if I’m honest about it because he was so adamant about his legacy and this is what he wanted to do and obviously let’s be honest it was a [ __ ] ton of money and I get it but at the end of the day you can tell he looks miserable out there. He looks miserable out there on the live tour and I think it’s really hindered his ability to finish a major. And I said that once on Twitter and people like, “Wow, can you say that?” I’m like, “Bryson to Shamble.” I’m not talking about Bryson. Bryson can do it. Good for him. It has changed fundamentally the way John Rom has a chance to win a major championship. Yeah. And I honestly thought when he signed over there, I was like, “This guy’s going to win half the tournaments every year.” Like, he’s that good. I mean, I’ve played with pretty much everybody in the modern game, and I’m like, he’s different. He is so freaking much better than everybody else. It is a pleasure to watch him play golf. um going all year and not winning over there was shocking to me and and somehow be and somehow be was the player of the year. Help me out with that one, Colt. Make it make sense. Make it make sense. It doesn’t at all. And then of course Tommy Fleetwood goes and wins in Atlanta and everybody’s like, “Oh, see it’s the same thing over here. Doesn’t make sense.” And I was like, “Well, we we’ve got a whole another topic conversation over here.” But yeah, I’m with you. But John, like he had a chance to PGA Championship. Um I know he didn’t play his best. Golf’s also hard. I I do agree that most of those guys go over there and they’re not as sharp as they were when they were playing on the PGA tour. I’m sorry. The numbers just say so. There’s going to be a lot of people pissed off about that, but that’s how it is. Um, do I think John would have won more majors if he would have stayed over here? Absolutely. I really do. I do believe he’s going to win more majors in his future, no matter what tour he’s on because he is that good. But I think he would have had a couple over the last few years if he would have stayed on the PGA tour. You just look at where his game was when he won that Masters in 2023. And my my friend, you know Justin Ray, right? You know Justin, of course. The Tiger Woods of Golf Researchers, he’s the greatest. He had the greatest line ever. He said, “John Rom, destroyer of worlds.” And that that’s that’s who he was. And that that guy just isn’t there anymore. And that’s that’s kind of sad to see. And for his sake and for golf’s sake, I I hope we see him compete in more majors. And I don’t know what’s going to happen on the live thing. But you’re right. It just just seems like, okay, can we get there at this point? because it doesn’t seem like we’re really doing anything. Yeah, I’m interested to see what happens when their contracts come out. But like last thing on John, John, I mean, he’s as ferocious of a competitor as I’ve ever come across. I mean, we play out here at Whisper Rock and it’s for a couple hundred bucks and I it is it’s like he is coming down the stretch at Augusta. It is that serious. He’s that intense every time he tees it up and that’s one of the reasons he’s so great. I mean, he was just a bully at the RDER Cup those first couple of days. I know he got smoked by Xander there on the singles, but golly, he is tough, man. And he just does whenever the moment’s the biggest, he seems to handle it at the RDER Cup. Yeah. And last thing, because I know we’ve gone over and I’ll let you go here, but what what’s the other great club out there? Is it Estansia? Is that what it is where Bubba is a member? So Bubba is at Est or he was I’m not sure if he still is, but Estansia is just down the road and it’s still Yeah. Yeah. It was a stony and a buddy of mine was actually a friend of the guy that Bubba was playing in the club championship and they were tied after the first nine holes and this guy said, “Can you believe it? We’re tied after the first nine holes in the club championship.” And to your point about competitive, the guy said, “Bubba’s eyes just went black.” And I think he won like seven and six. Like just destroyed him on the back nine. He just he wiped him out because those guys you make them think really I’m going to let some ham and anger hang out with me. you go [ __ ] yourself. And that’s exactly what he did on the back night. It was incredible. There there are guys that just get to that level no matter what it is, whether it’s playing for 20 bucks, 100 bucks, or 20 million at a at an event. Um it’s it’s cool to watch and it’s cool out here at Whisper Rock. We got so many guys. That place is amazing. I love Whisper Rock is the hang. The sign of the hang. If you ever get there, look for the sign that says the hang. It’ll explain the entire experience. Yeah, it it’s cool. Like one other live guy, this David Pooch, who’s a young upandcomer, he played really well at the Dunnh Hill today. Yeah. Yeah. uh came out of Arizona State like most of the world doesn’t know anything about him and I play with him quite a bit and he’s one of those guys I’m like if he can just get out there and be in majors consistently whatever he is going to be a world beater. He is like I expect him to be on a Ryder Cup here in the next couple of years. Well listen Colt, uh it’s always good catching up with you man. Appreciate the time. Tell everybody where they can see and hear your stuff. Yeah, so we got golf subar comes out every Tuesday. Uh you can find it anywhere you want with me and Drew Stoultz. And we also do Gravy in the Sleeves on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio channel 92. Uh Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 12 to 2 Eastern. Perfect, man. And I love the stuff you’re doing with CBS. It’s always fun. You’re very entertaining listen. So, thanks for spending some time with us, man. We’ll talk to you soon. You got it, Trey. Appreciate you. So, that’ll do it for another edition of Straight Facts Homie. We hope you liked it. We kind of know you did. So, if you do, please click that like and subscribe button wherever you get your podcast, especially if you’re watching on YouTube. We got tons of guests lined up for you and we’ll keep doing this as long as we can.

Serious golf talk—no shouting, just data. Trey Wingo sits down with CBS analyst Colt Knost to dissect the Bethpage Black Ryder Cup: why Europe’s foursomes dominance and conversion rates decided the first two days, how the “envelope rule” should evolve into a true 13th-man substitution, whether Keegan Bradley deserves another shot as captain, and why Tiger Woods isn’t a cure-all.

They also tackle PGA Tour scheduling (hello, Brian Rolapp), shrinking fields vs. underdog drama, and whether the Presidents Cup should be scrapped to give Team USA two full years to prepare.

Plus: what LIV Golf actually changed—Rahm, Bryson, Brooks, DJ, Hatton—and why performance, not politics, determines selections. If you want informed, stats-driven insight that respects your intelligence, you’re in the right place.

More Straight Facts Homie! Episodes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLihC6TAafKWcDbvIlAMc87HibcOlDYf8c&si=sPioGmRdOG8yZOVk

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00:00 Analyzing the Ryder Cup Outcome
03:59 The Envelope Rule and Its Implications
07:01 The Emotional Weight of the Ryder Cup
09:51 PGA’s Communication Missteps
12:54 The Role of Fans and Crowd Behavior
15:58 Strategic Decisions and Team Dynamics
18:50 Rethinking the President’s Cup
21:51 Future Leadership in the Ryder Cup
24:41 Ryder Cup Dynamics and Captaincy Challenges
27:36 The Pressure on Top Players in Team Events
30:44 The Impact of LIV Golf on Team Selections
33:25 PGA Tour Scheduling and Its Implications
37:23 The Future of Golf: LIV vs. PGA Tour
40:52 The Competitive Spirit of Golfers
46:00 Engagement and Community Building