Rory McIlroy’s surprising comments on LIV Golf

In a recent appearance on the “Stick To Football” podcast, Rory McIlroy made hugely surprising comments on LIV Golf after spending the better part of the last year or two criticizing the tour. Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme listen and react to several key excerpts from Rory’s appearance on STF, before previewing the 2024 PGA Tour season + what lies beyond for the Tour with expected changes coming in 2025.

#golf #golfing #pgatour #livgolf #rorymcilroy #jonrahm

Happy New Year everybody uh it is 2024 of course and we’re back with a brand new episode of the Smiley Show uh he’s of course Smiley Koffman I’m Charlie Hume he is out in Hawaii covering the centy to start the year um you know what something we we hadn’t really talked

About too much but I’m curious I keep seeing all these people on on social media with the the ins and outs for 2024 I’m curious if you’ve made any notable New Year’s resoltion or inout lists for the new year that you’re looking to kind

Of stick to and work on as we not to put you on the spot there too much but what do you got for gosh well first off Mahalo uh as you can see I upgraded my studio with my nice nice little artwork here uh here in

Here in ha U yeah no happy uh happy to start the new year ins and outs I you know I’m going to try to read more this year that’s one of the things I’m going to try to do um yeah I think that’s probably like the

Number one thing that’s in for me right now maybe try to be a little bit better about working out on the road and eating healthier yeah a bunch of like lame midad stuff you know what I’m talking about like this isn’t I’m I’m not g to

Just wow you away talking about oh I want to jump out of a plane or you know I want to I want to go scuba diving yeah I’m I’m Gonna Keep it pretty nice and safe nice and even Keel you know no stress dad stuff because that for me

Keeping the out of the day is important for the dad life so we’re just going to we’re going to continue on making sure that we just keep everything nice and even ke I I it’s funny because I had such a similar discussion with my wife last night who wants us to write lists

Of things we’re going to do this year and exchange them and hold each other accountable and I was like honestly I just I just I just want to kind of do everything I did last year a little bit better just kind of status quo um she

Told me like if you put play more golf on that list I’m GNA kill you so I’m just going to keep that one in my head dude you played too much gol you played too much golf in 2023 you 100% have a problem like I really think that you

Played a little bit too much golf last year and there’s no doubt about uh that that you had the bug and and maybe you should uh spend a little bit more time at home Charlie and play a little bit less golf or or if I take my son out on

The golf course by the way shout out to there you go there you go the the uh I I I think a lot of people have seen this on Instagram the the kid caddy the little golf stroller deal the attachment you can put on you s me a picture of

That he he sent one to me i’ I’ve been using it here in Florida it’s amazing uh everybody go check that out if you’re dad trying to like buy yourself some golf time with your significant other you want to get your kid out on the golf

Course uh big fan of that attachment I also I was thinking about this and I was I really enjoyed being a Grinch in December like refusing to put up Christmas decorations um you know kind of not helping my wife decorate the tree and I think I’m just going to extend

That into 2024 I think I’m going to be like harder to deal with this year um more of of a pain in everybody’s ass like I think that’s where I want to kind of start that’s the type of energy I want to bring right right off the bat

Into the new year like let’s not even build up to it let’s just come right out of the gate with with that sort of vibe so uh love that love that for me um look there A lot happened while we were gone of course like as is the case in golf

There you know we had the deal extended that the the framework deal PJ tour and PF we had owgr Point distribution changes a whole host of different things um but one of late that that kind of has been the topic toj is is Rory’s appearance on the stick to football

Podcast where he had some you know I guess interesting qu or interesting comments I would say for anyone who has been charting Rory’s thoughts and and and and public comments on live over the past few years um so you know rather than me read these off uh I I’d like to

Just kind of play some of these clips for us to watch and react to and and I’d encourage everyone to go you know like like like anything these days there is a full context to everything Rory’s saying and so if you’re interested in these comments like I would go watch the

Interview in full um you know stick football podcast it’s on YouTube it’s hosted by uh three three former footballers I don’t know if they’re full-time hosts or not but Gary Neville former Manchester United player Jamie carer former Liverpool player Roy ke former United player and then Ian Wright

A former Arsenal player so pretty pretty cool group it’s hard not to hear Gary Neville’s name like how you say it not in Martin Tyler’s voice that that hits so hard for anyone who played too much FIFA I played entirely too much FIFA and I I just

Picture that dark room my house 12 you know I’m supposed to be in bed I’m just grinding on uh season regular season mode and I got Martin Tyler just G maybe maybe a little Roy Keen for you too maybe that was a little bit after his time definitely Paul skulls should

Should have been in the mix there uh but that’s great so yeah so there was four of them sitting down for chat with Roy so the the first clip we we’ll we listen to here is is maybe the one that got the most headlines just talking about um the

The flaws that Rory thinks that that Liv exposed in the tour in a way what Liv has done it’s really it’s exposed flaws in the system of of what golf has because we’re all supposed to be independent contractors and we can sort of basically pick and choose what tournaments we want to

Play but I think what live and the sties have exposed is okay well if you have you know a tour and you’re going and you’re asking sponsors for millions of dollars to sponsor these events and you’re not able to guarantee those sponsors the players that are going to

Show up you know it’s very hard it it I can’t believe they’ve done so well for so long so it’s actually exposed some flaws in the system that hopefully GF will have a look at more okay well if we’re going to ask these people for so

Much money we need to be able to guarantee them what they’re getting and I think that was part of the stuff that we’ve been trying to do for the last two years to figure out okay how can we basically try and bring the thing back together again and and and learn from

Some of the things that have happened and some of the stuff that Liv has has exposed and before I get your reaction to that smile there’s another one that was also making headlines just talking about the the piff’s financial might uh that was it was a headline maker so let

Me play this one for you as well and then we can get react to both these clips competition is good right it it it makes people um but at the same time I think with the PJ tur trying to compete with live and the Saudis money is like completely unsustainable they can’t do

That they just it’s not you know you’re never going to win a fight if you’re just you know money for money because I think we’ve seen in All Sport like there’s no one spending like soci so how can you how can you tilt the odds in

Your favor so that you can make your product better that you can make fans want to engage more with with what you’re doing I think that’s how the PGA Tour can I don’t want to say win this fight because you know there’s negotiations going on and everyone

Trying to come back together which I think would be good for golf um but it it put the PGA tour in a position where they had to spend a lot of money that maybe put them on path that was that was unsustainable and know you’re seeing some sponsors are pulling out because

The two are asking for so much money and the sponsors like we can’t you know we can’t afford that we can’t afford it we can’t you know asking us to pay 20 25 million an event to to sponsor this thing I mean it’s you know if they’re

Not seeing the value in it and they’re not seeing okay well if you can guarantee me that the top 50 guys are going to come and play in my event that week then fine but if you can’t guarantee me that then I’m not going to

Give you that money so just we saw these poll quotes floating around Twitter screenshot on Instagram you know the past couple days uh just your thoughts or reaction to What Rory saying there well I mean me and you can have a general discussion about this because

It’s you know it is anything that Rory has said over the last year and a half right I mean I think for for six to nine months you know we’re we’re praising you know Rory for for taking the stand right like he was the one fighting for the PJ

Tour on behalf of the players and he was playing some dang good golf while he was doing it so he was just the balancing act that he was that that he was pulling off last year playing it’s just such such incredible golf not last year I

Guess that would have been um the prior year I don’t know it’s been going on for a kind of two years extended yeah it’s and he’s still one tournaments in there so I I see your point it’s it’s actually you know I think the people that have

Critiqued his for fail to to look at the burden that he carried in that span of time well I I think just the general timeline just what you refer to that you can kind of see where he kind of Hit the breaks of like okay this is it’s just

Too much for me because I mean I remember walking down the fairways with him in Canada the week after it went down and so he he just looked like a ghost of himself just totally he looked so shocked of what happened he just and was so surprised of

It all and I had had I had heard rumors he had left the board at that point and that wasn’t out yet and now he had obviously he left the board however many months later um so he did stick it out for a little longer but at that point I

Did hear that he he said you know what I’m I’m done uh with this like this is this I’m out and that eventually he he eventually did get to that Tipping Point where he eventually did lead the board and Jordan stepped in so all that to say it’s really hard to

Play golf and and to balance you know these these highlevel negotiations that these players are having to deal with now I I feel terrible for Jordan I feel terrible for Charlie Hoffman the everybody on the board you know because it’s they’re they’re not equipped to to handle these high business uh

Conversations and and cley I guess is another um I mean you may think you’re really smart but really I mean the the job for them as as as members of the board was to to obviously put themselves in the possess best position as the players representing the players for the

PGA Tour so that they felt like they were getting the right representation and that the tour would be you know correctly moving forward that in the eyes of the way the players wanted it to move and as we get into that direction now it’s you you start to wonder it’s

It’s it’s like there’s a there’s a missing piece here for the the tour players it’s they need a team captain for them somebody that is very business savvy that does this for a living for instance they they should have gone and hired somebody a long time ago to

Represent them in these negotiations and then report back to them because it’s it’s so hard for these players they they have a ton of say and how what’s going to happen with the tour maybe that’s why they’re so heavily involved is that they’re reshaping the way this is going

To go and getting the seats correct or they have more power I think the point you make about the guys on that policy board is such a good one and it didn’t really even hit me like this until I heard something on PGH radio this week Charlie Hopman was on with with gravy

And the sleev and he was just talking about how it was difficult on his golf game obviously because of the the time con of doing those those meetings right but even when he would would go to the course to get his work in he’s on the

Range and everyone wants to come up to him and get an update on what’s going on and so it’s like even when you’re you know you have less time to do your work and even when you show up to do your work there are additional you know

Burdens being placed on you to gather information so players are informed so you know that whole thing is is you know I I can’t imagine what a burden that was and specific to Rory I mean you could go back and listen to the first podcast we did reacting to this framework deal one

Of the first things we said was goly I mean I can’t imagine what mental state Rory is in at that point he’s got to be livid because he’s been basically asked in a lot of ways to be the poster child for the PJ tour and kind of trotten out

All the points you know defending the tour and saying Liv is something that you know we’re never going to do and then all of a sudden there’s this 180 of sorts saying this is a this is someone we’re going to partner with um I thought the interesting thing even in those

Ensuing months and maybe this was because of the language that was included in that initial framework deal where it was like the Liv was going to fold into the PGA Tour that Jay monam was going to oversee Liv you know he would have the authority to potentially

Disband live that Rory was maybe looking at that and saying uh we’re doing this on on the PGA tour’s terms rather than Liv’s terms well of course even that has changed in the last few months especially with the John Ram a huge piece of Leverage shifting over to the

Piff side and and to live um so to me a lot of these comments struck me as Rory kind of trying to pave a way back you know that that you know pending the outcome of this deal live could continue to exist and it may be a thing

That he might you know want to or have to play in to fill out a full calendar a playing calendar each year on that topic I thought it was interesting because Jamie carer asked him something of that ilk and and let’s listen to his response about you know whether or not he’d want

To play live if that was option that’s presented going forward if they do come together what why would you not then be be part of of Liv so I think get that you know sort of like the finances that these other players are getting which is astronomical well I think you would in

The end because if if live or so the thing that I that I’ve come to realize is okay if you’ve got people or a sovereign wealth fund wanting to spend money in your sport ultimately that’s a good thing but you just want to maybe get them to spend it the right way and

To spend it on things that that are important in the game so um instead of giving someone hundred million do why don’t you put 50 million into a Grassroots program for the RNA or the usgaa so that you can actually help whenever they say growing the game you

Know spending that money elsewhere to actually grow the game and not just try to buy talent I think is would be a way better um way to to spend that money so this one was interesting to me because I think to be fair to Rory he’s been consistent throughout about if we can

Get this money into the game in a way that works for us and and that you know plays within the current ecosystem of golf we should try to do that because it’s a lot of money it can help us in a lot of ways what struck me there was him

Effectively saying to Jamie carer yeah like if if this comes together I would play live golf I’m wondering how that hit you or if you felt similarly in hearing his answer yeah and there’s there’s definitely some some quotes that he had in the past you dropped can you hear

Me yeah I can hear you okay sorry sorry I just I wanted to stop you before you got too far in but you can just do a pick up wherever you want to on on that prompt yeah there’s definitely some quotes that he had in the past about about Liv Golf

And say if it was the last place in the world that he could put play professional golf he wouldn’t he wouldn’t do it so the problem that we we’re dealing with with Rory is that he made these very on theedge statements about how much he disdains live golf you know that that’s

Really tough to come back from so I I think there’s been a lot of players that have you know made some really tough statements you know John Ram had a little bit of backtracking but not nearly as much as Rory when it comes to live golf and how much he really hates

It you know and I think players have made comments about the greed and the players taking the money and I think more so they they were more frustrated about the players talking about how they’re you know growing the game and and but really it’s just you know the

Money that they they were after so I think that was one of the things that like Shane Lowry mentioned saying it’s just kind of ridiculous how you could take all all the money and then say that hey this is this is why we’re doing this is why we’re growing the game so that’s

That kind of circles back to what Rory just talked about with um yeah I mean it would be awesome if all the money that the Saudis have would would help um and grow the game I hate that that turn but yes I mean if if it was spent properly

Great that that would be amazing but it in itself it I think when these quotes came out kind of similar to when Liv go in the PGA Tour had the random merger thing that came up on TV that one day that were just like this can’t be real I

Had the same feeling when I read these quotes on on Twitter uh earlier this week with with Rory’s quotes about live golf and you’re just like what like what happened you know like how did we get here because I I never would have imagined that he would ever like come

Like towards the middle in all this and he’s he’s been slowly working his way back there and just I was really surprised that he that he supported John Rob’s decision um maybe you know maybe he’s hearing things that I’m not but to me me it uh like

Phil Mickelson kind of chimed in a little bit as well even last week talking about how you know the golf fan I think the that the Tweet was in regards to how the golf fan has been the one who’s lost the most in all this and

And Phil said just give it give it give it time you know like it we’ll all be back playing together once again and uh maybe Rory’s upset that that Rah made the decision and he took the money and and he’s like man I probably could have

Took the money and and really turn this thing upside down and still been able to double dip but listen I I just don’t see how still that these these two are going to be able to merge and I know there’s still going to be uh some some issues

With with the merger and and all the mon Monopoly type stuff and I we we don’t have no idea how any of that stuff works we’re gonna have to get another antitrust lawyer on to explain it all but to me I think there’s there’s players that make a case that you know

They have they had LD offers that they didn’t take there’s plenty of players that did like how are how are you going to be able to make this Fair um and it seems that this this new this new company that the PGA Tour PJ tour Enterprises you know giving these

Players equity in the PGA Tour seems to be what’s going to tip this thing because the value and having equity in the PJ tour that’s you know the value of of what seems to be a a billion multi-billion dollar company is you know that that seems to be you know have a

Lot of money involved especially for some of these players like Tiger Woods and Rory that are going to have higher equities than a lot of the other PGA Tour players but as we kind of you know look to see what 2025 looks like and and um all the different issues that we’re

That we’re dealing with right now and you hope to see these players back playing together but still there’s still a lot to figure out and how the two sides are going to marry and and match back into playing all in the same Golf Course again and and kind of to some of

Those points I think that Rory and again you should go check out the full podcast the section really from like seven minutes like 14 or 15 minutes hits on all the Liv stuff and you know Rory is complimentary of John ROM’s business savvy for kind of picking

This time but also kind of says yeah we’re feeling like we’re getting close on a deal and I don’t think Rory says these things the way he said them you this has been such a embittered passionate sort of you know you call a feud in some ways on on both sides but

Really has been contentious in a lot of ways for a number of months and years and so to hear Rory said you say what he said you know I I was as shocked as as you were you know saying could this really be him two quotes that I saw from

The Liv side of things that would also indicate that we might be getting closer to some form of resolution um on that side because it’s obviously been you know you could call a feud sorts the last few months and and years really from both sides taking shots um and two

Guys who have not been shy about that are Phil Nicholson and Greg Norman I want to read you two things they said in response to Rory’s comments on Twitter so here’s Phil he says he’s quote tweeting um the excerpt that Rory talk talking about live exposing the flaws in

The system of golf right now he says this quote and the many others made today by Rory probably weren’t easy to say let’s not use this as an opportunity to pile on rather it’s time for me and others to let go of our hostilities and work towards a positive future ROM

Signing is turning into a bridge to bring both sides together as evidenced by the many comments today and a month ago about changing the rules for the Ridder cup so Jon and others can play so let’s use it as such until an agreement is reached it will be business as usual

For both sides but hopefully without the needless disdain so that’s from Phil Mickelson who’s not been shy about taking shots at the tour on Twitter and then this is Greg Norman on that’s a ni he been in a while right a long while a long long while so and what a what a

Kind message you know little morsel from Phil he’s like that maybe that’s his new New Year’s resolution well and and to continue this like so here’s Greg Norman on on Liv’s Fairway to Heaven podcast is his reaction to Rory’s comments happy New Year golf that’s my reaction I’ve got to

Be honest with you I’m very appreciative of what Rory said it’s been a painful couple of years what we have done is be consistent our narrative has been consistent our delivering mechanism has been consist consistent the reason I say I appreciate Rory to fall on his sword

To some degree is the fact that he did Judge Us by not knowing the facts he judged us on other people’s thoughts and opinions we wanted to sit down from day one with them to completely make them understand the value of the live footprint business model and impact it

Has and can and can make on the game of golf I say hey thank you Rory we all knew it was going to work within the golf ecosystem we all want to be there we are all we are going to be there to me this is a significant turning point

For everybody I mean and his a takes a few Jabs at Rory there but I mean from Phil and Norman like this is obviously the nicest we’ve heard them in months and coupled with Rory’s comments like it feels like we’re getting close to something well I I I still this goes all

The way back to the beginning and the beginning was they didn’t take the meeting if they would have taken the meeting and had yes you know the PJ tour was right for the taking they’re independent contractors and they thought the PGA Tour would stand alone and all

The players were would be happy to to carry the flag of the legacy of of what it means to play on the PGA tour and to be a legend in the game people quickly realize that that wasn’t the case you know if you start throwing some crazy millions of dollars at Players they’re

Like you know what I can work for Less I can play uh could still play the majors for the most part for some of the guys other players were taking risk but still the the amount of money and and you know you could argue that some of them even

If they played well on the PJ tour wouldn’t have matched what they would have made in this these Liv golf contracts and and still even what these players are making per year on the Liv golf tour is ridiculous so as we kind of look at this now that what you just

Talked about with Phil and just a potential merger as we get closer you know it’s it’s sad that that we’re I think what annoyed the golf viewer was that nobody really cared about the live golf tour and I thought the art article that Dylan wrote the other day on golf.com talking

About how you know the PJ tour has always been great about M like you you can be a young player and you can become a superstar the live golf tour is not that way like they haven’t produced any Superstars and the model itself I’ve just tired of of hearing about how Liv

GF is going to change the game well well maybe what they’ve done is they’ve just changed the way how the PGA Tour and the golf ecosystem is going to operate moving forward and if that’s if that creates a better product for us moving forward then great but the last two

Years of listening to how this is how team golf is going to change the way the like the golf world is going to exist I I just have a heart time believing I think it’s always going to be in an exhibition format with a just a you know

Something to keep an eye on it’s not something that you live and die on of of this team is going to win a championship it I just don’t think people will ever care enough about the team concept do I think he can exist sure but I don’t

Think I I I still think 72 holes in championships at places where you know Jack Nicholas has won and Arnold Palmer and and the legends of the game the the stuff that we thought would keep players there you know that that to me is what’s going to eventually be the king of what

Holds golf together which is you know winning at at iconic venues you know that that we have on the on the PGA tour so getting those players to eventually come back great they’ve just got to figure out how they’re going to do it with the private Equity that that now is

Going to be involved and maybe the piff will be involved too as a minority um investor as well so wow I mean it it’s it’s a mess we could talk about this all day but to me it’s you know I I still think you know in a best in a in a best

World that we live in it’s you know like Rory talked about earlier can we can we get all the top tour players from the Liv and the PJ tour playing at the same time eight to 10 times a year plus the majors great perfect let’s do that and

Then team golf in the fall great yeah well I mean when I think about this and I could easily be proved wrong on this point but this live feels a lot to me um maybe not in terms of the profile of the player but the original XFL you know

Obviously the the original XFL did not have NFL caliber players but what it came in was you know we’re going to do different rules and and nicknames on the back of the jerseys and and a different color football and and we’re going to you know the NFL Blitz of of football

You know and and it was cool and kind of caught people’s you know Intrigue and interest early on and then after a while it’s like this product just isn’t as compelling as NFL football so we’re not going to watch this but what happened was the NFL borrowed a lot of things

From that original iteration of the XFL that had a ton of staying power in the league for years to come and still a part of of the NFL’s product and I I think that you know to give Liv a little bit of credit you know they their

Forcing they have forced some of that change now the thing that I still want to see is it feels like the most change they forced is in player compensation you know and and and and hey we’re spending a ton of money on this so we’re driving up what you have to spend on

Your players to keep them on the PJ tour they don’t come over here what I love to see is how does this trickle down into fan enjoyment you know and and really kind of rewarding the people who are watching the sport and who are you know

Because I think the two and we we’ll get into this a little bit later in the episode but just you know the sponsors and the the fans right now are kind of taking it on the chin um and I know people don’t want to hear about these big corporations these big sponsors but

I mean if they’re doing this to be charitable and now they’re saying we can’t do that anymore because the margins are shrinking that’s a huge problem so um you like I said we’ll come back to that later I just one one other reaction I want to get uh on the cards

Is uh some things never change Brooks Kea tweeted uh uh the the GIF of Kermit sipping tea response I love Kermit GIFs so that always plays it’s good it’s it’s on brand and it is that is BS kep for you so before we kind of come back to

You know you and I have talked off air just sketching out like what does the tour look like going forward in 2025 you know whether it’s with or without a lid component and we’ll discuss that later in the episode but now like look we’re finally here we have a new tour season

We have real legit legitimate golf being played and you know to kind of kick off the year I think we wanted to run through what’s going to happen on the golf course this year make some kind of predictions and story lines we’re going to be paying attention to and guys on

The rise and so with with that said I feel like the the first place to start is talking about some major winning predictions in 2024 and obviously the first major on the cards is first week first week of April the Masters so I’ll just kick it over to you here smiley

What what what are you thinking what are you predicting is going to happen uh in Augusta Georgia here in a few months I think Scotty sheer is going to get his second greed jacket okay um I like that I I I I say Scotty because I think he’s going to be

Contending in all four of the majors that’s just I I I would be surprised to not see him near the top of the leaderboard in every single one of them similar to what we saw with Brooks kka for that long span of it felt like four

To five years where every time you you you looked at the leaderboard even on Thursday in the morning or the afternoon whatever he teed off his name was in the in the little mini leaderboard split on the bottom right corner of of the screen and that is what we’re going to see yeah

I think the thing with Scotty I mean I just don’t see this train stopping you know I think like we saw with Brooks kka just the bottom right corner of that leaderboard for every single major he was in the top five every single time you looked but we saw Brooks there and

That’s what I expect to see with Scotty shaffle for many years to come I mean at least three or four years I just feel like he’s in Prime Peak mode of I mean he’s we saw the consistency the last couple years and now he’s got this added

Um this this putting that I think is going to continue to improve right and that’s all we talked about if he can just be averaged a little better than average he’s going to win tournaments by multiple shots so I think Scotty could be a two-time major champion this year I

Don’t think it’s too bold to say but um yeah and what what say you on on your major Champions well I I got to say I got to say on the Scotty piece like The Limited Glimpse we got into whatever the new putting was going to be looked

Really good for three of the four rounds and in the fourth round when it wasn’t as good it was because he had such a large lead that it really didn’t matter as much anyway and he still got the job done to won the tournament so look limited field but best players in the

World first time out with something the like I you he’s only had more time to keep working on it and if the putting is is above average this year and the ball striking stays where it was last year like it’s a wrap I mean two two might be conservative in terms of major

Predictions um I’m I’m going to I’m going to zag a little bit off your predictions like you know my heart wants to say this is the year that Rory mroy gets it done at Augusta but I I I think I’m gonna go out there he’s he’s uh plus

2100 odds right now I I think cam Smith I like cam Smith this year because I think he came he’s played well here played well here for a number of years I think the last two years he played well here during the the the covid Masters the Dustin Johnson Masters and then

Obviously the the year uh he was kind of chasing Scotty sheffler down the stretch and then hit a ball in the water and kind of collapsed there on Sunday um last year showed up and kind of admitted said I haven’t really been working as hard this offseason as maybe I should

Have um I think he you know wonder why can anyone point to you know a few reasons maybe 100 million reasons as to why he might not have been working as hard I don’t know I don’t know someone’s going to have to chime in the comments

Uh but I think that um you know and and then he had it seemed like he had a pretty solid season played well at some majors and then had that like epic collapse at the Australian PGA and that’s the the last taste that was left in his mouth of professional golf this

Season and I just feel like maybe that kind of kicks him in a gear a little bit of saying you know what I want to come out and show people that I’m still one of the best you know 5 10 players in the world and what better place to do it than at

The Masters where he’s played well and contended in years past and like gets it done for a first green jacket so that’s my Master’s pick um I’m here for that I yeah I don’t think I’ll probably be able to to give you all four of mine because

Uh for each major I I I think I’m more looking to like give you maybe some like who’s the victor havind of last year like who’s the breakout star um like maybe comeback Player of the Year like that that’s kind of it’s hard to predict all four majors right like I think you

That’s fair you could play the because I like for instance like cam Smith I’m not buying the stock that you’re selling like I’m I’m selling cith stock okay well well if we’re just doing kind of General major pool then the two names that I want to throw in there then for

Any of them are uh luig Oar and Max hom yeah like I I I think this is gonna be I think this is g to be the year of Max Homa I think like we talked to him a couple months ago when he was like my

Swing is getting more and more dialed in he’s been sharing swing video on on social media which is a sure far way to tell the guy is in love with with his action right now and I think we’ve talked you know extensively to ludig and honestly he could fall into multiple

Categories here that we’re going to discuss but I think like I think he could win a major this year and and I think so let’s just let’s kind of go from there like do you want to do a player of the year off of this you know

Kind of talk here or do you think that’s going to be Scotty based on your first yeah I I would I would still bet on Scotty so that’s any any like best play the world conversations is going to start and end with Scotty for me you know as I

Look at the you know just really just the World Golf Ranking you know like last year Victor hin was the guy that was kind of making a making a move obviously had an incredible year Windham Clark a player that’s now in the top 10 in the world you know who’s making those

Jumps talking about a player that that sticks out for me is and we’ve had him on the show and we’ve we’ve been buying stock for a long time and that’s for me minw Lee I knew I I just I think think he’s going to be a breakout star on the

P PGA Tour this year I think people around the world knows who he is but I think he’s going to be more of a household name by the end of the year I mean he’s already sitting at 33rd in the world and it wouldn’t surprise me to see

Him back in the you know somewhere in that top 10 range at the end of the year I think that’s how good of a player that mwo is I I totally agree like in looking at this breakout star category that we talked about you know minwoo was an

Obvious one I mean ludig you could already say is a star and and that’s not news to anybody you know but but in a way it’s like he’s he’s kind of maybe in the middle of his breakout right now and if you can kind of put a stamp on some

Stuff he’s done already at the beginning of this year he’s probably in that category and then another guy and it’s funny if you’re looking right in that and that sort of grouping in the official world golf rankings another name that pops to me is is sahit the

Gala you know getting his first win fortnet and and and maybe and and you know it’s kind of like he won that event and then he wasn’t on the Ridder Cup team or anything and and I don’t know he played a ton of other events to the ball

Maybe he didn’t I just didn’t you know notice but I think that’s a guy that you know now he’s got the confidence of that first one under the belt maybe he has a big year wins a couple times on tour this year certainly has the game for it

So um one sneaky one I’ll throw at you as well and he’s I wouldn’t even call him a breakout guy because he just so under the radar but he’s so good at golf um and there’s two really that come to mind um one is sep straka the other’s

Russell Henley I think two players that that are they’re already in a good spot I mean they’re they’re both you know right around they’re both top 25 in the world but you know nobody really talks about Seth dude he’s 18th in the world and dude he’s he’s just solid man if you

Go watch him play and you go watch him swing the golf club it’s just effortless effortless effortless and uh I think he’s getting more and more confident uh I think the experience at the Ridder cup is going to be important for him because he’s a guy that could pick off a major

Championship uh because he has the game to do it uh hits a lot lot of Fairways hits a lot of greens is a streaky you know putter at times but really I mean you C you catch sep when he’s hot he’s gonna be tough to beat and he’s a he’s a

Guy that I would say look out at major championships this year because I think he could pick one off I I keep banging the drum of bad nicknames calling him the microwave because the man gets so so hot when he gets hot I know he’s the ox

But in my small little heart he’s he’s the microwave uh so do you care to throw a little Rookie of the Year pick at us I I’ve been looking for like a sheet of rookies and it’s kind of tough to tell who’s goingon to play well but who who

Do you like in that in that department uh Jake G interesting yeah I think he’s gonna be a top 50 player in the world by the end of the year wow yeah this kid’s a stud I mean just absolute stud came out of UCLA uh he’s he’s got tons of speed I mean

Just effortless Club speed at 120 plus I mean the guy absolutely hammers it didn’t he never missed really a cut on the corn fairy tour took him a while to kind of get going in professional golf but I think he’s got all the talent in the world and I really do think he’s

Going to be like one of those players early in the year that plays his way in the swing five we’re going to see him at Signature Events I’m telling you I think he’s gonna be a breakout star um he’s my pick and and he’s he’s not exactly in

The mold of Eric Cole but he’s trending more in that direction than some of the younger guys because he’s 29 so you know maybe kind of he’s he’s a got the modern game he’s a little little older but I think a little more seasoned uh he’s he’s been around professional golf for

Quite sometime he’s just got a great golf swing I I really haven’t seen him play a ton besides just watching his career and I just know that he’s got a ton of talent just hasn’t broken out yet mine is like somewhat of a front runner pick um but every time I’ve seen this

Guy play I’m like this guy’s going to be so good when he gets starts on the PGA tour and that’s Adrien deont deart you know played really well Fair tour this last year and graduated when when he when you know he’s at Illinois and college played

Really well there every time I saw him play and so I think it’s again A lot of people are on that train already um but that’s a guy where I feel like you know now he’s gonna get some tour starts and and you know especially in some of these

Fields where you’re having the opportunity to play your way into that next 10 swing five sort of category he’s a guy that stands out to me that can play really well this year so let kind of round things out here maybe one we saw Ricky Valor last year uh win at the

Rocket mortgage you obviously a comeback Player of the Year in a lot of people’s minds anyone that maybe fits that mold this year for you yeah it’s got to be Justin Thomas right JT’s the the obvious pick here as a player that didn’t have a good year

Like his worst year on the PJ tour but we’ve seen three straight top fives from him uh he’s already started the comeback for him so I I I’m picking Justin uh I think he could play his way back into the top 10 in the world and and I I do

Think he’s going to win on the PJ tour this year uh whether it’s a signature event um but I do think he’s gonna find his way contending in a major championship as well uh he’s just too too talented of a player and I think he’s gotten over the hump of what he’s

Working on in his golf swing and his putting I just think he’s there’s finally some ownership there that you know it’s I’ve SE you’ve seen it every every player’s gone through it Scotty sheer is eventually going to go through a slump and you know Justin’s been through his and I think he’s finally

Coming out on the other side of it so I’m gonna I’m gonna take JT I’m gonna give you a buy stock now for this comeback player and I’m going to give you a buy futures for this for this player comeback okay so I’m gonna give you the Futures pick first which is

I think that whenever this whole PF PGA Tour situation gets worked out and there’s a reformatted schedule and maybe some of it’s International and maybe it’s a lighter schedule for guys who choose to go that route I think Adam Scott’s gonna have like a career Renaissance like I just think that was

Something where when we were hearing all the rumors around Adam none of them were money related they were all hey I want to cut down my schedule and spend more time with my family and potentially play more internationally so I think that if you all of a sudden cater something to a

Guy’s preferences in a way that gives him a chance to pick what wants to play and try to really play well in those events I think we could see a real kind of bounceback gear of sorts for Adam who you know it’s not like he’s played really poorly the last couple years but

Has just kind of slowly been moving down the world ranking list as he’s been getting older and playing you know and having to play more to play back his way back into some of these ecosystems so that’s my futurist pick my buy stock NOW is Maverick mcney I think he went

Through some really wonky medical stuff and he’s now on on a major medical exemption and I know he’s he’s you know Fallen a ways down the the the world ranking um world rankings as a result of that but and hearing him talk and he made some starts um in the fall I

Believe but was kind of trying to kind of delay things and work things out so he could do it in a way where you know he wouldn’t lose the medical exemption um I think that this guy when he’s healthy is one of the best you know

Putters in the world I think I think MAV you know this is all contingent on him getting back to where he wants to be but I I I I think Maverick could could have a nice little comeback year maybe not like a JT size comeback year

But that top 70 mine’s just going from 26 in the world to 10th in the world you know yeah I was GNA say it’s a come we’re Loosely defining comeback here yeah and buy stock guys too I kind of like that little segment you just kind

Of we kind of work through there I like that bu stock bu stock and Alex Fitzpatrick oh are we’re buying stock now we’re buying Futures in Alex I think I think maybe buy stock NOW an Alex uh definitely Futures but I definitely if you want to buy some stock now too I

Like that yeah I’m quickly realizing uh why this we’re gonna have to Workshop this buy stock segment a little bit more because neither of us are stock guys so I’m not really sure what terms I should be using bull market bare Market we’ll we’ll get back to some people who know

Those things and then Define the segment better and then boom we’re gonna have a fully bake segment coming soon on the Smiley Show so look forward of that um couple more things just to kind of close us out um noted this off the top 2025 I

Think you and I have had some talks about just what does that look like going forward and I want to just kind of give the floor to you to talk about some things you feel like are going to be important for the tour in that next

Evolution of like hey they need to get this thing right uh or this you know this this might not go so well going forward so what are some of like important things you know this year to kind of get nailed down as we move forward as a tour well we kind of

Already touched on all the stuff earlier just with the you know the the Fenway group group and and the PF and let’s let’s just say all those things hold to be true and that they’re going to be a part of the PJ tour moving forward because I think that’s step one you have

To take care of the money you know because that that itself then gives you opportunities to then create something that’s going be completely new and make the fans and players excited about a new product because if I think the worst thing that could happened next year

2025 is if they roll out the exact same schedule that we had in 2024 and I think there’s really needs to be some changes in eligibility for a PGA Tour card how many tour cards are given out and it’s going to piss a ton of people off because really what needs to

Happen you need to shrink this Elite PGA Tour series and you need to have I mean we’ve always kind of had these different levels on the the PGA tour of you know it’s like the Platinum Tour then you have the silver tour and then the bronze

Tour you know we’ve always had that on the PGA tour and they really need to make it to where exactly what we were talking about with Rory earlier or what he was saying it’s that you can guarantee sponsors that hey this is the PGA Tour Elite Series and

They’re playing all of these events and then you have I wouldn’t call it the miner League tour but like this is you know like the you’re not expected to see these players play in these events that are below that and maybe you could have a team concept with this Elite PGA Tour

Series because I think that is where I feel like the fans would be most heavily invested the the players are definitely going to show up it’s where all the sponsors are going to be pouring their money into these events and we we already know that there’s going to be

Some some some money being backed potentially from a minority investment into the public um excuse into the newco but I I really think that that’s one of the things that that that stands out to me I’m not sure about you as 20125 approaches but uh to me the PJ tour has

Been working towards 2025 but right now that the focus is on securing the money and then from there it’s figuring out all right what’s the next step and I think that next step needs to be some pretty serious changes as far as what the schedule and how the tour is going

To operate from a FedEx Cup point standpoint and just eligibility is the amount of players that are going to be on that Elite Series tour which is I’m I’m using that Elite Series as just my own name for the tour yeah no no well I

I I think the point you’re making is is is a good one and a fair one of like you know they’re you’re not going to be able to make everyone happy in whatever the new ecosystem is going to be and and in the same way that that you know the way

You’re saying you’re going to have to shrink the number of tour cars s my mind immediately goes to you know but also make sure we’re creating Pathways for the ludig O Bears of the world where as they may be but but keeping those guys happy and you know I guess theoretically

The ecosystem you’re talking about includes a live so you’re not afraid of leaving those guys behind and worrying about them going somewhere else to play it’s we all kind of have this this big thing together but yeah you know if those things if if those two tours join

Up you know it’s going to be tricky to kind of keep everybody happy and and you really will not be able to um I think that czy you know uh obviously and and fairly from a player standpoint in a lot of ways of you know looking at you know the number of cards

And the way the tour is going to be formatted and schedule and I think that that’s all very valuable Insight I think I kind of look at this from you know the fan standpoint and and how is this all how are we gonna make this all work so

This is a compelling product again I think a lot of players and I appreciate it have voiced those same concerns McKenzie Hughes had a long sort of answer about this this week um you know at the century you know just of how the fans are kind of getting left behind a

Lot of this and and and him voicing you know thoughts on behalf of himself and also a lot of other players where they’re like hey this we’re not all kind of wired this way um so I just I wonder how all this shakes out going forward to both you know create something where

Everybody’s getting the money that they want you know in terms of players um but also you know that that that creates a compelling product and a product that people want to tune into and I think that you know some of this is going to it’s going to come down to players you

Know saying look you kind of can’t have your cake and eat it too like if you want to get paid a ton of money and we’re going to do you know a a team Concept in the fall you know you told us a couple years ago you didn’t want to

Play the fall because you want to time off but now it’s like we’re going to need to do these things so that we can have a sponsor pay for it and have a television network pay for it so that we can get that money and put it back into

Your pockets and so I think those are going to be the tricky things to iron out where I think even the the players that should be the happiest might not be fully happy because it’s like you’re making more money but at what cost and so I’m just there’s just so much to iron

Out and so much to figure out and I just hope that what happens isn’t that um sponsors who are trying to do charitable things through the tour and having been trying to do that in the past get get sort of run off and you’re left with you

Know I don’t know who fills that vacuum um uh and then you know perhaps most importantly just that the fan comes out of this feeling like whatever this new product is it is more compelling and and it does feature all the best players in the world and the same plays competing

At the same time even if some of that is in a normal tournament setting and some of that’s in a team setting so you know I think that’s where my head’s at as we look forward to 2025 but agreed on your point we can’t just roll out the ball

Again and say this same old same old I I still would rather be on the PJ even even let’s say the players that accepted the money on the Liv golf tour you know let’s use for example an Abraham answer no telling what he got paid we we don’t

Really know has he played great on that tour I don’t know maybe I I haven’t haven’t seen his name pop up on the top of the leader boards a ton but if I’m in his position I would be concerned and I use his name as an example just because

He’s kind of in that middle zone of a a used to be a top 5050 player has a lot of talent and could still be playing on the PJ tour and be a top 25 play in the world right now we don’t know but if I’m him

And let’s say we head towards some form of merger uh with the PJ tour where the live tour players are allowed to come back I think what’s going to happen is that the PGA Tour is going to be in a way probably working off sponsors exemptions to getting the live golf tour

Players to play um and I I imagine that’s going to be limited at some point there’s got to be a cut off because you can’t have 48 players from the live golf tour it’s too many players I think there’s going to be a cut off of maybe

Eight to 10 live golf players and that’ll be the you know the guys that like Bryson um it’ll be the cam Smiths it’ll be the John RS it’ll be the the players that yeah maybe maybe Taylor you would think it would be Taylor but not a

Guarantee right um so I I don’t know I would be a little concerned if I’m a middle ground live golf tour player that how am I getting back because I think where they’re going to have to start is back at the beginning I really think

That the only way for them to come back and play on the PGA tour again is is starting uh through through Q school starting you know just getting their eligibility back because I don’t see how they’re just going to naturally merge with all of the live golf tour players I

Think there’s going to be some players that have a better position than others and all this because I I don’t I don’t see how the PGA tour players are going to be happy about 48 spots being taken up by you know arguably some of the guys

Are past their Prime so at some point something’s got to give because there’s only so many spots available at these Elite series events that we that we might see let’s say it’s 80 spots or 70 spots I mean if you split 40 and 40 that’s that’s really you know that somebody’s getting

Somebody’s getting left out there right 100 100% it’s almost like if you try to game this out you’re going to have to create a separate category you know of exemptions into certain events like and I and I can almost see a world in which it’s like you’re going to have to you

Know there’s going to have to be like sort of a merging year that exists at least for those guys to go back into normal tournaments and maybe some of the tournaments looks similar to co-sanctioned events with a DP World Tour where it’s like we get X number of

These you know spots that are promis to live tour players and then if they play well enough in those events they acrew non-member points that can can you know get them you know special tip member type points towards making it into the the normal full field PJ tour events and

Potentially the Signature Events so they can keep playing their way into it but I mean I I think I think it gets really interesting when you know in some of those negotiations it’s it’s what’s going to get rewarded more in terms of live advocating for their

Roster of players is it going to be name brand and and and you know value there and a lot of guys who have the best name brand are are you know they’re going to you know they’re also the best players on the tour but like I think about guys

Like you know and I haven’t followed it closely enough to know if this is sustained over time but like a Peter Uline or a Charles how who I’ve seen their names pop up and play while in these leaderboards like a Brandon Grace it’s like you know are those guys going

To get you know pre like probably not you know o over guys who maybe have played worse on on Liv but have a bigger you know name brand or better you know past PJ tour performance like those guys will probably get first dips going back

Into tour I I don’t know this is all just a guessing game but I do think that that folding in process gets really tricky and then that’s even before you start talking about you know it’s like you have the existing tour Pros PGA Tour Pros who you’re talking you’re talking

About shrinking that card list and you’re talking about maintaining a pipeline for young guys to come in and live toour guys and you have a strategic partnership with the DP World Tour and you’re trying to get those guys in and a certain point it’s like there’s just not

Enough seats to go around so it will be very very interesting to see how that whole thing is is meshed and merg um so uh with all that said we we’ve this has been a long sort of 2024 preview in 2025 I guess look ahead of sorts you’re out

There in Hawaii this week you know what what are your thoughts on General Vibes on the ground um you know a larger field uh thre sums instead of two sus this year um and just the way this Field’s composed you know any sort of thoughts

On that as as you head out to cover the event this this week I I think totally different Vibes I really do I mean thre Sims is a it’s weird here and there’s and there’s so many players I’m so used to you know you kind of see everybody in

The field normally because there’s only 30 or so odd players that are playing so you kind of run into every body but now that there’s shoot I don’t know how many players are even playing is it 50 60 players I don’t know yeah it’s it’s a lot because it I haven’t seen everybody

This week yeah uh so threesome odd even on the weekend they’re going to be in threesoms which is I don’t I don’t like threesoms on the weekend at all they’re going to be split T’s you know shoot there’s already there’s already guys playing right now like Colin moral is

Already on the course which is at 7:45 in the morning I mean I can tell you how they’re playing it’s just it’s just weird to me but uh it was really windy uh the last last couple days like the guys have been talking about how much wind uh

There’s been so it’s been really pumping that apparently it’s supposed to be a little bit wider and variable as the week goes on uh but I don’t know it’s just different you know it’s it’s it’s very weird and one thing that I I have I think that the pga2 were totally airball

On this and I was asking some questions about this in our meetings uh yesterday was so there’s eight Signature Events and all all eight of the events besides this one have a component we’ve talked about this that if you’re top 30 in the official world golf rankings you are

Eligible for the Signature Events except for this one so I went down the top 30 just to see which players were left out this week at the Sentry and it was only two and it was Ryan Fox and Justin Thomas and the the answer I really got

Was about why they weren’t allowing top 30 in the world to be here like all the other uh eight Signature Events excluding this one and it was the answer was it wasn’t really great it just said something about how this used to be the Tournament of Champions and that they

Wanted to to respect that that that used to be the qualification I was like well that kind of went out the door when you when you made it a top 50 uh from the FedEx Cup last year so you’ve already made all these changes to

The event why not just make it a exactly like all the other Signature Events and keep that uh component in there I’m not saying that because I because Justin’s my friend I I think Justin is one of the stars of the game that he should be here

If if it’s just like all the other Signature Events that has the top 30 in the world component to it so I think Ryan Fox and JT should be here we’re already playing threes it’s already a pretty big field I just think that was a

That was an air ball by the PJ tour there to to not include that because I mean we’ve already added like last year it was just it was if you won a golf tournament on the PJ tour and you made the Tour Championship this year same

Thing so if you won if you were top uh 30 as well as if you’re in the top 50 so we added 20 extra players what was that like adding two more guys like just to me was like just they just missed on that one it’s it it’s the tournament

Champions except when it’s not the tournament champions like it’s called the centy this year it’s the century right but but you know you know what I’m saying like if that’s the logic they’re using for this one it’s like sometimes we want it to be the Tournament of

Champions but other times it’s not that like I think if this is going to be um and I’ve heard this said like if this is the All-Star Game instead of the Tournament of Champions but has Stakes that’s totally fine it’s a concept but like you know have all the stars there

And just use the same criteria I mean shoot I wouldn’t hate it if you had some sort of a fan component of this of like one guy who’s not here will give you like a ballot you can vote him into the tournament you know to the all-star

Tournament the beginning of year I but but but you know if if if it’s if it’s arbitrary let’s make it all the way arbitrary like let’s send one guy we’re already making up rules as we go it just you know you know what I’m saying it’s

Like I just right I just thought no but we’re already making changes it’s a it’s a little absurd but I I definitely see the point you’re saying which is which is just like it doesn’t quite you know if we’re following this format and also this was one of the ones where like the

The next 10 didn’t get into this tournament like they they got into the Genesis and the AT&T but this was exempt from like I it’s it’s just all so maybe that’s one of the components too that that’s another so maybe that the that’s the other change that the next 10 guys

Weren’t allowed to play in this one so okay maybe maybe I’m a little off in that it’s just two extra guys there have been 10 so 12 extra players um at this point you were already at a pretty high feel and you might as well just kept

Going but like some of them are in because they won like lud Vias is 53rd you know so was third in the next 10 but he won an event so he’s in you know right it’s all it’s everything’s arbitrary and strange like let’s just make it the All-Star tournament and

Let’s have a fan vote I’m I’m starting that right now um well that’s I mean unless you have any uh other thoughts you want to leave us with as you head out to the course that’s about all for us this week I think yeah no I think all

Only other thoughts I mean just driving through Lina uh once I got here to Hawaii just I mean just devastating what I what my eyes saw um we heard so many different stories from from survivors here this week that were at our compound just telling stories about just what

That day was like and I think we’re going to be touching on the story most of the week throughout the coverage but um I mean it’s such a beautiful area anybody that’s been to Maui it’s been to La specifically and the people here have always has been you know so so welcoming

So so fantastic to deal with and um it’s such a beautiful area and it it’s it’s a travesty what happened and um hopefully that this week we’ll be able to touch on it a little bit I know the the players are have different initiatives of giving

Back I know CLE G be wearing a hat F now is involved and I’m sure that there’s GNA be a lot of player donations as well uh to the community that that is is still recovering um you know it’s I’d say coming into this event there was still some conversations whether we

Should be here like was it too soon and I think the sentiment has been since we’ve gotten here is that that the community really does they’re very happy for us to be here so that that’s nice to know that that um I think there’s still a lot of controversies W with the fires

In itself but still um very happy to be here the players are really stepping up and and going to be giving back to the community uh with whether it be monetization or you know giving back um just a different different charities but overall um I’m hoping the week goes goes

Great and that that uh the communities obviously come support and are happy that these players are out here supporting a lot of different their causes yeah and and if you would like to support uh the PGA Tour and and Sentry are kind of joining up in those efforts

So you can go to pgatour.com UHS support Maui if you want to donate money to that same cause it’ been really cool to see me call on morawa has some really passionate you know comments this week about just the the the sort of emotional toll it took on him seeing all

That uh and and he’s donated his time in a lot of different ways and his money and his sponsors have supported him as well this week uh in those relief efforts so you know again that’s pgatour.com backsupport Maui if you want to donate to those efforts so uh that is it for us

This week uh should have some good stuff coming up for you next week as well recapping this tournament hopefully with a special guest we’ll see if we can kind of make that happen but uh that’s all for us now hope you enjoyed the first PJ Tour event of the 2024 season we

Appreciate you watching and listening and we will talk to you back here soon I’ve actually watched a couple of episodes of of of y’all earlier and uh you guys have some good takes so thanks for uh thanks for what you guys do it’s cool to see what you guys are doing and

Uh I I know golf fans appreciate it but we we do too so please keep it up I think you’re doing a tremendous job and and you know I listen to this podcast is really cool