The Shotgun Start

On this very special episode (now with enhanced audio!), Andy and Brendan kick off U.S. Open week alongside Maxfli ambassador and three-time PGA Tour winner Ben Griffin. The three sat down at the Maxfli pop-up store in East Hampton, New York, to discuss Ben's preparation for this week's test at Shinnecock Hills, his continued success on the PGA Tour, and much more.    Visit Dick’s or Golf Galaxy in-store or online to purchase Maxfli Tour Series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are four wide on this busy Friday with a lot of news to discuss as the week closes before the U.S. Open. Brendan is joined by KVV, Joseph, and PJ. They begin with the Golf Digest report on allegations against Phil Mickelson of nonconsensual and inappropriate physical contact with a female employee at his home club that led to his removal from said club. They discuss the late stage spiral of Phil, and the seriousness of this now most recent allegation, the mess he’s made of his career, what could have been, and what will never be now. Then they get into a spate of LIV news from reports on the future of its remaining four events in the Financial Times, to a report on confusion about the contracts for players like Jon Rahm, to one more about the Australian Open perhaps becoming the “death knell” of LIV’s reimagined plans. Joseph brings some provocative comments about the TPC Toronto test for the Canadian Open and the PGA Tour putting bumpers up for the highest level of pro golf. KVV has a Flashback segment on a former rules kerfuffle at a U.S. Open that had players tweeting angrily all through the evening. Then they close with a wide-ranging PJ minute on the Knicks, an all time win, and an all time rant about Carmelo’s place in franchise lore.   Visit your local Golf Galaxy and download the Golf Galaxy mobile app today. We’ve teamed up with Shady Rays to bring you an exclusive offer. Head to shadyrays.com and use code: SHOTGUN for 40% OFF 2+ pairs of polarized sunglasses. To learn more about how T-Mobile supports the USGA inside the ropes and provides exclusive benefits to its members outside, visit https://t-mobile.com/usga.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a "fabulous golf weekend," Andy and Brendan return to recap the best-case scenario unfolding at the U.S. Women's Open and a marathon Sunday at Jack's Place that ended up in yet another playoff finish. They begin with Nelly Korda's win at Riviera, her first U.S. Open title and another leg down on both the Career Grand Slam and Career Super Slam. The two are joined by former LPGA caddie Matthew Galloway to break down the weekend and what this monumental win could mean for women's golf moving forward. They discuss how to improve the broadcast experience on NBC as well as the impressive list of future host courses for the U.S. Women's Open. Andy and Brendan then move on to the Memorial, where The Postman delivered on Sunday! J.T. Poston took down Ryan Gerard in a Sunday playoff after playing 33 holes due to a rain-shortened Saturday round. Poston's win and Gerard's continued 2026 emergence are propped up as evidence that the Signature Event model is working as intended, with both Andy and Brendan criticizing the idea of "Track 2" players not being able to play their way into "Track 1" events on the new PGA Tour schedule. They also discuss Scottie Scheffler at length following a now-viral interaction with Ted Scott on Thursday afternoon and another disappointing finish at perhaps his best course-fit on Tour. PJ pops in to share that Ben Crane has FINALLY won on the Champions Tour, solidifying the quality reporting that he and Andy did earlier this year. Andy and Brendan also pepper PJ with questions about his upcoming 100 Hole Hike on Tuesday and how he's planning to survive the marathon day while staying sane while the Knicks have a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals.   Donate to PJ's 100 Hole Hike with the National Links Trust: https://www.nationallinkstrust.org/the-hike-pj-clark Visit garmin.com to browse the ongoing Father's Day Sale. Use our code FRIEDEGG at eightsleep.com/friedegg for up to $350 off the Pod 5.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a jam-packed week of golf across all levels of the game, and this Wednesday episode immediately kicks off with some takes about the oversaturation of competitive golf on television. Andy and Brendan debate whether the Powers That Be should work to spread out major events such as the NCAA Championships, U.S. Women's Open, and a PGA Tour Signature Event in order to not stack on top of each other in a short timespan. Andy points out that the PGA Tour is not truly driving engagement in amateurs playing recreationally and is disappointed that the NCAA dream matchup of Jackson Koivun vs. Preston Stout didn't get the attention it deserved. Brendan then shares some notes from a morning reading stories by legendary writer Tom Callahan, including one note about Ernie Els serving as an early mentor to Tiger Woods. The two preview this week's U.S. Women's Open at Riviera with a very in-depth Agronomy Minute highlighting a different course in June than we're used to seeing on the PGA Tour in February. The Schedule for the Week rolls on from there with a preview of the Memorial Tournament at Jack's Place. Jack Nicklaus himself had some interesting comments on the rollback and more during his pre-tournament presser, and Andy's 5 Guys to Monitor This Week somehow was a list of seven players. PJ chimes in and is excited for the team event on the Champions Tour in Madison, Wisconsin due to the "superteam" of Stew Cink and Zatch Johnson teeing it up. Lastly, Andy reacts to the news of John Deere potentially sponsoring a new "Chicago" tournament in 2028 after an Adam Schupak report from Tuesday afternoon. We will return on Friday with a potential beefy Flashback for all of your weekend listening needs.   Use our code FRIEDEGG at eightsleep.com/friedegg for up to $350 off the Pod 5.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy and Brendan! went LIVE on YouTube for this Friday morning recording covering the latest in college golf results, LIV golf rumors, and a hot start for Tom Kim at an outdoor golf venue. The two recap Stanford's win at the NCAA Women's Golf Championship and wonder why college golf has not taken off like other non-revenue sports like baseball and softball in recent years. Brendan shares some intel from LIV Korea, where it seems like tensions are high heading into next week's stop in Spain. Talor Gooch has the early lead there, perhaps as a tribute to his beloved Thunder's deep run into the Western Conference Finals. LIV also discontinued its "Any Shot, Any Time" feed on the app, making Andy wonder just how many app viewers are now left in the dark due to this unannounced change. A beefy Flashback Friday on the PGA Tour's history at Colonial Country Club makes for the bulk of this episode. Brendan did some digging and found articles written by one of Lee Harvey Oswald's pallbearers that go into detail about the hijinks about the early days of the PGA Tour's time in Fort Worth. As we come to find out, some articles even quoted a player as naming Colonial “the premier girl-watching stop on Tour." SGS Golf Advice rounds out the week, with Andy, Brendan, and PJ tackling submissions about playing golf with randoms, a late WD from a buddies' tournament, and what to do if someone skins a squirrel they kept in a cart cooler.   Visit BDraddy.com and use promo code SGS30 for 30% off your 2026 Presidents Cup gear!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brendan and The Boys return for a Monday recording recapping perhaps the biggest content week of the year! Now armed with a weekend of data following Friday's bonus Happy Hour episode, the three further unpack the absolute domination of Lanny Wadkins' $25 million renovation of TPC Craig Ranch by this week's field at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson. Wyndham Clark shot a final-round 60 en route to his first win in over two years, edging out Si Woo Kim and Scottie Scheffler atop the leaderboard. Joseph comes armed with stats showing that this might've been the easiest PGA Tour event ever and PJ is basking in the glow of a week that provided some of the most insane quotes possible regarding a host venue's ability to test the best players in the world. Brendan ponders whether Wyndham is back on track for a spot at this year's Presidents Cup as he seems to be in a better place after a "year of adversity" as was so often referenced on the broadcast. Blades Brown felt right at home during this week's birdie-fest, claiming that his time on the Korn Ferry Tour prepared him for tournaments like this. He secured his Special Temporary Membership on the PGA Tour with his top-15 finish, leading to a perplexing situation where he'll have to sacrifice much-needed KFT points in order to continue playing PGA Tour events. Brendan and Joseph argue that this should not be the case and wonder if this pathway will be adjusted moving forward. The three whip through the rest of this weekend's results, with PJ providing some exclusive on-the-ground nuggets from the Champions Tour stop in Morocco. They foray into a brief bit of news reporting from Eamon Lynch regarding the "Tier One" and "Tier Two" events on the 2028 PGA Tour schedule and whether the top-tier of players will be allowed to "move down" for a week and play "Tier Two" events. To close things out, Brendan, Joseph, and PJ follow up just a little bit on Friday's breaking news that Don Rea was dismissed from his post as President of the PGA of America. Don has stayed silent to this point, and so has the PGA despite promising a formal announcement on Friday afternoon. How long will this silence last? This podcast pledges to provide the most in-depth coverage possible regarding this ongoing situation.   Visit BDraddy.com and use promo code SGS30 for 30% off your 2026 Presidents Cup gear!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Friday episode kicks off with a good old-fashioned Sports Minute following the latest exploits of Andy's beloved Pete Crow-Armstrong. Although bad, PCA's struggles seem like nothing compared to Brendan's Cavaliers after a historic collapse in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against PJ's Knicks. As a follow-up to Wednesday's show, Brendan provides an early update on the Browns' QB competition before transitioning into the all-important RATINGS! report for the 2026 PGA Championship. The masses turned out to watch Aaron Rai's back nine at Aronimink, giving CBS its highest viewership for the PGA since Phil Mickelson's win at Kiawah. With limited returns from the first go around Lanny's Place, the bulk of this episode focuses on Bryson DeChambeau's impending "choice" between playing professional golf or becoming a full-time YouTuber. Appearing on Katie Miller's podcast this week, Bryson implied that he must choose between pro golf and content creation with no way to do both simultaneously. He also confirmed that he DOES believe the moon landing happened - only because Elon Musk told him so - but doubts that the video footage of the event is real. Andy is willing to put money on "Bryson Plays Golf on the Moon" within the next decade, if anyone is willing to take him up on that. Elsewhere on LIV, ESPN has reported that Scott O'Neil's plan for a re-imagined LIV Golf has "significant interest" from potential investors. Brendan and Andy then take a look at a Josh Carpenter report about the 2028 PGA Tour schedule and the new markets that the Tour is looking to hold annual events in. Brendan is especially enthused about the Pacific Northwest getting a yearly stop, although it does not look like it will be at Chambers Bay as of now. Andy briefly checks in on the International Presidents Cup Team standings during a check-in on under-performers through two majors because he's worried about Pendy's status for Medinah. Viktor Hovland and the aforementioned Bryson are highlighted by Brendan, but Andy is much more focused on players like Neal Shipley and Tony Finau. To wrap things up for this post-major week, SGS Golf Advice returns with a layered question from a listener who unwillingly finds himself as a club committee chairman.   Get your summer going at proshop.thefriedegg.com! From Thursday May 21st to Tuesday May 26th, take 15% off with code SUMMER15. Use our code FRIEDEGG at eightsleep.com/friedegg for up to $350 off the Pod 5.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A eventful, punchy, spicy PGA Championship week has come and gone so Brendan and Andy provide a full debrief following Aaron Rai’s win at Aronimink. Andy did show up and there are flowers to be given to Rai, whose story and Sunday are worthy of ample praise. They discuss the Sunday overall, and whether it fell flat or was an appropriate cap to what both considered a strong week for the PGA. That trends into a course and setup discussion, which was more of a hot topic than anything this week, and whether it delivered an appropriate major week testing the full range of skills. They are joined by KVV and Joseph LaMagna as well, and run through a Regret Index for players who came close, but could not put a major on the resume, such as Rory, Rahm, JT, Scottie, Ludvig, and a host of others in what was a condensed and chaotic weekend. They have some thoughts on the PGA’s future, upcoming venues, and the superstars as we roll towards Shinnecock and the U.S. Open. They close with a few amusing odds and ends and one big takeaway from what became a very memorable PGA.   Learn more about Fried Egg Golf Club and join at thefriedegg.com/membership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do we have proper major setup or a total sham on our hands at the Aronimink for the PGA Championship? The golf course setup debates are raging in Philadelphia, as the PGA pushes pins to the corners and a leaderboard has condensed going to the weekend. Andy and Brendan get into some of the setup quibbles, what the data is saying, and just how enjoyable it has been to watch over the first two rounds despite some online chatter. Then they get into the stars like Scottie, Rory, Blockie, and the leaders like Smalley, Potty, McNealy, and Gotterup. Some missed cut disappointments like Bryson DeChambeau are called out before KVV joins late to discuss his impressions at the 36-hole mark in Philly, including some reaction to late Rory comments on the setup not being great.   Learn more about Fried Egg Golf Club and join at thefriedegg.com/membership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy and Brendan return just in time to preview the second major championship of 2026! Brendan is on-site at Aronimink Golf Club outside of Philadelphia and spent his Tuesday gathering plenty of nuggets on subjects including Michael Block's speaking fees, Rory McIlroy's toe blister, and player issues with PGA of America Setup Czar Kerry Haigh. Andy provides insight into the Donald Ross-designed course and illuminates some setup issues facing the world's best this week due to modern equipment. The two bring in The Boys to make the all-important Gambling Pod Picks as the crew looks to stay unreasonably hot and select the winner of a second consecutive major. Andy and PJ cooked up a dozen Philly-themed Storylines Nobody's Talking About, calling out past Philadelphia sports moments and connecting them to players in this week's field. This episode has all the usual SGS Preview flair, from Best/Worst Tee Times, player-specific previews, and use of the Blockie button on the soundboard. We will be back with daily episodes following each round this week!   Shop at perfectpractice.com and use promo code SGS for 20% off.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brendan is joined by The Boys for another installment of Golf's Preeminent Birthday Podcast, this time celebrating both Cameron Young and, of course, Brendan! himself. Joseph LaMagna comes in fresh off his first round of 2026 and admits he's been having trouble sleeping as of late, leading things perfectly into another Pillow Talk segment to kick off this Friday show. It was a sleepy Thursday round at a rain-soaked Quail Hollow for the Truist Championship where Matt McCarty leads at the conclusion of play. Joseph and Brendan take stock of the Truist as an event and Quail Hollow as a PGA Tour venue, making its return to the regular schedule after hosting last year's PGA Championship. Speaking of the PGA Championship, the "special invitations" into next week's field went out over the past few days and Joseph is taking exception to some invitees getting in ahead of Canada's sweetheart Sudarshan Yellamaraju. The bulk of this episode is spent on more news from LIV Virginia as seemingly everyone is now free to speak their mind about the league and its future. Brendan, Joseph, and PJ run through quotes and posts from Ian Poulter, Anirban Lahiri, Graeme McDowell, and Bryson DeChambeau after the latest rounds of media availability. Bryson seems to have a misunderstanding of the PGA Tour's social media policy and admits that it could factor into his decision about where to play in the future if he doesn't re-sign with the Crushers. The trio wonders if Bryson now sees himself as a YouTuber more than a Professional Golfer and how that mindset will impact his choices moving forward. Brendan then takes The Boys back to the 2005 Wachovia Championship for Flashback Friday, remembering Sergio Garcia blowing a record-tying six-shot lead after 54 holes. Things wrap up with some assorted amusements from the world of sports and Joseph's initial thoughts on next week's PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club. We will return on Monday for another week of major championship golf, including live shows on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!   Use our code FRIEDEGG at eightsleep.com/friedegg for up to $350 off the Pod 5. Visit BDraddy.com and use promo code SGS30 for 30% off your 2026 Presidents Cup gear!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.