The Tour Report from Secret Golf

After what has felt like (and been) the longest season on the PGA Tour, the culmination is finally here. The RSM Classic is crunch time, especially for those battling to secure a coveted spot within the FedExCup 125 and ensure their full playing privileges for the upcoming year are wrapped up. Additionally, there's a tenacious fight for ten spots in the first two Signature Events of 2024 for competitors finishing 51st to 60th. The pressure is palpable for those dwelling in the "danger zone," and the competition sees the return of some fresh faces to the field, including Brian Harman, Corey Conners, and Russell Henley. In this week's edition of the Tour Report, Elk & Diane reflect on Camilo Villegas' emotional victory at 150/1 odds in Bermuda last week and shift their focus to Sea Island. They delve into a preview of the upcoming tournament, analyzing the intricacies of the two courses and offering their insights and predictions, categorizing players as Outright Favorites, Ones to Watch, and Dark Horses and giving you their top picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's crunch time on the PGA Tour as the 2023 season begins to draw to a close and pressure is mounting. Three events remain in the FedEx Fall, giving players three final chances to obtain valuable points to lock up their full Tour cards for next year. Plus, ten places in the first two Signature Events are at stake. On the Tour Report this week, Elk & Diane take a look at this brand new tournament course - El Cardonal at Diamanté. This Tiger Woods design is the first of his to host a PGA Tour event. Opening in 2014, Tiger himself wanted to craft holes that challenged golfers to “think and make choices”, and this beauty will be on full display this week as the field fight for the fruits of their labor. The pair then discuss the field and make their picks in the form of Outright Favorites, Ones to Watch and Dark Horses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Tour is heading towards the vibrant lights of Las Vegas for the Shriners Children's Open. Tom Kim returns to TPC Summerlin as the defending champion, and among the notable names teeing it up are Tom Hoge, Ludvig Aberg, J.T. Poston, and Si Woo Kim. Many are focused on the pursuit of securing a spot in the FedExCup top-125, as there are only five events left in the FedEx Fall season. Elk & Diane provide a preview of the tournament, take a tour of TPC Summerlin, and share their predictions for the event, including their Outright Favorites, Ones to Watch, and Dark Horse picks. Additionally, they discuss the presence of LPGA Tour player Lexi Thompson, who received a sponsor invite to the tournament, offering their insights on why this might not be the most ideal spot on the schedule. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Europeans reclaimed the Ryder Cup in a thrilling and epic battle that unfolded in Rome, marked by moments of intense drama (on and off the course!) and exhilarating gameplay. Watch this space for our full Ryder Cup Reaction show, coming out on Wednesday. Now, the PGA Tour makes its return, heading to Mississippi for the Sanderson Farms Championship. This tournament marks the second event in the FedExCup Fall series, where golfers are eager to achieve two main goals: securing their full cards for the next season and earning a coveted spot in the first two Signature Events of 2024. Naturally, victory remains the ultimate aspiration. Elk and Diane provide a comprehensive tournament preview, offering insights into the course, which saw a surprise victory by Mackenzie Hughes at 110/1 odds last year. Additionally, they make their selections for the tournament, including their Outright Favorites, Ones to Watch, and Dark Horse picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the heart of the Eternal City, the week is here - the United States facing off against Europe in the highly anticipated Ryder Cup. The battleground for this epic clash of titans is none other than the prestigious Marco Simone Golf & Country Club. Team USA, seeking to break a three-decade drought on European soil, showcased their dominance with a commanding performance at Whistling Straits just two years ago. Since then, they've only strengthened their lineup. Meanwhile, the European team boasts an impressive record, having secured victory in 8 of the last 11 Ryder Cup competitions. Their strong team spirit and clever course strategies have often played pivotal roles in their success. The burning question of 2023: Who will emerge victorious? On this week's Tour Report, Elk and Diane will delve into the course details, analyze the team compositions, and engage in speculation about potential pairings. Additionally, they'll take a closer look at enticing betting odds and intriguing prop bets to keep an eye on as the excitement unfolds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We witnessed yet another triumph at the BMW Championship! With odds of 16/1, Elk successfully predicted that Viktor Hovland would emerge victorious at Olympia Fields. This is the culmination of the season's hard work - the Playoff Finale. As the Tour Championship reaches its conclusion on Sunday, one individual from the elite group of 30 participants will hoist the FedExCup high and claim the grand prize of $18 million. In this week's podcast episode, Elk and Diane take a retrospective look at Hovland's remarkable performance with a score of 61 on Sunday. They delve into the Tour Championship's format, guide you through East Lake, and then analyze the entire field while also making their own selections. Can Scottie maintain his lead this year and hold off the chasing pack? And who stands to benefit if any of the top contenders begin to lose their footing? It's all on the Tour Report this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's that time again—the FedExCup Playoffs have arrived! Over the course of this week, the spotlight is on TPC Southwind in Memphis, TN, where the top-70 contenders are set to battle it out. Their objective? Securing a coveted position within the top-50 on the season-long points list. With the added allure of quadruple points awaiting the field this week, brace yourself for a dynamic and highly competitive tournament, likely resulting in significant shifts in the rankings. On the Tour Report podcast, Elk & Diane embark on a comprehensive journey through recent events and key player developments. They begin by revisiting Lucas Glover's impressive victory at the Wyndham Championship the previous week, shedding light on his performance. Shifting gears, they delve into Justin Thomas' season conclusion, offering insights into his achievements. Moreover, they delve into the current standings for the Ryder Cup, analyzing the prospects of players vying for a spot in this prestigious event, with points up for grabs this week and next. The podcast then takes a deep dive into the playoff format itself, unpacking its intricacies and implications. As anticipation builds, Elk & Diane unveil their selections and predictions for the week ahead. Through their expert analysis and understanding of the players' forms, they offer their perspective on who might shine in this high-stakes scenario. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With only two events left in the regular PGA Tour season before the top-70 advance to the FedExCup Playoffs, there's a lot on the line this week at the 3M Open. The guys descend on TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, MN to battle it out for a trophy, valuable FedExCup points and, for some, those all-important Ryder Cup points. On the podcast this week, Elk & Diane look back on Brian Harman's outstanding victory at The Open Championship and discuss the gritty game that earned him the title of Champion Golfer of the Year. Amazing. Then, the pair preview the 3M Open, go through the field, the winning stat pattern for TPC Twin Cities and make their picks. Who do they have for their Outright Favorites, Ones to Watch and Dark Horses? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two big weeks of magnificent links golf are upon us, and the first is the Genesis Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club, East Lothian. This co-sanctioned PGA Tour & DP World Tour event has an even larger purse this year, FedExCup points up for grabs and three spots into next week's Open Championship. On the podcast, Elk & Diane look back on last week's John Deere Classic (where three of their picks finished within the top-10), preview the Scottish Open, navigate the terrain of the course, go through the field and pick their players from the field in the form of Outright Favorites, Ones to Watch and Dark Horses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The PGA Tour is off to Motor City for the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Justin Thomas, Max Homa, Tony Finau and Collin Morikawa headline the event, but who will prevail at Detroit Golf Club? Elk & Diane take a look at the course, analyze the stat pattern and make their picks in the form of Outright Favorites, Ones to Watch and Dark Horses at 100/1 plus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The third Major of 2023 is here, and LACC will take a starring role. This is the first time Los Angeles has hosted the U.S. Open in 75 years, and we've been counting down to this one. The course is new to the majority of the field, so what can the guys expect? Elk & Diane are joined by long-time LACC member and founder of the clothing brand Johnnie-O, John O'Donnell, to talk about the course, the challenges ahead, if this will play as a "normal" U.S. Open set-up and where the scoring opportunities lay. He also touches on the fashion and the Johnnie-O brand ambassadors teeing it up in golf's third Major of 2023. The pair then discuss the field, our unique model of stat analysis and make their picks in the form of Outright Favorites, Ones to Watch and Dark Horses. And on the back of Diane's winning pick of Nick Taylor last week in Canada, they hope to keep the streak going! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We move onto another elevated event - the ninth of the year - on the PGA Tour, and this week is always one of the schedule highlights. The Memorial Tournament is held at “Jack’s Place” - Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. This is Jack Nicklaus’ masterpiece, and has always been one of the elite tournaments. Elk & Diane talk about the course, the history of the event and the winning stat patterns, then go over the field and make their picks in the form of Outright Favorites, Ones to Watch and Dark Horses. Also, have you heard the tale of Chief Leatherlips? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The second Major of 2023 takes place this week in Rochester, NY at Oak Hill Country Club. This was the home of Jason Dufner's 2013 PGA Championship victory, and he joins Elk & Diane on the show this week. Duf talks about his win, including a course record-setting 63, the course demands and the special reason why he won't be teeing it up this week. Fantastic course insight! The full interview can be found here: https://youtu.be/GtX-RDc6-6Q Then, Elk & Diane preview the PGA Championship (complete with Elk's Wanamaker, at the request of Diane!), go through the field and give their top picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices