WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.439 The eyes of the world of professional golf on the 2 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:06.599 PGA Tour are on East Lake in Atlanta, where Russell 3 00:00:06.679 --> 00:00:08.439 Henley is now your leader at eight under par. 4 00:00:08.519 --> 00:00:09.679 A lot of players going low. 5 00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:11.759 Always fun to catch up with our next guest from 6 00:00:11.800 --> 00:00:14.640 the Golf Channel, Rex Hobbard on a Thursday afternoon. 7 00:00:14.679 --> 00:00:18.920 Rex, How are you, sir, Amy, Thursday after in Atlanta. 8 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:19.320 I'm great. 9 00:00:19.359 --> 00:00:19.760 How are you? 10 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:21.760 I'm good. I really appreciate the time. 11 00:00:21.879 --> 00:00:24.519 So tell me about the conditions in the track and 12 00:00:24.600 --> 00:00:26.800 what's allowing these players to go as low as they've 13 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:27.719 been going so far. 14 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:30.320 Hey, it's funny. We were told to expect in The 15 00:00:30.359 --> 00:00:33.000 PGA Tour announced this a few weeks ago that they 16 00:00:33.039 --> 00:00:35.079 wanted to make this a more difficult test. They wanted 17 00:00:35.079 --> 00:00:36.679 to add a little bit more risk reward. It was 18 00:00:36.679 --> 00:00:38.719 something that the fans told them that they wanted to 19 00:00:38.759 --> 00:00:41.399 see at the Tour Championship. So the golf course had 20 00:00:41.399 --> 00:00:43.159 been sort of set up a little bit different this year. 21 00:00:43.159 --> 00:00:45.960 I think the expectation was to maybe create a little 22 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:48.200 bit more of a challenge. That's certainly not the case. 23 00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:50.200 As you pointed out, seven under his leading. I think 24 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:52.600 at least half the field is under par and it 25 00:00:52.679 --> 00:00:54.280 has everything to do with I don't know if you've 26 00:00:54.280 --> 00:00:57.679 ever been in the South in the summertime, pretty much 27 00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:00.280 rains every single night, So it's just soft. I don't 28 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:02.560 care what you do to a golf course. If players 29 00:01:02.560 --> 00:01:04.560 have irons in their hands from the fairway and the 30 00:01:04.599 --> 00:01:06.319 greens are soft, they're going to be aggressive. And that's 31 00:01:06.359 --> 00:01:07.400 what we're seeing today. 32 00:01:07.640 --> 00:01:08.120 No doubt. 33 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:11.040 So Russell Henley is now at eight under. He's your leader. 34 00:01:11.159 --> 00:01:14.640 He's through seventeen. But we got Colin Morikawa, Patrick Canley 35 00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:18.799 and Justin Thomas in the clubhouse at six hundred par 36 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:23.560 after accroarding sixty fours. What does the weekend ahead hold? 37 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:25.400 Are we going to see conditions change or do you 38 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:27.319 think we're going to continue to see low scores. 39 00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:29.560 I think it's going to be low scores. I think 40 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:32.159 actually they moved up two times for tomorrow because there's 41 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:35.079 some anticipated storms in the afternoon. There's storms around the 42 00:01:35.079 --> 00:01:37.040 area right now. Again it's sort of just rent and 43 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:39.120 repeat in the South, so I don't think the golf 44 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:41.519 course will have an opportunity to dry out. But I 45 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:44.760 would look more towards just the conversation about what has 46 00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:47.959 changed about this event this year, where we know in 47 00:01:48.040 --> 00:01:50.920 previous years they've tried to do different formats, and in 48 00:01:50.959 --> 00:01:53.799 recent years it's been something called starting shrokes, which simply 49 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:56.640 gave a lead to whoever the points leader was coming 50 00:01:56.680 --> 00:01:58.959 into this week, and then incrementally they work their way 51 00:01:59.000 --> 00:02:01.599 down on the points list until you got to number thirty. 52 00:02:01.640 --> 00:02:03.200 But they got rid of that this year. I think 53 00:02:03.239 --> 00:02:05.840 the Tour finally realized it's kind of silly, kind of confusing. 54 00:02:06.280 --> 00:02:08.919 Even Scotty Scheffler said it, he didn't quite understand why 55 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:11.080 they were doing it. So I think the difference this 56 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:14.080 year will be that the winner and all thirty players 57 00:02:14.120 --> 00:02:15.879 started to even part. The winner went not only win 58 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:18.000 the Tour Championship but the FedEx Cup, and we haven't 59 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:20.439 really had that in at least a decade, so that's 60 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:21.240 kind of compelling. 61 00:02:21.479 --> 00:02:22.520 Do you like the change? 62 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:24.879 I mean, I always found it hokey, and I'm certainly 63 00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:28.280 no expert like you are, but this feels any reference 64 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:32.360 Scotty's comments about the new format, which he prefers. Does 65 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:35.360 it feel like it's a consensus that most people do 66 00:02:35.560 --> 00:02:39.240 appreciate and like this new format now Rex, I think. 67 00:02:39.080 --> 00:02:41.960 There's simplicity of this the players appreciate, certainly the fans 68 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:43.800 appreciate you're not trying to figure out the math on 69 00:02:43.879 --> 00:02:46.400 Thursday afternoon when Scotty's teeing off at ten under part 70 00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:48.840 that doesn't make sense to a lot of golf fans. 71 00:02:49.159 --> 00:02:51.719 I will say it feels like a transition year. I 72 00:02:51.759 --> 00:02:54.280 think the tour is going to continue to tinker with 73 00:02:54.400 --> 00:02:57.840 this format. The new CEO, Brian Rollup, spoke yesterday to 74 00:02:57.879 --> 00:02:59.120 the media, and I think the tour is going to 75 00:02:59.159 --> 00:03:01.400 tinker with a lot of sorr. I would expect everything 76 00:03:01.719 --> 00:03:03.800 with the Tour right now to be in transition and 77 00:03:03.919 --> 00:03:06.759 to be under the microscope. Certainly the Tour Championship format 78 00:03:06.759 --> 00:03:08.960 would be one of them, and there's been tons of 79 00:03:08.960 --> 00:03:11.520 format suggestions. Match play and come up with some sort 80 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:14.560 of round robin situation. Here at Eastlake, I don't think 81 00:03:14.599 --> 00:03:17.520 that's the landing spot, but I think this year it works, 82 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:19.000 but I wouldn't expect it to be the future. 83 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:22.439 I do want to ask you about Brian's comments, and 84 00:03:22.520 --> 00:03:25.680 I've had Brian on the show. We actually have family 85 00:03:25.759 --> 00:03:29.719 friends and he's from the same footprints that I'm from, 86 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:31.960 and so you know, twenty two years with the NFL, 87 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:33.560 and I think it's a great hire. 88 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:34.960 I think he's going to be dynamite. 89 00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:38.639 But before we get there, it's it's interesting asking who 90 00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:40.719 you like now that we actually have some scores. But 91 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:43.080 when it comes to this tournament at the end of 92 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:45.639 the day, Scotti Scheffler has the shortest odds to win 93 00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:47.560 it since Tiger in two thousand and nine. 94 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:49.400 Who do you think sold in the trophy Rex at 95 00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:49.719 the end? 96 00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:53.039 Well, and Scotty has played well, he's won here before. 97 00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:55.000 But he pointed out the Colin more Kywa would have 98 00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:57.280 won here last year I had not been for starting strokes, 99 00:03:57.319 --> 00:03:59.240 and Colin Moore Kyla is right at the top of 100 00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:02.120 the leaderboard. I would actually lean towards one of those players. 101 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:04.639 Certainly Justin Thomas has played well here in the past. 102 00:04:04.680 --> 00:04:06.719 They both do the one thing you have to do, 103 00:04:06.759 --> 00:04:08.840 and that's drive the ball well around this golf course 104 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:10.680 because you can score if you're in the fairway, but 105 00:04:10.680 --> 00:04:13.479 from the rough it can be difficult. But Scotty is 106 00:04:13.639 --> 00:04:16.040 kind of Scotti eventually. I mean we saw it last week, 107 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:18.120 We've seen it pretty much all year long, Like there 108 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:21.759 is just a gear that he finds. So I'm compelled 109 00:04:21.800 --> 00:04:23.959 by the idea that Scotty is going to do what 110 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:25.959 he normally does, and yet you've got all these other 111 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:27.160 stars around him. 112 00:04:27.879 --> 00:04:30.959 All right, When when are we allowed to talk about 113 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:33.600 Scotti Schuffer in the same sentence as Tiger Because when 114 00:04:33.639 --> 00:04:37.319 I've done that before my golf guests usually they scold 115 00:04:37.399 --> 00:04:41.920 me greatly. And it's interesting RECs Like whenever a stat 116 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:44.000 pops up, like, for instance, I think I read that 117 00:04:44.040 --> 00:04:46.600 Scotty just became the first player since Tiger to have 118 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:49.680 back to back years where he won five times, and 119 00:04:49.720 --> 00:04:53.319 Tiger did that like seven times. So I'm well aware 120 00:04:53.600 --> 00:04:56.319 of how audacious those comparisons are. 121 00:04:56.360 --> 00:04:58.560 But when are we allowed to talk about it in 122 00:04:58.600 --> 00:04:59.120 that space? 123 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:01.720 You mean we weren't allowed to talk about it until 124 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:04.160 now that that's not even get that memo you talking 125 00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:07.920 about it? Yeah, I just think I hate comparisons to 126 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:10.120 Tiger Woods because I've done it pretty much my entire career, 127 00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:12.120 and it's always unfair to the player you're comparing and 128 00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:15.199 unfair to Tiger Woods. Like the things he did were historic, 129 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:18.079 and I still think Scotty clearly still has some time. 130 00:05:18.120 --> 00:05:19.920 I mean, Tiger did it for the better part of 131 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:22.360 two decades. You just pointed out the interesting stats that 132 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:25.279 I sort of keyed in on. Twice in Tiger's career, 133 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:28.560 he won at least five times for four consecutive years. 134 00:05:28.920 --> 00:05:32.079 Scotty hasn't done that one thing yet, and so you're 135 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:34.519 kind of, you know, you're looking at it through a 136 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:36.879 very narrow lens when it comes to it. But everything 137 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:39.040 else he does, if you look at it statistically, just 138 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:42.680 from a strokes gained standpoint, the only comparison is Tiger Woods. 139 00:05:42.680 --> 00:05:44.040 When you look at what he's been able to do 140 00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:47.160 at the major championships, Tiger is the only comparison, and 141 00:05:47.480 --> 00:05:49.480 they do it in a vastly different way. I think 142 00:05:49.560 --> 00:05:52.839 last week was interesting on this case because outside of 143 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:55.160 the chip in on seventeen and I'm talk about last 144 00:05:55.160 --> 00:05:58.040 week at the BMW Championship for Scotty Scheffler. He showed 145 00:05:58.040 --> 00:05:59.959 a little bit of emotion there, but normally he's kind 146 00:05:59.959 --> 00:06:02.480 of a flat liner. So he is Tiger Woods to 147 00:06:02.519 --> 00:06:05.279 a certain degree, at least statistically, just without the flare. 148 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:07.879 He's just not going to do the dramatics. But I 149 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:10.959 think at this point what he's accomplished, those comparisons are 150 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:11.600 perfectly fair. 151 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:16.160 I was watching your coverage last night, and Brandal Shamblely 152 00:06:16.519 --> 00:06:19.800 actually anecdotally shared a story. I can't remember who he 153 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:22.199 was speaking to. I think it was over in Dublin 154 00:06:22.839 --> 00:06:26.120 and somebody told him he thinks Scotty is actually I 155 00:06:26.120 --> 00:06:27.759 can't remember the verb. I don't want to say a 156 00:06:27.800 --> 00:06:31.000 better player than Tiger, but maybe a cleaner player than 157 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:33.079 Tiger or something like that. I mean, Brandal said that 158 00:06:33.160 --> 00:06:34.439 on the broadcast last night. 159 00:06:35.560 --> 00:06:37.639 That might be a recent advice. I don't know about that. 160 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:41.040 One can say again, Tiger sustained this over two decades, 161 00:06:41.160 --> 00:06:43.199 and I mean, that's amazing to think about the things 162 00:06:43.240 --> 00:06:45.079 he accomplished over the course of his career. And even 163 00:06:45.079 --> 00:06:47.439 Scotty will dismiss this a little bit. He has had 164 00:06:47.480 --> 00:06:50.040 a magical three and four year run, and the things 165 00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:53.120 he's been able to accomplish we didn't anticipate because parody 166 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:55.879 has become the normal on the PGA tour. But yeah, 167 00:06:55.879 --> 00:06:57.920 I don't see that. This is just starting to feel 168 00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:02.240 like Lebron Jordan debate. Like, I guess it depends on 169 00:07:02.279 --> 00:07:04.600 what error you grew up in, but I still say 170 00:07:04.600 --> 00:07:06.600 that Tiger Woods was better across the board. 171 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:09.639 Randall seems like an interesting fellow, what's he like. 172 00:07:11.000 --> 00:07:13.399 I have nothing but respect for brand I've worked with 173 00:07:13.480 --> 00:07:15.920 him luckily over the last decade or so, and no 174 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:17.959 one works harder. And that's the part that just blew 175 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:21.680 me away. It's one thing. He has opinions on everything, 176 00:07:21.879 --> 00:07:24.879 and he's very good on TV and his knowledge of 177 00:07:24.920 --> 00:07:28.199 the game is amazing. However, it's the one thing when 178 00:07:28.199 --> 00:07:30.560 you get in the trailer with him six seven, eight 179 00:07:30.600 --> 00:07:33.519 hours before the broadcast and he is just grinding over 180 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:37.360 notes and stats and historical references. He never goes into 181 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:40.480 a take without being educated. He never says anything just 182 00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:42.120 off the top of his head, just trying to be 183 00:07:42.439 --> 00:07:44.720 flamboyant or trying to create a headline. That's not what 184 00:07:44.759 --> 00:07:47.160 he does. He truly believes what he says. Now that 185 00:07:47.240 --> 00:07:49.439 being said, he says plenty of things that I don't 186 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:50.959 agree with, but I know he gets to him in 187 00:07:51.000 --> 00:07:51.720 a very good way. 188 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:54.680 Well said, all right, let's move over to the comments, 189 00:07:54.680 --> 00:07:54.920 and we. 190 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:57.519 Talked about it on the show yesterday and again for 191 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:00.040 golf fans that don't know Brian Rollout, this is a 192 00:08:00.120 --> 00:08:03.839 dynamite sports executive, a sharp person and a very good guy. 193 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:06.120 So for the first time we were able to kind 194 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:09.519 of hear from him in you know, kind of an 195 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:13.879 official media setting about what he sees as it pertains 196 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:16.040 the future of the sport. And they're putting together a 197 00:08:16.040 --> 00:08:19.839 committee that will be led by Tiger Tiger Woods. I 198 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:22.720 wonder what your thoughts were as you digest the comments 199 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:25.240 and when it comes to this the quote the goal 200 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:29.040 is not incremental change. Quote, the goal is significant change. What, Rex, 201 00:08:29.120 --> 00:08:30.360 do you think that means? 202 00:08:30.839 --> 00:08:33.919 He's three weeks on the job. This was his third 203 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:35.480 week on the job and he stood in front of 204 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:38.039 everyone and talked about and we're not talking about incremental change. 205 00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:40.480 We're talking about significant change and what he has proposed, 206 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:43.200 and I'm sure what is actually being thought about it. It 207 00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:44.960 is going to be dramatic. When you look at sort 208 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:47.519 of the three pillars that they leaned into, it's parody 209 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:49.159 and we already have that. And when it comes to 210 00:08:49.200 --> 00:08:51.360 the PGA Tour, it's simplicity. We do not have that. 211 00:08:51.399 --> 00:08:54.159 We just had a long conversation about the confusion here 212 00:08:54.200 --> 00:08:56.879 at the tour Championship and it's scarcity. And I mean, 213 00:08:56.919 --> 00:08:59.159 you can use another word, but I think scarcity can 214 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:02.000 only be in one way. That means less is more 215 00:09:02.320 --> 00:09:04.720 to a certain degree, the idea that he wants to 216 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:07.159 get the best players together more often on the best 217 00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:09.320 courses and the best cities at the best time of year, 218 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:12.720 and condense this into a window that works for everyone. 219 00:09:13.080 --> 00:09:15.440 I think even players that I talk to who aren't 220 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:17.679 here at east Lake to be fair so not top 221 00:09:17.720 --> 00:09:21.759 thirty players, even they were intrigued by what this seems 222 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:24.240 where this seems to be headed. Even they were intrigued. Again. 223 00:09:24.279 --> 00:09:26.440 Three weeks on the job and I talked to over 224 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:28.480 a dozen tour players and all of them had not 225 00:09:28.519 --> 00:09:31.440 only had conversations with Brian and not hello, my name 226 00:09:31.480 --> 00:09:35.559 is Brian, conversations. We're talking about hours long conversations about 227 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:37.759 the tour and the way they think the directions should go. 228 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:40.159 And he listened, he didn't talk, which I think is 229 00:09:40.200 --> 00:09:42.639 a sign of a very good leader. That to me, 230 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:45.200 is the part they should get you aside him, One 231 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:46.679 player told me, and I agree with this, He's going 232 00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:48.679 to break some eggs and along the way he's probably 233 00:09:48.679 --> 00:09:52.080 going to make some players and some constituents angry. But 234 00:09:52.120 --> 00:09:53.600 I think that's how you get the tour in the 235 00:09:53.639 --> 00:09:54.679 best possible position. 236 00:09:55.320 --> 00:09:57.759 What is fair to say about Jay Monaghan as he 237 00:09:57.840 --> 00:10:00.519 makes his exit from his position with the Tour. 238 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:03.639 He certainly is happy. A couple of us talked about 239 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:05.399 it today when we see him there this week, and 240 00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:07.159 of course he would be. I mean, the weight off 241 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:10.600 his shoulders must be enormous. And I have not want 242 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:13.360 to be the apologist for j Monahan. However, I will 243 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:16.200 point out that during his tenure as commissioner, he dealt 244 00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:18.440 with a couple of things that were unprecedented. The pandemic, 245 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:21.360 which buying large. Everyone says the Tour handled the pandemic 246 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:24.639 better than almost any other sports league. He dealt with Livedolf, 247 00:10:24.759 --> 00:10:27.399 which is, in his words, not mine that irrational threat, 248 00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:30.360 a pile of money that didn't expect I mean, you 249 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:31.919 have a backer that has a pile of money that 250 00:10:31.960 --> 00:10:35.320 doesn't expect a return that's that's hard to compete with sometimes. 251 00:10:35.320 --> 00:10:37.240 And then on top of all that, you lost the 252 00:10:37.240 --> 00:10:39.639 one player that made everything work, Tiger Woods. I think 253 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:42.399 Tiger Woods only played if I did the math correctly. 254 00:10:42.440 --> 00:10:45.200 At one point during Jay Monahan's tenure, and he's still 255 00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:48.320 commissioner to be fair, but since he took over as commissioner, 256 00:10:48.360 --> 00:10:51.480 Tiger Woods hasn't even played thirty regular PGA tour events, 257 00:10:51.600 --> 00:10:53.519 and so you add all those things together. He got 258 00:10:53.519 --> 00:10:55.799 dealt a tough hand. I think, buying large, he did 259 00:10:55.840 --> 00:10:58.120 the best he could. Some people are going to disagree 260 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:00.720 with the way he handled Live I certainly have criticisms, 261 00:11:00.840 --> 00:11:02.399 but you certainly look at the job and I don't 262 00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:04.480 know that any commissioner in any sport has ever faced 263 00:11:04.480 --> 00:11:05.159 what he faced. 264 00:11:05.720 --> 00:11:08.879 So, Rex, I have a confession and I'm going to 265 00:11:08.919 --> 00:11:13.200 ask for your forgiveness. Prior to my brother and sister 266 00:11:13.240 --> 00:11:16.120 in law reside in Carmel, Indiana, and I went to 267 00:11:16.200 --> 00:11:19.159 visit them a week ago and as I landed and 268 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:21.039 we were driving home from the airport, he said, I 269 00:11:21.080 --> 00:11:24.480 have a surprise. And Scott O'Neill, who is the commissioner 270 00:11:24.519 --> 00:11:27.240 of Live Golf, worked with my father at Madison Square Garden, 271 00:11:27.320 --> 00:11:29.000 so we have a connection there. And he said, I 272 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:31.120 got us passes to go to the Live Golf event 273 00:11:31.639 --> 00:11:34.600 in Indianapolis. Now I am a tour guy, so I 274 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:38.679 need your forgiveness. However, I could not be struck by 275 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:41.320 sitting there on eighteen on what they call ten fifty 276 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:45.519 four and watching Bryson and watching John Rahm and watching Brooks. 277 00:11:45.559 --> 00:11:48.120 I mean they do have a lot of really, really 278 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:52.600 good players, obviously, and I thought Brian's response to the question, 279 00:11:52.840 --> 00:11:54.080 but he said, look, if you're gonna ask me a 280 00:11:54.120 --> 00:11:56.080 live question, he just asked me a live question. But 281 00:11:56.120 --> 00:11:58.960 Brian did reference that he is not engaged with the 282 00:11:59.000 --> 00:12:02.279 Public Investment Fund or anybody from Live Golf. And look, 283 00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:04.600 I know you're probably tired of talking about it, You're 284 00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:06.799 probably tired of the question. But if the goal is 285 00:12:06.840 --> 00:12:09.600 to reunite the best players in the world, at some 286 00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:12.480 point you're going to have to engage with Live. What's 287 00:12:12.519 --> 00:12:14.840 your understanding of where we stand right now with the 288 00:12:14.879 --> 00:12:18.320 relationship or lack thereof, between the PGA Tour and Live Golf. 289 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:21.000 I think Brian sent a clear message during his press 290 00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:22.799 conference that he didn't want to address live because he 291 00:12:22.840 --> 00:12:25.080 knew that was going to overshadow what he was trying 292 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:27.440 to get across, and that's this new committee with everything 293 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:29.120 he's trying to do. I also think he wanted to 294 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:31.679 show some peace, and he certainly did that. Whether people 295 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:33.759 agree with and Ron, I think you have to show 296 00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:36.320 strength in a situation like that. To be fair. I 297 00:12:36.360 --> 00:12:38.720 have gone to numerous live golf events, so there's absolutely 298 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:42.039 no reason at all. I mean working jearnalists, but there's 299 00:12:42.039 --> 00:12:43.919 no reason at all to apologize. As a matter of fact, 300 00:12:43.960 --> 00:12:46.039 the one last year at the rally went to was amazing. 301 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:48.840 The crowds were incredible, the scene was cool. As you 302 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:51.360 pointed out, they have incredible players. If you were a 303 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:53.840 top ten player in the world when you join live golf, 304 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:55.600 you're still a top ten player, whether or not if 305 00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:58.519 the world renting agrees with that or not. But I 306 00:12:59.559 --> 00:13:01.960 see what you're going and I think eventually I don't 307 00:13:01.960 --> 00:13:04.200 know how to get there, But you're right, reuniting the 308 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:06.559 game has to be on the back burner somewhere for 309 00:13:06.679 --> 00:13:09.759 not only Brian Rolapp, but Scott O'Neil. And to your point, 310 00:13:10.200 --> 00:13:11.960 one of the things I was drawn to in the 311 00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:14.360 first interview I did with Brian was at the Travelers 312 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:17.720 Championship back in June. There was no line of communication 313 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:20.399 between jm and handing Praig Norman. It was pretty clear 314 00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:23.240 those two were not friends, so there was never going 315 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:26.080 to be dialogue between the two sides in this particular case. 316 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:29.080 Scott O'Neill Brian Rollout they went to the same college. 317 00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:30.799 I know for a fact they each have each other's 318 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:32.919 phone numbers and their phones. That to me is at 319 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:34.799 least a sign that we can get to there some way. 320 00:13:36.279 --> 00:13:39.399 Yeah, and hopefully that happens at some point. Now, one 321 00:13:39.399 --> 00:13:43.080 more live question. So when the whole thing first burst 322 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:45.679 on the scene, there was so much anger, there was 323 00:13:45.720 --> 00:13:51.399 so much passion, there was so much divisiveness. In retrospect, 324 00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:55.799 did Live accomplish something that we didn't see coming, Because 325 00:13:56.039 --> 00:13:58.679 it's pretty undeniable RECs that the PGA Tour did make 326 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:02.480 some adjustments after realizing like, yes, this is a real threat, 327 00:14:02.519 --> 00:14:05.200 we are losing some of our best players. And did 328 00:14:05.240 --> 00:14:08.879 Phil Nicholson and Greg Norman actually force the PGA Tour 329 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:11.279 to adjust like they said they were going to, even 330 00:14:11.320 --> 00:14:12.919 though nobody believed them at the time. 331 00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:15.960 Yes, I think that's perfectly fair, especially when it comes 332 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:18.799 to Phil Nicholson that his argument all along was we 333 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:20.960 should be playing for bigger purses and in big tournaments, 334 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:23.360 and we should be focusing on the star players. Now, 335 00:14:23.399 --> 00:14:25.200 it sounds a little selfish coming from one of those 336 00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:28.159 guys that falls into that category, but what we've experienced 337 00:14:28.159 --> 00:14:30.679 over the last three years, and certainly the long conversation 338 00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:33.080 we just had about Brian Rolout's plan goes to the 339 00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:36.279 idea that on a certain level some degree, Phil was 340 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:41.240 absolutely right. Now the disruptive nature of how Livoff entered 341 00:14:41.240 --> 00:14:44.159 the landscape. I think that's certainly our conversation we can have. 342 00:14:44.279 --> 00:14:46.080 But I don't think there's anything that you can look 343 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:48.799 at the product like it or not, and it's innovative. 344 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:50.840 And that's the one line that we've heard roll Ups 345 00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:53.039 say over and over again, that's what the sport needs. 346 00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:56.799 So we are broadcasting about five miles away from where 347 00:14:56.919 --> 00:15:00.000 Tony Fenale cut his teeth, and you know, once upon 348 00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:03.200 on a time it felt like Tony was evolving and 349 00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:05.519 growing into potentially one of the best players in the world. 350 00:15:05.559 --> 00:15:07.480 And I'm not saying he's not that now, but this 351 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:10.519 was not a great year for our local player who 352 00:15:10.519 --> 00:15:13.759 we all pull for on the tour. What do you 353 00:15:13.799 --> 00:15:15.879 think plagued Tony the most this year? And do you 354 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:17.440 think he can bounce back next season. 355 00:15:18.360 --> 00:15:19.879 I actually was kind of going down the list, and 356 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:22.440 I was taken that he wasn't here because he's become 357 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:24.759 such a staple and the tour championship is one of 358 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:27.159 those benchmarks that you look at great players and how 359 00:15:27.159 --> 00:15:29.679 many times did you qualified for the Tour Championship. I 360 00:15:29.720 --> 00:15:31.879 think this year was a combination of things. It seems 361 00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:34.720 to me he lost something on the ball striking front, which, 362 00:15:34.759 --> 00:15:37.120 at least off the tee is what's going to carry him. 363 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:39.960 I mean, he has power that other players, most other 364 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:42.320 players can't find, but if you look at it statistically, 365 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:43.960 it's really on the greens where he seemed to at 366 00:15:44.039 --> 00:15:47.320 least lose that edge whatever it is that separated him 367 00:15:47.320 --> 00:15:49.919 from playing in the first playoff event and in the 368 00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:52.799 last playoff event being here at East Lake. So it 369 00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:56.000 seems to me across the board he regressed for some reason, 370 00:15:56.399 --> 00:15:58.240 and we don't know. There could be a very good 371 00:15:58.279 --> 00:15:59.799 reason for that. There could have been injury, there could 372 00:15:59.799 --> 00:16:03.080 have been distractions. There's all kinds of reasons players games 373 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:05.639 fall off one season. However, I don't think he's the 374 00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:07.879 kind of guy that doesn't find a way to rebound. 375 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:10.360 All right, Rex, before I say you loose, We also 376 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:12.960 have a really cool new thing in our stayed down 377 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:16.919 south in Saint George, Black Desert Resort. I've had a 378 00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:19.080 chance to play it a couple of times. It is awesome, 379 00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:22.000 and for the second straight year, the PGA Tour during 380 00:16:22.039 --> 00:16:25.639 their Fall Fall Tour portion of the calendar will stop 381 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:29.200 at Black Desert for the Bank of Utah Championship. I 382 00:16:29.240 --> 00:16:31.559 don't want to diminish the field a year ago, but 383 00:16:31.639 --> 00:16:34.360 of course the best golfers in the world don't need 384 00:16:34.360 --> 00:16:36.960 the points, but Tony might, maybe Jordan Speth. I don't 385 00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:39.639 know any thoughts on the potential field we could see 386 00:16:39.639 --> 00:16:41.480 out here for the Black Desert Championship. 387 00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:44.200 You look at the guys who are scrambling outside the 388 00:16:44.200 --> 00:16:46.399 top seventy, those who didn't qualify for the playoffs, or 389 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:48.399 those who are right there on the edge. I think 390 00:16:48.440 --> 00:16:51.000 the entire fall could be benefited by this, for right 391 00:16:51.080 --> 00:16:53.120 or wrong, but yeah, I think you could end up. 392 00:16:53.159 --> 00:16:54.759 I mean it makes sense for Tony to play there, 393 00:16:54.759 --> 00:16:57.200 certainly where he is on the points list. Jordan Speed 394 00:16:57.240 --> 00:16:59.360 is a little bit different animal because there are exemptions 395 00:16:59.559 --> 00:17:01.720 that he can fall back on from previous victories and 396 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:05.640 previous accomplishments. But I think the entire fall, including your event, 397 00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:07.640 I will say I was speaking with my colleague Todd 398 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:10.160 Lewis just now about his fall schedule, and he actually 399 00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:12.240 added that event, and he's looking forward to it for 400 00:17:12.279 --> 00:17:12.720 good reason. 401 00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:14.039