Lessons from the Memorial Tournament | Aryon's Viktor Hovland Hypothesis

What can the average golfer learn from the Memorial Tournament, and is there a wild theory about Victor Hobland that's worth exploring? Join us as we recap the event, discuss the challenges faced by golfers, and even consider the potential for a Ryder Cup style competition between the PGA Tour and LIV players. 

We dive into the course conditions at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, and how even the pros struggled with the tough greens. Discover the importance of keeping the ball low to the ground, the advantages of using a putter, and why Rory McIlroy was so frustrated. 

Finally, we discuss Rory McIlroy's performance, the contrasting reactions from fans in the golf course versus on social media, and his status as the face of the PGA tour. Don't miss this engaging and informative episode that every golf enthusiast will enjoy!

Chapters

• 0:01 Pure Golf Podcast
• 13:57 Hovland's Golf Ranking
• 21:12 PGA Top Players of the Season
• 31:14 Golf Statistics and McIlroy's Performance
• 38:17 Favorite Golfers and Rory's Body Language
• 45:32 Golf Awards

Transcript

This Podcast Transcript is generated by AI and prone to errors.

Speaker 1: What is going on? everybody, my name is Jordan and thank you for joining the Pure Golf Podcast today. Today we covered the Memorial Tournament that just finished out a little bit ago. We were posting this 6am on Monday morning, so Zach and Ariane and I just talked about it, did a little recap and, per usual, we talked about what can the average golfer learn from the course conditions, how can they learn about this player, that player, all those types of things. But we're really just trying to educate the average golfer on how they can watch this tournament and get better, definitely more entertaining podcast. Today we definitely got a little bit off script. When we do these things, we always we meet together, get a little outline going on and Zach, literally off the cuff, just goes right off the outline to, which is very entertaining. We all just looked at each other, as you guys can't see our facial expressions of what is he asking right now. So we're just going to leave this in for you guys to enjoy. Ariane has a hypothesis or a theory about Victor Hobland. That is wildly entertaining, so we just left that in and then we just talked about the Redsford Tournament. Great tournament overall. Really enjoyed watching the tournament. Per usual, jack Nicholas knows how to put on a great show and design one heck of a golf course. So enjoy the pod. Thank you for joining us and I will send it over to well again myself for the announcements. And yeah, have a great day, guys, thanks, Okay, the announcements for the week. 

Speaker 1: So today we obviously have the memorial recap that is going out today. Later today on our YouTube channel, zach will be posting a the Jeffrey video. It got a little bit delayed because they ended up having some good conversation on the golf course and Zach really wanted to capture that, that conversation and bring it to you, the viewer. So we took a little bit of extra time to get that right and get it really edited a lot better than what it was going to be, just due to the friendly nature of the conversation. So that'll be it out. That will be out on our YouTube channel a little bit later today. 

Speaker 1: Friday, we are talking about putters on the podcast, and I mean the physical putter, not the people putting, but the putters of which putters do we like? which do we feel are overrated and which are just kind of? and then on Saturday Zach is going to be doing a swing update. That will probably be on his road to break 80. He had some stuff come up in his golf game that we're going to talk about and we're going to bring it to the channel, just to remain transparent. So that's what we have going on over at the My Pure Golf channel this week and we look forward to showing it and sharing it with you guys. Thanks, guys. 

Speaker 3: Let's start the podcast with 10 words or less. Let's start with you, Arianne. Give me 10 words or less of what you thought about the tournament in general. Yeah, It was a perfect combination. Also, wait time out. I just read the chat. 

Speaker 1: We are leaving this in the podcast and Zach directly violated what? 

Speaker 3: the 10 words or less question was I'm used to or 10 words or less, being about the tournament. So I didn't even read the chat and then all of a sudden it says that has nothing to do with the tournament whatsoever. 

Speaker 1: It is there in plain English right now. 

Speaker 3: I love it All right, cool, cool. So this is what the 10 words or less is supposed to be. Arianne, i'll let you start with this. Should live players be allowed to be in the Ryder Cup? 

Speaker 2: Yes. 

Speaker 3: Yes. 

Speaker 1: Okay, we agree We need to get a whole podcast out of that one later in the year, because that has been quite the topic of discussion this week. But I'm glad we agree, friend, and we already know what Zach is going to say. We don't even have to let him speak that he wants the live players. 

Speaker 2: I'm so glad Zach stopped, because I was about to give 10 words or less to the current tournament too. I didn't even. I had it already. I'm just going to do it anyways. Yeah, go for it. It's the perfect combination of poetic justice and irony. 

Speaker 1: Okay, well done. 

Speaker 3: Fair enough. 

Speaker 1: Wow, zach and I the viewer by the listener it's not the viewers can't see that we were both just counting it out on our fingers. 

Speaker 3: Oh, my goodness, that's good. I'm going to go ahead and give my answer. First off, the 10 words or less for live players being in the Ryder Cup. Absolutely, there's no question to that whatsoever. They should be because they're representing their country. This is more than 10 words, i know, but I don't care. They should because I think it's more of a it's like a national, patriotic country thing They should be allowed to represent. It shouldn't be between two tournaments. Make it the best players To give my analysis of the tournament for 10 words or less, because I'm going to do that as well. I love playoffs, man. Absolutely incredible. That's my 10 words or less. 

Speaker 2: I agree. Can I say one? not only should live players be allowed to play in the Ryder Cup, could you imagine if the PGA tour and live took their top five and went against each other? That would be phenomenal. 

Speaker 1: I would be Zach and I have been hoping for all year is like that. 

Speaker 2: They're not going to because that's a level of camaraderie that I don't see them doing in the near future because it's the PGA tour, has nothing to gain and everything to lose with that. So I don't see that happening. but I think we'll get a little bit of that at the Ryder Cup if they allow them to play Same team. I'm sorry for that. 

Speaker 3: No, no, no, I was just going to add on to your point. The. That's going to be in question every single year though the live versus PGA for a Ryder Cup style format. I think they absolutely should. I know we talked about, like you know, even if it's not near the Ryder Cup, if you did it at the beginning of the season, i feel like that would be really, really cool too, but I don't know. It's like you said, if it's going to happen, it's going to be much later down the road. Jordan, we kind of completely forgot about your 10 words or less. Why don't you give us your 10 words, or less. 

Speaker 1: No, you guys, you guys just set the tone right there. I can't combine with poetic justice on the 10 words or less. My 10 words or less is I love tough golf and seeing who comes out on top. 

Speaker 3: That's good. Yeah, it was. It was really really tough today. I mean, i know we're, i know we're talk. I'm going to jump out of order. I want you to actually, jordan, to talk about how tough that course was today for the viewers. Let's actually start with that, can you talk about? because it was so dry and everything. So I know that you and Ariane have something to say about this, but you go ahead and start off with it First off. They were playing the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, ohio, and the course designer was obviously Jack Nicklaus. So, jordan, go ahead and just start and kind of explain to the viewers how tough it was to really score on that course. 

Speaker 1: Yeah It's. If negative eight is the winning score on. The PGA Tournament went into a playoff. It's a really freaking hard golf course I think correct me if I'm wrong that was the winning total at the PGA Championship too. Right, it's right around that Pretty positive. 

Speaker 2: This tournament was negative seven, But yeah this tournament was negative. 

Speaker 1: Yeah, i'm sorry It got up to negative eight. It got up as high as negative eight, but yeah it's. It's insanely hard And when you see Rory McElroy drive a ball like 350 yards, have 116 yards to the hole and he still makes a bogey like with a lob wedge in his hand, it's really hard. He's clearly frustrated and trying to land a lob wedge on the green for any PGA Tour Pro should be a pretty easy task Like this is. This is easy for them and you couldn't get the ball to stay on the green. 

Speaker 1: So I know Arianna is kind of playing more of these types of golf conditions now, of just like these baked out greens, these dry greens that don't get a lot of water. 

Speaker 1: You have to start playing to like the front of the green and then hoping that your ball stays on, cause I'll reference Rory again of he hit the ball in the middle of the green with like an eight iron. He hit an eight iron first off 180 yards to the pin and then it flies over another 10 to 15 yards, so he totaled an eight iron like 195. It's like what else is the guy supposed to do when he hits the middle of the green with a lob wedge and an eight iron These are pretty high lofted clubs and he can't land it. So you've played at the front of the green, but you're also a lot of times you're hoping for the lucky bounce and you're hoping that it sits down. So you just have a putt and you're not chipping out of or pitching out of like very rough, rough conditions. It's brutal and I don't blame Rory one bit for, like looking back at his caddy, being like what else am? 

Speaker 1: I supposed to do, cause as easy as it is to be on your game, it's that easy to be off your game in those conditions. It's just, it's brutal, and I don't want to take anything away from Victor Hovland, but you also have to have a little bit of luck to win here in these conditions too. That you caught the right break as well, but he got the win, and that's what matters, right, yeah. 

Speaker 2: I don't think Victor Hovland, i wouldn't call him lucky at all either, so I don't think you're taking anything away from him with that statement. but to give every listeners some some perspective, when Jordan says, i've been recently playing these, these courses, i moved to Texas or Dallas and from for like from June till September, october, it's hot and relatively dry and the courses do get baked and that's why there's something called the Texas wedge where you basically bring your putter out 70 yards and in because it's tough. I mean, you can, you know, somebody told me once when I first started golfing that you know, getting getting spin on a golf ball has very little to has, let not very little, has less to do with the shot as it does with the type of ball you're using and the state in which the green is in. So you know, and it showed this week, because these are the best in the world and they're they cannot get their ball to check up because it's it's almost like hitting it on the car path. It's crazy. 

Speaker 2: So, um, yeah, no, that was just my, my, my two cents on that. But basically, when you're playing, you know, for an amateur golfer, just your weekend golfer, you, when you're playing to compete. you bring out your putter whenever you can. Obviously, when you're playing to get better, you want to try different shots and things like that. But um, yeah, that's, that's why there's a thing called the Texas wedge, for sure. 

Speaker 1: Yeah, i will. Um, i know Parker's our main tournament golfer here. I played a tournament over at Callaway Gardens in Georgia and the greens were like completely baked. And it is so easy to get frustrated when you're like in the rougher in the fairway and you're like you're playing in the front of the green and you can't get the ball. It's flying off the back of the green no matter what you do. And even among playing partners who are competitive, you find this camaraderie of what the frick are we supposed to do? Like we don't even, like you don't even feel like anybody's going to win that day, because it's that hard. And so if PGA professionals are struggling, people like us are obviously going to struggle that much more. You know so it's. I think it's some of the most frustrating conditions to play in, because there's just nothing you can do. 

Speaker 3: Yeah. So my question, let's go back to the the Texas wedge. I want to talk about that just a little bit more. Um, as the average golfer, when should you be chipping around the green and when should you be putting Let's, let's like? I kind of want an analysis of that because there have been situations where, for me personally, you know, they always say, they always say your worst putt is better or closer to the pin than your worst chip will be. Is that the correct saying in that situation? Yeah, so what situations? is it more of a fuel thing? Kind of, give me your thoughts on that. Like, when should you whip out the Texas wedge and when should you be chipping? 

Speaker 2: Yeah, well, i think I think if you're, if you are, if you're the average golfer and you are playing for money or you are playing in a, in what you call it, call it a serious competition. I don't know how serious it could be, but a tournament, whatever it is, and you have a, a shot, or you have a line with your putter, without any major obstacle, you bring out your putter. Okay, um, if you are trying to get better, if you're just playing around with friends, you know, if, if there's not a lot on the line, you should, you should chip and you should work on getting better, work on those types of situations. Um, that's my theory on it. I mean, let's say, let's, let's take that part out of it and say everything is a competitive is in a competitive nature. When should you actually putt? When should you chip? 

Speaker 2: It really just comes down to like how I mean how, how good of conditions are the fairways in? I mean, are you, are you putting it through rough, are you? I mean, it's like what's in front of you is is the question. If it's, if it's like how it is in Texas, where the greens are essentially as fast as the cart path and the fairway is like a slow green. You're putting it from almost anywhere. Anywhere you have a line you can put it, obviously, if there's a sand trap or something or a sprinkler head in your way, you're not going to do that, but you're. You're putting it more often than you're not And it's actually the smart play in a lot of situations because you have so much more control over it. I mean, that's my to Jordan, i don't know what you're more. 

Speaker 1: No, i couldn't echo your sentiments more and these statistics back up what you're saying a hundred percent. But a lot of times I'll speak to Georgia. We're not going to, we're playing at like public courses. A lot of time, you know, like you're always going to have that like clump of glass or that clump of fairway that comes up And I think the lower you can keep it to the ground on your, your shot, statistically the better you are, because the more you put it in the air, the more you're trying to land it on a hypothetical dime. You know you're you're reducing your landing air. So my first choice, if I can, no matter how good I ever get a golf, is probably going to be my putter. I'm always looking to have my putter out first. 

Speaker 3: Yeah, i agree, fair enough. Okay, let's actually jump into the tournament now. So, uh, aron, your boy, he ended up winning the entire thing. Give me your theory of Victor Hovland slash hypothesis. What am I reading right? 

Speaker 1: now, the reason it's listed as a hypothesis is is it a hypothesis and he's just now thinking this out, or does he have concrete evidence through some scientific testing to call this a theory? That's all Okay. 

Speaker 2: Well, and it's a good thing that I've had a cool down period of like an hour since I said it and since the podcast is gone, because I've already changed it twice. The original thing is is Victor Hovland secretly the best golfer in the world? now that I've had a chance to think about it for a second led, i'm going to say this is is Victor Hovland the third best golfer in the world? And let me, and let me and I and I mean this legitimate. This isn't a joke at all And the reason I I asked that is because Scotty Schaeffler, not only is he ranked number one, he showed today why he's number one. 

Speaker 2: He made the cut on the line and there was a time in this tournament where, when he was in the clubhouse and Six Under, people thought like he, he could either be in a playoff or win this thing outright. Like he just played and he missed so many putts. I mean he missed so many putts. There was a statistic, i think, when he had like five holes left where he, from tee to green, was, gained 19 strokes on the field, from tee to green, and lost nine strokes putting. Yeah, like I've never heard that. 

Speaker 1: I've never heard that. I never. It's unfathomable to me, yeah. 

Speaker 2: So, so Scotty, like I said, best golf from the world, statistically and from the eye test. He is, and he proved it. Then seconds, like John Rom, you can't, you just can't deny that right. But after those two, somebody give me an argument that Victor Hovelin is not number three, and I mean that seriously. 

Speaker 3: I'm sorry. Sorry, you go ahead and finish, okay. 

Speaker 2: I mean he has been sniffing around the top of the leaderboard for months, i see, and his biggest knock is that he really couldn't finish. But when you look at his career record I mean he's won several times. Winning is hard and he's done it He also puts himself in the position to win And I think his there's a term for it It's like a win ratio compared to where you finish is arguably on the lower end. The other thing, and this is why I have this theory, i feel like Danny McCarthy hit every shot and made every put he was supposed to and had one of the most non-dramatic rounds I've seen. 

Speaker 2: Victor Hovelin was pissed the whole time. Every time he looked at him he had disappointment because he was making. Like every time I looked he was making a bad shot. I felt like And I can't explain it, but the eye test showed he kept making about Scott shot, and he's done that on round four of so many tournaments, but he's always there. And then today he pulls it out And I mean he literally, on hole 12, hits it over the pin into the rough chips. It three inches, you know makes a bogey and he's at that point three behind, four behind the leader, like I think he might have done a negative four, negative five, and I thought he was going to do it again. 

Speaker 2: And then somehow and the statistics do not match up with the eye test for me, because if you, if you, if anybody rewatches round four today, look at all the times he seemed frustrated and he hit a bad shot And yet somehow, like he was like putting his hands on his face and like looking at his caddy and shaking his head, it was the whole round And yet somehow he pulls it out And it's like is he just that good to where he can make all those mistakes, hit all those you know I'm air quoting it right now bad shots and still pull it out? on top of Scottie Sheffler, rory McLeroy, matt Fitzpatrick was somehow in the mix and I didn't see him hit a single shot all day. The broadcast did not show him. I don't think once. So that's my theory. Somebody give me an argument that Victor Hovland is not the third best player in the world. 

Speaker 3: Okay, so Arion, are you taking? Victor Hovland or Brooks Kepka In general? in general, just like right now, like who are you taking? 

Speaker 2: I'm taking Victor Hovland, you're taking Victor Hovland really. Yeah, Brooks Kepka, he's a. I mean, if we're in a major, I don't know because Brooks Kepka, you could put him ahead of a lot of players that are better than him when you're playing in a major, right, It's just the thing that he does, But I don't think Brooks Kepka is the third best player in the world, if that's what you're asking me. 

Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm asking straight up who are your top three? and you have Victor Hovland as your third best golfer in the world. 

Speaker 2: I want to put him above John Rom. I just can't do it. I don't like John Rom. 

Speaker 1: This poses an interesting question because here's are you guys on the best golfer in the world or the picks that you want going into a major Like that, because in theory they should be the same thing right? 

Speaker 2: Well, i don't know, because I understand everybody counts majors. But if somebody wins one major, i'm just. This is a weird statistic. But if somebody wins five times in a decent field or one major, aren't you taking the five victories in a season over one major? 

Speaker 3: I'm still taking the major. That's just me. But, like, because I've heard this story too I don't even know if I heard it from you guys or what but like you're known for how many majors you've won over your career, over your golf career, over, like, like nobody's talking about how many times Tigers went on tour, but they're talking about the amount of majors he's won, or they're doing that statistic next to, like, jack Nicklaus or whoever. 

Speaker 2: Correct And I agree with that statement. When you're looking at the golfer of the year, you're picking the guy who won five times, not the one major. When you break it out over a career yeah, when you break it out over a season I don't think so. 

Speaker 1: I mean that's how they're going to choose the PGA player of the year, which is already a. it's a one A, one B race right now, of who you two probably agree is one A and one B. Oh yeah, absolutely Yeah. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. So I think, yes, i agree, your, your, your career is defined by the majors you win, but your season's defined by the amount of tournaments you win in. I mean within reason, right, like three majors and five tournaments is a different story. But I'm saying, if you win one major or you win five tournaments and Victor Hovland's been in the mix already in five tournaments and we're not even you know. So my point is you know, if, if Scotty Schaeffler wins five times and doesn't win a major, hypothetically right Or Brooks Kepka assuming he's still on the PGA tour just wins one major, you're not picking Brooks Kepka as the player of the year. This is not going to happen. 

Speaker 3: That's fair. My question then is if you had a Ryder Cup team or Ryder Cup style format and you had to pick your team for it? obviously there are different nationalities. Are you going Victor Hovland, or are you going somebody else in that final spot? Because obviously you're going to pick Rom or Sheffler but, like, are you putting Hovland as your last person Because I'm putting Brooks in that type of style? 

Speaker 2: See, that's the thing too. It's like Ian Polter I'm picking over players that are so much better than him. Not necessarily right now. I'm saying in general, over the years, you're picking Polter, you're picking what's his name? Oh my gosh. 

Speaker 3: What's his name? 

Speaker 2: Sergio No no, he can't hit the ball very far but he's like deadly in Ryder Cup. I'm totally blanking right now, kevin Kisner. You're picking Kevin Kisner over players who are better than him in a Ryder Cup style, because they're just, they're players who just perform better in that way. So, while that's a fair question, i just I don't think it. When I ask, like who are the best, when you just say who are the best players in the world right now? Who are your top five? Give me your top five. 

Speaker 1: Jordan go ahead first. Oh man, i don't know. I've got my head One A, one B is a Shephler Rom. I don't know. I'll be honest, i don't have a top five off the top of my head, all right. 

Speaker 2: Let me, let me give you the top 10 in the official golf world ranking and you tell me who, out of these people, you're keeping in your top five. 

Speaker 3: Okay, i already know, i already know the four. Okay, first off, for me it's the four we've just talked about. Like I mean, hovland's always been up there and I got to put Brooks in there. The fifth guy, however, i mean like I would be biased because I just love Colin, but he hasn't been playing like that. So, yeah, that would not be a good pitch. Yeah, So I don't know. I genuinely don't know the answer to the number five spot, if that's what you're asking Let me throw it. It's not done. 

Speaker 2: All right, all right. So we got Scottie Shephler, john Rom, rory McLoroy, patrick Cantley, xander Shoffley, max Homa, victor Hovland, matt Fitzpatrick, cameron Smith, will Zalatoris, and then Jordan Spieth is 11. 

Speaker 3: I feel, like Homa has been like making the most noise out of that, like I know he hasn't like major wise, but like he's been, he's won a few tournaments out of that, right, i mean yeah, i'm going to say I for some reason I can't give you should have Rory in it, rory in it, but I don't. 

Speaker 2: I have. I've Scottie Shephler, john Rom, victor Hovland, cameron Smith and Cameron Smith. That is a. 

Speaker 2: That is a shaky pick because that is a very shaky but it but but I'm looking at top 20 and I can't really pick someone else with certainty that I know would be better than him right now. Patrick Cantley. I'm not paying If Cam Smith goes against Patrick Cantley and I know that's against the argument I just said. I can't say for certain I'm picking Patrick Cantley. So yeah, scottie Shephler, john Rom, victor Hovland, patrick Cantley. and Is it? is it? Where's where's JT? He's 15. 

Speaker 1: He's not had a great year. 

Speaker 2: No is it? is it? Is it Matt Fitzpatrick? 

Speaker 1: Stop, no, no, we will turn this podcast off right now. 

Speaker 2: I mean, it's probably Rory, is probably Rory, even though I can't, i just can't, i don't know. Anyway, my point is this is this proves what I'm trying to say? You can't tell me with certainty? there's somebody who's playing better right now in the three spot than Victor Hovland. 

Speaker 3: My only argument would be the major thing would be Brooks, but like I agree with you, i can't. I can't think of like, the top five golfers. I can't think of that fifth person. Like there's no definite answer for me personally outside of Brooks, that's. That's playing better than Victor. It's like you said. He's been so consistent I feel like every single tournament. 

Speaker 2: Yeah, i mean, except for he has fallen off a lot in the fourth round. But yes, he's been there and I don't understand because I feel like, maybe because I'm cheering for him, so I'm constantly seeing his mistakes and they're hitting me 10 times harder. I feel like he's making mistakes all the time, especially in round four, and that's what I'm saying for him to pull this out and like let's jump over and talk about Danny McCarthy. That man is a magician with the putter. I mean just as smooth, as smooth could be the whole, i mean the whole day And then ironically and this is where my irony jumps in the putter is what let him down and actually ended up costing him the tournament. 

Speaker 1: He couldn't make the two putts when they mattered, but, man, he was making everything, i'm pretty sure Let me look at the stats here but he while you're looking that up, i just want to inform the listeners that, for those who have ever watched a golf tournament or a basketball game or anything with Ariane, if his guy isn't performing well, it physically hurts him. There is a loud groan. If Victor Hablin misses the putt in that household it is. it is what he says It hurts him physically. It does It is. it is throughout the household that it is felt. 

Speaker 2: Yeah And and yeah. Danny McCarthy, he led the. You know what? it is actually nuts, because he led the field in putting. But man, he did not have, he didn't have another top 10 statistics. 

Speaker 1: So it wasn't a great statistical week, other than the putter for the guy right, Yeah, but he, he gained he gained over a stroke, almost a stroke and a half more than the second place person. 

Speaker 2: But Scottie Scheffler gained, ended up on the whole tournament, gained five. Oh, okay, hold on, i need to look at this here. 

Speaker 3: While you're looking at that, can I just ask this final question about Victor Hablin? Can we make the argument that he is the best golfer in the entire world this season when it comes to the first three rounds of any tournament? 

Speaker 2: No, because I think I think Rory has got to be talked about in that category too. 

Speaker 3: You think has Rory fallen off as much as as Victor when it comes to the final day? 

Speaker 2: I don't know about as much, but he, he, i can think of three times that, he, at least three times that. He was within one or two strokes of the lead going into the fourth round and didn't end up in the top. 

Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, five at least I had a great year. 

Speaker 2: Um, but yeah, i mean, it's um Scottie Scheffler. Scottie Scheffler gained 10 strokes of the field from T to green today. 10 strokes, 10 strokes, that's on. I've 10 strokes and almost six on approach. But he lost almost two strokes with his partner. That's how bad he was. 

Speaker 3: That would be. so that would be so frustrating having to play in his group, knowing that he's just so automatic that day, just every single time he's on the green and I'm just fighting off the green just trying to make it up, and like that would just be so frustrating as a as a playing partner. but that's just a random thought, i just happen. 

Speaker 2: I don't actually understand how someone can can legitimately gain 10 strokes from T to green. I don't. I don't understand that. Jordan like explain that to me. 

Speaker 1: No, no, i, i, i can't explain it When I've heard numbers like 19 and 10, it's it. I don't. I'm not being dramatic. It's unfathomable to have that large of a number at the at the PGA level. It's crazy. 

Speaker 2: Because I don't. I'm just, i'm just trying to think. The actual math of that stat is 19 strokes from T to green. So you are beating the the field by a stroke. So you're getting there. I don't, i don't see how that can be possible. Maybe I'm just not understanding that statistic correctly, but if you're gaining 19 strokes, it means you are getting to the green on average one stroke faster than the whole rest of the field on every fold. 

Speaker 1: No, that is literally what that means. That's what I'm saying. It's unfathomable of. when I heard that, i heard that stat, just like you on TV and I was like that's not human, like that's actually, like that's in it's otherworldly, because it's. 

Speaker 2: It's not like that would make sense to me if the winning score was at like plus 10, not minus seven. No, no, no. 

Speaker 1: Everything you're saying is only adding to the point of this is unparalleled, yeah, unless it's like Tiger winning, winning that Pebble Beach by like 15 structures or anything like that, Like maybe it's been done then, but it's like it's crazy. That's the thing. And he didn't even win, and that's the bad part. He didn't win. He made history and didn't win, and I don't think he wants to be told that. 

Speaker 2: I know, i know, i just I really like, i'm really struck, like I, i, you know, usually this kind of stuff doesn't allude me, but I really cannot quite understand. I mean, it speaks to how tough it was to get it on the green today. I get that, but we're not talking. We're talking about the field. Yeah, i know, wow, and you're going to pull out distress mode right now. 

Speaker 1: He's got the head. He's actually stressing about this. 

Speaker 2: I'm going to watch again and I'm just going to. I don't know I got. If you're a listener. 

Speaker 3: if you're a listener and you watch the tournament, if you could shoot me a DM on Instagram, twitter, tiktok, wherever if you have an explanation to this, because I actually am very confused as well And I think we're all just very befuzzled right now. 

Speaker 2: I, you know what. Let me look at something and I and I think I'm going to answer this, i'm going to think I'm going to answer the question, all right, so if we go, if we rank it T to green, i think I know, i think what it is. Okay, i think I got it To Miss Pe yellow. Okay, i think what it is is. You have guys like Matt Kutcher, tom Hogi, sung Jae-in, danny Willett, sam Bennett Oh, sam Bennett Keegan Bradley, that are bringing the average so far down. 

Speaker 1: That that's, i think that's the only way it's possible, because it is, but that's the same for any other stat in the entire field. 

Speaker 2: Yeah, but I think what it is is. You've got these guys who are just so bad because the greens are so hard to get onto. Yeah, i think it's a combination of both. It's him doing everything right and so many other people doing everything doing everything wrong. 

Speaker 2: Because I didn't think about it like that. I, for some reason, i only thought about the good side of it, not the bad side of it, but it just. It's like it's the people bringing down the average, and there were, there were a good amount, and I'm actually going to after we get off this podcast, i don't know look and see how this compares to other tournaments about how many people like Matt Kutcher. The reason I brought it off is he lost 10 strokes to the field on on that and he, you know, he made the cut. Tom Hogi, who ended with a plus 17. Oh my gosh, he ended with a plus 13, 1313 today. 

Speaker 2: Wow, okay, well, that that makes sense. Fair enough All right, there we go, speaking of players who do not play well today. What happened to Rory McElroy? guys? 

Speaker 1: I can tell you statistically what happened him. But you know what, let's chime in without the statistics. First, didn't play great has not closed well this entire year. I mean, as we talked about earlier, going back to the match play, he was in contention and fell out of contention. Then today I'm going to be honest it like if you're on social media and I hop on there every so often and just look at Rory post. Rory has a lot of negative criticism coming his way. 

Speaker 1: Yeah but at the golf course today it seemed like everybody was rooting for him, which doesn't line up. but when the social media ever back up, or how we feel about a person, right, well, go ahead. 

Speaker 2: Oh sorry. 

Speaker 3: No, you're good. I always going to say is like I feel like everyone just enjoys talking negatively on social media, just regardless. Like it's always the type of thing where, if there's one bad thing, the other person usually piles on and it's just like, yeah, this guy sucks, but Rory is always going to be that person that I feel like everyone's just cheering for. Like I found myself pulling for Rory as well to really pull it out towards the end And like that's the reason why I feel like with people at the tournaments, they're always Rory's never going to. I feel like nobody's ever going to boo Rory. Like on that final day when he's No, he has a chance to win the entire thing. Alright, i don't know what you think about it, but No, i don't know. 

Speaker 2: I'm so neutral on Rory It's, i have nothing else to say on it. I'm that neutral Like as a super store. I feel like he's like. I think he's a favorite or I think he is a lot of. He's somebody that a lot of people hope will win in any given tournament And I don't have anything against him. I actually think he's a. He has a lot of weight on his shoulders A lot of times. 

Speaker 2: He's basically the face of the PGA tour right now, even though he says he doesn't want to do it. I really could care less. Like when he's in it I like to see his name in the top of the leaderboard because it makes it interesting. But I wish nothing against him, but I had no desire for him to win this tournament. So it's like, and I don't know why, i mean I don't like he's not like someone like John Rom, who I've openly said he's not my favorite golfer. I'm just so neutral on him and I guess the only reason he's worth mentioning is because he's such a star. I mean, he is the star When it comes to the PGA tour, but I just have no strong feelings towards him in any direction and it's, it's weird and I don't know why. 

Speaker 3: I will say I think you were a little bit blinded this tournament because your literal number one golfer was in contention. So I think I think your points a little bit biased, but I agree with what you're saying. 

Speaker 2: So Yes, that is true. 

Speaker 2: Let me let me ask you guys a question. this is this is something that we've never I don't think we've ever talked about, but I want to know. Okay, first, jordan, i have a question for you. if you had to pick, where do you think he performed the worst out of the following categories? putting around the green approach off the T T degree, where do you think he performed the worst? and let me just tell you, it was awful, it was the worst in the field, if not top three. worse than feel. 

Speaker 1: Approach the green. No, I'm play his wed play. 

Speaker 2: No, but that was, that was the second worst statistic that he had. Okay, what was it? What do you think it is? I wanted to call you Keith. 

Speaker 1: No, no, i want to buy gas now. 

Speaker 2: What do you think it is I mean? 

Speaker 3: I don't know. I would say I mean his putting's been the worst as of recently, right? 

Speaker 2: Yeah it's putting. I I would have never guessed, like when I saw him today, because I mean obviously he was televised a lot. Yeah, he missed some putts, but that is not where I thought he performed the worst, because I felt like he was he was hitting him bad off the T two, like I mean he he chipped in what hole was that? like it was early in the round where he par three hit it way left and then chipped it in for a birdie. He was, he was battling with us. Okay, here's the question I want to ask you guys who are your top five favorite golfers? not best, not who you think is the best, just out of all the golfers live or pgh, or who your top five favorite? 

Speaker 1: Let me on the Rory point real quick. Ariane, you listened to the Bill Simmons podcast, correct, ariane? I do, ariane, he refers to himself as the body language doctor. okay, rory's body language was horrible today And let's, i just wanted to chime in on that one real quick of I said earlier in the podcast, i don't blame him for like looking at his caddy and complaining a lot, but he complained a lot today. Ariane looked very defeated and it's just like I'm not used to seeing that out of Rory down the stretch when he's in contention, a lot of times he just shrugs it up, keeps up that, ariane, you know what I'm talking about, like that upbeat walk that he has when he's winging everything like that. He got like beaten down by the course or stress in life or something like that. It just didn't. it didn't look like Rory and it hasn't all season. 

Speaker 2: He yelled, he yelled like he literally screamed today at a wedge shot. Yeah, and I'm not used to seeing that. 

Speaker 1: But in order to segue that back into your thing, I would choose him as one of my top five favorite golfers on tour, for sure. 

Speaker 2: Yeah, i'm just curious because, because I definitely have a, i have a strong top five, like I feel very strongly about it and a lot, luckily they're all like I mean, anyways, let me hear what your top five are. And then, but yes, jordan, i mean I completely agree with you. He definitely seemed defeated and he almost just seemed like I almost want to say exhausted, maybe lack of a better word. but he I never, to my record, like I've never seen him just go. what was it? 

Speaker 1: No, or like yeah, he literally screamed in it, like I know it landed in the bunker, but like I've never seen that display of emotion out of that guy. So, yeah, i mean mine would be Tiger, adam Scott, jason Day, i'd put Rory up there and I don't know who my fifth one would be. but those are just the guys that. I, I love It's like a resounding four and then it's a resounding four, and then I just have a fifth that probably floats in there every year. 

Speaker 3: Mine, mine would be Colin, it would be Cam Smith, like live Cam Smith. So he the Gala, brooks, kepka. And then honestly, i'm kind of with you, i don't know. I mean I would just put Tiger because I feel like Tiger is in every single person's list, or else you're going to get ostracized from the entire golf community. 

Speaker 2: So yeah, i don't. I guess to me like, obviously, yes, i love Tiger, but he's not at my top five. So I'm going to say, well, i'm not going to say I know, i've got like seven really, really strong ones, and then I'm going to narrow down to a top five. But Scotty Sheffler, victor Huvlon, matt Fitzpatrick What? Oh yeah, i love Matt Fitzpatrick. 

Speaker 1: You're fired. 

Speaker 2: You are, you are fired. 

Speaker 1: You are not at your. I'll start over on this podcast. 

Speaker 3: This podcast is going to turn into a two-parter in the second. 

Speaker 2: No, I've defended him for weeks, and you know, trying to break it to you, but anyways, okay, cam Smith, you've been, so you've been slowly breaking this for the entire year. 

Speaker 1: And now you, now you choose this segment to let just hammer me in the face with a punch. 

Speaker 2: I go back and listen to these podcasts. I've always defended him and I've always wondered why you hate him so much. I don't understand it. He is have you seen him like? not in person, necessarily, but like, have you seen him around a group of people? Have you seen how small he is? Yes, okay, this, and just the work that he has put in to being one of the longest players on tour. It's unbelievable. Oh, and I totally Dustin Johnson. Sorry, i like cause I'm Yeah, so okay, scotty Schaeffler, dustin Johnson, victor Hovland, matt Fitzpatrick and the my seven are Cam Smith, max Homa and, like I love speech, but I can't put them in like my my top, honestly. Oh, and then JT, but then I also like Cam Young. That's about it The power to not go out. 

Speaker 1: I just said the longest pause ever. 

Speaker 2: Okay, I need to give a top because I just realized now it's I'm actually having trouble with my top five. Who am I pulling? Victor Hovland, a hundred percent. Matt Fitzpatrick a hundred percent, scotty Schaeffler a hundred percent, justin Thomas a hundred percent. And the fifth one is between Cam Young, will Zalatoris, Max Homa. 

Speaker 1: So you have a floater, just like we. 

Speaker 2: Literally I didn't think I did This is, oh no, I thought I had. I thought I had a secure top five, but I love. 

Speaker 3: I love how this turns into a tournament. Recap is just turning into just the most well-grounded random podcast ever And I love it. 

Speaker 1: Just let the podcast play. 

Speaker 2: Yeah, i'm gonna okay Here. I'll tell you this I'm going to put some serious thought into this and I'm going to make a top five. Number one, I'll do it, whatever top 10. I don't care. Number one, number 10, with a 15 minute explanation on each golfer as to why. No, i'm just kidding, but I'll, i'll. 

Speaker 3: I'm going to put in the next, the next YouTube video. ladies and gentlemen, It's hard to sit down with this full analysis. 

Speaker 2: But I will tell you, Matt, Matt Fitzpatrick is in my top five. 

Speaker 3: Can I, can I answer this for you, jordan of why, you despise Matt Fitzpatrick. 

Speaker 2: Yeah, go for it. 

Speaker 3: Like I know Jordan's answer already. With Jordan it always comes down to their swing. That's why Adam Scott is like up there for him. So I promise you there's something in Matt Fitzpatrick's swing that he absolutely despises and it causes inconsistencies. 

Speaker 2: That's the answer. I always said that. But why don't you like Louis Eustaisen then? 

Speaker 1: I love Louis Eustaisen. I got nothing against him. He literally warms up on the range by eating a hot dog and hitting balls for 15 minutes and then just goes out in place Like I. I respect that dude. 

Speaker 2: I mean he's got one of the smoothest swings He does. It's a beautiful swing. 

Speaker 3: All right, let's go ahead and just round out this pod with awards. 

Speaker 1: I haven't thought of awards in a while, to be honest with you, yeah it's been a little bit since we've done awards because we haven't been covering the. We did these tournament recap podcasts a ton early on and then these were it's pre-planned web tournaments we do. They were planned out on January 1st. I'll take the first award. Okay, i'll talk myself into a name while I address this award. I? um golf announcers drive me nuts because if they see a shot go wrong, they just blindly attribute it to oh, he did blank. You know it drives me nuts because a lot of times it's not what actually happened. And I want to give this award to Jack Nicklaus And it may be a repeat of David's big dick award because I loved the power play heat that he pulled. 

Speaker 1: Today, where Trevor Irmillman goes Oh, he pulled that button Jack Nicklaus goes. I don't think he did, i think he misread the pipe, and that's that's what I love. Is Jack Nicklaus being like? it was clear as day on replay. He did not pull this part, he misread it. But oftentimes the viewers are like Oh no, trevor Irmillman is definitely right, he definitely knows what happened there And he's not. He's just saying that because he saw the ball go left. And it drives me up a wall. So later in the broadcast when another person actually pulled the pipe. Trevor Irmillman goes. he pulled that one. What do you think there, jack? Do you think he pulled that one? Asking for clarity because he was wrong on the first one And I loved. We'll give Jack Nicklaus the big dick award. 

Speaker 3: Part two, that's. that's legendary. I mean, i love when we get analysis of stuff. Remember when Rom it was the tournament after he won the masters And he like sat there and gave analysis of the final people point. I love that stuff, man. I love when you're able to talk through it and, like you, get analysis from people that have done it and are the best to ever do it. 

Speaker 1: So proper analysis, not blindly attributed analysis. Oh, he hung that one out to the right. He must have pulled his head up early, It's like. no, that's not what happened. 

Speaker 3: And then when that stuff happens, i always question how much of it is? BS you? 

Speaker 2: know like how much of that. 

Speaker 3: Do we get where? it's like they're probably right because they're talking to us right now, but they have no clue, just like us, you know with Jack Nicklaus and the booth calling it out as it happened. 

Speaker 1: I dug that today and we need more Jack Nicklaus and the booth calling these people out for for wrong analysis. That's what we absolutely do. 

Speaker 3: All right, i'm going to jump in. I got to give my fortune cookie award, man, i haven't given it in a minute, so I'm really glad we're back on awards. I'm going to be honest. Yeah, boy, colin had to pull out because of back spasms, which is the most depressing thing of all time, so he can't get the award. We're going to go with. Si Woo Kim found myself kind of pulling from there, final round, final day, just because he's Asian, asian respect Got to love it. But he obviously didn't pull it out. But you know, top five finish is always always fantastic. He finished fourth, he shot five under and he had a really, really good round to kind of put him in the top of the leaderboard. He wasn't able to pull it out, but you know, sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. 

Speaker 1: I guess when, if you know you're going home with the fortune cookie award. it really doesn't matter, man Exactly. 

Speaker 3: And I was pulling for that guy. People should be striving for that more. 

Speaker 2: Like I don't know. 

Speaker 3: I'm surprised people aren't pulling for it as much as they should be, you know. So I'm going to let you round out the pot entirely with this award, and then we will call it a day. 

Speaker 2: Yeah, zach, if you would have looked at the leaderboard after round two, you would have had quite your pick of Asians to choose from. I mean, that list was long, okay, all right, so I've got you know. I want to take this moment to give this isn't my award, but Victor Hovland him pulling this out. I mean truly like we've been joking around this whole podcast, but really it's amazing that he won, like the fact that he's able to make those mistakes like we talked about, and keep himself in it and do what he needed to do to win. It's something we didn't talk about yet on this podcast. but you know, with what Denny McCarthy did and not being able to win compared to what Victor Hovland I mean, just if you look at both of their rounds and if you didn't see the score, you just watched their facial expressions and the shots they hit to think that Victor Hovland was one who pulled it out is unbelievable. And then it shows just how hard it is to win in golf and you can do everything right and it's still not come through. But that is not who's getting the my award. 

Speaker 2: My award is the Charles Barkley Award and it goes to Scotty Schaeffler because basically, you know Charles Barkley is noticed one of the best players ever never to get a ring. And Scotty Schaeffler did every. I mean he led the field in every statistical category except for putting and I think he was like third in the other whatever one he. there was five categories. He was one in all of them except for putting and then he was like top three in the other one and he didn't win. So he's getting the Charles Barkley Award for just a phenomenal last two days doing everything he needed to do, and you know that would have been quite the comeback if he would have gotten, you know, actually won the tournament. But still, kudos to him, made the cut on the line and then ended up being what? T2? No, t3. Yeah, t3. T3. So just unbelievable, and he shows why he's number one in the world. 

Speaker 3: I didn't know where you were going with that award, because I was like, are you talking? about Charles Barkley swing, Like where are we going with that? And he's like, oh okay, that's a good. 

Speaker 2: And I will tell you this while you guys were chatting about your awards, i was trying to decide if I should name it the Charles Barkley Award, the Reggie Miller Award or the Carl Malone Award, and I landed on Charles Barkley because Scotty has that weird thing he does with his foot. That, to me, drives me nuts. I love Scotty, but that thing drives me nuts. And while Charles Barkley has a truly painful swing that he had that he's improved on, i landed on that just because I couldn't go Alan Iverson or any of the, or John Stockton, because Scotty Shuffler is a bigger guy on tour, so I couldn't go there. So it was between Carl Malone and Charles Barkley And I just think Charles Barkley is more prominent and so is Scotty. So that's where I went. 

Speaker 1: I mean Smirks came to both of our faces. As you said, the Charles Barkley Award. I definitely looked over at Zach and we had pretty much the same facial expression going on. I want to give one more award to Ariane, for when he re-entered the podcast, that camera was so close to your face that it was like you were in a horror film And I was immediately jarred up when you showed your face. Yeah, um, okay. 

Speaker 3: Oh gosh. 

Speaker 1: Is there any closing comments by you guys? I think we're good. 

Speaker 3: Are we doing a recap next week for the viewers, or no? 

Speaker 1: No, so the next one we do is in two weeks for the US Open which is over at LA Country Club, which done some research on it. Really cool looking course. Looks really old, but it's intentionally designed that way, which is fascinating to me. So we'll be back for um, we'll do a US Open preview um in two weeks and we'll put that out, and then we will do a US Open um finale on Sunday evening that we will put on that on that Monday. So, yeah, who's your? 

Speaker 2: who's your pick to win it? The US Open Yeah, just just. I know we're going to talk about it on the preview pod, but just like, do you have any strong thoughts? 

Speaker 1: Um, i don't not yet. Um, yeah, not yet. If I have to throw a name out, i think Scotty Scotty's in good shape, if you want me to who won that tournament last year? remind me. Yeah, i'm, i'm blanking on that one because I know what you're trying to do right now. That's an intentional no, and we won't mention his name again on this podcast today. 

Speaker 2: Yeah, i'm just all right, all right. 

Speaker 3: All right. Well, thank you guys so much for listening. If you guys have stayed the entire time, you are incredible. We had a lot of different things talked about in this pod. I don't know all the editing that's going to be into this podcast, so you may or may not have heard it, but if you stayed this entire time, thank you so much. You guys mean the world to us, allowing us to grow this channel, this podcast. Um, if you guys could please share, save, send it to a friend, whatever you got to do, um, and yeah, as always, thank you, jordan Arion being on the pod with me as well. We're signing off. Peace out guys. Peace, peace out.