McIlroy Goes Back-To-Back As LIV Stars Struggle - Full Program Golf Podcast #31

Welcome back to the Full Program Golf Podcast. Episode 31 takes a deep dive into an unforgettable week at Augusta, breaking down all the biggest moments and storylines from the Masters.

We start with Rory McIlroy finally getting it done and what that win means for his legacy, before turning to Justin Rose, who produced four rounds under par but still fell just short. There was plenty of drama along the way, including Sergio Garcia’s tee box meltdown, while players like Fleetwood, Reed and Li all faded when it mattered most. We also look at the disappointing performances from Rahm and Bryson, alongside the broader struggles from LIV players, with Hatton the only one finishing inside the top 30, and try to make sense of where it went wrong.

Beyond the leaderboard, we get into some of the bigger questions around the week, including whether Augusta National truly is the best tournament course in the world. We also discuss what the perfect viewing strategy would be if you had a ticket, which single shot you would choose to hit on the entire course, and what your ideal Masters pro shop shopping list would look like.

There are plenty of other talking points covered too, from Fred Ridley being a seriously good golfer, to a mixed bag in our betting review. We also break down Scottie Scheffler’s remarkable bogey-free weekend, the first time it has ever been done at the Masters, and Shane Lowry adding yet another hole-in-one to his growing collection on some of the game’s most iconic par threes.

If you enjoy golf, major championship drama and honest discussion, this is one you won’t want to miss. Be sure to like, subscribe and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome back, episode 31 of the Full Programme Golf Podcast. As always, it is me, Josh Conlon, joined by Stevie McAvoy. And today we've got Will Hawksworth, as we know him, Crouch, in the studio with us. We're going to be covering all things masters, lots to get into. Let's get into it. Stevie Crouchy. Great to have you on. How are you?

SPEAKER_01 0:36

I'm very well. Thank you for having me back. I thought you'd have uh sent me some FPG merch actually, soon as I've got my second cap, but it's not uh it's not arrived yet, sadly. Having to don some baby blue.

SPEAKER_00 0:48

But anyway, you know what? You you you were given the option when when the first order was put in, and we we heard nothing from you. So the the o the only person to blame is yourself as as Josh and I rep rep the FPG today. What's what is what is that? Is that the Yorkshire Rose, is it? No. That's the Yorkshire Rose with a couple of Essex uh swords underneath. Of course it is. Little combo job from uh from Conland Wreckablo.

SPEAKER_01 1:13

Lovely. I love I love the love, I love the dovetail and you've done that.

SPEAKER_00 1:17

Yeah, I I did say to Josh, I was just like, have you noticed it's dangerously close to the Sheffield United badge? It's completely different. It's completely different. The blades they they go different way. Uh don't you worry, I knew and I was looking at it enough to go, hmm, is it? Nah, it's fine, it's absolutely fine. They're not going to anyway. No, no one would know who they are. You know, if it was an owl or something. And it might be, yeah, it might be um might be seen globally. Um, especially now we're gonna get get the storch take over, the big US billionaire. So uh we're gonna come hooting back. I was gonna say roaring, but just to keep it in in line with the owls. What what's the um what's what's what's the little like League One situation saying? Are you are you feeling you know, right, right owner comes in, you're gonna bounce straight back up? Like where's where's the morale as we come into the last couple of games of uh the championship? Um so before we came on the podcast, you told me not to swear, so that's a really dangerous question. Um given the EFL continue to have their wicked way with my beautiful golf, uh, my beautiful golf club, my beautiful football club. Um, I'd use other phrases and terminologies that I'd like everyone to think of right now. Um they are an awful organization and they are continuing to um pillage my wonderful club. We're getting another 15-point deduction next year just because our previous owner decided not to pay any bills and he's also put us in administration. So just because we were owned by one um very questionable man, and again, I'm still working really hard not to swear at this point, um, we are being punished for that. So, why you know why punish the previous owner who caused all the trouble when in fact you can punish the football club and the fans? So, your answer um in short there is going to be a no, we won't bounce back next season because we'll start on minus 15. Um at this point, I'd just like to have more than 12 senior players in the squad. I think that'd be a pretty good starting point. But um, hey, before then, I've got heartbreak with England to come yet. So uh we'll we'll worry about the next one after that. A big summer ahead. Well, Crouchy, it is great to have you back on again. It feels like a special pod, and so we thought we'd make it special by bringing someone special on tonight. You can you can define special whichever way you want. Obviously, it's a master's breakdown, finished last Sunday, the 90th Masters, Rory McElroy goes back to back, wins by one. Josh, I'm gonna throw it to you. That's where I want to go first. The McAroy double. Give us your thoughts. It's just boring, isn't it? Like it is. It is, is I I genuinely, and this this is this is a fact. Genuinely, when when Rose missed the pot on 17, that tiddler, I turned the TV off and I went to sleep. I had no interest in watching Rory McElroy win it again. No interest. Don't care. Bored of it. And you know what? It's actually not Rory's fault that I just can't stand it. It's the incessant droning on about him and the tongue being stuck so far up his arse by Nick Doherty, by Ewan Murray, by Andrew Coulthart, by the whole Sky team. It's an absolute joke. You you don't you can't actually talk about another golfer. You see every one of his shots, okay. He he won it this time, but you'd see every one of his shots either way. I just I just it's boring, it's unbearable. So that that's that I could drone on for a while about it, but yeah, good win. He played well Thursday, Friday, and just about hung on because Saturday, Sunday wasn't convincing at all. Yeah, and I I think I think this year really struggled to have a narrative. Like last year went into it, and it was still the Grand Slam chase, and it you know, you can be as big a Rory fan as you want. I think the fact that he was chasing the Grand Slam last year was big. Whereas to me, it felt this year no one really wanted to win it, and everyone kind of just fell away, and he just was kind of the last man standing. And so I don't think it's gonna go down as as a great masters. Crouchy, throw it to you. Did you find any joy in the McElroy win?

SPEAKER_01 5:37

Um no, by by Sunday, I've got to admit, it was it was it got interesting sort of after nine, maybe. Um got interesting after, what was it, the fifth when he made double on that par three? Yeah. Then it was sort of interesting, but yeah, I mean Cam Cam Young just went off the boil and McElroy, like Josh says, he just sort of was hanging around. I think it was more a case of he just ran out of holes to mess it up, to be honest. I think if golf was like 21 holes, I think he would have found a way to just poo the bed for a correct term.

unknown 6:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:12

Do we can't say much? Sorry to just jump in there, just you know, the part three is the fourth. Come on, we we go, we watch Augusta every day.

SPEAKER_01 6:18

The fourth I didn't actually I didn't actually watch his I didn't actually watch his double. It was I just saw I just saw him. But yeah, it yeah, it was it was it was interesting for probably an hour and then it became very uninteresting. And I don't think I don't think to be fair, if you look at his t-shirt off 18, it was just like an absolute lash swipe. Should never have even been playable. It was like 80 yards from the edge of the fairway or however far away it was, and he was absolutely fine. It was just uh yeah, it was just a very lackluster finish, not the exciting finish of last year for sure.

SPEAKER_00 6:50

It felt it felt very much like when Patrick Reed won, and obviously McRoy was one who fell away because that was a year where there were quite a few contenders, and everyone no one wanted to win it, and Reed kind of just went out there. I think he shot like one under that day, but didn't have to do lights out, didn't really have to do anything, and just at the end had a green jacket, and that was very much how it felt. Certainly the back nine, you know, Rose got off to that crazy start, like five five birdies front nine, four birdies front nine, got himself to twelve, got himself to the winning score, and then just stuck it in reverse, Terry, didn't he? You know, just stick it in reverse, Terry. I have to say, just before we move on to Rose, because I think there's a lot to unpack there, I I would say my least favourite type of golf tournament is when someone gets out to a really big lead halfway through, because then it's just like, well, either it's gonna be like the foregone conclusion or it's gonna be the disaster blow up. And I I don't I I can't really I can't really be bothered to talk about the blow-up. I don't like talking about blow-ups, and so when Macro was that far ahead at the halfway, I was just like, whatever happens from here is not gonna be that interesting. To his credit, I don't think he played that well all week. I think Thursday he got an unbelievable score out of where he hit it. Uh Friday, I think he did play well, and then he obviously just clung on for dear life, did play well on the back nine on Sunday. But let's move it across the rows. Josh, start with you. Was there any point where you thought it was the year? Honestly, no, and I don't know why, because I'm very quick to get excitable. Uh, and I agree with you, just finishing off with McElroy. You know, and I said this on the on the Saturday morning, and I was nearly nearly right with that. Bad predictions in the best, but nearly right in this. And I said, anyone who's 90th out of 91 driver accuracy is gonna struggle at some point. You can't just keep bailing yourself out whole in putts, you're just not gonna get away with it for out. Interestingly, though, I think it shows that driver accuracy is becoming a redundant stat, and it's actually just driver distance because he was taking out all of the big trouble by just driving over bunkers, driving past trouble, and then being able to almost just chip it up. So I just wanted to touch on those two points there. We've we've sort of finished off McElroy. Coming over to Rose, he was he was fantastic. I thought he was fantastic right up until right up until 11, the second shot into 11, and then I felt like he just started, you know, he didn't did he hit a sensible shot into 11, it wasn't a good shot, made bogey, really poor chip on 12 that I couldn't believe what I was watching, and then the three put on 13, unjust in Rose like he's normally a very tidy golfer, right? You know, that's what we've come to know. He's world number four for a reason now. Um again, and I have text proof on Sunday afternoon when even when he hit the front, uh one of the boys Chasey was saying, it's time to believe you can you're getting excited about. And I just said, I just don't believe it's his year this year. I don't, I just didn't feel it. Maybe in my heart inside, I was like, Yeah, but if if I say that, maybe it'll work and maybe I like goal do it, because obviously impact on the masters, obviously. Um but no, I didn't I didn't fancy him this year. I didn't fancy him to win it. I and I don't know why, because he was playing good enough golf the whole way through. Crouchy, any belief from your side?

SPEAKER_01 10:22

Yeah, when he when he got to 12, what was he, two two clear, 12 and then nearest was 10? Yeah, and then yeah, he had a bit of a shaky 11, missed it long left on 12, and then hit a cookie chip and just duffed it. And then he actually holded what he holded like a four and a half, five foot for the bowier, which was quite good. And then when he knocked it to 20 foot on 13, I thought, oh, he can get one back, and then Nel just rams it through, misses it, and then by that time all the wings out of his sails. And it doesn't matter if he's if he's got two par fives in the last six holes or whatever, he's not buried in either of them because his head's gone and that's that. So no, I d I don't I would have liked him to have had more of a a chance, but you know, he bogeyed, missed it, put a terrible swing on his second shot, 17, pulled it long left, and then hit a poor pitch and bogey, and that was you know good night be honor. So no, in short, I didn't I I wanted it, believe me, I really wanted it. But I wanted it more than McElroy, but uh no, I I never believed it would it would happen, unfortunately.

SPEAKER_00 11:22

Confusing holes and shots as well. You just do my do my head in it. 17 at about he went left on 14, he went left on 14 at a great chip, made par. 17 he went short right, chipped it up to about a foot and a half, two foot, and missed an absolute tidler down the slope.

SPEAKER_01 11:36

Well, yeah, it's a bit of a short. He pulled it, he pulled it left, and uh well I the website is it all week.

SPEAKER_00 11:44

It was interesting, I was just gonna say it was interesting to s I I don't know if you saw Rose's comment afterwards, and he said um interesting to hear him even say this. He said he felt like the momentum had gone when he three-putted 13. Really, really interesting to hear that, and he felt he could have got it something back if he'd have made the four. Um, yeah, it was a really unjust in Rose performance. That was that was the moment, and I I was excited around the turn. I I I thought McElroy had a lot of good opportunities ahead of him. So I always think when you're a couple of groups ahead, yes, you're two ahead, but I don't think you're 100% it's a kind of real two shots, if that makes sense. 13 was the killer. I mean, 13 was a bad three part, there's there's no other way to to put it. You could see how much he wanted it. I think almost he showed he wanted it too much. Where did he hit it right off the T? Was it was it 14 or 17? I feel Josh. 17, he hit it right.

SPEAKER_01 12:43

17 he hit it right like every every day, didn't he?

SPEAKER_00 12:46

Well no, certainly, certainly Saturday and Sunday, he just hit it and then he'd like swing round and just be but the minute he hit it, the minute he hit it, he was kind of cursing the dirt in front of him, and it did bounce out, he got a lucky break, but you could just see it was almost just unraveling there for him. Um, it was a real shame. I you know, 12 12 was not a crazy number. I think if you'd have told a lot of those guys on the back nine that 12 would have been a pie-off, I actually think you may have seen more people there because in the end it was like, you know, people like Hatton were almost the closest. Um yeah, I I think a lot of players thought it was going to be 13-14 and they were really pushing and ultimately unraveled. Uh, one interesting thing, did you see Justin Rhodes had the mini driver in this week and he played it a lot off the tee? I think that's what he hit a really good T shot on 13. I think that was mini driver. Um, I'm not sure I'd seen him seen him play that club.

SPEAKER_01 13:37

I don't I don't think 13 would have hurt him as bad if he'd have missed the green with his second and made five. You know, like if he'd missed it left and not got up and down, it's the fact that he flags his approach shot. Did you see the shot tracer? Yeah, it did. It looked like it went mile drive, Palmer said, oh my god. And it lands, he nearly holds it. But if he'd have missed the green and then just made like a standard five, I think it's the fact that he flagged it, it just such a kick in the nuts, isn't it? I mean, you ask any decent even us three, knock on a par five and two, you're gagging for a four, aren't you? You just if you make five, three whack it, you just want to hurt yourself walking to the next seat. So yeah, no, it wasn't to be, was it, sadly?

SPEAKER_00 14:18

It wasn't to be. Um, any comments on the setup? I mean, Josh, you'll you made your comment about driver accuracy there. I do think Augusta, apparently they've trimmed a lot of the trees. Like they do trim a lot of the trees so that it's just kind of trunks when you go into them to kind of almost goad you into playing that shot. There was quite a lot of chat about watering the greens or not watering the greens. It looked like it was going to be super hard and fast all week, and then Friday they kind of softened it up a bit. Um, personally, I thought it was great from a from a course perspective. I think Augusta turns up every year. I think it's a fantastic tournament course. But any thoughts on the course?

SPEAKER_01 14:51

I thought I thought the setup for Thursday and Friday. I mean, watching the TV, the greens almost look like purple-y brown. They look like they were rock hard. And then exactly, Saturday comes around and they're they're soft. I prefer I want it to be as hard as possible. I mean, it's a major championship for a reason. Make them make them weep on, you know. I want them to suffer. It's four times a year. I mean, you may as well make it as hard as possible. Every other tour event, every week, is just track it as far as you can, wedge it out, and it's a putting comp. So I think you know, it it should be it should be firm and fast. I know Scotty Sheffler said, didn't he, that he he wished that it was set up Thursday Friday. He wished it was set up Saturday, Sunday like it was Thursday Friday. Whereas he felt like it was two different golf courses. But yeah, I'd you know who who are we to critique the setup of Augusta? But we can we could definitely give it a go.

SPEAKER_00 15:42

This it's an interesting one, isn't it? You know, because Sheffler's complaining about the setup and he was even par through two days and 11 under finish. Like, I don't think you do want it to be that hard, Scotty, because you'd have finished right at the back of the pack, whereas instead you finished second.

SPEAKER_01 15:59

Yeah, true. Would he would he have would he have gone what was he, bogey free on the weekend? Yeah, first time anyone's gonna be. I doubt it. So would he have made a charge through the pack if the course had been crazy hard?

SPEAKER_00 16:16

I I'm not sure. I have to say, I really, really enjoyed his charge over the weekend. Like I just thought he was this looming shark, and there I mean he almost did it, didn't he? I mean that part on 17 was really, really close, but I I did. I thoroughly enjoyed the Scheffler march down. If it was five rounds, as in, he would be the champion 100% in my mind.

SPEAKER_01 16:38

Yeah, he would. I think with another five or six holes, he would have he would have just won outright and everyone else would have wilted. He just comes out of nowhere, doesn't it? I mean, you know he's there. He's obviously unbelievable. He's world number one, but he's like the most understated, underrated, or not underrated, but he just no one really pays much attention to him. He gets to sort of 10 or 10th or 12th, and all of a sudden he just swims to the surface and he's like second. He's just flying, and no one no one sees him coming.

SPEAKER_00 17:06

It's it's almost like the you know, jaws when you've got like the swimmer and then the shark looking up. Maybe we have to create the little animation of Sheffin looking up and there's like just a few golfers just swimming along.

SPEAKER_01 17:18

Matt thought always the swimmer.

SPEAKER_00 17:21

Oh dear, very good. Right, I'm just gonna cast my eye down the leaderboard. There are there are a couple of players that I think qualify themselves in in the fool away pack. Now, the first one who I I think it's becoming a bit of a cult hero, hat on lead. I was having a great week until the 13th on Sunday. What on earth did he do there?

SPEAKER_01 17:44

He he had it, he had he had a bad, a bad 20 minutes, and then almost 15 minutes.

SPEAKER_00 17:49

He really did. 12 and 13 were just like I was gonna use the Shea Given quote that he said, so anyone that's heard that one will know what I was gonna say, but I'm not gonna say that. Uh yeah, he had a bad, bad time, didn't he? I enjoyed I enjoyed the post till like 6 13.

SPEAKER_01 18:06

Yeah, I I I enjoyed I enjoyed the post that you did on Instagram, whereas that little lie. Yeah, it was really good.

SPEAKER_00 18:16

What worth mentioning also, or just like great blow-ups, is um there was quite a lot of chatter on social on the Thursday about Freddie couples and how well he was doing and all the rest of that. One of the great body bags was the his final, I think it was five holes on Thursday. It was just he finished way back.

SPEAKER_01 18:34

He made nine, he finished, he finished quad double par double. He was like nine over for the last four four or five holes. So then I remember looking at the leaderboard, I wasn't watching it, and I thought Fred Couples was 200. I was thinking, and Jose Mario Alapaba was 200 at some point. I was thinking, what is going on here?

SPEAKER_00 18:53

It was like watching um watching Greg finish off his 72 hole golf challenge, just padding along. He's just he's out of breath, he's finished. Freddie Couples. I imagine he's got his shoes, his socks off, he's just padding them on, he's just dragging himself forwards. Oh, that was good. Um, but to the weekend, a couple of four, I mean, uh really disappointing weekends from Fleetwood and Patrick Reed, I thought. Um, Fleetwood's not as surprised as Patrick Reed. I actually really thought Patrick Reed was going to contend. I thought he was looking really good through the first two days.

unknown 19:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:26

Yeah, I I'd I I was scared that Patrick Reed might win, to be honest. I mean I was kind of up for it. Full carnage. Well, it's yeah, it would have made it sort of semi-interesting, wouldn't it? But no one deep down really wants to see him slipping his arms in a green jacket on Sunday evening, do they? So I was clad on that front. But yeah, Patrick Reed having won there before. Um he's short game, by the way. Oh I read a th I read a thing, you know, his lob wedge is seven degrees flat. Seven degrees flat. So that when he that's why he can hit like such unbelievable short-sided lob shots, because he lays the handle down and the club just sits flat, the toe doesn't stick way in the air. He's a seven degree flat lob wedge, purely for your purely for like tight courses, tight tight light courses, or Gustawa's you know, short game is important in his wedge, his lob wedge is seven flat.

SPEAKER_00 20:16

Okay, quick question for the group uh who would be your number one, if you go back in time, your number one least favourite winner, Josh Stallie.

SPEAKER_01 20:25

Of the Masters.

SPEAKER_00 20:27

Of the Masters last week. Okay. Oh, that's a good question. Uh number one least favourite winner. Well, McElroy last year. Because I wanted Rose to win. I was absolutely cuttered. I don't know. 2026, if if we if it could still be McElroy, could be your answer. 2025 McElroy. Absolutely good. Not happy about it at all.

SPEAKER_01 20:53

Such a typical U answer that. Oh god. There's a grand slam that hated it. Didn't enjoy it. It wanted Rose to win. I'd go, yeah, I'd go I'd go and read, to be honest. I just think he's really yeah, I just I just think he's a an S house.

SPEAKER_00 21:09

I tell you who would have been right up there, and I've got absolutely nothing against the bloke, but there was just like a moment on Sunday where it was like Russell Henley might have a chance here. And if Russell Henley would have won, that'd have been one of those masters that in 10 years' time you you know when Sky Sports just like cues up the this is how the Masters won episodes, and you're like, right, which ones are we gonna tuck into? Like Phil 04, perfect, Tiger 19, love it, and it's like Henley 26. Henley 26. Yeah, you're like, I'll have the darts on.

SPEAKER_01 21:42

Yeah, that would that would that would definitely have been a tough, a tough watch for sure. It's like have you have you ever seen um Chronicles of a Champion golfer that they do on Sky? Yeah, it's like the Brian Harman one, it's just not good. I don't think they've even made one for him because just they just know no one's gonna watch it.

SPEAKER_00 21:58

I mean, worst open winner in the last. 20 years, surely. He's up there. Yeah, definitely up there. Uh so Kraut's Patrick Reed. Well, I did think you would say Raw Reed to be honest, Josh. So I just I thought you'd at least stick to this year, but um a predictable answer nonetheless. Um further down we go, bad weeks from a couple of the big live fishes, uh, Ram and Bryson. I really I I said, I mean, in the in the betting stuff that we spoke about before, I really fancied Rahm. I thought I thought he was playing well. Data Golf's obviously got him at number two. Um Live Golf generally, uh what was it? Hatton was the was the best finisher, but not a good performance by a lot of their players. No, they struggled, and um obviously by the sounds of the news that's coming out, it seems like DeShambo's gonna have plenty of time to practice his bunker shots, which he needs to do because um they were appalling. I mean, both of his triples were because he couldn't get out the sand. Like, what are you doing? You know, you need you can make double to make the cut, and he makes triple on 18. It's just brilliant, isn't it? You've just got to enjoy it. Um, but yeah, appalling. Appalling showing was really, really surprised at DeShambeau, was very surprised at Rahm's round one. I mean, he was fairly solid, two, three, and four, but the damage was done. Um, you know, as I'd mentioned in the in the in the um the the pre-masters sort of warm-up conversation we had, but I fancy Garcia is a bit of an outsider, and again he got himself kind of in position, and then wow, did he just lose his ragle?

SPEAKER_01 23:38

What appalling behaviour. Yeah, I mean there's there's a there's definitely a time and a place to can you remember I remember in the watching the players a few years ago, and Keith Mitchell hit a tee shot right before the um the horn went off for for weather. Can you remember? Have you seen it? Have you seen the clip? So here's a tea shot somewhere on sawgrass, carves it way right, and literally as the ball's at the apex of its flight, the horn goes and it's going in the in the water, and he just turns around and just absolutely just takes a chunk out of the tea box at Sauegrass. And exactly the same as Garcia did. Obviously, Keith Mitchell's wasn't as bad as Garcia's, but you just there's certain things you do and don't do at Augusta and digging up the tea box with your driver and then twating it against the water cooler. It's he's definitely two of the things that you would probably wouldn't do.

SPEAKER_00 24:22

He I I've I've I've I've listened to a lot of things about Garcia, and a lot of people say that you know, when he hosts charity events or if he's done work with content creators, he's always really, really nice, really engaging, hospitable, all the rest of it. He just has this now catalogue of moments where you're just like, You are such an arse. Like, what was he doing? Did you see the thing where he like fake threw his ball at his caddy as well? Yeah, I did I did see that, yeah. I enjoyed that one. I did that to be a list of tricks. I'll try that. Whoa! Next summer at Fancourt. Just well, you got San Valley this summer. That was a show.

SPEAKER_01 25:08

Everyone jumped me back and walked off.

SPEAKER_00 25:10

Yeah, Garcia. I yeah, but um I back to Bryson very quickly and talking about people kind of acting uh Bryson. Obviously, he has this big, like happy you know, a bit like I would just described Garcia, very happy, outgoing, engaging, man of the people, blah blah blah. When it's not going well for Bryson, he regularly put bad performances in. He gave a couple of really snippy interviews. Um like in Adelaide when Anthony Kim won, he was obviously annoyed he hadn't won. And Anthony Kim's like celebrating this this historic win, and Bryson's just like trying to get in there to like sign the cart, and you're just like, mate, read the room. Like he just I don't know. I'm I'm not the biggest Bryson fan, I have to say. Well, but talking of snippy interviews, I was I really enjoyed Scotty Scheffler's um post. Oh, yeah. It was a bad question. Terrible question. Next, I mean, what could have or should have the score been? Shut up, you clown. The worst thing is that man, that man asking that question is in the ballot to play Augusta. I mean, appalling. What are we talking about? Yeah, appalling, appalling, appalling. What are we talking about? A couple of other players that went backwards that I was actually really, really surprised at. And um a notable name who I've mentioned on the pod a few times as someone who, you know what, you trade his bank balance, doesn't win nearly enough as he should. Shane Lowry, Mr. 80. Mr. Sunday 80. U now I did not see him shooting an 80 on a Sunday. He shot the same as Hao Tong Li. Hao Tong Li did it in two holes. Shane just did it over 18, you know? As a stable foot adjustment, Hao Tong Li's got him comfortable.

SPEAKER_01 27:02

I wonder, I wonder if Shane has got a bit of uh a bit of PTSD from when he gassed it. What what tournament did he did he blow up on the PJ Tour about six weeks ago? Is it the cognizance? Honda Honda. Yeah, where he just got to got to like 16 or something and just decided that he didn't know how to play the game anymore. So I wonder if he sort of in the back of his mind gets maybe subconsciously gets into contention and just almost expects a nightmare to arrive without having to really do much. I don't know. He had his old black outfit on, didn't he? Like Gary Player hoping. I mean something to the green on.

SPEAKER_00 27:36

At this point, Shane Shane Shane's playing for hole in ones. Shane's playing for hole in ones, not not tournament wins.

SPEAKER_01 27:43

He does well, he does well on the hole in one front.

SPEAKER_00 27:46

I saw something, and it was like this year on the PJ tour, um something stupid, like Shane's making a hole in one 2% of the time on par threes, and the actual stats should be like 0.003%. So it's just like he's having a and he's obviously had a crazy run on them if you extend it out as well. Obviously, it was a great shot, it was a great hole in one. So I I wanted to pose this question to you boys. Um Josh, you probably can list the ones that he's already got. Probably.

SPEAKER_01 28:15

I could list the famous ones, I think.

SPEAKER_00 28:17

Yeah, he's had um 16th for Scotland, TPC Scottsdale. Seven at Pebble, seven at Pebble, he's had now not Scottsdale. Sorry, yeah. He's had now the sixth and the fourth. No, sixth and sixteenth at that's um Augusta, seventh at Pebble and 17th at Saugrass are like the four big ones that he's got, aren't they? So the question to the group is if you could have an ultimate next one, what do you think the the the kind of best par three out there that he's missing in the iconic lineup that he's building?

SPEAKER_01 28:56

Postage stamp, true. Do you know that's exact that's immediately where my mind went.

SPEAKER_00 29:01

Yeah. I think I think that's a really that that'd be a really good one. I I think other contenders, um, 16 at TBC Scottsdale would be a good one to to throw in. Um six on the Pam Barton in uh sorry. Yeah, yeah, that's always a big one. Nine at Hallamshire is a great old top one on.

SPEAKER_01 29:20

You can't see it going. You would have no clue. Looks like it's gone long, but you're gonna throw it in.

SPEAKER_00 29:27

I think what else is there out there? Um 12 Augusta, obviously. Imagine if he did that in three round there, that would be ridiculous. But yeah, I think post-stamp's probably the one. That's that's the one that stands out to me. So I think we agree on that one. Any any more names from the leaderboards just as we kind of conclude our surf down, Joshua. Just got a final uh final bit of trivia actually that I want to pose to you boys. So obviously, we talked about Shane Lowry's um hole-in-wands. There is one man who has had more hole in ones than Shane Lowry since 2018, I think it is. Shane Lowry is on five. This is on the PGA tour. There is a man who's got more.

SPEAKER_01 30:14

No, it's not Sang J, is it? Is it uh you're close. I know I I know I am, I know I am. It's uh is Seawill Kim.

SPEAKER_00 30:21

Seawill Kim. Lovely stuff, great work, thank you very much. Oh well, treat yourself. Um other one, Alex Norrin, another man who and Sepp stracker at one point. Now I'm bringing the European names to life because really that's what I cared about. Um both had a bit of runs, best finishes for Norren at the Masters since he started, good points. Sepp was vibes in a way for a little while, really excited at one point, but he kind of kind of just fell away uh a little bit, but just enjoyed seeing the names. Now um there was a on Friday evening when the leaderboard was essentially McElroy running away with it, but then you had Rose, you had Lowry, um Fleetwood was up there at that point. Um two of our two of our friends, Elliot and Ryan, had a bet. And it was you take either you take either US player or the rest of the field, which was essentially Europe. Ryan obviously had the US, and Elliot took um the rest of the field. Now I'm sure it was a lot closer than they both thought it would be, but thought it was quite an interesting um interesting bet that they put on on Friday night. Nice.

SPEAKER_02 31:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:42

Um Europe has had a really good masters run of late, has it not? I haven't I haven't I can't think about I in my mind there's just lots of Europeans at that champion's center.

SPEAKER_01 31:52

I think it I think it's a a real I think Europeans are better shot makers than than the Americans as as like uh across the board. And I think that Augusta is I mean, if you look at that shot that Cam Jung hit into eight, a par five up the hill on the final day, where there's yeah, where there's a big mounds past the flag and you hit it and the crowds go, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's almost like he knows it's coming back, but the crowd just don't expect it. I mean, they're the sort of shots that you have to hit round now, you know, going straight to the flag isn't an option. You're using slopes and this, that, and the other. It's it's like uh I just think it suits Europeans a lot more, especially if it's firm and fast and you know, fiddly. I think Americans are just like, I'm gonna stay up there, gimme driver, I'm gonna lace it, and I'll work it out from there. Which is why I don't think I think that's why I think Bryson's maybe struggled a bit. I know we've moved on from that, but just touching back up on it, winning back to at Live Events, he's got to have been thinking, you know, I'm gonna I'm gonna be right up there, but I just don't think they have, like Steve says, you know, I just don't think they have the the shots that we are brought up sort of having quite and it transcends, I think.

SPEAKER_00 32:59

Joshua, lots of lots of bets went on last week. Were were there any like top eight winners? Like how how did the they conclude your your half a field that you took? Yeah, so I put 65 pounds of bets on. Um and really pleased to say that£66.80 came back. So you know, I'm a winner, right?

SPEAKER_01 33:21

You're a businessman.

SPEAKER_00 33:22

Yeah, yeah. You know, money is my passion, business is my life, you know, all that stuff like um so yeah, the the real payouts came via a few men. Tyrrell Hatton, just doing bits for the boys. I slotted him in uh at 45 to 1, as we know. Justin Rose got my boy, you've got to have your boy. Um as I moved down the lead, Patrick Reed got T12, and Paddy Power were paying out to paying out to top 12. Um, there are other betting companies you can use, just to put that out there. Um and then they were the only three that hit, but they all paid out handsomely, which was which was nice. Um nearly fancied to kept created got me at a T12, and I did have a Fitzpatrick who we've mentioned, who we haven't mentioned and was actually quite disappointing, who finished one shot outside of what would have been the paying places. So um pretty happy with the bets. My my tip of Nikolai Huygard that I felt really, really, really strong about actually. And you know what? We sometimes get things wrong, and I you know, a big takes a big man to be able to stand up and say, you know what, I got it wrong.

SPEAKER_01 34:41

I actually still believe he's gonna get it right. I coaxed a few people into I didn't have a single bet, but I I coaxed people into having some money on Corey Connors because I just thought he's a really good iron player, decent putter, hits an absolute perfect draw every time. I thought I can see him doing all right. I didn't think he'd win, but I think he might nuzzle like a top six, seven. And he was clear, he was useless as anyway.

SPEAKER_00 35:04

So I apologize to anyone that's uh at my uh request or my what would be quite funny is um now obviously Josh, you're you you're taking you're taking big swings hoping for a big win, but you've got yourself a return of one pound whatever it was 60 pence. I wonder what the equivalent bet would have been for Scotty Scheffler to finish in the top what to give you the same return? What do you reckon? Sheffler top 40. It's a good question.

SPEAKER_01 35:37

It really is a good question. Did you see the guy with contract on Pam Young to not win? Did you see that American guy?

SPEAKER_00 35:44

No. Yeah. Oh yeah, yeah, I heard about it. I did hear it.

SPEAKER_01 35:47

$100,000 on Pam Young to not win to win 35k or something.

SPEAKER_00 35:50

At the end of Saturday, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 35:53

I yeah, I yeah, yeah, I think it was. I bet he was a nervous, a nervous man at one point.

SPEAKER_00 35:58

No, I I actually just didn't think he was gonna win it. I I I said in a video put out the day before, I was just like, when you play a absolute like out lights out around Saturday, especially if you'd not done it before, I think it takes a lot to go again on Sunday.

SPEAKER_01 36:11

Uh yeah, so it's always di I mean we spoke about this last time, but it's always important, it's really hard to follow up a low one with another low one, you know. I thought it was it was always nailed on for 70 odd the day after.

SPEAKER_00 36:22

It would have been a story though, wouldn't it? You know, going out in four over forty in the final group, final round, last man to do it would have been a tiger. I mean, I can't think of someone else who's done it. Yeah, um, would have been some statement.

SPEAKER_01 36:35

It was an interesting start that the last two or bar bar this year, the last two players champions have also won the Masters in the same calendar year. I thought that would have been I thought it was raining the stars when Jefferson Sheffler won it, Macaroids.

SPEAKER_00 36:48

I think it's a good bet, as in like um Josh, we're losing you. I'm gonna have to shoot on afraid, boys. Enjoy the wrap up, chop it up for me, enjoy it. We'll catch you on the next one. Pleasure, see you later. Cheers, boy. Um I I do think I do think betting on the player's winner now with the schedule how it is, I think is a good um is a good bet. Like I think they're coming in with form, they've also got a big tournament behind them.

SPEAKER_01 37:14

Um so I I wasn't surprised to see him do well, but I'm not sure I agree with this whole sort of um conversation of it should be the fifth major and that sort of thing. I I mean that you know there's people on Twitter that are or X that are real advocates for you know, we should have five. I mean, just no, you shouldn't. It should not be the match. Right. It's probably the best win on the PJ tour, but just leave it.

SPEAKER_00 37:40

And leave it, leave it being the best spin on the PGA. I think it's really, really simple. The PGA championship has to go back to the end of the season. McAroy said it, the PGA, it's its brand should be the last shot of glory. The closing part. Whereas at the minute, it's just a sandwiched major, the fourth it's a sandwiched in fourth major. And yeah. Yeah, I I agree.

SPEAKER_01 38:06

I don't actually, I don't think I think if I I think if if you'd like a Justin Thomas, who's only won two PGA championships, I think if he if he retired tomorrow, I think he'd be very disappointed that they were his two major wins. I think it's definitely the meaningless major, or the one, or the one that the players would want to win the least.

SPEAKER_00 38:27

I I mean let let's who which which major champion do you think has the least value in the game today? And mine is.

SPEAKER_01 38:36

Unless you're Rich Beam and then you're absolutely made up at the fact that we won the PGA and you're dying out, you're dying out on it forever.

SPEAKER_00 38:42

So that that's where I was going. I was going like Rich Beam is the probably bless his heart, he's he's great on Sky Sports. He's probably the most insignificant major champion like in our leader. He loves it, don't he?

SPEAKER_01 38:54

He he'll slip it in whenever he can. Did you know on the 2000 and whatever PGA?

SPEAKER_00 39:00

So funny. Um, right, Crouchy, I've got a couple of closing hypothetical questions for you to put a cherry on this this master's cake that we've been baking. Okay. Question that got battered around. If you can hit one golf shot on Augusta National, where are you gonna put your ball? And what are you gonna hit?

SPEAKER_01 39:23

I would go T shot on I'd just play the 12th. T-shot on the 12th. I think that's a fair it's a fairly it's the hole that everyone knows, it's you know the famous hole.

SPEAKER_00 39:37

I can't if I can't say I'd do overly well on it, but I I heard a couple of I heard a couple saying they'd want to hit a 205-yard shot in 215. That's the one.

SPEAKER_01 39:49

I was gonna say yeah, my my second pick would be just a second shot. I'd like to just Larak a two-ir in from like 250 into the just to see if I'd just pitch it on the back of the green and shoot it straight into the pond at the end of the street. It's probably yeah, so yeah, it would it would be it would be 12 followed by the second shot into 15 for sure.

SPEAKER_00 40:08

And so I suppose that answers the question. Fate favourite hole on the course would be 12.

SPEAKER_01 40:13

Uh I actually like I like 15 to be honest. I think there's you know it's it's late in the round, but it's not too late in the round. There's a lot that can go wrong or right on that hole. You know, you've seen people lay up and then fat it, and you know, people go for it, it's it long. I think it's I think 12 is obviously an amazing hole and a very very famous hole. But I I do like 15. I think 15's a good hole.

SPEAKER_00 40:36

For me, I think 13 is the best hole in the world.

SPEAKER_01 40:42

That's a bold call.

SPEAKER_00 40:43

That is a bold call, but but I really do. I it's it's it's it's it's it's just got everything.

SPEAKER_01 40:48

Like, um listen, I'm I'm not I'm not gonna disagree with you, but yeah, thirteen's a great hole. Do you think do you think the T shot? I don't think the T-shot really matches the second shot, does it? I think one you know, once you sort of nurdle it in play, then the hole becomes magical.

SPEAKER_00 41:04

But but these days I don't think it's a nurdle anymore because they've stuck that T so far back. They've bought land, abort land, abort land. Now you have you've got a situation where you either hit a drawing driver, which is a difficult goal shot, and ends up with a lot of people in the pine straight, or you're hitting a three-wood, which they hit much better, but then you're leaving yourself a much longer shot into the the green side slopes. It just it has so many different elements, both off the T and then second shot. Like I just and then even if you lay up, like it's then not a straightforward either. If you know, if you find if you lay up on the right side, you're you're almost equally as stuffed.

SPEAKER_01 41:42

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I mean the s the second shot from uh from the fairway. I mean, we obviously can't tell on the TV how slopy that is, but to try and hoist a four-iron from 220, 230 if when the ball's literally at head height to you must be must be must be difficult.

SPEAKER_00 41:58

There's a video out there of Tiger hitting a second into that green from the green, and it's just like you're like, whoa, like unbelievable. And and for me, like yeah, I think of like iconic goal shots. I watched a video of like Faldo hitting it on there, um, the Mickelson from the tree. I mean, there's just been some absolutely unbelievable moments. So, yeah, absolutely love that hole. Yeah. So then our segue, we we've we've enjoyed ourselves around Amen Corner there with those questions. You've not been to the Masters, am I right in thinking?

SPEAKER_01 42:29

I've not been to the Masters. No, a few lads from the golf club um went, well, just got back actually, and they said obviously you can't have any phones in there, but when they've come out of the property, they've said it is beyond your wildest dreams that place. It's like Wonka's factory, it is just like enchanted, unbelievable. So no, in in short, I have not been so two questions for you.

SPEAKER_00 42:53

You have your ticket. What's the plan? What's the viewing plan? Because I think there needs to be strict there needs to be strategy, and so you've got your green chair, you're on property for the first time. What would you do if you were in charge?

SPEAKER_01 43:10

So I I think I don't know the course enough to know like what holes are adjacent to other holes, but I would probably go, probably plonk myself in and around 11, 12 area, yeah, and then have a wander to what I'm assuming is back up the hill to another finishing hole. But I'd definitely, I'd definitely I mean I'd plonk my chair. If I could choose, I'd slip, I'd sit bang in the middle of the tea box front row, and I'd look left to watch people hoiking it into the pond left of eleven, or watch people hitting down onto eleven and clap them up as they come onto the twelfth tee, watch them fat it into Ray's Krieg, toddle off down the T hop, and pick my green chair up, pack it away, walk up the hill and then just fight through the crowds to see one shot for the last six holes.

SPEAKER_00 44:00

Yeah, I I think I I think that would have to be right. The the kind of left corner of the of the bottom left corner of the T-box on on 12 must be the most elite position on that golf course. And they obviously can't run, and so I love the videos where you see the old boys getting let through the gate at six in the morning, like you know, sprint walking. Like power walking. Oh dear. Um so you you've dropped your chair, you dropped your chair at 12, and they decided to take yourself to the most successful merchandise shop in the golfing calendar.$70 million per master. Just wild, isn't it? Now hit us with some items. Like you I think you've got to go in there with a bit of a shopping list. Like, how wild would you go?

SPEAKER_01 44:50

How how wide would you stretch the so as you know, I'm not I'm not an avid pro shop buyer as well. I texted you, didn't I? And I was like, you wouldn't buy something, wouldn't you? Yeah, you yeah, you did. I and I would. I would buy um so separately, there's there's obviously I've heard from one of one of the lads who's been there a few times, there's two different pro shops, isn't there in Augusta? So out of Masters Week, you can buy Augusta National golf club gear that isn't branded in the Masters. That's the stuff that you really want that you're never gonna get on because you're just unbelievable. That's like the Sunningdale Lone Tree, you know. If you know, you know, if you don't, you've not been. So I would buy a couple of caps, none of these ones that say like azalea on them or none of that. Did you see egg salad? No, I've not seen that one, but that's never been made. I'd buy I'd buy just a nice white green rope, Augusta or Masters emblem.

unknown 45:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:48

I'd buy a nice Peter Millar polo that I'd never wear, but I'd know I've got it, I'd enjoy it. Um I'd buy one of those gnomes that everyone's gonna be. Would you would you go gnome, would you? Yeah, I'd buy gnome, why not? Just stick in a cupboard somewhere. And if the opportunity arose, but apparently all the caddies buy them, I would buy one of the Scotty Masters, Scotty Cameron Masters limited edition thing, but apparently the caddies just snaffle them up every year.

SPEAKER_00 46:13

Yeah, I I wasn't I think they might have stopped doing them. I I was reading something on it, but they obviously they used to do it. And um and all sorts, didn't they?

SPEAKER_01 46:22

Sets of access to it.

SPEAKER_00 46:23

Uh I actually know someone with one of the Scotty um jobbies. Um but yeah. I I I I did I thought I read somewhere that that Scotty Cameron stopped doing them, but that I mean that'd be yeah, another one of those things that you just never use, but you'd just have.

SPEAKER_01 46:37

Just uh or a master's um alignment stick cover as well. I think that'd look quite nice in my bag. A little leather, nice soft leather number. Um yeah, I'd have one of those. I wouldn't go mental, probably spend about a grand just on no five items because it would I was gonna say that sounds relatively controlled to me. Well, you've got to think about your luggage on the way home, haven't you? You don't ever you don't want to play an empty.

SPEAKER_00 47:01

Absolutely. Um well, okay. Let me just um scan my list. I've got anything anything left for you before we depart. Oh yeah, I thought it was quite interesting actually, and we were texting back and forth on it. Um went down a bit of a rabbit hole on Augusta is it president or chairman, whatever Fred Ridley is. Fred Ridley was a chairman. Fred Ridley was an absolute stick back in the day. US amateur winner in 79, I believe it was. He was the last ever US amateur winner to never turn professional, just became a lawyer. I think he then was president of the USGA for for a decade or so, and now finds himself donning the green jacket on Rory McElroy.

SPEAKER_01 47:41

Yeah, he's he's quite a not he's not an elusive character because everyone sees him every year, didn't he? But no, I don't think anyone really thinks to sort of investigate who he is, where he's from, whether he even plays golf or you know, if he's just like a a corporate figure that they just stick in front of the cameras. But yeah, to see, I was really surprised to see that he won the US Am and he played in you know X, Y, and Z and Walker Cup. I think he's played as well way back when. Yeah, a a baller. He could step in if needed if somebody needed a two-ball make-in up.

unknown 48:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:10

What's that what's that guy called that used to used to play? Scott Scott someone?

SPEAKER_00 48:16

I was about to ask you, and he's an unbelievable batter, apparently. And he I think he beat McElroy by one when they played together. He did.

SPEAKER_01 48:23

I don't I don't think he still plays. You never see him on TV, do you? But uh yeah, maybe maybe they could give the gig to Ridley if if needed.

SPEAKER_00 48:29

I mean, I'm not surprised I don't see him material. I saw the the breakdown of how many golf shots were shown by players and basically if we're going in top four, yeah. It was just I don't I don't I don't really the coverage, the app's cool, I suppose you can go in and watch it, but like uh the amount of people complaining, especially in America with adverts and everything else, like the coverage is is tough.

SPEAKER_01 48:49

Did you did you see what Kisner put on? Um he put a screenshot, or not a screenshot, he put a thing on that he text um card. Colt not there was saying I'm better off following it on the PJ tour app. You and do you are you gonna show a shot or do you ever show any shots on CBS?

SPEAKER_00 49:04

Yeah, I mean it it was bad, it was fine. I think we've got it all right in the UK. Like I think in the US adverts come pretty thick and fast.

SPEAKER_01 49:13

And we have the Rolex tower, don't we, over here, where you sort of get uh you get uninterrupted.

SPEAKER_00 49:19

And I thought it was fine. Yeah, it was. Anyway, 90th Masters in the books, McEroy, back to back. Last question, parting question. You're at the champion's dinner, which I mean like you're much closer to getting to that champion's dinner than I ever am.

SPEAKER_01 49:38

I'm as close as my dog is to getting in that champion.

SPEAKER_00 49:44

They talk about the pockets where everyone sits. Where would you uh who would you like to find yourself in between?

SPEAKER_01 49:52

Um I'd I'd go I'd sit near Phil because he's he's got some good stories, I'd imagine.

SPEAKER_00 50:00

Um I'm actually just just reading his book from uh the Alan Chipnock Phil book. I'd literally started yesterday. There's some good stories.

SPEAKER_01 50:08

Yeah, I think I think Phil Phil would be a good laugh. Um you're just a lefty through and through, aren't you? Yeah, cut me open and I'm just just bleed just bleed it.

SPEAKER_00 50:18

You're gonna have Mike Weir on the other side.

SPEAKER_01 50:20

Yeah. I'd go I'd go fill fill in fill in tiger. Tiger for stories of the stories of when his demise happened and what he got up to off the off the pitch and fill for fill for other other stories.

SPEAKER_00 50:34

Yeah, feed him some patruse that McElroy's gonna put on for next year, and uh I'm sure they're all gonna pour it out. Yeah. All right, Crouchy, thanks for stepping in for this Masters wrap up pod. We will see you when we see you. Me and you are actually playing some golf next week, so um hopeful that will filter through onto socials in some shape or form. Woodle spar, which I'm looking forward to. Um, as ever, we're full program golf Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, and we will see you in the next one.

SPEAKER_01 51:00

Cheers, mate.