USGA ball rollback, Spieth's Masters outlook, farewell to WGC-Dell Match Play | Golf Channel Podcast

hello and welcome into this edition of the Golf Channel podcast with Rex and lab folks plenty to get to this week the golf ball is being rolled back at an elite level Jordan Spieth comes close yet again in Tampa in the match play R.I.P wgcs and rip Austin Country Club which is hosting the match play for the final time Rex you are in Austin we'll certainly be getting to your barbecue choices here uh at the end of the podcast but first we're recording this on Tuesday afternoon what's the buzz like for yet another designated event on the people in our schedule it is a designated event but maybe that's the buzz is that it's going away that it's rip as you pointed out it's been a long time since I wrote an official obit so I had to do some refreshing this morning when I sat down to write this obit it's weird because I think everyone understands technically I'm contractually obligated to say this technically this is not the last WGC that that apparently the PGA Tour still has a contract with HSBC Champions but they haven't been to China since 2019 doesn't seem like we're going back anytime soon so it does seem like the end of an era but I and it's interesting talking with players trying to find out why I mean we can get into it more later but it's like fast to see how they've sort of evolved I just did a hit on golf today about the idea that when they started in 99 they served a very real purpose and what was the purpose well one they answered the threat of a rival tour two they wanted to get the top players together more often three they wanted bigger persons any of that sound familiar any of it yes the only difference now Rex is that the designated events are stronger you don't have these order of Merit top three top five lists from these far-flung tours with the internet I believe it's called the international tours whatever that had some sort of qualification criteria to get to the WGC so the designated events are certainly uh Stronger at the beach at tour level we will get into this and folks you can check out uh Rex's column on golfchannel.com one of the big stories that we've had over the past week is something we did not actually get into on the Pod last week because I was drinking four dollar Impaler Imperial beers in Costa Rica is Rex this rollback that was introduced uh via a model local rule by the governing bodies SJ and the RNA to be implemented if adopted in 2026 at the elite level now this golf ball rollback uh would essentially dial back distance for the longest hitters somewhere between 15 and 20 yards this is the first time you've been back out on tour since uh this prospective rule change was announced what are the players saying about it and what are your feelings most importantly if I could just throw up that emoji of the of the little yellow man rolling his eyes that that seems to be what the players are saying about it because I think it in most players minds and it's amazing how many players that I hadn't heard from him a long time texted me last week just and dignity just just angry that they can't believe this is happening and I I guess I get it it's not as though the USGA and the RNA just threw this out there I mean we've been trending towards this for a long time I think most of us inside the game at least knew this was coming I I think the interesting thing and look I I think the dynamic between the PGA Tour and the USGA and the RNA I don't know let's call it lack of a better term ecosystem I mean it seems to me that that's that's probably what I should call it in this particular context where we are in the state of the game right now I'm sure the PGA Tour is going to be inclined just to play ball like okay fine like do what you want to the golf ball and we're just going to keep forging forward because of all the other things we have to deal with right now had this happened five years ago I wonder if it would have been so congenial because my guess is most tour players every Tour player I've spoken to doesn't like it doesn't see the problem this is a problem that the USGA and the RNA in their opinion has manufactured and if your golf course isn't long enough for the modern player for the modern PGA Tour ball for the modern PGA Tour athlete then you're just not going to host a Tour event anymore I mean I think that's the general idea that no one's saying that the game is too easy I think actually if you start breaking down some of the stuff that Mark Brody has done with Strokes game that you can make an argument that it's actually harder than it has been in decades past I think the part that players are testing different skills I think it happens for a certain part of the games being reduced skill wise wouldn't you agree yeah yeah and I'm not disagreeing with that but I don't think like for you and I this is not an issue to be clear like you and I don't find the game too easy I don't hit the golf ball too far I'm not giving this up for something that I find more challenging and I think from the tour perspective it's about entertainment is it not like I said I think the tour is going to have to eat this one they're just going to have to take this one and move on because of where we are I don't know again lack of a better term I'll call it an ecosystem because I can't think of anything else off the top of my head but they're going to have to eat this one but they're an entertainment product and I'm sure that they don't like the idea that someone is missing with their entertainment so there's so many things to get to Rex like last week they they trotted out Justin Thomas and Sam Burns and obviously they were very uh I would call them vehemently against the proposed rollback and like it's hard to take the tour player's word seriously on this matter because they're paid handsomely by the equipment companies to endorse these products so I always take their comments with a little bit of a grain of salt the one thing that my mind keeps going back to rest and I kind of Flesh this out on Monday scramble that you guys can check out on golfchannel.com is that for the PGA tour at the executive level they cannot really ignore the model local rule like it it that doesn't appear to be a feasible option because if you actually work this thing out all right so beginning in 2026 both opens the British Open and the US Open should be the Open Championship we'll be using this roll back ball uh I think we'll know more about the Masters and chairman Fred Ridley's plans in a couple weeks time during the state of the Master's address that he gives every single year on Wednesday I think it's it's likely if not probable based on the course changes that Augusta has made over the past year couple years to combat distance that they would be in favor of a rollback as well that puts the PGA Championship at the PGA of America Executives uh it kind of has them uh by the neck as well because they need to play ball with the other three majors and so you then have a situation Rex with the four biggest most consequential tournaments of the year would in theory possibly be playing by a different set of rules in the weekly competition on the PJ tour that puts the PJ tour in a bind because you cannot really allow a different ball to be played than the four different than the four biggest tournaments of the year that only widens the perception gap between the majors and the PG tour events when the PG tour is doing everything right you just mentioned the entertainment product getting the best players together more often to close that Gap not widen it and so if the PGA Tours tagline is at the best golf is being played here right that's like their new tagline that you see in commercials all the time it's hard to make that argument if you're playing by a different set of rules than the tournaments that are actually defining these players Legacy that was like the main thing that I had in mind like that I don't think the tour really has an option to not go along with this set of rules like players are so particular with their equipment choices they can decipher even the tiniest uh changes in ball composition like they're not going to be tinkering throughout the year swapping uh back and forth throughout the course of the year that's just not going to happen that's not that's not realistic and no I don't disagree with that I mean I was kind of leaning into the idea that wait why were they four dollar Imperials weren't you at weren't you in yeah I was at like a boutique Marriott and I saw it on the menu four dollars I actually thought it was a misprint uh I'm used to paying like really spending like nine ten dollars on a beer uh at these hotels that my wife picks up of four dollars it was like it was like I couldn't I couldn't have enough that seems expensive actually for Costa Rica I mean I've been to that I was shocked I was so I was so happy I'm not buying 300 worth of Imperials no that's not gonna happen and and for someone who hates the sun and the sand and the beach it it was a magical week I can tell Sunshine Sun shirts straw hats uh SPF 85 which I'd never even heard of uh fantastic great time loved it uh no I think for the reason you point out you're right the tour is going to have to play ball I was sort of having fun and leaning into the idea that the tour kind of needs the other people in the ecosystem to be with him right now that would be the USGA that would be the RNA certainly the PG of America it's not a fight they don't need another fight they don't need another lawsuit they don't need to they don't need more headlines going against them so yes for all of those reasons the tour will end up just essentially folding and using this ball and the players won't be happy about it and the product will probably suffer on some level but I think they don't have a choice given where we are at the state of the game right now I think the larger question in my mind is because we're in that process right now and this felt a lot like Tuesday at the Players Championship that players were essentially told on Tuesday at the Players Championship with the schedule next year on the PGA tour is going to look like they were told to walk into this room and listen you're not here to vote and I feel like that the the since on tour right now is you're just supposed to listen right now this isn't a vote you don't get a choice here this is what we're going to do that's probably the hardest part for most players to take uh I would agree with that I certainly understand that Viewpoint and it's actually not that hard Rex for me for me to see a reality where the PGA Tour follows the governing bodies and goes a traditionalist route but live golf says oh yeah we can you can use the fastball in competition we want to see big drives we want to we want to kind of throw this anti-establishment Vibe out at the folks like I could see I could see the Divide going that way and like live leaning into the fact that they're just these Rebels who are revolutionizing golf and I both know that's exactly what's going to happen it's going to be if you want to come out and watch it's really entertaining product here we're going to hit the cover off the bond we're going to have fun doing it and we're going to make a mockery of it because that's what they can do in this particular situation it's only going to be bad for the PGA Tour but again I don't know that they have any options let alone a bad option so that was the story early week last week in Tampa and by Sunday the story became Taylor Moore basically coming from nowhere he was the he was the player no one saw coming at the Valspar Championship barely shown on TV and then he was the one who was hoisting the trophy all attention was paid to Adam shank pride of Nocatee stand up Knock Life uh you had Jordan Spieth obviously doing his thing and Tommy Fleetwood trying to win for the first time in the U.S my mind immediately went to Jordan Spieth for the third week in a row he had a top 20 finish on the Rex and for the second time in three weeks at least he had an opportunity to win the golf tournament and he was unable to do so at Bay Hill remember fourth consecutive misses on the back nine inside eight feet this one was just a kind of a shocking Miss I mean he was in the Water by 50 yards on the 16th hole actually made a great Bogey and then did not make a six foot birdie putt on the 71st hole where's your uh I don't know if it's concern level where's your optimism level your concern level when it comes to Jordan Spieth now just two weeks away before heading to Augusta National it's interesting every time we're around Jordan he the honesty comes pouring out whether if we want to listen to it or not right I mean you go back to you always want to listen to it well but sometimes I feel like we don't like we just gloss over the parts when he talks about that I'm not hitting my irons very well or I'm not putting very well whatever the case may be and I'll go back to Augusta just a few years ago when it looked like he was on his way to another green jacket but he had sat all week long I don't feel like I'm hitting my iron salad and then of course he gets to 12 and does what he did at 12 and that was an example of it look man I just had a miss that week and that was the Miss I tried to tell you guys and you did that rain session that rain session on Sunday morning or Sunday I guess with Sunday afternoon life will forever be ingrained in my mind speed saying these low these these high floaters right getting frustrated pacing around circling around uh camera cormic and Michael grello like totally totally having a fit and I rushed back to my keyboard say oh I don't know if this is indicative of it anything but Jordan Spieth not hitting it all in the range and he opens up a five shot lead uh you I mean you're used to getting ratioed on social media but that was really one of my first ones and then obviously I had the last laugh I'll unfortunately at Jordan's piece expense I will always always remember that range session I actually think it's good journalism lesson too wasn't it Rex make sure you're there uh yes it was a very good journalism lesson because I will go back to the idea that if we just listen to what he says that there's always a kernel of Truth and in that particular week we didn't want to listen to him I don't think we want to listen to him recently when he's talked over the last few weeks that even though and I think this was a conversation I had with him at Bay Hill before we went to the PLAYERS Championship was even though he feels like his putting was come around he still isn't very very confident whether it's ball striking I think we saw that on Sunday at the Valspar and in this particular case yeah I think there should be a level of concern for Jordan Spieth given his record at Augusta National I don't know how much I'm gonna Factor this into my final decision when you and I sit down on Tuesday or whatever day we do the podcast at Augusta and either put him in my town five or not in my top five but I think there are certainly things he needs to clean up before he gets there uh certainly I would I would definitely put them in my top five we put them in the top five during our hit last week uh on golf today obviously you mentioned the course record and like I think all things considered the Valspar Championship was encouraging like he gained Strokes uh off the tee with his irons around the green um and and around the green as well as the first time he'd done that in a very long time so I do believe he's trending in the right direction it just seems like Rex he's not as tidy as he has been in the past and so we're getting like The Thrill Ride that he typically takes us on like I feel like I feel like it's even more dramatic than usual because he's he's he's making plenty of birdies obviously but I think the big Miss is still there and with the work that he's still doing on the greens and trying to find that Comfort level in his address position like it's not quite there either it doesn't feel as automatic that he's going to make the must make putt that he has so often in the past so I think he's obviously a far cry from 2015 or 2017 when he was kind of height of power but I still think he's plenty dangerous and he should be regarded as such when it comes to Masters favorites any other thoughts on the Valspar leaderboard before we turn our attention to this week no and I I think you and I had this conversation earlier in the Florida swing I will attest and watching Sunday just reinforce that I do think Innisbrook is the best course of the floor to swing and you're going to be the Nocatee you're going to be the Nocatee Homer and probably say TPC Sawgrass no I hate TVC Sawgrass I I love TPS I thought it inspired you earlier this year when you got to play in media day the invitation that didn't seem to come my way uh Stuart I'm talking to you it was better it was a better playing experience but from a actual architectural strategic quality of golf course standpoint like I don't even think I don't even think is close I think that's why you have such an Eclectic leaderboard I think that's why I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a player the top ten in the world who actually thinks the TV Sawgrass is a good golf course and yet if you had a let's say a designated event at the Valspar Championship right like if Tracy West gets her wish and has she has a designated event uh at Innisbrook next year like I think every player would Rave about how great of a golf course it is it's the reason why Justin Thomas played last week but is not playing this week at Austin country clubs he thought doesn't doesn't like this golf course and thought it was a better prep for Guff the national playing last week at the Valspar and the format 20 million the format this week is dumb we can all agree on that that's the last one we can all agree certainly Justin Thomas and Justin Rose by the way the only players who are not among the top 64 here this week along with the livers of course who are not eligible for the match but let's get into it Rex you wrote the column we teased it at the top end of a w by the time this gets posted uh my God I hope so I hope that it is posted uh first of all when it comes to Austin Country Club and we touched on this a couple of weeks ago I'm devastated that this golf course is not going to be hosting this tournament anymore I think it would be a terrible stroke play venue but from a match play perspective like some of these holes are so memorable there's so many potential swings there's so much potential trouble uh I have absolutely loved it as a match play venue you think of the ones that we've gone to the Past whether it's Harding Park or Dove Mountain or Lacosta for that like this is this is a this is a thrill ride over four hours um and so tip of the cap the Austin Country Club I will miss you and I will certainly will miss a match play tournament uh on the PJ tour schedule which is not going to be the case next year and and I will agree with that in Echo I've covered this event at all four of those venues that you mentioned and by far this is the best and and I will say as much as I enjoyed watching Innisbrook watching uh Dove Mountain last week which hosted the live event actually brought me some trauma it was a bit of a trigger event because going to the top of that mountain still getting the snow the snow this is no the jumping Choice everything out there is trying to hurt you or sting you or draw blood it's it was a it's a nightmare at the top of that mountain I'm sure it's a nice golf course I'm sure people love living up there not taking anything away it's a nightmare of a place uh also wasn't it at the gallery last week uh it was both actually so it was at The Ridge at Dove Mountain and then the first couple years it was at the gallery yeah sure sure um how about this week Rex guy Scheffler obviously the top seed coming off the win at the Players Championship John rum uh presumably has stopped uh projectile vomiting like he was at TBC Sawgrass do you have a group of death back in the day like two or three years ago you and I would have gone through each and every group and picked a winner but I believe you'd have a bracket nearby is there anything no you didn't Stand Out by on Wednesday Thursday or Friday you actually read the text I said have a bracket have a bracket handy so we can highlight a few so please uh go ahead and I don't have a few uh I don't have a bracket handy but I don't think I need one because I think pretty sure Scotty sheffler who is world number one he's coming off a victory at the Players Championship coming off in practice round at Augusta National where he got emotional I think he cried big shock again again yes um I I think I'm gonna go with him simply because it makes it easier if I had picking the top you're picking the top seed to win the tournament that's right because there's one here and finish second here and then end of list uh I that's silly everyone who always tries to do that that's just silly don't don't don't go down that road you know better than that you know the difference between 1 and 64 which this case I think it's one in 77 if I'm doing the math correctly based on the guys who aren't here the difference between those two players is minute especially given an 18 hole match you know that like don't don't do that like this isn't fairly fairly Dickinson how about that coach has already moved on to uh he's already moved on to Iona is that true yeah he he already signed what literally one day after they lost I was listening to the coach for FAU which I think also made it to the Sweet 16 and they were asking him about his contract and it's at some point he had to kind of stop himself because the question was coach I'm sure you have a bonus in your contract for reaching the sweet 16 like every other coach and he kind of mumbled for a little while and goes I don't know I guess maybe you think I do meanwhile the ink hadn't even been tried on his new contract but hopefully he gave those kids a big old hug I'm with you it looks like Scottish Scheffler is playing at such a high level obviously the defending champion at this tournament where he became world number one for the very first time uh a very strong match player historically I love love that day three matchup against Tom Kim hopefully hopefully it actually matters just rifling through a couple of these other ones like Kyle morakawa Jason day is going to be very good Max Homa Kevin Kisner would be the match on Thursday remember Kevin Kisner actually finished higher the max Homer in the PIP standings last year which is hard to believe Sam Burns Adam Scott is one that has my attention and how about on Wednesday you don't typically get these uh a player versus D player I think they still categorize these guys as but John ROM Ricky Fowler Ricky needs a good week this week to get in the Masters field uh versus John ROM uh absolute killer uh needs to get the quarterfinals yeah so he obviously needs to get through this group and he'd have to do so against the number two overall seed also curious to see how Cameron young in his first week with Paul tesori also Prada Nocatee uh has him on the bag will he perform well any player this week that you're particularly strictly nuts in the non-sky shuffle division as intriguing to you or needs to have a good week someone you want a spotlight uh Ricky was interesting to me as you pointed out because there's so much on the line he is playing next week by the way so he does still has that opportunity in San Antonio but him trying to make it back to the Masters he was in the media center earlier today talking about his ball striking wasn't really really he wanted it to be at the Players but he seems like he kind of turned a corner going forward and then there's some guys that just always seem to play well here I mean I would go to Kevin Kisner who just seems to love this format loves this golf course I would lean towards a player like Jason day who has won this event in the past not at this venue but I think one of your top five top five favorites for the Masters again for that reason because I simply think he's playing so well right now he's kind of under the radar I don't think anybody besides me thank you very much is pointing out how well he's playing so uh yeah there's a couple players I'm gonna keep an eye on but again first three days is stupid it's a dumb format I enjoy the five days of competition I think you and I will both miss it not having a match play tournament on the schedule no I'll miss that no I'm 100 I'll miss not having a mass play tournament as I kind of researched this column that I hope to get done today that was the one thing that everybody kept coming back to was the idea that they really want a mass play tournament like they feel like there should be something on the schedule like a lot of guys brought up what Europe used to do with I think it was called the world match play and but that was straight match that was straight knockout it was I think they started with 32 and you just went down from there there's something pure about it now I know TV hates it and I know some fans don't like it because there's always a good chance that your virginias or your producers aren't going to be around on the weekend but that's the beauty of match play uh it is the beauty match play I've hated this spot on the schedule two weeks before the Masters it is uh less than ideal prep uh needs us to say for the year's first major I'd love for them to incorporate it at the Tour Championship although I'm not as big of a hater of the staggered start format at East Lake as others but somehow incorporating match play at the end for the top eight seeds or whatever I think would be interesting just to put a bow on this bracket Rex uh Roy McElroy there had been some Rumblings on social media that he was due to make a massive equipment change Todd Lewis reported nope just a driver shaft change and he's actually gone to a Scotty Cameron putter away from the spider putter Taylor Made that he had been using previously over the past couple years whether that registers as gigantic humongous earth-shattering equipment news I don't know but I do think it is notable nonetheless if he does get through his group he's playing Keegan Bradley Dennis McCarthy and Scott Stallings he would most likely play Terrell Hatton which could be a lot of fun Xander shaffley You Were My Player of the Year and so I need you honestly just like start winning stuff uh in order to make my prediction come true so Xander shofflight is my pick this week at the match play we'll see how that goes Rex I don't know if you had an opportunity to watch the live uh tournament second Tournament of the Year play out last week in Arizona however there was some so I just said I did thanks for listening I just said I did thanks uh I don't know how much you pay attention to the drama then on social media your boy Lee Westwood uh who gets angry about everything on social media uh took exception to the theory that lives stars are not holding up their end of the bargain if you've been paying attention this year the first two tournaments have been won by Charles Howell III and Danny Lou Who was winless on the PGA tour since 2015 prevailed in a four-man playoff I kind of agree Rex like I think especially when you look at the PJ tours designated event model I think it has worked it's been a resulting success to this point John Rahm has won twice Scotty scheffler's one twice Kurt kittiyama uh prevailed against a star-studded leaderboard that included Roy McElroy Jordan Spieth and Scotty Scheffler like that was great drama like the PJ tour stars are stepping up in those tournaments when it comes to live like where's DJ this year where's Cam Smith this year where's Phil where's Bryson where's Brooks like the whole point of having live was to have short fields that would better the odds that the best players could have like memorable final round clashes right to this point to this point what are we 10 tournaments in it hasn't happened no but I will ask like why why do we take an event like the Honda Classic and we point to how great that was on the PGA tour because it gave an opportunity to Chris Kirk and Eric Cole to make a name for themselves on a big stage and yet when the same thing happens over on live we sort of dismissed the idea well Danny Lee hasn't done anything on the PGA tour since 2015 or whoever runs Charles Howell going back to the last event I I think you're right I certainly it raises a bigger question in my mind that what version of DJ and cam Smith and the rest of the players who are qualified for the master what version of them are we going to get out of Augusta National because it's hard to sort of wrap my mind around the idea that he's going to be at his absolute best when he clearly hasn't played well in the two events that we've seen him in and you have to question the level of competition only because you're gonna look at the world rankings and you're gonna look at what Danny Lee has done since 2015. now there is something to be said there but I don't know how much I'm really poking right now at least at the idea that those Stars haven't provide and I haven't performed because I go back to last season DJ played pretty well last season for he and his team I think cam Smith played pretty well last season I mean what they didn't have but they didn't have the head-to-head duel which I think has been one of the Hallmarks of this PJ tour season at least so far this calendar year like you've had Scotty Scheffler going up against Rory and speak you've had John Rahm going up against Max Homa and yeah we've yet to see a DJ Brooks tool we've yet to see a cam Smith Phil Mickelson duel we've yet to see a a Bryson and a Sergio duel that has not yet come to fruition in what is now a year and a quarter of the live schedule and so if you're looking for why if you're looking for why the Rival tour has not resonated at a significant it has not resonated significantly I think you have to start there like if those Headliners those guys were all making nine figures if they were doing their part if they were performing their best if they were clashing on a semi-regular basis I think there'd be greater interest in live that there is and that's no disrespect to the the Brandon Graces and the Charles Howells and the Danny Lee's of the world like they should be able to get theirs too but that's not why they started live golf to have a to have a a safety net for these guys it's supposed to be a platform for the superstars and I'm not saying you're wrong but they played 108 holes that's that's Q School they've essentially just played Q school and that's all they've done this year so I think I would give it a beat like just let's let it play out and you're right if we get to the end of the season and DJ and cam Smith haven't been heard of and the rest of the stars are still M.I.A I'm going to dismiss the fill

comment that you made because I don't think you thought it through like he hadn't done anything before he won the PGA and didn't hadn't done anything after the PGA so I'm not quite sure what version of Phil you thought that live golf was going to get but certainly there is something to be said for I'll be very curious by the time we get to the end of this season if those top players have have sort of risen to the top as you say but again 108 holes man like give it up again I I don't have like DJ won 35 million dollars last year he was by far the best player on live cam Smith won in cam place in limited starts on live I'm not saying that those guys aren't doing that now this is a very small sample size in 2023 I'm saying you haven't had the head-to-head duel among those two which has been so prevalent this year on the PGA tour I want to see those guys go head to head I don't care if they win solitary events if no one's paying attention TJ's winning by three or four shots like no one cares I want to see those guys go head to head at the height of their power that is what Saudis are signing up for with the live league and that is not right now I think they want their teams to go head-to-head like let's clarify here I mean they're leaning into the distinction that they have with the PGA Tours the team concept but if you like it or not or agree with this is something that is entertaining or this is something that professional golf needs that's the only Advantage they really have over the PGA Tour so in their minds they would much rather see DJ's team going head-to-head with Cam's team or whatever scenario you have and as a college golf connoisseur and someone who's covered these it is virtually impossible to uh follow the drama of a head-to-head team it needs to ultimately be boiled down to a DJ vs cam the two stars on their in theory that's what you would get right so if those two teams are playing each other I assume the captains figure out a way for those two players to go head to head and I do think Rex your larger point about we have absolutely no idea what we're going to get from Dustin Johnson cam Smith Joaquin Neiman Brooks kepka when it comes to the Masters that's to be the second biggest question of Masters weeks can those guys just flip a switch and become the world beaters that we've seen them at times now they do have an event next week at Orange County National a place that you and I are both familiar with uh quite well 17 on an old Drivers Club Card uh to play crooked cat that is their final tune-up for the Masters so look that's a more forgiving golf course than we've seen these two weeks with myakoba and then the gallery that may be the reason why some of these uh longer hitters have not fared particularly well over the first two Live Events that's not going to be the case at Orange County National be able to let fly and so I'll be very curious to see if Dustin Johnson in particular does not have a top 10 and two live starts this year but kind of gets right at that venue and and to pull back the curtain uh when you and I did our picks last week I think we did them for golf today I panicked at the last moment I had cam Smith on my list and as soon as the cameras came up I thought nope not going to do it and Ben panicked and went with someone else I think no you didn't no you have it backwards you didn't have Cam Smith no no he was written no he was written down I just panicked at the last minute and didn't want to hey I got scared and ran away from the mic classic classic coward move you love you love to see it uh Rex before we let you go I do I know you got press conferences the rest of the day please Enlightenment this is your last trip to Austin uh for the foreseeable future at least in a in a working capacity where have you frequented with your barbecue and alcohol selections uh we're just here one night last night was my only night here and we went to County Line because that was on my way too which is very good by the way it's sort of underrated it's not Franklin's like granted you're not going to get a lot of headlines for county line is very good it's it's it I would call it barbecue comfort food it's all with yes that's that's what I would expect and then tonight I think we're going there's a very famous pizza place that uh Todd Lewis and Andrew Bradley seem to enjoy downtown so I'm gonna do that with them uh yeah Pizza Hut that's right good God who gets Pizza in Austin uh it's like a famous pizza place down there we went there last year this is like going to Memphis and getting clam chowder come on do better uh I have to tell you I made uh I made Wings on the Pit Barrel on Sunday I think I sent you a little Snappy chat and it was they were the best wings I've ever had they were so good uh I do hope that in your final trip to Austin lease in a working capacity you will make a trip to Leroy and Lewis make sure you find out and learn more about the what is now internet famous uh foil boat method for cooking barbecues where you use Shields so obviously you know the Texas crutch where you wrap it in foils helps tenderize and steam the meat while protecting it from the outside heat uh they have taken that and made a Twist on that called the foil boat where you basically leave the top exposed while protecting the underside and the sides with foil that speeds up the cooking process helps them eat braise in its own liquids while also leaving the top exposed to get a crunchy succulent bark that everyone is after so please uh do do some do some homework I don't have much to do over the next five days I'd love to see a little bit of a tour of Texas and I look forward to your tweets and other information next week when we convene on the Golf Channel podcast with Rex and laugh thank you guys for listening we'll talk to you next week full recap of the match play look ahead to the Masters and if you're lucky a preview of the Valero text is open just for you Rex

2023-03-24 18:00

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