The Shotgun Start

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of perhaps the greatest Masters ever, Andy, Brendan!, and Kevin Van Valkenburg present a special Flashback Friday episode covering Sunday at the 1986 Masters. After some opening chatter about Illinois basketball and Rory Sabbatini's 50th birthday, the three spend over two hours discussing the final round that led to a sixth green jacket for Jack Nicklaus. They share highlights from the broadcast and compare it to the CBS shows of today, reminisce about the key players at the top of the leaderboard coming down the stretch, and discuss the equipment used by those playing 40 years ago. Enjoy this beefy Flashback/Spotlight, and we'll see you in Augusta on Sunday night.

With Andy on the road, Brendan! is joined by various members of the Fried Egg Golf team for a Wednesday medley episode. He opens by himself following the latest news from Tiger Woods, who announced he was stepping away from the game to seek treatment and focus on his health. Brendan provides the latest on the situation before transitioning into a previously recorded segment with Kevin Van Valkenburg discussing this morning's release of the police report from Tiger's Friday arrest (06:25). The two also unpack some remarks from Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who is finding a way to ruin Brendan's day in March instead of just during Sundays during the football season. Meg Adkins then stops by to preview this week's Augusta National Women's Amateur (29:35). Meg runs through the top storylines of the week, ANWA's place in the greater women's golf ecosystem, and the quirky format that leads to an interesting leaderboard late on Sunday. Lastly, Joseph LaMagna joins Brendan ahead of his favorite PGA Tour event, the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio (53:35). Brendan questions "the Boys" about what they're most excited for at their first Masters with press credentials, leading to a detailed explanation of PJ's anxieties around press conferences. Joseph takes over for Andy and gives out 5 Guys to Monitor This Week (For Various Reasons) at the Valero, covering local legends and a very topical Game Within a Game for Masters season. Brendan unleashes an all-time rant about youth sports while discussing the Drive, Chip & Putt finals this weekend and poses a quiz to Joseph and PJ as part of the Masters Fact of the Day. Finally, the three discuss the biggest news of the week: Tommy Fleetwood's new hat deal with Blackstone and Jason Kelce's Masters broadcast assignment. We'll be back on Friday with a special Flashback to get you set for the first major of 2026.

Welcome back to Golf's Preeminent Victory Monday Podcast! Andy and Brendan went LIVE on YouTube for this recording, with Brendan calling it a Victory Monday for everyone in the golf world after Gary Woodland's win in Houston. Andy is celebrating a Victory Monday for other reasons as the Fighting Illini are Final Four bound for the first time in 21 years. After some technical hiccups and debate about whether Andy is headed to Indianapolis ahead of the Masters, the two recap an emotional win for Gary Woodland at the Texas Children's Houston Open. The 2019 U.S. Open winner blitzed the field, winning by five shots at the conclusion of Sunday's round and setting the new scoring record for the tournament. Brendan declares Woodland's win the "Story of the Year" given the context surrounding his struggles with PTSD following brain surgery. Andy gives Woodland praise for going public with his diagnosis and commends him on helping not only himself but others in doing so. The two also discuss standout performances from Min Woo Lee, Johnny Keefer, Chris Gotterup, and Sudarshan Yellamaraju. Brendan shares some Substantiated Rumors from the Indian Open at DLF, where it seems as if the DP World Tour may be faking weather reports in order to ensure a fair course setup. Alex Fitzpatrick secured his first win on the DP World Tour, joining his brother, Matt, in the winner's circle following last week's Valspar Championship. In other results, the LPGA has its first repeat winner of 2026, Stew Cink is coming for a playing Ryder Cup captaincy, and the "Davis Zone" has hit the Korn Ferry Tour. Things wrap up with some news about the new player facilities at Augusta National and a brief bit of Tiger Woods discussion as more comes out about Friday's car accident and his ensuing arrest for DUI.

Andy, Brendan, and Kevin Van Valkenburg react to Tiger Woods's arrest for DUI after a rollover car crash in Jupiter, Florida on Friday. They discuss the arrest, the public reaction, the media's responsibility for the current Tiger arc, and Tiger's future - whether it be at next week's Masters, his role on the PGA Tour's Future Competitions Committee or beyond.

It’s whiparound Friday once again with Andy anxious about his Illini. Brendan begins with some stories about Jonathan Kaye, who is playing a Korn Ferry Tour event this week on a medical exemption at the age of 55. They dig into the wildly amusing story of an alleged two-month suspension for Kaye and ponder what it would take in the modern era for such a disciplinary action. Then they get into some unsubstantiated rumors from Delhi, where the Hero Indian Open is punching as usual at DLF, including putting Akshay on the ropes. They react to news of wild dogs and snakes roaming the premises. There is a philosophical media chat about the expanded media coverage of the Masters, and if they’re finding the right balance between doing too much and attempting to grow. Masters Fact of the Day goes into George Cobb, the little known architect who was the consulting design man for two decades in the postwar era. This leads to digressions about Nebraska basketball and Andy getting pulled over by a cop for traffic violations on a bicycle. They close with some golf advice on sim league cheating and aim point offenses.

Tiger Woods made an unexpected "return" to "professional golf" on Tuesday night, so Andy and Brendan! once again went LIVE on YouTube in his honor. They initially react to LAGC's blowout win over Jupiter Links in Match 2 of the TGL Finals, ending Tiger's comeback early and sending Tom Sim packing until next season. There are takeaways from the second season of TGL, ideas for the league's future, and more questions about when we'll see Tiger next. Andy submits that the only question remaining should be whether Woods can make the cut at the Masters, not whether he can compete or even finish four days of competition. Speaking of Augusta, that's the next time Scottie Scheffler will play following a WD before this week's Houston Open. Houseplant #2 is arriving at the Scheffler household just in time for Scottie's latest attempt at a green jacket. Without the Sheriff in town, Brendan runs through some notables for this week's Tour event and breaks the news of Deputy Sam Burns's new job at Raising Cane's! Andy shares his 5 Guys to Monitor as we approach crunchtime for those not yet in the Masters field. Andy and Brendan end up with the same one-and-done pick for the wide-open setup at Memorial Park, but PJ ends up using a big gun to even things out. Elsewhere on the Schedule for the Week, the DP World Tour is leaning into the absurdity of DLF and has captivated Andy with an 18-hole flyover of perhaps the best course in the world. However, the "Event of the Week" has lost some shine as a podcast favorite is not playing in this year's Indian Open. Lastly, Brendan brings this rambling episode home with yet another Masters Fact of the Day with just two weeks to go until the first major of the year.

Welcome to yet another Victory Monday episode of The Shotgun Start! Andy and Brendan went LIVE on YouTube on Monday morning to recap the Valspar, LIV South Africa, and more. Andy and PJ are rolling into the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, so a brief Basketball Minute kicks off the show. Brendan shares some tales from his experience at the first round in Philadelphia, where he learned that UConn might be the new Duke for kids growing up in the 2020s. Andy continues to tout the Big 10's supremacy and that even extends to golf! Northwestern's own Matt Fitzpatrick avenged his loss at The Players by winning the Valspar Championship, his first PGA Tour win since 2023. Despite Brendan's uncertainty that we need an event the week after The Players going up against the NCAA Tournament, the Valspar delivered with a tight finish on Sunday. The two discuss Fitzy's win and continued ascendance back into the game's top tier, something that was improbable to judge at this time last year. They also give Fitzpatrick credit for calling out the slow play of his playing partner, fellow Big 10 legend Adrien Dumont de Chassart. Strong showings from Brandt Snedeker, Marco Penge, Brooks Koepka, and Jordan Smith are mentioned before Andy and Brendan give the Valspar some credit for being a different test than what is presented week-to-week on the PGA Tour. The biggest win in golf came at LIV South Africa as Bryson DeChambeau secured his second-straight playoff victory. He defeated Jon Rahm in the individual playoff and also led the Crushers to the team title, taking down the Southern Guards in their home event. Bryson was quite emotional throughout the week and Andy highlights that DeChambeau finds himself in his best form entering Augusta in recent memory. South Africa seemed like it was a massive success as a host for a LIV event, but Brendan wonders if these sellouts in Australia and South Africa are making the league truly viable. Jon Rahm, the loser of this week's playoff, has dug in even further in his fight with the DP World Tour and his 2027 Ryder Cup status is now really in jeopardy. Elsewhere in golf, LPGA's Founders Cup provided some great visuals and possible safety hazards, an American won on the DP World Tour, and the Champions Tour found a new level of social media innovation. Things wrap up with a brief bit of news on more PGA Tour scheduling possibilities and a further delay of the rollback by the USGA.

Whiparound Fridays return as Andy and Brendan! record during the early window of NCAA Tournament Thursday. After a brief check-in on the Illini and Johnnies ahead of their first round games, attention turns to another tradition of spring: the reveal of the Masters Champions Dinner menu. Andy and Brendan share their thoughts about everyone else sharing *their* own thoughts on Rory McIlroy's selections, which seem to appeal to a wide audience. Dan Orlovsky was not pleased by the menu during an appearance on SportsCenter, giving PJ more fodder and another chance to remove him from the Cameron Young bandwagon. Andy and PJ trade reviews of the PGA Tour's "Hard Knocks" show, "Chasing Sunday," which premiered Tuesday night. Andy is thrilled to have a golf product made for golf fans about the actual playing of golf, but PJ isn't so sure that the "Hard Knocks" edit truly came through. As the Tour continues to make these shows, will players get a "bad edit," or will everything have a so-called "Disney ending"? Brendan and Andy then discuss some early Masters storylines with just three weeks until play in Augusta, including the strong crop of debutants at this year's tournament. Brendan has some first-hand accounting from the Hainan Classic in China where the first round lasted over five hours on Thursday. In other news, Phil is BACK for the HyFlyers (in dead last place), and Bryson DeChambeau had yet another press conference moment made for social media in South Africa. Lastly, Brian Rolapp spoke on CNBC about the changing media rights landscape for pro sports leagues and might've made it seem like the PGA Tour's deal will be going... down... when it's time to renegotiate. We'll see you on Monday after the Valspar and a weekend full of college basketball.

Andy and Brendan went live after a big TGL Tuesday night playoffs, with one delighting in Jupiter getting to the finals and another down in the dumps over Boston’s abdication of the No. 1 seed. They review the night that was down in the SoFi dome and ask some tough questions about the offseason, as well as Tiger’s team perhaps skirting roster rules. Then they get to the schedule of the week, with some amusements and guys to monitor down at the Valspar in Tampa, where the course is a bit of a changeup for different reasons. They pick five guys to monitor and some one and done picks. The event of the week goes to a mysterious and un-televised DP World Tour event in China, where there will be "cartners" for the first two rounds. They spend the last chunk of the episode combing through Bryson’s galaxy-brain dissertation about rollback down in South Africa, as well as some other quotes about his "compassion" for the world. Visit your local Golf Galaxy and download the Golf Galaxy mobile app to upgrade your game!

Andy and Brendan went LIVE on YouTube following the conclusion of the 2026 Players Championship, recapping an electric Sunday back nine that ended in Cameron Young's second PGA Tour victory. The two initially give some credit to "The Boys" after a week full of adversity in the AirBNB but came with the trade off of a big win for Mr. 1,000. Young defeated Matt Fitzpatrick following a blow up from 54-hole leader Ludvig Åberg. Despite a sleepy Saturday and a slow start to Sunday, the last 90 minutes at TPC Sawgrass delivered for viewers once again. Andy and Brendan discuss Cameron Young's history as a "big game player" and how the setup with long rough helped him as a longer hitter off the tee. They also unpack Åberg's collapse on holes 11 and 12 and his gameplan that ended up getting him in trouble. Grades are given to Cam, Ludvig, Scottie Scheffler, the course setup, NBC, and other contenders as is tradition at a "major" event. The Boys, Joseph LaMagna and PJ, join in for the back half of this episode to celebrate a Victory Monday for the only recurring guest in "Lunch with The Boys" history. PJ shares insight from his weekend on the ground and his time following the NYGC tandem of Young and Fitzpatrick on Sunday, while Joseph shines some light on Sudarshan Yellamaraju, one of the breakout players of this week. We wrap with some small unsubstantiated rumors after a successful week in Jacksonville for the 2026 Players Championship. Thank you to ⁠⁠⁠Optum⁠⁠⁠ for their support of our Players Championship coverage.

We got a live rollicking one! Andy and Brendan went live after leaving the opening round of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. They react to some early mover and shakers, Collin Morikawa’s instant WD, and how the course changed, evolved, and punched back at the players early in the championship. They react to Rory McIlroy giving it a run with his injury and Scottie Scheffler’s somewhat middling round with some struggles off the tee. They make some predictions for the next three days and also discuss some storylines that no one is talking about here. They spend the last half of the podcast reacting to Brian Rolapp’s grand rollout of some major plans to change and tweak the PGA Tour as announced on Wednesday in a theatrical setting at the Global Home. Can he actually get this proposal across the line facing increased pushback from players and other stakeholders in the game? Thank you to ⁠⁠Optum⁠⁠ for their support of our Players Championship coverage.

Andy and Brendan are LIVE outside TPC Sawgrass at The Players Championship and ready to review a full day of scuttlebutt, course scouting, and player assessments. They begin with some notes on a Sawgrass setup looking like an attempt to push the pros around in a major-like fashion, supporting the campaign to make this tournament a “major.” Then they discuss Five Guys to Monitor, and not monitor with their worst tee times of the first two days (along with some of their favorites). The also preview what Brian Rolapp might say in his first big address at his first Players, and how few people on site seem to know precisely what is coming but it is the most-discussed subject so far. Will we get a scarcity schedule? Will we get a mule purge? Are the players re-asserting their control over the new regime and Tour structure? Then they hit on some storylines no one is talking about this week, including the LIV Singapore Champions dinner. Finally, they bring in the boys, PJ Clark and Joseph LaMagna, and offer some further notes from the ground before closing with their official picks to win. Thank you to ⁠Optum⁠ for their support of our Players Championship coverage. Visit ⁠Cobalt⁠ and use code "FRIEDEGGPOD15" for 15% off: ⁠https://cobalt-golf.com/discount/FRIEDEGGPOD?redirect=%2Fcollections%2Fdiscountable-products

Andy and Brendan are just about ready to head down to Ponte Vedra for a "major" March event, but we've already missed out on one Players tradition! Andy can't believe that the yearly TPC Sawgrass arrival videos did not make it into Sunday's Arnold Palmer Invitational broadcast. NBC couldn't cut away from a duel between Daniel Berger and Akshay Bhatia on the back nine that ended with Akshay's third playoff win on the PGA Tour. The two break down Bhatia's comeback win and standing in the game as one of the premier players under the age of 25. The constant comparisons between Rickie Fowler and Arnold Palmer and some complaints from Justin Thomas regarding the setup at Bay Hill also feature prominently in this Arnold Palmer Invitational recap. The Players DID release their featured groups on Sunday afternoon, leaving a spot for an injured(?) Rory McIlroy and a struggling Justin Thomas to be on non-stop coverage for the first two rounds. Andy's "Event of the Week," the Puerto Rico Open, was "must see TV" with a leaderboard full of young talent including John Daly II, Blades Brown, and winner Ricky Castillo. Patrick Reed notched another DP World Tour top 10, but could not stop the blaze of Dan Bradbury at the Joburg Open. Brendan then shifts the conversation to Jon Rahm's win at LIV Hong Kong, his first individual win since 2024. Neither Brendan nor Andy are moved much by this win for Rahm and point out that maybe playing a LIV schedule is not the best preparation for a major championship, unlike the test presented by Bay Hill this week. Lastly on results, Zach Johnson is one-for-one in his Champs Tour career, taking down the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational! Sorry to all Ben Crane bettors, as he finished outside of the top 30 in his Senior Tour debut. This Gambling Podcast regrets the error. Check back on Tuesday as Andy and Brendan go live(?) to preview the 2026 Players Championship! Thank you to Optum for their support of our Players Championship coverage.

After a trip to the eye doctor, Andy is locked in for this Friday episode and is immediately thrilled by an unsubstantiated rumor from Brendan! about an ill-timed tattoo. PJ is out on a trip with his fellow Boy, leaving the two to recap Daniel Berger's stellar Thursday at Bay Hill by themselves. Andy and Brendan discuss signs of life from DB and Ludvig Åberg before debating whether the Arnold Palmer Invitational should replace The Players as the PGA Tour's "major." They agree that the setup is closer to a major championship test than March at TPC Sawgrass with Brendan claiming something can't be a major if they're playing ball-in-hand every year. After a brief bowling interlude, Andy decides that Luke Donald's third consecutive Ryder Cup captaincy is NOT an issue, much to PJ's dismay. In (potentially) related captaincy news, Brendan is still on cloud nine following the big Jup Links win and Tom Kim's ace that sent Tiger's team to the TGL playoffs. Will Tiger tee it up in the first round against the Ballfrogs? We have two weeks to find out. Jon Rahm will be teeing it up in South Africa soon, which Rory McIlroy seemed to think he may not be too happy about. Rory was asked to comment on Rahm's ongoing fight with the DP World Tour and we may have a beef breweing between these Ryder Cup teammates! Finally, Andy and Brendan share some college football tales from Augusta in honor of legendary coach and broadcaster Lou Holtz, who passed away on Wednesday evening.

Brendan! is on edge early in this episode ahead of a win-and-in Jupiter Links match rounding out TGL's regular season. He shares his favorite team's lineup for the match with Andy and highlights management's decision to send out Kevin Kisner for this pivotal moment in team history. Things quickly transition into the Schedule for the Week for another loaded weekend of outdoor golf. The PGA Tour returns to Bay Hill Club & Lodge for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, one of the premier iron tests on the schedule. Brendan claims that you "cannot be a fraud" this week and believes imposters will be exposed around Arnold's Place. Andy's "5 Guys to Monitor" puts the spotlight on two players making their first PGA Tour starts of 2026 and some other big-name players searching for a win in Florida. There are some laments from Andy about the smaller, Signature Event field making Bay Hill not as fun for PGA Tour Live viewing, but Brendan pushes back and is excited to see all the screened-in porches. PJ jumps in to run the year's first installment of In/Out/Alternate in honor of this week's Puerto Rico Open, where the Past Champions category is putting in work after a slew of withdrawals. Ben Crane's much-anticipated (and highly bet on!) Champions Tour debut is blown by in the rundown in favor of a discussion about Jon Rahm's comments in Hong Kong. Many LIV players are stuck in the Middle East and reserves will be in action, but Rahm made the trip and decided to prolong his fight with the DP World Tour. He has taken exception to the DP World Tour mandating that LIV members play six events, making for a busy fall following the LIV season's end. Andy and Brendan do not feel any pain for Rahm, wondering how he's gone this far in his "delusional" fight against the DPWT. Will this mark the end of Rahm's Ryder Cup career? It looks like things are trending that way. Use promo code SGS30 to shop the Draddy Sport Spring collection: ⁠https://bdraddy.com/collections/draddy-sport-spring-26-collection

Andy and Brendan! went LIVE on YouTube for a Victory Monday morning recording following a Ballfrogs win over Jupiter Links late Sunday night. Andy is buzzing now that the Frogs have locked up the number one seed in the TGL playoffs despite the best efforts of "Tom Sim" and Max Homa. This turned out to be a loaded weekend of pro golf with national opens across the globe and a Cognizant Classic that absolutely delivered. Shane Lowry found the water twice in "The Bear Trap," blowing a four-shot lead on the final three holes at PGA National. The Salty Boy, Nico Echavarria, came up with a birdie on the 17th to take the lead and eventually secure his third PGA Tour win. Andy and Brendan discuss Lowry's collapse and debate whether he'll find himself in another position to win on the PGA Tour any time soon. Lowry, who hasn't won a solo event in the U.S. since 2015, had a win probability of over 96% standing on the 16th tee before being the first player to hit it in the water on Sunday. Brendan gives him props for speaking to the media immediately after his round and sharing that he wanted to win in front of his daughter for the first time. Following an epic finish - and despite a poor setup at PGA National - Andy runs through the Tour's schedule and puts the Cognizant in a tier above many Signature Events and all three playoff venues this year. PJ shares an update on the yearlong "Brooks Koepka vs. Mules" contest after Koepka's first top ten finish of the season. Is the money deficit already too big for the Mules to make up? Andy and Brendan then run through results from the rest of the week, hitting on the South African Open, New Zealand Open, and the Argentina Open, where winners and top finishers earned a spot at Royal Birkdale later this year. In news, the USGA had a massive Saturday news dump in which they awarded the 2045(!!!) U.S. Open to Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. Who knows if this podcast will exist in 19 years, but these two midwesterners are excited for the national championship to return to America's heartland. Things wrap up with some TGL chatter recapping the first overtime match of 2026 and plenty of Jason Kelce exposure on the Worldwide Leader in Sports. Use promo code SGS30 to shop the Draddy Sport Spring collection: https://bdraddy.com/collections/draddy-sport-spring-26-collection Visit your local Golf Galaxy and download the Golf Galaxy mobile app to upgrade your game!

This Friday episode begins with an apology from Andy after a missed opportunity to discuss Kevin Roy (and his dad, Patrick) as part of our preview of The Cognizant Classic. Brendan moves things along to an early check-in at the South African Open where George Coetzee withdrew after a poor start, ending his run in this week's Game Within a Game. Another Game Within a Game participant is Ernie Els, who Andy claimed "looked a little husky" on the range. This Ernie discussion ushers in a brand-new Champions Tour Minute after Andy and PJ heard from a well-placed source that the "next big thing" on the senior circuit is not Tiger Woods or Zach Johnson, but another 50-year-old waiting to make his debut. The bulk of this episode focuses on some comments from pre-tournament press conferences at The Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches. Shane Lowry believes that the overseed course setup by the Tour's Championship Management has dramatically altered this event from a tough test to now something that looks green on television. Billy Horschel tried to shift the blame off the Tour and to the resort at PGA National, but Andy and Brendan aren't giving them the benefit of the doubt. This issue with the setups is even further exemplified at this week's KFT event at the Jockey Club, with Andy saying that the Tour has "completely ruined so many places." Ryan Gerard, the betting favorite at this event, also had some things to say before he teed off. Gerard has been a focus of the Tour's marketing efforts this week and Brendan thinks this can be a model for future "PGA-B" events potentially making stars. Gerard shared a story about playing with Scottie Scheffler and how Scottie manages to bridge the gap between clubs by playing a high-launching shot. Gerard has been chasing that shot and believes he has it, hoping that it'll lead to success at the majors this year. Brendan then shares a Flashback Friday segment on the 1991 Honda Classic, won by Steve Pate. This story has it all, including a legendary overclub challenge by Paul Azinger and a scorekeeper finding a lost ball. A Golf Advice email about guarding Michael Jordan in a JV basketball game closes out this show - send your own stories to [email protected] for an upcoming showcase episode! Visit ⁠Cobalt⁠ and use code "FRIEDEGGPOD15" for 15% off: https://cobalt-golf.com/discount/FRIEDEGGPOD?redirect=%2Fcollections%2Fdiscountable-products

Brendan! didn't make it down to Florida after all, leaving Andy and PJ to roam around the SoFi Dome by themselves for Monday's Ballfrogs match. Andy shares plenty of takeaways from his in-person experience, leading to a wider conversation regarding the future of TGL. What's next for the screen golf league after the ESPN TV deal expires? How can the in-person experience level up? Is there a risk of players leaving after the second season wraps up? The two then move on to the Schedule for the Week and first discuss the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches. The Florida Swing begins this week and Andy has his list of 5 Guys to Monitor, including a player returning on a major medical and Brooks Koepka once again playing his hometown event. Everybody makes a One-and-Done pick despite a weak field after many top players withdrew from the event following the Genesis Invitational. Andy tosses out a Game Within the Game for the South African Open, which he also names as his event of the week! It's a quick wrap -up at the end, as the only big news is a very special birthday for a podcast favorite!

It is Victory Monday for Golf's Preeminent Gambling Podcast! Andy returns from vacation and immediately gives Brendan his flowers for picking Jacob Bridgeman to win the Genesis Invitational. PJ issues an apology for laughing at Brendan's belief in The Bridgeman, who cashed 100-1 tickets for bettors everywhere. Andy and Brendan recap the weekend at Riviera and shine a light on Bridgemans path to the PGA Tour and his first career victory. Kevin Van Valkenburg joins from the on-site media center in LA to share some observations from the ground, touching on Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Aldrich Potgieter, and more. Andy, Brendan, and Kevin also discuss the online pushback against Riviera after the pros tore up a soft course this week after all the rain on Thursday. After debating whether there should be a "Shotgun Start Book Club," there's a brief Tiger Woods conversation amongst the group, with everyone believing that he will, in fact, play on the Champions Tour in 2026. Brendan is convinced that Tiger will be playing the Masters, too! Andy moves to ban Spider putters on the PGA Tour before recapping the rest of the week in pro golf, including the Magical Kenya Open and Jeeno Thitikul's first-ever win in Thailand. In news, the DP World Tour has settled its fines with almost all of the eligible LIV players... except for Jon Rahm. Andy and Brendan wonder if this means his 2027 Ryder Cup status is truly in doubt as even Tyrrell Hatton decided to cut the check. PJ and Andy are both in Florida for the big Ballfrogs match on Monday night, but it remains to be seen if Brendan will make it down south through the snow. Stay tuned for some in-person TGL takeaways on Wednesday's episode!

Brendan! is joined by an on-site Kevin Van Valkenburg for this Friday episode honoring the Genesis Invitational. KVV shares some scenes from the practice rounds at Riviera before the rain came in and made much of Thursday's first round a wash. It wasn't a wash for this Gambling Podcast, as Rory McIlroy and Jacob Bridgeman both share the clubhouse lead as of this recording. Brendan spent the morning watching along on PGA Tour Live and has plenty of takeaways from the broadcast, including a scoring average graphic that was completely devoid of content. PJ was assigned to watch the "Betcast" on Thursday and points out that there was plenty of Jon Rahm talk on this PGA Tour product despite Rahmbo riding Dumbo at Disneyland this week instead of teeing it up at Riv. Scottie Scheffler is not yet finished with his first round, but he struggled mightily on his front nine. Brendan and KVV recap what we've seen from Scottie so far, adding another poor Thursday to a stretch of many this year. Even with a great round from Rory and Scottie's tough stretch, the news of the day was made elsewhere. Following reports from Geoff Shackelford and Adam Schupak looking into the matter, the PGA of America announced that President Don Rea Jr. has been "reassigned to member-first priorities" for the rest of his term. Brendan reads the full statement and everyone wonders if this is truly the end from Don. There's also some introspection about how much of a role... podcasts... played in this decision. KVV breaks out the Lucas Glover impression at the very end of his chat with Brendan to celebrate the U.S. Open champ being named PAC Chairman. The last half hour of this episode is a reheat of a Flashback Friday from 2021, when Andy and Brendan remembered Ben Hogan's comeback (not to be compared to Anthony Kim's) and "Mr. Icicle." Visit your local Golf Galaxy and download the Golf Galaxy mobile app to upgrade your game!

"The Boys" are back in town for this Wednesday episode, joining Brendan to preview the PGA Tour's return to Riviera. Joseph starts out with a take regarding this week's event "honoring" the local community in the Palisades, setting the tone for this episode early. Brendan, Joseph, and PJ unpack Tiger Woods's pre-tournament press conference, in which he discussed his chances of returning to competitive golf in 2026, a potential Ryder Cup captaincy, and the PGA Tour schedule changes. It seems like Tiger may tee it up on the Champions Tour after all, with PJ already wanting to make travel arrangements for a few select stops later this year. Woods also gave some insight into the hard work he's been putting in on the 2027 PGA Tour schedule, alluding to the California swing being later in the summer, maybe as part of the playoffs. Joseph loves the idea of Tiger's mark on the game being a playoff schedule that he created, and Brendan thinks that the Genesis Invitational should be a "jumbo event" moving forward. PJ runs through his five favorite tee times for the first two rounds and also sets the scene for this week's Aon Swing 5 vs. Sponsor Exemption tracker, now a five-on-five fight for this week only! Joseph passes along Andy's 5 Guys to Monitor before highlighting a favorite tee time of his own. He also initially declines to make a One-and-Done pick before Brendan bullies him into it on air. Brendan has some sourced reporting from the Magical Kenya Open, sharing details about the caddie fees and "driving range" at this week's DP World Tour event. In news, Justin Thomas will return to pro golf next week in the SoFi Dome... no word yet on if he's playing outdoor golf as well. To round out the show, Joseph and Brendan preview the first-ever Fried Egg Golf Anonymous Survey, tiering the best players in the men's game.

Back at home after a week in Chicago, Brendan is joined by "The Boys" for this beefy Monday show. This episode was recorded late on Sunday night after BP was issued a technical foul during a youth basketball game and needed time to "decompress" before using a microphone. Joseph immediately wants to learn why Brendan was T'd up and finds that his actions were completely justified after a complete rules breakdown. While the technical foul may be a big story for this podcast, the biggest story in sports this weekend belongs to LIV Golf following Anthony Kim's win in Adelaide. AK erased a five-shot Sunday deficit playing in a group with major champions Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, defeating Rahm by three shots for his first win in 16 years. Brendan, Joseph, and PJ recap the final round, covering Kim's outstanding iron play, the return of the swagger that made him captivating to begin with, and the many inspiring quotes from after the tournament wrapped up. They also question some of the broadcast's hyperbolic statements about the magnitude of the moment. There is also plenty of discussion about brutal Sundays from Rahm and Bryson, adding yet another week without a win for both of them on the LIV Golf tour. Not to be completely outdone, the PGA Tour had an "A+ week" at Pebble Beach according to Brendan. Collin Morikawa came from behind to secure his first win since the 2023 Zozo, making a four on the 18th hole for the win. Joseph and Brendan break down performances from Morikawa, Akshay Bhatia, and even Scottie Scheffler, who found himself in the mix again after a slow start on Thursday. Joseph also calls out Sam Burns for his club choice on the final hole, something that only a Deputy would do. In news, Gary Player remains upset with Augusta National (and Brendan may have an idea of why), sponsor exemptions go to - who else? - Jordan Spieth and Tony Finau, and Brendan and PJ go in on the Providence Friars following a dirty Saturday game against the Johnnies. Visit Cobalt and use code "FRIEDEGGPOD15" for 15% off.

Enjoy a recording of Thursday night's SGS Live Show at SPACE in Evanston, Illinois! Andy, Brendan, KVV, and PJ entertained the masses with the latest news from Pebble, messages from Gary Player, hypothetical major wins, audience questions, and much more. Thank you to all who came out to our first-ever theater show!

Andy and Brendan are together in Chicago for this Wednesday episode, bringing a jolt of in-person energy for the first Signature Event of 2026. To start, the two tie up some loose ends from Phoenix, discussing Hideki's "chair-gate" in the playoff and some distressing tweets from Spieth Legion. There's plenty of discussion about the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, with one-and-done picks, Andy's "5 Guys to Monitor," and a new game that we'll be following for every Signature Event. They also debate whether Pebble Beach is now obsolete for PGA Tour pros following the debut of a new tee on the sixth hole for this week's tournament. LIV is back for a second straight week, jumping from Riyadh to Adelaide for the league's biggest non-U.S. event. Aussie Elvis Smylie is riding high following his win and was rewarded with a big OWGR boost for his troubles! Speaking of world ranking points, Andy and Brendan also react to Chris Gotterup reaching No. 5 in the world following his win at the WM Phoenix Open. They briefly recap Monday's TGL match, featuring three players that aren't on the rosters of the teams that played, and PJ suggests there's a new conspiracy afoot in the SoFi Dome. Everyone is ready to roll for a full week in Chicago ahead of Thursday night's event at SPACE. Join us in Chicagoland for an SGS Live Show on Thursday, February 12! We'll be hanging out at SPACE in Evanston, Illinois for a night of Q&A, Champs Tour Minute, and plenty of Bears chatter. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ticketweb.com/event/the-shotgun-start-space-tickets/14054084?pl=space⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more details.

Andy and Brendan planned to go LIVE on YouTube as part of "Golf's Favorite Pregame Show," but Hideki Matusyama had other plans. After a few too many wayward drives, Matsuyama could not make this a Victory Monday for Boston and coughed up the WM Phoenix Open to Chris Gotterup midway through the first quarter of the Super Bowl. Andy and Brendan recap a jam-packed week in the desert, hitting on Scottie Scheffler's t3 finish, Hideki's driver woes, and Chris Gotterup's continued ascension into the game's top tier. Patrick Reed could be the only player hotter than Gotterup right now, remaining undefeated in regulation in his last three starts with a win in Qatar. He is all but guaranteed a PGA Tour card through the DP World Tour now, but Brendan doubts his "lifelong goal to win the Order of Merit" is a real thing. Elvis Smylie immediately paid dividends for Rippers GC, staring down Jon Rahm in Riyadh for a win in his LIV debut. The two then run through results from the rest of the world and a bit of news before unpacking Brandel Chamblee's latest masterpiece of a take. Brandel made waves by suggesting that The Players Championship is ABOVE the four majors in stature and should absolutely be qualified as a major championship moving forward. Andy and Brendan are aghast at this statement and share some unsubstantiated rumors suggesting that the current PGA Tour membership does not share Brandel's personal opinion. Andy then previews Thursday night's live show in Chicago by reading some internet information about the event. Join us in Chicagoland for an SGS Live Show on Thursday, February 12! We'll be hanging out at SPACE in Evanston, Illinois for a night of Q&A, Champs Tour Minute, and plenty of Bears chatter. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ticketweb.com/event/the-shotgun-start-space-tickets/14054084?pl=space⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more details. Use code "FriedEgg" for 15% off at ⁠mobjak.com

The police siren is in use for this Friday episode following a Thursday 73 from Scottie Scheffler that left him visibly angry on PGA Tour Live! Andy and Brendan discuss an uncharacteristic over-par round from the World No. 1, as well as Brooks Koepka's tough day at a course he's won at in the past. Not everyone is on the struggle bus: Chris Gotterup has the first round lead with fellow young stars Pierceson Coody, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, and both Højgaards on his heels. In other PGA Tour news, they are once again starting up the "fifth major" debate around The Players Championship with a new promo that says "March Is Going To Be Major." Andy is ready for this weekend's Super Bowl after a week of hype in the Bay Area, but there's a brief preview of some events preceding next week's live show in Chicago. Somehow, this conversation ends with PJ challenging professional athletes to play him for an SGS season of "Pros vs. Joes." Patrick Reed could use someone to challenge him on the DP World Tour as he's once again right in the mix in Qatar. Brendan and Andy suggest any number of Euro stalwarts that could potentially become the "P Stopper" but it remains to be seen if anyone will step up. While Brooks is struggling in Phoenix, Smash GC is winning the team contest at LIV Riyadh, with some wondering if Talor "Sam Presti" Gooch has turned things around for good. The back half of this episode is dedicated to the PGA of America hiring Terry Clark as its new CEO, with Andy and Brendan both highlighting areas of need for the governing body now that it is under new leadership. Join us in Chicagoland for an SGS Live Show on Thursday, February 12! We'll be hanging out at SPACE in Evanston, Illinois for a night of Q&A, Champs Tour Minute, and plenty of Bears chatter. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ticketweb.com/event/the-shotgun-start-space-tickets/14054084?pl=space⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more details.

A long-awaited piece of news broke just before we hit record on this episode: the Utah Jazz have added to the Great Young Core! Andy is jubilant after the Jazz traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. on Tuesday afternoon and shows up to record in what Brendan calls a "murdered-out Utah Jazz ensemble." After a Sports Minute focusing on the Great Young Core and Andy's upcoming Super Bowl experience in the Bay Area, the two discuss the actual big news of the day, LIV Golf receiving OWGR points for the 2026 season. The top 10 finishers at each LIV event will receive points, with nothing going to those finishing 11th or worse. This has already led to complaints from the league and comparisons to the full field receiving points at a non-Tour event like the Hero World Challenge. Andy believes LIV's complaints don't have a leg to stand on given that the league does not abide by some of the usual OWGR guidelines to begin with. Brendan dove into the 2026 LIV media guide to learn more about this year's teams and found some great nuggets while researching this week's fourth Ace. LIV will start its season in Riyadh, with the Saturday finish ending up on FOX Business. On the PGA Tour, the WM Phoenix Open looks to NOT finish in a playoff that runs into the Super Bowl. Andy's list of "5 Guys to Monitor This Week (For Various Reasons)" features a sponsored legend, a three-time major champion, and one of Brooks Koepka's mules! We also spend PLENTY of time learning about the second mule Brooks will be bringing along with him into the field this week. There's a hilarious list of DPWT notables in Qatar to round out this week's schedule before Andy and Brendan read the latest statement from the LPGA regarding Sunday's disaster in Florida. We'll see you on Friday for more! Join us in Chicagoland for an SGS Live Show on Thursday, February 12! We'll be hanging out at SPACE in Evanston, Illinois for a night of Q&A, Champs Tour Minute, and plenty of Bears chatter. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ticketweb.com/event/the-shotgun-start-space-tickets/14054084?pl=space⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more details.

It was a historic weekend of professional golf as one of the game's greatest achievements finally came to an end. Andy begins this episode on a somber note as Xander Schauffele's "made cut streak" was snapped on Friday at the Farmers Insurance Open. Brendan joins in, remembering other iconic streaks such as Cal Ripken Jr.'s consecutive games played record and comparing them to Xander's totally-not-made-up mark. Justin Rose did make the cut and ran away with his second win at Torrey Pines, defeating a trio of players by seven shots. The 45-year-old is now ranked third in the OWGR and has played some of the best golf of his career in the last 12 months. Andy and Brendan wonder how much gas he has left in the tank, with Brendan predicting that Rose will compete in majors into his fifties. In other notes from the Farmers, Brooks Koepka finished t56 and had plenty of time on the broadcast on ESPN, Golf Channel, and CBS despite never being competitive. One of the two mules that Brooks brought onto the "ark" this week did make some money, kicking off our yearlong game of Brooks vs. Mules. Johnson Wagner also made his long-awaited CBS debut and did not disappoint, recreating shots while the tournament was still going on! The two also discuss Michael Brennan's DQ thanks to a Data Boy and strong weeks from Si Woo Kim, Joel Dahmen, and Ryo Hisatsune. The DP World Tour event in Bahrain ended in a playoff featuring Patrick Reed and ended in a wild concession that no one had ever seen before. The main event of this podcast is Andy and Brendan's recap of what went on at the LPGA's Tournament of Champions on Sunday. The event was shortened into a 54-hole event due to the course not being an "optimal competitive environment" for "competitive competition" according to some statements from the tour. Andy and Brendan tee off as they're astounded by the celebrity pro-am still being played on the very same course rather than the actual tournament. For those with tinfoil hats, Nelly Korda won for the first time in over 440 days as a result of the shortened event. There's also plenty of Illinois basketball talk at the end of this episode, as well as more invites from colleges across the country who want Andy, Brendan, and PJ to inspire the youth of America. Join us in Chicagoland for an SGS Live Show on Thursday, February 12! We'll be hanging out at SPACE in Evanston, Illinois for a night of Q&A, Champs Tour Minute, and plenty of Bears chatter. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ticketweb.com/event/the-shotgun-start-space-tickets/14054084?pl=space⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more details.

The hits just keep on coming early in this 2026 golf season: Patrick Reed is BACK on the PGA Tour... in August. Andy and Brendan begin this episode with some other breaking news regarding a beloved recurring bit possibly coming to an end and some more details about the SGS Live Show coming to Evanston on Thursday, February 12. They then dive into the biggest news of Thursday: Tony Finau's new Jordan Brand clothing. After a conversation about fashion, Andy and Brendan discuss Patrick Reed's decision to leave LIV Golf and play the DP World Tour in 2026 before returning to the PGA Tour in 2027. They debate whether "LIV is dead," as reported by many, and wonder whether any other LIV players will reassess their allegiances after Brian Rolapp removed another hurdle towards a PGA Tour return for Reed. Andy deems that LIV deserves this outcome of losing its stars following a FOX Sports graphic promoting the season opener that misspelled the names of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Martin Kaymer (henceforth known as Martin Kraymer on this podcast). Brendan reads Patrick Reed's statement, in which he claims he was "born to play on the PGA Tour," even though he voluntarily left said Tour years ago to play on LIV. The real winners in all of this? Guys like Laurie Canter and Victor Perez, who now have one less player to compete against for these big purses. Speaking of returning players, Brooks Koepka played his first round back on the PGA Tour on ESPN, carding a 73 on the South Course at Torrey Pines. Andy compares his "re-debut" to what it's like when Tiger returns from an injury, leading to massive over-analysis of every little thing in one round or tournament. Koepka played with Ludvig Åberg - always comfortable going to and from the course - and Max Homa, both of whom struggled mightily on Thursday. Justin Lower and Justin Rose are atop the leaderboard at Farmers. We end the show with the return of Golf Advice, featuring an Andy-submitted question for Brendan and a listener question that BP deems "human advice." Join us in Chicagoland for an SGS Live Show on Thursday, February 12! We'll be hanging out at SPACE in Evanston, Illinois for a night of Q&A, Champs Tour Minute, and plenty of Bears chatter. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ticketweb.com/event/the-shotgun-start-space-tickets/14054084?pl=space⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more details.

Not sure if you've heard about it, but Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour this week! Andy joins Brendan for this Farmers Insurance Open preview coming off a big Ballfrogs win on Monday night. He's giddy about the Frogs continuing to earn the top spot in our TGL Power Rankings and makes a pitch for Michael Thorbjornsen to become a permanent member of the team. Brooks Koepka has not yet joined a TGL team, but he did join some assembled media for a pre-tournament press conference at Torrey Pines on Tuesday. He spoke about his nerves returning to the PGA Tour and seemed a little emotional discussing the path that led him back to the Farmers. Andy and Brendan unpack the half-hour presser before Brendan offers up some over/unders for Koepka's 2026 season. How many Signature Events will he play? Will he return to Bellerive for the BMW Championship in August? Will he ever suit up for Jupiter Links after all? Koepka will be in a featured group at the Farmers for Thursday and Friday which will be broadcast on linear TV thanks to ESPN. Brendan wonders if this is the PGA Tour showing off to Bryson and Rahm that they could also be prominently featured on the Worldwide Leader in Sports if they were to return before their approaching deadline. Could Patrick Reed also be part of this conspiracy? We'll have to find out. Andy shares his "5 Guys to Monitor (For Various Reasons)" ahead of this week's festivities at Torrey, keeping an eye on a horse for the course and a major champion that could be on the trade block. One-and-done picks are made for the Farmers with PJ's pick prompting a fun Medinah story from Andy. Elsewhere on the schedule, LPGA season kicks off this week at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions and Patrick Reed looks to stay hot on the DP World Tour in Bahrain. In news, the 2026 PGA Tour Player Advisory Council was announced and has a distinctly American feel, Nelly Korda has some *takes* about WTGL, and a DP World Tour player goes down for a performance-enhancing drug suspension.

Scottie Scheffler is one-for-one in 2026! Andy and Brendan return to recap yet another victory by the best player in the world, his 20th on the PGA Tour and first at The American Express in Palm Springs. Andy immediately wonders if Brendan and PJ regret "fading Scottie" by taking the under on 6.5 wins this year. Neither of them relent, but they do admit that the over is off to a hot start. Andy and Brendan highlight Scheffler's ability to win both birdie-fests and hard-fought events, as well as his ability to never hurt himself, putting pressure on those playing in the same group as him on Sunday. One such example was Blades Brown, the 18-year-old phenom who entered Sunday tied with Scottie in second place. He had one of the few over-par rounds on Sunday playing alongside the World No. 1, pushing the Korn Ferry Tour member out of the top ten with a t18 finish. In Dubai, Patrick Reed won again on the DP World Tour during some rainy coffee golf. Afterwards, he revealed that he's not currently signed with LIV for 2026 and is contemplating playing a DPWT schedule to try to earn a PGA Tour card for 2027. Andy and Brendan wonder whether he'll actually do this and give Reed some props for being a golf sicko and world player. Stew Cink continued his reign over the Champions Tour, winning the season opener in Hawaii. Adam Schupak wrote up an article detailing the struggles of Zinger, Papa, and Peter Jacobsen calling Champs Tour action from PGA Tour Studios, sending Andy and Brendan over the edge with how serious they were. Peter Jacobsen just wants to see if Tommy Two Gloves is using the same gloves every week, and he can't do that from inside the moat! To end the show, Brendan runs through the LIV Awards results, including Jon Rahm winning Clutch Player of the Year, as predicted by Andy on Thursday afternoon. Andy then slightly amends his northeast snow take from last week after hearing from many listeners. For those wondering, yes, there are plenty of Football Minutes within this episode as well!