Golf Today

It's Wednesday at Bay Hill as golf's biggest stars prepare for the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Mastercard. George Savaricas and Ryan Lavner caught up with Rich Lerner and Brandel Chamblee who are on the grounds at Arnie's place. Golf Today welcomes special guests James Nicholas and Michael Kim. Todd Lewis and Mark Rolfing recount their favorite memories of Arnold Palmer himself.

After a Monday finish at the Cognizant Classic, everyone has finally arrived at Bay Hill to begin preparations for the Arnold Palmer Invitational! That includes not only our newly-minted winner Austin Eckroat, but also fellow tour pro Ben An! They both join us today to discuss everything from the states of their games to the health of the game overall after LIV Golf withdrew their appeal for Official World Golf Ranking Points. Kurt Kitayama also stops by the show today to discuss how winning last year's edition of the tournament changed his life, and how defending his title affects his approach to things this week. Ben An (12:11) Kurt Kitayama (37:15)

Wild weather and a Monday finish couldn't stop Austin Eckroat from taking his first PGA TOUR win at the Cognizant Classic! George Savaricas and Ryan Lavner break down the big win for the 25-year old from Oklahoma. The OK State alum is far from the only thing to discuss in the world of golf from this past weekend. Anthony Kim returned to professional golf for the first time in a decade this weekend and Dylan Wu made comments about exemptions into signature events that turned heads. Listen in to find out what Golf Channel's Rex Hoggard and Golf Digest's Joel Beall had to say about it all on the Golf Today Roundtable! Golf Today Roundtable (29:08)

After an interview with Australian Golf Digest, Talor Gooch voiced his discontent after not receiving an invitation to this year's Masters. Gooch stated, “If Rory McIlroy goes and completes his grand slam without some of the best players in the world, there’s just going to be an asterisk. It’s just the reality.” His statement has the golf world in a complete uproar. Kira K. Dixon catches up with Rory for his response to Gooch’s statement. Camilo Villegas had one of the greatest stories of the fall after winning the Butterfield Bermuda Championship after a 9-year drought. This 5-time PGA TOUR winner joins to discuss the new role he has taken on. At the 2023 NCAA championship, he trailed by five strokes entering the final round of stroke play and shot a final-round 67 to win by a stroke. He is the third Gator and first since Nick Gilliam in 2001 to win the NCAA individual title. Eamon and George are joined by University of Florida standout, Fred Biondi to discuss his debut this week at the Cognizant Classic. As part of our continued commitment to moving the game forward, we are celebrating accomplishments made by African Americans within game of golf. Solomon Hughes, the Director of Marketing for Intersport joins to discuss the major contributions he and his team have made to keep John Shippen’s legacy alive. 17:16 - Camilo Villegas 26:54 - Fred Biondi 32:30 - Solomon Hughes

The PGA TOUR returns to PGA National with a fresh coat of paint on its event The Cognizant Classic of the Palm Beaches! We get a live report from Kira K. Dixon from the golf course and we'll also hear from Rex Hoggard about a meeting of the PGA TOUR Policy Board that evening. Can we expect more updates on negotiations between the TOUR and Saudi PIF? Listen in to find out! Don't miss our 'Past Champ Chat' with Luke Donald either! The captain of the victorious European 2023 Ryder Cup team reminisces Cognizant Classic win in 2006, and looks forward to the 2025 Ryder Cup he'll captain at Bethpage Black. Lastly, this week's event was near and dear to the heart of our late colleague Tim Rosaforte. An award for golf journalism is given out at the event each year in his honor, and this year it goes to Craig Dolch. Craig stops by to discuss what the award, and it's namesake, means to him. Luke Donald (14:12) Craig Dolch (24:54)

Less than 10 starts into his PGA TOUR career, Jake Knapp joins the winners circle! Eamon Lynch & George Savaricas discuss the surprise win and if this rookie could be on the fast track to superstardom. On the LPGA Tour, Brittany Lincicome celebrated a career milestone herself recently too as she accepted assistant captaincy for team USA at the Solheim Cup in the fall. The two-time major champ calls into the show to discuss what the classic team event means to her, and what it'll take for Team USA to regain the cup on home soil this fall. Lastly, down at the amateur level, Sadie Englemann is gearing up for her final appearance at the Augusta National Women's Amateur. What will it take for her to make the cut and play on one of the game's most iconic courses for Sunday's final round? She stopped by the program to let us know! And lastly, the Golf Today Roundtable is back for another week! Rex Hoggard and Ryan Lavner join Eamon and George to discuss everything from the upcoming Florida Swing on the PGA TOUR to the comeback of Anthony Kim to LIV Golf. Brittany Lincicome (21:45) Sadie Englemann (28:32)

Join us for yet another Golf Today roundtable! Today Eamon Lynch and Matt Adams will discuss what players have already accepted their special invitations to The Masters. Later, the pair will be joined by Golf Channel’s own Amy Rogers and GolfWeek Senior Writer Beth Ann Nichols. The roundtable will breakdown the current state of the LPGA and take a look ahead at this week’s tournament: the Honda LPGA Thailand. Later, Eamon and Matt will be joined by Jim “Bones” Mackay as he takes a weekend off working the bag for Justin Thomas to join the booth for the Mexico Championship. Golf Today Roundtable (13:02) Jim "Bones" Mackay (27:32)

Another day, another Golf Today roundtable! Matt Adams & Eamon Lynch welcome in Golf Channel Senior Writer Rex Hoggard & 3-time PGA TOUR winner Johnson Wagner to have a conversation about the game we all love. Topics include Scottie Scheffler's putting woes and Rory McIlroy's vision for a worldwide PGA TOUR that competes in Asia, Australia, and beyond. Are the world No. 1's struggles with the putter being blown out of proportion? Does golf have the market share to achieve the global success that McIlroy envisions? Listen to what our panel has to say!

It was an up and down weekend on the PGA TOUR. 2021 Masters Champion Hideki Matsuyama returned to the winner's circle for the first time since 2022, while Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth missed each missed the weekend due to illness and an incorrect scorecard respectively. Matt Adams and Eamon Lynch discuss what the weekend means in the grand scheme with Shane Ryan and Ron Green Jr. in the newest edition of the Golf Today Roundtable! One player who didn't miss the weekend was Chase Johnson, recipient of the Charlie Sifford Exemption into the field. Johnson stops by to discuss how this could be a watershed moment for his pro golf career. Lastly, we shift our focus to Mexico, the TOUR's next stop. Santiago Casado joins us to talk about the Azteca High Performance Program; a training program he runs for elite Mexican athletes and wants to extend into the game of golf. Chase Johnson (14:07) Golf Today Roundtable (19:47) Santiago Casado (30:57)

Today Tiger Woods held his yearly press conference before hosting the Genesis Invitational. The 15-time major champion discussed everything from his new clothing brand to ongoing negotiations with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. Listen here and hear it all from the man himself on the Golf Today podcast!

It’s always a great week when the Tiger is in the field. Tiger Woods is set to make his first PGA Tour appearance this season at the Genesis Invitational in Southern California in his new look. Since parting ways with Nike and partnering with TaylorMade, Tiger has a new line called “Sun Day Red”. You’ll want to lean into the exciting Golf Today Round Table featuring Todd Lewis, Rex Hoggard, Eamon Lynch and Ryan Lavner as they delve into Tiger’s new Sun Day Red line, the chaos at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, this week’s cut line and much more. Later, Rex and Todd catch up with “Mr.57”, Cristobal Del Solar, to discuss his remarkable 1st round at the Astara Golf Championship. To take us home we catch up with Diego Ponce, a TGR Learning Lab member and aspiring multimedia journalist. Cristobal Del Solar (13:18) Diego Ponce (53:21)

Rex Hoggard and Todd Lewis discuss Tiger Woods being in the field for the Genesis Invitational as well as his imminent announcement. The guys then welcome in Chance Cozby, executive director of the Thunderbirds, to talk about the crowds at the WM Phoenix Open and whether the fans went too far this year. Paige Mackenzie and Steve Sands join to talk about everything that happened last weekend including Nick Taylor’s electric win. 1983 PGA Championship winner, Hal Sutton joins to talk about his experience at Riviera and what players should expect next week. Rex and Todd then welcome the CEO of the TGR Foundation to talk about their major impact on the community. We button up the show with local reporter Cameron Cox to talk about the crazy scene at TPC Scottsdale and whether changes need to me made for the event next year. Chance Cozby (8:35) Paige Mackenzie & Steve Sands (19:11) Hal Sutton (34:34) Cyndi Court (43:44) Cameron Cox (49:28)

With Damon and Eamon out in Arizona for the 2024 Waste Management Phoenix Open, they are joined World Number 1 Scottie Scheffler as he looks ahead to the tournament. Former Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban stops by to give an insight on his golf game. Later, they are joined by both NFL Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith and 14-time MLB All-Star Alex Rodriguez. The guys will also get into Tiger Woods’ commitment to next week's Genesis Invitational.

From Youtube content to large network collaborations, the creators of Good Good, Bubbie Broders and Brad Dalke join Eamon and Damon to discuss the impact their content is having on the game. In theme with “Good Good”, it’s a good week for Bud Cauley. Back in 2018, Cauley was in a car crash that hindered his ability to play golf. Now healthy, Cauley will be teeing it up this week on a medical exemption at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Phoenix, Arizona. Damon and Eamon catch up with him to gain insight on what his goals are going into this weekend. As we wrap up the show, Arizona Cardinals' legend, Larry Fitzgerald stops by to chop it up with the guys. Curt Byrum (14:58) Bubbie Broders & Brad Dalke (27:58) Bud Cauley (50:32) Larry Fitzgerald (56:15)

Wyndham Clark is a winner once again on the PGA TOUR! The now 6th ranked golfer in the Official World Rankings took his third PGA TOUR win in the last two seasons at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am after inclement weather shortened the event to only 54 holes. Clark joins Damon & Eamon to discuss his newest victory, and opens up about his past conversations with representatives from LIV Golf about joining the rebel tour. Clark's third win comes in the first 54-hole event to be played on TOUR since 2016. Chief Referee Gary Young calls in to the show to discuss the TOUR's rationale for ending the year's second designated event a round early. On the latest edition of the Golf Today Roundtable Joel Beall & Taylor Zarzour join the guys to discuss recent words exchanged between Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth about the potential involvement of the PIF in future investment in the PGA TOUR. Looking ahead to the Masters, Latin America Amateur Champion Santiago de la Fuente will make his debut at Augusta National thanks to his big victory in Panama. The University of Houston Men's Golf product stops by to discuss his career and who his dream pairing for a practice round would be... Wyndham Clark (2:50) Gary Young (16:20) GT Roundtable (31:51) Santiago de la Fuente (54:20)

The West Coast swing is in full effect and the PGA Tour makes a stop at one of the most iconic venues for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Damon Hack and Eamon Lynch have the inside scoop for what you can expect ahead of this weekend’s competition. Later, Rex Hoggard and Ryan Lavner join for a Golf Today Roundtable to discuss all the hottest topics in golf. In the 90’s Payne Stewart was one of the most iconic golfers to play the sport. He was a winner at Pebble Beach, but is most remembered for his U.S. Open victory. Stewart loss his life in a tragic plan crash. Today would have been his 67th birthday. With more on Payne Stewart’s legacy, we are joined by Victoria Nenno, a Senior Historian with the USGA Museum. Victoria Nenno (19:05) Rhett Evans (23:37) Jeremy Paul (31:44)

Two LPGA legends duked it out Sunday as Nelly kept Lydia out of the Hall of Famer for now. Damon and Eamon recap the thrilling LPGA Drive on Championship and what's next for Lydia Ko. Also, the Golf Today Roundtable returns to break down Matthieu Pavon's Farmers Open win and the murky future of Tyrrell Hatton. PETER JACOBSEN (16:43)

Damon Hack and Rex Hoggard discuss Nick Dunlap’s official announcement of turning professional on the PGA Tour and sit down with the man himself who describes his wild past week. Nick plans to play at the AT&T Pebble Beach-Am next week. Nick Dunlap 11:11

Golf Today celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day with special guests USGA Executive Committee member Sinclair Eaddy Jr. and 2023 APGA Adrian Stills Award winner Wyatt Worthington II. Rex Hoggard and Ryan Lavner recap yesterday's final round of the Dubai Invitational. Paige Mackenzie and Karen Stupples look ahead to the 2024 LPGA Tour season, which kicks off this week with the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Damon and Eamon welcome 1985 American Express winner Lanny Wadkins. Sinclair Eaddy Jr. (29:06) Wyatt Worthington II (49:51) Lanny Wadkins (1:00:27)

Damon and Rex catch up with two-time NBA champion, J.R. Smith, at the PGA Merch Show. He currently is a member of the North Carolina A&T Men’s golf team. He’ll chat with us about his time in the NBA and his newfound love for golf. Later in the show, we talk to Jeff McNeil, New York Met’s second baseman. He most recently won the celebrity division of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions last week at Lake Nona, Florida. J.R. Smith :38 McNeil 8:09