augusta national

The boys break down every episode of Season 2 of Full Swing with Golf Digest’s own Shane Ryan. Plus, we chat with Keegan Bradley, Tom Kim, Joel Dahmen, show creator Chad Mumm and more.

0:00: Reaction to Joaquin Niemann's Masters invite

02:30: Two words were absent from the press release: "LIV Golf"

05:00: Greg Norman keeps beating the same OWGR drum

08:00: Niemann in, Talor Gooch out: Does he have a legitimate gripe?

12:30: Mapping out what a "global tour" would look like

22:00: Potential hangups to the idea

29:30: We're officially entering #FullFieldSZN on Tour

36:00: What's on the grill/Rex's smash burger taco

For anyone who follows golf on any of the socials, chances are you know who Brandon Cubitt is. His ongoing series:  Trying To Play Augusta National has millions of views and for good reason. He's a genuine guy who is passionate about playing one of the worlds greatest golf courses. His quest is as likeable and relatable as Brandon himself. 

Mike and Michelle Weir recently got behind Brandon to help support in any way they can as well. Brandon shares his story on how they connected, what's next in his journey, and even answers the silly questions all guests on our podcast are subjected to. 

Tune in for one of the best "Did I Tell You About My Albatrosses" episodes to date.
00:00 Mike Weir Connection / Introduction
02:31 Jon Rham takes
03:58 Brandon Cubitt Joins POD!
06:30 Albi tells his albatross story again
08:23 Regular golfer play Augusta?
10:40 Mike Weir Connection 
18:32 Shirt off at Masters
21:22 The most expensive golf bag setup
27:17 Can a human swallow a golf ball and survive
28:24 Are there more egs in the world or eyes
32:01 Albi admits the reason for the podcast
33:58 DITYAMA choices for top courses to play
37:30 Rolback golfball discussions
40:27 Albi and Panda death duel in putt putt challenge

Smylie is joined by fellow Birmingham, Alabama native Gordon Sargent, who has already clinched his PGA Tour card as a junior at Vanderbilt via the PGA Tour U Accelerated program. Gordon discusses the special invitation he received to the 2023 Masters and what he learned in his week at Augusta National, his elite driving skill that has already earned the admiration of Tour veterans like Adam Scott, and his wild putt on the 72nd hole of the 2023 U.S. Open that went viral. Gordon also details the decision he'll be making as to whether he'll stay in school for his senior year, or turn pro after this season.

The boys recap a dud of a British Open and a majors season in general while also heaping praise on Brian Harman’s impressive victory. We also get into our major season superlatives and break down the most exciting finish of the week in golf at the Barracuda Championship.

Smylie is joined by 2013 Masters champion and former world #1 Adam Scott as he prepares to play in the 91st major championship of his career at Royal Liverpool. Adam discusses who he modeled his golf swing after, his opinion on the best - and boldest - dressers in the game, and lists his top five major venues.

Smylie is joined by four-time NBA champ and two-time NBA MVP Steph Curry as he prepares to play in the eighth edition of "The Match" in Las Vegas. Steph discusses his recent trip to Cypress Point, whether NIL would have impacted his college decision, the biggest basketball shot of his career, his role as Justin Thomas' shooting coach, and the wild question Jordan Spieth asked President Obama during a round of golf.

There are many questions still to be answered about the LIV/PGA Tour merger—so the boys analyze how this will shape professional golf in the short and long term. The boys were joined by insider Joel Beall, Golf Digest senior writer, who has been covering the LIV saga since the beginning, to make sense of Tuesday’s news.

Between Jason Day’s resurgence, LIV’s big gaffe and the PGA Championship, there was plenty to discuss on this week’s episode. Legendary PGA professional Michael Breed joined us to break down all of it, and he came armed with some seriously juicy Oak Hill nuggets. Alex, Steve and CP also create another golf debate out of thin air, in addition to making their best bets for the second major of the year.

A key component of Jon Rahm's identity, and one that's not often discussed in English-speaking media, is his Basque heritage. The Basque people represent the oldest surviving ethnic group in all of Europe; they pre-date the Indo-Europeans who swept through the rest of the continent, and whose descendants live there today. Euskal Herria, the Basque homeland, is a region the size of New Hampshire in southern France and northern Spain, and the people have their own language and culture that have survived repeated attempts to snuff it out, right up to the present day. But for such a tight-knit and insular community, they've had an outsized impact on world history. As Rahm himself has said, there's a difference between the Basques and the Spanish, and while he represents both on the global stage, it's his Basque background that defines his cultural heritage and his strength as an elite competitor. To understand Rahm, you have to understand the Basques.

The legendary Calvin Johnson may have retired early, but he's staying plenty busy with a new business venture and a rapidly improving golf game. He tells us about his simulator setup, "chopping it up" with Tiger, and his famous catch that wasn't a catch. Also, Alex, Steve, and Chris discuss Golf Digest's gambling panel's hot streak, how Golf Digest does its course ranking, and tackle a hole-in-one question before making their AT&T Byron Nelson picks.

After an already incredible week at the Masters, our very own Stephen Hennessey and Christopher Powers got to tee it up at Augusta National on Monday, Sunday pins and all. As expected, it was even better than we expected. The boys do a full breakdown of the course and their rounds, including Steve’s insane par from short of the water (!!) at the famous par-3 12th hole. Find out who made the only birdie of the round, who made an opening 8 and which one of us won an epic match on an epic day in Georgia. Plus, a recap of Jon Rahm’s second major title and the LIV boys having a successful start to the major season.

Round one of The Masters begins today at Augusta National; Hall of Fame QB John Elway is no longer employed by the Denver Broncos; and we go through the top sports news of the day in rapid fire.

- - - 

Today’s Sponsors:

Draft Kings - New customers can place a $5 wager on a pre-fight moneyline and receive an additional $150 in BONUS Bets if their fighter wins with code BOOSTER!

Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA), Gambling Problem? Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY),

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/OH/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA).

21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MA/MD/MI /NH /NJ/ NY/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. VOID IN ONT. Eligibility restrictions apply. Bonus bets (void in MA/NH/OR): Valid 1 per new customer. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 pre-fight moneyline bet. Bet must win. $150 issued as six (6) $25 bonus bets. Bonus Bets are non-cashable and cannot be withdrawn. Bonus bets must be wagered 1x and stake is not included in any returns or winnings. Bonus Bets expire 7 days (168 hours) after being awarded. Promotional offer period ends 5/28/23 at 11:59PM ET. See terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/mmaterms.

be wagered 1x and stake is not included in any returns or winnings. Bonus Bets expire 7 days (168 hours) after being awarded.

Promotional offer period ends 3/19/23 at 11:59 PM ET. See terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/basketballterms

No Sweat Bet (Void in OR): Valid 1 offer per customer. Opt in req. Valid only on college basketball bets 3/13/23 - 3/19/23. First bet after opting in must lose. Paid as one (1) bonus bet based on amount of initial losing bet. Max $10 bonus bet awarded. Bonus bets expire 7 days (168 hours) after being awarded. See terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com/basketballterms.

Black Rifle Coffee - Get 10% off coffee, coffee gear, apparel, or a Coffee Club subscription with code BOOSTER: https://www.blackriflecoffee.com/

Augusta National is one of golf's sacred sites, how might LIV's disruptors fit in for the 2023 Masters? Cameron Smith is the banner player for the Saudi backed league and enters the event with everyone intrigued to see how he and his LIV colleagues handle the scrutiny. Smith has spoken to the media and addressed a raft of questions about his involvement at the event. Featured: Nick O'Hern, former USPGA Tour Pro.

<a href=http://bit.ly/40EZFpG>Why Greg Norman is central to LIV</a>

PLUS... 

<a href=https://www.abc.net.au/connect>Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter</a>

On the 20-year anniversary of his runner-up finish to Mike Weir at the Masters, Len Mattiace joins us to recall that heartbreaking week. Alex, Stephen and Christopher also make their 2023 Masters picks and break down how the nasty weather could affect the weekend at Augusta National.

It's one of the most infamous moments in golf: Greg Norman taking a six-shot lead into the final round at Augusta National, only to live out every golfer's nightmare as he shot 78 and lost to Nick Faldo. Today, 27 years later, as Norman has emerged as the face of LIV Golf's threat to the game's world order, that memory feels as fresh as ever. On this episode of Local Knowledge, we dive deep to explore why it happened, what might have prevented it, and what we can learn from Norman's fate on that timeless Augusta Sunday

We caught up with eight-time Pro Bowl defensive back Patrick Peterson, one of the NFL’s best golfers, to chat about his best golf stories with Larry Fitzgerald, which includes the two changing in the car to go play Chicago Golf Club. Peterson tells us why Fitzgerald stopped playing him for money, how his handicap (and Aaron Rodgers’) might be a little iffy, plus what it’s like to play matches with Michael Jordan. Plus, Peterson makes his case for (finally) getting into the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am field.

On an October day in 1983, Charlie Harris drove his blue Dodge pickup through gate three at Augusta National. His goal? To talk to Ronald Reagan, who at that moment was playing the 16th hole on his first-ever trip to the storied course. What happened over the next two hours is one of the strangest chapters in Augusta history ... and despite the high stakes, it disappeared almost immediately from the news. This is the story of a desperate man, a hostage crisis, and a president trying to defuse a dangerous situation just two years after an assassin had almost killed him in Washington D.C.

In the second installment of our limited-run podcast series on Netflix’s Full Swing, hosts Shane Ryan, Sam Weinman, and Alex Myers discuss a much-improved second episode that focuses on Brooks Koepka and Scottie Scheffler. We discuss the portrayal of Koepka as a one-time dominant force now in the throes of a prolonged slump; how it contrasts to Scheffler, an amiable up-and-coming star who catapulted up the world ranking last year and won his first major at the Masters; and how the filmmakers appeared to have righted the ship after a sluggish start.

Check out Shane's recap of the episode here.

NFL Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher joined us to talk about his experience playing in the WM Phoenix Open pro-am for a third year. He tells us why Patrick Cantlay was a sneaky great pro to have on his team and he reveals which current MLB pitcher is the longest golfer he’s ever seen. Urlacher—who has played in the American Century Championship and will tee it up at the upcoming Invited Celebrity Classic on the senior tour—tells us about playing Augusta National (where made an eagle on a par 4) and some fun Michael Jordan stories.