Pete: Hey everybody, and welcome along to this week's edition of the Irish Golfer Podcast. Peter Finnan here and joined by Ronan McNamara from Burkdale.
Ronan: Quiet day at the office, really not much to report.
Pete: Quiet day at the office. So for people that were tuning in and waiting for like a preview pod of this open, we did record one but we kind of messed up the audio. We did it from the media centre the other day. So yeah, all cards on the table. Full transparency. We fed up. But ⁓
Ronan: So when it's when it's when it's your fault it's we, is it?
Pete: Yeah. No, it was a wee problem. It was a wee problem. But ⁓ I'm back home now and Ronan's still there. The cut line has just been made. It's ⁓ eleven o'clock at night. I think Bryson has literally just stepped off the driving range from all the antics that we'll get into now in a minute. But yeah, how are you enjoying it anyway, Ronan?
Ronan: Yeah, it today was nothing really happened today until maybe the last hour and a half. ⁓ a lot w a lot went on then, but no, it's it's been a very good couple of days. The leaderboard has been salvaged, I think, by the big names who are up there and are hopefully going to squeeze out the shite. Which is probably an apt term for how I'm feeling at the moment. But yeah. Like it there was a time there where it was the most quintessential ISCO P GA Tour championship leaderboard. ⁓ with the likes of Herbert, Suber, Dan Brown and A couple of others, Bud c Bud Caulley, Bud Cauley, Ryan Jarrett. Like it was just you're like, Wow, this this is not gonna be a good weekend. Maybe we could have done with England being in the World Cup final, push T times forward, no no one will be around anyway. But no, thankfully the big names came forward, including Bryson, and even though he's been given a two shot penalty, he's he's still there. Whether he tees it up now in the in the afternoon remains to be seen, but it's it's a cracking looking leaderboard now as we head into round three, whatever.
Pete: Ryan Gerard. ⁓ Jesus.
Ronan: Way that'll shape up.
Pete: Yeah. Let's start with the Bryson thing. ⁓ what are your thoughts on it? Like, cause I know from watching it on Sky, right? Radar called it straight away and said, I don't think he can actually take this club back on his intended line. He has to go outside the line that he wants to take it back on if he wants to make contact with this ball. And that's bringing it. And then he stood behind it, and then that wasn't a problem. ⁓ so radar called it straight away on Sky and Then he was on. The only thing is it's mad. So ⁓ I was watching Sky all day and then ⁓ so play is over and you've ⁓ Radar there and Nick Doherty and Laura Davis and they're going through and ever the three of those were like this would be really, really unfair and I don't think he should be penalized and without a camera behind knowing I don't think they can and all this sort of stuff. So it got to like half nine, ten o'clock in the evening, and ⁓ Bryson's on the range and Sky are still faffing about. So I put on the golf channel and sha what Chamblee and McGinley did not say about Bryson, like they they were adamant. No, and I actually agree with them. The more I listened to them in the end, I thought first, ⁓ he's a bit hard done by here. But when they show the stuff and then you listen to the R and A referees and then they They talk your man what's his name? ⁓ Grant Muir came out and explained it, went through it like he doesn't have a leg to stand on here, Bryson, really.
Ronan: Grab mirror. No, I mean I don't think he was outwardly going out to cheat there, but I don't think he means to do. But like he i he the the lie has been improved. Like I mean it's a Bry like the only patch of lush pescue I think left in the golf course he he found over there on on the fifth. ⁓ he obviously carried that water drain but yeah, it's ⁓ it's a Bryson de Chambles for Bryson de Trample.
Pete: No, there's nothing intentional. There's nothing intentional. But Yes. Yeah. You're getting all the sun's headlines out here now, are ya? Super
Ronan: ⁓ stop. Well no, he like i i inadvertently causes ball to move and all the trampling that went on, like it has improved the live, but it's just unbelievable. Like I don't know, as you see the scenes afterwards, ⁓ he like he hasn't been doing media all week outside of in house or and A stuff, but he was delighted to have the media around him there and get getting to follow him to the driving range and you know, asking asking them where
Pete: Mm. He was offering them food and everything.
Ronan: Offered him food, snacks in the back of the range, asking were we having a good time and having a good night. Yeah, but yeah, it was it was just pantomime billin' stuff and I think that a bit of it was in there as well. He was loving it. He was loving the bit of attention.
Pete: This is this is the thing that pisses me off a little bit about Bryson. Like I I'm a fan. I think he's he's he's box office, he's brilliant. But when he starts going on like this, it's the theatrics of all this that and and then li going to bed tonight and claiming that, yeah, I'm ⁓ I don't know if I'm gonna tee off in the morning and not even given you know, the respect of the tournament to actually accept the punishment that's been given to him and just man up to it. Like you know, ⁓ he he mightn't agree with it, but the referee, no referee in the game wants to penalize you ever unless you really are the wrong side of a rule. You'll always get the benefit of a doubt. Like always. And the referees that were there that went out that brought him out are two very, very senior guys. And They're not gonna penalize you unless you have stepped over the boundary. When it's been agreed, just accept it, move on and man up. But no, he's bringing the theatrics out. But it's what Bryson does well. He's the like you say, the pantomime villain. And to drag it out to the next morning and like I don't I we don't live in a planet that he's not going to tee it up tomorrow. It would be catastrophic for Bran Bryson if he didn't tee it up tomorrow and left someone Well, like the the reality of it is you're leaving someone three shots off the lead in an open championship playing in a one ball if you do that. It's just catastrophic.
Ronan: Yeah, it it wouldn't be in the spirit of the competition, but like I don't know, like it's been an unbelievable evening of drama, but certainly Bryson doesn't need it and you know, the open definitely doesn't need it. ⁓ I think everybody was pretty satisfied with how the leaderboard was looking up and up until this point. But like I didn't catch sort of the start of it, I kinda came in late to it, but apparently he had been just ushered away from scoring completely and brought back out onto the golf course to essentially like reenact what had happened. It was like it was like br it was like bringing a murderer back to the scene of a crime. Show us how you did that there, will you? Yeah, that's what it was like.
Pete: Yeah, that's what he did. No bringing OJ back to try the glove on. But that's exactly what they did. Yeah, no, it's mental. ⁓ but yeah, they brought him out. But I was watching that on TV then 'cause they had one of the like ⁓ cameras up in the sky, you know, the things up on the big ⁓ podiums pointing down and watching. So you couldn't hear what they were saying, but Bryson was not happy, so you knew. But then after that they they spent fifteen minutes out there, then another half an hour when they went back. They just it's just a drama of it all. But yeah, like it's still you know, it it it leaves him he's still in an unbelievable position. And he's playing really, really good golf.
Ronan: Yeah, he's still banging it like ⁓ that like that's the pity in it. The sixty six was so good and like everyone loves to hate Bryson, but he was getting serious love out there on that golf course. And whether you love him or hate him, you kinda do need him on top of the leaderboard. Again, two Route 4 or Route Against, which is probably just as fun.
Pete: Yeah.
Ronan: And yeah, I I'm very intrigued to see what the reception will be tomorrow because it's it's sorta like the perfect trial for this code of conduct thing that the ordinator brought in for fans to see how they treat Bryson tomorrow.
Pete: Yeah, it's just it he he's acted very childish since he's been on I think the fans will get behind him tomorrow. I like I would love to see him put a charge in in this tournament and and get up there. ⁓ close the gap again and, you know, be in one of the last two groups, gone into the last day of this. 'Cause he he has showed before on courses like this. You know, Pinehurst, case in point. He's well able for these firm, fast conditions. ⁓ I know on Like earlier in the week the whole Nick Faldo thing and strategy and all that and he's come out and he he's not talking to media and he's doing his own thing. But yeah, I l I like Bryson with his back up, but he's just he's pushed it a bit too far now this evening for me.
Ronan: ⁓ yeah, but i it's hilarious. It's it's blo it's bloody brilliant. I mean where where would we be without him? Like people be people will be looking back over the years, ⁓ where were you when Bryson was assessed at who shot penalty at the open? Yeah they will.
Pete: It is hilarious. No, it's it's it's box office, but ⁓ Yeah. They won't. ⁓ God. right, let's start. I suppose rather than doing a rundown on the leaderboard and different things, let's start with the Irish lads for today because I know you were out following them. ⁓ you were going through an awful lot. What stood out for you? So let's start with the man that got closest to making the cut anyway, David Howard. Because I know you followed him a good bit the last couple of days.
Ronan: Yeah, it's ⁓ I don't wanna be har I don't wanna be harsh and say it's like the classic Irish moral victory, hard luck kind of story. Well that's sorta what it is. this amaz but being here is just like such an achievement in itself. And how he's probably feeling now is is disappointment and maybe a bit of regret. But I'm thinking you
Pete: He'd be dis he'd be devastated leaving, yeah.
Ronan: You probably should be here for the weekend and mixing it with Bryson and the boys. Like he was he started off really well, as he did yesterday, settled in quite quickly to both rounds, which I think is an encouraging sign, but he birdied the third and the fifth. And that really kinda got things going. There's there's a bit of early hope. Then he back to back bogeys on six and seven. You think that's sort of the dream dead. ⁓ birdied eight. Should have birdied nine in my opinion. After such a great drive.
Pete: Yeah. And the eight.
Ronan: And then yeah, Birdie's eleven, and now all of a sudden you're plus two again, two under for the day. You've seven holes to make up one shot that you need to make the cut. ⁓ brilliant two actually really gutsy two really gutsy par saves, twelve and thirteen to be fair, which were just as important. Like he he spoke earlier in the week of wanting to make putts, like he did that in abundance today anyway.
Pete: Two of them are par fives.
Ronan: And yeah, you're thinking right. Two power fives, all you need is two good drives to set you up, and unfortunately, two blocks out I missed the one on fourteen because it's just such a long walk from the green to the T, but ⁓ yeah, and when he was losing them right, he was leaving himself too far back and unfortunately ⁓ wasn't able to advance the second on fourteen too far up the fairway. I think he left himself a hundred yards in for his fourth. ⁓ but a six again, like was no not the end of the world, you still have a possibility, and like he played fifteen, sixteen really well. And yeah, again, seventeen, that was all she wrote when the drive kind of goes in towards the bushes again. I'm a million miles away walking up the left hand side where the press are allowed to go, but yeah, it was just a shame. ⁓ again he wasn't able to ⁓ advance the ball too far up the fairway and Left himself I think maybe a hundred and ninety odd to the green from where he was and and then again like you're it's amazing when you think about it, like you're standing in the heart of the eighteenth fairway, one eight seven I think it was, and like this the most unlikely circumstance of all time, but you still have a shot to make the cut, and given no other amateurs made the cut, you've actually got a shot here for the silver medal. You've a shot to win the silver medal and it's a like a very good shot into the heart of the green again, which is all you can ever ask on the eighteenth from that distance, but yeah.
Pete: A shot to win a silver medal, yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Ronan: Yeah. Brilliant experience but I'd say if he's any serious ambitions about himself he'd be going to bed tonight dejected that he didn't get it over the line. And I think he should, because he played well enough to put himself into that position. And I'd like I don't think he shied away from he had two bad drives at the wrong time and there's huge learning in that. But my god, like what a what a like it's like when you read a novel and there's a
Pete: Yeah.
Ronan: That bit at the end, I can't remember what it's called. You think the novel's over, but there's that little bit extra. Yeah. That would have been a nice extension to this entire story.
Pete: Epilogue. Epilogue. Yeah. Yeah, it's it's funny you said it there, the most important thing you said, I think, anyway. And I like, I don't know. David does tune in the odd time ⁓ listens. I think learning is the most important thing. I think he will learn a hell of a lot about himself this week because he wouldn't have a spotlight on him, you know, the whole ⁓ you know, cystic fibrosis thing all week as well and the spotlight that was on him and then to you know, he earned a spot in his field, he gets into the field, he is wanted by all the media as a storyline, that thing took off in the we it is very tall. It's something that well, it's new.
Ronan: And that's tough. Like that's a tough it's it like I'd imagine it took it took so much out of his usual routine and I wouldn't be surprised 'cause ⁓ yeah, he was running on pure adrenaline, he's had like a really busy week before this with qualifying media interviews and then playing his own ⁓ having his own golf commitments. So I'd imagine he was pretty tired yesterday. And yeah, t to stick around is admirable.
Pete: Yeah. And they like me and you said it Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, when I was there on site with you, and every time we went out, Howard or Graham, both of them are either on the range of the golf course. They practiced a lot because it it's hard not to immerse yourself in everything that's around. You don't care about expending energy because you've one job to do and you think that's to prepare. But like you know, when Larry
Ronan: Yeah.
Pete: And Harrington were playing practice rounds, the boys feck off after nine or ten holes and the two lads go on.
Ronan: Yeah, like ⁓ Chewie played thirteen holes that day and ⁓ David played the whole eighteen. And we were kinda thinking, ⁓ Jesus do Yeah, I know, I know, but like
Pete: Yeah. And it's hard not to. And it's thirty degrees out and it's hard not to, but but these are the fine margins that can cost you. But we s we were lucky enough on Tuesday night, ⁓ to spend like a half an hour with Harrington and and chatting about this, that and the other, and ⁓ he was very, very interested in David Howard. He was asking you a lot of questions about his amateur stuff, and he was saying, like, you know, if he shoots seventy five, seventy five this week
Ronan: Yeah.
Pete: People are gonna think that he played badly and go away. That's not the case out here. That like this is a total different ball game. I if he gets anywhere close to making the cut, this is a big week for him. He will learn so much from here and take so much away and hopefully that improves him as a player. And I think it will.
Ronan: Yeah, I agree. I mean even he spoke after and he's already looking forward. He's like, I want to get back here, you know, I've got the taste for it, I got I've got the bug for it, you know, and I spoke earlier in the week saying he's playing like he's a teenager and you know, that sort of enthusiasm he has for the game, I think he'll give Q School a rattle. ⁓ he'll go there and maybe try turn pro at the end of the year. Like th it's been it's been a great audition, Walker Cup wise for him as well. ⁓ he's definitely put himself in the window of Dean Robertson. Like what happens now next week at the Souths, ⁓ you can continue that this journey now again and get onto the Walker Cup theme and all of a sudden other avenues open up for you. So like the the only thing David Harry can do from here is just, you know, win. There's it there's no losing from the situation he finds himself in. It's been a brilliant story, a brilliant week. Like the first T on Thursday morning was just an absolute scene. Like it was like being at a football match. It was it no, it genuinely was. like fair play to all the cork
Pete: Yeah. Have to get the dig in.
Ronan: People swap s no, no, no, no. That's it. Like no hurlins to go to they swap their chain tickets for open tickets and fair play to them.
Pete: I know it's brilliant. It is great. That's one thing we do well in this country is we back our own really well. And it is like I was getting requests from people down in Cork for do you have any tickets, do you have this? ⁓ being over there and and yeah, it it's great to see. And yeah. ⁓
Ronan: Yeah. But like that that's what makes it all the more painful though at the same time. You're just like, ⁓ you're just so close. It would have been unbelievable. Like i it would have been like honestly, like if he made the cut, who gives a shite who wins the open this weekend? Do you know what mean? It just would have been unbelievable.
Pete: Yeah. He was so close. But like ⁓ it's massive for it's massive for Irish golf to have someone like to win a silver medal ⁓ would have been huge. Like we were talking about this, saying like, you know, you're going back to McElroy, the last Irish man that won the silver medal.
Ronan: Yeah, in ⁓ seven. Hasn't been won since twenty twenty three by anybody. So it just shows how difficult it is for an amateur to make the cut at the open and he, you know, with seven holes to go, was in with a right chance. ⁓ I think even Ma Mason Howell missed out on two on by a shot on two over, also shot a sixty nine. ⁓ so it just shows you like a player players of this calibre. Like he beat he beat Harrington as ⁓ who we've mentioned earlier, he beat Matt Fitzpatrick, who was, you know, heavily, heavily tipped.
Pete: So no one's made the cut, yeah.
Ronan: ⁓ and a lot of other, you know, big names miss the cut as well. Yeah.
Pete: No, he belongs. He'll come away. You belong out there. You you're capable. That's all you can do is put yourself into the firing line and f test yourself and find out if you're good enough. He clearly is and he can walk away with his his head held high and his chin up and he should be very proud of himself.
Ronan: Yeah, and like f the seventy four yesterday four over was no no disgrace, even though it was in the easier morning conditions allegedly. And today you still win it and you still have to hit the golf shots. I like Stewie shot a sixty nine there this morning and he sort of he sort of fobbed it off by saying the course was was playing gettable, but certainly David's sixty nine in the afternoon was during the tougher conditions, even though there was still low scoring to be had. But no, he can only only be proud of his efforts and look
Pete: It's still windy, it's still tough.
Ronan: He gave himself every chance to make the cut, and that's all you could really ask of yourself going into the week.
Pete: Yeah. Stewie's race was one was run yesterday, I'd say he was very, very disappointed.
Ronan: Yeah, it was sort of what we feared, that quiet confidence. He never wanted to come back and and bite somebody and again, like s he's there doing a lot of media as well and You know, he's had a very busy time winning the amateur and then winning the European team championships the week before, literally flying back in from Estonia at God knows what time and heading over to Berkeley. And that again, that also takes out of you too. And then you add in all the immersing yourself in the experience and the practice element and you know, spending so much time with family and friends pre and post round. Like it's a real that experience can take it out of you from a playing point of view. So he'll be pleased with his with his ⁓ sixty nine today, to be fair, show plenty of good stuff and then to probably three of the last six holes I think it was. we'll le he'll leave with a with his ⁓ head held high because he he said it himself he went to bed on Thursday night very, very disappointed. So I think he can leave knowing that he's at least shown what he can do, even if he was probably waiting too long for it to happen, as he admitted.
Pete: Yeah, yeah. No, no, it is. ⁓ running down through the other ⁓ Irish before we get stuck into Shane and and McElroy. Obviously disappointing for ⁓ Clark and Harrington ⁓ on it. But Tom McKibben, I I I did I I'd a feeling I'd expected Tom McKibben to make this cut and actually do well around here. It just didn't happen for him.
Ronan: Yeah, well it hasn't been happening for Tom for a long time now. ⁓ this season. Like he's finishes between twenty first and thirtieth, I think, in his last five starts and now this missed cut. It's just yeah, he's he's playing fine, but he said it himself yesterday, it just needs a spark and he ⁓ just can't find it. It's one of those things I think every golfer at any level goes through. Like you know you're not playing badly, but you just nothing's happening. ⁓ just can't get any sort of momentum and
Pete: Yeah.
Ronan: Yeah, Burke kinda game came onto the major scene in a good way with three cuts in a row. Now he's missed his last four. And yeah, just he would have been expecting to make more of a push in terms of getting, you know, your top twenty fives and your top twenties in majors, which would be seen as a next step. So going away at at the end of the ⁓ at the end of the summer, probably reevaluating Where he's at and a with a particular look towards the majors next year and how he gets in them consistently and how he maybe finds a formula to perform on a on a more consistent basis as well.
Pete: Yeah, yeah. And looking at No, a hundred percent, a hundred percent. ⁓ and he like he's playing a fair bit of golf now with this agreement that ⁓ Live boys have with the D P World Tour as well. So he will be playing a lot of golf ⁓ away from Live between now and the end of the season just to fulfil that obligation. I think he's out again next week, so ⁓ yeah, there's there's plenty of golf ahead. ⁓ Rory. Where do you sit on Rory? Did you follow him at all?
Ronan: He's too good to be missing four cuts in a row. I didn't see a shot of him today. I was wa I wa I was watching Larry mainly. Er Rory. Seven off the lead is a lot. And there's a lot of there's a lot that but there's a lot of top there's a lot of top players ahead of him and that's the problem. It's not them the gap, it's the amount of players between him and the lead and that's the problem.
Pete: Yeah. He's gonna come out in the morning like he's gonna post a score in the morning. There is it it's not yeah. Like he's driven the ball so well, he's just making a couple of silly mistakes every round he plays. He he struggled on the greens yesterday. He was a little better today. ⁓ but still is just missing that little bit. Like you can tell by it as well. He ⁓ I'm sure he'll admit this, but he won't admit this till after the end of the season. He's just undercooked coming into this championship. He's under golfed. He hasn't played enough. And that's just a sim
Ronan: Yeah No. No he hasn't.
Pete: It's he where he was so good ⁓ at the Masters, ⁓ it's like the flip opposite. He was so good short game. Yeah. Just short game is just letting him down and I I still do think he'll feature in this tournament. I still think in the morning he's gonna come out on Saturday and he's gonna post a score and he's gonna get to within four or five of the lead and you know, ⁓ have a have a say up close to the top of the leaderboard without threatening anyone, really. But
Ronan: Yeah. That just that competitive edge isn't there.
Pete: Yeah.
Ronan: Yeah. Just yeah, it's sort of a backdoor top ten kind of a job, I think it looks at the moment. Like the big the big turning point would have been if the Eagle Puck was in a nine. And I know driving driving the green driving the green is great and everything, and yeah, fair enough, he's walked off with back to back birdies, but it's a sucker punch not getting that eagle putt. And hitting such making such a poor stab at it as well. Like, yeah, he's w yeah, it just it just hasn't happened.
Pete: Yeah, just one of those weeks. And he left it short. Yeah. Yeah. No, that that's the thing, it's just
Ronan: Even even like sixty sixty seven today ordinarily is a good score. When he's just seen two sixty twos going back to back and there was a couple of sixty fives and sixes, like you're sixty it was a par sixty nine out there today. And that's what it was.
Pete: Yeah, fair. Yeah. No, it was out there to be got at. ⁓ Shane is a strange one. Cause he's playing so well. He's play like he's playing but
Ronan: Sh Shane Shane play Shane played the most stress free nine holes I've ever seen.
Pete: And then probably the most stressed nine holes after that. Like, he looks like a man that just wants to punch the head off someone out in the golf course. He's so stressed out the last two days.
Ronan: Yeah. Either I ⁓ I I wouldn't go that far. I think he's shown great resilience and bounce back ability. I think the three bogeys in a row on Thursday, I think Ordin if that was the way the summer's been going so far, he turns that into a seventy three and then wraps the Sam wedge around somebody in the press room. And and then today, again, I thought Birdie the first. There is that early momentum. He got a couple of putts early Thursday as well. And Birdie's the first today. Again, really patient stuff. Gives himself chance on pretty much every green. Not
Pete: Mm-hmm.
Ronan: you know, unbelievable chance, but playing really well, stretchy stress free pairs. Birdie's nine like it's nobody's business and then again, same thing on the back nine. You those that stress ten to thirteen is difficult anyway. And then the the Pro Bogie on seventeen was clumsy and you're thinking you've just sort of maybe done yourself out of a very good round there, but to respond the way he did in eighteen, again, something that has been ha it has been happening since the Cognizant and I think there's a bit of a difference with Larry at the moment this week. I think he's a big round in him. I think if he gets in a run, he'll catch fire.
Pete: Yeah, eighteen was phenomenal. Yeah. Yeah, I do as well. I totally agree with that, and I do think it's massive that ⁓ Dermot Byrne knows how he ticks, and Dermot Byrne is in his ear the whole way around when you're watching how close he is to him, what he's talking, ⁓ how like he's in his ear the whole way, and he he he does seem to be a good ⁓ calm and influence on him at certain times as well, you know. But he just know how knows how he ticks. ⁓ like Shane is so in this tournament. But you just don't get that vibe from him. Even in his presser afterwards, when Greg Allen asked a few of those of those questions and Shane went quiet, I thought he was I thought he was going to explode.
Ronan: Yeah. It was funny. It was actually blown so far out of proportion on on Twitter. It was unbelievable. Because the headline is, you know, if ⁓ I'm not here for FedEx Cup points or whatever it was, and then a load of Americans like ⁓ my god, who asked Shane about the FedEx Cup? Well actually no one asked him about the FedEx Cup. He brought up the FedEx Cup and finished in twenty fifth. But ⁓ no, he's here to win. I think the leaders not getting beyond eight hundred was a good thing, but
Pete: Yeah.
Ronan: a lot of sort of the top players in the world have have surpassed him at the moment and it probably makes his task harder than it was when he stepped off the eighteen T ⁓ early afternoon on Friday. But he n I think He's three under par, just outside the top ten, and there's no suggestion that he's hanging on or you know, he's not putting well. He's playing very much within himself. Especially today on Friday, he played very much within within himself. And I think if anything he's another gear or two to go through, and it's just up to him to find it.
Pete: No, no, he's a run of Yeah, like you know, you take it in blocks of nine, he's four quarters left in this. He's one quarter away from being up near the top of this leaderboard.
Ronan: You think it you think it's the World Cup? Look at you, you're watching too many hydration breaks. Talking about quarters. No, I know, he is, he is
Pete: No, but he is. He is. He's he's he's one run of holes away from being right up there on the leaders' coattails and having a serious say in this tournament. But de like I I just I I don't want to come across, but I hope that that run of holes comes later. Maybe his f his front nine on Sunday, and he doesn't ignite tomorrow, and then he's the pressure, and then it's how he reacts as to
Ronan: ⁓ but sure, he could be too far back by the time he has four birdies in a row on Sunday. He need he just needs to go in a run where he gets three in a row or three birdies and five holes, three and four, four and six, something like that. Yeah, get this if he can get the seven under, I think he's a chance going into Sunday, and that's all he can really ask. And like that's but that's the con that's the context of the question he was asked. Is if he can put himself into position
Pete: What he did. Yeah, I yeah. It's Yeah. And then hang around. Yeah. No, no. I'm impressed by him this week, I
Ronan: And sorta, you know, have a go on Sunday and don't and don't and don't go away and like, you know, 'cause let's be real, a a good finish al although if he doesn't win he'll obviously be very disappointed, but a good finish would be a a nice change to the sheet music. Yeah.
Pete: Does he believe he can win? A confidence boost. Yeah. No, absolutely, absolutely. ⁓ What do you think of the sixty twos today? Like that's you look at there's been now seven sixty twos in championship history in in major championship history and three of them are at Burkedale.
Ronan: Yeah, I don't like it.
Pete: ⁓ neither am I because I think the cour the members won't be happy. The course is classed though.
Ronan: Although I was I wa hold my hands hold my hands if I was on fifty nine watch and in my opinion I think Lucas Herbert shot the worst sixty two in human history. Like he
Pete: ⁓ yeah. Yeah, he bot he totally bottled it coming down the last three. He totally bottled it. Like he was only hitting a six or an into seventeen.
Ronan: Like as as j it's j Like James Corrigan was there muttering away to himself in the road behind me, he just goes, Shit drive, sits shit second, shit third, shit put And that's what it was.
Pete: Yeah, and then the put up the last as well. Like to hit the drive and execute that, leave himself in a grey position and then yeah, it's just just mad. Just the put the way he just whiffed at it.
Ronan: But ⁓ yeah, Sam Burn a sixty two that nobody saw.
Pete: No, I know. He just chipped in out of bunker. No one there wasn't anyone out with him even it looked like it just ⁓ there's another sixty two. Herbert's only doing his interviews going, Yeah. It it's funny 'cause you forget like Lowry is one of those sixty twos as well, going back to Valhalla ⁓ two years ago. It's ⁓ you forget that round, like it's just outrageously good.
Ronan: She says ⁓ sixty two. Yeah. Yeah, but ha having three of them come with the same course is bizarre. Like it's outrageous. No.
Pete: Yeah, no, the members won't be happy with that. But but and in my view, like Burkdale is one of the best open venues. Like I've been so enthralled looking at this golf course all week. I think it's unbelievably good. It's so good. It's such a test. And it like yeah, the finishing holes are brilliant. It's risk reward. I think the eighteenth is it's probably the toughest finishing hole. I know Carnoustie's up there as the tough one of the toughest finishing holes ⁓ on the open rotor, but
Ronan: Yeah, no, I I agree. And the new holes are great as well.
Pete: I think in major championships, the eighteenth here, we are gonna see drama over the weekend coming up eighteen here. I just hope that it's not a runaway leader we have coming into Sunday that they can play it conservatively. You wanna see lads having to go for it because it is so narrow and it's it's just playing so fast and fiery. It's class.
Ronan: Hm. Yeah, no, it's it's gonna be a a great weekend, especially with the with the conditions. ⁓ I think if you you can t if you can be aggressive off the T, you can definitely shoot those those low numbers that we've seen so far. It's the lowest it's the lowest it's the lowest cut it's the lowest cut as well at Burkdale. Plus one.
Pete: Did you see any of Scotty Shaffler? Yeah. Did you see any Scotty Scheffler at all?
Ronan: Just on the big screen. Just lurking. Just lurking. No.
Pete: Like striping the ball around the place and can't put. Can't yeah, but can't like it was finished bottom, ⁓ like he was the worst putter on the golf course today, which is outrageous. And he's still he's still in a tie for eight, only like four shots off the lead. It's just he's lurking with intent.
Ronan: Yeah, yeah, again he's another one if he gets on a run he'll be he'll be hard to stop. But there's plenty of top quality players up there, you know Yeah, yeah, a few d I was gonna say Bryson actually for a second. But no, Tommy kinda came in well there the last the last few holes. Cam Young though, I think is the big danger, man.
Pete: Tommy lad as well. That's i it's mad you say that, 'cause someone said that to me earlier on. ⁓ who would you pick from here? And I just said, I think Cam Young all day is the one that is not gonna go away, likes these conditions, and probably should have won the Claret Jug back when Rory ⁓ threw it away in St Andrews when Cam Smith won. He he probably ⁓ he was the the man that day that just came in a charge.
Ronan: Yeah, yeah, that's it. I think like Cam Young is he fourth in the world still and sort of came in here under the radar. Gone a bit quiet since ⁓ since p sort of postmasters really ⁓ hasn't really done too much. So he was sort of under the radar and then all of a sudden like there's sixty two is being shot and he just creeps up there on on six underpower and as if nobody was nobody noticed him at all. So I think he'd definitely be the the one to look out for.
Pete: No, no, I'm looking forward to it. I would love to see Tommy Fleetwood get closer to the leaders and ⁓ get stuck in. I think he will. He'll he'll he'll be there. But no, but it is it's all mounting up for a great weekend anyway. We've Saturday and Sunday left to do. Is there anything else you want to hit on before we log off on this cut line on a Friday night?
Ronan: ⁓ I well, I know we've sort of got a a short podcast, but I do have a hero.
Pete: All right, yeah, go on. Heroes and villains. Let's let's do it.
Ronan: ⁓ Shane Ryan, you know, the American. He yeah, he put up a tweet ranking rankings of media food at the five majors. Now no number one is US Open, two is the Masters. Could be in the villain category for that. It should be the other way around. PJ Championship is three. Fourth is the players. Fifth is the open. And he says it's like they're trying to actively torture you.
Pete: Yeah, the journal. Yeah. Yeah.
Ronan: Pure grey sludge. I've had terrific food in the UK, but here it's like they're trying to revive every negative stereotype about British food, and it's the same eerie every day. You'll go in there hoping for anything palatable, but all that appeals is the sad French fries, and then when they've run out of ketchup, within three days you want to die.
Pete: So the R and A get the villains ⁓ and shit and ⁓ he gets the hero for calling them out. It is it is fairly rough now the media. Like I know you think you've got food poisoning today.
Ronan: Honestly, like I feel I I feel terrible. I feel terrible. It's just ⁓ no, it's just awful. Granola bowls are nice though.
Pete: ⁓ god. Yeah, no, that's it. No, right. I think we'll leave it at that. ⁓ cheers everyone for tuning in. We'll be back again on Monday, after we've crowned a new champion golfer of the year, hopefully. And ⁓ Ron will be getting a late flight back on Sunday night and we'll be back online on Monday with a full recap as to what's happening and what's happened. Hopefully, Shane Larry gets in a mix in this tournament. Rory gets close as well, but yeah, it's it's all heating up for a great weekend at Royal Burkdale. So cheers for tuning in and Ronan, thanks again for logging on this late on a Friday night. Boy.
Ronan: Quiet day at the office, really not much to report.
Pete: Quiet day at the office. So for people that were tuning in and waiting for like a preview pod of this open, we did record one but we kind of messed up the audio. We did it from the media centre the other day. So yeah, all cards on the table. Full transparency. We fed up. But ⁓
Ronan: So when it's when it's when it's your fault it's we, is it?
Pete: Yeah. No, it was a wee problem. It was a wee problem. But ⁓ I'm back home now and Ronan's still there. The cut line has just been made. It's ⁓ eleven o'clock at night. I think Bryson has literally just stepped off the driving range from all the antics that we'll get into now in a minute. But yeah, how are you enjoying it anyway, Ronan?
Ronan: Yeah, it today was nothing really happened today until maybe the last hour and a half. ⁓ a lot w a lot went on then, but no, it's it's been a very good couple of days. The leaderboard has been salvaged, I think, by the big names who are up there and are hopefully going to squeeze out the shite. Which is probably an apt term for how I'm feeling at the moment. But yeah. Like it there was a time there where it was the most quintessential ISCO P GA Tour championship leaderboard. ⁓ with the likes of Herbert, Suber, Dan Brown and A couple of others, Bud c Bud Caulley, Bud Cauley, Ryan Jarrett. Like it was just you're like, Wow, this this is not gonna be a good weekend. Maybe we could have done with England being in the World Cup final, push T times forward, no no one will be around anyway. But no, thankfully the big names came forward, including Bryson, and even though he's been given a two shot penalty, he's he's still there. Whether he tees it up now in the in the afternoon remains to be seen, but it's it's a cracking looking leaderboard now as we head into round three, whatever.
Pete: Ryan Gerard. ⁓ Jesus.
Ronan: Way that'll shape up.
Pete: Yeah. Let's start with the Bryson thing. ⁓ what are your thoughts on it? Like, cause I know from watching it on Sky, right? Radar called it straight away and said, I don't think he can actually take this club back on his intended line. He has to go outside the line that he wants to take it back on if he wants to make contact with this ball. And that's bringing it. And then he stood behind it, and then that wasn't a problem. ⁓ so radar called it straight away on Sky and Then he was on. The only thing is it's mad. So ⁓ I was watching Sky all day and then ⁓ so play is over and you've ⁓ Radar there and Nick Doherty and Laura Davis and they're going through and ever the three of those were like this would be really, really unfair and I don't think he should be penalized and without a camera behind knowing I don't think they can and all this sort of stuff. So it got to like half nine, ten o'clock in the evening, and ⁓ Bryson's on the range and Sky are still faffing about. So I put on the golf channel and sha what Chamblee and McGinley did not say about Bryson, like they they were adamant. No, and I actually agree with them. The more I listened to them in the end, I thought first, ⁓ he's a bit hard done by here. But when they show the stuff and then you listen to the R and A referees and then they They talk your man what's his name? ⁓ Grant Muir came out and explained it, went through it like he doesn't have a leg to stand on here, Bryson, really.
Ronan: Grab mirror. No, I mean I don't think he was outwardly going out to cheat there, but I don't think he means to do. But like he i he the the lie has been improved. Like I mean it's a Bry like the only patch of lush pescue I think left in the golf course he he found over there on on the fifth. ⁓ he obviously carried that water drain but yeah, it's ⁓ it's a Bryson de Chambles for Bryson de Trample.
Pete: No, there's nothing intentional. There's nothing intentional. But Yes. Yeah. You're getting all the sun's headlines out here now, are ya? Super
Ronan: ⁓ stop. Well no, he like i i inadvertently causes ball to move and all the trampling that went on, like it has improved the live, but it's just unbelievable. Like I don't know, as you see the scenes afterwards, ⁓ he like he hasn't been doing media all week outside of in house or and A stuff, but he was delighted to have the media around him there and get getting to follow him to the driving range and you know, asking asking them where
Pete: Mm. He was offering them food and everything.
Ronan: Offered him food, snacks in the back of the range, asking were we having a good time and having a good night. Yeah, but yeah, it was it was just pantomime billin' stuff and I think that a bit of it was in there as well. He was loving it. He was loving the bit of attention.
Pete: This is this is the thing that pisses me off a little bit about Bryson. Like I I'm a fan. I think he's he's he's box office, he's brilliant. But when he starts going on like this, it's the theatrics of all this that and and then li going to bed tonight and claiming that, yeah, I'm ⁓ I don't know if I'm gonna tee off in the morning and not even given you know, the respect of the tournament to actually accept the punishment that's been given to him and just man up to it. Like you know, ⁓ he he mightn't agree with it, but the referee, no referee in the game wants to penalize you ever unless you really are the wrong side of a rule. You'll always get the benefit of a doubt. Like always. And the referees that were there that went out that brought him out are two very, very senior guys. And They're not gonna penalize you unless you have stepped over the boundary. When it's been agreed, just accept it, move on and man up. But no, he's bringing the theatrics out. But it's what Bryson does well. He's the like you say, the pantomime villain. And to drag it out to the next morning and like I don't I we don't live in a planet that he's not going to tee it up tomorrow. It would be catastrophic for Bran Bryson if he didn't tee it up tomorrow and left someone Well, like the the reality of it is you're leaving someone three shots off the lead in an open championship playing in a one ball if you do that. It's just catastrophic.
Ronan: Yeah, it it wouldn't be in the spirit of the competition, but like I don't know, like it's been an unbelievable evening of drama, but certainly Bryson doesn't need it and you know, the open definitely doesn't need it. ⁓ I think everybody was pretty satisfied with how the leaderboard was looking up and up until this point. But like I didn't catch sort of the start of it, I kinda came in late to it, but apparently he had been just ushered away from scoring completely and brought back out onto the golf course to essentially like reenact what had happened. It was like it was like br it was like bringing a murderer back to the scene of a crime. Show us how you did that there, will you? Yeah, that's what it was like.
Pete: Yeah, that's what he did. No bringing OJ back to try the glove on. But that's exactly what they did. Yeah, no, it's mental. ⁓ but yeah, they brought him out. But I was watching that on TV then 'cause they had one of the like ⁓ cameras up in the sky, you know, the things up on the big ⁓ podiums pointing down and watching. So you couldn't hear what they were saying, but Bryson was not happy, so you knew. But then after that they they spent fifteen minutes out there, then another half an hour when they went back. They just it's just a drama of it all. But yeah, like it's still you know, it it it leaves him he's still in an unbelievable position. And he's playing really, really good golf.
Ronan: Yeah, he's still banging it like ⁓ that like that's the pity in it. The sixty six was so good and like everyone loves to hate Bryson, but he was getting serious love out there on that golf course. And whether you love him or hate him, you kinda do need him on top of the leaderboard. Again, two Route 4 or Route Against, which is probably just as fun.
Pete: Yeah.
Ronan: And yeah, I I'm very intrigued to see what the reception will be tomorrow because it's it's sorta like the perfect trial for this code of conduct thing that the ordinator brought in for fans to see how they treat Bryson tomorrow.
Pete: Yeah, it's just it he he's acted very childish since he's been on I think the fans will get behind him tomorrow. I like I would love to see him put a charge in in this tournament and and get up there. ⁓ close the gap again and, you know, be in one of the last two groups, gone into the last day of this. 'Cause he he has showed before on courses like this. You know, Pinehurst, case in point. He's well able for these firm, fast conditions. ⁓ I know on Like earlier in the week the whole Nick Faldo thing and strategy and all that and he's come out and he he's not talking to media and he's doing his own thing. But yeah, I l I like Bryson with his back up, but he's just he's pushed it a bit too far now this evening for me.
Ronan: ⁓ yeah, but i it's hilarious. It's it's blo it's bloody brilliant. I mean where where would we be without him? Like people be people will be looking back over the years, ⁓ where were you when Bryson was assessed at who shot penalty at the open? Yeah they will.
Pete: It is hilarious. No, it's it's it's box office, but ⁓ Yeah. They won't. ⁓ God. right, let's start. I suppose rather than doing a rundown on the leaderboard and different things, let's start with the Irish lads for today because I know you were out following them. ⁓ you were going through an awful lot. What stood out for you? So let's start with the man that got closest to making the cut anyway, David Howard. Because I know you followed him a good bit the last couple of days.
Ronan: Yeah, it's ⁓ I don't wanna be har I don't wanna be harsh and say it's like the classic Irish moral victory, hard luck kind of story. Well that's sorta what it is. this amaz but being here is just like such an achievement in itself. And how he's probably feeling now is is disappointment and maybe a bit of regret. But I'm thinking you
Pete: He'd be dis he'd be devastated leaving, yeah.
Ronan: You probably should be here for the weekend and mixing it with Bryson and the boys. Like he was he started off really well, as he did yesterday, settled in quite quickly to both rounds, which I think is an encouraging sign, but he birdied the third and the fifth. And that really kinda got things going. There's there's a bit of early hope. Then he back to back bogeys on six and seven. You think that's sort of the dream dead. ⁓ birdied eight. Should have birdied nine in my opinion. After such a great drive.
Pete: Yeah. And the eight.
Ronan: And then yeah, Birdie's eleven, and now all of a sudden you're plus two again, two under for the day. You've seven holes to make up one shot that you need to make the cut. ⁓ brilliant two actually really gutsy two really gutsy par saves, twelve and thirteen to be fair, which were just as important. Like he he spoke earlier in the week of wanting to make putts, like he did that in abundance today anyway.
Pete: Two of them are par fives.
Ronan: And yeah, you're thinking right. Two power fives, all you need is two good drives to set you up, and unfortunately, two blocks out I missed the one on fourteen because it's just such a long walk from the green to the T, but ⁓ yeah, and when he was losing them right, he was leaving himself too far back and unfortunately ⁓ wasn't able to advance the second on fourteen too far up the fairway. I think he left himself a hundred yards in for his fourth. ⁓ but a six again, like was no not the end of the world, you still have a possibility, and like he played fifteen, sixteen really well. And yeah, again, seventeen, that was all she wrote when the drive kind of goes in towards the bushes again. I'm a million miles away walking up the left hand side where the press are allowed to go, but yeah, it was just a shame. ⁓ again he wasn't able to ⁓ advance the ball too far up the fairway and Left himself I think maybe a hundred and ninety odd to the green from where he was and and then again like you're it's amazing when you think about it, like you're standing in the heart of the eighteenth fairway, one eight seven I think it was, and like this the most unlikely circumstance of all time, but you still have a shot to make the cut, and given no other amateurs made the cut, you've actually got a shot here for the silver medal. You've a shot to win the silver medal and it's a like a very good shot into the heart of the green again, which is all you can ever ask on the eighteenth from that distance, but yeah.
Pete: A shot to win a silver medal, yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Ronan: Yeah. Brilliant experience but I'd say if he's any serious ambitions about himself he'd be going to bed tonight dejected that he didn't get it over the line. And I think he should, because he played well enough to put himself into that position. And I'd like I don't think he shied away from he had two bad drives at the wrong time and there's huge learning in that. But my god, like what a what a like it's like when you read a novel and there's a
Pete: Yeah.
Ronan: That bit at the end, I can't remember what it's called. You think the novel's over, but there's that little bit extra. Yeah. That would have been a nice extension to this entire story.
Pete: Epilogue. Epilogue. Yeah. Yeah, it's it's funny you said it there, the most important thing you said, I think, anyway. And I like, I don't know. David does tune in the odd time ⁓ listens. I think learning is the most important thing. I think he will learn a hell of a lot about himself this week because he wouldn't have a spotlight on him, you know, the whole ⁓ you know, cystic fibrosis thing all week as well and the spotlight that was on him and then to you know, he earned a spot in his field, he gets into the field, he is wanted by all the media as a storyline, that thing took off in the we it is very tall. It's something that well, it's new.
Ronan: And that's tough. Like that's a tough it's it like I'd imagine it took it took so much out of his usual routine and I wouldn't be surprised 'cause ⁓ yeah, he was running on pure adrenaline, he's had like a really busy week before this with qualifying media interviews and then playing his own ⁓ having his own golf commitments. So I'd imagine he was pretty tired yesterday. And yeah, t to stick around is admirable.
Pete: Yeah. And they like me and you said it Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, when I was there on site with you, and every time we went out, Howard or Graham, both of them are either on the range of the golf course. They practiced a lot because it it's hard not to immerse yourself in everything that's around. You don't care about expending energy because you've one job to do and you think that's to prepare. But like you know, when Larry
Ronan: Yeah.
Pete: And Harrington were playing practice rounds, the boys feck off after nine or ten holes and the two lads go on.
Ronan: Yeah, like ⁓ Chewie played thirteen holes that day and ⁓ David played the whole eighteen. And we were kinda thinking, ⁓ Jesus do Yeah, I know, I know, but like
Pete: Yeah. And it's hard not to. And it's thirty degrees out and it's hard not to, but but these are the fine margins that can cost you. But we s we were lucky enough on Tuesday night, ⁓ to spend like a half an hour with Harrington and and chatting about this, that and the other, and ⁓ he was very, very interested in David Howard. He was asking you a lot of questions about his amateur stuff, and he was saying, like, you know, if he shoots seventy five, seventy five this week
Ronan: Yeah.
Pete: People are gonna think that he played badly and go away. That's not the case out here. That like this is a total different ball game. I if he gets anywhere close to making the cut, this is a big week for him. He will learn so much from here and take so much away and hopefully that improves him as a player. And I think it will.
Ronan: Yeah, I agree. I mean even he spoke after and he's already looking forward. He's like, I want to get back here, you know, I've got the taste for it, I got I've got the bug for it, you know, and I spoke earlier in the week saying he's playing like he's a teenager and you know, that sort of enthusiasm he has for the game, I think he'll give Q School a rattle. ⁓ he'll go there and maybe try turn pro at the end of the year. Like th it's been it's been a great audition, Walker Cup wise for him as well. ⁓ he's definitely put himself in the window of Dean Robertson. Like what happens now next week at the Souths, ⁓ you can continue that this journey now again and get onto the Walker Cup theme and all of a sudden other avenues open up for you. So like the the only thing David Harry can do from here is just, you know, win. There's it there's no losing from the situation he finds himself in. It's been a brilliant story, a brilliant week. Like the first T on Thursday morning was just an absolute scene. Like it was like being at a football match. It was it no, it genuinely was. like fair play to all the cork
Pete: Yeah. Have to get the dig in.
Ronan: People swap s no, no, no, no. That's it. Like no hurlins to go to they swap their chain tickets for open tickets and fair play to them.
Pete: I know it's brilliant. It is great. That's one thing we do well in this country is we back our own really well. And it is like I was getting requests from people down in Cork for do you have any tickets, do you have this? ⁓ being over there and and yeah, it it's great to see. And yeah. ⁓
Ronan: Yeah. But like that that's what makes it all the more painful though at the same time. You're just like, ⁓ you're just so close. It would have been unbelievable. Like i it would have been like honestly, like if he made the cut, who gives a shite who wins the open this weekend? Do you know what mean? It just would have been unbelievable.
Pete: Yeah. He was so close. But like ⁓ it's massive for it's massive for Irish golf to have someone like to win a silver medal ⁓ would have been huge. Like we were talking about this, saying like, you know, you're going back to McElroy, the last Irish man that won the silver medal.
Ronan: Yeah, in ⁓ seven. Hasn't been won since twenty twenty three by anybody. So it just shows how difficult it is for an amateur to make the cut at the open and he, you know, with seven holes to go, was in with a right chance. ⁓ I think even Ma Mason Howell missed out on two on by a shot on two over, also shot a sixty nine. ⁓ so it just shows you like a player players of this calibre. Like he beat he beat Harrington as ⁓ who we've mentioned earlier, he beat Matt Fitzpatrick, who was, you know, heavily, heavily tipped.
Pete: So no one's made the cut, yeah.
Ronan: ⁓ and a lot of other, you know, big names miss the cut as well. Yeah.
Pete: No, he belongs. He'll come away. You belong out there. You you're capable. That's all you can do is put yourself into the firing line and f test yourself and find out if you're good enough. He clearly is and he can walk away with his his head held high and his chin up and he should be very proud of himself.
Ronan: Yeah, and like f the seventy four yesterday four over was no no disgrace, even though it was in the easier morning conditions allegedly. And today you still win it and you still have to hit the golf shots. I like Stewie shot a sixty nine there this morning and he sort of he sort of fobbed it off by saying the course was was playing gettable, but certainly David's sixty nine in the afternoon was during the tougher conditions, even though there was still low scoring to be had. But no, he can only only be proud of his efforts and look
Pete: It's still windy, it's still tough.
Ronan: He gave himself every chance to make the cut, and that's all you could really ask of yourself going into the week.
Pete: Yeah. Stewie's race was one was run yesterday, I'd say he was very, very disappointed.
Ronan: Yeah, it was sort of what we feared, that quiet confidence. He never wanted to come back and and bite somebody and again, like s he's there doing a lot of media as well and You know, he's had a very busy time winning the amateur and then winning the European team championships the week before, literally flying back in from Estonia at God knows what time and heading over to Berkeley. And that again, that also takes out of you too. And then you add in all the immersing yourself in the experience and the practice element and you know, spending so much time with family and friends pre and post round. Like it's a real that experience can take it out of you from a playing point of view. So he'll be pleased with his with his ⁓ sixty nine today, to be fair, show plenty of good stuff and then to probably three of the last six holes I think it was. we'll le he'll leave with a with his ⁓ head held high because he he said it himself he went to bed on Thursday night very, very disappointed. So I think he can leave knowing that he's at least shown what he can do, even if he was probably waiting too long for it to happen, as he admitted.
Pete: Yeah, yeah. No, no, it is. ⁓ running down through the other ⁓ Irish before we get stuck into Shane and and McElroy. Obviously disappointing for ⁓ Clark and Harrington ⁓ on it. But Tom McKibben, I I I did I I'd a feeling I'd expected Tom McKibben to make this cut and actually do well around here. It just didn't happen for him.
Ronan: Yeah, well it hasn't been happening for Tom for a long time now. ⁓ this season. Like he's finishes between twenty first and thirtieth, I think, in his last five starts and now this missed cut. It's just yeah, he's he's playing fine, but he said it himself yesterday, it just needs a spark and he ⁓ just can't find it. It's one of those things I think every golfer at any level goes through. Like you know you're not playing badly, but you just nothing's happening. ⁓ just can't get any sort of momentum and
Pete: Yeah.
Ronan: Yeah, Burke kinda game came onto the major scene in a good way with three cuts in a row. Now he's missed his last four. And yeah, just he would have been expecting to make more of a push in terms of getting, you know, your top twenty fives and your top twenties in majors, which would be seen as a next step. So going away at at the end of the ⁓ at the end of the summer, probably reevaluating Where he's at and a with a particular look towards the majors next year and how he gets in them consistently and how he maybe finds a formula to perform on a on a more consistent basis as well.
Pete: Yeah, yeah. And looking at No, a hundred percent, a hundred percent. ⁓ and he like he's playing a fair bit of golf now with this agreement that ⁓ Live boys have with the D P World Tour as well. So he will be playing a lot of golf ⁓ away from Live between now and the end of the season just to fulfil that obligation. I think he's out again next week, so ⁓ yeah, there's there's plenty of golf ahead. ⁓ Rory. Where do you sit on Rory? Did you follow him at all?
Ronan: He's too good to be missing four cuts in a row. I didn't see a shot of him today. I was wa I wa I was watching Larry mainly. Er Rory. Seven off the lead is a lot. And there's a lot of there's a lot that but there's a lot of top there's a lot of top players ahead of him and that's the problem. It's not them the gap, it's the amount of players between him and the lead and that's the problem.
Pete: Yeah. He's gonna come out in the morning like he's gonna post a score in the morning. There is it it's not yeah. Like he's driven the ball so well, he's just making a couple of silly mistakes every round he plays. He he struggled on the greens yesterday. He was a little better today. ⁓ but still is just missing that little bit. Like you can tell by it as well. He ⁓ I'm sure he'll admit this, but he won't admit this till after the end of the season. He's just undercooked coming into this championship. He's under golfed. He hasn't played enough. And that's just a sim
Ronan: Yeah No. No he hasn't.
Pete: It's he where he was so good ⁓ at the Masters, ⁓ it's like the flip opposite. He was so good short game. Yeah. Just short game is just letting him down and I I still do think he'll feature in this tournament. I still think in the morning he's gonna come out on Saturday and he's gonna post a score and he's gonna get to within four or five of the lead and you know, ⁓ have a have a say up close to the top of the leaderboard without threatening anyone, really. But
Ronan: Yeah. That just that competitive edge isn't there.
Pete: Yeah.
Ronan: Yeah. Just yeah, it's sort of a backdoor top ten kind of a job, I think it looks at the moment. Like the big the big turning point would have been if the Eagle Puck was in a nine. And I know driving driving the green driving the green is great and everything, and yeah, fair enough, he's walked off with back to back birdies, but it's a sucker punch not getting that eagle putt. And hitting such making such a poor stab at it as well. Like, yeah, he's w yeah, it just it just hasn't happened.
Pete: Yeah, just one of those weeks. And he left it short. Yeah. Yeah. No, that that's the thing, it's just
Ronan: Even even like sixty sixty seven today ordinarily is a good score. When he's just seen two sixty twos going back to back and there was a couple of sixty fives and sixes, like you're sixty it was a par sixty nine out there today. And that's what it was.
Pete: Yeah, fair. Yeah. No, it was out there to be got at. ⁓ Shane is a strange one. Cause he's playing so well. He's play like he's playing but
Ronan: Sh Shane Shane play Shane played the most stress free nine holes I've ever seen.
Pete: And then probably the most stressed nine holes after that. Like, he looks like a man that just wants to punch the head off someone out in the golf course. He's so stressed out the last two days.
Ronan: Yeah. Either I ⁓ I I wouldn't go that far. I think he's shown great resilience and bounce back ability. I think the three bogeys in a row on Thursday, I think Ordin if that was the way the summer's been going so far, he turns that into a seventy three and then wraps the Sam wedge around somebody in the press room. And and then today, again, I thought Birdie the first. There is that early momentum. He got a couple of putts early Thursday as well. And Birdie's the first today. Again, really patient stuff. Gives himself chance on pretty much every green. Not
Pete: Mm-hmm.
Ronan: you know, unbelievable chance, but playing really well, stretchy stress free pairs. Birdie's nine like it's nobody's business and then again, same thing on the back nine. You those that stress ten to thirteen is difficult anyway. And then the the Pro Bogie on seventeen was clumsy and you're thinking you've just sort of maybe done yourself out of a very good round there, but to respond the way he did in eighteen, again, something that has been ha it has been happening since the Cognizant and I think there's a bit of a difference with Larry at the moment this week. I think he's a big round in him. I think if he gets in a run, he'll catch fire.
Pete: Yeah, eighteen was phenomenal. Yeah. Yeah, I do as well. I totally agree with that, and I do think it's massive that ⁓ Dermot Byrne knows how he ticks, and Dermot Byrne is in his ear the whole way around when you're watching how close he is to him, what he's talking, ⁓ how like he's in his ear the whole way, and he he he does seem to be a good ⁓ calm and influence on him at certain times as well, you know. But he just know how knows how he ticks. ⁓ like Shane is so in this tournament. But you just don't get that vibe from him. Even in his presser afterwards, when Greg Allen asked a few of those of those questions and Shane went quiet, I thought he was I thought he was going to explode.
Ronan: Yeah. It was funny. It was actually blown so far out of proportion on on Twitter. It was unbelievable. Because the headline is, you know, if ⁓ I'm not here for FedEx Cup points or whatever it was, and then a load of Americans like ⁓ my god, who asked Shane about the FedEx Cup? Well actually no one asked him about the FedEx Cup. He brought up the FedEx Cup and finished in twenty fifth. But ⁓ no, he's here to win. I think the leaders not getting beyond eight hundred was a good thing, but
Pete: Yeah.
Ronan: a lot of sort of the top players in the world have have surpassed him at the moment and it probably makes his task harder than it was when he stepped off the eighteen T ⁓ early afternoon on Friday. But he n I think He's three under par, just outside the top ten, and there's no suggestion that he's hanging on or you know, he's not putting well. He's playing very much within himself. Especially today on Friday, he played very much within within himself. And I think if anything he's another gear or two to go through, and it's just up to him to find it.
Pete: No, no, he's a run of Yeah, like you know, you take it in blocks of nine, he's four quarters left in this. He's one quarter away from being up near the top of this leaderboard.
Ronan: You think it you think it's the World Cup? Look at you, you're watching too many hydration breaks. Talking about quarters. No, I know, he is, he is
Pete: No, but he is. He is. He's he's he's one run of holes away from being right up there on the leaders' coattails and having a serious say in this tournament. But de like I I just I I don't want to come across, but I hope that that run of holes comes later. Maybe his f his front nine on Sunday, and he doesn't ignite tomorrow, and then he's the pressure, and then it's how he reacts as to
Ronan: ⁓ but sure, he could be too far back by the time he has four birdies in a row on Sunday. He need he just needs to go in a run where he gets three in a row or three birdies and five holes, three and four, four and six, something like that. Yeah, get this if he can get the seven under, I think he's a chance going into Sunday, and that's all he can really ask. And like that's but that's the con that's the context of the question he was asked. Is if he can put himself into position
Pete: What he did. Yeah, I yeah. It's Yeah. And then hang around. Yeah. No, no. I'm impressed by him this week, I
Ronan: And sorta, you know, have a go on Sunday and don't and don't and don't go away and like, you know, 'cause let's be real, a a good finish al although if he doesn't win he'll obviously be very disappointed, but a good finish would be a a nice change to the sheet music. Yeah.
Pete: Does he believe he can win? A confidence boost. Yeah. No, absolutely, absolutely. ⁓ What do you think of the sixty twos today? Like that's you look at there's been now seven sixty twos in championship history in in major championship history and three of them are at Burkedale.
Ronan: Yeah, I don't like it.
Pete: ⁓ neither am I because I think the cour the members won't be happy. The course is classed though.
Ronan: Although I was I wa hold my hands hold my hands if I was on fifty nine watch and in my opinion I think Lucas Herbert shot the worst sixty two in human history. Like he
Pete: ⁓ yeah. Yeah, he bot he totally bottled it coming down the last three. He totally bottled it. Like he was only hitting a six or an into seventeen.
Ronan: Like as as j it's j Like James Corrigan was there muttering away to himself in the road behind me, he just goes, Shit drive, sits shit second, shit third, shit put And that's what it was.
Pete: Yeah, and then the put up the last as well. Like to hit the drive and execute that, leave himself in a grey position and then yeah, it's just just mad. Just the put the way he just whiffed at it.
Ronan: But ⁓ yeah, Sam Burn a sixty two that nobody saw.
Pete: No, I know. He just chipped in out of bunker. No one there wasn't anyone out with him even it looked like it just ⁓ there's another sixty two. Herbert's only doing his interviews going, Yeah. It it's funny 'cause you forget like Lowry is one of those sixty twos as well, going back to Valhalla ⁓ two years ago. It's ⁓ you forget that round, like it's just outrageously good.
Ronan: She says ⁓ sixty two. Yeah. Yeah, but ha having three of them come with the same course is bizarre. Like it's outrageous. No.
Pete: Yeah, no, the members won't be happy with that. But but and in my view, like Burkdale is one of the best open venues. Like I've been so enthralled looking at this golf course all week. I think it's unbelievably good. It's so good. It's such a test. And it like yeah, the finishing holes are brilliant. It's risk reward. I think the eighteenth is it's probably the toughest finishing hole. I know Carnoustie's up there as the tough one of the toughest finishing holes ⁓ on the open rotor, but
Ronan: Yeah, no, I I agree. And the new holes are great as well.
Pete: I think in major championships, the eighteenth here, we are gonna see drama over the weekend coming up eighteen here. I just hope that it's not a runaway leader we have coming into Sunday that they can play it conservatively. You wanna see lads having to go for it because it is so narrow and it's it's just playing so fast and fiery. It's class.
Ronan: Hm. Yeah, no, it's it's gonna be a a great weekend, especially with the with the conditions. ⁓ I think if you you can t if you can be aggressive off the T, you can definitely shoot those those low numbers that we've seen so far. It's the lowest it's the lowest it's the lowest cut it's the lowest cut as well at Burkdale. Plus one.
Pete: Did you see any of Scotty Shaffler? Yeah. Did you see any Scotty Scheffler at all?
Ronan: Just on the big screen. Just lurking. Just lurking. No.
Pete: Like striping the ball around the place and can't put. Can't yeah, but can't like it was finished bottom, ⁓ like he was the worst putter on the golf course today, which is outrageous. And he's still he's still in a tie for eight, only like four shots off the lead. It's just he's lurking with intent.
Ronan: Yeah, yeah, again he's another one if he gets on a run he'll be he'll be hard to stop. But there's plenty of top quality players up there, you know Yeah, yeah, a few d I was gonna say Bryson actually for a second. But no, Tommy kinda came in well there the last the last few holes. Cam Young though, I think is the big danger, man.
Pete: Tommy lad as well. That's i it's mad you say that, 'cause someone said that to me earlier on. ⁓ who would you pick from here? And I just said, I think Cam Young all day is the one that is not gonna go away, likes these conditions, and probably should have won the Claret Jug back when Rory ⁓ threw it away in St Andrews when Cam Smith won. He he probably ⁓ he was the the man that day that just came in a charge.
Ronan: Yeah, yeah, that's it. I think like Cam Young is he fourth in the world still and sort of came in here under the radar. Gone a bit quiet since ⁓ since p sort of postmasters really ⁓ hasn't really done too much. So he was sort of under the radar and then all of a sudden like there's sixty two is being shot and he just creeps up there on on six underpower and as if nobody was nobody noticed him at all. So I think he'd definitely be the the one to look out for.
Pete: No, no, I'm looking forward to it. I would love to see Tommy Fleetwood get closer to the leaders and ⁓ get stuck in. I think he will. He'll he'll he'll be there. But no, but it is it's all mounting up for a great weekend anyway. We've Saturday and Sunday left to do. Is there anything else you want to hit on before we log off on this cut line on a Friday night?
Ronan: ⁓ I well, I know we've sort of got a a short podcast, but I do have a hero.
Pete: All right, yeah, go on. Heroes and villains. Let's let's do it.
Ronan: ⁓ Shane Ryan, you know, the American. He yeah, he put up a tweet ranking rankings of media food at the five majors. Now no number one is US Open, two is the Masters. Could be in the villain category for that. It should be the other way around. PJ Championship is three. Fourth is the players. Fifth is the open. And he says it's like they're trying to actively torture you.
Pete: Yeah, the journal. Yeah. Yeah.
Ronan: Pure grey sludge. I've had terrific food in the UK, but here it's like they're trying to revive every negative stereotype about British food, and it's the same eerie every day. You'll go in there hoping for anything palatable, but all that appeals is the sad French fries, and then when they've run out of ketchup, within three days you want to die.
Pete: So the R and A get the villains ⁓ and shit and ⁓ he gets the hero for calling them out. It is it is fairly rough now the media. Like I know you think you've got food poisoning today.
Ronan: Honestly, like I feel I I feel terrible. I feel terrible. It's just ⁓ no, it's just awful. Granola bowls are nice though.
Pete: ⁓ god. Yeah, no, that's it. No, right. I think we'll leave it at that. ⁓ cheers everyone for tuning in. We'll be back again on Monday, after we've crowned a new champion golfer of the year, hopefully. And ⁓ Ron will be getting a late flight back on Sunday night and we'll be back online on Monday with a full recap as to what's happening and what's happened. Hopefully, Shane Larry gets in a mix in this tournament. Rory gets close as well, but yeah, it's it's all heating up for a great weekend at Royal Burkdale. So cheers for tuning in and Ronan, thanks again for logging on this late on a Friday night. Boy.
