Dogs are an important part of our lives. That means protecting them from parasites. Ask your vet about Next Guard Plus, a foxloner, moxedectin, and pyrantal chewable tablets. Next Guard Plus chews provide one-and-done monthly protection against fleas, ticks, heartworm disease, roundworms, and hookworms. Plus, they're delicious and easy to give. Use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders. Dogs should be tested for existing heartworm infection prior to starting a preventive. Ask about Next Guard Plus chews. Now, two pigeons and coach prime bemoaning the fact you can stream direct TV satellite-free. Look at these humans watching pro football on direct TV without a satellite dish. I've been watching them watch football for so long, I feel like I could coach like you, coach prime. Coaching ain't as easy as finding your games on direct TV. How you gonna beat a corner blitz on third and long? I probably just fly over it. Actually, that's pretty good. Stream football without a satellite dish. Visit DirectTV.com. Do that smiley coffin for sixty-one. Wow. I'm smiley coffin and this is the smiley show. Welcome to another special edition of the smiley show, one that we are very excited about. First and foremost, well, yeah, let's just do this. It's not a green screen. This is not we're not we're not wearing like green suits and this is all filled in the CGI in the back end. I mean, we're together in the same place, which always we enjoy from a show perspective, a show quality perspective. I think let's see we get the next couple of weeks, but is this best show background to date of the year? Very well could be very well could be this is, you know, we're very lucky that we're here on Monday in Memphis at the first FedEx playoff event. And if you remember last year in Memphis, how hot it was, dude, it's 74 degrees right now. I mean, just the absolute perfect, someone call it goth weather. I would call it the perfect podcast weather because this is absolutely great for us. We could have been dying right here out in the heap. But this is off to a good start here in Memphis. This is an outdoor podcaster's dream. If it was last year, I think we would have had to wear like full khaki outfits. Umbrella hats, maybe a full Canadian tuxedo just to really give you the full sweat effect of the outdoors. The only thing we're missing, Charlie, is just a big plate of barbecue right here. Ooh, because what time is there right now, we're recording it almost two o'clock. Do you have any lunch? Have you had some ribs right here? Very hungry. Could go for some ribs. I also got a hot tip on here from your buddy, Alex Sullivan. Oh, gosh. Jerry's snow cones, wedding cake supreme. Do you know about this? I don't know about this. That sounds amazing. I did not think Alex would make it onto the podcast today, so that reverse cash that ticket. That's big. Yeah. So, you know, as mentioned, we're here. This is 18th green at TBC Southwind. We're on site this week and the next two weeks in both Denver and Atlanta for the rest of the FedEx Cup playoffs. So fired up for that. We got a great guest joining us today. Nick Dunlap, our third recurring guest on the show. So looking forward to chatting with Nick about what a wild year it's been. Just sort of path to, you know, making it to the FedEx Cup playoffs after winning an event as an amateur and lost it again today. But the place we got to kind of start is recapping the last regular season of end of the year, the Windham Championship at Sedgefield in Greensboro and boy, what a wild week start to finish. But we had like a biblical flood sort of scenario happening with that hurricane to start the week. We played delayed until Friday morning, 18 Friday, 18 Saturday, with a few left over. And then for some, Luke Clanton played 39 holes on Sunday. Insane. We're 39. We're going to unpack so much that, but I think where we got to start right is the right guys. The right guys. We finally got it done. The right guys got it done. Technically, like, we didn't get it done because, you know, as most of you know, that follow the show, we give one and done picks every single week. We also give three suggestions from Charlie and I. So we have a total of eight players that we suggest. And as I was going through with my chicken scratch notes and trying to figure out who I want to suggest, I knew I wanted to take Billy Horrishow. We had a nice week finishing top 10. And I had air rye penciled in, but I had just picked him so many times to suggest him so many weeks in a row. I felt like, you know what, I need to find another guy. And so I saw the chicken scratch off of rice. If we need to show and check the notes, I can definitely bring that up. If there's some haters in the chat that say I didn't actually want to pick rye, but... I mean, I have a time stamped screenshot with text I sent to my buddies where we kind of make some gambling picks each week and I said, I think I had like two guys that maybe did not play well. But air rise my thirst. And final answer, guys are going to drive the ball straight. It's going to be ball in hand, you know, great ball striker. And he did not place that bet. So Andrew Yarbrough, you owe me some money, maybe a nice dinner, maybe put my kids through college. That would have been the big ticket. But I mean, for rye is a season where he's played phenomenally well, especially in the summer, but a phenomenal ball striker. You know, what was an understatement? It really is. Somehow still an understatement without what he's played. I mean, just kind of taking a stock of the ways he's improved because he's always been a good ball striker, but really just making some clutch putts down the stretch. I know he's not like the greatest putter on tour, but just making putts when he needs to. It's been a huge improvement and now rolling with some momentum in the FedEx Cup playoffs. Like, well, what do you see it from him this year that has really kind of taken him to the next level? The reason why early in the year that I started to do more recon on air drive was because I had an opportunity to watch him at the Sony Open this year. And I got moved to his group on a Thursday or Friday. He was playing with Austin Eckrode, so two players that have had nice years. They're both feeding off each other, playing well that day. And for whatever reason, it was a shot on the second hole and the wind had just kicked up. A storm was kind of brewing an air and ride laid back on this second hole and pulled. I thought it was probably a four iron hit this up and really the second hole at Sony you're hitting three iron, nine iron into this hole or three wood wedge. And so he's hitting iron off the tee and then hitting four iron into the screen, which nobody ever is hitting four iron into the screen and he hits this absolute strike right at the hole. And I was like, man, what am I missing something here like that was just absolutely great. And he hit it well the rest of the day and should have had a better week if it didn't put it well. And that's when I started noticing the trend of Aaron Ryan, which is okay, he makes a ton of cuts, he tries to get himself in contention, but the putter always seems to kind of hold him back. So I think as the year went on, the big, big breakthrough for him was at the rocket mortgage. He had just gone and met with John Graham, got some work done with his putting. And on greens that are poanna that were bumpy, maybe not the best putting surface that guys have for making tons of putts on the air, Aaron Ryan goes and just starts pooping. And he started making a putt after putt at rocket mortgage and then really through the rest of summer, the John Deere was another week he played really well. Really just any week in the summer, he turned on the TV and Aaron Ryan was on the front page of the leaderboard. So it wasn't surprising to see him win because it felt like he had played well enough throughout the year to have already won. And I thought the best thing that I heard on the broadcast was from Trevor Omenman. He said, the ball striking stats, when he talked about stroke gain, he's he named three players. He said, you know, this is not surprise. These three guys are teeter green. The best players. And you got Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schofle and Rory McRoy. He said, number four on that list, Aaron Ryan, wow, he is he talking about metrics there or I test? No, for metrics metrics. Yeah. I mean, it's, it's not, you know, it's, it's facts straight hashtag facts. The, I know we're a year away, like we're still waiting for president stuff to happen here about a month and a half, but just really doing the long preview. I was thinking about that he's a, because you just don't know, I mean, who knows what's going to happen between now and then it seems like obviously guys on the team, Rory said as much out loud that he wants John Robin to be there. I'm assuming he feels similarly about Tyrell Hatton, but you know, depending on how that whole thing shakes out and, you know, how they're going to tabulate world ranking points for the live guys and what picks are going to use, he could very easily, he could qualify for the thing. Oh, a hundred percent. Aaron, Aaron, I could easily qualify for the Ryder Cup. I think that Luke Donald is, I think you got to give, give him, you know, all, all the credit where credit's due when it comes to picking a team, because I thought, you know, beginning of the year and halfway through the year, I thought the Europeans were going to be, you know, really lacking depth on that team, but that team really started, started to round into form as we got approached the Ryder Cup, had a bunch of youth on that team. So we'll see who ends up making that roster of how much of that team will stay intact from, from the Ryder Cup in Rome, but man, Aaron Ry just seems like he would be a really nice fit for a day of alternate shot. How do you think two gloves, iron covers and deliberate pace of play are going to do a bet page? He gets going to go over, he gets getting over low, but that, I think, you know, I, I spoke in a key can just briefly just about him getting picked and, and we were talking just about the logistics of the Ryder Cup as far as, you know, how much beer is being served, because I was like, man, are they, are they serving liquor out there? I was like, I think just in the suites, because if they gave liquor to the crowd, I think you even have an issue. So we were already talking about this in advance of how crazy New York crowd is going to beef the Ryder Cup. I, I'm sure he's got to be thrilled for the atmosphere he's about to walk into as a captain, which is going to be super cool. Second item I have on this list here, Smiley, just says, Coach Chaos, wait, did you spell chaos with a K to? I should have. I'll make that correction like, you know, we're, you're, you're having to put a lot of faith in trusting us. We're telling you that we were picking your eye on, on notes you can't see or text that we said, but I have Coach Chaos here. What's it makeup? I actually saw an interview this morning, my granddad sent me where a culture was explaining a little bit more of his side of things. And so, cause I'm the first inclination I have is like, dude, the tour bit over backwards to get this thing done on time with a hurricane, tropical storm, whatever it was coming in to get the 18 18 36 finish. And you were the last guy I needed to finish it up so that everyone could get done and move on to Memphis for the guys that were going there. And those guys could leave anyway. It didn't really affect the outcome of the tournament, but you know, your first inclination is like, come on, buddy, you just finished the whole. Now he said a little bit of it wasn't explained to him that ride, birdie to head and he thought Graserman still had a real legit chance to go to a playoff or when the tournament, he thought they were going to have to come back on Monday anyway. And so, you know, I don't know if that makes it any better in your opinion, but just your reaction to the way that future decided to finish Sunday and, and a little bit on Monday as well. Well, I think the big argument made by a lot of fans and media was that there wasn't necessarily anything on the line. From their perspective, now I think Matt Kuchar would offer the opposite of that is that he's 46 years old, you know, from where he's still going from 12th place to 22nd place. Yeah, maybe not the money is not a big issue because $50,000 would have been the difference. Or let's say he makes a double and probably closer to $75,000 difference. But, you know, I always give the benefit of the doubt to the player whether they feel like they should finish. They have the right to if, if they're not, if they're told, hey, you don't have to play because of sunlight, I think you should always give that to the player. I think what's in question now is just the history, right? I think people just have had issues with things that Matt has done over the years, whether it's the caddy in Mexico is kind of the top of line thing that people think of. But, you know, if you replace Matt Kuchar with another player, I think maybe the conversation is a little different. Not that Matt Kuchar isn't a well-liked player because he has been a very well-liked player on tour for a lot of years and has done a great, great work on and off the golf course. And I like that. But I think it just kind of came off a little the wrong way is a little petty of like, hey, Matt, Max Gray's, I mean, like you should have stopped on the 16th hole. It's like, well, no, that wasn't an option. You know, like the tour didn't blow the horn. The sun had gone down, you know, he's trying to win the golf tournament on Sunday. Kuchar wasn't at it, so he has a different perspective that maybe Max Gray-Zerman did. And maybe it was a veteran move of like, hey, you know what? Every shot does count. And, hey, let's say it comes down for Matt Kuchar in the FedEx Cup fall, let's say he doesn't make a cut and it comes down to one shot and he keeps his car for the top 125 because he didn't make the jump from I think it was 113 to 103. So he made a 10 spot jump. So he's got, you know, 17 or let's say that was not good math. He's got about 20 22 spots of comfort that took me way too long. This is the, I haven't taken math since I wish you a freshman year. So did. Take much of it there. Yeah, yeah. That's a good point. That's a good point. But if it comes down to one shot, which we've seen a lot of times it has, I mean, I. That's something I hadn't even thought about until right now is we're so focused on Windom being that 70 hard cut line that you, so, wait a second, a lot of these guys have to go and play the whole fall to finish top 125 and keep their playing status that way. So that's a fair point. I mean, I think that, yeah, I mean, the optics aren't good on it. Either Matt Kuchar doesn't have the internet or doesn't care about the internet and in either case, congrats to him because like this thing just, it's like a walking meme. It's yeah, and all the past stuff. It's just, it's, if you just take away what you, you set up the whole conversation with, which was, it was a very challenging week for the superintendent, the, the whole staff in Sedgefield just to get this golf course playable. I mean, there were holes out there that I sent pictures out the seventh hole, the 17th hole at TBC Sawgrass. It was an island green and same with the hole before it at six. It were the whole fairway was covered with water. So the, you make this golf course playable and actually finishing on Sunday was an incredible feat. Now the tournament didn't finish on Sunday and finish on Monday because of Kuchar, but I think it's something that was obviously just made an event that much crazier because the chaos that you talked about with Max, excuse me, with Matt Kuchar also, we talked just briefly about Max, but that was the story of the day, which was a fore shot lead with Max Kuchar. Well, Ian, let's get right into that because it looked like he, he hold out, was that 13 or 14 for, for Eagle to get 21 under 13 and you at that point, you're thinking fore shot lead. I think we're, I still 17 at that point. And you're thinking this thing's done. And I was, you know, flying here to Memphis. So I was like trying to catch up and get like the, the weird thing on the plane where you're not going to pay for the internet, but you get the I message. So I'm getting updates for you and Jack's. Yes. You're like, this thing's going, getting crazy. Like how? You had a fore shot lead. And, and so, you know, when Kuchar talked a little bit about that, where does he, does he foreput, you know, if it's, if it's lighter outside, I don't know. I mean, it's, it's easy to play Monday morning quarterback on that now, but what we do notice this is that, and this is, you know, twice now where he's handled the feet exceptionally well and clearly he's got the game to win on tour, you know, and, and so I, I think that, you know, however it shakes out, he made it here this week. He's in this field. Yes. He's going to make some noise in the pedestal playoffs and get himself into signature events next year. Yes. Max Grazeman, I thought he handled yesterday with tremendous class. You know, it was not easy to, to be in the arena like that and, and handle the adversity. You could have easily shown a bunch of emotion. There's, you know, he didn't have to do the interview after the round with Amanda Balianas. He could have said, you know what? I'm good. I'm out of here. And he had every right to say, you know what, I don't want to talk to the media after something that maybe as a former player, you can consider to be, you know, embarrassing that you didn't get the job done, you know, I, I thought he held his high, head high, you know, tremendously to where he was very poised in his conversation. I think he acknowledged the mistake that he made, which was on the 14th hole. You know, bad drives happen and we, we don't like car pass on golf courses because new for somebody who tends to be a little off with the driver, that car path has a magnet for my golf balls. Yes. His ball hits the car path, goes OB at 14. So that happens, right? Like he, he makes one poor swing, but where he compounded his errors was he hits it in the left rough max and there's a cross bunker on the 14th hole. So if you did watch it bear with me, but if you didn't, he had an opportunity to either take on this cross bunker and push it up short of the green to where he had an opportunity to get up and down and make a six, but instead he tried to challenge it because he didn't want to make a bigger number. The rough was just sinking to the bottom, hits it into this bunker and unfortunately ends up chunking it out, chipping out, not getting up and down and making an eight. He acknowledged his mistake. I should have wedged it short of the bunker, had a good opportunity to get up and down. He just hold out on the previous hole with the wedge and making an eagle. So who's to say you wouldn't get up and down for a double bogey? So there's two shots there and then quickly on 16, you know, you talk about the four-pound, what did it have happened if it wouldn't have been, you know, as late in the day? I think that's part, you know, it's tough to read greens late in the day and I think the mistake was on the lag putt. So he hits it. He's got a 40-50 footer, which is not necessarily easy to get it, you know, in that, I mean, these guys are really good, right? But his speed was good all day and he left it above the hole. I thought that was a big mistake, right? Like this scene had to come back to buy some guys. When you got a one-shot lead, just like time and place, like you don't need to make that putt and I know it's easy for me to say it's like, dude, you should have left it short of the hole, but you know, I thought he got a little too aggressive on the putt and then pay a three and a half footer down the hill like we saw this in the U.S. Open, they're not easy to make. Not at all. We're going to peel the curtain back a little bit here until you behind the scenes and also tease our next segment because we've already talked to Nick Dunlap and you made an interesting note there about talking about that decision to take on that cross bunker and the difference in that rough. And that's part of the game where, from an amateur level, I find so fasting, talking about the different composition of courses and we heard Nick Dunlap talk to us, Caddy, you know, about the difference in the rough this week compared to last week where that Bermuda, when it gets grown up and that ball sinks to the bottom, it's just, here's your gap wedge. See how far we can advance it. And so just interesting, you know, both in decision making for max and trying to make something happen understandably, but also just on the week to week, what we see out here, you know, from tour venues and the way it looks similar off the tee on TV, but there's so much difference in the way you're playing some of these shots and trying to strategize to shoot a score. And yeah, quad there kind of, you know, pulls it back to the field and then air ride pulls ahead birdies the last and wins a tournament. You know, winning, winning is not easy. It's, you know, I think that, you know, you can easily say, you know what, well, he should have won that golf tournament, we're not guaranteed to do anything with five, six holes left in a golf tournament. You still have to execute because out of bounds is all over this golf course in said field as somebody who's hit it out of bounds there a couple of times. And it's not easy to get to that finish the 14 tee shots, not easy 15 tee shots, not easy and 18 is not easy either. So you had to put the ball in play and unfortunately didn't do it on on the 14th hole and paid the price. But I think it's going to be a good morning experience for Max. I'm, I'm hoping that, you know, we have like a Kyle Stanley type of bounce back. If you remember Kyle Stanley, how's leading at a Tory Pines in San Diego? This is gosh, probably 10 to 12 years ago and spins it back into the water on that 18th hole at Tory ends up losing that golf tournament. Next week he goes out and wins in Phoenix. So maybe a Max Grey's room and can kind of just keep building off of, Hey, I wasn't really in contention at 3M, I go out and shoot nothing and almost have a chance to be in a playoff at 3M opposite of here at such field. All you're thinking about is like, I'm going to win on the PGA Tour. Next thing you know, you're not. So he's seen both sides of it, both good wearing experience, probably not something that he wanted to go through on the second half, but still for Max, I think you got to take it and just take the positives from the week that you played, you know, 67 really good holes. Yeah. And there, there is more to get to you from this tournament and there's also some kind of playing it forward storylines. We're here sitting in TPC South when talking about the FedEx, Jude, and you know, the way this week's going to shake out. So I want to get to that on the other side and make them laugh because we got to talk about little playing. We got to talk about some names that barely made it in that barely missed. And also just taking a look at this whole season we've been tracking signature event and what it's looking like in terms of turnover for next year and the numbers, the predicted numbers, we're looking very close on that. So surprise me, let's, let's get into all that, but we're going to take a break first to talk to Nick Dunlap here. It's a really fun conversation. Nick joins us to talk about everything from recappings entire year to setting goals for next year, maybe a little Bama football in there, just so this is just a little bit of Bama football. But yeah, we won't waste any more of your time. We're going to get right to that conversation right here on the 18th of TPC Southwind with Nick Dunlap. Dogs are an important part of our lives. That means protecting them from parasites. Ask your vet about next-guard plus, a foxy liner, moxie decked in, and pyrantal chewable tablets. Next-guard plus chews provide one-and-done monthly protection against fleas, ticks, heartworm disease, roundworms, and hookworms, plus they're delicious and easy to give. Use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders. Dogs should be tested for existing heartworm infection prior to starting a preventive. Ask about next-guard plus chews If you're a small business is booming, you might say, "Cha-choo," but you should say, "I'm like a good neighbor, state farm is there," and we'll help your growing business. Like a good neighbor, state farm is there. All right, we are back on the Smiley Show. And as promised, a special guest live here at the 18th Green at TPC Southwind. We have Nick Dunlap, who is currently 67th in the FedEx Cup. He's 42nd in the world, and you might be looking at that saying, "Where's the discrepancy there?" Well, if you would have earned 500 points for winning the American Express, he'd be about 35th in the FedEx Cup standings. So he's where he is. You made the playoffs in your first years of pro. I mean, a pretty incredible timeline. First thing we got to congratulate you on, though, is you're now the third recurring guest on the Smiley Show. Congrats to you. Thank you. And it's Jordan's speed. So it's a great event. And it just never really else you've done. You've got that as well. I appreciate that. It might be one of the biggest honors. I'll tell you one, Nick. I really am impressed, though, with just the stats that Charlie just told us about. You've been 67th in the FedEx Cup. I think it's such a great accomplishment, right? Starting the year with zero points right after you win the AMX, I think it was going to be a heavy climb just to get to this point. You have to be very proud of being here at Southway. Yeah. I mean, even after AMX, like you said, I played poorly at Pebble, played poorly at Genesis, didn't have a good floor to swing. So after, I think it's the players as the last-- no, no, no, no, I didn't play Valispar, but players as the last of the floor to swing out played, I had like 25 points or something. So the goal of mine was to make the playoffs. And obviously now I have to rewrite some of those goals, but I'm not happy to be here. Understandably so. And Nick, I mean, you win the AMX. So all of a sudden you got to make life decisions. You got to decide, do I want to go back to college? Do I want to go and accept the PGA Tour membership? So I know that was a difficult decision, but kind of an easy one after when it all gets done and done to chase the childhood dream that you had. Yeah. We almost saw it last week or last week, but yeah, you know, colleges-- it was a big dream of mine. I'm planning Alabama, but my end dream was to play on the PGA Tour and be out here to play against the best players in the world. So as much as it kind of sucked to forego that, it was an easy but difficult decision to do that. But, you know, happy to be here. I mean, the consolation prize was a term pro, so it was pretty good. Nick, I saw you in Pebble right after the AMX win, and just you were talking about the whirlwind week that was and trying to make that decision. Also, this is a complete aside, but I saw your name joining the show today. And I was like, man, those sand dabs we had that night are really good. Like, they're really good for some sand dabs now, so that has nothing to do with anything we're discussing here, but just to figure that mention. But just that week and that process you're going through, in this first year as a pro on tour, you've obviously played high leverage golf, competitive golf for your entire life. So a lot of this has to feel, you know, not entirely unfamiliar. What in this year has been the most maybe unexpected adjustment you've made to life as a PGA Tour pro? The amount of golf you play? I think it's my, I think it's my like, it's so much golf. I mean, I like, it's what August and I'm already like, man, I'm looking forward to a break. I mean, it's not, it's getting used to a schedule out here. You know, I'm so used to practicing at home for a week, you got to figure out time to practice, but not wear yourself out when you got three and four weeks in a row on the road. And there was a couple parts of my game I wanted to see get better and one of them was traveling golf, I feel like I'm getting slowly progressing in those categories. I think an amateur golf, it doesn't, you don't get as penalized hitting it offline. And you know, you can kind of play from out of the rough and here it's, it seems like every week it's like, all right, if you're out of the rough, you're not going to really going to score that goal. I mean, you can figure out a way to get it around, but you're not going to contend. So I think that was something that I really needed to get better. And how much of that, you know, you're talking about obviously a lot of on the course stuff. Was there an off the course adjustment process where you have to build like a team around you? There's all sorts of things you have to think about that are beyond just trying to get the ball in a hole for four days of the week. Yeah. I've had to deal with a couple of challenges I didn't think I'd have to deal with, but yeah, it's, I didn't realize how many different parts there was to professional golf. I didn't even realize that, like you said, you have to form this team around you that you can handle all your stuff going outside of golf that, you know, you may not have to spend energy on and, you know, the less amount of time you can do that and more of time you can spend doing time with you all to do and that's playing golf. So that's been a little, you know, I had to play a role in who I select and on what parts they're going to help with. That's been a little, a little difficult, but I always thought, you know, with this PJ 2 University, which hopefully we get to talk about that. Oh, yeah. I think we will. I thought I would have some time and, you know, I have two, three, four months and I'm going to be able to plan this out and have time before I turn professional. I didn't think I'd have four to eight hours. So it was, that part was a little challenging, but yeah. Do you think learning on the fly has been beneficial or do you, do you wish you had more time to plan out just like, am I ready? You know, just all the steps that you take, you know, you talked about the driving, the driving, you feel like learning on the fly, on the golf course against the best players in the world has been more helpful for you long term. Yeah. I think it's hard to see it sometimes, especially I heard the margins are so small. As you know, it's like, I feel like there's a lot of weeks you're at two or three under and you're like, man, like I'm two good swings away from being in 10th and two good swings away from going home. So it's, or two bad swings away from going home, but it's, yeah, it's taught me a lot about not necessarily letting the result dictate how you're feeling. I think even last week, like I feel like I played some, some good golf. I got one bad break and made triple and one sloppy three putt and those were my only two over par holes and I just didn't really make any putts. I ended up missing the cut. So it's like, yeah, it's like the results bad, but I didn't feel like I played that poorly. So it was trying to progress that way, but yeah, I think it's tough in the moment to be like, yeah, this is, you know, this is easy, but I think two years down the road looking at it, I'm going to be in a much better position than where I would have been staying in college and trying to get better that way. And as rookies, I think preparation is something that, you know, we all know that PGA tour players do like it's something that I think is assumed by fans that these everybody does work hard, but there's, there's certain categories that the guys are in that you're, you know, the guys that are the better players that have been out here a while, they get the pro amp slots. They get the good time. Yeah. But for you all year, you've been learning new golf courses, not in the programs, and you're traveling to new cities, you're don't know the walk rooms, even today had no idea where the 18th grad is, so every week is a new experience for you. How difficult has that been? How excited are you for next year to finally know where you're going? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it's, it's funny, you know, a lot of the time, it's either Sunday evening or Monday. It's like, all right, well, if you count up all the Mondays, like a lot of these veterans got here Tuesday. It's like, if you count up all the Mondays that you're, you know, using throughout the year, like that's a lot of days you could, you could spend, you know, resting, whether it's practicing at home, whatever that is. And I remember coming from Reno, I was, you know, we missed all day, Monday, Monday was washed because the flights Delta was all messed up. Oh, that was a crazy. Yeah, I'll do. Had to fly out. Didn't get into like six o'clock on Tuesday. And then I was the second to last pro MT time and I was third off in the morning on Thursday. So it was like, what would, what would that pro MT time have been? That's like a four. No, it was later than that. It was like, there's almost five. It was like five there. We didn't get off the golf course almost like, didn't leave until nine. And then you're teeing off. And then we tee off at like seven, fourteen or something on Thursday. Oh, man. So that was a, but yeah, I mean, you kind of get thrown into the deep end a little bit and you learn from it and you learn how hunters really get out of it. But I'm not that great at learning courses on the fly and learning, you know, whether you look at it once or you don't get to look at it, I'm, I'm getting a lot better at that. I used to, I'm in college, you look at it one or two times and you have coaches tell anywhere to go. So it's, that's been a little bit different. And Charlie, I saw Nick Dunlap in the airport. This was leaving the Travelers championship. He was heading to Detroit. I was heading home and I look over there and he's got about five bags. He's checking. And he looks over at me and says, Hey, where you heading? I'm like, I'm going home. He's like, all right. Never mind. Cause the lady behind the desk at Delta is about to just basically just like hand me all your credit cards. I'm about to absolutely take you behind the wood shed. Yeah. So what was the total on the bag? Oh, it was, it was, I think it was almost like 300 bucks for, I mean, you have like two extra bags plus like your overweight bags and yeah, it was a mess. I learned a fun new trick on this this week. All right. So here's what we're going to do. We're going to start Nick Dunlap media LLC. All right. You get these media baggage credentials and they charge you like half of the, of the baggage price when you go past the allotment. Yeah. Like they're going to charge me 125 a bag. Yeah. It's ridiculous. I had all these media badges. They charge me 75. So I think, I think really the play for you is you just get a bunch of. Yeah. I mean, we could say some costs here. Have you heard about Hulka? Oh, yeah. The massive bins. So Hulka is a guy that travels week to week out on tour and you can buy a bin and you could store things that you would already need out on tour. So shoes, people put their clothes in there, like just regular golf clothes. And I had a bin for the years I was out here and just would make travel so much simpler if we're making five bags of like a poor guy. So the tough part is like one of my bags is like half of it's all my fishing stuff. Like I'm a fishing pole. I had all managed to crap in there. So it'd be nice if I could just have that delivered. No. No. What's the best fishing stop you've had tour stop wise this season? You found like any new ones where you haven't gone before? I guarantee this is a good one. Yeah. This is probably. I didn't get to be my guess. Why didn't get to fish because we got in super late on Tuesday. Um, played, uh, players to be a good one. Players was a good one. I can't remember where we were. It was up in, um, I fished in Rhode Island. There's only a couple of weeks ago. Was it the travelers maybe? It might have been the travelers. Run the whole season runs. Yeah. Yeah. It all runs together. Time to be woken up this year in a hotel and have no idea. I know you. Yeah. No idea where you're at. I'm in. Where am I? Yeah. It's hard enough to keep the schedule straight as it is, but then to do it off of fishing stops. Yeah. It makes it even harder. There's travelers. Travelers. I went and fished the coast for a little bit and I was. Did you? Yeah. It was really pretty. It was a lot of fun. You kind of noted this a little bit and hidden underneath that table over there is a gasoline take for Smiley's flamethrowers of, of takes on the PGA Tour you topic. So I'm really excited to get into those, but all right, let's do it. Just curious your opinions on obviously what you did, what you were leading into. You when you had the decision to, to go pro off of that. So it's simpler for you. But what we're seeing from, from Luke Plant and others, you know, guys who are very obviously tour caliber pros. I mean, Luke's had three top 10 finishes this year, two of them top fives. And where he currently, I think he's, I think he's at 13 points currently of the 20 he needs. I mean, do you think we've been kicking around some ideas? Do you think the system should be adjusted or do you think it's fair how it is? Um, I don't want to be too harsh. It did, it did give me the platform to go out and that's the reason I got there. And they start with, because I pitched that PGA Tour you, and for one, I think it's the whole idea of it's unbelievable, like it's giving us an easy way to get to the PGA Tour. And I wouldn't say easy, but it's giving us a way to get to the PGA Tour. Better pathway, right? Yeah. And whether that's corn fairy, whether that's Canada, it gives us, we don't have to get a Q school, which is great. Um, something. Yes, yes. And hopefully I don't have to go to Q school. Um, but I do think maybe the points, there's a way to, because I was talking, there's going to be a time where these high end college players don't play college events. They're just going to chase the PGA Tour search, which I was on that track. I probably would have done the same thing. It's a, I think it's some make question. And I think it's a lot easier to come out here and make a cut and get a point than it is to go and try to win the Western end and get two points. Interesting. Like it doesn't. Yeah. You know, I think, or it is, especially if you are a high end player, if you can get these spots on sponsored exemptions, I think it is the way to go. Like, you know, you go and, you go and win the US and well, that's three points. Like, I think, you know, you might could have touched this. I think it's easier to make three cuts out here than it is to win the United States amateur. Yeah. Yeah. So I would do the exact same thing. Now, I don't know if there's a way to elevate that, whether, like you said, you, I mean, top 10, I think should be more than one extra point. So I think if you, you know, gave two points, like an extra point on top of that, I think, you know, Luke would probably already be there. Yeah. And we're with you on this. I mean, the system in general, we support the PGA Tour, you, we think it's a great pathway for college guys to go play well, earn their way on. And with the way things have changed in the professional golf landscape, we just think maybe just a reexamination of somebody who's like, well, maybe we need to look at, hey, a top five might be worth a couple more points when you look at it against, hey, what else are they comparing the points to? But we're getting all that subject because we don't want to get you in trouble. And we don't want to get in trouble either. We're like, we're all, let's believe this said, not being in trouble. One of the, one of the questions I had cooked up here is that, you know, when you win the MX, now you're in a category where you're playing with other winners, you're playing with top tour talent. And when it happens to me, I embrace the opportunity when I play with these players to try to pick their brains a little bit, just about anything, whether it's, hey, this is what, what did you do down the stretch? Did you do X? And I'm just curious, was there any advice that you picked up on from a certain player this year that stands out that you've been able to implement throughout the year, or maybe something that you're going to use in years to come? Yeah. That's a really good question. I don't know if anybody's asked me that, that was a good question. I would probably say Will Zalataurus, honestly. I played a practitioner with him with the players and how, I don't think it was necessarily what I asked him. I think it was watching him and how he prepared for that tournament. It was very structured, Scotty's very similar in that, he's like, I think Teddy helps him a lot with where to chip from, they have the app or something where you can see stats from years previous and where to, you know, it might be the percentage of making a birdie may be better from the right or up from the left or up from your aim to another four yards right, or whatever that is. So like you feel like they had a plan when they show 100%, where you're like 100%, we're for a rookie showing up, you're just like, well, let me learn the holes, you know. But these guys are already looking at whole locations, pins on Sunday, and where to chip and putt from. Yeah, so I think, you know, Will had a very good, because I hated Procterons in college, I hate him here, it's, I just don't like Procterons, but seeing how he prepared and, you know, there may be a couple, whether it's two or three shots of tournament where it's like, there's this left pin, it's like, man, I didn't really get this look over there, like, is that bad? Can I attack this pin? I don't know. A little uncertainty that maybe I should play a little further right, and, you know, that could be a shot or two tournament. So just seeing the way he kind of talked about it, seeing the way he practiced, you know, where he putted from to these certain holes, it was very, very eye opening for me. Charlie, are you familiar with P.J. West? Where you won the MX? Yes, absolutely. So are you familiar with the 16th hole there, that par five with the big bunker left? Yes. The left pin that you weren't sure about, it's my rookie year on the 16th hole. I was, I never, in the practice round, went down in that bunker. I went down there. And I'm hitting my second shot on Sunday and Mike 700, playing great, hit it down in the bunker and I get down there and I was like, holy, I wish I would have gone here in the practice round and knew this was this bad. Yeah. It is literally, there is a reason people are hitting it up, like, in the people, like, 40 yards right up in the hill, like it is, I do remember if you, as long as you're short, like chipping kind of back up the green out of that bunker, but if you are whole high, it is. That was a lot, buddy. I mean, like, big old red X, it's, no point. It's amazing. I think Nick, it's fascinating to hear you talk about decision making process for guys that are amateurs coming through the college ranks. So it's, it's easier to come out here and try to, to make a cut than to try to win western collegiate or something like that. I think what that speaks to is it's amazing how much young talent we have right now, both currently still playing college or like you, just make it out on tour. And I'm looking ahead to like the president's cup this, this fall, Ryder cup next year. And if I'm Jim Fury, or I'm kicking badly, I got a list and it's got your name on it, Davis Thompson, Luke Clinton, Gordon Sargent, maybe even throw in Michael Thorbjornson or Jackson Coven, just because you look at what Luke Donald did, betting in guys like Ludwig O'Bare, Nikolai Hoigard and Rome, and you know, obviously Ludwig's kind of on a, on a plane of his own, but just trying to create a pipeline of young American talent. I'm curious, has anyone from those team setups reached out to you to kind of stay in contact and, and you know, whether it's for this, you know, president's cup this fall or beyond, and I said, hey, we're trying to kind of get you in this pipeline and have you on a team of the years come? I played with Jim, actually my first, yeah, I think it was my first ever year, so I, when I think I won the US Junior D1, maybe it was the US Senior Opens, I got to play with him and met him then, that was, that was a lot of fun. That was my first eye opening hard golf course, I think, and then some, some things I need to get better. And it was, I talked for about an hour after the round and just picked his brain on some things I needed to get better on. But yeah, I played with Keegan at 3M right after Reno this year, I don't know if that was on purpose or coincidental, but either way it was, it was nice to meet him and get to talk to him a little bit, but yeah, for right now it's completely focused on the playoffs, but the Ryder Cup is, it's got a big circle around it, that's for the year. Yeah, I mean, you're, you're pretty good at match play. I can, if you need me to just send over to Keegan or Junior match play really well. I think at one point last year, I was doing the math, you had won close to about 20 straight matches or something like that, I know you and Jeff and I were trying to figure out the math on it, it was a lot to a little, that's all I know, so obviously something that you're very good at. And it's not coincidental, so we're at the playoffs, we're at TBC Southwind, the same week as the U.S. Amner's going on where you won last year. So just, I mean, we're here, last year when the USM, you know, you got all the dreams in front of you, you don't know what it looks like, did you ever see that you'd be sitting in this chair right here, a year later? No. If you would have said, going into the USM, if you'd have said, hey, you're going to win two college tournaments and you're going to make two cuts in a P.G.A.T.T.T.T.T.R., I'd be like, yeah, that did pretty good, like, see my game elevating, but if you'd have said fast forward a year and I'd be sitting here, I don't even know what I would have said. But it is fun, looking back, it's going to be fun to watch the USM this year because it's going to change somebody's life, just like it did mine, and it's just the platform that they give you, like, it is the pinnacle of amateur golf, like, you get to play in three majors, you're playing in front of ginormous TV cameras, big crowds, it prepares you for, you know, not exactly the crowds you're going to see out here, but the cameras, like, it's the exact same thing, so it'll be fun to watch it do the same with somebody else. Last one I've got, I'll keep it quick, I just can't leave you without asking a question about fifth preseason Alabama football, how many wins, and also, have you picked up the stakes, I know you're very busy, but have you played EA College football yet? Because I haven't, typically, I do travel with my PlayStation, I haven't these past two weeks for whatever reason, I don't know why, but I typically do, but I haven't played it yet. If you short on time, just leave it at home, do not, that's what I've heard, two AM nights trying to get North Carolina football back up to high heights, but I mean, what do you think about, you know, the Crimson Titans here with the new coach? I actually, I got to spend a little bit of time with him, I helped out Coach Saban, one of his charity events in Birmingham, he was there, and we sat in the hole and hit some shots together, and he was, it's different than Coach Saban, obviously, he's got a different mindset towards it, you know, Coach Saban's obviously very old school, very disciplined, very, you know, obviously, his one way, worked for him for a long, long time, and I think Coach DeBor is doing a really good job of how the new game's being played, he's adapted really well, and obviously his record stands for itself. I think the guys that responded really well to him, and I think that's all that matters personally, I think if the guys buy into what he's doing, then we're going to be pretty good. I think what we're going to have, I think we're playing, is it Arkansas, maybe? No, no, it's not Arkansas. To play out with Wisconsin. I mean, that was Wisconsin, yeah, that would be fantastic. And then obviously, George at home would be good. Yeah, early in the season, you find out what type of team you're on, I mean it, I think a lot of people are predicting, you know, being right on that cost would probably be on an SEC Championship team, but with the new divisions and meeting no divisions, and it's just a wide open SEC with Texas and Oklahoma Jordan, we'll see if the board can get them there. I mean, shoot, Les Miles won an actual championship at LSU following Nick Saban, and I would probably take cable to board over Les Miles, so I think he could probably do it at Alabama as well. It does help having a, you know, I don't know if Jalen's a senior or a junior, but it helps having him. Yeah, that guy's been there. Yeah. That has some experience under the lights, so I don't think they're going to be. We'll see, man. We'll see, man. Yeah. Well, best luck this week at TBC. I appreciate it. The questions are a roadmap. Yeah, I'm going to need them. We're going to go back. No, this is 18. I saw the range, and I'll have to figure everything else out. We should fish, you know, over there, you know, maybe some bites over there, if you're going to bring the poll out. Oh, I definitely will. I have it in my car. Pretty taking the time. Yeah. Absolutely. Thank you, guys. Dogs are an important part of our lives, and keeping them protected is a top priority, especially against nasty parasites. That's why you got to check out Next Guard Plus, a Fox Elanor, Moxie Deckton, and Pyrental Trubil Tablets. Next Guard Plus chews provide one-and-done monthly protection that kills fleas and ticks, prevents heartworm disease, plus it treats and controls roundworms and hookworms. That's a whole lot of protection packed into a delicious beef-flavored, soft chew designed to make monthly dosing easy and enjoyable. So, the next time you're at the vet, ask about Next Guard Plus chews. They're the one-and-done monthly parasite protection you want for your dog. Use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders. This should be tested for existing heartworm infection prior to starting a preventive. If your small business has a problem, you could say, "Ugh, just my luck." But you should say, "Like a good neighbor, a state farm is there!" And we'll help get you back in business. Like a good neighbor, state farm is there. There you have it. Nick Dunlap on a variety of different topics. Really enjoyed catching up with him, and hey look, our third recurring guest. We just might have a fourth this week. Just might have a fourth. Just might have a fourth this week. Yeah. Let's take you guys in the comments who the fourth might be this week. Few more items to recap from Wyndham kind of played it forward a little bit. One is one that we just discussed with Nick, very hot on this topic, Luke Clann finishes solo fit, would have earned him 110 FedEx Cup points a suite for the finish. To date this year, and the starts he's been given, and just PTA tournaments, not talking about majors here, but he's finished top 10 three times, and two of those have been top fives. And he's earned, of course, appointed each of those events for making the cup, but only one additional point for those top 10 finishes. We're talking here about PGA Tour you accelerated standings. Once you get to 20 points, you earn your Tour card. Gordon Sargent has done just that. Jackson Coyben, I believe, sits at 17 points, and Luke is in third with 13 points. To just expand on that a little bit, and some of the ideas we introduced with Nick, of ways we could, you know, just take stock of what's a good system, creating pathways for young players and make it better. And what you suggested, you know, a bonus point for top five finishes, I've suggested maybe a multiplier for multiple top 10 finishes. Where's your head on on this right now? So for the PGA Tour you and the criteria that it's kind of laid out, I would say that for the players that are playing in college versus the guys that Luke Clan, who's had success on the Tour, there's more points awarded for good playing in college. And I think the argument that Luke Clan should make and that I'm making is that it's more difficult to earn a top 10 on the PGA Tour than it is for some of the criteria that's currently listed on the PGA Tour you accelerated program list. I would just like that, whether it's a top 10 or a top five, to equal that of some of winning some of these events in college, to where PGA Tour you right now in this program, you get one point for a made cut on tour, you get one point for a top 10. I would argue that there should be a top five category that awards three points, or maybe even four, because I think that's very difficult to do. And then a top 10 would maybe be closer to two points versus just one. I think we've arrived at this place because we have a very good problem on our hands for the PGA Tour you program and the accelerated program. There is a lot, a lot, a lot of good young talent in these opportunities to play in PGA Tour events. So that's a great thing and I think it's like let's commend this program for getting us to where we are now, we're saying hey these guys are so good that we should look at changing this thing. But I do think I completely agree with your point, which essentially is what is the best indicator of whether or not a guy is going to succeed on the PGA Tour. It's probably playing in PGA Tour events. That's what I'm saying. And you talked in three times, we should probably be saying okay, you look very tour ready by the look of it. And I think it's, you know, again, great problem to have and I'm sure there have to be discussions happening by wherever it, you know, it demonstrates this program right now of like, because we're tweeting at them. You're welcome, you collegiate athletes out there. And like we said with Nick, as we teeed up, we support the program, we think it's fantastic. But as things are changing in this whole landscape, we just want, you know, the luke clans of the world who from my perspective, if you go look at how many points he would have earned, if he was a PGA Tour member, he would have earned our stats department, by the way. Crushed this this morning. Doing some research, 400 points is what he would have earned. He, that would put him at right at a hundredth on the FedEx Cup points list, which would be in front of Matt Kuchar, who we talked about a moment ago. So I, I, with that being said, and Luke Clinton being technically, if he was a PGA Tour member, enough to have already secured a card for next year, that's where the argument goes to. All right. How close is each of the 20 points necessary and sitting at 13, it feels like that. It's a little further way than where he should be. I agree. I also love that, like, this is the second year running where we've had, like, the Shadow FedEx Cup. We're doing, like, Midwoolies special temp points last year, and now we've got, we're doing nicked on lap if he got points for one of the AMX and, you know, that, maybe that's something we'll workshop for year two with the Tour is, can Charlie award these players a Shadow FedEx Cup? It's not the real thing. It's just the, well, what would have been the one of the arguments suit I've seen on, on social media is that, that why doesn't amateur, why don't amateurs get FedEx Cup points? They're playing. They should get them. Yeah. I think it's way different teeing up as an amateur than it is a pro. And we're not advocating that he should be granted FedEx Cup points because I think there is an element to, hey, you know, teeing it up as an amateur. There's, you know, when you're a pro, it's the responsibilities of being a pro and what that it entails is, you know, it's a lot more stress. Well, it's, it's just, it, there has to be some sort of dividing line. So I understand it as much as we may look at it and say, well, you know, it's, it's the same thing as hitting a ball and there's a OB stick and there's the other OB stick and it's just out of bounds. Like, I should be able to play this. It's right here. It's like the OB lines got to be somewhere. And so, and Luke Clanton, you know, if the decision he has to make, whether he wants to stay pro or excuse me, stay amateur or return pro, I mean, he won't be able to play member guests to be turned to pros. And I think that's the ultimate decider here in, in this motivating factor, you know, like he shouldn't get FedEx cup points because that's what he's eligible to play member guests. I think that's where you have to draw the comparison game here entirely unrelated Luke. But if you're watching or listening and you want to tee it up at Hope Valley about a month, I got a spot for you. So, you know, there you go. And I also think too, he said a couple of times he's like, I really want to win a national championship with Florida State. And it's similar to like Gordon coming back at Vanderbilt. I never thought we were going to see that type of decision. And honestly, even though Nick turned pro and I think was the right decision and of course he validates it with another win in the same calendar year, same season, I'm sure there's part of him that wonders what it would have been like to play, play out the rest of season Alabama and see what they could have done. You know, those are really, really cool moments that you just get to have for a brief period of your life. So, I get it. I understand the motivation there and Luke Quinn, obviously we're going to keep cheering them on. If you haven't listened to the episode with Luke Quinn, go back. We've interviewed him a month or so ago right after the John Deere after his big week. But there's one other topic at the Wyndham Championship. It's in my brain, which is how did the Wyndham Championship perform just relative to last year, which was an absolute banger, you know, for a minute there, right? It felt like, you know, Max Graeserman's got a four shot lead. He's going to go and win this golf tournament and there's just not as much drama around the top 70 where last year, right, Justin Thomas, one of the, you know, the top players on the PGA tour over the last decade is like the 71st guy. So the drama was there almost chips in, I know, and I guess this year that the story would, I guess, would be Victor Perez and Davis Riley, but not as much drama to me there. And I assume you probably have just an opinion on Davis winning at Colonial, right? Well, absolutely. I mean, I think what an interesting juxtaposition of guys where Victor Perez, DP World Tour graduate, coming off an amazing week at a hometown or a home country Olympics, rather, and just blistering finish on the back nine, narrowly misses out on a medal. Everyone's rooting him on. Like, I'm amazed that this guy got on a flight to Greensboro, North Carolina, and played this week. He was the 71st, having him in the week, so he couldn't, you know, not play this week. So to, again, feel a very different sort of pressure, much less, you know, French people hanging out at Centrilo Country Club to cheer him on and be around the bubble of making it in this week. And then, of course, having a chance to play his way into signature events next year with a good week, juxtaposing that against Davis Riley, where this guy who won an event on tour this year and misses out in the playoffs, and that's just, that's hard for me to wrap my head around, but I think it speaks to you and I were kind of talking off camera before, and I think you have some great thoughts here just of how competitive it's gotten and specific to this event, you know, we're talking about Grayser, maybe it was going to win it going away, but then makes it interesting at the end and just looking at that sort of bubble competition that this event's got a great identity going for, but with the playoffs set up. And I think, you know, with the top 70 guys that made it Emiliano, well, hold on, it says on my app, oh, I need it. I need to update it. This is shit. You need a pistol projected. I need the live projected. It hasn't quite updated yet, but in years past, Windham Championship, we're talking about the top 125 guys to make it to the playoffs. So that to me is going from 125 to 70 guys, I'll just give you the difference from a point standpoint. When we look at the FedEx Cup points, comparing those 654 points is top 70. That is a really nice season. You know, when I look at 654 points for somebody's point on tour, I would have loved that. That's a great season because you get 500 points for winning. So that's just saying that, you know, Davis Riley earn 147 points outside of his colonial win. So it just goes to show you that you have to play really well and consistently all year around. You can't just go out and win one time. Peter Malnati, another guy that won at Valispar also not making the playoffs. Yes, that's right. It's not a good one. I'm sure there's another player I'm missing there as well, but the number for 125 right now is 282. And that is probably the lowest I've ever seen this number. When I used to play on tour, it used to be, you know, if you got to 400, you were safe. That was the number that you tried to get to. So when we talk about 70 now being at around 650 points, and I know that signature events are giving more points out now. And that's changed. And things guys are less eligible to win more points in these open events. So the benchmarks and the number that you got to get has changed. But to your original point, the competitive side of the PGA Tour, I think it's legit. Like you got to come up and show up with your watch box every single week because you can't have stretches where you play bad on tour. You're not going to be here in Memphis. I think that's a great segue to because I think that that discrepancy between 70 and 125 being so large, you'd have to attribute that to the way the schedule set up a signature event and kind of the way the points there. So this is something we've been tracking all season long and looking at sort of the tour projection on the front of the year was 34 to 38% turnover, you know, from the guys, you know, so effectively 19 guys playing their way into signature events and the following year, 19 guys playing their way out, right? And that now would be 38% and that is currently where we sit, heading into the last event that will determine signature event qualification for next season. And I think we both found that a little bit surprising. I had you convinced that there wasn't going to be anybody that changes in the top 50 because I was just so blown away at the points distribution list comparing a signature event and an open event that even for let's go past that, let's go to the ones that are at the 300 point of weeks, the opposite field events, you basically like, if you go up and shoot, you finished 30th that week, you might as well just get a lunch box on your way out because you weren't getting any points. But it surprised me and I think that I would have expected that there had been a much tighter in that top 50. The only thing I can think of, the reason why, is that Scotty shuffle just gobbled up all the points. That makes a ton of sense to me. I think all the guys are just like, hey Scotty, you just keep winning because it's keeping the points in one place and not as much of that top 50, the guys that are playing in all these events, because let's remember the events that Scotty all won, he won all these signature events, you know, he's taking away the 750 points every week. So when you had, if you would have had a mixed bag of guys winning signature events this year, I think you would have seen a different result in that top, well I know we're not, we're top 70 right now and this is a FedEx Cup playoff event here in Memphis that 2,000 points goes to the winner. So you're going to see a big mix up here this week, but as we maybe kind of just look ahead to 2025, that I expect it's got to be a little tighter next year, like maybe closer to 14, 15 guys, I still feel the advantage of signature events is there. I think there could be, because I guess the place my head goes is, you know, what was unique about this year or where these guys come from, right? And that actually came from some pretty unique places, like the DP World Tour graduate class strong had a great, great year. And I think that's awesome. But if you're trying to, the big win, I didn't do so well in Paris, even though there was your guy, but I think, you know, that's got to be a success story of, you know, if you're trying to create, you're saying, hey, we're limiting access to these events, but we're going to create pathways for other groups of players to play their way in, check that box. I think young guys have made success, you know, even if it's, you know, done lap when he's an am and then, you know, of course, qualifying for signature events and making his way in that way. And then, you know, right now obviously needs a lot this week to get top 50 next year, but you know, and then you kind of mentioned Scotty gobbling up a lot of the points as well. So next, the dynamics of next season could be different. We could have different, you know, I'm not sure how strong the DP World Tour graduates are going to be or what other categories we're going to see guys winning out of that aren't from that signature, signature group. But I'd say in terms of piloting a program for the first time, given the skepticism we had about this heading in, you got to kind of look at where it's at now and say that's that's success. That's kind of where we want it to be. And when I think about this too, you know, guys that were in the top 50 last year had an opportunity to plan their whole season around the signature events. Now, let's look at other players like Davis Thompson or Steven Yeager, players who were not inside the top 50 heading into the year, you know, they're able to put a bit of an emphasis on every open event is an opportunity to get themselves inside the top 50 for the next year and say maybe these guys were, you know, they had more to play for at these open events and more opportunities to go out and try to win, maybe for less points. But when you look at guys at signature events who maybe didn't have good years and weren't playing as well, they're playing against better competition. And so the opportunities where they're playing against lesser competition, they're only doing it half of the amount of the time as maybe a Davis Thompson or Steven Yeager who's playing against the week, I would say maybe the weaker fields that aren't the signature events. But, you know, that's why that was proposed at the signature events, you still got to go play well because if you don't play as well, it puts in more of a, you know, an emphasis for you to go out these open events and have to go out and play well. Yeah, I mean, and look at, or how about like as like Billy Portial? Yeah, it was having a great year, only played one signature event. One signature event and I think, and it sets up two for some interesting storylines next year of, I think that's, that's my biggest question mark going forward is how are we going to continue to use the exemptions? Because if we're looking at the numbers and the stats and it's telling us the turnovers where we want it to be at a number we're all comfortable with, I don't think anyone's going to argue it needs to be more than 38%, you know, I think at that point, what's the kind of the purpose of the event anyway? But I think there was some sort of questions around, you know, who the exemptions we're going to and for what reason and I think you and I would both like to see, you know, little more men will lead next year, you know, that's our guy, but you know, Keith Mitchell and guys like that and just, you know, maybe some younger guys as well, just a mix of guys, give them some chance to play their way in, you know, play their way into a swing five category or a next ten category or whatever it is. But I'd say overall like, you know, that's a good first year for the signature event program. The sponsors invites didn't bother me at all this year, I understand they went to, uh, to players like web sense, I think you got one of just about everyone. Like next year, Ricky's going to get an exemption into just about everyone and he draws a crowd. Sure. He draws a crowd and he's been great to a lot of these events and they want him back. So why wouldn't you want him there? And I think that, uh, that sponsors invites or gets so debated by people and, and there's four of them, right? Like maybe there should be more, that's a debatable topic, but he's, they can do whatever the heck they want. And it's been a little political at times. The Pebble Beach one, I thought was a little political as it was free policy board, you know, maverick, me, Neilie, Peter Malnati, being two picks and we're like, wait, hold on. Peter Malnati got picked over who? Right? Yeah. Yeah. That was like, that, that was one where I can understand the debate, but, um, yeah. Well, and I think in some of those guys, you know, you got to catch in on those out of Scott, I believe inside the signature event list right now, uh, you know, making the most of those, man, making those, uh, sponsor exemptions. So, so it's a big week. That's why this is a big week. This is a big, big week and thrilled to see how it plays out and, you know, what do we have? I know you haven't had a chance to fully walk the course yet. I said, give me your brief course notes and then you're going to do some walking the next two days. We're really going to dig into it. Here's what I love for you to share that I thought was interesting listening to you and Nick talk about was the most crucial T shots on this course. Yeah. Like, like the moments where guys have to stand up on a T and, and really make it pull a shot off and make it happen, you know, so you can kind of win this event or get yourself the contention to make it next week past that, that top 50 line, you know, TBC South one's a golf course that, uh, it's typically stood the test of time with, with the growth of the technology boom in the game of golf, you know, when we, when we talk about, oh, we need to keep lengthening golf courses, um, to make it challenging for pros. Well, this golf course is really does, it hasn't changed anything. Really like they haven't linked it at a time. What they have done though, it's, it's a strategical positional type of golf course. We got to put the ball in the fairway because the rough is a fliers paradise, meaning it's hard to get, it's hard to get spin on the golf ball coming out of the rough and the greens are firm. They tuck the pins. So when you have Bermuda rough and you have firm greens, that keeps the scoring manageable. It's kind of the, the two main things when it comes to, uh, you know, keeping these guys challenge, right, is, uh, is making them hit the fairway and then firm green. So you got that out here, uh, you can obviously take it deep out here if you're hitting fairways, but they are narrow, um, you've seen a lot of players that, that have played well here are, are guys that just are able to find fairways. So, um, as I go and check out this golf course this week, I think that'll be kind of the consensus of, for what I'll try to figure out in my research is, are the fairways firm? Are they soft? Are the balls rolling out in the fairways? Because it could, you know, if the fairways are soft, it brings out a lot more guys, right? But if they're firm, now you're going to, you have to really be able to manage your ball out here. Well, smiley, starting to get a little warm, starting to get a little steamy, feeling some rain drops out here. Uh, I walked 11 minutes from a holiday and express to a Starbucks this morning for a wrap that I ate at 7 30 a.m. And I'm absolutely running on fumes right now. It's famished. Somebody feed me right now. It's getting us some barbecue right here. Give me some barbecue. Give me a snow cone. I'll eat anything you put in front of me right now. I might eat these plants behind you, but what, what the next time we'll be talking, you know, to, to the audience, people, we're going to be indoors and in the clubhouse here, uh, TBC South when I've got a little sneak peek, the location, it's going to be a really, really cool setup. Uh, so looking forward to that on Wednesday night that, that, that episode will drop with another special guest, potentially recurring guest. Um, but until this, smiley, what do you, what do you want to leave the good people with as we head out? Oh, man. Gosh, I, uh, I need to come more prepared for these because I, uh, I always give you a final thoughts to you. I don't feel like I can close the episode without it. Uh, what did I do this weekend? Uh, I played, I played golf. We might play golf this week. Yeah, we might play golf this week. We'll see. Um, I am debating on whether I should keep interwalk or go back to overlap grip. So that's a big top of conversation, uh, when it comes to my golf brain. Okay. We'll keep, uh, I'll keep you posted on that, but other than that, pretty chill week, good two weeks at home, pumped about being here. Uh, this is going to be great. Seventy dudes battling for 50 spots in Denver. Uh, but I'm also excited for, you know, we got a lot of great shows coming up. Yeah. We'll be back tonight this week and the next two as well. So hope you enjoyed today's episode and we'll be back here on Wednesday, not here in the larger sense, but in a different location here at TPC South when for more preview of the FedEx St. Jude championship, we appreciate you watching and listening and we will talk to you then. Dogs are an important part of our lives. That means protecting them from parasites. Ask your vet about next guard plus a fox loner, moxie decked in and pyrantal chewable tablets. Scard plus chews provide one and done monthly protection against fleas, ticks, heartworm disease, roundworms and hookworms. Plus, they're delicious and easy to give. Use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders. Dogs should be tested for existing heartworm infection prior to starting a preventive. Ask about next guard plus chews. If your small business is booming and ready to expand, you might say something like, "What's happening?" "Babababoo!" "Yeah!" Crushed it. But if you need someone who can actually help protect your growing business, just say, "Like a good neighbor or a state farm he's there?" And just like that, your state farm agent can help you get the coverage you need for your new space. For your small business insurance needs, like a good neighbor, state farm is there. (beep)
Join Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme on location at TPC Southwind for the first round of the FedEx Cup playoffs!
