No Strokes Podcast

Bud Cauley's Incredible Comeback, US Open Week and Disney Adult Weirdery

Episode Summary

Scott's back from Disney with an unsolicited cosplay-resort pitch for Disney brass. Bud Cauley's first career win after nearly dying in a 2018 car crash, and Wyndham Clark unraveling while the crowd serenaded him with the Canadian anthem. Plus a full US Open card for Shinnecock built on discipline and lag putting — Hovland, Sam Burns, and Matt Fitzpatrick as the locks, Cam Smith the sneaky 150-1 dart, and Bryson tagged to miss the cut. Follow the guys X @kitun, Instagram @kitun and @venmojoe. Subscribe at nostrokespod.com.

Episode Transcription

Scott Kitun (00:01.571)

Alright, Joe, we are back. Another episode, another week. We did not do last week RBC Canadian and missed out on quite a storyline. We will get into that. I was off at Disney having a magical time with the family. You and I joked about it before we hopped on the show, but I feel like it's worth sharing. I you asked me how it was, and I said it was wonderful. The kids had a great time, the wife had a great time, I had a very good time. But the people.

The Disney The Disney adults. There's something wrong there. There's something fucking off there. If you listen to this show, I'm gonna make fun of you for the rest of your life if you're a Disney adult.

Venmo Joe (00:32.641)

Adults.

Venmo Joe (00:36.494)

Well I I I might I might be I might be married to I might be married to it

be careful. But yes. but there are but there are kids. Correct. Correct.

Scott Kitun (00:46.373)

Well, so am I. So am I. But that's a wife with kids. That's a vi wife and kids is different. Would would would Taryn be a Disney adult on her own with you no kids? Just like, Joe, like never had kids. I I feel like it would be grounds for a conversation. I said to you, I can't believe these, or you said to me actually, you can't believe these people, but they they save every dollar they have to go to Disney. Everything is about Disney, and that was confirmed when I was there and I see some of these people walking around. I was like, holy shit.

Venmo Joe (00:57.004)

God God I hope not. God I hope not.

Venmo Joe (01:15.49)

Yeah.

Scott Kitun (01:16.517)

And then it kinda dawned on me, I was like, Well, there's like the Disney Cruise type people, and then there's people like you and I who spend every free dollar on golf clubs, golf trips, and golf gambling. So it doesn't really make us any worse. I'm just being judgmental, I think, is really

Venmo Joe (01:30.498)

different diff different vice, but I'll take our vice over Disney any day of the week. You know you know so it like the the

Scott Kitun (01:36.623)

I I feel like there's there's nothing r weird about our vice. Our vice doesn't resolve revolve around like I would not do my newlywed, you know, ho I wouldn't do my honeymoon at at at a golf trip with my wife probably, but Disney I saw several honeymoons and I was fucking baffled.

Venmo Joe (01:42.658)

They all the

Venmo Joe (01:52.384)

Listen, listen, going over to PGA's tour store and checking out checking out latest clubs, nothing weird, boys' trips to to different courses across the country or world, awesome. The only thing that we do that's probably a little weird, right, from the the general golf population is that we're the ones that are paying attention to the Sanderson Farms event in October. But other than that, I think our our passion is is much more widely accepted.

Scott Kitun (02:22.925)

I I totally agree with you. I I've speaking of going to PJ store and golf clubs and just sticking around, I I've got I built an indoor segment. There's a a storyline on on Bud Collie and his putter, and it goes back to Ricky and and Woodland and others. We'll talk about that. I will end my Disney trip. I thought it was kind of funny, and you would have knowing me the way you do, you know that this is this would only happen to me. I was grabbing a a d I was grabbing a drink at the at like the little bar outside of the the pool.

Venmo Joe (02:44.587)

Ha ha ha.

Scott Kitun (02:52.193)

And there's some guy, you know, the bartender looks like a complete what you'd expect, you know, like d total alcoholic, just hitting on anything and everything. And some like couple comes up and they're doing like a honeymoon type of thing, and this is day one. I've been here like 15 minutes. And I turn around to the guy and I was like, I I said this I meant it. I wasn't even trying to be funny. And I was just like, so they say they're newlywed. They're here to stay for just married newlywed.

This is where they chose. And he's like, Yeah, it happens all the time and I was like

Don't take this the wrong way. Is there like a part of this resort that's like got like a dress-up cosplay fuck party that like I'm missing out on? Is there something I'm signing up for the wrong shit? And he just kind of like deadpan looks at me's like, I'm sorry, what'd you say? And was like, I was like, if a couple of adults chose to come here after they got married, my assumption is that they're gonna, they're gonna, they're gonna dress up. It's like Elsa's gonna, you know, and and and he's just like staring at no words.

Venmo Joe (03:29.633)

Ha ha.

Venmo Joe (03:36.717)

Yeah.

Venmo Joe (03:50.399)

No.

Venmo Joe (03:54.711)

I'm I'm surprised I I I'm surprised you got to I'm surprised you got to complete your Disney trip and they didn't just escort you off property for for such vul vulgar undertones.

Scott Kitun (03:55.311)

And I get to see the people next to me like

Scott Kitun (04:03.725)

No, no, Joe. They they called the they they called the hard line in the room. It was Bob Iger's assistant. Said, I want to speak to you. We have an idea. We want to pitch you. It's about building a cosplay Disney Adult Center at the back end of our I'm a fucking innovator. What you want? either way, it was it was hilarious and also just so me. And I was just the whole experience was wonderful and also very revealing. Put it that way.

Venmo Joe (04:09.982)

Yeah.

Venmo Joe (04:17.678)

my God.

Venmo Joe (04:29.942)

I well I feel I I feel like the Disney adult they're kinda like the people that the regulars at a casino, right? They're like go as soon as they got a paycheck, they're going to the casino. These people, as soon as they have a paycheck, they're going to spend it at Disney. And it's just like it's insane.

Scott Kitun (04:43.503)

And that that would be my Disney adult cosplay business, would have slot machines, weirdo fires where people do sansy things and don't wear clothing. You gotta have a nude beach there, obviously. You know, half the Disney characters don't even have fucking pants on, so it f it fits, I feel like. It's a I think it's yeah. I think I figured I think I just figured it out, man. I figured it out. Well

Venmo Joe (05:02.734)

Might be on to something. If no strokes doesn't work out.

Scott Kitun (05:09.177)

I also did get a chance to watch, even though we didn't cover it on a show, I did get a chance to watch RBC a little bit in Canadian Open. I want to highlight this because you and I talked about it be the last show. Did you catch on Sunday the Canadian anthem being sung to Wyndham Clark while he was on the T, just trying to fuck with him, and watching him get irritated made me smile so hard.

Venmo Joe (05:30.08)

It was so much it's so much fun. I I bet he was super stressed out and probably had to open up some grape after that round because he was, you know, the Canadians were giving him a hard time. he it's like even when he was trying to play the heel on Saturday, like he had the Jack Hughes knockoff USA jersey, it's just like you know that like he doesn't want to engage with the crowd. It's like someone in his camp is like, hey, play this up, and like

He's trying like I think he's just he's naturally unlikable, so I guess it's good that he's playing the heel, but like when he's intentionally trying to be the heel, it's just like it makes me like not like him even more.

Scott Kitun (06:12.229)

Yeah. I don't I and I honestly I can't tell if he's if he's got a camp telling him to do this or if he's just up his ass so much, his own ass, that he just thinks it's funny and does this and you're like, Yeah. Right.

Venmo Joe (06:13.358)

Yeah.

Venmo Joe (06:21.79)

he loves himself some w he loves himself some Wyndham Clark. Like and then Sunday he makes the birdie, he makes like the thirty footer, and then he does the I can't hear you. And it's like dude, you're not Rory at the Ryder Cup. Stop. You're you've you've collapsed on Sunday and you're making a birdie that like doesn't matter.

Scott Kitun (06:32.005)

You're in fifth place. Like

Scott Kitun (06:41.135)

He sucks, but I'll tell you what, the story wasn't about Winham. The story was Bud Collie. This dude almost died in a car accident. What was it 2018? This has been talked about for four or five days, so we don't need to go, you know, crazy on it. It's just you love to see these stories. Personally, I will never bet against or be not a fan of a guy named Bud. To me, it's like you call me your name's Bud, and we're probably buddies for the rest of our lives. I love the way he handles himself. I love how emotional he got, his family, the whole thing was just like you can just tell.

Venmo Joe (06:59.48)

Great name.

Scott Kitun (07:10.019)

All the tournaments finally to get across the line. And then also, he's like a normal, really highly touted, very talented golfer who had a thing happen that he had to overcome. He's there's no subline, there's no only wear sleeves, there's no mom, there's no two gloves, there's no fucking weird sidebar. It's just a grinder golfer who everyone loved, who has a ton of talent, who had a major setback that almost cost him his life.

He's grounded out for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of tournaments, 300 plus tournaments, whatever, and finally wins. And he finally wins. And he played his ass off Sunday. And he had that stretch on what was it, 12 through 14. It was like four, three birdies in a row, four birdies, whatever it was. And it was like, yeah, he took the tournament. And for me, I I looked at the, I was watching on Sunday and I watched Jackson, who was the leader to start off Sunday, make a bogey fall back. You got him, Stranger, Strangler, whatever his name is.

Venmo Joe (07:42.242)

Without a win, yeah. Unreal.

Scott Kitun (08:04.841)

and you've got Bud, and then you've got your guy Hovlin, which we'll get into, hanging in the in the circle. Sam Burns is in there for a little bit, he kind of falls back. I'm looking at like one stroke across everyone. I ended up picking Jackson for a couple hundred dollars on prediction mortgages. He was like an 18% chance to win once he lost the lead. So it was the best buy. He fell back and lost, obviously, and Bud Bud won. And I didn't make any money for the first time on a golf tournament in in seven episodes, which sucks, but happy to do happy to donate.

Venmo Joe (08:32.6)

That does suck coming off coming off a coming off of the the Disney expenditures too. You you probably need it you you were hoping for a bet to start replenishing the coffer a little bit, but you've been on fire, so I'm not gonna feel too bad. There you go. There you go.

Scott Kitun (08:38.299)

Well, I need it

Scott Kitun (08:43.353)

I made it up. I made it up with the Knicks. I made it up with the Knicks. Did very well with the Knicks. Knicks. I would've done better if they won in six, but that's a different show.

Venmo Joe (08:51.97)

Yeah, dude, what I will say, like, I first up, Canadian Open, I love national opens. Right? Like it and it's awesome. No, it's it's a great event. And you know, like what I enjoyed about it is that we've had so many tracks this year on the PGA tour that I feel like has been getting eviscerated by the media where it's like, hey, it's too easy, it's a birdie fest. Like what I liked about

Scott Kitun (08:59.281)

I thought it was great. I thought that didn't get nearly enough attention. I thought it was a really good event.

Venmo Joe (09:21.326)

TPC Toronto is that yes, there were birdies out there, but there was also like doubles and triples out there. Guys were getting in trouble if you were going, you know, if you're hitting into that native area, it was wild. Guys were catching flyers out of the fescue and then flying the green and going out of bounds. Like there was stuff that I saw this weekend that like you don't normally see on the PGA tour that I was like, this tournament just rocks.

And then the Canadians were they're always super into it. I think it rotates, I don't know how many courses it rotates between, but like I feel like every course that they do it at always has an unbelievable crowd. And you always have this storyline of like, hey, is a Canadian gonna win? Right. You had Nick Taylor win a couple of years ago on that hundred foot bomb against Fleetwood in the playoff that my cousin Kale still hasn't recovered from, after having a a ton of money on Tommy at that.

At that Canadian Open, he's gonna like this shout out again. I think I've already done it once before. But I I don't know. I just the storylines always deliver, whether it was Nick Taylor doing it. Last year, Bobby Mack two years ago winning with his dad on the bag, and then this year Bud Cauley winning after you said, coming from just a horrific car accident, having to take a couple year break from the tour, where I'm sure

You know, in his camp, they probably were talking about him never returning to professional golf. So then, you know, to come back in in 2024 and then two years later get the elusive victory. And what I think is a is a big time tournament, right? Like, yeah, you didn't have all the stars there, but it's still a really good field, right? Still Matt Fitz was there. Havland, who we're gonna talk about here in a little bit, was there. So there were some blue chip guys and

He didn't go into Sunday with the lead. He had to go out there and and and win his first tournament. I was laughing though, because I on did you see Bud on sixteen, his T shot on sixteen?

Scott Kitun (11:27.525)

The off the grid one?

Venmo Joe (11:29.718)

Yeah, so that someone referenced the Mito like that reminded them of Mito Pereira on the eighteenth hole in the PGH. I was like, my god, that was like exactly correct. But he got you know, he got lucky with that and he ended up making par somehow. just a baller, man. Just a unbelievable win.

Scott Kitun (11:49.83)

Yeah, it's it's fun to see. And like I said, this is we've talked about this a couple episodes now, but the number of good storylines that are still evolving on the tour and that there's so many different guys to watch and like and become fans of. And I think you're getting, you know, this is it's weird because this is something other sports do so poorly. Part of it I think is a golf is you get to see their face, they're on tour. You spend four days watching them consecutively. It's not a game, 20 minutes, and then they're gone for two days and they're back on it for 10 minutes.

You're watching someone for on and off for four hours for for c consecutive days. You feel like you get to know them. You see them with their other, you know, players and and kind of friends and stuff. And I feel like you you get a much better connection with golfers than other sports, but other sports have struggled when they lose their main superstar or they're they're not they don't have a a tiger.

That they just for whatever reason have to manufacture one. And PJ certainly we've talked about it. They've they've tried to do this with Rory and they try to do it with Scotty, and they're both equally great and also not Tiger. And one thing that it seems like they have very much embraced over the last, I would say, active, over the last few months, is the storyline and the breadth of depth of field. And now they're even moving into talking about these younger guys who are coming up who are playing really well, and Jackson would be one of them. But some of the guys like Hen I'm blanking on the dude's name, but

It's not on Russell, who's not on tour yet. There's a handful of young dudes who are who are really potentially game-changing golfers. We're watching all of these this different storylines and different people come in and do well and capture our attention. And I feel like for once the PGA tour is starting to learn. Granted, Scotty wasn't in this, so maybe that's why, but they didn't hog the camera on just one or two. Kapka was a good story day one.

He's got this hand issue, which we have to talk about now with the US Open. That was a bet I made, and then he pulls out on Sunday with the hand. That would have been another storyline where it's like, holy shit, he's like ready to compete. And of course, what do we know? It's the US Open, which is his tournament. So I I just feel like we're we're starting to get to see. I mean, I I wish part of me wishes Scotty was dominating and in every tournament winning by 50 strokes or whatever, even though it wouldn't be good drama. It's not good drama, but I I love having like a somebody who's just ridiculous.

Venmo Joe (13:41.57)

Yeah.

Venmo Joe (14:04.162)

I all know.

Scott Kitun (14:11.787)

Him being still ridiculous. He's taken like second and third in every tournament. Like he's still ridiculous, but it's just not the dominating force has allowed us to meet three or four different golfers on a level that we never would have. It wouldn't, you know, if Rye or even you know, Smalley or these guys, if they had had like one or two good days, you might hear a little, but you wouldn't get to know them. You see what happens over a week and I feel like you know these guys' storylines for better or worse.

Venmo Joe (14:40.994)

No, agreed. And I Yeah, we we've had a lot you know, we've had a lot of windem the last month and you know, I appreciate that he's he's hot going I mean I appreciate he's hot going into the US open and you know, he he won at LA C C a couple of years ago, so I'm sure he's gonna be a trendy pick. I I will not have him on my card, which we'll get into. but yeah, I'm with you. I think it part of it you know, we've complained about

Scott Kitun (14:41.285)

Fuck Wyndham Clark though. I didn't need to I didn't need to get reintroduced to him. I wasn't gonna

Scott Kitun (14:48.783)

Well, I have a conspiracy theory on that.

Venmo Joe (15:09.816)

Some of the events, because of how the schedule is broken out, where you've got signature events and you've got non-signature events, and then you've got the you've got the tournaments that unfortunately fall either the week before or week after a major. So you don't always get the greatest field. But the counter to that is your point, which you have an opportunity for for a Bud Cauley, right? Or a JT Poston, even though JT Poston did it in an absolutely loaded field at the memorial. But

I just feel like we've gotten a really good string of winners this year and a lot of the guys have had such a good story and when you look at Collie and, you know, Gary Woodland back when he won Houston, just

Scott Kitun (15:47.397)

Yeah. That feels like it was months ago and it was you know, just a few tournaments ago.

Venmo Joe (15:52.269)

Yeah, it was just I mean what was that March Madness when we were hanging out in in the city at that god awful Intercontinental pool party. but like just awesome stories and like when you don't have a Scotty running away with everything, you have different storylines that you can let breathe a little bit. And yeah, I thought the coverage yesterday was fantastic because at the start you had like ten different guys that could have won, right? So you were kinda just they were

They were bopping around the course versus just being like, well Scotty's in the final group or Rory's in the final group. We're just gonna show a hundred percent of their shots and like we'll sprinkle in a couple of other shots along the way, but this is gonna be the main focus. I just it the the entertainment and the T V product has been really good at some of these, you know, less than less than huge events, which I've appreciated.

Scott Kitun (16:46.085)

No, I agree. And and and like you noted, we have our own little heel. We have Wyndham. and Wyndham, my conspiracy theory is that we don't have a Bryson, so we have a Wyndham. You gotta keep a Y and you gotta have an asshole. And he's he's Wyndham with a Y and he's Bryson with a Y, and they're both annoying and one of them's not gonna make the cut this week. Again, I'm gonna I'm gonna keep ride. He's my ride always is the riding no cut mate until he makes one. Show me the money.

Venmo Joe (17:06.646)

Ooh.

Venmo Joe (17:11.288)

What can we why why why is Bryson doing like the like the the evil movie like mustache? Like like he's a villain. Like it just it look he just he just looks weird. Like he's not a mustache guy. He is not a mustache guy.

Scott Kitun (17:20.081)

'Cause he's a fucking moron. He's a toddler.

Scott Kitun (17:25.605)

He is no, look, it's not even it's not even the mustache. I'm just gonna shit on it. And I actually admire and would love to invest in his YouTube channel, frankly.

Venmo Joe (17:35.086)

Yeah, it might might not happen after you say what you're about to say, but go ahead.

Scott Kitun (17:39.228)

You know what? If if he's the man that he portrays himself to be, he'll take honor in the fact that I have my own individuality and we'll be honest. he is that kid in high school, I'm gonna say generally speaking, who moves in like your sophomore year, junior year, he's from out of town, probably from California, thinks he's fucking cool. Everyone's like, ooh, mysterious girls are all talking about this guy. He's cool, he's new, good-looking guy. And all the guys who run the the high school are like, fuck this guy, who's this guy? He shows up

And he is just as annoying as you figured. And the girls turn on him immediately because like, God, that guy sucks. That is him. Every school has him. Every friend group has the new entrant. I was probably that to you guys. The new entrant who comes in and everyone's like, Who the fuck is this guy?

Venmo Joe (18:20.686)

Yeah, but you just we we just haven't been able to quit you Scott you just we we haven't been able to quit you man You've grown You're an acquired taste Scotty and I've and I and I have acquired it and I have acquired it

Scott Kitun (18:25.765)

That's because I just keep coming. I just keep coming. But no, he's he's that everyone has that guy in the friend. No one acquires it. I force it. I love to hear that. Well, they you know the line is businesses are bought, not sold. That's kind of me. Businesses are bought, not sold. Bryson, he is that character. He's that person who has almost no self-awareness, is

Venmo Joe (18:42.092)

Ha ha ha.

Scott Kitun (18:50.437)

Thinks it's funny when it's terrible. He's the one that, like, you know, you got the kid who makes a joke in class and everyone laughs and it's perfect timing. And the guy who makes a joke five minutes later and you're like, God, you're a loser. That's him. And it's we could spend hours on this show talking about his reverse engineer. Like, he he's he was great, he's great for everything, I think, financially. He's great for making live a foil, even though it really wasn't. It helped players, it helped himself. He turns into YouTube, it helps the PGA, helps all the PGA players get more money.

Everything about Bryson's existence has actually been beneficial. It's just like watching a fucking train wreck in in real time because small bursts of him, it's like, that's kind of different. And then it's entertaining. Now you have him back in the limelight. And I think it's one of the things that he's doing is trying to be a YouTube star, but he also wants to be a golf pro. But you have to win, you have to play in tournaments to compete in majors, as it turns out. And he's he's really struggling with.

Today I'm hitting the ball over the top of my house. Tomorrow I'm playing with some fat kid that sucks at golf. And the next I'm playing in the major, and he it's just not working. And I think one thing that like this is just the business side of this, but like one thing that I've noticed about him, and we're gonna see it in full display at the US Open. The idea of Bryson is what makes a YouTube channel with Bryson seem amazing. And the fact that once a week there's like a thing, and then everything else you don't hear from or you don't see him, when you have him all the time.

The only thing you want is no more Bryson. And we have had too much Bryson. Not lately we've been off on a break because of the gap and the majors he plays in, but prior to that we had like a month of him.

Venmo Joe (20:25.324)

Yeah. Well we we we we we talked about the we talked about this last year, right? Like the reason that Bryson had the come up is because he went away for all intents and purposes, right? We there were some funny clips that would that would come online, right? Him getting absolutely bodied by the rope. Yeah, and then he became popular again because you were only getting him in very small tournament doses, right? Where it was four times a year the

Scott Kitun (20:42.393)

It made you think maybe I was wrong about this guy.

Venmo Joe (20:54.072)

Bryson's storyline was kind of refreshing because it was like, yeah, like I haven't seen this guy in a month or six weeks or eight weeks, whatever it was during that schedule. Like I'm actually looking forward to see, you know, what weird shit he's implemented since the last time I saw him play and see how he attacks this major venue. yeah, he's he's like he's jumped the shark a little bit, right? Where now he's he's gotten too publicized.

he's on too much, too many YouTube channels, right? He's doing too much on the YouTube scene, like you said. he's trying too hard, right? And now he's now he's been it's it we're oversaturated again on Bryson, where I don't have that excitement for him coming into Shinnokok. Like I'm almost on I'm on like the other spectrum like you are, where it's like, let's make some money off of him not making the cut because something clearly is not clicking. Like his success on Live is not translating to

Scott Kitun (21:25.435)

He's trying too hard. He's just trying too hard.

Venmo Joe (21:50.412)

The big boy golf courses. It didn't translate at Augusta, it certainly didn't translate at Eronomic, and I don't think it's going to translate at Chinnica.

Scott Kitun (21:59.654)

I think he's an attention whore, and I don't mean that in a bad way. I mean that just like some people are and some people aren't. And I I we're gonna pivot into the actual tournament here, and I'll use Bryson to do it. I think time will tell if he needs it to be cheers or jeers or doesn't care. But what he needs is attention, and he'll do anything for it. And I think he was getting not

it's it was not direct attention. It wasn't like, ooh, I wanna watch you. It was like, ooh, I wanna talk about you, or I wanna talk about the $300 million this or the YouTube that. He wasn't getting the like golfer attention, and he's played like shit since, and he's missed cuts, and I obviously made money on that. And my gut is I wanna bet on him to not make this cut again because I've seen nothing to show me that he can make the cut. But there's now attention on him again, and I think he's he's replaying his old tricks when he won majors and was like, hey.

You know, I'm I'm the evil guy and like your eye all eyes on me. This is a course that he actually could kick ass at. Like, he could. I mean he hits the ball a frickin' mile. He's gonna have people talking shit. If he wears that stupid mustache, he's definitely gonna have people talking shit. And I think he'll enjoy it. So like I would I'm so split where like I would put my money on him not making the cut because I think it's good good business. But I also would not be surprised at all if he competed contended and was really awesome and you're like, Holy shit, there's Bryson.

And I d you know, I don't I don't actually think it's gonna happen personally, but I I could see it. I could see it.

Venmo Joe (23:27.756)

Yeah. I think yeah, better chance than like, you know, do you really wanna you know, y you called it for

fantastically, right? It's like do you wanna do you wanna keep betting that to happen when he's already had two stinkers in the majors? I don't know, but I think

Scott Kitun (23:46.716)

Has he there's but there's been a gap in time. Has he worked on his game that whole time or has he been doing YouTube? Because the reason I felt like he was off was he was playing other things. He was he was distracted.

Venmo Joe (23:51.629)

Yeah, of course. Yeah, that which you don't which you don't which you don't know. I I do I do know that he I do know that he just had two different videos with Bob Dud Sports drop in the last five days, if that tells you anything.

Scott Kitun (24:06.127)

And he had a new driver, by the way, in that. He had a Taylor-made driver on the last one. And he also switched to Bedinardi wedges during that same period of time. While we're on the gear subject, I promise this is the last thing before we hop into to Shinnicok. did I this just got interesting? I'm everyone knows this by now that I'm I do lab, I like lab, I've been on a lab putter since 2023. I you know, the new one's not for me, but whatever. I I like the zero torque theory. I'm a shitty putter, so it makes sense to

Venmo Joe (24:10.381)

Yeah.

Scott Kitun (24:34.511)

I don't I just missed this. I completely forgot about the Golo. I remember it now, but I completely forgot in 2012. Scotty Cameron introduces this center shafted Golo, which is not a zero torque, but it is a low torque, which to date, Scotty Cameron has not released any zero torque. They're all low torque. For those who think they're zero torque, they're not their low torque. Because he believes that the hands need to be able to let let go at the end and needs to have toe hang. He thinks it's fundamental to putting stroke one way or another.

Venmo Joe (24:50.274)

Yeah.

Scott Kitun (25:01.573)

Whether you agree or not, he'd just tell you you're not a Scotty, you know, don't buy Scotty putters if you don't agree. I suck. So I try to take everything I can out of the putting stroke to to try to make a putt. For me, lab has been great. But pros practice a lot. Lab is you see lab on tour for guys who are really bad, but like generally speaking, if you're a good stroke but you have bad alignment or you're a bad time, whatever the case, JJ Spawn types, you see their career do better with the lab, you see a few of them. For the most part, you see a lot of spiders.

You see guys who have taken elements of the putting game out, but are not zero torque. Ricky Fowler has been quoted on four plays, been quoted on no laying up. He's been on handful of places talking about how he had to go back in his basement and search out this 2013 Scotty Golo that he got. And he brought it on tour. He's had it on tour now for half the season. Woodland is the same deal. now Collie. Cauley wins strokes gained by a record pace on Sunday. Well, the whole week. But Sunday, and he's.

Repping the Scotty Cameron 2013 mid Golo. And it it kind of made me think for all those who are listening to this who also think about golf clubs, which I I sold a Spider Zero Torque at Golf Galaxy to a guy I went to high school with, not working there. He was just checking out putters and I was just answering questions for him. And he ended up buying it, and he's like, You should work here. I was like, maybe if the podcast doesn't work out, I'll get a job.

Venmo Joe (26:23.618)

When when are they when are they sending you your commission for that one, Scotty?

Scott Kitun (26:27.737)

All fifteen bucks make it out to cash, homie. so

Venmo Joe (26:31.027)

'Cause just just a store credit, I think, is all you need, to be honest.

Scott Kitun (26:34.723)

I I think I think that's fair. or just give me another 15% sign up discount again, you know? That would be great too. But the point I'm trying make is we've we love new things so much that we sort of like anoint them. And I do believe that lab is unique in their their lie angle balance, which again is not the same thing as just zero torque. It's lie angle balance and zero torque makes it a unique club. They also, this has also been on the on the the recent podcast circle, is and I forget the person, I wish I could give him credit.

But I don't remember their name now. the origin of the 34 and 35-inch, 33-inch putter only stems back to making sure that the grip touches the bottom of the golf bag. There's no player whatever on it. ROM, all the other major players use 36, 36 and a half, 35 and a half, 37-inch putters. We in retail, for the existence of time, have used the 34 or 35-inch putter as stock at a store. I started using 36, 37.

Counterbalanced and I putt, and that's like half of my putting improvement is just a better angle. And it's so funny to me that Lab for Lab for if there's nothing else about Zero Torque, Lab introduced the golf Sicko community to a new club that we get to tailor and customize just like everything else we've all grown, you know, wedges and drivers and everything else. And the putter is no different, which is why now a putter costs $550 to $800, which is fucking crazy. But it goes back to

Venmo Joe (28:00.463)

Insane.

Scott Kitun (28:02.991)

The humor that we're all acting like this is a brand new thing that no one's ever seen before. And here in 2012 and 2013, Scotty Cameron had a center shafted low-torque putter that does everything that we're talking about. And we just it just didn't catch on at that time. The right player didn't want to play a center shaft, whatever the reason, it didn't take off. And now we've entered a world where Lab kicked the door open. Weird putters are cool, spiders are ugly as shit, but everyone loves it. And now it's okay to have a weird putter, and it's like,

We literally could have done this twelve years ago. Like this is not new technology, it's not new thought, it's it's just repackaged and marketed better.

Venmo Joe (28:37.582)

Well that's why he but that's why but that's why he's Scotty Cameron. He knew what what you needed before anyone realized that's what they needed.

Scott Kitun (28:44.997)

That said, Sam Hahn and and the folks at Lab Golf, please come sponsor this show. Cause I I actually do believe if you're a putter who has your if your hands are part of your putting, you're probably not very good. And if that's part of your problem, a lab lab putter will take care of that problem. If you're any if everything else about you is good and you're just not aligned well, you don't stroke isn't good or whatever, it's not gonna make a difference probably. But if hands is a problem, it'll get you out. Either way, I just thought it was worth noting that w our last tournament was one.

Venmo Joe (29:10.52)

Gotta take care of it.

Scott Kitun (29:14.863)

And we've been talking about Fowler and Woodland in this conversation and others. Guys who've had really good putting seasons are all rolling a 2013 Scotty Cameron Golo 7 S1 tour prototype, to be specific. And the other guys who are doing really well are either rolling a spider or some form of a lab. Blades are more or less out right now. And I it's just, I don't know, it's an interesting observation since we're talking about gear heads.

Venmo Joe (29:27.896)

Pretty wild. It's pretty wild.

Scott Kitun (29:42.595)

And and I know people listening to this show also like to to buy gear like I do. So fruit food for thought.

Venmo Joe (29:47.672)

Well since you're the putting guru, what w did has Ludvig switched out the putter that he was using at the PGA championship?

Scott Kitun (29:56.466)

he was playing with a couple ones. I Brooks Kepka did. I he's playing I thought he didn't he move to a mallet, didn't he?

Venmo Joe (29:56.878)

Do we know that?

Venmo Joe (30:01.676)

I think he went to a I think he went to I think he went to a mallet and I hope he did for but until I can confirm that I I can't touch him ever again. But

Scott Kitun (30:10.511)

I'm I'm pretty sure he did. Yeah, I mean he's what we talked about last show. He's on our never win a major who wins a major first list. And it's it's weird to say that 'cause he's just so freaking talented, but it it just yeah.

Venmo Joe (30:23.446)

I don't think it's happening this year. So let's get into Shinnikok, but I I don't think it's happening this year.

Scott Kitun (30:27.193)

Do it. Lead the way. Speaking speaking of guys that we've been riding for a long time looking for for a major this season, you have one. Let's lead the way with Shinnikok and how it's gonna look this year. And for those that that aren't familiar with the course, give us give us a rundown, Jeff.

Venmo Joe (30:45.42)

Yeah, so one of one of New York's most famous courses, right? It's it's hosting the the US Open for the sixth time, most recently in eighteen when when Kepka won actually over par. I still remember Kepka fist bumping a bogey on hole eleven on that Sunday. That's how hard those conditions were. Is that he sunk like a twenty footer for bogey and went nuts, like it was a birdie.

It's a it's a course that is going to demand a lot, right? So par 70, you've only got two par fives, round 7,400 yards, so think a little bit longer than Aronomic. Front nine is the is the harder of the two nines. there is no protection to wind, right? So if the wind is gonna be howling, which by the latest forecast, it looks like the rain is out, wind is gonna be there.

It's gonna be very firm. you're going to you're gonna have some you're gonna have some challenging scoring conditions on the back. So you gotta take advantage a little bit on the front. I mean, they're pretty even. between the front and the back, it kind of looks like two completely different golf courses with the back nine having all of the hills and undulations, which is where you finally get, you know, you're playing the front nine and you're not quite sure why it's called Chinnecock Hills. You will figure that out on the back nine.

what you're gonna see is some greens and slick grass, right? So Bet Poa Rye. It's gonna be very fast. You're gonna need to see a lot of scrambling. You're gonna have angled fairways, so it it's gonna be some interesting t shots where it it's certainly not gonna be straight on for the pros. They're gonna have to angle and it's yes, you're gonna have to hit it a long way, but you're gonna have to hit it in the right place. I think we're gonna see a lot of

Long putts like we saw at Ironomek. the the the horses that that we kind of always talked about, right? You're you're gonna see here, right? Who's gonna be gaining shots off the T, shots gained approach, particular from longer? Because if the wind is howling, even though it's not a super long course, you're going to have long shots into the greens. And like we always see at a US Open or an open championship.

Venmo Joe (33:10.444)

Shots gain scrambling and around the green because I I don't anticipate guys hitting a ton of greens in regulation. So when you're not hitting those greens in regulation, it's gonna be who can get up and down, who can save par, who can minimize those those big shots. Because in doing the research on Chinnikok, there's doubles everywhere on this course. Literally every hole you can you can you can double, which is gonna make for a highly entertaining

gambling and TV product for all of us out there, but I think it's gonna it's gonna be super stressful for the players.

Scott Kitun (33:47.538)

We've talked about it a lot. Elite ball striker, control trajectory, into the wind. We've had this on several courses this year. Precise iron play approach, all that you know, strokes gained matters. It always does. That's like always the the recipe to win. I think this is a course where, again, depending on how the weather plays out, but let's assume it's like typical. bombers who are boomer busts are gonna have your best shot. The bomber who

Who and if none of them have it on, then you're gonna probably see a winner that is as surprising and is not what you not what you figured. I I think personally the two things that I'm gonna look at all game, all week, because as you know, like I love the pr the the I like putting bets like you do weeks ahead on a major, but then I love to ride like the cut line and I love to ride Sunday on live prediction markets, whether that's Kel She, Robinhood, pr you know, pie market, whatever.

The two things I'm gonna watch from everyone is lag putting and discipline. The the individual golvers who I know, for better or worse, lock into a decision and they ride it. They don't question it, they just do it, and if it doesn't work out, fuck it, they keep moving. the the you said blind shots and angled fairways, long slopes, sloped greens. You have to commit to shots where you can't totally see where it's gonna end. And those are the kind of shots, especially as they get further out.

Where if a double is to be had in every single hole and you decide to split the difference, you will be the guy with the double. And so those who are disciplined enough to avoid the double and say, nope, this isn't a shot I can make, laying up, get up and down, get a bogey, whatever, get the hell out of dodge, those who are able to lock in and make the shots, commit to it and stick with it, will ultimately be at the top of the leaderboard. And those who are making lag, not making, because that doesn't make sense, but like,

Having good lag putts, those who all week long can get around the cup, if they have a couple fall in that will be the difference between a winner and a loser in this tournament. So as I'm betting and I'm watching, I'm looking to see the Morakawas of the world. Are they able to be disciplined? He's disciplined generally speaking. are, you know, the the Sam Burns, I know people are off on, he's playing really well, so I don't know why you're off on him, but people are off on him for this tournament because of the course. And I think that he's an incredible putter. And if he's

Venmo Joe (36:10.626)

Yeah

Scott Kitun (36:10.765)

Around the greens, he's gonna be in good shape. We're gonna talk about your guy Hovlin here in a second because he can fuck up in the most insane ways. But if I had to say there was anything about a person who's disciplined, he is that. He chooses the route and he runs it, even if you're like, what are you doing, man? Tinkering away. He is defin definitely disciplined. So let's let's talk about the field, but

Venmo Joe (36:29.824)

I don't I don't I mean let's yeah I mean let's go to Burns really quick. I don't understand people being off on him. I really don't, right? Like he is Yeah. And you and you should. I mean the only concerning thing with him is that he keeps putting s himself into contention and he just he doesn't have a whole lot. I mean he's got a lot to show for it in his bank account and with FedEx Cub points, but

Scott Kitun (36:34.191)

Yeah, please.

I already put a mu I put money on him as top five at this tournament. I put money on him to win also small money.

Venmo Joe (36:57.09)

He's not winning, but he continues to put himself into contention. And like I I go back to Oakmont last year. No one was on Burns last year. He should have won Oakmont last year. the rain delay happened. He had he got really an unfortunate break after that rain delay where you know he had a ball that was like in sitting water, had to play it. and spawn won that. But like Burns contended there, he contended at the memorial.

contend at lat I mean contended at the at the Canadian. Like he's just been too consistent and too good to discount him. he I think he's long enough to play this course, right? I I think he's strategic enough to do it. The only thing I worry about with him is that I think everyone just had in their in their head he's the best putter on the PGA tour because he he was leading shots game putting for

A long time, and he's still in the top ten. I think he's number six. It just for whatever reason it just seems that putting abandons him a little bit when the pressure ramps up on a Sunday. But I have no doubt that he's gonna be like up there on Sunday. And it's just you know, can you get can you do you do you have a ticket on him finally that Sunday where it clicks, right? And he gets the break that he hasn't gotten previously, or he makes the 10-footer.

On a Sunday on the back nine that he's missed the last couple of weeks. What you gotta love about him though is that he's got the reps. He's just, you know, he's been in contention so much the last, you know, pretty, pretty much like the last three months of the season that I I think that those reps are really going to come in handy for him. And I I I love him this week. I think he's he's a top 10 bet for sure. Sprinkle him to win.

His odds have come down, right? I think he's down to like thirty seven, thirty eight to one. But I think that's the that's the books and that's the the handicappers telling you that they like what they've seen. He's put on really good tape the last six weeks.

Scott Kitun (38:59.813)

I agree. I mean, I I like him best for like where does he where where is he finished at on Saturday? I think that's a great bet. So I think he'll be awesome. We'll see on excuse me, we'll see on Sunday. I like I said, I put a money on him to be a top ten in a win just because the odds were were not negative thirty they weren't 33 at the time. It was bet it was much better. It was before Brooks put it in on I think Saturday. but in general, like I like where he's playing. I think the list of guys that are worth talking about, you know, like Brooks Kapka, we have to talk about.

I I had him, I I have a ticket on him to win it all. I know that that's probably not gonna happen. This was again before the hand injury. This might be the first time that I've ever put a bet down on someone to win a tournament and also miss the cut in the same tournament. that's kind of how I feel. Like if his hand is a real thing, then he's probably not gonna make the cut. I wouldn't be surprised. And if he doesn't really have an issue and it was just too much coke or whatever the night before and he can't feel his fingers, you know, hopefully he doesn't do that here.

And he plays really well and I make a bunch of money. I think he won at Shinnikuk last time. He's got all the different attributes we just talked about. He's very focused. I think he really gives a shit. His putter is working. It's not his you know biggest asset, but it is absolutely working. So I really like Brooks Kepka if his hand is not messed up. Things that are worth mentioning. I'm gonna leave Tommy Fleetwood for because there's I have thoughts on that. fuck Patrick Reed. Tony Finau. I he's too streaky, no idea.

Venmo Joe (40:25.069)

Ha ha.

Scott Kitun (40:28.077)

Xander Shoffley tied for six last time in 2018 at Shinnnecock. He's got five top tens in 26, no wins, five to ten. He is a put in the top 10 lock machine. Fitzpatrick is another one that we've done this many, many weeks in a row. Here rode him most of the season, three wins this year. He's already won a U.S. Open, so he's used to playing tough. He's still playing well. He played well last week. He topped 12 at Shinnickok in 2018. So I think he can do it again here. He would be a top five pick for me.

If I was doing my betting card right now and putting him at a top five pick, I think he's not necessarily a lock there. we have not heard a lot about the guy that we talked about for almost half the season, winning everything, even putting him in the Mount Rushmore, Cam Young. And there's always Tommy Fleetwood, who took second last time the US Open was at Shinnecock in 18. He shot a 63 final round there. He won the FedEx.

Venmo Joe (43:01.378)

Yeah. All right. Sounds good. Sounds good.

Scott Kitun (43:27.557)

But for whatever reason, he just cannot win tournaments. So you tell me on the scorecard, what where where are you at? What's your one, your top five, your cut? Who where where is your card? Because my card is seems chalky ish. It seems like on par with all of my picks this year.

Venmo Joe (43:30.923)

Ha ha ha.

Venmo Joe (43:41.506)

Well it's a it's a it's it's a major, so you're you're gonna you're gonna be chalky on it. I

Scott Kitun (43:48.335)

I didn't say Scotty Scheffler and he's going for the slam. So I that's the first time I've I've done off on Scotty for a while.

Venmo Joe (43:51.508)

I I I know, but you I but I but I know you're gonna bet him. You're you're you'll find a way at some point during the tournament.

Scott Kitun (43:58.81)

Yeah, Sunday with an hour left when he wins in a playoff. I'll take all the money.

Venmo Joe (44:01.966)

I don't like with Cam Young, it's ever since you called that out where he had that I and I can't remember what tournament what where he had the yep, right? Where he literally yipped a three foot putt. and then he did the same thing at the PGA championship. I think his putting is what's going to is gonna what be what I stay away from this week. Obviously he's still Uber talented, but

Scott Kitun (44:10.01)

Yep.

Venmo Joe (44:30.038)

until you until you feel really good about how he's putting it, it's hard to put him down for a US open, especially with how many inside 10 feet putts you're likely going to have to save par. So I'm gonna I'm gonna keep him off the card. His odds like they they also haven't fallen that much where I I get excited about taking him. I think he's at like 21 21 to one, which like is good, not great.

Fleetwood is at 24-1. he keeps hanging around. I mean, dude, you you thought he was gonna bring hanging around. I mean, you know, like I'm just waiting for him after he won the tour championship. I think everyone expected him to, you know, to just come on tour this year, and now that he's got the monkey off of his back to just kind of kick the door down and start winning big tournaments, and it just hasn't happened. Memorial,

Scott Kitun (45:05.819)

Hanging around, hanging around. It's got alligator blood.

Venmo Joe (45:29.23)

You know, he Eagles 16 takes the lead. You're like, Tommy's gonna win the Memorial, which is a monster tournament. Doesn't win the Memorial, goes into goes into final round yesterday in Toronto, and you're like, all right, he's almost won the RBC before, he's gonna do it. I don't know. There just seems to be something missing. I think he's very safe to play as a top 10 because of his course history at Shinnokok, like you said, shooting to 63 last time around.

I he just doesn't seem to be able to win a big tournament. So I am I'm not gonna have him to win, but I I I definitely I definitely see him on the card. I'm gonna stay away from Ludvig. My my long shot that I texted you on on Saturday, my first US open bet that I made was on Victor Hovlin. We talked about Hovlin like a month ago, and at that time I said I was just gonna I felt the big win coming.

And I was just gonna bet him every tournament. He proceeded to look like he had never played golf before. I think the the tournament after I said that. So I you know I got off of Victor Hovlin. But all he needs to show me is a is a little bit that there's a pulse that he whatever he has been tinkering with seems to be working. And I certainly saw enough Saturday and Sunday from him in Toronto. He was fantastic on the weekend, hitting every fair way.

His the strength of his game is always gonna be his long irons. I think that's why he's he's done really well at at major championships before. I think his long irons are gonna be are gonna be something that that carries him this week. Like you and I talked about. I don't know if we mentioned it on the show yet. His short game is what scares you, right? Not his putting. His when his putting catches fire, which it did this weekend, I you know, he he made multiple twenty plus foot putts.

everything looked good there. It's it's his chipping around the green, but he he he did very well at Oakmont last year. He was solo third. He had a real chance of winning that tournament. and I don't know. I just feel like Victor always contends at one major a year. He hasn't contended at the first two. So I think he's gonna contend at either the US Open or the Open.

Venmo Joe (47:51.105)

I'm betting that that it happens at the U.S. Open. I took him at 76 to 1. You can still get him at 50 to 1. it is a long shot, but if he if he can scramble, I think he he can certainly get off he's long enough off the tee and he's good enough on those shots gained, approached 200 plus. Those are the two attributes that you look at. I think the putter's hot. Let's just hope that that he can scramble enough.

Scott Kitun (48:17.947)

Who is the player, if you had to pick one that everyone is on that you think is I'm not just gonna say a fade, because I I could tell you, like obviously Bryson and and not that he's even hot, but like John Rahm. Is that somebody who peop you know, he's got good odds, but that's because he's John Rahm. He looked great last major we saw. So, you know, he looked like shit before that. Shane Lowry's another one. Everyone's always looking at Shane Lowry here.

Venmo Joe (48:42.84)

Yeah.

Scott Kitun (48:45.979)

Kalamurakawa's got the back. There's a couple guys here you could you could make the argument for. It just you know, I I said Xander earlier too. I think you can fade him. I'm not totally sure he's right, but

Venmo Joe (48:46.281)

I I don't yeah.

Venmo Joe (48:51.916)

I don't I don't I don't think

I don't think Xander I don't think Xander's gonna win. I think Xander's kinda I think Xander's I think Xander's the guy that everyone looks at. He's listen, he's had a lot of US open success without a win. So I think people are naturally gravitating to the fact that Xander's kinda going under the radar. Well he's seventeen to one. That's r I think he's the third favorite. That that's really not under the radar. I don't think he's gonna win. a guy that that people are

Scott Kitun (48:58.831)

No, that's why he's a top ten lock.

Venmo Joe (49:24.33)

are on that I do think has a legitimate chance of winning, we're going back to our boy Fitzy, right? That's a guy that

Scott Kitun (49:29.925)

Yeah. I I sa I put him in my top five for this because he's all the things add up. He's one a US like

Venmo Joe (49:34.809)

Dude, he just he if you look at all of like the the metrics that you want to look at for this tournament, he's in like the top ten of all of them. Right. So there there's just too many indicators on Fitz. He he had a pretty like stress-free second place yesterday where like that's perfect. I don't want the guy to win the week before the major, but I want him to contend, make sure that it looks like he is clicking on all cylinders.

So that's the guy at the top of the leaderboard, right? I think he's the fifth or sixth favorite that that I like that I that I'm gonna play and not fade. Out of the top guys to fade, like I'm not gonna fade Scotty. Like, I'm not gonna put him on there, but I could I absolutely see him winning. same thing with Rory. Rory's just been, I don't know, dude. He's he's kind of just disappeared since the Masters. Like I know he's played in some tournaments, but he just

He hasn't been all that relevant. Like he was stuck in neutral the last time that we saw him at the PGA championship. I still think he's got something going on with his back. so it don't love him. Don't love Rom either. I think everyone now thinks that Rom has figured out the majors because of Veronomic. him at ten to one is insane. I know he's won a US Open before, but I I I need to see more consistency before

I'm putting him on a winning ticket. So like between Rory and Rom, two of the three favorites, I would I would say they're not gonna win. So I'm not gonna put that same distinction on Scotty, but you know, I even those three, Rory, Rom, Za Xander, like I there's not enough value on their on their odds to say, yeah, I'm gonna, I'm gonna put 200 on that because you need to put 200 on those guys to even have a little bit of juice on

Scott Kitun (51:07.769)

I think that's you know.

Venmo Joe (51:26.912)

And I I wouldn't lay it with any three of those guys. I'd rather I'd rather lay it on Fitz, Hovlin that we talked about, Burns a little bit further down the down the line. I mean, the fact that Cantley is still getting respected majors, he's at 46 to 1 is absolutely insane. the guy is not gonna win. I'm gonna stay away from team rose this time around. I'll come back to him for for the open championship, but

Scott Kitun (51:54.993)

British.

Venmo Joe (51:56.535)

I did bet him at the memorial. He actually played really well, but missed the cut at the Canadian. His putting was bad at the memorial, so that's a stay away from me. And another guy would throw a little bit of money on is Kirk Kiyama. The guy is listen, he he is he is gaining strokes off the T, I think, in his last six tournaments. He also had the low round at Ironamic.

Scott Kitun (52:12.023)

Always. I'm always good for a kitty on a top twenty is like the the lock of the bets every week. Ever every other week you get it.

Venmo Joe (52:26.316)

Shot a fucking 63 on Sunday. So that's a guy that at 72 to one, that's worth a little sprinkle for me. no one else I don't know. Do you have anyone that's like further down the the list that you like? I mean, there's not anyone that's really jumping. Yeah, well, you and me are always gonna say that. Yeah, I like yeah, I love him. He is. No, you're right. You're right, 76 to 1.

Scott Kitun (52:42.405)

I think Adam Scott is always worth a poke because he's hitting the ball. Yeah, but he's down the list and he's he's not being treated with respect here.

Venmo Joe (52:55.158)

And he again, we keep going back to Oakmont because we're talking Hovlin and we're talking Sam Burns. Adam Scott was in the mix up until back nine of of Sunday at Oakmont. The other guy, Scotty, I want your opinion on this. Because, you know, this this is the live thing. We forget about him. Cam Schmidt, 150 to 1. he can't the his problem is the driver. He can't keep the driver on the planet, but

These are a little bit wider fairways. Granted, they're going to be fast and firm and they're going to run out. So he could still get himself in trouble. But if he figures out the driver, who would you trust more with scrambling and putting than Cam Smith? Like go back to him at St. Andrews. Like look, look.

Scott Kitun (53:39.772)

Like you're looking over my shoulder, Joe. Cam Smith is my sneaky pick of the week. That's my sneak. I didn't even put it on the on the card for you. Cam Smith is my sneaky pick because he's a person who, you know, like speaking of live, like Hatton, the the shortcoming of the driver being wayward, not distance, to me at this course, you're okay. So long as a couple of holes, you don't make those mistakes.

Venmo Joe (53:48.067)

Well

Scott Kitun (54:07.131)

He has every other part of the game, and I I'm gonna use this, we talked about him now twice, Fitzpatrick. He is the archetype to win at this tournament. Pinot course discipline, great iron play, disciplined, nose, you know, course control, putting control, great leg putting, field T to green, strokes game. All of it.

Venmo Joe (54:23.564)

Yeah. Unbelievable putting. Well dude, I just keep go I just go back, Scott, if you that the Sunday I know, but that his his Sunday at Eronimic, when you were they were finally showing his shots, you're like, fuck, Cam Smith is like actually like in contention here. And it was so enjoyable to watch him play golf again because it had been a couple years. Every

Scott Kitun (54:31.237)

That's Cam Smith without the driver.

Venmo Joe (54:47.634)

Every T shot he was out of position at Ironamic. And that's not, as you saw, that's not a course that you want to be out of position at. He had a stretch of like 10 straight pars where he was driving the ball again off the planet and just scrambling his ass off, figuring out a way to get on the green and either make like a like a 8 to 12 footer for par or you know sneak in a 20-footer for par. Like his putting was great, his scrambling was great.

I just anytime you're at a US Open or an open, I think you're like if you're getting those odds on Cam Smith, who has the pedigree that he has, he's a major champion. He's also won the players. At one point in time, he was the number two player in the world. He he contended at the last major, and you're giving me 150 to one odds on him? Come on now. Sprinkle. Maybe even more than a sprinkle. Maybe even more than a sprinkle.

Scott Kitun (55:41.404)

look, Cam Smith is a wind wizard and a lag putter. And I just talked about discipline, lag, and wind wizard, and that's what we have. I I want to build the card for people, and I'm gonna hand off the Father's Day prep here because we got it coming up. let me build the card for people and just a little recap. We're going I'm with you on the Hovlin pick. And and mostly I love his game. That's we've been riding him and getting fucked all all year. So like that's not new. I like the odds. I bought him the same time you did. I went on prediction market, I got him for a top five at

10 cents, which to me was a steal. I put a thousand contracts on him. I'm not writing him on the win, but I am writing him top five, which to me is like basically the win. You got him on the win. That's our that's our top great value, very high potential to win. another thing that, you know, we were talking about this, but another thing, FanDuel now has switching gears to FanDuel, FanDuel now has some of these like second, third, and fourth chances to win picks, where it will let you pick basically pre-selected Scotty, Rory, Rahm.

And you know, Cam Young or whatever the case may be. I I think that's the worst pick on the planet. You talked about this a couple minutes ago, but I'm just reiterating. I really don't see it coming from that group. I think Scotty Scheffler has probably the best chance to do it of that group. Rory could obviously you could make the argument for every one of these guys why they could win it. It just doesn't seem like they're on the game that they want to win. One guy I know is not going to do shit is Robert McIntyre. I don't know why. I just don't feel it for him. That's one of the only names we didn't talk about.

Venmo Joe (56:46.114)

Ha ha

Venmo Joe (57:07.052)

Ha ha ha.

Scott Kitun (57:09.603)

If I wanted to build the card though, I think my lock to make the cut, you said it, Kurt Kedayama. My bets to miss the cut. I don't feel conviction here. Every week I have a lock to miss that I really feel convicted on. This one I don't. I'm going more just with read the room. It's the first time, like as I said, I've ever put a money down on someone to win and miss the cut. I'm putting it in on Brooks because to win, the odds are fucking phenomenal.

And to miss the cut, they're actually pretty good too because he he's the repeat champ. But the hand is a question mark, so we don't know, right? So that and Bryson for the same reason, I could see that he maybe has worked on his game, but as you said, it didn't look like it. So those are my two to miss the cut. When I look at my top 20s, I think that Sam Burns and our old friend Russell Henley are just like sure shit fire can't miss on these. And I think that.

In my top 10, as I stated already, it's very hard to bet against Xander. You know, if I was, if I was, if I could just pick a number, I actually bet I'm putting money, he'll be top 10, but I actually think he'll finish 12th if there's a bet on that. He's gonna finish 12th today. He's tied for 12th. He's tied for 12th. and then in my top 10, top five, it has to be Fitzpatrick, and he would be my overall pick to win if I was picking not about odds, not about money, just

Venmo Joe (58:19.584)

the exa the exact. I like the exact.

Scott Kitun (58:34.885)

Who I personally think is the person who's best fit to win at this course at this time. I think it's Matt Fitzpatrick. I think he's gonna win another major. And he's had a hell of a year and it would, it would just, it would set it off to me. That's that's my picks. I I'm probably not pen spending much time on Cam Young.

Venmo Joe (58:47.906)

Yeah, and you can you can you can kinda get no, but Camp Smith, giddy up. yeah.

Scott Kitun (58:53.915)

Cam Smith is my is my long sh my long shot dart pick because I I think he's got all the game and all the value. That is to me the if if we when we recap after the after Father's Day after the US Open for the next week, I have a feeling we're gonna talk about I'm going to Disney again, and this time it's on Cam Smith.

Venmo Joe (59:02.094)

Ton of value.

Venmo Joe (59:14.52)

He's sponsoring it. cr crazy stat to to end for our for our listeners here. Eight out of the last ten US Open winners have been first time major winners who are above average drivers of the golf ball. Kinda nuts, right? And the two non first timers are Brooks and Bryson, whose only other major at the time was a US Open. So like

Scott Kitun (59:16.123)