In this bonus edition of The Shotgun Start, Brendan Porath and Joseph LaMagna take a trip down memory lane after rewatching the final round of the 2017 Open Championship. The two recount Jordan Spieth's roller coaster of a final round, his famous drop on the 13th hole, Matt Kuchar's heartbreak, and forgotten moments and amusements from a memorable finish. They hand out a few awards, including Worst Dressed and Favorite Commentary, before a quick lookahead at what's to come when we return to Royal Birkdale for next week's 154th Open Championship.

 

Mercedes-Benz is proud to be an Official Patron of The Open Championship. Visit mbusa.com for more details.

In this bonus edition of The Shotgun Start, Brendan Porath and Joseph LaMagna take a trip down memory lane after rewatching the final round of the 2017 Open Championship. The two recount Jordan Spieth's roller coaster of a final round, his famous drop on the 13th hole, Matt Kuchar's heartbreak, and forgotten moments and amusements from a memorable finish. They hand out a few awards, including Worst Dressed and Favorite Commentary, before a quick lookahead at what's to come when we return to Royal Birkdale for next week's 154th Open Championship.
&nbsp;
Mercedes-Benz is proud to be an Official Patron of The Open Championship. Visit <a href="http://mbusa.com">mbusa.com</a> for more details.

The Shotgun Start with Andy Johnson and Brendan Porath of Fried Egg Golf is a podcast waiting for you early in the morning that quickly blasts through a variety of topics (usually) related to golf and (ideally) relevant to the day. It covers news from the pro tours around the world, amusing and important topics from the amateur game the rest of us play, and some irreverent stuff in between. There will be short interviews, previews, reviews, and dives into the archives. It provides what you need to know on golf through a rapid and fun catch-up discussion.

The Shotgun Start

Revisiting the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/38a24814-ff55-4e9e-9069-b483012352e7/transcript

At long last, Andy has made his return to the podcast! He joined Brendan for what he's calling Victory Friday as the two went live on YouTube for a Friday morning recording. After the Milwaukee Brewers swept the Dodgers in the NLCS, Andy has decided that this is a win for the suburbs of Chicago and has deemed the team "his Brewers" for the rest of the postseason. The Friday Frenzy continues with an updated look at LIV's bankruptcy proceedings where most players now find themselves freed from any contractual obligations. Among them is Jon Rahm, who received his NIL rights and the rights to Legion XIII in this split. Brendan then transitions to what may be the story of the year: the "criminal" removal of the Champions Tour pension fund. Andy, Brendan, and PJ bat the ball around about this Adam Schupak report that features insane quotes from Billy Andrade, David Toms, Scott McCarron, and more. In other news, Will Zalatoris will miss the 2027 season after another surgery and the DP World Tour is still planning on holding its year-end events in the UAE. This episode wraps with some Golf Advice questions about a long drive disqualification and some caddie tipping gone wrong.

 

Subscribe to the new Shotgun Start YouTube channel ahead of the 2026 Year in Review!

Fried Egg Golf Club is the membership tier from Fried Egg Golf. Check it out at thefriedegg.com/membership!

At long last, Andy has made his return to the podcast! He joined Brendan for what he's calling Victory Friday as the two went <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/P4wB8yWYLO4?si=yyX5dmW-aXQjdKaZ">live on YouTube for a Friday morning recording</a>. After the Milwaukee Brewers swept the Dodgers in the NLCS, Andy has decided that this is a win for the suburbs of Chicago and has deemed the team "his Brewers" for the rest of the postseason. The Friday Frenzy continues with an updated look at LIV's bankruptcy proceedings where most players now find themselves freed from any contractual obligations. Among them is Jon Rahm, who received his NIL rights and the rights to Legion XIII in this split. Brendan then transitions to what may be the story of the year: the "criminal" removal of the Champions Tour pension fund. Andy, Brendan, and PJ bat the ball around about this Adam Schupak report that features insane quotes from Billy Andrade, David Toms, Scott McCarron, and more. In other news, Will Zalatoris will miss the 2027 season after another surgery and the DP World Tour is still planning on holding its year-end events in the UAE. This episode wraps with some Golf Advice questions about a long drive disqualification and some caddie tipping gone wrong.
&nbsp;
Subscribe to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheShotgunStart">new Shotgun Start YouTube channel</a>&nbsp;ahead of the 2026 Year in Review!
Fried Egg Golf Club is the membership tier from Fried Egg Golf. Check it out at <a href="https://www.thefriedegg.com/fried-egg-golf-club">thefriedegg.com/membership</a>!

LIV’s bankruptcy debacle, Irate Senior Tour players want their pensions!, and Golf Advice

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f9ea36c9-b869-465a-b5b5-b4e5010189bb/transcript

Brendan is once again joined by Joseph LaMagna as Andy is still on the run after a disastrous weekend for Chicago sports. BP is especially chipper given his Guardians took a 1-0 lead in the ALCS on Monday night, stealing a road game from the #1 seed Tampa Bay Rays. He opens the show with a bit of housekeeping regarding the next few weeks of programming before discussing the light Schedule for the Week. With the PGA Tour off, the focus is on the DP World India Championship and a field that features European Ryder Cup stars and other proper players. Among those in attendance is Rory McIlroy, who made waves on Tuesday with some new-look pants, a sponsorship deal for health trailers, and some comments he made during a Bloomberg event in India earlier this week. Brendan, Joseph, and PJ wonder if Rory's new health trailers are a way to keep his body in shape for a career lasting into his 50s despite the six-time major winner's insistence that he will not play the Champions Tour. At the Bloomberg event, McIlroy was asked about things ranging from playing golf with President Trump to his daughter's thoughts on TGL. Joseph runs a few clips from the interview and leads a discussion based on Rory's comments about LIV and its impacts throughout the greater golf ecosystem. In non-Rory India news, both Joost Luiten and Anirban Lahiri had something to say about LIV's future and how players should be assimilated back into the DP World Tour moving forward. Lahiri's comments particularly strike a nerve with Brendan, prompting a monologue about how historians will look back upon golf's "wasteful era." Brendan and Joseph are then joined by Austin Hitt, winner of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Championship, to discuss life on the KFT bubble, his best stories from his time on the Latin America Tour, and what he's looking forward to next year now that he has a PGA Tour card locked up.

 

Subscribe to the new Shotgun Start YouTube channel ahead of the 2026 Year in Review!

Fried Egg Golf Club is the membership tier from Fried Egg Golf. Check it out at thefriedegg.com/membership!

Brendan is once again joined by Joseph LaMagna as Andy is still on the run after a disastrous weekend for Chicago sports. BP is especially chipper given his Guardians took a 1-0 lead in the ALCS on Monday night, stealing a road game from the #1 seed Tampa Bay Rays. He opens the show with a bit of housekeeping regarding the next few weeks of programming before discussing the light Schedule for the Week. With the PGA Tour off, the focus is on the DP World India Championship and a field that features European Ryder Cup stars and other proper players. Among those in attendance is Rory McIlroy, who made waves on Tuesday with some new-look pants, a sponsorship deal for health trailers, and some comments he made during a Bloomberg event in India earlier this week. Brendan, Joseph, and PJ wonder if Rory's new health trailers are a way to keep his body in shape for a career lasting into his 50s despite the six-time major winner's insistence that he will not play the Champions Tour. At the Bloomberg event, McIlroy was asked about things ranging from playing golf with President Trump to his daughter's thoughts on TGL. Joseph runs a few clips from the interview and leads a discussion based on Rory's comments about LIV and its impacts throughout the greater golf ecosystem. In non-Rory India news, both Joost Luiten and Anirban Lahiri had something to say about LIV's future and how players should be assimilated back into the DP World Tour moving forward. Lahiri's comments particularly strike a nerve with Brendan, prompting a monologue about how historians will look back upon golf's "wasteful era." Brendan and Joseph are then joined by Austin Hitt, winner of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Championship, to discuss life on the KFT bubble, his best stories from his time on the Latin America Tour, and what he's looking forward to next year now that he has a PGA Tour card locked up.
&nbsp;
Subscribe to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheShotgunStart">new Shotgun Start YouTube channel</a>&nbsp;ahead of the 2026 Year in Review!
Fried Egg Golf Club is the membership tier from Fried Egg Golf. Check it out at <a href="https://www.thefriedegg.com/fried-egg-golf-club">thefriedegg.com/membership</a>!

Rory talks LIV’s future in India, Golf’s wasteful era, and Austin Hitt(s) the PGA Tour

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b2dc9d53-7656-408a-9598-b4e2015a685e/transcript

After what some (Brendan) have called a "shameful" weekend for the city of Chicago, Andy no-shows the podcast and leaves BP to clean up a weekend of golf with Joseph LaMagna. They kick things off with a Sports Minute discussing the a Bears blowout loss to the Packers, the ultimate mid-off between the Jets and Browns, and Arch Manning's letdown against Oklahoma. Despite the Texas loss, Joseph celebrates a Victory Monday just because of the Baycurrent Classic, one of his favorite events of the year. Brendan and Joseph discuss Michael Brennan's third win in just over 365 days as he took down a strong field at the no-cut event in Japan. They ponder the future of the PGA Tour in Japan and whether this event could one day be a co-sanctioned Japan Open. The two then move on to the Korn Ferry Tour Championship where we now have the 20 names joining the PGA Tour for 2027. They run through the list of graduates and point out names to watch, primarily focusing on 19-year-old Blades Brown. PJ pops back in for a Champions Tour Minute honoring a former U.S. Ryder Cupper who extended his pro golf career with a win at Furyk & Friends. There's also some thought as to whether Jim Furyk will be distracted by his duties as a host to truly focus on the 2027 Ryder Cup next fall. In news, The LIV has its first two commitments, including a two-time major champion! The back half of this episode features a Friday Scramble with Brendan, Joseph, PJ, Andy, and Kevin Van Valkenburg regarding the latest fallout from the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, this time focusing on Keegan Bradley's interactions with a rules official. We'll return on Wednesday as Silly Season rolls on across the golf world.

 

Fried Egg Golf Club is the membership tier from Fried Egg Golf. Check it out at thefriedegg.com/membership!

After what some (Brendan) have called a "shameful" weekend for the city of Chicago, Andy no-shows the podcast and leaves BP to clean up a weekend of golf with Joseph LaMagna. They kick things off with a Sports Minute discussing the a Bears blowout loss to the Packers, the ultimate mid-off between the Jets and Browns, and Arch Manning's letdown against Oklahoma. Despite the Texas loss, Joseph celebrates a Victory Monday just because of the Baycurrent Classic, one of his favorite events of the year. Brendan and Joseph discuss Michael Brennan's third win in just over 365 days as he took down a strong field at the no-cut event in Japan. They ponder the future of the PGA Tour in Japan and whether this event could one day be a co-sanctioned Japan Open. The two then move on to the Korn Ferry Tour Championship where we now have the 20 names joining the PGA Tour for 2027. They run through the list of graduates and point out names to watch, primarily focusing on 19-year-old Blades Brown. PJ pops back in for a Champions Tour Minute honoring a former U.S. Ryder Cupper who extended his pro golf career with a win at Furyk &amp; Friends. There's also some thought as to whether Jim Furyk will be distracted by his duties as a host to truly focus on the 2027 Ryder Cup next fall. In news, The LIV has its first two commitments, including a two-time major champion! The back half of this episode features a Friday Scramble with Brendan, Joseph, PJ, Andy, and Kevin Van Valkenburg regarding the latest fallout from the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, this time focusing on Keegan Bradley's interactions with a rules official. We'll return on Wednesday as Silly Season rolls on across the golf world.
&nbsp;
Fried Egg Golf Club is the membership tier from Fried Egg Golf. Check it out at <a href="https://www.thefriedegg.com/fried-egg-golf-club">thefriedegg.com/membership</a>!

Bethpage Ryder Cup shame continues, Baycurrent and KFT classics, and Sports minute(s)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ab325acd-8de9-4380-a7ae-b4e1002bbc1c/transcript

Revisiting the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale

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