Who's trending (and tumbling) before the U.S. Open, the year's toughest test | Golf Channel Podcast

Let’s go Bryson!!

Good luck to everyone playing.

Hey guys, you should have at least one person swinging a club on your program. How about both of you show your professional swings? Would love to see some participation in the game from you, visually....
Chances of it happening?

A duel of pars in sudden death in Canada. Trevor Immelman suggested moving up the tees after the run through in the playoff. I think that would have been far more interesting than moving the hole in the green. When was there a resolution in the playoff? When they were both going for the green in two. By moving up the tee, we could have gotten that two reps of the hole earlier.

My nominee for the player who needs to take a lesson from the week is Cameron Champ for his play on Saturday. He turned a 66 into a 71 through indifferent wedge play and putting that got worse as the round progressed. Get that man a coach for the short end of his bag!!

Hello and welcome!!

They expect the winner to be over par, or at best, par this year at Oakmont. It's going to be a bloodbath.

Great to see ryan fox win today and 2nd shot on last playoff hole was sensational but pressure is intense

Lots of respect for you both covering the PGA & LIV events!

It felt like Trevor Immelman was pissed cause Sam Burns had to be in a playoff. When Sam Burns posted -18, CBS had the trophy in Sam's hands. Sam is a superstar thats why Trevor called the playoff a pillow fight. I think there was embrassement with that playoff. Why else after playing 18 twice in a playoff did 18 go from 575 to 564 yards. CBS was very cranky that Rory said screw this after missing the cut. Oakmont will be a beast for sure. I think if a player played Oakmont before, they should be favorited this week. Scottie is the favorite at +280 even though he has never played Oakmont before. I expect USGA to be very evil with the set up for sure. Maja Stark won at Erin Hills at -7 so they will want over par.

FWIW, Scheffler had his driver thrown out at the PGA, too. Seemed not to impair his play. Maybe the new TaylorMade just isn't a good fit for McIlroy. Maybe try a Ping G440?

Tom Watson was 60 when he had a putt to win the Open so I am sure Phil have a few chances to win the US Open

Cameron Young is a fascinating player. He was lost in space before a week or two ago. He has a big tendency to miss some really makeable short putts in high leverage spots, gets down on himself, seems to hate the game of golf, but by all accounts is not as hardcore off the course. He could easily have three or four wins, and at least one major, but he is no cinch to amount to anything. Sure, it seems inevitable, but it is tough to win. He's his own worst enemy, but when he is on his game he is legit as good as players who have won many times. If you bet on Cameron Young he really breaks your heart because he throws in those double bogey's out of nowhere to totally derail rounds and tournaments, and it often snowballs from there.

If ever there was a tournament where Rory would implode, it has to be Oakmont. He will be in the rough off the tee, and his hot approach shots will be terrible for him. However, he has that sawed off shot that seems new, so not every wedge and short iron has been coming in as hot, so maybe if he can drive the ball well he can contend. Blowing up at the Canadian Open might actually be a good thing, but of course you can argue that the other way, as well. Lowry has to be a better play, maybe for top Irish. Lowry was leading late in the 2016 Dustin Johnson Oakmont, and of course Lowry was on fire early today, so is in good form. Don't want to miss the wedding and show up at the funeral, so betting against Rory after this huge blowup might not be wise, but I'd still err on the side of betting against Rory in all matchups you can find, and everything else. I cannot see him waking up and figuring this out within the next few days. We may be due for a moonshot winner in a major. It sure has been chalky for years, but someone can make a few birdies while the big guns grind it out, and you could see a longshot winner for the first time in a while in a U.S. Open.

Like Lav said, Nieman's ball flight will generally hold him back in the majors. It is really hard to imagine him contending at Oakmont, as he also throws in big numbers, will be in the rough more than most top tier players, and his balls coming into the green lower than almost all players makes it mathematically impossible, or close to it, to outrun the whole field through 72 holes. Just hard to fathom, though I'm a believer in his talent.

Biggest story of the year (other than Mcilroy;s Masters) if Phil Mickelson can somehow be in serious contention this week, especially on Saturday and Sunday. Would be massive.

Ben An is up there for best guy without a pga win. Long putter resurrected his career, tee to green he is elite.

I don't see Lowry and Strakka as plodders. They are dynamic players with tremendous firepower, at least as far as putting together birdies and eagles in quick order. I don't know the driving stats distance-wise, but Strakka is an aggressive monster of a player, and Lowry is a top tier player who can win any tournament in the world at any time. But if Lav says they are plodders, it must be there in the driving distance stats. They just seem more dynamic than that to me. These guys knock over pins more than a vast majority of players.

Well, no disrespect to Bryson or rahm, I think Rocco is the best golfer on LIV at this point. When he breaks through in majors, he could go on a run. He is great on the back nines of events too

I’m going to start sending back my driver heads to the manufacturer until they send me a head that allows me to hit 100% of fairways 😂. It’s not me it’s the driver head

Ryan Fox? That was the worst playoff I can recall

Srixon / Cleveland having a hell of a year.

The chaos is coming! Can't wait.

Great pod.

Love this podcast !

It “shocked” you that Sam Burns 3 putted? He must felt like he had to make it, so he gave it a run. Unfortunately, just hit it a little too hard. An 8 footer is 50%….

Being shocked shows a lack of understanding of playoff golf.

Is Neiman a better player of is he just playing sub par competition on easier courses?

Rory = 4 ugly days at the PGA then 2 really ugly days at Canada = it's time to do something else. Was the Masters win a curse?

a lot of us have to hit driver on par 3s, why shouldn't we get to see the pros have to hit the driver

Rahm WD'd in one LIV event last year so he's actually 20/21 top 10s. Still amazing because nobody else is close. Niemann for example had 7 finishes outside the top 10 in that timeframe, Bryson 8!

I don’t believe Phil…his attempts to make us think he’s having fun on LIV. I don’t.

Phil will win the career Grand Slam with an illegal driver 😂

Ryan, Phil has not been on the PGA tour for 45 years. He started on the PGA tour in 1992. Thats 33 years. 😊🎉❤

Cameron Young (without hat) and The Wolverine separated at birth.

The gaff course

Why are you focusing on the LIV players they abandoned the PGA !

honestly (and from a wee innocent sports wagering perspective you might have to love this), i think Scottie wins by 4. but, i'd just love it if some top-30 something jumped up and had the tournament of their life. Shane, .. buddy, are you listening?

Ha yes Trevor called it a pillow fight, then Foxy afterwards. Lol. Until Fox's 3 wood, that was a Frazier left hook.

Lucas Glover is my pick to win at Oakmont !!!!!!!