Hunter Mahan on Tiger Woods & Phil Mickelson’s greatness, Masters memories | Go Low Golf Pod

John Middlekauff is joined by six-time PGA Tour winner Hunter Mahan to discuss his predictions for the 2024 Masters Tournament and shares his memories from his time playing at Augusta. Mahan also discusses Tiger Woods’ unmatched work ethic, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, the LIV Golf stars’ chances to win the Masters, and coaching high school golf in his retirement. 

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okay honored on Master week to have a
six-time PJ tour winner and a guy that
played at Augusta professionally well I
think the first time maybe as an amateur
but 10 10 times finished in the top 10
three of them uh had a couple other top
15 finishes Hunter Mayan now currently
his office is right down the hall from
uh Jason Whitten they’re just taking
Liberty Christian the whole new levels
as a golf coach and a football coach
Hunter what’s going on man not much man
thanks for having me do uh you ever get
do some free squats with h
Jason yeah I work we work on his
technique it’s a little flawed since he
hat stopped playing but um he’s still a
strong dude and uh um he’s a coach at
heart man it’s it’s kind of funny I’ve
talked to him a couple times and he’s
just a coach and he loves it and he’s
passionate about it and uh uh he turned
this program around pretty quickly so
it’s inspiring to see and he’s a great
guy to kind of talk to and he’s open to
that to to figure out how to make these
kids just a little bit better talk to me
about this week uh like in 03 you were
an AM did you qualify because you
finished in the top two of the USM is
that how you got in correct yeah runner
up in the usam that year yeah so you
know as a as a kid obviously you were a
highly touted amateur player played at a
high level in college but to get to go
to austa you know three before you
became professional and became normal
yeah what was that that like driving
down Magnolia Lane you go with your
parents you go with who’ you go with
yeah so I I remember winning my Su of
final match and that got me into Augusta
like I knew that and that was the first
thing I thought of when when I won it
wasn’t even you know because I actually
won the US junr and I had a chance to do
um something only a tiger has done which
is when the US junor and the US amateur
so I was on the precipice of that but
soon as I got as soon as I won my match
I knew like oh I’m in Augusta like it
was wild it was a wild Just moment and
then uh we went and played soon as you
get that invite or soon as you know
you’re in the tournament you’re allowed
to play kind of as much as you want you
just have to play with a member uh so
you can go call the club and say hey I’d
like to go and they’ll they’ll help you
out and they set you up and so yeah
driving down for the first time with no
fans no one there just like I don’t even
know what day it was it might have been
a Monday or something like that um and
it’s just early quiet it it’s just you
see you’re feeling everything that
you’ve seen on TV now you’re
experiencing it and this is when they
have the old range um it was wow it was
just such a I mean it was truly like a
dream come true because everything that
was fake is now real and you’re and
you’re seeing it and experiencing it and
then you get to see the golf course and
and and in 3D right you’re not seeing it
from a 1D just from a flat perspective
you actually get to see the slopes and
feel the slopes and see how the
course is is actually and how you’re
going to have to play it it was really
um and as an amateur there I think
that’s so special that is so unique and
that is a real honor because um you
really you didn’t qualify you really had
a like I don’t say you’re not qualifying
for it but you’re really earning your
opportunity to play that and there’s
only like 89 guys this year and
sometimes they’ve had like low 80s and
so it’s really really hard to get into
this event and so it was awesome and I
felt very proud to be there as amateur
and play there as long as I did that
that round that you played the practice
round with the member did you approach
that just like a normal round to golf or
was like a practice do you remember what
you shot no I don’t remember I mean I
just was like I mean I was just getting
a feel for everything and so like the
whole course is just sliped like every
shot you’re gonna have every kind of lie
you’re gonna have uphill downhill side
Hill um I mean you’re just taking it all
in that first time and you’ve got to
figure out you’re just figuring out
angles the course is so angular and how
you need to attack certain pins and
everything so I mean I was hitting I was
kind of like can I hit another ball here
and they’re super nice the staff
everybody and I was getting tips from
the caddies who are there because
they’ve seen that place for a really
long time and that was fun the caddies
have amazing Stories and and and you can
get a lot of information from them so um
I just was taking it all in that that
kind of that first round and
experiencing and everything that I could
that could maybe help me in the
tournament even though the course
changes drastically even from from
Monday of the week to the day just to
feel it and to understand what’s
actually going to happen um when you
start on Thursday what why is the course
so
hard
um it’s just it requires your attention
on every single shot right like the
greens are real slope and you have to
really put yourself in position if you
get out of position it’s really really
challenging just to get up and down and
big numbers can happen really fast there
and that’s one of the things that you
have to do there is just not three and
not B big numbers if you do that you’re
going to have your opportunities for
birdies and even eagles um but you just
have to be you just can’t take a whole
off you have to be engaged on every
single shot and you can’t get frustrated
with the golf course because the wind
swirls um it it does you do want um you
do want experience when you’re sort of
playing this golf course did you get
nervous as you became a pro I mean you
09 T10 10 T8 12 T12 T are you nervous in
the mix or does it just become like a
normal tournament as a professional
after a
while um I think you’re nervous the
first time but I think the more you play
it the more comfortable you get it
doesn’t change a lot the weather
obviously is a little you know we’ve
seen like Zach Johnson play there and it
was freezing cold right and and it
changed the course drastically but it is
such a it’s such a comforting feeling
for a pro to play there because they
only allow one person per player on the
Range like if you want your swing
instructor then he can come up if you
want your psychology well then they have
to switch out if you want your physio
they have to switch out so it’s a very
calm it’s it’s strange but it’s a very
calm place and you go is that is that
not normal at a even a US Open or a
British you can find you want on the US
like it’s your family your cousins your
friends your teachers their teachers
swing putting chipping guy they’re all
on the Range there’s a thousand people
on the Range and there’s a thousand
manufacturers in media and it’s like the
great thing about gusa it’s so like
defined and everyone’s so respectful of
everything but it’s just such a it
really does feel like it’s all about the
players and the player experience and so
everything you’re doing that week is
sort of wrapped around that and it’s
just like I said it’s eily
calm um and it just feels like it’s all
about the golf and you’re just that’s
what you’re there for and I I don’t know
I just always it it just was such a
relaxing place even though you know
you’re at the Masters it felt
therapeutic in a way because it just
felt like you didn’t have to deal with a
lot of stuff other than just playing and
handling yourself did you get nervous
more there than you did at other places
or at least like off the first te on
Thursday um I don’t no I don’t think so
I just was so happy I just enjoyed the
experience it was so cool to be at
Augusta playing the Masters um these
signature holes those signature moments
I don’t know just felt like I just
enjoyed it so much you know everything
the part three contest um the specters
the people you didn’t have to worry
about anything there was not going to be
any nonsense out there there’s not going
to be any fans yelling or it’s like
everything was just controlled and it
just it felt easy in a way that all you
have to do is just try to play your best
and play a really good
golf would you say
it’s is it harder because I was looking
at some of the scores beside if you take
the fall Masters out it’s it’s kind of
hovered between 10 to 13 under which in
this modern golf I don’t want to say
it’s US Open but it’s not these guys
aren’t shooting 24 under par what what
makes it so difficult like is just the
slopes is it your approach shots which
clearly is a big deal at Augusta is
there a flat lie out there there’s not
many there’s not many flat lies I think
what they do well there is they adjust
year to year right and they have a lot
of control over that Golf Course like
they have all the control that golf
first you’d ever want so they’re able to
adjust it add some length here move this
back you know they have a great sense
and a great feel of it because they host
this same course the same place over and
over and over again so that helps a ton
if you’re going to a different Golf
Course like the USGA does PGA there’s no
rhythm there’s no feel to what’s
happening and how the weather’s going to
play into the golf course so they can
they can hit the gas on the greens when
they want which is obviously really
challenging right like you don’t see
great Putters seem to win at austa even
though putting is so important you just
have to not three putt you just have to
not be a disaster on the greens the
course is all about ball striking and
now it’s becoming much more of a bombers
Golf Course where you really got to hit
it high and far to carry there’s a bunch
of carries there over these little
Mounds um on a lot of these par fours
where if you do carry it and then it’s
going to bounce on a flat surface other
than bouncing into into a hill which
then equates to 253 yards and so um and
like I said they can still hit the gas
on these greens and where if you you can
where you hit your second shots is I
mean we’re talking about two to three
yard gaps like this is I’ve got to land
it in this area or it’s going to hit a
hill roll down and now I’m GNA be
struggling for par but if I hit it on
top of there and it rolls over I’ve got
a great look for birdie so it’s just the
difference between where you hit your
approach shots on a lot of these holes
is the difference between five foot Putt
and a 30 foot 30 footer up and over a 4
foot Mound would the average like five
to 10 handicap have any freaking shot on
those greens because they always say
they’re like the hardest Greens in
America no they would have no like I
mean I’m coaching in high school here
and the kids three put all the time like
that’s like 510 handicappers are gonna
three put a lot and they’re because
they’re like concrete they’re just super
fast or they’re undulated is the
combination of it all combination of it
all they’re super fast which is one
thing but the greens like the course
sits like on a hill like from the first
T8 you know first T1 18 green it just
goes like this down to 12 like it’s
steep steep steep and that’s how the
whole Golf Course It’s oddly in a bowl
and everything goes down to 12 and so
even when you think you have a flat putt
it’s still going to break a lot right
and so amateur just aren’t used to
playing three four five feet of break
and having the ball and just thinking
that I’ve got a 12oo and I just need to
cut it I just need to get it around
there and give it a chance but not be
super aggressive there’s not many
aggressive putts you have there’s not
really many flat greens 12 ironically is
about the flattest green you’re going to
have there but it’s um you know you can
get at it at certain times and certain
they give you that opportunity I guess
though which is so great there’s a
stretch on that back nine on Sunday
right where you can get to that golf
course and you have to make hey when you
when you have that opportunity did you
ever have a chance on these on your top
10 to like legitimately win on the
weekend yeah I think I I mean I think I
had teeing off on Sunday I had a chance
to win I needed to play really well and
I just didn’t get it done um but I I
felt like I was there and you have those
opportunities on the back on Sunday and
you got to take advantage of those I
mean the best um I remember playing with
Freddy one year and that was my favorite
time with Freddy Sunday at the Masters
was just so cool and so um he’s the best
guy to play with u in a stressful
environment because he is he’s sort of
just like this you know in your read
calm confident coach on the sideline
just doing his thing and and and and
Freddy has just this way about him that
nothing seems too big you know you
played in the era before we dive into
some of the favorites and just what
we’re thinking this weekend in Peak
tiger I mean when you first got on tour
early 2000s and obviously once Phil got
over the hump and became an alltime
great starting with tiger I mean you see
him today he’s Smiley he’s definitely a
different person in his late 40s the guy
you saw I remember texting with you
years ago when it was like covid shut
down just watching all these YouTubes I
mean how much better was he than
everyone else like do what’s your when
you when I when you close your eyes and
think like your tiger story being around
him playing with him in his Heyday what
stands out to you about Tiger
Woods um
it’s crazy to think that he was the best
at everything like there was
like um he was winning tournaments
playing okay and and that’s guy’s whole
dream and their life was to win a PJ
Tour event and it wasn’t like he was
toying with anybody he just was like he
was just on a different planet of work
ethic and desire and what he was willing
to do to win but like his like he was
the best driver of the golf ball he was
the best butter in his short game was it
ridiculous and what you have to do is
hit your long iron as well and we’ve
never seen anybody be able to hit three
irons as far and as high as he could and
so when you go to Augusta and you go to
these major type places and he’s just
playing a different type of golf when
he’s hitting these five and long iron
straight up in the air and just Landing
it perfectly soft on the green with
Incredible distance control um oddly his
margin of error was so much bigger than
everyone else’s because he could get up
and down if he had a few srly drives um
but he just was and then he was tougher
than anybody else I mean he just was
mentally just in a way that you couldn’t
really understand because it meant more
to him than than anyone else but I’ve
never seen anybody and you look at
highlights of him hoisting three irons
and four irons and five irons so much
higher than anybody else’s um because
they he had so much power and his
technique was so good but when you when
you take that and you take that to
really tough golf courses um the
advantage is just you know um what we’ve
learned is that ball striking iron play
is what’s going to separate you from
being a really really great player and
it takes you from course to course
country to Country it doesn’t really
matter um and the way he was able to do
those things and hit those irons and the
way the sound it made the lack of it
just looked and felt and and way he can
shape it just slightly um it was unlike
anything we’d ever seen before guys
would struggle to just get up and to to
to win events and it was just like he
was he was such in a rhythm of just
toying with everybody else a lot of the
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crown is yours you know the thing I I’ve
always said about him and listen
obviously he’s had a crazy life I mean
an insane life but he said it today like
I just love golf yes to be as rich as he
is to be as injured as he is it’s like
to still want to some grind it’s I I
just think 99% of people in his shoes
with his resume his money he now family
I just don’t think would continue to do
it and I I I just admire his Drive which
like you said was on the Forefront for
20 years for guys like you just watching
it was it was unprecedented I I don’t
know if we’ll ever never quite see
anything like it again no it’s it’s a
um like you said it’s a pure
joy to the simplest things I think he
loves he loves just the feel you know of
a pure strike the high draw the
manipulation of hit it left and right
the feel like of hitting a perfect wedge
from like 60 yards and watching it spin
and the control that he has he loves the
Simplicity of the things it’s sort of
like Brady you can’t like Thursdays and
and Saturdays and Sundays you got to
like hitting balls at home at like 700
a.m. and just feeling the way the ball
rolls off the putter like he loves all
those things it’s his passion it’s his
drive it’s his work ethic he just loves
all those things and I don’t think
people even understand what what he has
to do now just to play around to golf I
mean it’s hours of warm-up and work and
then it’s
postwork um and he’s willing to do it
which is crazy he’s almost 50 and he’s
been doing and I mean the last what he
won in 2019 so like last five years of
his has been such a struggle for him
just to get on the golf course and play
four rounds and it it doesn’t phase him
he’s just like well this is what I have
to do I have to add this hour of
stretching and Ankle Mobility work
that’s what I’m going to do do I have to
wake up at four okay three whatever it
doesn’t matter because I want to be in
that first te uh competing because
that’s what he loves I know you’re Titan
for a long time with Mickelson who you
know I I following his scores at live
these last last couple years hasn’t been
the prettiest thing but last year at the
Masters I mean [ __ ] the guy made a
running finish second so wh why we know
Tiger’s success here but I Phil’s not
far behind him as a guy who’s very
comfortable is it just his touch
obviously he’s one of the most talented
players of all time is this just one of
those courses when you have the course
knowledge like those two guys it’s such
a big Advantage yeah oh for sure for
sure um and Phil loves he’s like a very
visual person and he’s an artist right
TIG tiger is way more of a technician
right once he got a lead of a major
tournament he just wear you down there’s
going to be no mistakes there’s going to
be irons and 3w Phils like you know do
you think I could skip this across the
water and then get up on the green and
then roll right like I think I can do
that right and and like bones is
historically like no we don’t need to
skip the ball off the water we can just
lay up because you’re a great wedge
player right Phil’s always seeing the
challenge and the fun in the game and
Augusta provides that it’s a you know
you you’re going to hit so many shots
that week and Phil loves that he loves
the the the Artistry of what he can do
and what he needs to do and that course
gives you everything I mean you want to
add high low fade draw whatever and so
he loves that there um and it’s a great
like I said he’s bombing it now and
that’s a course that lends you to give
you that opportunity a lot and kill
those part fives and he knows he knows
those screens better than anybody in
history um so when he’s there he’s he’s
thinking to himself I’m ahead of these
guys because I know what everything’s
going to do I’ve played here in every
condition and he’s always believing that
if I can just get a rhythm with my swing
because he always feels rhythmic like he
can’t it’s not really a technician but
if it gets in that Rhythm watch out
because he’s gonna go at every flag
because he feels that confident and he’s
gonna be really really comfortable
around the greens he let’s let’s go
through some of the top guys this week I
mean Rory he needs this to complete the
career Grand Slam last year obviously
was devastating he missed the cut he had
not been playing well and then he goes
and sees Butch and last week I don’t
know if you saw some of his stats his
proximity the whole from like 125 to 200
was dramatically better with every Club
so now I’m thinking I don’t know I’m
gonna throw a little cash on Rory it
feels like he’s bound to win it the
confidence you’ve been around Butch just
the mental positivity he can throw into
your head it feels like Rory’s a big
Psych logical if he’s in the right space
watch out what are your thoughts on Rory
mroy and do you think it’s inevitable
because for some guys this isn’t
inevitable no I I don’t think it’s
inevitable
um I think I think what I think what
Butch will do is give him a little bit
of structure right and he’ll say okay
this is these are the few things that
you’re going to need um Butch has a few
ideals that he really likes and he
believes in the go so um I think he’s
going to help him with those things and
give him a like give him just like play
in this area right and just like
structure structure structure to a swing
and that should give him some confidence
um I do like him this week because he
did play last week so I think Rory kind
of is gonna feed off of that a lot and I
don’t think he’s gonna be talked about
much I think it’s gonna be a lot of
shuffler it’s gonna be a lot of like
feno um you know Xander people like I
love Xander this week um there’s going
to be a lot of things wiie Z like
there’s going to be a lot of players a
lot people talking and I think Rory
especially after like the live stuff and
him you know having a press conference
every single week I think he’s can slide
underneath that radar a little bit and
just kind of play and not have to worry
about much and so I think that’s going
to benefit him a lot I do expect him I
think he’s gonna play actually really
really good this week and it might come
down to just you know putting for him
you know I think I like you I think he’s
going to hit it great and he’s going to
play really really well really really
well is he going to find that touch
around the greens with the putter you
know we’ll have to wait and see is it
fair to say that the draw players have
an advantage at this course well like
Ron won last year and so he’s a big
cutter um DJ’s won before yeah I I don’t
because I think these guys can hit so
high now they can take a lot of the
stuff out of play you can hit a
three-wood that’s going to be much
easier to draw so um I I don’t think so
like a guy like Victor to me hin is a
guy I really like this week his iron
play I mean he can just beat like I
think he
he’ll if he gets in a good Rhythm on
Thursday I think he’s just going to
slowly climb up the leaderboard and I
think he’ll end up being there on Sunday
and have a really good chance to win I
think he’s this golf course is all about
your irons and control and he can do
that as good as anybody it’s funny you
know we talk a lot about like Scotty
sheffer’s now getting the tiger
treatment with odds let’s face it in
like 2002 people weren’t talking about
like gambling on golf like they do now
but we all just assumed tiger was gonna
win it is pretty crazy that he’s like
two three four to one I mean yeah Hunter
he’s four to one this week and it
doesn’t even seem that crazy it’s like
Abby putw well he’s probably gonna win
by four uh you’re a Dallas guy he’s a
Dallas guy uh you’re if you know him at
all what’s your thoughts on just
watching him play as a pro it seems kind
of crazy because the guy is freaking
incredible he’s you know we talked about
him couple years ago when we were like
is he gonna hang around right like is
this sort of but it’s the reality is
he’s the best iron player in the world
and even though he had you know
struggles with this putter he was
finishing top five and he was still the
best player in the world um during those
weeks so um he’s got the confidence in
the putter now um and he’s very just he
does a great job I think of resetting
himself like week after week right and
he’s always sort of tinkering and trying
to make his swing better um he doesn’t
seem to get caught up in in the the
tiger hysteria trying to be anything
other than Scotty sheffler and there’s a
Simplicity to that that really works in
his favor it would
be you know four to win is high it’s
hard to put money money on him to think
that he’s gonna win because he’s been on
such a heater can you really just
continue that over and over again I
wouldn’t think so you think he’s just
gonna miss a few putts uh have one bad
day of irons but man he is he is so good
and he said he just good good at
everything there’s just not really a
weakness to his game he has great touch
great feel he got a great caddy he’s
already won here before right so um I
wouldn’t I wouldn’t put it past him to
win but boy I mean are we really
entering that category where he’s going
to be just top 10 every single major for
the next 10 years I mean I don’t know
about that if he were to win this one
it’d be safe to say he might win two or
three Majors this year because it’ he’d
be out the gates we thought that about
John ROM last year once he won this
tournament and he’s a guy I don’t know
if you saw the quote he’s like yeah I
wish you know Liv maybe we should go to
72 holes because I would imagine you
know he’s an old school grinder
competitor yeah probably doesn’t feel as
sharp coming into this he he’s he feels
kind of like the anti-pa who took
everything seriously Kea only took these
four tournaments seriously and I’m I’m
kind of off them just because I that
that comment to me told me a lot of like
I wonder if he feels as great as he did
last year when he was winning
tournaments playing in normal four round
events and he doesn’t feel quite as
sharp coming into this bad boy it’s a
great point I saw that quote too and I
was like and and I I mean I mean I talk
to the guys that live about broadcasting
and and 54 holes is not like that is
their plan like that is not something
movable they don’t feel like that is
anything like that’s not an option so
guys weekend trip yeah so that’s really
weird for me that he actually was like
made that public and said that um a
little surprising to say the least I I
don’t disagree like he’s these guys want
to they want that Rhythm there’s a
Cadence of playing professional golf
four rounds a cut and all those things
so maybe he does feel a little bit like
honeymoon’s over and now we’re grinding
and now we’re playing week after week
and he’s like golly it’s just three days
I got to get ready for a major four days
I wonder if he’s thinking about that and
it’s running through his head a little
bit more than he might have thought that
would have impacted him getting WI a
major because now now it’s entering his
time in his season and there’s a lot of
golf that he’s going to be playing at a
high level and maybe he doesn’t feel
like he’s getting that competitive
Spirit out there I’m not sure only he
can answer that how can Kea not really
give a [ __ ] about tournaments and then
just flip the switch and win majors and
compete in Majors is that the craziest
thing you’ve ever seen yes I don’t think
we’ve never seen a career like this I
don’t know how to like you know I was
looking at like uh major winners of his
caliber meaning like guys who have won
five plus they’ve all won a you know a
ratio of about five to one meaning five
tournaments five normal tournaments to
like one major like it’s a big gap right
uh Phil’s got like six majors and like
40 plus wins right he’s like eight to1
Tiger’s got like you know there’s at
least a five to like a 10 to one Gap
he’s like like like two to one like it’s
just weird it’s like how do you win that
many tourn how Majors when you have like
nine or 10 tournaments point it’s just
weird it’s it’s very unique and very
strange um there’s really no I I don’t
understand it either because he’s so
good that you would think he at least
won 20 times more of like a Dustin
Johnson type career more of a Rory but
he actually just hasn’t played that he
spent a lot of time on the European tour
kind of grinding out there and figuring
out kind of who he was um but he does
not seem to be uh deterred by anything
his Majors last year were incredible was
such a stud in the m in in the PGA um so
I it doesn’t make any sense to me that
he can just flip a switch from like dado
playing terrible in you know for two
days and then come here and be sharp
that doesn’t that doesn’t make sense to
me it did feel like last year he was
playing well he was winning Live Events
his confidence was like he’s like I’m
feeling like Brooks again health is
great so I do I think he’s gonna flip
the switch I wouldn’t I wouldn’t think
so because last year he he he did like
last it was like oh he’s back and this
year we haven’t heard from him in like
months right so not really sure he’s not
someone that I’m thinking about today to
win The Masters you
know yeah as from a gambling standpoint
it’s hard not to sprinkle a little on
him because you always just get you’ll
be pissed at yourself Saturday you look
up but also couple years ago he missed
the cut he was battling injuries two
guys I know my two favorites this week
not necessarily to win but that I just
think Auto top 10 bets and Auto guys to
be in the mix are Hideki and Xander I
mean they they are playing fantastic
they’re comfortable here Xander’s you
you know Hideki is one a major before
yeah Xander feels like he has a million
top fives in majors and a little like
Rory I don’t necessarily know the ma
Masters inevitably he’s going to win a
big tournament if you if you’re in the
mix this often right what are your
thoughts on Xander you ever overlap with
him he’s a little younger but yeah yeah
we played um a few years ago I I love
him I think his game is I I mean you he
hits these just High beautiful draws and
his swing like what I like about players
is when their swings sort of match the
ball fly and whenever I watch Xander
play it’s just like this poetry because
it’s just so it’s exactly it should do
exactly what his swing says and he does
it so consistently and I mean it’s so
high and when you play majors to hit it
high and have control where you can
really control where that Ball’s landing
and where it’s going to hit and you know
like I said ball striking really really
matters um he’s finished top five in
these majors and runner-ups because of
his ball striking and and he just
doesn’t put himself in danger and so I
like you I love him this week I don’t
see him not playing well because it just
to me and I’m it’s an assumption but I
believe it’s should be true he walks on
that golf course and is really
comfortable like he can just see all his
shots and how he wants the ball to come
down he’s plenty long enough um to me
it’s just he he’s going get out there
it’s just going to be those critical
moments that’s all it comes down to to
winning a major in these things it’s
just a putt or two here he’s been there
he’s lived it um I think he’s gonna be
as motivated as jacked as anybody to
have this this sort of
opportunity you got any good Hood Dey
stories I’m fascinated by that guy the
one arm finishes and balls 320 he want
it Riv he’s like yeah I didn’t even
think I played that well he shot like 62
you know you’re just like this guy’s a
trip man he’s just just a big- Time
Talent yeah he lives um in Orlando and
I’ve been there a few times on the range
with him working like Shan Foley and
stuff and and um he just he’s got his
crew with him
um uh from Japan and he just he goes out
to the range and just bangs balls and
bangs balls and bangs balls and hits
some more balls and just he’s just a
machine right it’s that Japanese culture
of just grinding over and over and over
again um I don’t I you know I I don’t
don’t know much about him nobody really
does it’s just you know a cultural thing
but he’s a machine out there and um you
know it’s a fascinating lifestyle that
he has because he’s such a superstar
over there and I think it’s a reprieve
for him to come over here and live in
this you know live in Orlando this
little tiny golf course and just play I
think it’s very relaxing for him so um
he is a you know it always feels like
he’s on the verge of superstardom right
like I’m thinking like this is could be
the year where he develops into a top
five player for the next five years but
then he sort of kind of goes away and so
there’s an inconsistency there with him
that’s actually sort of exciting because
he can jump up and win any major in any
tournament he has that that skill set
his putting is a little is his putting
always feels like it holds him back
because it’s just it’s just not fluid
it’s not pretty it’s very looks
analytical and
techniqueyoutube no joke you mentioned F
now one one thing when I play out of TPC
I sometimes I will be on the Range about
to go play and I’ll see a guy Max or
Tony or one of those guys at the back of
the range and I always kind of keep
track when you turn around 8 n and you
can see them up there putting yeah Tony
on Saturday I I play I teed off at like
8:30 when I teed off he was back there
putting when I came up on8 he was still
back there putting and when I finished
he was just going to play now obviously
as pro golfers you guys work really hard
but he’s a guy that’s had success here
and the putting has just been an
absolute disaster from a ball striking
standpoint I mean how many guys can hang
with that dude yeah I I saw this morning
he’s like you know seventh overall in
ball striking Strokes gained um solid
not even where he could really be at his
best but his putting is like 160
something right and that’s um it’s a
draining aspect of your game right when
you’re hitting it so good and
something’s letting you down
consistently
and it’s something that’s not it’s it’s
not in your face putting right it’s not
obvious it’s it’s just it’s artistic
right all the great Putters a lot of
great Putters are terrible ball Strikers
you know put it bluntly you know because
it’s different it’s like a different
part of your brain so you have to see it
different and so it’s hard for guys who
are very technique driven in the in the
ball strike which you need to be because
you’re not going to get lucky and be
flowy and ball striking to then take
that and and not use the technique for
putting because it doesn’t work that way
uh you have to be way more artistic and
especially at a Gusto where you really
have to see this ball coming in from
different angles and and different you
know speed variations to see where it’s
going to go in and and it’s not easy and
so um I’m sure they’re working on you
know touch and feel and like how’s the
ball going to roll into the hole and how
what what are things that we’re going to
need to focus on that week to make putts
because they know you know it’s hard to
know the problem and but it’s a hard fix
it really really is because you can do
you can feel great and then that
tournament rolls around and those screen
speeds go up to like 13
14 and then ball gets a little bouncy
and all of a sudden your confidence is
wavering right and and you don’t want it
to waver on the back nine at austa it’s
going to be tough to overcome
but you know he’s also a player who’s
due to have a great week was fa it would
would you agree that putting is probably
the one whether you’re a 10 handicap a
five handicap a pro for you three putt
that first screen all of a sudden now
you’re really rattled yeah I don’t care
who you are it could throw you off cuz
you could you could hit a bad Drive the
next hole hit a good one but putting all
of a sudden you start freaking out over
a five-footer it’s we all have the same
nerves standing over a putt some of the
best shots you’ve ever hit come after
some of your worst right there’s like
it’s like that’s all right I want to
just like I know I got something I can
see and I hit it up there and you know
so
yeah especially there putting can really
you know can wear everything else down
it can be an anchor um and it’s a real
challenge for all the players out there
because they’re not all bad Putters by
any means but we’re talking about a
razor thin margin of air here in a
winning a major and they know that when
you get close there and you get inside
about 10 feet you got to make your puts
you got to make the ones that really
really matter and and they count and uh
so you know all the players know that
they know they got to do that and they
got to figure it out so um Tony’s a guy
that just a little bit of confidence and
a little a little bit of Rhythm a little
bit of touch there it could go a long
way for him we talk a lot about 12 13
obviously 15 16 for me nine and 18 I
mean nine hitting it down that tree line
then getting down there and then going
uphill is always really cool and 18 for
us that will probably never play there
that shot looks like insanely
intimidating like 99% of decent golfers
are hitting a freaking tree uh for you
what what beside the super famous holes
is just a hole that like God I love that
hole austa oh man um there’s so many I
think
um the Roars at austa are what excite me
like 16 is such a cool hole because
there’s that because it’s funny how um
you know you know what’s coming there
there’s no really surprises there you
know you know where the pin’s going to
be on Sundays you know it’s gonna be
that back left plan and so that was was
a fun hole because ho and ones are just
it feels like they’re going to happen
that day you know there’s G to be a
couple of them and the and just the fans
are all lining up and and I I always
like that transition I was like my
favorite spot on that Golf Course was
middle Fairway on 15 because I’ve got 17
to the right I can see all the way I all
the way down to 13 and 14 I can see
what’s happening on the green on 15 and
I can see 16 and you can even kind of
and you can kind of hear all these
things happening around you and you’re
at this kind of peak point on the golf
course um looking down at that green the
water you know the water and the way the
green is shaped and you know gosh if I
hit this little long it’s going to hit
that down slope and then I could go in
the water on 160 and it’s just to me
that was always my favorite um one of my
favorite plates there and then the T on
13 where you’re playing in this massive
tournament there’s no one on the green
on 11 there’s no one on the green on 12
and there’s no one on the T on 13 and
you’re just there just by yourself and
your players and your Cades and you guys
can just talk and um into being such a
huge huge moment and a huge situation
and there’s no one around you is really
trippy and it’s not like Golf and it’s
not like really sports right it’s
there’s not there’s no yelling there’s
no people there’s no you know you the
man or get in the hole there’s none of
that there and so it’s this oddly
peaceful therapeutic place where you’re
just at the Pinnacle of your career in a
way and in the Pinnacle of golf and
you’re just like I said it always feels
the tournament always feels like it’s
about the players and that event and
kind of moments always I always can feel
that um at those times do Roars Echo out
there like Can you feel it oh my gosh on
Sunday it’s crazy it’s crazy like I said
just because you know what’s kind of
coming back now on Sunday what’s going
to happen where
those the um the pins are going to be
the opportunities for guys guys ahead of
you that are making a chars guys behind
you that are maybe missing a putt it’s
like everything Echoes around there it
it’s really really really cool and it’s
just it’s just like I said it’s all
about the players in the field that week
and it and you can feel it and it’s so
exciting because not many majors where
there’s Eagles and things are changing
on the board so quickly and so fast um
and so you can you have such like that
another Instinct there and you can kind
of hear everything you kind of feel
what’s happening around you uh which is
really really neat because the course
isn’t that huge it’s not that big you
know holes are kind of stacked up with
one another and that’s sort of the charm
of it and it’s so that’s what makes it
so fun is that um you can feel
everything around you you don’t really
have to even look at the leaderboard
because you kind of
know who’s Hunter man thinks Sunday
afternoon getting the Green
Jacket
um I would say you
know I I think Patrick Klay I would
watch him I I’m gonna go with havin
though I’m gonna go with Victor havin I
think is GNA have the week this week but
you know I’m gonna hedge and and other
guys as well but I’m gonna go with
Victor I think he’s due I think he’s due
hey we’ll end on this T tiger City’s
feeling good some reports yesterday
striping the ball obviously he can break
that cut streak would be his 24th I
think straight yeah cut
23rd tiger top 20 I mean it’s just it’s
it’s the weather is supposed to be a
little rainy but it’s hot rain like the
southern hot rain not freezing cold like
last year does tiger still have one in
him you know he’s talk he’s talking it
up I always want to believe but I got to
be
realistic not to win but just how cool
would that be just if he was just
playing decent to compete to compete and
to be there on Sunday um the weather
looks great like you said Thursday maybe
a little bit of rain if he’s on the
right side of that um doesn’t that help
him a
little I don’t know like the H the I
don’t know with his ankle and everything
that course is so Billy uphill it’s
downhill I mean you are your shins are
fried after that week I mean it’s just
oh I mean it’s a it’s it’s not a long
course and it’s and it’s pretty
efficient in a lot of areas there’s some
walks back but it’s not you’re not it’s
not a tough it’s not a tough walk but
it’s it’s like you don’t tired but your
your body just aches a little bit your
shins and everything because you’re
going uphill so much then downhill so I
don’t you know he can make you believe I
mean anything like he’s he’s got one
more charge in him I I do think he’s
putting everything he has into this week
it’s
just
um you know he’s been through so much
like body has just physically been
through so much it’s hard to imagine
that he can play well for four days that
he can actually stand in there and play
well for four days I mean it’s been five
years since he won and and you could see
it on Thursday I was watching him going
he’s really comfortable he’s striping it
this this is going to be interesting I
you know you just haven’t seen him play
in a really long long time for decent
rounds of golf it’s just his body is
just so broken down but if anyone can
can put something together and make the
cut um I I do think he can do that and I
do think he will I would say he’s gonna
make the cut and you know he might have
a might have an unbelievable nine holes
on on Saturday or something like that to
peak in the top 20 okay we’ll end it on
this now you’re coach now we got a lot
of people that listen handicaps probably
a lot of probably a lot of well over 10
uh one piece of advice could be
something general to just improve your
game improve your scoring to just make
golf a little easier that you see a lot
of amateur golfers not do well well one
they can’t putt so if you can not three
putt like if you want to make your
scores better and you want to go from 85
to
78 number one thing is stop three
putting so that’s no fun and people
won’t do that so whatever but that’s how
do you do that you practice putting is
that a thing of course you just practice
putting you practice putting um match
your stroke up with the putter um you
can even go you know go left arm high
liily Z or whatever get that thing up
whatever you can do consistently but
have good touch right if you just have
good feel and good touch hit a lot of
long putts different different length
putts but I think on the
swing most people that I’ve seen
especially watching these kids play is
like they they they stand up through the
shot so if you can stay in your posture
and make a big turn more and you stay in
your posture it’ll help you rotate
through the shot and be more consistent
almost everybody pops out of it and as
soon as you pop out it’s over it’s like
there’s right and there’s left and
they’re both in play now you can stay in
your posture if you look at all the best
players they do a great job of staying
in their posture lower bodies you know
it’s just there’s an angle there with
your legs and your back and you stay in
and helps you rotate you fire through
right look at Dustin Johnson swing or
Rory’s or whoever but um if you can just
do that because rotation is a huge part
of the swing and most amateurs can’t
rotate for nothing some of them are just
physically not capable but that’s
something that almost everyone does they
just pop out of it and all of a sudden
their arms are you know are flinging at
the ball be an
athlete try let try golf is an athletic
sport okay Hunter I I really appreciate
it enjoy the Masters and uh
thanks for coming on man enjoy Scottdale
thanks man I will talk to you soon tell
Jason we say hi of
course