published in category: Next on the Tee on Thursday, May 23rd, 2024 – 10:44 am
Tom Patri delves into Xander’s major triumph at the PGA Championship, the mixed sentiments towards Bryson, speculations surrounding Tiger’s future following another missed cut, and the potential repercussions of Jimmy Dunne’s departure from the PGA Tour Policy Board.
Clark Dennis, won the 2017 & ’18 Senior Italian Open and the 2017 Dutch Masters on the Legends Tour. We reflect on his illustrious career, he reminisces about winning the 1983 Texas State Junior Championship and shares his elation at the Texas Rangers winning their first World Series. Additionally, Clark offers his insights on the PGA Championship and the low scores at Valhalla. He takes us back to his standout performances at the Colonial National Invitational in the 90s and recounts a memorable encounter with the legendary Ben Hogan. Furthermore, Clark sheds light on the caliber of players and awe-inspiring venues featured on the European Legends Tour, which needs more love and support.
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey’s administration is embroiled in a controversy involving questionable payments to a contractor.
The city’s Department of Parks and Recreation department has paid Mario Ashkar almost $23,000 for his work as a contractor. The payments have been via municipal credit cards, known as p-cards, which has lead to concerns and scrutiny.
Ashkar, 36, of the city’s North Side, was recently charged in connection with several ethnic intimidation incidents.
Questions have arisen about why Ashkar was permitted to work as a contractor for the city after previously being fired from a different department.
TribLive’s Pittsburgh city hall reporter Julia Felton breaks down the story.
published in category: Next on the Tee on Monday, May 20th, 2024 – 9:11 am
John Hughes is not only one of the rare PGA Masters Professionals, he’s also the 2023 North Florida PGA Section Teacher of the Year. His summer residency is up at McLemore outside of Chattanooga. John shares his perspective of McLemore and the new course The Keep. He teaches us why it’s important to positively express our goals, how to consistently make putts inside 5 feet, successfully chip from hard pan lies, and why we should hover our driver off the ground instead of resting it on the ground.
Ward Clayton was the Sports Editor for The Augusta Chronicle and Director of Editorial Services for the PGA Tour. He is the Editorial Director for Augusta National and their digital presence on Masters.com. In 2004 he wrote his first book, “Men on the Bag, The Caddies of Augusta National. He recently came out with an updated version of that book titled, “The Legendary Caddies of Augusta National.” In our conversation, you’ll learn who Stovepipe, Skillet, Pete, and Cemetary are. You’ll discover similar stories about even more legendary caddies when you get your copy of the book which you can find on www.blairpub.com or on Amazon.
published in category: Next on the Tee on Thursday, May 16th, 2024 – 10:36 am
In Part 1 of Episode 28, I’m thrilled to be joined by two incredible guys: former Pirates and Red Sox outfielder Adam Hyzdu, and 5-time winner on Tour, now outstanding broadcaster Jim Gallagher Jr.
Adam Hyzdu’s journey in baseball is nothing short of remarkable. A standout prospect in high school, he left an indelible mark by breaking records, including surpassing Ken Griffey Jr.’s home run record at Moeller High School in Cincinnati. Despite not being selected as the first overall pick or landing with the Reds as he anticipated, being drafted 15th by the San Francisco Giants fueled his determination. Battling skepticism, Adam’s resilience led him to remarkable minor league seasons in 1999 and 2000, where he showcased his abilities by combining to hit 61 home runs and drive in over 200 runs. His eventual stint with the Pittsburgh Pirates saw him etch his name in history, with the AA Altoona Pirates who retired his number—a testament to his impact on the organization. From his memorable Major League debut with the Pirates against the Reds to the clutch pinch-hit home run that sealed a victory just days after his call-up, Adam shares great stories from his time in the big leagues, including his stint with the 2004 Red Sox during their historic World Series season.
Jim Gallagher Jr., a beacon of sportsmanship, success, and positivity in the world of golf. Hailing as the most decorated player in University of Tennessee history, Jim’s accolades span across prestigious halls of fame, including Indiana, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Reflecting on his recent honor of inducting his siblings into the Indiana Golf Hall of Fame, Jim shares poignant insights into his incredible family and the significance of their shared legacy. From discussing his alma mater the UT Vols’ participation in the NCAA Men’s Golf Regional Tournament to revisiting his remarkable third-place finish in the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick—a tournament that witnessed the meteoric rise of John Daly—Jim’s journey in golf is one of incredible triumphs and fantastic stories. We finish off the segment with Jim’s thoughts on what needs to happen to bring the Professional game back together so we can move forward with the best players being in the same fields.
published in category: Next on the Tee on Friday, May 10th, 2024 – 10:46 pm
I chat with Wake Forest and Georgia Golf Hall of Famer Joe Inman and TaylorMade’s President & CEO David Abeles.
Joe Inman was a walk-on at Wake Forest in 1967. In 1969 he won the Arnold Palmer Award as Wake’s Top Athlete. Twenty-six years after arriving on campus, he was inducted into their Sports Hall of Fame. In 2017, after living in the state for several years and amid an 11-year run as Head Coach of the Georgia State Men’s Golf Team, Joe was inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame. We start by discussing his time at Wake Forest playing alongside guys like Lanny Wadkins and Leonard Thompson. From there we move to how he went from an alternate on the victorious 1969 Walker Cup team to going 2-0 in those matches. His play there earned him an invite to the 1970 Masters Tournament. Wait til you hear who he got paired with in the first two rounds. We finish by discussing his first PGA Tour win at the 1976 Kemper Open at Quail Hollow and then his years coaching at Georgia State.
I am grateful to David Abeles and the TaylorMade brand because they have been supporters of this show for nearly a decade. From the first time I met David, I learned he is one of the most upbeat guys you’ll ever meet. He shares the brand’s excitement over what Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda have achieved over the last few months. Their players on all Tours have had remarkable success this year. We transition to talking about the science behind their new Qi10 driver and how they were able to reach a 10K moment of inertia, something no brand had achieved until this year. We also hear what’s new with their TP5 and TP5X golf balls which has gotten David and me a 1/2 club longer. We round out the segment talking about their R&D team who are working on things well into the future.
published in category: Next on the Tee on Thursday, May 9th, 2024 – 10:19 am
In Part 1 of Season 11, Episode 27 I’m joined by 2017’s Top 10 Most Innovative People in Golf, Bill Bergin, and The Confidence Doctor, Dr. Bob Winters.
Bill Bergin is a former Tour Player and is now one of the game’s Top Golf Course Designers & Architects. He and Rees Jones collaborated on The McLemore. The 18th hole there has been named one of the top finishing holes in all of golf. They’ve double down on a second course there called The Keep. It is set to open later this year. Bill tells about the over-mile-long cliff edge holes they created there. We also hear about his other current projects at Coronado in El Paso, Texas, and The Links at Audubon Park in Memphis.
Dr. Bob shares the story of his 9th hole-in-one that he made recently while playing the Nicklaus course at the Reunion Resort. Then he shares the simplest key to releasing tension in our swings that will result in hitting better shots. You’ll think, “No way” but try it and see. Let me know if it works for you.
Over the past few weeks, universities and colleges across the country have seen unrest tied to the growing public sympathy for Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas war.
The University of Pittsburgh also saw a version of this national protest with its own Schenley Plaza as the site of students’ pro-Palestine encampment.
Universities across the nation, including Yale, NYU, Arizona State and Columbia, have seen protests by coalitions of students, faculty and other supporters erupt.
Protesters are calling for their institutions to divest themselves from any war-related investment in Israel. Many also want statements condemning “genocide in Gaza.”
These institutions have tried to disband the encampments with methods ranging from vacating deadlines and warning of suspension to escalated tactics like restricting access to university properties or requesting the involvement of law enforcement.
TribLive’s higher education reporter Bill Schackner joined host Zac Gibson to talk about his reporting covering this story and explain the Pitt student protests.
