The Golf Insiders

04/17/2013 The Golf Insiders

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Host Holly G and Rich Bianco are in the studio with the complete Masters wrap up.  

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in to talk about the wild week at Augusta. Bob felt that the last 1 to 1 1/2 hours got really good and lots of fireworks with Justin Rose, Adam Scott, Angel Cabrera. 

"I don't think that the golfers were that affected by the rain, it was more of an annoyance toward the end," said Harig. Bob talked about the late Friday and early Saturday chaos after it was questioned whether Tiger took an illegal drop or not. Was a big two shot swing given the situation. Bob felt there was a lot of harsh comments toward Tiger without people knowing the rules. There is so much polarization and negativity toward Tiger that if it was someone else, would there have been quite the outrage.  Bob covered it in his column "Time to rethink the rules" on ESPN.com. Bob felt that even though Tiger didn't play well he still ended up fourth. If he the ball goes in on the 15th hole instead of hitting it, who knows what could have happened? 

77th Masters is in the book. Todd Lewis, the Golf Channel, calls in to talk about the Masters with Rich and Holly.  Holly asks Todd about how the rain affected the play. Todd feels that you have to rise to the occasion and make the adjustments. Just like the NFL. The playoffs are nothing like the conditions during the regular season. Todd felt that when Adam Scott figured out his putting on the back 9 of the final round, he was able to take over. Todd and Holly talk about Adam Scott's past from 2009 on and his failures. Adam Scott said that he felt that his failure at The Open Championship gave him the belief that he could win a major championship. Todd also talks about how global the win was for the game of golf. Especially for Australia. Todd feels that when the U.S. won Olympic gold in 1980 and how big that was for the U.S., it is the same for the Australians. Scott received a round of applause by the media when he walked into the press room after winning the Masters.  Todd said that Adam Scott's life is balanced off the course now which lets his game be more focused on the course. 

Vartan Kupelian, PGA Tour.com, calls in to talk to the Golf Insiders about the over 50 crowd that made the cut and played the final two days of the Masters. He doesn't feel that Couples had a collapse ... Extremely difficult for Fred Couples who is suffering from a bad back and 53.  On the other end of the spectrum, the 14-year-old Guan Tianlang from China played so well he made the cut. But he stressed that 3 years can change any golfer. Vartan also covers Sergio has not evolved into the player everyone thought he would turn into after he battled Tiger 15 years ago at a Major championship event. 

Garry Smits, Florida Times Union, calls in to wrap up the show.  There has never been two players who have birdied the 18th in the history of the Masters. Both Angel Cabrera and Adam Scott have a history together and mutual respect for one another. Holly and Gary talk about what happened to Brandt Snedeker at the Masters and looking forward to the RBC Heritage this week. It's a short, tight course.  Gary feels that Ernie Els may win the RBC Heritage. Holly and Rich feel that Brian Gay has a good chance to win the RBC Heritage this week.

04/10/13 The Golf Insiders

Holly G is joined by Jeff Shain, PGA Tour.com, in the studio while Rich Bianco calls in to start the Show from Augusta National. Rich talks about being at the Hallowed Grounds of Augusta and experiencing everything Masters Week. Lot of people out for practice rounds -- nearly 50,000 watching. Gary Smits from Florida Times Union also calls in from the Masters to talk about the Par 3 contest that went on today. Ended in a 3 way tie and eventually won by Ted Potter Jr. Gary talks about the odds makers have Tiger at 7-2 and McIlroy at 12-1. Brian Hewitt, Global Golf Post Editor, calls in from Orlando to talk to Holly and Jeff Shain about his thoughts on the Masters. Since Global Golf Post is international, Holly has Brian go down the list of hot players country by country. He favors McIlroy and McDowell. Doesn't think Luke Donald's first major will be at the Masters. He really likes Adams Scott and is his second choice after Tiger. He really likes how the tournament has set up for Adam Scott. No Australian has won the Masters, Greg Norman has come the closest. Doesn't think Angel Cabrera and Sergio will do well. Cabrera since he hasn't played well lately and Sergio might have overplayed prepping for the Masters. Global Golf Post is publishing daily during the Masters. Todd Lewis, The Golf Channel, wraps up the show talking to Holly and Jeff from Augusta. About 100 people from the Golf Channel are there covering the Masters. Holly talks to Todd about Tiger Wood's numbers not statistically boding well for him headed into the Masters compared to last year. But Todd points out that he only had one win last year and this year he had 5 already. He's holding more trophies and has the confidence. Phil Mickelson's Frankenwood has a lot of workability and almost the same length of the Driver. Tianlang Guan Is the Youngest Player Ever to Compete at Masters Tournament. Todd goes over the American picks, Keegan Bradley is high on Todd's radar. Keegan is much more prepared for his second Masters and gets a lot of advice from Phil Mickelson. Bubba turned in his green jacket a couple weeks ago and Todd says he is hungry again for another title. Jeff likes either Tiger, Phil Justin Rose to win the Masters and Holly's picks are Justin Rose or Adam Scott to win.

04/03/13 The Golf Insiders

Holly G and Rich B are in the studio talking all things golf. Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in to kick off the show. Bob and Holly review D.A. Points' win at the Shell Houston Open as well as how well Rory McIlroy played. Bob also discussed the upcoming Masters and the play of McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Charles Schwartzel. Bob also covered the top players that have not won a major including Justin Rose, Brandt Snedeker, Ian Poulter and Luke Donald. Jay Golden, PGA Tour pro from Winter Pines Golf Club in Winter Park called in to discuss the art of shotmaking.  The trio talked about Bubba Watson's great shot from the trees at the Masters last year. Jeff Shain, PGA Tour.com, also talked about the upcoming Masters as well as other things golf. Terrie Purdhum, Publisher, Florida Golf Central Magazine, called in to wrap up the show. She and Holly talked about the great event at the Errol Estate Golf & Country Club in Apopka, Fla., as well as the magazine's 14th Anniversary.

03/27/13 The Golf Insiders

After 5 days of Golf at Bay Hill and some at Windermere for the Tavistock Cup, Rich B and Holly G are in the studio.  The two talk about the freak storm that ran right over Bay Hill with gusts over to 65 mph and a lot of uprooted trees. Tiger Woods picked up his 77th win and 8th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Holly has some of Tiger Woods press conference audio from Bay Hill. Tiger talks about the significance of winning at Bay Hill and what it means to him personally. Tiger also talks about how close he is to getting back to where he was a couple of years ago. "I'm almost there," he said. His putting has come around after a few quick lessons from Steve Stricker and now he looks forward to Augusta. Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in to talk to the duo about Bay Hill, the tournament and the storm. Bob talks about having Tiger back in form makes golf that much better to watch and it is good for the game.  Not that he will always win, but he is putting well enough and playing well enough to win every time, according to Harig. Sean Foley really has Tiger dialed in. Bob talks about how great players fine tune their game as they get older to compensate for power lost. Team Albany wins on first hole of the playoff at Tavistock Cup after Ian Poulter sunk his putt. The Golf Insiders gave away a 10th Anniversary Collectors edition Tavistock Cup. Todd Lewis, The Golf Channel, calls in to discuss Bay Hill. Todd was actually back at the station just in case something happened with the weather. Todd feels that Tiger is the best closer in the game of golf.  He has already done it three times this year after having a lead going into the final round. Todd also talks about Rickie Fowler and how he needs to grow and learn from his missteps. He had the opportunity on the final day at 16 to draw close to Tiger and unfortunately put it in the water. Todd also talks about Phil Mickelson missing the cut. As the golf world turns toward Augusta, the trio talk about who needs to step it up at the Shell Houston Open in order to be prepared for Augusta. Bubba is the defending Masters Champion and Todd feels that his length off the tee helps him tremendously at Augusta. Steve Stricker has played well in the few tournaments that he has played in not finishing outside the top 5 in any of them. Jay Golden, PGA teaching pro Winter Pines Park, calls in and talks to Holly about how wind affects putting. The way Tiger said it did at Bay Hill. Jay said to Hit a low draw when playing into the wind.