Fire Drill 006: Cut Day at the Masters

the time. All right, here we are. It's already been a long weekend. It's only Friday, Alan, it's another another their opportunity to do a little fire drill. I know you've been out there all day. Unfortunately we're down Jeff Ogilvie today as he's traveling, but we hope to hope to have him back at the end of the weekend for a recap um. And it's been great to act obviously get his perspective. But what did you see out there today? Well, it was it was quite an interesting day.

You know. It was incredibly gusty and windy, early in the afternoon, and there was forecast for widespread carnage, but even the golf gods can get swept up in tiger Mania because and by the time he made the turn, the wind just laid down, and that that really helped Tiger kind of mount a rally after a very tough, you know start, and guys like Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas at Hedecki were playing the same time more or less, and they really took advantage of the calm conditions and

softer greens and and went pretty deep. So it was kind of a tale of two days that the early starters had had to a lot rougher. Um, there's a little prelude to what's to come, you know. With tomorrow, it's gonna be windy, it's gonna be significantly colder. Uh, fairways are still soft. I mean, tomorrow could be one of the most fun moving days in a long time, where there's a lot of guys can build and sells out of tournament. Anyone who plays a good, strong round

can could leave for ag a bunch of players. So it was almost like an early moving day today and it sets up for quite a unique one tomorrow. I mean it it. Some guys literally took advantage of today as a moving day. As you mentioned the Lowry's, the j T S obviously Scottie scheffler Um. Tiger was four over through five and it looked like, okay, I mean this is that was really fun yesterday. It was incredible. What a bonus that we had him. But it doesn't

look like he'll be around for the weekend. And of course, Sir grind a lot, you know, kicks it in, figures it out, and grinds it out. And he now continues his his consecutive streak of twenties, two straight cuts, of of of making the cut at Augusta National. Yeah, and in its own way, this round was as as impressive as his first round, even though he shot, you know, three strokes higher. It's just the bounce back because you could feel the deflation out there. I was out walking

in the crowd. It was just the nervous energy that the sense of despair like oh, you know, here we go, like father time has caught up Tiger and the physical and emotional fatigue, and you know he's gonna miss the cut, He's not gonna break a d and it was like really tangible. Um. And but we know the guy, whatever is going on with his body or his life, he

will never quit on a golf course. Yes, so much grind in him and you know, really beautiful up down at eight and then a laser approach at ten for a couple of much new Birdie's like, okay, here we go. He's back and then he then all of a sudden theen he bogies, you know, um, eleven and twelve like, oh no, he's gonna miss the cutting again. And then um, he gets the break of the tournament. You know that that second shild in thirteen was the worst swing of

the day. He's trying to reach the green. It's it's so bad instead of it doesn't even get to raise creek and expires short and um you know that. And then he gets up and down for Bertie. That was like a two shot swing. Um. You know again the

golf Cauys are smiling upon Tiger. Then he follows up with another birdie at fourteen, and then pars In it was just there's a roller coaster round and he could feel it in the dogwoods, just the attension then the release, than the fretting, than the joy and uh, you know, just eighteen holes with Tigers. It's a journey right now. And but I did you know I could It seemed like he had. I didn't. I didn't see any track man stats. But he was definitely swinging the driver with

a little more aggression and a little more speed. And he actually looked lighter on his feet to me out there on the hills. UM, a little more confident is footing, partly because it's probably slightly drier, But UM, you know, he hasn't pushed himself and I think maybe instead of wearing down, maybe his legs are getting stronger as he goes so because he made some really great swings coming in UM and as opposed to yesterday, he looked the

maze of tired swings on the back nine. So even though it was the seventy four, there was there was a lot to be impressed by and to build on. UM And it feels like, you know, he kept himself in the ball game. As he said, he's only four shots at a second place. You know, Scotti Scheffler keeps going and keep shooting rounds. In the sixth season, this thing is probably over. But if he comes back to the pack. You know, tigers right there waiting Tiger teen nineteen.

He's one over par and he has been better than through two rounds. Guys like Bubba Watson, John Rong, Rory, Sergio Fleetwood, Hovland, Adam Scott missing the cutter, Jordan's Brooks, kept Caxander Shafley, Bryce and d Shambo. I mean, this is guy. These guys gotta take a look in the mirror and say, what is my issue? I can't beat a guy who you know was pulled from the wreckage

fourteen months ago and might have lost his leg. Well, I talked to a lot of players and today and my my story on fire Collectives dot com is really what makes Tiger Woods Tiger? Would you know? I asked a lot of players of that question, and you know, Mark Eleesman had a great answer, said, it's just in the head. It's just the way he's wired. It's just

his brain. You know, it's totally metaphysical, because I mean Tiger's got as a reconstructed knee and ankle surgically, uh, you know, I blow out his achilles, blow at his knee. He's got a few spinal cord, He's got a foot made out of metal. And as you say, he's still beating all these world class players, and you know there's part of that. A lot of guys you mentioned, maybe all of them except for above, I haven't one of masters.

And this course gets in your head. Whereas Tiger probably feels more comfortable here than anywhere else, Like he knows he can manage his way to a good round even when he's not hitting it great like today. So um, he has he has a comfort level here. But the big different genera he's just Tiger fucking I mean, it's that simple, Like he just knows how to play the game of golf, and uh, he has a feel for scoring, and he has a sense of the moments, and he has the grind and the grit and and the self

belief and all these things you can't measure on a track. Man, they're just off the charts, and he just continues to amaze and his ability to just get it done no matter what's going on in his body. It's really remarkable.

We should say that you are in the press room still, which is why the audio is is a little overpart today, So we apologize for that, but but also appreciate the fact that you're still there, you know, filing your story uh and and finishing that up and uh and getting this opportunity to get your perspective as you were, you know, following the last groups coming in. Um, the the biggest surprises for you of people who missed the cut in

the Jordan's Speed Kepta, Xander Bryson, you know grouping. Yeah, not Bryson. I mean, since he declared that Augusta National is a part sixty seven for him, he's just getting his teeth kicked in, like he may never make another cut here, like in this place you talked about being in someone's head like this golf course. Wow. Um, you know I thought that, you know, keptco played really well the match play, and he's been irelevant now for a while, and I feel like he's just waiting to break through.

I mean, he made some runs at the Major last year, Um, but he kind of went backwards, sort of damaged his brand as a guy who's like a closer and so um, I thought he was going to play a little more fire in his eyes this week. It just didn't happen. You know, speech has been a little scratchy, but I mean to double the thirty six hold of missed the

cut by one. That's just it's a brutal man. You feel for the guy, you know, I don't know if you saw he made a six on the twelfth hole and brought back a lot of battle memories for a lot of people watching it from that drop circle. So I thought I was wrong. I thought I was watching replaced. I was like, wait, wait, at least he's got Thank god he's got a jacket, because he's another one where all of a sudden he's just like a cat on a hot on a hot tin roof here. It just

that he just looks jumping and so um. It's really never surprised me when anyone misses the cut at the Masters, because these guys build it up. You know, it's now nine months from the British Open to the Masters, and it's incredible weight to get a major in and all the pageantry and pomp that comes with augusta National and dude just psyched themselves out. And you know, obviously Rory's

been dealing with that now for a decade. You know, you look at Justin Thomas, who played great today, like, oh, he's gotta win a green jacket some day. But Um, you know said about Johnny Miller and about Ernie l about Greg Norman and Tom Wise Cooff and you going down the list, Lee Trevino. I mean, many of the best players in the world couldn't handle Augustin National for whatever reason, and so the list just keeps growing every year. Scotty Scheffler is you know, ties the largest thirty six

whole lead. It's been done five times. The last to do it was Jordan's beat Four out of the five guys who had that thirty six whole five shot lead went on to win. The only one who didn't was Harry Cooper in nineteen thirty six, who lost to Horton Smith. By way, I'm sure everybody would know that. But but you know, to say this is over, which doesn't seem like it makes any sense where at halftime and it's Augustin National. But Scotty Scheffler, the fact is is won

three out of the last five. He is the world number one right now and just seemingly unbeatable. Um, do you think it's over? Well, I always say her a Cooper, not a not a closer, But yeah, I mean, for sure, would you take would you take Cheffler? Or the field right now, I think you'd take Scheffler as you say, he's been on an almighty tear and the turnency one where big time fields and these people was a't backing into the lists victories. I mean, so he knows in

his heart he can do it. Um, Tomorrow is just absolutely crucial day for Scheffler because if he's missing the center of the club pace, I mean, he could shoot seventy nine easily and let the whole world back into this tournament. If you shoot something about par I mean that that's gonna be a great score tomorrow. So, um, the conditions aren't right right for a lot of people

to go low. Um, if one person does it, you know who's on the board, like maybe a Lowry or a Justin Thomas, and it can turn this at least into a two person race on on Sunday, that would that would change things. But the thing about Scheffler that's so impressive is he's really a throwback. You know, he's got that that foot action reminds me of Greg Norman. You know, it's not what you teach and he and one knows he likes to shape the ball both ways.

He plays funky little little shots and knockdowns and chips, little little long irons, and um so, I think he's well equipped for a windy, firm test, you know, more than a lot of guys. And um so, if you can just shoot you know, seventy one or seventy two tomorrow, he's in great stape. But we've seen it many times, you know, whether it's Rory or other people, would you you got to lead it Augusta National and it starts going, starts going sideways. You can start spending strokes really fast.

But um they're just the thing I also like about Scheffler is he just looks like he's having fun out there, which is an underrated quality because you watch Rory play at Augusta or you watch some of these other guys, they look oppressed, they look tight, and they look stressed out, and that this golf course will do that. You're really fast, you know, there's so many there's so many make or break swings. But I just love the energy that that Scheffler projects out there, and I think it's a really

underrated quality of these high leverage events. So, um I'm looking forward to seeing. You know, there was a little bit of chirping about him taking over world number one? Uh so quickly? You know, he and three wins nothing to sneeze out, But those aren't the entirety of his of his body of work. It's like, all right, is this guy a true number one? And if he goes out here and grabs his jacket, um, then it's a resounding answer to that question. So it's all it's been

really impressive performance so far. The hard part is still in front of him, but you know, so far, so good. What's your sense of his relationship with Ted Scott? And how much do you think a guy who has been in in that situation and and gotten it done twice with Bubba is going to be a fifteen club in in Scotty's bag for the net for the weekend. Yeah yeah, I mean Ted Scott has been a great caddy for a long time and you just just to manage Bubba's quirks.

And it's like writing Bucking Bronco the way he plays the game and how high strung he is, and for them to have so much success tells you that, you know, Ted Scott has extremely high emotional EQ. Right, like even beyond pulling clubs and all that stuff. I don't think really pulled the clubs for Bubba. That wasn't impossible. But the way Bubba plays a game, it's just he was more of a sports psychologist and a caddy. And that's gonna be really important. Is as carefree as as Cheffler appears.

You know, he's never been in this situation before, but Ted Scott hasn't. You know, Caddies can choke just like players, And so to have a guy who's already want a couple of masters, and again he's if you following on social media or whatever, you know that Ted Scott is like a fun, goofy personality and I think that is

exactly what Scheffler needs just to be himself. You know, he put Steve Williams on his bag, you know, so I this sort of grumpy, grinding personality, like that's contagious, and I think that would inhibit who who Scheffler is. But in Ted Scott's he's out of sidekick and um and they just like to having fun out there and speaking there on there and they speak the same language and they're always smiling and laughing, and that's that's great.

And you can ask for anything more than that in your caddy well as I always appreciate your time, Alan and uh and like to you and to everybody, to all listeners and watchers and readers and viewers like this is uh. The weekend is of the Masters is upon us. It's I get chills saying it. I can't wait to

see it. I've made it back home to ocean Side and playing in the goat Hill Masters tomorrow morning, where the low m and low gross will be getting green jackets and we'll be eating pimento cheese sandwiches and ocean side before I race home to my couch to watch the Leader's tee off Saturday's Torture. The last group is in Bufti too fifty. I mean it's an endless wait. Could you imagine, like you've got to leave me wake up at six thirty in the morning. It's like, what

do you do. You can read a whole book, you can write a book. I mean, you can work out, you can have three meals. Like it's just torture. So that's part of the mental challenge. I hope for Scotti. Scheffler said he sleeps till eleven. But um, it's even as hard on the writers man like I can't wait to get here. So yeah, it's it's it's gonna be fun.

But you know, everyone knows that Sunday at Augusta is so exciting, but this Saturday is gonna be something else with the weather, so I think we're in for for quite a treat. All right, get some sleep, everybody. We got a big weekend ahead of us. Talk soon. Put another log on the fire. Nobody here is get the time.