The Shotgun Start - podcast cover

The Shotgun Start

Fried Egg Golfanchor.fm
The Shotgun Start with Andy Johnson and Brendan Porath of Fried Egg Golf is a podcast waiting for you early in the morning that quickly blasts through a variety of topics (usually) related to golf and (ideally) relevant to the day. It covers news from the pro tours around the world, amusing and important topics from the amateur game the rest of us play, and some irreverent stuff in between. There will be short interviews, previews, reviews, and dives into the archives. It provides what you need to know on golf through a rapid and fun catch-up discussion.
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Episodes

Masters Friday from Augusta

Andy and Brendan are back at the Draddy house to celebrate and denigrate at the midpoint of the Masters. They discuss an amusing Friday finish with Scottie Scheffler sitting under a Magnolia tree looking for a ruling, a despondent Spieth grinding to make the cut, and temperamental Tyrell missing two foot putts. They also discuss Rory McIlroy getting back into the fight with a rousing 66 that has him in the second-to-last group on Saturday after the narrative “buried” him following the two double...

Apr 12, 202558 min

Masters Thursday Recap and Rumors from Augusta

Andy and Brendan are posted at the Draddy House Thursday evening to discuss their day at Augusta National scurrying around collecting nuggets and watching golf. They discuss some of the very tough pins and course difficulties of the first round, where Nick Dunlap posted a 90 without a three-putt. Theyhit on some of the early leaders like Justin Rose and Scottie Scheffler, as well as some of the late disappointments like Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy. There’s also plenty of chatter about the pace of ...

Apr 11, 202559 min

A Masters preview live from Augusta

Andy and Brendan! are buzzing and ready to preview the year's first major from the Draddy House in Augusta. The two return from a day at the course to discuss the biggest storylines entering the week before sharing their favorite tee times and making one-and-done picks. They start with Rory McIlroy, wondering if this will be the year he wins a green jacket to complete the career Grand Slam. From there, Andy commends defending champion Scottie Scheffler, who will enter this week without a win in ...

Apr 09, 20251 hr 49 min

Early notes from Augusta, LIV Doral questions, and El Pato's return

It's an in-person Sunday show from the Draddy House in Augusta in honor of B. Draddy ambassador Brian Harman's win at the Valero Texas Open. Andy and Brendan! are together in Georgia and ready for the week ahead. Brendan shares some notes from his time at Augusta National on Sunday, where Gary Player provided an unsolicited sermon and bees are running (flying?) rampant. The two discuss Brian Harman's win at TPC San Antonio and the tough conditions leading to his Sunday score of 75. In other golf...

Apr 07, 202553 min

Why no Bryson in LIV creator event, PGA Tour stiff arms LIV requests, and Golf Advice

It's a true whiparound Friday as this episode covers many topics, spanning from a listener's Juuso Valimaki scouting report to a promotion for our Masters preview show going LIVE on YouTube next Tuesday night. Andy and Brendan are in high spirits and excited for Augusta, starting this show by choosing a player they'd like to see play himself into the field for next week. There's some more discussion about the Masters having range data for all players throughout the week, prompting Andy to ask PJ...

Apr 03, 20251 hr 6 min

A field scandal in Texas, the torpedo bat analogy in golf, and TGL expansion

This Wednesday episode focuses on two scandals currently unfolding across the sports world. Andy and Brendan! are disappointed to miss out on a First of the Month recording, but are fired up about the field construction for the Valero Texas Open. The field was expanded to 156 players with full status, but would need to shrink to 144 before allowing any alternates into the field. Andy wonders how players on major medicals, career money exemptions, or sponsor exemptions could reasonably jump an al...

Apr 01, 20251 hr 1 min

NBC takes on Tosti in Houston, Dr. Lag-puttinksi, Rory ‘Elbow Watch’

It was an SGS-heavy finish at the Texas Children's Houston Open, where Dr. Chipinski, Min Woo Lee, was grouped with podcast favorites Alejandro Tosti and Ryan Fox in the final round. The Doctor was IN on Sunday, with Min Woo barely holding off a charging Scottie Scheffler and Gary Woodland for his first career PGA Tour win. Andy kicks this episode off with a Victory Monday celebration for PJ, whose hammer came down on the correct player this week in Houston. Brendan and Andy then unpack Tosti's ...

Mar 31, 202559 min

Early Masters amusements and stories, LIV’s own Creator Classic, and Golf Advice

This episode is full of Friday whimsy, as Andy and Brendan cover a variety of topics to send you into the weekend. Andy begins by asking questions about Ryder Cup eligibility for the latest honorary Texan. Brendan reveals that Thursdays are now known as "Diet Friday" after sharing today's Masters Fact of the Day. Speaking of Masters facts, Andy then provides an early weather update for Augusta, making sure he gets out in front of this upcoming catnip. After a recap of PJ's night at a Mumford &am...

Mar 27, 20251 hr 14 min

TGL goes out with a bang, Billy Boy for Ryder Cup, DLF intel

TGL Tuesdays come to a close, as this episode was a YouTube live recording following Billy Boy's crowning moment in the SoFi Dome! Andy and Brendan begin by discussing the Atlanta Drive's SoFi Cup win, rounding out the TGL season. They share some overall takeaways from the inaugural screen golf season, Andy breaks out his data-driven power rankings one last time, and PJ is reeling after yet another New York sports loss in a playoff environment. There are pleas for Billy Horschel to take his (rig...

Mar 26, 20251 hr 18 min

Love is in the air for Tiger, Lost Viktor clips JT, LIV boys get into The Open

This recording was delayed until Monday morning because life is better with Andy by Brendan's side! Andy's in the dumps following the Illini's loss to Kentucky in the Round of 32, but his spirits were lifted by Tiger Woods hard-launching his relationship with Vanessa Trump on Sunday night. Brendan and Andy unpack all aspects of Tiger's post, from the bizarre caption to the posed photos prominently featuring the Sun Day Red logo. After a quick spin through Vanessa Trump's Wikipedia page, the two ...

Mar 24, 20251 hr 18 min

Scottie on golf’s divide, The most gutless layup ever, and SGS Golf Advice

It’s a throwback episode, with PJ on a boat sailing to the St. John’s NCAA tournament game. There are some Wifi issues, technical difficulties, and just Andy and Brendan on their own like the old days. They discuss some quick news on Scottie Scheffler laying the blame squarely at the feet of one cohort for the current fracture in men’s pro golf. Then they get to some SGS Golf Advice on a member at a club frustrated by some notable rich and famous people jumping the line into full status privileg...

Mar 20, 202558 min

The Florida Swing argument, TGL Fatigue, and AI (w)rec(k)s on Sawgrass

To the surprise of no one, what was supposed to be a quick, 40-minute Wednesday episode ended up pushing an hour. Andy and Brendan are fired up after a week at The Players and are ready to watch a strong field at the Valspar Championship to round out the Florida Swing. This episode starts with some TGL notes after barely watching the semi-finals, leading to agreement that the indoor league needs to wrap before The Players takes place in 2026. Speaking of The Players, Andy recalls J.J. Spaun's "B...

Mar 19, 20251 hr

Rory McIlroy wins The Players in windy, ‘nervous’ playoff after busy, contentious week at Sawgrass

“The boys” gather to fully debrief on the The Players Championship after Rory McIlroy came out on a Monday morning to beat J.J. Spaun for his second gold man trophy at TPC Sawgrass. Andy and Brendan discuss the golf nerd delights of the three-hole playoff in whipping winds on some of the most iconic and nerve-wracking holes in pro golf. They touch on Rory’s resume, current status, and future prospects with the Masters bearing down on the season. They review J.J. Spaun’s touch ‘em all ball into t...

Mar 17, 20251 hr 27 min

Rory vs. Spaun: Sunday drama, electric Monday playoff at The Players

We are Sunday spitballing! Andy and Brendan are back home, but PJ is still at TPC Sawgrass and they hop on to discuss a wild Sunday at The Players Championship that is still unresolved. They discuss Rory’s finish after running out to a three-shot lead following a four-hour storm delay, and J.J. Spaun’s battle back to nearly clip him out of the playoff. The make some picks for that playoff and offer some theories why Rory should be an obvious heavy favorite.

Mar 17, 202533 min

A Players chat live from Ponte Vedra: Leaders, choppers, and rumors

Andy and Brendan! are together in the Ponte Vedra Beach area to discuss their last couple days at TPC Sawgrass and The Players. They react to a mixed leaderboard of mules, stars, and surprises. They discuss the “outsider” they would most like to see stay on the leaderboard, and the rounds of both Rory and Spieth. They also hit on some of the truly ugly numbers posted by a handful of popular names at the very bottom of the leaderboard. On the ground insights focus on how the course played through...

Mar 14, 20251 hr 6 min

Who needs a Players win most, Monahan speaks, and Sawgrass laments

It’s a Players Championship preview episode with Andy and Brendan together in Jacksonville for this rousing and wide-ranging chat on “the gold standard.” They begin with news that the PGA Tour is going to use an “AI setup tool” to help set up courses going forward. They then bounce around all over the place with notes from a day of press conferences with Jay Monahan, Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler, and Collin Morikawa, who said he doesn’t “owe anyone anything.” They bat around who would gain t...

Mar 12, 20251 hr 30 min

Morikawa gets passed, DFL DJ, surging Sergio, and deluded rollback whining

Andy and Brendan went LIVE on YouTube immediately following the finish at Bay Hill and were fired up after a packed weekend of pro golf. Off the top, they discuss Russell Henley chasing down Collin Morikawa to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational, his first win in over 850 days. Andy and Brendan chat about Henley's current place among the game's top players, his Ryder Cup candidacy, and his tournament-winning chip-in on the 16th hole that NBC missed thanks to a Rolex commercial. They then move on ...

Mar 09, 20251 hr 26 min

Bay Hill carnage, Rory flip flop on PGA Tour needing a deal with PIF?, and a PGA Tour pension trick

This Friday episode starts with some football whimsy - Andy is pumped about the Bears acquiring two high-priced offensive guards to start their offseason! The whimsy continues into golf talk as Aldrich Potgieter topped his drive into the lake on the sixth hole at Bay Hill, providing a must-see moment for Andy and Brendan on Thursday morning. High winds in Orlando led to a brutal first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. TGL stars Max Homa, Cam Young, Min Woo Lee, and Tom Kim were among the ...

Mar 06, 20251 hr 28 min

Is Bay Hill the best event of the year, A rousing In/Out/Alt for Puerto Rico, and TGL sadness

Both Andy and Brendan are licking their wounds after the Ballfrogs and Jup Links became the first two teams to ever miss the TGL playoffs this week. The episode begins with some immediate TGL takeaways after a tough three matches to end the regular season. Brendan is miserable when describing the Jup Links performance from Tuesday night and runs down the final scores of all their losses this year. Andy is already on to 2026, where he believes the Ballfrogs need a roster shakeup and could stand t...

Mar 05, 20251 hr 16 min

Drills and skills for a mock PGA Tour scouting combine, Bucket hats and birdies at Honda, Biker gang alum going to The Open

This Monday episode quickly gets into the Sunday finish at the Cognizant Classic, where Jake Knapp melted on the back nine and Joe Highsmith shot a 64 to secure his first PGA Tour win. Andy takes no pride in a successful double-down on Knapp not winning after Thursday's 59 and wonders how he keeps getting himself in these situations with his takes. Highsmith and his caddie, Joe LaCava Jr., get props from Brendan and Andy for back-to-back 64s on the weekend, earning the win after making the cut o...

Mar 03, 202558 min

Flashback Reheat: Lumpy wins the Honda, "Spider-Man's" journey, and a sweaty 1987 PGA Championship

Enjoy a special reheat of three Flashback segments remembering events at PGA National! First, Andy shares some details about Bruce Lietzke, the 1984 Honda winner, who changed his entire schedule to spend more time with his family and had an affinity for a timely hot dog. Brendan then recaps Tim "Lumpy" Herron's win at the 1996 Honda Classic. Lumpy won the tournament as a rookie, but this segment also has plenty of nuggets about the eventful week Greg Norman had and his ongoing issues with the TP...

Mar 01, 202550 min

PGA Tour turns bear trap into mouse trap, Knapp time for Andy, and Larry Scott for LPGA Commish?!

Andy and Brendan have a lot to talk about for this Friday episode with the first round of the Cognizant proving to be a content bonanza. Billy Horschel was chasing alligators and criticizing the setup, PGA Tour Championship Management destroyed a once-proud event, and golf superstar Jake Knapp opened his week with a 59! The two discuss all of these topics and the storied history of The Honda Classic and remember how tough PGA National used to play. Andy shares the list of previous winners at the...

Feb 27, 202557 min

Spieth’s Fit for the Swamp, TGL dysfunctional franchises, and Coetzee Zone moment

A 9 p.m. TGL match had Andy and Brendan ready for a late night live show for this Wednesday episode. The two react to the week that was in the SoFi Dome, with Brendan sharing details from his in-person experience watching the Ballfrogs lose yet again on Monday night. With losses by Jupiter Links and NYGC as well, all three teams will have a chance to make the playoffs in the final week of the regular season. Andy and Brendan discuss Tuesday night's match between The Bay and Jup Links, critiquing...

Feb 26, 20251 hr 1 min

So bad it’s good at VidantaWorld, White House meeting hiccups, and Potgieter Electric Factory

Andy and Brendan are buzzing on this Monday episode, recorded immediately after the playoff finish at VidantaWorld. Andy is claiming a Victory Monday for Illinois after Brian Campbell took down Aldrich Potgieter at the Mexico Open. The two unpack Sunday's stretch run that led to the two-man playoff. They discuss Potgieter's first pop-up on a PGA Tour stage, how he leveraged his driving distance into a second place check, and some of the decisions he and his caddie made that may have cost him the...

Feb 24, 20251 hr 8 min

Tiger, Jay, and Saudi PIF go to White House, A practice proposal, and a Mexican legend FBF

A Friday whiparound episode covers a wide range of topics, including Tiger, Jay, Yasir, and Adam Scott meeting with President Trump at the White House on Thursday, a bevy of golf content coming to streaming services soon, and a ranking of Girl Scout Cookies. Andy breaks out the soundboard early after not using it much in the month of February before Brendan shares some unsubstantiated rumors about Girl Scout Cookie sales inside the moat at PGA Tour HQ. The two then discuss Thursday's meeting bet...

Feb 20, 20251 hr 6 min

TGL Miracles and Jup Disasters, Golf Reunification Theory, and a Slovak emerges

Four TGL matches across two days makes for a great Wednesday episode! Andy and Brendan went live on YouTube following NYGC's blowout victory over Jupiter Links on Tuesday night to discuss the bevy of content coming from the SoFi Dome. Brendan is immediately furious with his beloved team's performance, wondering about timeout management, roster construction, and if Jup Links can ever contend while building around Tiger Woods. Andy unveils his first-ever SGS TGL Power Rankings, leading to an entir...

Feb 19, 20251 hr 3 min

The Signature Event model, Ludvig’s arrival, and LIV’s balance sheet

This Sunday episode starts with a Sports Minute in which Brendan asks Andy to answer for Illinois hanging a banner upside down during Saturday night's game. There's also some chatter about the USA-Canada hockey game ad the Four Nations Faceoff. In a positive for golf, the Sports Minute closes with an agreement from everyone that the Presidents Cup has more juice than the NBA All Star Game! From there, Andy and Brendan discuss Ludvig Åberg's first win in a Signature Event at the Genesis Invitatio...

Feb 17, 20251 hr 21 min

Rory and Jay speak on “reunification,” Ryder Cup temp taking, and LIV CEO rambling

Love is in the air for this Friday episode as Brendan and Andy discuss their plans for Valentine's Day to start the show. If you're looking for a last-minute gift, a tipster passed along a run of Zach Johnson "Tour-Issued" memorabilia currently up for sale on eBay. Andy has PJ make some picks for collectors looking to invest, leading to a discussion about whether ZJ is out there wearing a Small polo when playing. Golf's premier gambling podcast then shouts out some LIV odds for Adelaide, where 5...

Feb 13, 20251 hr 24 min

Is PGA Tour-PIF deal almost done, Tiger WDs, and TaylorMade breaks up with DJ

Andy and Brendan start this Wednesday episode by wishing for the return of landline phones as society's primary communication method after some emails received earlier this week. In a light week for pro golf, two preview the Genesis Invitational, being played at Torrey Pines South instead of Riviera this year. They discuss their mixed feelings toward this event following the change in venue due to natural disaster and Tiger's WD after his mother died. Nonetheless, hammers are thrown on this week...

Feb 12, 202548 min

Victory Monday and Spieth flashes in Phoenix, LIV’s opener ratings

Andy is on cloud nine for this Victory Monday episode, as Illinois alum Thomas Detry won the WM Phoenix Open going away. Brendan and Andy discuss Detry's first PGA Tour win and his outstanding play on the weekend that earned him a champagne shower and victory hugs on the 18th green from international stars like Matt Wallace, Ryan Fox, and Christiaan Bezuidenhout. The two wrap up more stories from Phoenix, including a big week from Jordan Spieth, a tie for second from Daniel Berger, and a faulty ...

Feb 10, 202559 min
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