Luke Donald Talks Tiger, Greeks, and The Masters

it seemed fast. The NFL Draft is Thursday April. We're gonna be talking about that all month. Baseball's opening day is today, and the Master's kick off today. So, oh my gosh. Jana helped me out here. I think you know we have March madness. Everyone gets into that. But what can we call April. It needs some kind of nickname. All in April, All out April? Help me out? Asked kicking April? Ask kick in April? April sports? Bring May flowers? How do you like them? Apples? I think you can

do better. April sports, bring May chicken wings and trulies in the man cave. Baby, it is an ass kicking April. It is amazing. Baseball's kicking off. Get ready to get your beers flowing in your good weather, sitting ball game experiences, the NBA Playoffs, The Phoenix Suns are taking it all. I am ready. It's also my birthday month and my last month of pregnancy, so April is sweet to me. I like, ask kick in April. Let's get ask kick in April. And listen, I'm not essen with you right now.

I know you've got baby making chemicals all over the map. I spoke to Sam, I said, Sam, just stay out of the way, buddy, Okay, you probably it's like trying to negotiate with Putin this moth. Don't just whatever she wants, just do it. She's about to make a person like a mortal god. Just stay out of the way. I mean, I knew kind of the end of pregnancy was supposed to be rough, but I just got compared to Putin's. That was horrible. That's a that's a dark joke. But

luckily I know your Yeah. Well, listen, I just spent the whole weekend in Madison, Wisconsin. So I was in Madtown. I went, I went and visited the Deckers. I had a glass of milk, I ate some cheese, and you know that place is so white, Madison, Wisconsin. It looks like it's snowing even when it's not snowing. So it's always just You could be in an airplane in the middle of July flying over Madison. You're like, why is it snowing? And You're like, that's not snow that's just

white people walking around State Street. Okay, in all seriousness, how did you like Madison. I know you've been there before, you recorded your first album there, but I mean, it's such a great town, right Yeah. Look at that comedy on State the best comedy club in the country. I actually decided to record my next special, so I recorded my special again in Madison, Wisconsin, because I love that club so much. I love the owners so much. And so my new special is shot. I shot it in Madison.

I decided to do it on the fly, so that will be coming out. Stand the lookout for that. And yeah, I also recorded my my first hour album there, so that's called let Me be honest. You can go google that and enjoy that and so boom, my next hour special will be coming out recorded in Madison in honor of the Decker family. I didn't know that. You didn't

even tell me that. So because you have like three straight nights of taping, that makes sense now because you were recording, right, Absolutely, yeah, we were recording and then we got some more cameras in there. And the crowds are just so amazing. And the Midwest is the best place for comedy. It truly is. Every comedian knows that it's the best place for comedy, the worst place for winter, that's for sure. Yeah, I hear you on that. I'm in Sheboygan, Wisconsin right now. It's brutal, but I I

agree with Midwestern people are quick to laugh. We don't take ourselves too seriously. We're pretty easy going, lighthearted, So I would think that's an ideal crowd. I'm glad you had fun and you eat somewhere good, amazing. We hated all the good spots. We we hated all the good spots. This place Botanist next door to the club. It was incredible. We went to all the recommendations you you gave me, and the food is great, the people are great. It's

a college town, Madison, Wisconsin. The only thing about Madison that's funny is like you see that capitol building when you first get there, and you're going like, wow, there's gonna be a lot to see. This is a big city. It looks like d C. And then you're like, nope, it's just the capitol building and the rest is the college campus. That's all there is to see. Really, the rest of it is just a charming little college town. Baby.

Yeah no, but it's beautiful on the water. Did you know that the capital in Madison, Wisconsin is taller than the capital in d C. I did know that. I did know that, And that's yeah, that's what I'm saying. You get there and your your expectations are a little high. Yeah, yeah, it's a little deceiving because that is the only impressive building. Yeah, I don't know about that. Well, that's the campus. The

campus has some beautiful buildings. The campus is very nice, and the lake is frozen for a lot of the year, so you know, at nighttime I went down there, I was hoping to see maybe some white walkers walking across that bank. I should have warned you don't go in March, but yeah, it's a this is kind of a dumpy month around here, gets pretty cold, you know, where else is supposed to be kind of cold this weekend and really unfortunate. It'll make for some bad images on TV.

Is the Masters supposed to be kind of cold and wet and windy, And I mean that changes the game for a sport that's supposed to be played at the most beautiful locations and the most beautiful weather. This may be an interesting fold. And we've got a great guest joining us, former world number one. He's played at Augusta, even finished third at the Masters in two thousand five. It's Luke Donald. I'm really excited to have him on,

so we'll have to ask him about that. Janice. Yeah, and this is the first time we're gonna have someone with an English accent on, right. Oh, you know, you might be right? Should we do the whole interview in an English accent? Maybe? I think that's the only way to properly do this is to welcome him in the King's so you do more like the royal family, proper British English. I'm gonna do like Adele Cockney British English. How's that? Yeah? May too, I'm gonna be are you doing,

what are you doing? Where's your liday? Like peaky binders. Yeah, yeah, we just I view him like there, hello Governor. Okay, yeah, he's gonna love us. This be a great interview. Have you heard on the week of the Masters, there's all these events, you know, leading up to it, but Tuesday night. So it's Tuesday morning right now when we record. But on Tuesday night they host one of the most exclusive dinner parties on the sports calendar, let alone social calendar.

I believe the only people who can attend the dinner our Master's winners, and then the year's previous winner gets to pick the menu. And you know, last year, Matsuma one Japan's first Master's champ. So I would think they always do an ode to where they're from. I would think it would be really fantastic sushi. But I've got to warn you. I've been to Augusta, and I once eight at a restaurant called Taco Sushi, a mix of Mexican and sushi. I really hope that is not his

only option to cater this event. What do you think he's gonna do? Yeah, well, listen, he's Japanese, so he's probably gonna fly in like a five star sushi chef from Japan unfortunately sushi. I'm just glad you're not picking the menu because you're pregnant. You'd be like, give me fried pickles, donuts, chicken wings, sushi. You know, the thing about sushi is did you know that only men can

be sushi chefs. It's very discriminatory. And that is because, Yeah, that's because the temperature of their hands is a certain temperature and women's hands. Yeah, this is the truth. I'm telling you right now. I wish we were having him on so we could confirm it, you know, but it's true. This is not I'm telling you it's true. That's why you've never seen a woman sushi chef. It's not because of the patriarchy. It's because of the temperature of their hands.

They can't handle the fish. You know, I have horrible circulation. My hands are always really cold. Can I be a sushi chef? Possibly? I mean, you may be the exception. There's no rule, there's no rule without an exception. God, I always learned something new on the show. That's just not what I expected to learn. That's wild. What would you have like as your hometown dish if you were a Master's champ and you wanted to pay homage to it. What would you set the menu? As you know, we're

going Greek. We're going with a little zat zeki. We're going with a little lamb. If I want the Master's it's gonna look like my big fact Greek wedding. We're gonna have a lamb roasting, smoke coming all over the air, potatoes, but dot dos guinea statch, We're gonna have sadi, which is fish. It's gonna be a Greek feast, and definitely you're gonna see some lamb carcasses roasting with their skinless face melting in the fire, scaring children. Yeah, that's what

we do. Has there ever been a famous Greek golfer. I'm trying to think, um no, But I did golf with Steph Curry on my old sports show with Joel who's our producer, and I'm very bad at it. I'm very very bad at it, and Steph Curry is very very good at it. Yes he is. We'll look in the past like Dustin Johnson one. So when he set the menu, I kind of like the way his menu sounds.

Pigs in a blanket, lobster and corn fritters. Mashed potatoes, veggies, filet mignon, miso, marinated sea bass, peach, cobbler, apple pie, vanilla ice cream. But the year before Tiger Woods won and he did kind of more Augusta, he did an Augusta role, which is timpoora shrimp, spicy tuna, avocado, and eel sauce. That's I mean, that's kind of Japanese prime steak, chicken fajita's I kind of like Tiger Woods menu. I don't know it's but it's what a dinner party? My god,

that's incredible. Yeah, I mean those both sounded like incredible. What would you pick? What would you put on there? I was worried you were going to ask that because I think it is supposed to be like from where you're from and cheese curds and steak, big glass of milk. That's embarrassing now because you know, I'm really from Kansas City, so like steak, barbecue, barbecue, that's what I would do? What am I? Yeah? You really are. You're the You're

the Hillary Clinton of sports journalists. You just claim you're from from Wisconsin and you're not. Just like she moved to New York to run for Senator. Yeah, you just you just have to hometowns. One of them real, one of them is fake. They're both real. They're both real. I own a home in both. I think that counts. I pay taxes in both. I think that counts, right, kind of you're the Hillary Clinton is sports journalists, Well, you know the big story here, I mean Tiger Woods.

Oh my gosh, again, we're recording Tuesday. I think the news is expected to break Wednesday. But he is trending towards plane. The crowd that has practiced rounds have been huge. It's been seventeen months his last event, fourteen months since his near fatal car crash. He had half a dozen surgeries on his back and his right leg. I believe they almost had to amputate that right leg. So this

would be an incredible feat. And I know once he began practicing at Augusta, betters just ran to place their wagers on this golf legend. Tiger moved from plus sixty six hundred to plus five thousands. That sixty six one went to fifty one to win the Masters. So in the betting world, this is huge news. But what a great story, unbelievable story. And I mean, if he has a good masters, it's gonna be a great story. Just seeing him out there is amazing. It's inspiring and incredible,

just incredible. It's gonna just it just adds to the lore, doesn't it. Oh my gosh. Yeah, I mean, this is the story of the week. So a lot of line movement basically around that. But Tiger Woods right now is the highest ticket percentage and the third highest handle percentage, So he's the biggest liability at bet MGM. So if he comes back wins it all four rounds of golf on a body that he says it's uncomfortable to walk,

let alone play golf, boy, would that be incredible. But bet MGM would be crying because they'd lose a lot of money on that. That's a that's crazy. But John Ram is the favorite at plus thirteen hundred. That's one. I don't know if there are any other underdogs. We're gonna talk with Peter Andrew to see if he might have a sneaky bet there. But yeah, John Ram the favorite again plus thirteen hundred. I like it nice. Yeah, I can't wait to talk to Peter Andrew to hear

about some of the underdogs. He's in Ontario right now, right, Peter, he is, Yeah, bet MGM just opened up in Canada. So that's huge news for the sports book. So Tiger Tiger played the p NC tournament with his son in December, right, but that was kind of just messing around and uh, where was that? He looked pretty good, right, yeah, and then at his practice rounds he's looked good, like he's looking good all week. But he said it's really uncomfortable.

And again he hasn't played this kind of duration, this, this kind of you know, four rounds is really tough. Anytime I play eighteen holes, I'm sore the next day. And I know I'm not a golfer, but if if you're someone who just came out of you know, six surgeries and I thought you were going to lose your life or your leg, and I mean this is this would be a story for the Ages. And my god, we're just coming off of March madness with stories for

the Ages. So anytime I like turn on the news and I see how sad the news is, I'm so grateful I work in sports. Oh my god, Like how great? How lucky are we honest that we get to talk about this stuff that these amazing stories and not not the horrible stuff going on in the news. So this, this would be incredible. So I'm hoping Tiger comes back. Absolutely. My two favorite things on this planet are sports and comedy, and I think they're the two purist things on the

planet in the human experience, you know. You know, comedy, it's like, hey, if you're funny, people have a reaction to it, you know, and the reaction is completely organic. And in sports, its competition, it's the closest thing to the truth. You know, the better man wins. Sometimes you know it's not the better man, but all the storylines are real. And listen, just seeing Tiger out there is amazing. But I mean, don't sleep. He is Tiger Woods, the

man who changed the game, who popularized golf. I mean, he's owned this tournament. He's won five times, fourteen top ten finishes. I mean, it's hard to bet against them. It's hard to bet against them. Yeah, before we get to the masters and our bets for this week, Olivia, we've got to get to our bed. The winner of the week, bad beat of the week, hopefully I just did definitely didn't have to do sound, but they did it. They did it? Okay, Our bad beat winner of the

Week this week is Dylan at goose Lover. What a screen name the kid? Yeah? The kid loves animals and he's probably twenty five years old. Does that mean he has to change his Twitter name every year when he has a birthday? Yeah? I think so. I think he's

goose Lover twenty six next year, big day. Well, listen, are goose Lover here lost his Big five team parlay because a heavy favorite in the NHL lost at home outch There's only one thing worse than only hitting three out of four on a four team parlay, and that's only hitting four out of five on a five team parlay. We feel a paying Dylan, which is why I guess what, my friend, we're sending you Hanne Allah's of bet MGM credit to help you get back in the wind calling

my friend. Don't say we don't love you, baby. Now, let's cut down the nets on the college basketball season. O h d ed it's time too, It's time to leach. I hope they also brought in this soundtrack for that. We don't need you all right, So major congratulations to the Kansas Jayhawks. Congrats to me for picking them to win. I I kid, do you not? I made a couple of brackets. I kind of scrapped him as I went, but I always haid, k you winning. My dad went there.

I'm from Kansas City. Depends on what day you asked me where I'm from, but yes, I am a Jayhawk fan and I certainly was watching on Monday night. They rallied from down sixteen at half but sixteen total. As Carolina Boy, they went ice cold in the second half. They suffered so many injuries. A player threw up. I mean there was like a I think you're honest in all seriousness, someone placed a hex on them. It was in New Orleans and we asked Clark Kellogg last week

if there's any voodoo magic at play. I think there was. I think in the second half there was a spell placed on the tar heels because that was that was pretty bizarre. I will say there was a notable bet at bet MGM, and anytime I read these, I just clenched my fists, thinking why did I not do it? Why was I all talk and no action? Because one person at bet MGM put eight thousand and five dollars to win one hundred and twelve thousand and seventy dollars

on Kansas at fourteen to one odds. Ma'am, some people have all the luck. I need to put my money where my mouth is. But look, preseason, Kansas was plus sixteen hundred. Uh, the odds obviously got so much shorter. They were a minus two hundred favorite to win it all in the championship game. But that was incredible. They had under five percent of tickets as the tournament started, so that's incredible. Four point three of the handle, so as sixty four teams were on the slate, that's all

they had. But people loved him going into this game. It was a great story. You know, Bill self lost

his dad two months ago. His dad was a coach and an educator and really inspired his life, and I think inspired that halftime speech because man, they were they were in And I want to play a clip because at the end when they do the trophy ceremony on the stage, the n c double A President Mark Emmert announced the winners as the Kansas City Jayhawks, and oh, that's just so cringe e. And I've got to say, there's a little backstory here because as I've mentioned before

on the show without going into too much detail, but Kansas, in a lot of people's eyes, have slipped past um level one violations in n C Double A. And it's all about recruiting and paying players and all of this, and I'm not going to get into all that, but there are legitimately people serving jail time over this. Like right now, there's someone sitting in jail who was a mid major or a mid level Adidas rep who was serving jail time based on what the Jayhawks have committed

five level one infractions, including coach responsibility. So not to be a downer, because like, go Kansas, but there are a lot of people who are really mad at the Jayhawks, including the president of the n C Double A, who would have loved to hand that trophy to anyone but Bill self. He did, and he announces them as the Kansas City Jayhawks. Let's roll that tapeited for you if they have to present the trophies ahead of the basketball committing to coach self in the Kansas City jails. So yeah,

that was very cringe e poor guy. I think he took a lot of heat for it on Twitter, I'm sure, and just kind of a funny way for the season to end. All he had to do was announce them, and he didn't get their name right. And they're one of the biggest blue bloods ever. So no, pretty good. I've gotten a lot of texts from friends and family that they were very hungover Tuesday morning. I think it was a really fun night in Kansas City for the

Kansas City Jayhawks. Well look, maybe they were just progressive. They were ahead of their time, alright, because now athletes are getting paid, so Kansas was just ahead of their time. They were just you know, they were they inspired, they inspired change. So yeah, I do not know what happened at halftime. I mean were they were down, they were down fifteen points. North Carolina completely collapsed. It was It

was an incredible game. I mean, it really delivered. Like Clark Kellogg said, it always delivers this tournament, and it did. But and amazed thing a Licia's always I want to switch genders like Caitlyn Jenner right now and talk about the ladies. Women's basketball is on fire. Okay, they're in commercials now. I agree with the ladies. They need more

media exposure. There needs to be more commercials. These sponsors need to start putting They need to start putting their money where their mouth is and really start getting these ladies some visibility. And I think we're starting to see that and gas what oh d for the first time in the history of Jana's pappas. I was excited and I tuned in for the ladies championship game and I was expecting a great game. And I was wrong. I was wrong. Man, did the UKN Huskies get their asses be?

And you listen. It's nice to see because they've been dominating women's basketball for so long, so it's actually nice to see some parody now because I think all this media exposure is gonna inspire a lot of American girls to start playing basketball, and we're gonna have more and more parody in the league because there's just gonna be more and more great players. And the stands are packed.

It's great to see. And the game, yes, it's different, but if you're a basketball fan, there's a lot of purity in the play running and the defense to really enjoy. I mean, they don't overwhelm you with their athleticism. Let's be honest. I mean when they dunk, it's like a miracle. It's like Jesus turning water and wine. But they can shoot, they can play. These girls got handled. They're exciting, they compete, and it was just amazing to watch one team have

an amazing game plan against a powerhouse. Although look, South Carolina was the favorite in this they really instilled that game plan, were physical with this team, knew who their best player was, stop their best player from scoring. And she's amazing. Page is amazing, and um, I'm just looking forward to seeing women's basketball really flourish. And congratulations to South Carolina. I mean, obviously a heartbreaking loss the year before, they turned tears into tears of joy and um, gino, baby,

your run is over, my friend. Although they haven't been there for me a while. It's just great to see. And my girl Aliah Boston, what a great face for college basketball, the Nay Smith Player of the Year. Obviously she's going to the w n B A So now you're starting to see people start to follow people from college to the NBA, start to talk about who's gonna be a pick. It's starts. You're starting to see the same conversations around women's basketball that fans have around men's basketball.

And it's great to see I love it. I love female athletes, and I am all for yeah. But you know what's great is these women can win it all. They can go to the w n b A, they can get a bunch of endorsements, But damn it, they can't be a sushi chef. They can't be a sushi chef. I mean, listen, that's just it's I don't know if

that's gonna change. I mean you're gonna have to take it up with the whole Japanese culture on that and the temperature of yeah, I will, and I think my my sister says, my whole life, my hands have been cold and clammy, So I think my cold and clammy hands could make them great. Nagari, No, you just heard that wrong because you were hearing what you wanted to hear. What she actually said was your your heart is cold. I don't think that's what she meant. My heart of

gold over here, y'at is heart of freaking gold. But let's get back to the Masters and bring in our guest. Luke Donald joins us. Now, well, y honest, if we're going to talk about the Masters, we should probably talk to someone who has actually aid there, let alone been there. He knows what it takes to win on the PGA Tour and was also a member of four victorious European Writer Cup teams. His trophy sitting behind him looks so beautiful. Luke Donald, former world number one, thank you so much

for joining us, Thanks Olivia, thanks for having me on. Yeah. Yeah, showing off the trophies a little bit, but very proud of those ones. Well, I've also got to ask right behind you is your Master's invite? Can we see that? And can you tell us the story behind that? Yeah, that's that's the very first one that I got back in two thousand five, my very first Masters. Just such an amazing experience when you get that through the mail they send you the invite. I got it framed with

the nice green frame. Seemed appropriate, and yeah, you always want to play in the Masters, and I think I've played eleven or twelve of them, and that was my very first one, and it was it was a very memorable one. I actually finished tied for third that year, quite a few shots back from Tiger who won, But it was one of the one of the best experiences I've had on a golf course. Now, how do you r s v P to that. Is it like a

wedding R S v P. I'm confused. I don't think it's technically it does say R s v P on it. I think most people who get that, or all the people who get it, never turned that down, so they just assumed that you're good for the invite. Have you ever thought about maybe playing a joke on them and saying you haven't received it so they send you another one that you can sell on eBay? Yeah? I probably should have done that. A few days ago April first send a tweet out was was my was my invite? Well?

Of all the Masters you've attended, honest and I were just talking about the Tuesday night welcome dinner where the previous winner gets to select the menu. What are some memorable moments from that? What menus do you remember having? Well, that's only for people who have won, so I've never

been a problem the Master's dinners, unfortunately. But I did see obviously Hideki, who won the Masters last year, sent his His menu was released today and full of some you know, yummy Japanese food that you would expect, sushi and Japanese wag ou and all that kind of good stuff. So it was looked like a really, really good, good menu. And unfortunately I haven't been a part of that that one.

As I said, I came close a couple of times, third in two thousand five, I finished fourth in two thousand eleven, another couple of top tens, but I didn't haven't quite got that green jacket yet. Still still some hope, yep, if you had one. I mean, I know you're British, you're half Scottish. You say you insist on that. I mean, the cuisine is a little it's not famous, we'll say that. So what would you put on the menu? There? Would it be beans and toast or what are we talking?

Bangers and mash? London is getting better. London is a little bit more of a different situation food wise. But yeah, we're not that We're not absolutely known for for a great cuisine. But maybe some fisher chips or you know, a speef dinner or something like that, that's that's pretty typical with you know, like a sponge sticky toffee pudding or something like that. That'd probably be pretty pretty British. I like the sound of that. As long as you

didn't say blood pudding. I wouldn't need the blood pudding. No, no, no, haggis, no none, none of that stuff. You mentioned your first Masters and Tiger Woods obviously being a big part of that one. What is your favorite Tiger Woods memory on and off the golf course. Well, I've got to play with with Tiger quite a few times, you know, over the years. Very first time was two thousand three Open Championship, the British Open. We were playing down in England and

my brother was my caddy at the time. That was the mark that the Open Championship his first T shirt. He blew it way right and lost his golf ball the very first time I played with him, which kind of put me at ease a little bit and like, well the great Tiger Woods can can lose a golf ball in a major championship. The funny story was that my my brother was canning for me and he was carrying the bag and the strap broke on the tent toll. Probably the biggest group I've ever been a part of

playing with Tiger Woods. Playing with Surgeon, I sear and he's having to carry the bag, you know, along the fairway with one hand like a suitcase. So but yeah, I mean, yeah again, I've played with Tiger lots of times, and you know, just a special to obviously kind of share the game of golf with with one of the best a sportsman ever ever to play, to play sport and obviously one of the greatest, probably the greatest goal for ever to play. Who is someone you love being

paired with? And why who's not a buddy? You know, I'm talking professionally, and then tell us someone who you hate being paired with. You're going, You're going tough, tough places, youngest already, I feel like I'm a very quick player. I'm ready. I'm always kind of wanting to get a move on. You know, I'm not a big fan of slow play, So you know, anyone who slow I try,

I don't really enjoy. But anyone who plays quick, who's lighthearted, who doesn't take it too seriously out there, who's got a good sense of humor, those are the kind of

guys that I like playing with. We had Max Homa on the show this week last year at talk Masters, and I remember asking him this, it must be really annoying to play a sport that some people also play for leisure because they think that they could do what you do, and there's obviously no way they could, uh, you know, having beers on the golf course with their buddies.

But what is that like just being in a sport that people actually play, because you know, if you're playing in the NFL or NBA, people aren't trying to compare their chops to ears. No. I mean, this is the great thing about our game is that you can compete

with great players through the handicap system. And that's I think kind of a big attraction of our sports and why you get a lot of businesses that love being associate with golf and sponsorships and all that kind and stuff because you can send guests to play with a pro and you can compete with with that handicapped system

and it's kind of fun. But I think, you know, obviously even good amateurs when they play in pro ams and stuff at tournaments, they realized pretty quickly that there's a big difference between being a scratch golfer and being a professional golfer. You know, there's there's there's quite a difference in the golf courses who play, how they set up,

you know, it's very different and quite difficult. So they learned pretty quickly that you know that there's a bit of a gap there between even if they think they were a good player. That was said very kindly, A bit of a gap. I mean it's it's a it's a great sport though that you know, you can have people of all kinds of levels and play together and kind of have fun and have games and and have bets and just have a good time out of them. Yeah, Luke,

When most people retire, they play golf. When professional golfers retire, do they get a job? I mean, what do you do? Hopefully you've had a good enough career you don't need a job, but you know that doesn't always happen either. But man, yeah, I don't know. Uh, you know, we can play golf for for a long time and not like other sports where you know, you max out about thirty five forty years old usually. You know, once you get to fifty you can play on the Champions Tour.

You've got people like Bernard Langer who's sixty two, sixty three years old and he's still winning, you know, the money list title on the Champions Tour and doing very well. So if he's extremely dedicated and works very hard at it, but he just doesn't seem to slow down. But yeah, who knows, I might might get a little bit bored in another twenty years if I if I keep playing this game. Speaking of longevity, how do you feel like the game has evolved over the last decade or so?

Even we see pros coming in with such specific styles, Their training habits are changing. Off seasons have changed a lot of young talent. How do you see the game evolving. It's definitely become younger. You see these guys coming out of college that are ready to compete, ready to win. The standard of play out on the PGA Tour is gotten better and better each year. I remember, you know, I've been on tour twenty years now, and you know

there just looking at where cuts are. You know, the scoring to to make the cut, to to play on the weekend has changed dramatically over the last five or ten years, like just because the standard of players so

much better, so much deeper. He's got these young kids who understand technology, they understand how to hit the ball far, they understand how to hit it straight, and they're hungry and young, and I think they've learned a lot from Tiger and how he came out a young age and dominated the game, and they took a lot of confidence in that that he could do it. And having that same kind of mindsets has really propelled them. And it's tough for someone who's forty four and still playing out there.

You know that there's a lot of tough competition. It's it's not easy to compete against, and the level of competition has just gone through the roof. Now I'm a Greek, so of course all Greeks are aware of all other Greeks uniquely because there's not a lot of us. You have married one. I got a lot of questions here, I have what's that like? Did you have a big

fact Greek wedding? I know you went to Santorini And when you play golf, does she come with her family and they make a little bit too much noise and you have to explain golf etiquette to her? I mean? And also, lastly, were they route? I have never been asked this question. Were they rooting In two thousand and two when you played Diane Pappis at the Southern Farm Bureau Classic two? Did she start rooting for him a little bit? Because there's Greeks love supporting other Greeks, so

I know her heart was split there. That that's that's a that's a lot of questions to to to to to get my head around. But yeah, yeah, my my wife I met in Northwestern Her parents were more born in Greece. They moved to America when they were late teenagers, I think, And yeah, first first generation Greeks. So it's Dan's mother, you know. Yeah, Yeah, spends a lot of time with us. She she's probably about fifty yards away making some dinner for us right now, like a good,

good Greek Greek lady. But you know, it's been it's been great to be a part of their family. You know what the Greeks are like, They're very welcoming, very family orientated. They look at me because I'm kind of a little bit of a slender in British English guy and they're like, you need to eat more, you know, you need to eat more, batting up a little bit, you know. So yeah, it's been fun to be kind of get immersed in in that that Greek heritage. Amazing.

I love that. We did have a great, big Greek wedding too. Yeah, we went to Santorini. We were there. It was like a four day wedding. We we went there to try and like limit numbers because we thought they'd be way too many if we did it in Chicago, which is where her family is. But still we had about two people cut rock up and it was a big affair. It was a lot of fun. Did you have to do the crowns? Did you do the crowns?

We did the crowns? Did the smash smashing plates? You know where she tries to step on my foot at the altar? Is that is that right? You know all the traditions, so yeah, yeah, yeah, that's that's amazing. You have you have you ever seen a lamb roasting where his face roasting in the fire? Yeah? Absolutely, every every Easter, every Easter. Yeah, yeah, you're buried a real geek. I'm just saying hello to your to your mother in law. Amazing. Let's hope she can hear. Oh that's so funny. Well

you are home in Jupiter, Florida. I've got to ask I just I'm sure the courses down there are incredible. Where's your favorite American course that you've played, whether professionally or for training, for fun? Probably. Yeah, I would say it's it's for fun. We play such long, difficult golf courses on tour that I'd like to go play fun places. Some of my favorites would be on the West coast. Would be Cyprus Point, pretty exclusive place but right next

to Pebble Beach. Just an amazing place. I think Long Island has great golf courses to you know, Shinnikock National. There's a place called Fryer's Head. This was what I've only played once, but one of my all time favorites. Just just loved it. I love I love core Crunch or you know he did that. That place just a great architecture. Yeah, I mean those those are some of them. Actually loved playing in the UK. I love playing Links golf course in Scotland Island for the golf and for

the hospitality, just the people. They're so welcoming and you know, it's it's a good crack, as they say, when you go over, you have a few beers and you play some golf with some friends and it's a it's a pretty good trip now link style. Of course, I noticed you didn't mention the one in my backyard whistling streets. He said he didn't want to think about that one. That was a tough loss for US Americans. Really handed to us. Uh there, they had a great young team.

We certainly didn't play well enough, but you gotta hand it to them. They played great and we'll be back for some revenge though. In Rome next year. Two thousand and eleven, I mean, you were, you were locked in, you were world's number one. You and Rory went back and forth. What was that like? And you guys friends? Now do you maintain a kinship because of that rivalry? Oh? Yeah,

we're good friends. We We actually lived very close to each other in the same same community down here in Florida, and I see him quite a lot and have lunch with him. We're members at the same golf courses. So yeah, I mean, um, it was great. Obviously going back to two thousand eleven, that was my best year. I want won the money list on both both tours. I got to number one in the world. Um, you know, life

was great. I mean the Gulf seemed very easy. You know, when when things are going were well, where everything seems pretty easy and it's coming coming to you were that way, So um, yeah, what an amazing year. That was for me, you know, that was kind of my my purple patch was kind of two thousand and ten, eleven, twelve, a little bit of thirteen. I was really at the top of my game and enjoying life. And obviously Rory took

over in two thousand and twelve. He got to number one for a while and dominated for a couple of years, and then the Tiger came back really in ten and I think he got back to number one in the world by so yeah, it was. It was obviously a great, great part of my my career, something I always remember well. Obviously, the big story this week is the return of Tiger woods Um after his horrific car accident after all these surgeries, when we didn't know if he would walk again, let

alone play again. He's currently fifty two one to win it all. What do you imagine this week at Augusta being like with all of that buzz and what are you expecting out of Tiger? Well, I I yeah, I think he just announced that he's taking up on Thursday, and you know, I think he feels that he's ready. He's obviously waited up until just now to announce that, but just seeing how his leg was was doing. He was out of Gusta last week, he was practicing the

last few days. Um, he obviously feels comfortable out where he's his leg is feeling his his overall health, and yeah, I'm excited to see him out there competing again. I think he brings a different energy at different five, a different level excitement from when it comes to golf, and the Masters will be seriously buzzing. And you know, once counting him out a few years ago, I thought, maybe, you know, after all the surgeries and all the back things he's gone through, and there's no way he can

come back. And you know, he came back and won three times, including the Masters in so yeah, I mean, never count Tiger. I've done that once and I learned my lessons. So he says he can, he can win, and he wouldn't play if he didn't think he could win. You had some injuries throughout your career two thousand and eight, you had that risk injury. Golf is such a mental game. Obviously his injuries are extreme and not really Germanic golf. But what does it take to get that focus back?

Does that affect you when you come back after injuries mentally. Uh yeah, I think that's going to be the toughest thing for Tiger is that he just hasn't had any competitive reps, you know, for over a year, I believe, or a little bit more than a year, so that that takes time. You know, you really kind of want to kind of get into a rhythm, a routine of getting back into feeling those juices flowing, and you know that will that will be the hardest thing for him,

I I really do believe. But you know, he certainly has plenty of experience. Augusta is really a course which suits certain players. He's won there or five jackets, I think four or five times, and he knows how to get your way around that golf course. So I'm sure he will settle in um pretty early and do the stuff that he knows will get him into contention on Sunday. You know, sometimes it seems like the Masters is that course where experience really matters, maybe more than other tournaments.

As their truth to that. It's certainly a course that seems to favor certain players, you know, the horses for course, this kind of thing. We know that iron players extremely important. The greens are very undulating, They have little small plateaus. They're very fast, so obviously having an all rounded game is really important to Gustsie. You need to hit the ball reasonably far to give yourself shorter irons into some of these greens and be able to stop the ball

near the pins. But iron players really important. We're gonna have some touch around the greens. You've got to have ste good feel on the greens because the greens are so fast and undulating. But I do feel like good iron players always seemed to play well out Augusta more than some other aspects of the game. It really does reward good iron play. And you know, Tiger obviously one of the best ever to be with an iron in his hands, so um, you know, I think he has

a lot of experience. Obviously I played well in my first Masters, but I think that was just through sheer excitement of being there, you know, just being on cloud nine more than anything. But yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if he plays a very solid week. It would be surprising that if you want coming back after over a year without having played a competitive round and going through everything he's done. But I wouldn't certainly wouldn't surprise me.

If he's he's out there and has a chance. What about the weather, I heard that this weather this year maybe a little off. Does that affect who you might like in when you were playing? Is that something that took you out of your game? Well, the weather obviously affects everyone, you know. I think Wednesday Thursday they calling for some possible thunderstorm, so you could get some rain

softening up the course. They do have that that under air, you know, the subair underneath the course, so they can dry it out pretty quickly. Thursday's going to have some wind, and then I think that's going to be kind of some chilly mornings and not warm temperatures, so the ball is not going to be traveling quite as far. It's going to be playing a little bit longer. You know, Windy conditions and firm conditions are the most tough conditions for for all of us golfers. That's what makes the

scoring the hardest. Soft conditions and if the soft, if the conditions are soft and it's playing a little bit longer, that that really doesn't affect score for the guys. For most of the guys, especially the guys that can move it off the tea, so yeah, I expect the cold conditions probably won't be too favorable for Tiger. I mean, he would have wanted something a little bit warmer, just to keep his body a little bit more limber and a little bit more moving. But I'm sure he will

He'll deal with it just fine. Now, this is something that bothers me about golf. He's the weather would affect everyone, But sometimes that's not true. Based on your tea time, it's it's the weather is changing. Well, that is true, and it just seems so unfair. Yeah, you can get certainly bad draws. You hope over the course of a year that the good draws and the bad draws kind of equal themselves out and get you get some good draws on some of the bigger events like the Masters

and the Majors and the world events. But yeah, yeah, I guess that's the beauty of our sport. We're not inside the dome. We have to adjust to different wind conditions, different weather conditions, different classes, different wind directions, and every day that the things are changing and we have to adjust to that and be good at that. I would be so petty. I would blame the weather every time. I'd be like I teat up at noon. Did you see the weather report? Then that's horrible and the players

I do that. Would you rather be playing with the lead you make it to Sunday or would you rather be playing a couple of shots behind and chasing the leader? I mean, that's what made Tiger as amazing as he's ever been, you know, I think he's only lost the lead once or twice in his career. Obviously, playing in front is harder, playing catch up is easier. There's a little bit less pressure. You have a goal in front

of you to go. People are in the lead usually play the protective and they get out of their routines and they and they make mistakes that way. Tiger was so good at keeping leads because he just played his own game. He didn't really He kind of made other players chasing him feel like they needed to do more, and then they got into mistakes themselves. So would I go back to your question, I suppose you always want

to lead. You always want because that's going to give you the best chance statistically, So take the lead and go try and play solid around. I like that. There's been some line movement, but John ram is still the favorite. Obviously, everyone's been waiting to see what's happening with Tiger. But who do you have a good vibe with or feeling about winning this weekend. I do like cam Smith. He

just obviously fresh off winning the Players Championship. He's only he's played here five times and I think he's had a couple of seconds and a third in those five times. Zander seems to always play well. And again I'm just looking at guys of playing pretty well this year, and I've had a lot of success there in the past. You can never count John rame out. Scottie Scheffler new number one in the world. I don't think he probably has quite enough experience, but I can't remember seeing him

up near the top of the leaderboard. But justin Thomas, I'm trying to think of guys that are always up there. Brooks Kepta, I think he seems to play very well. He's been a little bit quiet this year. You know, those are the kind of names that are jumping out of me. Okay, Also, when I ask you about the Ryder Cup a little bit, it's not until next year in Rome, but Team Europe a few weeks ago made

their decision that Henrik Stenson will captain squad. Many people thought you would be next in line to take over the captain role. What do you think about the decision? Thanks thanks for bringing that up. I mean, obviously, yeah, I was disappointed. I put my name forward and I would have loved the opportunity. I've been a part of, as I said, six Ryder Cups, being on five winning teams. A lot of my best experiences on the on the

golf course has been during Ryder Cups. Just love being a path of teams and so different what we play every every every week, week in week out as such an individual sport, but those Ryder Cups coming together, sharing kind of dinners at night and stories and just kind of feeling what it would be like to be a part of a team in your sport, which we don't get to do too often. So yeah, I would have loved to have done it. I'm very happy. But Henrick

are worthy candidate too and has a great record. I think he's eight five Ryder Cups, and again you know, first first captain from Sweden, and you know again I will be there to support anyway I can. But yeah, I'm disappointed that I didn't get an opportunity this time,

but hopefully down the road I still have that opportunity. Yeah. Absolutely, Did anyone from Team Europe tell you what went into the decision or anything or it was a different process this year they had five people the last three captains. They had the Keith Pelly who runs the European Tour, and David Howe who's the head of the committee of the European Tour, and between them they made the decisions. So you'd have to ask them, you know. I did kind of try and poke a little bit and say,

you know, what could have done better? Etcetera, etcetera. But they said, you know, all the all those conversations, we're going to stay behind closed doors. So I'm sure I'll find out one day. But again, wishing Henrik nothing but the best. Yeah. Now, a few years ago I had the amazing opportunity to golf with Steph Curry and obviously he's pretty well known for being an amazing golfer justin timber Lake, I hear is a scratch golfer. Um. Now

we've seen Tom Brady and the Challenge drill shots. Have you played with any celebrities and where you floored by how good they were or have you have any any experience playing against any of those guys? Um, I've played with with m J. I've played with Tom Brady. Verlanda is pretty good. Justin Verlanda. He's a strong, strong lad. Obviously hits the ball a mile. Yeah, I've heard Steph

is really good. I'm not played with Steph Curry. I would think playing with m J is just more about the gambling, Like did he just try to suck you what you do on the court. Let's put a couple of dollars on this, Luke. I've done any long time, and was back to when I was in college in Chicago. We would play a little bit of golf sometimes in the summers when I was sticking around playing out to event.

So you know, he loves playing good players. And it's just after he retired, but knowing very well, and he loves loves golfing. I mean he'll go out and play thirty six holes with six or seven guys and they'll play in six hours. I'll just run around and it doesn't matter what what you play him for. He just wants to play for something. He wants to get in your pocket. He doesn't care if it's two dollars or

two hundred thousand dollars. I mean, he he just wants to, you know, have get those competitive juices by I mean we all watched the last dance. I mean that's how competitive he was and wanted to win and wanted to push his teammates to win as well. And you know,

you see that on the golf course. You know, he misses that obviously, not playing basketball, and he's filling it with golf and it's a great passion of his and he's made it made a golf course down here the Grove, which I'm a member of, and I see him out there playing a lot. He he just loves it and it's it's fun. I mean, I'm trying to picture that a big ten Northwestern golfer who would go on to be number one in the world playing with an m

J who just retired like that would have been. You must have been pretty starstruck, I would think as a college kid. Yeah, we probably didn't play until I was after college just turned pro. But um, yeah, I mean I was. It's not too many people and like like get a little nervous around, but I certainly did. The first meeting, first meeting M J and uh. Obviously my

wife haven't lived in Chicago. Was was very geeky and when she met him, and but now we're like, yeah, you know, we're just like good friends and we'll go out to dinners and it's just like it's just MJ. You know, it's just it's very cool. But yeah, he's he's been a good friend over the years and I was appreciate, um, you know, talking to him, you know, good times, bad times. He's he's always very very sensible and that's good words for me. I like that. Well, just to tie a bow on this and to bring

it back to the Masters this weekend. All we're going to hear over the next four days is a tradition unlike any other. And it's such a great phrase as someone who has actually played in this tournament. Why is it a tradition unlike any other? Yeah, it's it's just one of those events that goes above and beyond golf.

It's a little bit like the Ryder Cup in terms of you have non golfers tuning in and watching it just because of what it stands for and the hype and the kind of exclusivity almost you know, it's very hard to get anywhere near Augusta National and the traditions of the Green Jacket, the Path three Tournament, the Champions Dinners, all these traditions that the people love, and I think, you know, more more people tune into to watch the Masters and any other golf tournament, and rightly so, because

it's just it's a special Shure event. Okay, wait, I do have one more about Augusta National. The first time you played there, I mean, we see how pristine it is. Not a blade of grass out of place. There's not even birds i've heard that really can fly overhead. I'm not sure how they pull that one off. But what is maybe the most interesting thing about Augusta National? Um the most interesting thing? I think I've been able to

stay on property a few times. You know, if you go play with a with a member, they'll put you up on property and in the lodges you can watch any of the Masters bating back to the very first one on your TV at Will. They have them all collected there, so you can go through any Masters sitting in your bedroom and watch them. And that's kind of a cool little little thing that not not a lot

of people know about. No, that's awesome. Good to know, although if I'm staying there, I don't know if that time I'm spending my night, I think I'm going up to the clubhouse and get a Schmooz. That have a pretty good find seller too, and the prices are good. They sell it for like five percent above what they are. Probably one of the nicest and best wine sellers in the whole world. See now we're talking. Now, we're talking, Luke,

great ones. You gonna bring a bottle back to the lodge and then then put on your favorite Masters and then put on the Masters. He said, that sounds like a wild night. Thank you so much. This is a lot of fun and best of luck the rest of the season. All right, thanks for having me on. Guys. Yeah, your mother in law's probably got some bust teats you're ready for you, so we'll let you go. Let smell it. We are live in Ontario, that's right. Sports betting legalized

in Canada. Bet MGM right there at the front of it. And Peter Andrew is in the middle of that. He is in the heart of all the action, coming to us live from his Toronto hotel room. We were just talking about some food recommendations. A lot of good eating to do in Toronto, but now a lot of good betting to do in Toronto. Pete tell us about the week. Yeah, it's been fun. So betting and bet MGM both formally opened and were legally approved as of yesterday, which reporting

on Tuesday saw on Monday. So everything's live. We're full force. Bet MGM's officially international, which is kind of fun to say. Um, but it's been great. We had a launch party with a couple of ex may beliefs yesterday, really introducing you know, the bet MGM folks to the city. So it's been ton of fun and it's gonna be a really good relationship in Canada moving forward. Awesome. What is the vibe

up there in Canada about college basketball? I know the Raptors are really Canada's team, Like all the provinces root for the Raptors. It's almost like the country's team. Do they watch college basketball? Was it? Was? It on TVs last night? Were like Canadians watching this game? So it was on TV. But it was weird. Like if you would say, if you were at a bar in New York and New Jersey would be a ten out of ten in terms of the vibe, it's probably like a

five out of ten here. People could care less who won. They were just rooting for a good game. Kind of that mentality. But what you said about the Raptors is real Raptors and Jay's, I mean they are Everyone in Canada is obsessed with those teams, especially because they haven't had the expos in so long. Those are the two teams that everybody dies for. And I actually was talking to someone here yesterday and they said Jay's, Raptors, Leafs and then everything else. So kind of crazy to see

hockey is number three there. That is crazy. So let's talk about some Canadian teams especially. I know the Raptors have just the most incredible fan base because like you guys said, it's it's the whole country is cheering for that one NBA team. But when you look at some futures, like kind of Scottie Barnes for Rookie of the Year. I like that one personally, I love Scottie, But looking at Maple Leaves, Blue Jays, everything updates p on some

Canadian teams as we pay homage to our brothers up north. Yeah, so I think you know, if you look at the Leafs and the Raptors, specifically Vegas and Betting are not giving them a shot, but I kind of like him. They're slated right now to play the box in the first round, so if that re six holds true, they could easily make a run. They've played the books really, really well this year, and especially when the Honest has

bit off. I think he had a really really poor shooting performance last time I played, where he was like seven of sixteen. If they can keep him under control, they've got a shot to make some noise, and we all know what. The East is wide open. I don't know that I take the Raptors to one to win the NBA title, but worth taking a forty to one flyer and putting ten twenty bucks on it. You never know what can happen. But first round I like them getting out of there. And then the Leafs. Leafs are

a funky one. They've been choke carters for eighteen plus years now. There twelve to one to win the Cup, six to one to win the East, but no one's giving them a shot. I mean even at the event where I yesterday, no one thinks they can pull it off. They always find a way to combust. They've done it for the last, like I said, fifteen plus years, so I kind of with lean Raptors and put the flyer on forty two one. I know it's ridiculous, but you know, the payoffs large and and maybe they got a shot

to make some noise. We know how inconsistent the East has been. Celtics good, good Heat have had their moments. Bucks have had their moments, but kind of wide opening my eyes. And then of course Brooklyn sitting in the nine spot. Right now, you guys are gonna have to start learning a lot about the Canadian Football League lines, right because I'm sure a lot of these Canadians are gonna be trying to put a little scratch on their

favorite team. So I'm playing chess, not checkers here. We just hire a person in our Canada office and he's actually played the CFL for the last five years, so I got all my stuff locked down there. I don't know anything about Canadian Football League. The field's weird, there's only three downs, it's super funky. So you hire someone to take that spot in because the Lord knows, I'm not gonna be able to figure it out. Well, something you are able to figure out. A sport you play

yourself is golf. Now, I don't know if you're any good. I've never played with you. I don't know if you're any good. Why do you play? Yeah, I play. I'm not good. I think I've seen your game on Instagram. You're probably better than me. So we'll have to find out one day. Dual dual, unleashed scramble. Well, yeah, take that with a grain of salt. If anyone posts them doing anything athletic on Instagram, it probably took a bunch

of takes. But but no Master's odds as we're looking at it when we're just talking with Luke Donald, and obviously by the time this airs will know for sure if Tigers playing. But people are running to place their bets on Tiger Woods. What's your take on all this? Yeah, well, starting with Tiger will take all the money on Tiger Woods. There's no shot. I mean, I hope for it. It's amazing if he wins the Masters, there's no shot coming out two years past that, that horrible injury. He's just

got his real first practice rounds in Augusta. It's an amazing story. I like him to make the cut. And stay competitive. But four days of it, after everything he's gone through, there's no way his body keeps up. So we'll take all the bets. At the MGM. We're fifty two one for Tiger to win the Masters, which is probably most competitive across the markets. But Tiger to make the cut minus one eighteen, so pretty much even money.

I think that's your you're a sure thing kind of bet if you're looking at the market and then otherwise sticking up Great White North here, Corey Connors, he's a sixty to one or fifty to one shot. He's come and been sneaky the last couple of years of top ten finished the Masters, been really good this year, placed

third to two weeks ago on the match play. I think you gotta look at some of those guys on top of obviously some of the big boys too nice, any other underdogs you think people should keep their eye on. Now that Vegas knows what they're doing here that the three best golfers have the three worst odds, So John rom eleven to one, Justin Thomas twelve the one, camp Smith fourteen one. They're clearly the most consistent golfers right now. You can throw a couple of flyers like a Corey

Connors there. But I think you have to stick to the chalk because if those guys can, you know, have a consistent couple of days, they'll be right there in the race. NBA playoffs are starting soon and we'll get way more into that next week. But I've just gotta ask, while you are in Toronto, what would be your prediction if Raptors and Bucks started today in a series. I'm

going Raptors in seven. No, you're not. You're saying that I've adopted them as my team because the Hornets have zero shot in the playing game against Brooklyn, so yeah, I have to jump shipped for the next uh two weeks or so. But yeah, I don't know. It's Bucks are great. I mean they are such a well rounded team. I just can't see this Raptors team, you know, pulling a little magic in an opposet here. But maybe it's just wishful thinking. Maybe I'm just written for my friends

in Ontario. Yeah, yeah, have you ever seen someone drink the kool aid? So fast? Listen? Employee? Do we need to put a disclaimer that says this is not a sponsored ad? Are you? Are you being detained in Canada. Blank if you need help, Yeah, I mean listen, that's employee of the month that you you, my friend. I want to put your plaque on the wall at bet MGM.

You know you're up there in Ontario. Make those people feel good, baby because they get shot a little pandorin never heard anybody, all right, the great stuff is always safe to travels. I'm gonna send you some food Rex, but you get home safe. And again, let us know in code if you need help if you are being detained because you're a little way too hot on on Canadian golfers and basketball teams there. But thank you so much.

That was a great show. Thanks everyone for listening. To make sure you follow at bet MGM on all social media channels and keep up with the masters and you can see how we did with our predictions. And next week we'll talk a little bit more NBA as playoffs that started. Thanks guys. Yeah, Pete, bring me some maple syrup.