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Episode 71 - Firing up for the NZ Open
17 Plays4 days ago
Cal returns home from LIV Adelaide and tells a few tales from the ground. The focus of this week's pod is the NZ Open at Millbrook, we love national opens.
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Transcript
Introduction and Catching Up
00:00:00
Speaker
Send them home. Time to go home there, boy. Send them big boy. Why didn't you just go home? That's your home. Are you too close?
00:00:17
Speaker
Hello and welcome back to the Off The Tips podcast. We fire up here at Off The Tips for National Opens and it's our National Open a week. The New Zealand Open gets underway this week at Millbrook and probably when by the time this comes out, just a few hours time, it'll be getting it'll be getting underway. So welcoming in AC, whose son kissed fresh off a plane from Spain.
00:00:42
Speaker
Hey mate, how you going? Hey Cal, hey listeners, yep, bloody good to get away, managed to get some sun, nice sort of 20 degrees, just a lovely respite from London at this time of year.
00:00:57
Speaker
But how are you going mate? Obviously last time um you were about to board the plane to live, so lot's happened there since, also moving as well, so just fill us in.
Cal's Experience at Liv Adelaide
00:01:08
Speaker
Yeah, well, I did. I took off down to Liv Adelaide. got Got stung from my carry-on baggage being being too heavy, which was a tough start to the to the week. But look, I've always been kind of, haven't been the biggest Liv fan of all time. I think the listeners will probably know that. But um look, getting down there and and getting amongst it.
00:01:32
Speaker
I think live Adelaide is probably the exception. It's, it was unbelievable. It was so well done. the golf was fantastic to watch as, as you'd expect watching those guys play regardless of where they're playing. And then, yeah, just the atmosphere was pretty, pretty incredible. They had 104,000 through the gates over the weekend.
00:01:54
Speaker
So, a lot of those probably to see Dom dollar and Fisher, but, The fairways were aligned and and yeah, it's a really engaging product.
00:02:05
Speaker
And look, if they could get that going more than you know one, maybe two events, it's It's a pretty tough product to top for the fans. But yeah, and so in terms of the golf course, the golf course was great. It was my first experience at the Grange. It it showed its teeth a little bit there and and and the weather got up. So that was always always good. But yeah, actually a really good week, AC. I i thoroughly enjoyed it.
00:02:33
Speaker
That's good to hear. I'm interested to hear a little bit of detail on that. like What was so engaging about it? um What was sort of the fans around it as well? Were they very casual friends fans, would you say?
00:02:47
Speaker
say you got a decent mix. I'd say on that Friday and and even Thursday... the practice round you would have got you probably more hardcore fans golf fans there um but yeah on the weekend look there was a lot of dressing up a lot of there would have been a lot of a lot of casual fans a lot of warriors jerseys which was good to see and then yeah i think kind of on the back half of the course like there was still so many people lining the fairways like bryson
00:03:22
Speaker
as you you'd expect, drew a ginormous crowd. And I think in terms of the atmosphere, just because... The fairways were roped off like pretty much a ah foot off the rough.
00:03:36
Speaker
It just it looked really good when I was watching it from on TV from the media center. And then when going down there and experiencing it, it was so tight. It was a bit claustrophobic. So many people got hit. But I think that added to it. And then on on the Saturday, i went over to the watering hole and ed did a few loops.
00:03:57
Speaker
ah had a chat to the shark and third leg Greg. And then, yeah. Oh, I want to hear about this, but you keep going. No, no, no.
00:04:09
Speaker
It was, it was pretty introductory. It was a and then there was, yeah, it was just chaos that, that place. I, I can't even describe how many beers would must have been consumed at this place. It was unbelievable.
00:04:26
Speaker
I was doing a lap through, what I think it was the birdie shack. And I just, I came across these guys in party shirts, hard, super dry party shirts. And and i I was like, right, I'm going to interview one of these blokes.
00:04:40
Speaker
And this bloke came forward and he would have had I did set 40 beers and he told me he hadn't had enough and as I was interviewing him, Dean Burmester just belted one literally meters from us into the hospitality tent.
00:04:58
Speaker
So yeah look, it was it was pretty much all going on up there and then yeah, apart from that it's it was a well run event from a media point of view. access to players was was pretty good. I also got whisked off to this place called Ripper House, which was just this mansion in some part of Adelaide. ah don't Don't ask me about geography. And just all these like movie stars and stuff were there. and And I was just kind of floating around in a golf polo.
00:05:31
Speaker
How did you end up there? I don't know. we just got an email and... And I just got an email and they said, do you want to come? And i was like, oh yeah, I'll come. And it was me, this journo from Forbes, and that doesn't and then just all these celebrities.
00:05:49
Speaker
What the hell? Around this mansion. and then Do I know any of these people? like Yes. Are they household names? Can you name them? or is it Yeah, I can.
00:06:01
Speaker
Look, I did recognize, but not... not as much as others uh look yeah Travis Fimmel from Vikings was there he he was probably the biggest name uh Carl Stefanovic the the good morning bloke that got in a tussle with Michael Clark and on the Sunshine Coast he was there um and then it was it was just a who's who of fucking and and Instagram influencers so look it was it was pretty lucky you were there then Cal
00:06:33
Speaker
like Lucky I was there, just plugging off the tips and drinking a sparkling water. Well, because when they asked me if I was coming, I thought it was on the at the golf course.
00:06:45
Speaker
So I was like, oh, yeah, I'll come check it out. But it was like 45 minutes away. And I was like, oh, like the golf is on. I should probably be there. But yeah that was a rogue experience as well.
The Unique Appeal of Liv Events
00:06:59
Speaker
But yeah, in terms of Adelaide, Adelaide was heaving. Like, geez, like this could be one of their biggest weeks of the ah a year, I think, for the tourism and and kind of hospitality industry. So it is great for the city.
00:07:15
Speaker
And yeah, on the whole, very good week. But You know, it doesn't kind of, would I'd say it's softened my start i live a little bit, which has softened over the last couple of, or over the last kind of 12 months anyway. But look, I would love to to be producing that kind of atmosphere every week after week. But I can't say that.
00:07:37
Speaker
With the amount of golf they play, i think like it's not, it's not too big of an ask to have that product every time they tee it up because it's not like the PGA tour where it's week after week after week.
00:07:51
Speaker
It's kind of, it is, I see it as ah as an event. So if you're going to be different, be different all the time and make sure it works all the time. But little bit Adelaide certainly works and and it was, it was great to see. And yeah,
00:08:05
Speaker
Jaqueline Neiman, he was phenomenal on Sunday in the wind, and he's a guy that likes playing in Australia and is a deserving winner.
00:08:15
Speaker
Nice, Cal. Yeah, definitely. It just shows as well how golf-deprived Australia is. And then every time you see something like this, it sort of brings about that that debate, like whether – I don't know, a PGA Championship could become international and hosted in Australia or Australian Open becomes the fourth major, things like that, which is never really going happen because golf will get in its own way. But it just, like, Aussie love their sport.
00:08:45
Speaker
um And it's great to see, like, I'm still so off Liv, but I think Australia deserves an event like that, and its I do enjoy seeing it. It really gives a Sevens vibe from afar. Yeah.
00:09:02
Speaker
I don't know if you feel that too. It's probably not quite as much of a circus as the Sevens, but I can definitely see see what you mean. Oh, in saying that, there was some...
00:09:15
Speaker
There was a lot of police presence on that watering hole. So, yeah. I can definitely see what you mean. like The music constantly going and it's loud too.
00:09:30
Speaker
by When Patrick Reid made that hole-in-one, I was i think oh was over on the second, which is not close to the 12th. Yeah.
00:09:42
Speaker
It was loud. It was so loud. And that was like 20 minutes into into day one. So it was, yeah, I can definitely see what you mean about the sevens thing. And there are a lot of people dressing up in there.
00:09:56
Speaker
you You can tell there's a lot of people there that aren are there not for the golf. But there was also a whole heap of people that were and and were really enjoying, you know, following some of the best to ever do it.
00:10:09
Speaker
Yeah, and yeah you'd hope so too, right? You've got Brooks, Rahm, Cam Smith, some big names. Phil, obviously not the player he was, but like one of the best of all time. And geez, you'd hope you'd get some decent golf fans to a part of the world that doesn't get get that golf much.
00:10:30
Speaker
um Some of the stuff going around the chat from you and Monty that that night, you'd had a few beers and being on the watering hole was quite funny. um quite amusing to wake up to, but yeah.
00:10:44
Speaker
Someone like Monty, for example, says that there was a message he put in the chat and he said, it was along the lines of, oh, I'm really warming to it, um partly because the pros are still taking it quite seriously.
00:10:58
Speaker
And I sort of threw my hands up. ah I was like, Liv tell you how good this league is, the fact Monty has to put a statement in like that sort of winds me up. like
00:11:13
Speaker
Like, should that even be questioned?
00:11:16
Speaker
Yeah, i still it shouldn't be questioned, but I still don't think... they are taking it as seriously as they they once were. But that's from the outside
Debating Liv's Golf Tour Status
00:11:28
Speaker
looking in.
00:11:29
Speaker
In the heat of battle, they they obviously switched on. But yeah, at a professional golf tournament, paying out millions of dollars within in front of all these fans, you'd hope that the guys are taking it seriously. You see, Cal, I ah don't mind if it's not 100% serious and...
00:11:48
Speaker
serious and professional but then live also try market that they're the best golf tour in the world and they're trying to find the best golfer and that's where i really struggle with it i'm like i don't think your product is that you know and man i sound like a negative nancy but i just i find that i just find the propaganda shit that gets spat jay monaghan does it too but some of the stuff that comes out of out of live is ridiculous
00:12:21
Speaker
Yeah. No, you are right. The burner accounts are the best on Twitter. Like...
00:12:31
Speaker
It's hard, yeah. I don't know, what would you say to that so after being on ground? Would you have changed any... your mind on any of that? What on the... Just the... i guess the best I guess my thing is, I think...
00:12:45
Speaker
I don't think Liv is set up to find who the best golfer is week to week. um And I guess you could, I just think that the fact people have to um debate whether they're taking it to piss or not, it's just like, and then you come out and say you've got the best players in the world is a bit contradictory.
00:13:10
Speaker
Yeah. No, I'd agree with that. i think I think they they obviously have some of the best players in the world, but whether they are the best golf tour in the world, I think that's pretty it's pretty obvious that that's not true. and that would just keep Although like know there'll be a lot of people on that ground that are live diehards and will...
00:13:38
Speaker
not agree with that but I think it's pretty cut and dry but you see the results the majors I know look two of their best players have won one two over the last what two years which is you know and two guys that were that are still playing pretty well week to week but you've seen a lot of guys really really die off like it's yeah it's it's a well actually it's not a tricky one it's it's it's It's not the best league in the world, at but it is a point of difference.
00:14:13
Speaker
Yeah. Offering something different, offering something that other people that but people from maybe outside of golf and a wider sporting landscape, like sports fans, can can get involved in it and go and have fun at. it is It is short and sharp, which I thought was quite good. like Yeah. How was the shotgun start? Yeah.
00:14:35
Speaker
Yeah, it was fine. The golf was all done in like four and a half hours, ah was which was good because you go to even like this week at the New Zealand Open, which is a pro-am, it would be even worse. Like, fuck, like the golf would be going from pretty much seven till seven.
00:14:55
Speaker
Yeah. like that That drags on and you can't expect people through the gates to stay for at least hours. No. whereas like lives short and sharp and then like when I was leading, there were hundreds, thousands of people filtering in for the DJs as well.
00:15:16
Speaker
So I I'd imagine that those people's that, that, that numbers towards the 104,000 that also didn't watch a shot of the golf. But, um,
00:15:30
Speaker
On a side note, it was, I tell you, it was difficult to get an Uber back to my accommodation. my God. I can imagine, mate. Did you get to expense that through work?
00:15:41
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. I was not far away. Like it was only kind of $20 away each time, but it was ah it was like a 6K walk. So I was like, if yeah if you're getting sub five,
00:15:54
Speaker
K's for a walk. You can probably manage it just with a backpack. It wasn't too hot in Adelaide, but north of five, that's a hike. Any parting words on Liv or any questions you got for me or do we want to move on to the Brady Breeze trophy at and the NZ Open?
00:16:17
Speaker
Maybe just the one thing, just circling back, it's not so much... um I think for me with Liv is, yeah, if you isolate their top five, ten players, they can stand up to the PGA Tour. But if you put do like a data golf search, it's basically like there's in the top 50 data golf players, which is objective...
00:16:40
Speaker
um there's about 10 on Liv and 40 on the PGA Tour. There's not that depth of competition. But if you put top five Liv players up against PGA Tour, like they'll definitely hold their own. and i just think um yeah I just don't think it's set up to find who the best golfer is. And if that's that like what they sell their product as, is more just a bit of a Sevens vibe,
00:17:07
Speaker
um got like exploring different parts of the world, then I'm so fine with it. But then it's sort of the the mixed messages you get out of them, which I find it hard to sort of stomach when um you see like people like Rahm playing in it.
00:17:25
Speaker
um Yeah, but anyway, that's my spiel. Let's get on to the NZ Open.
Notable Players and Performances
00:17:30
Speaker
ah Actually, on your arm, I saw him have hit some bad golf shots this week.
00:17:37
Speaker
Yeah. but like he But he came right towards the end. But oh my God, I was like, is this the same guy? yeah Actually, yeah. i so is this ah Is this a body double? Pretty hard.
00:17:51
Speaker
um one One thing on that, Cal, actually. it Was there anyone that you were surprised at how good they had it? Yeah. Bubba Watson. ah yeah you yeah he'd be good to watch i followed him for a while and like ken hit his driver off the planet but he hit this one shot in particular think it was into the maybe into the fifth green um at the Grange on the composite course obviously and he just like put the ball back in his stance like it was blowing a gale back into him and just flighted this thing like under the wind and it just like went up and just dropped like six feet it was it's hard to explain how impressive it was when you're explaining a golf shot because it's
00:18:44
Speaker
but I watched him for a while and I was like, wow, like yeah that is impressive. Like that's different to what you see week to week on the Aussie tour. And that's like, obviously no disrespect to those guys. Like um no he's one too, mate. Yeah, exactly.
00:19:00
Speaker
Yeah. So like, but yeah, he was impressive and, um, Tom McKibbin was good to watch as well. He was just, not just a genuine ball striking clinic.
00:19:13
Speaker
even though he didn't play very well. His short game was pretty average. But he yeah he hits the ball beautifully. But yeah, those guys. And and then i I was like, I have to go see Bryson and how far he hits driver in the flesh.
00:19:27
Speaker
And yeah, that was pretty impressive too. He bombs it. That was um my takeaway from the Open as well, is the way they can flight an iron into the breeze.
00:19:40
Speaker
It's just something we don't see from our mates. like A driver downwind doesn't look always that different, but the way they can they can fly it and hold a ball with the wind is so impressive.
00:19:55
Speaker
um The one that I'm interested in, did you get to see Sergio hit any? He's one that I've always wanted to see hit. A little bit, but to be fair, when I saw Sergio, it was more around the greens.
00:20:09
Speaker
Yeah. like Okay, because he's playing decent golf. he was yeah like he he looked all good I saw him hit on the range which is obviously a little bit different and um yeah like almost like it's it's self-explanatory how impressive it is watching pretty much like everyone in that field hit a golf ball but yeah like it was it was kind of Bubba Watson that stood out to me as about my boy Danny Lee because looks a bit different as well.
00:20:41
Speaker
Yeah. what does Danny Lee didn't see a heap of Danny Lee, but he has committed to... bet he had a crowd following him. Yeah, I don't actually know who he played with.
00:20:55
Speaker
I watched Big Campbell for a little bit. He struggled, but it's always good to get her around the Kiwis. I bought a Range Goats hoodie, AC. ah It looks nice.
00:21:06
Speaker
It does look like a good hoodie. Is that a golf hoodie? I presume so. I'm going to wear it to play to play golf. It's that material. So...
00:21:18
Speaker
It'd be fitting you got a Range Goats one, mate. Yeah. Sort of like I've become a Nottingham Forest fan with Chris Wood here, sticking them in the back of the net regularly.
00:21:29
Speaker
Yeah. Well, the reason I got it was because it was freezing in the media center, and I didn't take a hoodie down to Adelaide with me. So I was like, oh, i'm just going to go i have to brave the merch tent, which was honestly like warping into a garage. Was there some brutal air con?
00:21:46
Speaker
it was just yeah the air con it was good like it's better it being hot but man it was mania and then um they had a merch tent holy there were so many frames in there but yeah anyway mate let's move on to the new zealand open that's what the podcast is about we've got 20 minutes deep and and haven't even mentioned it Obviously, the PGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tour head to Millbrook and Queenstown this week for the New Zealand Open, which is hugely prestigious national open and our national open. And chances are, if you're listening, your national open, we haven't had a Kiwi winner since 2017 in Michael Hendry. But Millbrook AC, we've played a fair amount golf there recently.
00:22:33
Speaker
what What are your thoughts on
Exploring Millbrook and Course Critiques
00:22:35
Speaker
Millbrook? What are your memories um on playing there? and And how do you think the pros will go around round these courses?
00:22:44
Speaker
Yeah, i i obviously the last time I played it was a Hillary Cup. My memory of Millbrook is always quite a wide golf course. I actually always play quite well there.
00:22:58
Speaker
um And I think that's mainly because you don't have to be overly accurate off the tee. There's a bit of margin for error there. The greens are quite big. They're not overly large. It's not an overly penal golf course. They obviously slicken the greens up and grow the rough out a bit for this event.
00:23:17
Speaker
But again, you can't... You can't do that too much because you've got a whole bunch of ams to get through the field. So I definitely, like the new nine they've added in the last, I'm going to say about five years ago.
00:23:31
Speaker
um i think that that's very additive. the The older 18, the Remarkables course, isn't as strong.
00:23:43
Speaker
It's not... It's not the most enjoyable round. I don't think it's very strategic. um A lot of straight holes with a couple of place fairway bunkers. But I think the other side of the golf course is a lot more compelling.
00:23:59
Speaker
what What about you, Cal? Look, i I think if you if you took away the panoramic vistas and the mountains, that that'd be...
00:24:12
Speaker
pretty ordinary golf courses. ah know I don't love them. i And I certainly don't love them for a professional event. I just think what, like someone could, if there's no wind, someone's going to shoot like 28 under around there.
00:24:31
Speaker
like i just think for for a national open like i i understand why it's there two big courses pro-am like you kind of need to do that but the fact that it hasn't been away from queenstown since 2007 i believe look i would love for our national where would you have a be exploring more of the country well that's the golden question where do you have it it's um
00:25:03
Speaker
Like, I'd say any of the Royals are a good tournament venues. Look, Parapara Am's hosted its fair share. Whether the pros have outgrown it because it's quite short, I don't know. look I'd love to see more of our better golf courses get to see the national open. Like what about like, I know it could cause infrastructure issues, but somewhere like Cape kidnappers would be a great tournament venue for the New Zealand open. I think, uh, could be a bit of carnage there and, you know, it's a very famous design.
00:25:43
Speaker
Look, okay. So here, I don't have a solution for you. Sorry. So that's sort of, that was going to be my next question is, what So your main issue with it is that it's too easy.
00:25:55
Speaker
Is that what you're saying? is it too one-dimensional? It's like both of those things. I just think... it's yeah it just i just struggle with a lot of the holes there and like the the opening two holes on both courses are just several some of some the fucking worst holes going around and then
00:26:20
Speaker
sorry i was speaking to matt warbeck about this not that long ago and he was getting pretty passionate about some of these things too but I don't disagree with you. That's why I'm laughing. It's one dimensional and it's, and it's easy. And it's a resort golf course. That's what it is. it's Exactly.
00:26:37
Speaker
Exactly. It's beautiful. It's always in a fantastic condition. And like playing golf in the mountains, like, Look, I enjoy my time there. I just don't think they're great golf courses.
00:26:50
Speaker
but I don't like much stuff that Greg Turner's touched, actually, to lady be honest. He's probably not coming on after this. Yeah, I don't know. I'm not the biggest fan.
00:27:04
Speaker
i think some of the changes he's done at St Andrews are okay. ah Yeah. I think, yeah, it sort of doesn't,
00:27:16
Speaker
I think what we want the New Zealand Open to be is just not the reality. It's like the amount of money they must get from pro-ams playing. You've got all the accommodation and hospitality in Queenstown.
The Pro-Am Format's Impact
00:27:29
Speaker
You've got 36 holes there at Millbrook. Like it makes and makes so much sense financially. It does. um Would like the romantic golf game,
00:27:40
Speaker
golfers and us like it to be at Parham or Christchurch, Titarangi, something like that, yes. But, i just yeah, it's one of those things. I just can't see it happening, eh?
00:27:54
Speaker
Yeah, well, through the Pro-Am, admittedly, like the purse has gone up to $2 million, which is pretty good, for me very good for an event in New Zealand.
00:28:06
Speaker
And every player who misses the cut gets $1,000 as well. So, look... so look It is doing the Pro-Am. I'm not necessarily saying get rid of the Pro-Am, although I don't love it for for a National Open, but like you can see the benefits that it brings to the New Zealand Open and to golf in New Zealand. so like and And talking to a lot of the pros is with the New Zealand Open, it's it's quite easy to deal with the Pro-Am.
00:28:35
Speaker
uh like he's like i spoke to a pro uh a couple of weeks ago and he said look the guys that are comp complaining about the amateurs being involved and normally kind of they'll complain about anything it's it's not that big a deal they don't really get in the way ah from a coverage point of view for the fan it's a bit annoying because like we've spoken about it a lot like do i care about seeing steven flevin flip some wedges into ten at milgren no But also just the coverage is never going to be good. I sat there for two hours and watched four holes when I at last two years ago when I tried to tune in.
00:29:15
Speaker
Um, it's just not set up well at all for that. We just, we just don't have the money or the structure behind ah um Yeah, and from the other side of things, I've actually, in my old job, I came across a few people and they'd pay and play as an amateur each year, and it was their favourite week of the year.
00:29:38
Speaker
um They're obviously subsidising the purse. They normally shout the pro plenty of beers after their final round. um So I think, yeah, there's always a few sides to the story, but...
00:29:53
Speaker
Yeah, like we're sort of tur talking around in circles here, aren't we? um Yeah. Is there any golf holes you particularly like? I know you're not a big fan, neither am I, but is there any any standouts for you?
00:30:08
Speaker
Yeah, I like the long par four fifth. I think that's ah a decent test of a hole and makes you make a decision off the team. Does it?
00:30:23
Speaker
Yeah, why I hit an iron off there in the morning and then hit driver off there in the afternoon because... Is that the short one?
00:30:37
Speaker
No, no. The short one. The short one's six. This one before. Yeah. Oh, no, the short one's four, sorry. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's just try it to drive as hard as you can, and that one.
00:30:51
Speaker
And then on the backside, i enjoy par four down the hill, which is, is it 14? Yeah, 14 is a pretty cool one. After the par three, yeah.
00:31:05
Speaker
after the par three yeah no isn't that a par four yeah sorry it's it's 13 it's 13 yeah yeah yeah we're going good here yeah sorry i had this tell me it's how memorable the golf course is Yeah, I've course map up in front of me too and I still got that wrong.
00:31:32
Speaker
yeah What about you, mate? Are there any holes in particular you like? Don't even ask me about the remarkables. I think that... Nah, we don't need to go there.
00:31:44
Speaker
um I think um that stretch starting from 13... um into 17 i quite enjoy i do think as a whole the golf course just doesn't require many decisions it's just like reach for driver and hit one um and yeah i think for me probably the standout would be this i'm struggling at the 15th
00:32:18
Speaker
um which is the par 5 that has sort of the three fairways. At least if you're in that fairway there, you do have some decisions to make.
00:32:29
Speaker
You can lay up way to the right, you can go for the green, or you can lay up on the other fairway on the left. um And depending, the closer you get it to the water, the better angle you have in Same as 17, which is quite a nice par 4 where it's got it's got a creek running down the fairway on the right there, but the best angle is to hug that creek. Otherwise, you're sort of hitting onto the green um from side on. It's a lot shallower. So those two are probably probably my favorite golf holes on the course.
00:33:04
Speaker
But apart from that, I don't think, I think just as you say, the ah setting, being able to hit through sort of that landscape with those rock outcroppings and stuff is what makes the golf course interesting but I don't think necessarily is a great test or examination I will say the the closing stretch on the Remarkables is is ah but as a decent few holes and I like the fact that that par 3 finish has become quite famous I know when when when we played it you know we're like oh shit this is like a playoff hole from new zealand open and proceed to hit two into the water but like it's i think that's a that's a nice touch and on the weekend it turns into a composite course and i don't i spoke to michael glade i don't know exactly what it's going to look like but i know the holes are going to try stick around like going to be built around that village green area so
00:33:59
Speaker
a couple of the holes that we spoke about out the back side of that coronet course just like to obviously too hard to get fans they're not going to be in play but they're going to stick around kind of that middle area of of the millbrook facility so yeah that closing stretch at the remarks will will be in play ah for for you guys to watch on tv but Right, the importance of national opens.
00:34:24
Speaker
I obviously have a broken record with how cool national opens are. Like you hear guys like Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, like Gary Player.
National Opens and New Zealand's Golf Pride
00:34:35
Speaker
they all talk about the importance of a national opens. And, and, and I, I feel like when you, some of these pros come to the New Zealand open, you can still see that what it means, like dead Dan, Dan Hillier talking about how much it'll mean to him to win. Michael Hendry saying like, it's this, it's the second best open.
00:34:53
Speaker
Oh, it's the second best championship in the world behind the open. Like it's, It's still a big deal to a lot of these guys, National Opens, and although the prestige might have dwindled on the whole over the last kind of 20 years, they still are a massive deal. So, look, I'm really looking forward to what we're going to see in Queenstown this week, regardless of where we stand on the golf course courses.
00:35:19
Speaker
like We know how good they're going to look, but that's another thing to take into account. like National Opens are They're different to your everyday event.
00:35:30
Speaker
For sure. i think I think we need a Kiwi to win it. And I think that will sort of pique our interest more. I don't know. I just think it's time we get one done.
00:35:43
Speaker
Because you call it your national open. There's a lot of Kiwis in the field. Obviously, there's a lot of international flair as well. But I just think would be so oh good if one of our boys could get it done this week.
00:35:54
Speaker
Got a collection of our best there. Like, Helier Campbell and, like, I know we take the piss out of a lot, but Danny Lee, like, it's ah it's a set-up. He ain't winning.
00:36:07
Speaker
It's a set-up that he's not. Yeah. Yeah, maybe. I don't think he's winning either. It'll come from one of those other two.
00:36:20
Speaker
I'm willing to put a sizable bet on that he wouldn't win. I'll put... okay Yeah. Yeah, well, I still haven't seen you wear your cliques hat from your last bet you put on, mate.
00:36:31
Speaker
Oh, crush this hat. Yeah, I actually... I will... I will buy that. I'll buy that this weekend. That's... It'll go on the... Yeah. That does need to be done. I was thinking that you should have picked one up Liv for me.
00:36:43
Speaker
Yeah, I should have. I'm more a cliques guy, to be fair.
00:36:49
Speaker
Harv... Just in terms of the order of merit situation here, well, not here anymore, but on the PGA Tour of Australasia, it's quite hotly contested.
00:37:03
Speaker
Elvis Smiley's leading. Lucas Herbert's not far behind him. But obviously, the winner gets an open championship start at a DP World Tour card. Well, the top three, sorry, get DP World Tour cards. But another interesting...
00:37:18
Speaker
addition is the winner of the New Zealand Open will get invited to play in the Open Championship, which is pretty cool for NZ. So hopefully in the future that'll bring a few more, that'll be a carrot for a few more players that might not have qualified. So that's big. But in terms of the order of merit, it's really tight.
00:37:40
Speaker
If any of the guys in the top 10 win this week, they could go to the top of the order of merit. So There is plenty of plate to play for outside of you know winning the tournament. A good result here could affect ah your your status on um a tour around the world.
00:37:57
Speaker
So, look, that's that's another thing to maybe keep keep your eye on it as a punter. Maybe go and have a look at the order of merit and see who's there and see how they're tracking because you know it's it's a big deal for these guys to be able to earn a DP World Tour card for 2026. And you've we've seen how Kazuma has taken that opportunity and he's playing really well. So, yeah, good. they Let's talk
Contenders and Surprises for the NZ Open
00:38:22
Speaker
about... And I think also just having that open spot just sort adds to the validity of the tournament, you know?
00:38:30
Speaker
Like, that's sort of the RNA recognising, like, hey, this is a proper golf tournament. um And obviously the RNA are pretty good at including everyone. But I think think that's like a big tick in the and the box.
00:38:44
Speaker
Right, AC, we'll start wrapping wrapping up the pod and just look at a few contenders. I've kind of picked... seven here that i that i really like. I'm not really sticking my neck out with any of them.
00:38:58
Speaker
But I think Lucas Herbert's going to be pretty clearly the man to beat this week. and Had a good summer in Australia, yeah fresh off a pretty disappointing week at Live Adelaide, but been playing really well up until then.
00:39:15
Speaker
So I think he's... he Would you say he's clearly the best player on the field? I'd say he's pretty close. Lucas Herbert. Yeah. um Yeah, i I think it'd be hard to argue.
00:39:28
Speaker
He actually he ah randomly popped up on my For You page on Instagram that he just recently got engaged in Queenstown. So, yeah, but a bit of perspective.
00:39:40
Speaker
And he's had a close call there before that still eats away at him. I think it was 2020. like I think, like, Ben Campbell will hold his own against him.
00:39:52
Speaker
why Absolutely. Dan Campbell, yeah, love
00:39:57
Speaker
Yeah, I'm just looking at the odds now. Dan Hilley is probably bit juicy. What's he paying?
00:40:08
Speaker
um I'm looking at the wrong market set. I
00:40:15
Speaker
i don't know what I'm looking at. This is some UK. this is some dark This looks like some dark web sort of... I don't even know how to read those. I do find the odds in the UK confusing as fuck too, to be fair.
00:40:30
Speaker
The fractions? I don't need no fractions.
00:40:36
Speaker
well While you're figuring out the odds, I'll just say another couple of guys to to look out for for the puns. Once AC's done, maybe he can tell you what paying. Elvis Smiley, winner of the Australian PGA,
00:40:51
Speaker
one another event, the WA Open on the PGA Tour of Australasia. he's He's been playing his trade on the DP World Tour us since that PGA win. hey hey He's massively informed and been playing consistently well.
00:41:07
Speaker
Dan Hillier we've spoken about a bit. I believe he's got Stevie Williams on the bag. He really wants this one. And then two guys the that came to the to top of mind. I watched Curtis Luck play at the Australian Open AC and I really liked what I saw.
00:41:23
Speaker
think... I think he he'll but put himself in contention. Well, not in contention, but he'll he'll feature this week. And a name that I hadn't thought of for a while, Rio Ishikawa is coming down and playing.
00:41:39
Speaker
Now that is an interesting one. Not that I think he's going to I just thought I'd point out that when was the last time you thought of Rio Ishikawa? Oh, he was in that sort of Ricky and Rory era, wasn't he? Man, I can't, I don't really, I can't remember the last time ah he was in contention in a big event, but he definitely was at some point, wasn't he?
00:42:06
Speaker
Was it a PGA? I think i think it might have been. Yeah. um Yeah, this is good content. Curtis you can get to for ah Sweet.
00:42:21
Speaker
I'm going to have an i been able Alvis Smiley at 55 1. What are your thoughts on that?
00:42:29
Speaker
ah Really? i Josh Gehry's at 50 to 1. um Yeah, people who have who've won recently.
00:42:40
Speaker
so Interesting. Alvis Smiley at 55 bucks seems a little bit disrespectful, to be honest. Yeah, I thought so too. um Yeah, that maybe that's go. So, yeah, Lucas Herbert is 6-1.
00:42:55
Speaker
I don't think if we – I think something's wrong if we're taking Lucas Herbert at 6-1 in the golf tournament, Cal. Yeah, that's quite short. You know, that's the sort of thing that – That's like Scotty odds.
00:43:08
Speaker
Scotty odds. But, like, also that's like if Rory showed up to the Mexico Open sort of odds. And I don't think it's that, you know, he's Lucas Herbert.
00:43:20
Speaker
He could easily, yeah. What are we looking at for Hillier and Campbell? Have you got that handy? Yeah, so Ben Campbell Dan Hillier So, yeah, I was right. That was some dark web shit I was reading before.
00:43:36
Speaker
Yeah, I'd erase your history. also Also, I need to clear up before I see, I think I see Glenn Turner.
Closing Thoughts and Excitement for the NZ Open
00:43:45
Speaker
He's um a left-handed bat that was a good player for New Zealand.
00:43:49
Speaker
ah Greg Turner. Greg Turner is the one I'm referring to. niche stat on Glenn Turner while we're at it. Scored 100 first class hundreds.
00:44:01
Speaker
That's insane. Yeah, that's pretty good shopping, eh? But look, appreciate yeah you dialing in again late at night from from the UK.
00:44:13
Speaker
Guys, enjoy your New Zealand Open week. You know we will. It's one of the great weeks, regardless of the slander we've just said on the golf courses. But ah thanks for tuning in. We'll catch you all next week. All right. Cheers, mate.