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  • I guess we got to start with the question.

  • Everyone wants to know.

  • What is the state of Tigers game right now as he looks for an incredible repeat performance.

  • Well, the man, it's always wonderful to be on with you.

  • First of all, I think it's pretty interesting that a lot of people don't realize that Tiger Woods is actually the defending champion here.

  • It's been so long and there's been so much talk about how he's not playing any good and how he's not ready and how he hasn't played enough, which is all true.

  • He has not played some Great Gulf, but I think it's really important.

  • The fact that he's he looks very comfortable here.

  • It looks like his body is working well, Um, he's and I think if you take ah, world class athlete where there's been greatness and he's in a good spot and he's comfortable, uh, there's a good chance you can play well now his record in the last 12 months would indicate there's no chance that he could compete here.

  • But this is a golf course that he's one on five times.

  • He understands that it's of course it takes an awful lot of experience on to get it around, understanding where to hit it, where to miss it, those sort of things.

  • And if you could get off to a decent start and it's all up to his putter, uh, he's hit the ball okay over the last year, but he has not put it very well.

  • So if he can put the ball decent, you never know.

  • But you know, when the players a great player, great things happen once in a while.

  • Now you speak about that.

  • You know the familiarity with the course.

  • But could that be fools?

  • Go because now it's in November and everything may look the same, but it's not the same.

  • You know, knowing that the greens could be different in the ball could be different, you know, knowing that the moisture and the conditions from the elements are different from April than it is in November.

  • Yeah, it's gonna be a little bit different.

  • The grass, obviously, is not as mature as it is in April.

  • Uh, but you still they haven't changed the holes.

  • You still have to play in a certain way.

  • You still have to, uh, miss it on the right side of, Ah, particular Green versus the left side.

  • And he understands that.

  • And I think last year was the perfect example of what a veteran player understands about winning at at Augusta.

  • And that was how he played the 12th pole.

  • So many guys went for the panel on the back, right pin.

  • Put it in the water, Tiger put it 50 60 ft left, very safe, smart shot.

  • But that's the kind of shot you have to hit on 12 on a Sunday.

  • And I think that's the kind of experience that first or second year player just doesn't have now, not just with golf of all sports.

  • You know, you talk about veteran players, kind of understand and and and and be able to perform in the moment with no fans, will it be easier to play there For some players that makes her come to the pressure of playing and missing in front of people?

  • Well, I think that's a big, big point that both Tiger and Rory have spoken during the season about how there's no energy.

  • They're so used to having so many people around them and feeding off of that energy and, uh, people spurning on when you're struggling.

  • That's a big part.

  • And I think we've seen some younger players have success this year and actually won some big events because there's nothing else going around.

  • There's there's not the buzz around it.

  • It's I think it's probably simpler for an inexperienced player to play when there's no gallery or patron says here.

  • But at the same time, this is a little different animal than three weeks ago or six weeks ago.

  • Just a regular tour event and E.

  • J.

  • Williams here.

  • How you doing, brother?

  • First and foremost, How you doing?

  • I'm doing good.

  • Man is like yesterday were Wisconsin practice man watching, watching your badges, e.

  • You know, from being on the golf course a ton and playing in a lot of these, Uh, you know, like many pro Am's having fans like last year watching the Masters, the amount of roars that you heard from fans on the course when Tiger was making putts.

  • It almost felt like whenever you saw the cameras tune into other players like their, their chin would lift up, they would pay attention to it.

  • How, like, how does that factor when you don't know what else is happening on the course.

  • Does that take more?

  • Does it put more pressure on you?

  • Does it take the pressure off Andy?

  • How do you assume that will be handled?

  • That's one of the most intriguing parts of this particular championship is that the patrons really do play a big part of it because of the roars and the noise.

  • I mean, I know when I was playing, I knew if it was a polymer par or a birdie by Nicholas, I mean, you could tell who made the pot or who made the shot and where it waas and you could tell by the different roars who that player was, which is amazing.

  • And, you know, tigers had the same effect on these guys today, and it's not only the positive effect for the player doing it, but it's also negative for guys that yogis Tiger made another birdie before it even goes up on the scoreboard.

  • Or Tiger's done something well and another spot where it made such a difference.

  • Let's say you're on the 11th green in the group in front of you hits in the water.

  • 12.

  • The grown is unbelievable e mean, it's It's like the guy missed in the free throw one and one at the end of the game.

  • You know, it says, Oh my gosh, he's got to shoot another three throw were debt.

  • You know, that kind of attitude And now is the player on the 11th green you're thinking, Oh, jeez, you're starting to think about that shot before you need to.

  • Eso the roars and groans really do have a big impact, and it's gonna be really weird.

  • I walk the golf course on Monday quite a bit, and it was so silent.

  • I mean, you didn't even hear the birds, you know?

  • I mean, it was like it was eerie.

  • It was like you.

  • If you've ever gone to the redwoods and you get deep into the redwoods and there's not a sound, that's how it's That's how it feels here.

  • Last thing for you.

  • The sound that the driver makes when the club face hits the ball off of Bryce into sham bows Shaft.

  • I'm usually a little o.

  • B.

  • He might not be.

  • He might be at the top of the leaderboard, but for the casual golf in Andy.

  • Uh they may not know this guy hits it a country mile every time he tees it up.

  • How might his game and his reformed body and approach attack Augusta National?

  • Well, I think you know one.

  • There's a couple of things that are very important at Augusta National.

  • Greens and regulation usually indicates the winner or are close to a very seldom Do you have a guy win here that doesn't rank really high and greens and regulation.

  • Of the five Masters?

  • Tiger's one.

  • He's been number one in greens regulation four times and finished number two the first time.

  • So hitting the ball on the green and the right place is paramount.

  • But if you can hit Dr it far enough that you've got a pitching wedge into these greens, it's much easier to put the ball in the right position on the green.

  • So you've got some birdie opportunities.

  • So the distance that Bryson is hitting it is going to make such a difference on approach shots and the fact that he can hit on everyone the par fives easily.

  • He doesn't have to strain to do it.

  • He could just hit a normal driving a five iron to most these par five.

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I guess we got to start with the question.

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