Podcast
The Shotgun Start
Hosted by Fried Egg Golf · EN
The Shotgun Start with Andy Johnson and Brendan Porath of Fried Egg Golf is a podcast waiting for you early in the morning that quickly blasts through a variety of topics (usually) related to golf and (ideally) relevant to the day. It covers news from the pro tours around the world, amusing and important topics from the amateur game the rest of us play, and some irreverent stuff in between. There will be short interviews, previews, reviews, and dives into the archives. It provides what you need to know on golf through a rapid and fun catch-up discussion.
44episodes
Episodes
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A Gotterup fan club, Deere vs. Travelers debate, Blockie controversies, and Spieth tracker revolts
2d ago00:57:13Tap to summarizeSure, Chris Gotterup just won for the fifth time on the PGA Tour, but this episode could only really start in one way. Andy and Brendan immediately discuss the influx of social media content from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding guests, because if you don't post a picture of you attending a wedding, did you really attend any wedding at all? Justin Thomas took a break from defending the Travelers Championship to appear at MSG this weekend, so Andy gives him a chance to get back in the comments by pointing out some similarities between the Travelers and the John Deere Classic. He makes a compelling case, dubbing the JDC "just the Travelers with a worse field." As previously mentioned, the event was won by Chris Gotterup after firing a 62 on Sunday ahead of the final groups. Andy and Brendan discuss Gotterup's continued rise to superstardom and look ahead to what he may be able to do overseas after a strong run at the Scottish Open and Open Championship last year. They also discuss Ben Kohles, who was unable to force a playoff on the 72nd hole, Zac Blair, and Blades Brown before PJ shares a distressing update from the Spieth Trackers following a t58 finish for their favorite player. Brendan throws out a Game Within the Game for Birkdale of Spieth vs. Padraig Harrington, moving things along to a U.S. Senior Open recap. Harrington won for the second consecutive year, putting an end to Stew Cink's run for the 2026 Champs Tour Grand Slam. Michael Block finished t31, but continued to make "headlines" by finding himself in some YouTube Golf drama on Sunday morning! After running through the rest of the results from across the globe, Andy and Brendan briefly discuss Brooks Koepka's WD from the Scottish Open before wrapping things up with a Soccer Minute ahead of the USMNT's Round of 16 game on Monday night. Order this week and get your Coffee Golf setup dialed in for The Open next week. Everything’s available at proshop.thefriedegg.com. Join Fried Egg Golf Club today at thefriedegg.com/membership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →PGA Tour schedule debates, Sergio Garcia’s disastrous meal choice, and Golf Advice
5d ago00:57:21Tap to summarizeThe impending holiday weekend has Andy and Brendan in a chipper mood for this Friday recording, although Andy is questioning whether the 4th of July being on a Saturday is actually a good thing. After "Federal Holiday Minute," there's a quick check-in on early returns from the U.S. Senior Open - including plenty of Blockie, already - and the John Deere Classic, where the leaderboard is serving as a warm welcome to "tier two" for Brian Rolapp. Andy and Brendan then discuss which "tier two" events should be bumped into "tier one" in 2028, highlighting longtime Tour stops like Colonial and PGA National that shouldn't be "relegated" for good. In perhaps the biggest news of the week, Sergio Garcia revealed that his quest to qualify for the 2026 Open Championship was derailed by eating lasagna for lunch in the middle of the two 18-hole rounds. Nobody can believe that a 46-year-old major champion would make such a ridiculous mistake, so Andy, Brendan, and PJ submit their own lists of Worst Meals to Eat Between Rounds. This discussion serves as a great segue into SGS Golf Advice, where listener questions about a Pinehurst trip, the Old Course Singles Ballot, and a YouTuber stiffing their country club are answered. Celebrate "The Summer of Cotton" with B. Draddy with promo code SGS30 at BDraddy.com! This November, we're hosting a one-of-a-kind trip to visit Seth Raynor's Metairie Country Club and take in a game at LSU's Tiger Stadium. For more information, head to thefriedegg.com/events!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →Scottie slips to runner-up again, future of the John Deere, and Open qualifying stories
1w ago01:09:23Tap to summarizeIt's not just a First of the Month recording - it's a First of the Month recording during the Summer of Cotton! After Sunday night's passionate discussion about the Travelers Championship and TPC River Highlands, it's only right that this Wednesday episode begins with a recap of Viktor Hovland's playoff win over Scottie Scheffler. Andy and Brendan discuss the one-hole finish on Monday morning and (sarcastically) wonder if Scottie actually hit his approach "too close" to the hole, forcing him to miss a four-footer to extend the event. They give Viktor Hovland his flowers before transitioning to this week's schedule, packed with Open qualifying, a senior major, and perhaps the PGA Tour's most preeminent "Track 2" event. Brendan runs down the early results from the Open Championship Qualifying Series, where podcast favorite Matthew Jordan has found his way into the field at Royal Birkdale! The Bryan brothers were among those who did not qualify, but that didn't stop the YouTube chat from badgering the R&A to show more of their shots on Tuesday afternoon's livestream. At the John Deere Classic, Zach Johnson is set to make his 24th start at his home event. He chose to skip out on this year's U.S. Senior Open in order to play the Deere and provided plenty of color in his pre-tournament press conference. Jordan Spieth also took to the microphone to pop Long Island golf fans and golf gamblers alike, even though he is a FanDuel Sportsbook ambassador in his free time. Andy shares his "5 Guys to Monitor This Week," leading with a former Deere champion and a big-name player making his professional debut. Lastly, PJ pops in for a brief preview of the U.S. Senior Open at Scioto Country Club as we all wait to see what's next for Michael Block on the Champions Tour. Celebrate "The Summer of Cotton" with B. Draddy with promo code SGS30 at BDraddy.com! Get involved and join Fried Egg Golf Club today at thefriedegg.com/membership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →A heated Travelers debate, LPGA coverage windows, and the continued fall of Phil Mickelson
1w ago01:09:45Tap to summarizeA Monday playoff between Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler will serve as an exclamation point to one of the best golf weekends of 2026 thus far. Andy and Brendan! are fired up for this episode, recorded after watching a birdie-fest at TPC River Highlands, another women's major, and Blockie's near-perfect Champions Tour debut. They can't help themselves and begin with a brief section on the Dick's Open, an event that made some consider if the Champions Tour really needs Tiger Woods at all. Upstate New York's finest sporting event provided plenty of fodder, from Bob Papa singing Zac Brown Band, to the emergence of a "Paddy Stopper," and so, so much Michael Block content. The two then move on to the unfinished Travelers Championship, where a score of -21 got into a playoff to be held on Monday morning. Andy and Brendan discuss Viktor Hovland's turnaround from hitting hundreds of balls on the Shinnecock range after a missed cut last week to now potentially a Signature Event win in just seven days. They also debate whether Scottie Scheffler already missed out on multiple chances to win the tournament in regulation on Sunday afternoon on an extra-soft course after a lengthy rain delay. Andy is hung up on a Keegan Bradley quote from earlier this week alluding to the Travelers as a "vacation week" after a tough U.S. Open, and openly wonders if TPC River Highlands can fit into the PGA Tour's new Championship Series model. While the event itself is enjoyable, does the golf course leave too much to be desired as true test of professional golf? Haeran Ryu won her first major championship at the KPMG Women's PGA at Hazeltine, holding off a charge from Brooke Henderson, Ina Yoon, and Nelly Korda. The broadcast coverage was the big story of this Sunday, with a weather delay pushing the finish off of NBC and moving it to Golf Channel. A lengthy discussion about rights deals and coverage windows ensues, with ideas about ways for the LPGA to branch out and not be buried by non-major PGA Tour events on its biggest weeks of the year. Lastly, Andy and Brendan react to Alan Shipnuck's latest article on Phil Mickelson, full of more scandalous details following up on the Golf Digest report about Phil being removed from The Farms in San Diego. Celebrate "The Summer of Cotton" with B. Draddy with promo code SGS30 at BDraddy.com! We’re hosting our first Fried Egg Golf event at Pasatimepo later this month and we have a few spots remaining. For more information, head to thefriedegg.com/events!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →The PGA Tour at Pine Valley fallacy, ‘Bending the rules’ for Rory’s membership, and Rahm’s nomadic summer
2w ago01:09:48Tap to summarizeBrendan and KVV begin this Friday episode with some clean up on the sweeping changes announced from the PGA Tour this week, including the initial “reporting” and subsequent freak out that places like Pine Valley, Cypress Point, and Seminole could host the re-imagined PGA Tour Championship. They discuss some Travelers odds and ends, where Scottie’s missing belt is a big story, and this also leads to a devastating drive by of Arch Manning. Then they discuss video of Rory McIlroy playing Birkdale on the day of a PGA Tour Signature event and reporting from Bob Harig that he has received a special discretionary exemption to maintain his membership even though he will not meet the minimum number of starts after another skip this week. Nelly Korda’s early start at the Women’s PGA is also discussed, as well as her embrace of being the star of that tour. They also discuss the new pronunciation of Turkey or Türkiye before getting to a Flashback Friday on another U.S. Open rules classic, namely the double chip of TC Chen that lost him the 1985 U.S. Open. They close answering a handful of Golf Advice questions on buddies trips, ride along watchers, and awkward pairings. Use the code FRIEDEGG at eightsleep.com/friedegg for up to $500 off. The 4th of July sale ends July 12. To learn more about how T-Mobile supports the USGA inside the ropes and provides exclusive benefits to its members outside, visit https://t-mobile.com/usga.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →PGA Tour’s major overhaul and new era under Rolapp, Canceling Long Island golf fans
2w ago01:28:36Tap to summarizeAndy and Brendan are finally both back home from a week-plus on Long Island (home of the worst fans in golf? PJ defends here!) and ready to get to the week-to-week grind of the PGA Tour. That Tour dropped some expected bombshell news from the Travelers Championship, where the new track 1 and track 2 structural changes were officially announced by Brian Rolapp, who is now also commissioner in addition to CEO. They debate the merits of the new Tour, with multiple “series” --- Challengers and Championships -- within it. How will the Tour Championship look if match play is brought into the fold? Are places like Cypress Point and Pine Valley ACTUALLY on the table as a host? Which events are making it into this Championship Series and what courses in some of these big markets might host new events. They have a wide ranging discussion and reaction to all the news outlined in the Tour’s big announcement. Schedule for the Week gets into the Travelers Championship and its own issues, before moving to Women’s PGA, the Champions Tour, which might have lost its branding, and the DP World Tour, which also had a rough day with the new details from Connecticut. Lastly, PJ Clark defends Long Island golf fans against the avalanche of takes this week that the island can no longer host major men’s golf because of their behavior. FRIEDEGG discount code for 15% off at mobjak.com New red, white and blue hats, headcovers, t-shirts and polos have landed in the Fried Egg Pro Shop. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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2026 U.S. Open recap: Wyndham Clark overcomes heckling fans, Shinnecock Hills test
2w ago02:03:33Tap to summarizeAndy and Brendan are live from Southampton after a full day chasing the contenders around Shinnecock Hills on an exhilarating major championship Sunday. They debrief their day, and week, following Wyndham Clark, the villain for this New York crowd and now a two-time major winner. They discuss Clark’s status, his game this week, and the hate that seems to have flowed his way throughout the final round. They review the main challengers in Sam Burns, Tom Kim, and Scottie Scheffler, if you can call it that. Some winners and losers are coldly separated, focusing on the USGA, the golf course setup, Rory McIlroy, Joaquin Niemann, Miles Russell, and more. The rollback of the rollback is also discussed with some great frustration and skepticism about where we go from here. Then they bring in Joseph LaMagna and Kevin Van Valkenburg to offer their insights from the day on the Wyndham treatment, the notion that this was a putting contest, and much more. Thanks for listening throughout the week! Visit Dick’s or Golf Galaxy in-store or online to purchase Maxfli Tour Series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Saturday at the 2026 U.S. Open: Can Wyndham be caught at sleepy Shinnecock?
2w ago01:11:55Tap to summarizeThe Long Island fans skipped out on Saturday of the 2026 U.S. Open, so Andy and Brendan have to recap everything they missed! After an even-par 70, Wyndham Clark now has a six-shot lead heading into the final round over a gaggle of players at -1, including Scottie Scheffler. How likely is it that Scottie can complete the Career Slam on his 30th birthday? Is Sahith Theegala live to run down Wyndham? Will Deputy Sam Burns finally earn a promotion with a strong Sunday shift? Andy and Brendan run down the leaderboard and look at the (few) contenders and (many) pretenders. PJ shares some observations from his day on the grounds and defends the Long Island fans for leaving due to a disastrous train schedule. Joseph LaMagna chimes in at the end to set up the third major Sunday of 2026. Visit Dick’s or Golf Galaxy in-store or online to purchase Maxfli Tour Series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Friday at the 2026 U.S. Open: Wyndham's world & Bryson's missed cut streak
3w ago01:15:02Tap to summarizeWyndham Clark finds himself firmly in the driver's seat after two rounds at Shinnecock Hills. Andy and Brendan discuss Wyndham's bid for a second U.S. Open victory as he currently sits four shots clear of the field. They bring in Kevin Van Valkenburg to break down Xander Schauffele's impressive Friday round and KVV sticks around for the rest of the show. The three discuss missed cuts from Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, making this another disappointing showing for LIV Golf in what could be its major swan song. Andy presents some Storylines Nobody Is Talking About to send us into the weekend, focusing on a "Frenchman," a drone, and a nightmare scenario for Oakmont Country Club. Visit Dick’s or Golf Galaxy in-store or online to purchase Maxfli Tour Series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Thursday at the 2026 U.S. Open: Shinnecock setup walks the line
3w ago00:53:20Tap to summarizeThe winds and fog came in the morning, but the afternoon wave found themselves with a favorable draw on Thursday of the 2026 U.S. Open. Andy and Brendan record after a "golf nirvana"-type day at Shinnecock Hills, commenting on the setup discourse that is already dominating this installment of the national championship. They empty the notebook and look at both the real leaderboard AND Andy's "Actual Leaderboard" with most of the first round completed. Wyndham Clark is four ahead, perhaps signaling that Lanny Wadkins was on to something with his renovation of TPC Craig Ranch. Andy and Brendan also share their experience with some Thursday evening traffic in Southampton after a post-round coffee run. Visit Dick’s or Golf Galaxy in-store or online to purchase Maxfli Tour Series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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