British Masters and Tour Championship Preview | Golf Tips | The Sweet Spot | AK Bets

Intro well all welcome back to The Sweet Spot proudly sponsored of course by AK bets I'm Warren ashers back with you this week alongside Steve Palmer who's here again to give us his expert views on this week's tournament Steve firstly how are you are you excited by today's big news that Oasis are reforming I am I am the rumors were Rife and uh it is true so yeah real Scramble for tickets on Saturday morning I believe uh I'll be doing my best to get one and then will inevitably fail and then it'll be a case of how much you're prepared to pay for one won't it so yeah yeah let us know in the comments section how much are you prepared to pay for an oasis ticket if you don't get one that face value um my wife asked me that question last night and she was pretty stunned when I said 15,000 um and pretty alarmed but yeah we shall see what happens it'll almost be as expensive as a ticket to the Open Championship these days by the sounds of it so yeah looking forward to to that of course we'll get Steve's thoughts on this week's events coming up very shortly but AK bets of course just to remind you are the sponsor of The Sweet Spot and they've got an excellent welcome offer for you you place your first bet on any golf market and get 50% off your state back as a free BET up to 25s terms and conditions apply please remember to use the code Sweet Spot 25 when signing up well first off let's look back then at last week's highlights we had three tournaments of course and we'll start off with the Danish Golf Championship Frederick laqua was the Women’s Open Review surprise winner Steve I don't think many people would have tipped him up at the start of the week well he was a 35 to one chance he played well in Prague the previous week I mean it's been a frustrating fornite for us um because David retto of course won the won in Prague and then Frederick laqua last week so they' both made their breakthroughs over the last fortnite we were following them a lot at the start of the year and then we abandoned them um so I'm kicking myself for maybe not being patient enough with them and I'm kicking myself for not appreciating how much they egg each other on because um um Frederick laqua mentioned in his victory speech how David retto affected him you know seeing his mate do that you know they're similar ages both Frenchmen and seeing his mate do that uh inspired him that he could do the same and then the following week he he does that you know this can happen with with with countries you know compatriots egging each other on and laqua was was brilliant on Sunday was bogey free on Sunday a four shot Victory and and there was Frenchman swarming all over that leaderboard it definitely has an impact you had laqua winning Romain langas was was second retto finished fourth Adrian Saadia was fifth so um yeah interesting times anything else to take out of the uh Danish event Steve I mean we we said that there may well be some Danish contenders it was Lucas Berard who came the closest of course tied second in the end but bit disappointment across the others well yeah I think Rasmus near guard Peterson is is definitely one to keep on your side he played well for a long way I thought I was going to get the place money from from Nar Peterson but then he made three Bogies in his final four holes you know the inexperienced to at the end there but he's clearly got an extremely bright future I really like the look of him David mitchelly uh he tied 10th was a um yeah great value loser I mean he was one shot outside of the big pie for fifth place so uh I was pretty heartbroken by David melzi but um yeah yeah keep both of those players on side going forward okay let's turn our attentions now to the PGA Tour because it may well have been a a firsttime winner on the DP World Tour but we had an experienced winner in Keegan Bradley in the US for Danish Golf Championship Review anybody who's watched the Netflix documentary in terms of Keegan Bradley probably a lot of sympathy with him bearing in mind what happened with the Ryder Cup last time and this is a huge victory for him at a latter stages of his career should we say Steve yeah yeah he was gutted to miss out on the Ryder Cup place and then suddenly few weeks ago he's given the Ryder Cup captaincy role uh one of the biggest shocks in in in modern sporting times I would say um and 80 to One winner last week I don't think many punters would have had Keegan Bradley very difficult to identify done nothing for two and a half months and it seemed that it his Focus had switched to the rder cup captaincy role we've seen that with previous Ry cup captains you know they they they they're fully focused on on their new job and they're playing ability wains um um but um you Bradley's not not read the script is he I mean that was you he suddenly clicked into gear he said in his in his media conference afterwards in the proam he just did one swing with a six iron that felt absolutely amazing and um after he flushed that six on he just he just confidence flooded into his system it's just such a crazy sport isn't it he's been rubbish for two and a half months he has one swing that feels amazing in in the proam and then he played played great for the for the rest of the tournament so uh yeah The Bookies would have been pleased with that one uh frustrating tournament for for for us uh we had three players tied for 13th Place Windam Clark Patrick C and Tom hogi um you thank goodness for uh for the ladies golf last week indeed we'll get on to that in a moment I mean all three that you mentioned there Windam Clark Patrick Klay and Tom hogi were were sort of there or thereabouts they always kind of look like they might threaten to to to go to the upper echelons of the of the leaderboard but in the end just get anything going also as well Steve how do you look upon it I know a couple of weeks ago you tipped up Adam Scott who's been you know in decent form of like he's finished in second as well another sort of senior player enjoying a a really good time at the moment on top yeah it was really interesting because he went clear at the halfway stage it was going to be fascinating to see how he handled that because he hasn't won for such a long time uh and he he won't be encouraged with what happened you know the putter went very cold because the putting has been okay for a long time but under the heat of a you know it a big event last week and In the Heat of battle is is putting let him down and um yeah yeah I think Adam Scott you got to be careful with him going forward after after that performance uh we must mention some of the big names that have missed out because we'll we'll discuss all the all the players in the Tour Championship the top 30 have got through but um Jason day was lost last week Matt Fitzpatrick was lost Matt Fitzpatrick be heartbroken you know he's got a lot of ties in Atlanta and he won't be there this week Cameron young Max homer so um only 30th survived those four have gone and yeah we'll discuss all the big names in our TOUR Championship preview we will do indeed let's turn our attentions now to the AIG women's open because it was back-to-back victories for Steve Palmer BMW Championship Review off the back of last week's win it was Lydia Co who did the business at St Andrews an absolutely thrilling finale Steve to the Women's Open no fewer than about a dozen players who were challenging at the top of the leaderboard in the final round and Lydia Co fresh from success at the Olympics has boed by that and has gone on to win another major well never mind back toback winners for Steve Palmer it's is Warren ashurst we're all talking about 100% record of of winners on Sweet Spot we've never done a show with Warren ashurst in the chair that hasn't resulted in in a winner so was Mania is sweeping the nation that's why I'm back this week Steve well this is it I think Dave Dave Clark is I think seems to moved to tenie he was he supposed to be a holiday to ten but he's moved and wers in the chair forever more it seems but Lydia Co yeah 33 to One winner AK bets that's back to back 33 to One winners with AK bets he he you best priced Lydia Co he was best priced eki matama um you he does deliver the big prices and um hopefully we can have his shers down again this week with another 33 to1 winner I am tipping some 33 to1 winners um I like this theme that's developing uh but yeah Lydia Co is such a Feelgood Victory wasn't it whether whether he back to or not um you know for me personally it was it was a it was a you know she she she salvaged the week because I didn't get any Returns on the men's golf you know n nobody none in the places so she's my hero is is Lydia and she just slowly but surely crept to the top of the leaderboard it was it was like a if she was a horsey it was just a perfectly timed run to the line wasn't it because it wasn't until the 72nd hole that she got her nose in front she birded the 72 hole had a One-Shot lead at that point but the voodoo doll Lydia Liam lilam Lil Vu the voodoo do no one else calls it that probably won't catch on but yeah the voodoo doll still had two holes to play uh but she couldn't match Co birdie at the last she she made a mess of that last last hole so yeah Olympic gold medal then Open Championship Glory you talk about putting the icing on the cake of your career we mentioned she's doing a Canon hour and uh retiring early but you know she she she can do so with uh with her head held high can't she she might be tempted to do a mic drop now after that back-to-back success of a gold medal in an Open Championship absolutely stunning so Lydia Co another success for Steve off the back of Hideki matama can we follow it up with a third consecutive Victory this week as ever British Masters Preview we'll start in chronical chronological order with a DP World Tour this week and it is a stop off in the UK Steve because it's the British Masters at the belfrey pleased to say it's a course that I've played before so uh a little bit of insight into that I know you have as well Steve haven't you much to look forward to when the tour arrives at the belfrey yeah the famous brabers and course uh Sutton coldfield England 7,336 yards par 72 only three par fivs no less than 12 par fours you probably found this when you play there was it's a real slog a succession of difficult difficult par Wars we've had loads of DP World Tour events staged there the most recent ones are the British masters of 2006 2007 2008 2021 2022 2023 the 2020 UK Championship which was staged during covid times and the 2021 British challenge a challenge Tour event here so a difficult Inland track loads of water hazards no doubt you found plenty of them was in your round there um and as I say you need strong ball striking on on these on these tough PA fours but the weather gods are going to show Mercy to the players this week this is not an easy track but we've got sunny and calm weather all week 156 going to post very quick little story for those who have not been to the braz and there's a lovely little plaque in the middle of the Fairway on the 18th where chriso Conor Jr hit his long iron into the green for the Ridder cup and I hit my drive right alongside that and thought Oh wouldn't it be brilliant if I could hit a shot into the Green from there and needless to say ended up in the water as Steve mentioned there before a lot of balls over in that that lake at the 18th at the brabazon um in terms of the odds this week with AK bets for the British Masters tyell Hatton with a rare appearance of course these days on the Liv tour is the 7 to one favorite Matt Wallace 25s Tom McKibbon 25s and then we've got three players at 28 to one mat Schmid Rasmus hoard and theor bjor Allison it's bigger the rest how many tips Steve for the British Masters this week four I think that was four four right ones remember there four right so four tips overall who is our excuse me cl BR four tips it wasn't me shouting four four tips this week Steve who is your main selection it's thrist the Piston Lawrence a Big Friend Of The Sweet Spot He's 33 to one with AK bets they've been very vulnerable lately with their 33 to one chances here's another one he's the second highest ranked player in this field waser only tyell Hatton as you mentioned has a superior world ranking to Lawrence thrist and the Piston does not get the respect he deserves he's a four time DP world Champion he's only 27 years of age he looks a lot older but he's only 27 he had a superb amateur career in South Africa now prolific Champion as a professional his last EP World Tour Victory came last summer in the BMW International his last Sunshine tour Victory came last week he went home relaxing at home teed up in the Sun Challenge it was only a three round Affair a gentle loosener for you know that the events to come on the DP World Tour and he won it by five shots he opened with a 62 never looked into danger of losing so a timely confidence booster going into the remainder of the DP World Tour season and yeah this British Master is very important to the thrist and Lance he's targeting those 10 PJ tour cards that you can earn through the race to the buy rankings he's sixth in the race to the buy rankings at the moment so he's he's going to kick to the line and get a PJ tour card a brilliant Open Championship effort helped him get in this position he finished fourth at Royal trun nobody outscored him over the weekend of the open he had three second place finishes earlier in the year on the DP World Tour I think he's going to be a leading Contender at the belfrey his driving last week waser was excellent if he brings that long game control to the belfrey as you know driving so important there he could prove the man to be he's got a great record in the UK and Ireland steady previous results at the belfrey 3639 so yeah I see a fifth DP worldour title for the Piston yeah I was just wondering with the President's Cup coming up whether he might be a selection for the rest of the world team I mean obviously his ability as you say off the te Steve and the way that he strikes the ball it' be a really good uh asset I would have thought he's a forgotten man is he he doesn't get the respect he deserves he's world number 76 I believe um and um yeah yeah nobody talks about thris and the Piston but they will be when he gets a PJ tour card so Tristan Lawrence is the first of the four selections at the British Masters who's our second best pick sa it's Matt Wallace at 25 to one with AK bets who Des deserves great respect in this grade like Lawrence Wallace is a four-time DP World Tour Champion he won six times on the Alps tour prior to becoming a DP world tour star and he's won on the PJ tour easy to forget this one but he won the corales punana championship last year F around 66 he knows how to get the job done does Wallace whenever he tees up on the DP World Tour you've got to consider him it's easy to forget how good he can be you might remember this one was it because it was so Sensational last year's DP World Tour champ ionship the end of last year he shot a Saturday 60 on on a really difficult golf course he he had nine consecutive birdies on the back nine he birdied every hole of the back nine this was a sensational round of golf and it just shows what Wallace is capable of and he finished second in that tournament Top Class company DP World Tour Championship he's he's finished third in a uspga he nearly won the British Masters in 2019 finished second in that I wouldn't be at all surprised if he if he wins this one he's been playing good golf in better tournaments than this one 41st in the open 24th in the 3M open on the PJ tour 28th in the Windam Championship 19th on his only previous belfree start so yeah I think Matt Wallace deserves huge respect coming coming to this tournament and he'll get a lot of support of course as an Englishman at the belfrey this week so Lawrence and Wallace the first two selections who's picked number three Steve it's the aforementioned Frederick laqua 33 to one with AK bets should have been on him last week has the horse bolted maybe not it seems entirely feasible that we can get backto back wins from this horsey this is a similar grade of event will we see the same result laqua perfectly suited to the belfrey long and accurate driving the key to success he's typically magnificent from Tea Green putting's been a weakness but he was brilliant on the greens over the weekend in Denmark it probably have a new found Swagger on the greens after that performance he's a he's a champion at last at the age of 29 I think he's at the peak of his powers he won three times on the Alps tour in 2019 graduated from The Challenge tour made a superb start to this year when we were following him then his form tailed off a bit right back to his best now 20th in the BMW International third in the Czech Masters first last week in Denmark and head into an ideal layout for me he missed four consecutive Cuts prior to his belfrey Debo in 2022 he was world number 256 DP World Tour rookie but finished 21st at the B B free nobody outscored him in the final round last year he missed the cut in his event prior to the to the Bale free he was 364th in the world rankings finished 34 at the Bale Frey this week te's up as world number 135 in the form of his life has to be in the Stak back and 33 to1 which might be a sign double carpet am I right in thinking John MCC used to do that I think when he 33 to1 I think that's the right sign for it that's it that's it AK bet AK BET's so vulnerable to a 33 to one chot if I was him I would I wouldn't price anyone up at 33 to one because he's so vulnerable so yeah we're definitely going to get another one this week so that's three of the four selections for this week's British Masters and our fourth and final pick Steve is who Richard Mansel 35 to one with AK bets the pride of kanuk you probably know kanuk well uh this is the local hero this week he knows the belfree like the back of his hand there can't be many courses on the DP World Tour which suit Manel better than this one he's a really strong ball Striker he's got the game to handle this TD green slog he was 12th in that challenge Tour event I mentioned there in 2021 he was eighth in the 2022 British Masters him and laqua were the best Sunday scorers he was 28th last year the belfrey seems his best chance of a DP World Tour breakthrough for me obviously with with that fact he'll be aware of the of the chance is yeah it comes with pressure comes with pressure but he's getting more experienced you getting more experience he's been he's contended for you a lot of a lot of tournaments on DP World Tour now he's had he's had four top threes on the DP World Tour and he led the 2022 Daniel lyns for a long way uh and he's been really bright lately uh I don't know whether you spotted him in the Scottish open Final Round he closed with a 61 a course record 61 at the Renaissance club that was not just any old round from off the pace that was a round which booked him an Open Championship birth he needed to produce a really low round to get in the open and he did I was so impressed 50th in the Open Championship 10th in Prague a miscut last week I suspect British Masters is on his mind you know because he knows this is yeah his mind was wandering forward to the belfrey so yeah yeah got a strong four-pronged attack yeah that will be uh a big man of support for Richard Manel at the belfrey as well for those of you that watch YouTube golf and see professional golfers I I saw him on a YouTube channel and I don't think I've seen any professional strike the ball as well as he did with his irons absolutely phenomenal and as say with that home support this week as say a big player Steve in terms of the British Masters we can't leave the British Masters without talking about those others at the top of the leaderboard and particularly tyell Hatton as short as seven to one in terms of the favorite favoritism for this event any particular reason why he stayed clear the price or just not like the look of it well this is his first regulation DP World Tour event since the Dubai Desert Classic at the start of the year missed the cut in the open three puted the final green of the uh the live UK event to gift John John Ram Victory I've just not been impressed with him lately not not not to play at those prices I mean he's obviously a class actor in in a weak grade but uh yeah the prices were off putting this is his belfrey Deo um so yeah I much prefer the the bigger pric is about my four and we can't leave the tournament without mention Tom McKibben because I know he's been a favorite of yours of late but not necessarily the setup of course for him this week maybe I don't know I think he will like the C yeah I was tempted um but yeah there's a few putting demons in there that um yeah I'll let him ease out of his system over the coming weeks before we get back on the McKibben bus there were some massive greens at the Bel fory to try if you're not putting well it's not necessarily the best of of courses to attack so there are the four tips for the British Masters this week at the belfrey and I'm sure a number of the people who watch The Sweet Spot will be going along there to watch the action at the braas we'll turn our attentions though now to the US PGA Tour because it is the Tour Championship the end of Tour Championship Preview season finale in the US uh in a moment Steve will explain to you how this sort of tournament works because uh certain players will start at a certain Mark due to how they've done on tour so far this season but firstly let's have a look at the course itself Steve East Lake Golf Club what can you tell us about it yes East Lake Golf Club Atlanta Georgia 7,490 yards now a past 70 W change from a par 70 for this year three par FS 11 par fours four par 3s East Lake the traditional curtain closer of the PJ tour season has hosted the Tour Championship in 1998 2000 2002 and from 2004 onwards but we've had a major redesign since the last TOUR Championship it's been a year-long project led by Andrew Green it's only just finished uh every hole is different was a bunk has moved trees removed loads of trees removed Mounds added the greens are are much bigger than they were before they're more undulating it looks completely different as I say the par has changed from 70 to 71 so players who have had a long history of success at East Lake will be pretty heartbroken to to turn up and see how different this course is uh you can treat this as a as a new golf course essentially um we've got Sunny calm and extremely hot weather all week so they're getting to know a new go of course and that they won't be enjoying their practice rounds yeah the temperatures are around 36 C um yeah lots of lots of players are knackered coming into this event waser yeah it's been a long hard season and um you this weather will provide an extra test of of stamina and fortitude yep sounds like it will do and like you say you normally you would look at sort of course form in terms of this but that completely goes out of the window then I take it yeah yeah yeah I'm treating this um yeah obviously the the regional forms still counts those who enjoy coming to Georgia and um uh I'll be looking at that but yeah you you can't put too much stock in previous performances on this course we got a field of 30 going to post no cut and then the handicap system that you mentioned is in operation again so in 2019 this tournament became a handicap with a Formula One style starting grid so the FedEx Cup leader the leader in the FedEx Cup Standing Scotty Sheffer he starts on 10 under par this week the second and Cha is on eight underpar the third hii matama seven under par and so on and so forth until you get to the the the bunch of players from 26th to 30th on the FedEx Cup standings they start the event on level pass so they start the event 10 shots behind Scotty Sheffer uh and we've got a prize pot of $100 million for this event uh 25 million going to the FedEx Cup champion all I've got in my head is how hard is it to beat Scottish jeer anyway and then he starting 10 shots behind it's going to be incredibly tough let's take a look at the latest show betting then from AK bets for the Tour Championship and not surprisingly Sheffer without Advantage is the five to four favorite jander chaf is 5-2 Hideki Matti 12 to one and then we got two players at 22s that's ludic oer and Rory mroy and Colin morawa 33 to1 it's bigger the rest how many selections have we got then Steve for the tour champ chionship for four right ones one four left one four right so another four a four four formation this week for our selections and who is the first of those four picks Steve lud 22 to one with AK bets I'm actually really excited by this tournament some some puns get disgruntled with the format and don't like getting involved and then they turn their mind to the 72 whole scorer Market because there' be two markets running this week lowest 72 hole scorer or the FedEx Cup the one that the players are interested in the players don't care about who's going to be the lowest 70 to whole scorer they just care about who's going to win the FedEx Cup so I the players are focused on the FedEx Cup I like to focus on the FedEx Cup and I think ludel bear has got a fantastic chance I love the shape of this this starting grid because I think the Front Runners on this grid are vulnerable the market is made as you as you just pointed out by Scotty Sheffer and Xander cha both really short prices I don't fancy either of them we we'll discuss them later after I give them my tips I don't fancy the first three on the on the starting grid I think they're going to get G to get swamped and my number one pick is ludvig goar the time has come to support my favorite player again he showed last week how dangerous he is when teeing off without any significant course inexperience disadvantage you know hardly anyone in last week's BMW Championship fielded a knowledge of the venue Windam Clark probably the only one O's lack of experience was not a handicap he finished only one shot off the lead he tied for second place such fine margins did you see his second shot to the 14th waser that was the difference between that was the difference between Victory and defeat and and and getting your clubbing right last week at altitude they're like 6,500 feet above sea level getting the club in right we discussed it before the tournament so challenging and on the 14th he his Drive went 430 yards uh in in the rarified air and then he thought he could reach the green on this par five with a six iron and he fell short into the water um you know and easy bird he became a bogey um but you know I think he could be really proud of his performance in general his driving was magnificent driver was the club that cost him the Scottish open last month he seems to have got the driver under control again his short game was in Majestic Nick last week a traditional weakness he was really impressive on and around the greens if he tightens up his iron play this week I can see him quickly eroding his his five shot deficit I should have mentioned that he's got a five shot deficit on on Scotty Sheffer um and I think he can I think he can do that because East Lake is new to everyone was as I was saying you know aside from the handicaps it's a Level Playing Field and oar you know in those circumstan is so dangerous he's made him PJ tour title came in in Georgia uh in the r in the RSM classic last year he had success in Georgia as an amateur as well and of course we must mention his master's debut in Georgia uh in the April just gone one of the greatest Masters debus in history you know o strongly threatened to become the first debutant since 1979 uh to win The Masters you know I was 10 months old when fuzzy Zella won the Masters on Deo uh so I I've spent my entire life watching people fail on their Master Deo and you know 45 years later that nearly did it um yeah yeah this is sh I'm just round I get so excited talk about this but it's a it's a fair point because you've alluded to it there Steve and and it's difficult when you consider yes all right Scotty sheff has got a lead over the rest of the field but how does he play it does he think okay let's just pal my away in and it gives me a strong opportunity to win whereas in the others like oer have to go for the flags they have to go for birdies and that maybe gives them a slight Advantage absolutely Ely will come to Scotty Sheffer after the tips was I I'm convinced he's not in the right head space for this um I think he's a terribly short price and um you know possibly the worst value in the field I mean you so some of those Fells on level power probably even worse because there are some players in this field you give you would give absolutely no chance to um but yeah five to four Sheffer does not do it to for me and we will discuss that yep ludick o is the first of four tips then for Steve who's our second selection it is Samuel Burns 40 to one with AK bets who tied with Oar in the BMW Championship on Sunday Burns has quietly had an excellent PJ tour campaign he was great at the start he had a little dip in the middle when he became a father for the first time now he's finishing the season with a wet sail that sail may be wet enough for him to become a FedEx Cup champion waser uh Burns will start the Tour Championship with six shots to make up on his good friend Scotty Sheffer on the form that burns has shown over the last few weeks he could quickly erode that deficit he was ninth in the US Open 12th in the 3M open fifth in the FedEx C Jude Championship then second last week he closed with a 65 that was the best round of the day he's definitely bringing his a game to to East Lake uh and he's coming to a part of the world that he that he really likes he's from the Deep South he's a he's a Louisiana man his only corn fery tour title came in Georgia in 2018 he won on the PJ tour in Mississippi he's won twice in Texas he was the fourth best scorer in last year's TOUR Championship he could easily get in contention for this by the weekend Sam burns the number two pick so we've had a Swede we've had an American pick number three where are we going with this one Steve more Yanks coming your way Windam Clark Keeping the Faith 40 to one with AK bets I thought he was going to provide some place money on on Sunday he made a seven at the at the 71st hole a gut busting seven at the 71st first he it was a long week for Clark he was the hometown hero in in Denver he played well under under pressure um this week will probably feel like a walk in the park in comparison you I think he's going to loosen up this week and he could do plenty of damage he's six shots behind like Burns but an explosive player Ultra attacking capable of incredible burst of scoring I think he'll relish this hunting role and he is a player of of a stature now he's the world number five he's ready to to win FedEx Cup he's a major Champion he was ninth in The Travelers Championship 10th in the Scottish open closing rounds of 68 65 65 in the Olympics seventh in the C Jud Championship 13th in the BMW on Sunday and on his TOUR Championship debut last year again he relished the hunter role and he he was the third best 72 ho scorer Windam Clark is pick number three uh pick number four are we going further than a six shot Gap Steve for our final selection uh no no no we're going to stick with another six shot Gap and it's Patrick CLE we've backed for the last two tournaments we're Keeping the Faith for a third consecutive week he finished 12th in the St Jude 13th last week his playoffs record over the years as we've discussed a lot over the last fornite is is is fantastic he was the 2021 FedEx Cup champion he was the sixth best scorer in last year's Tour Championship but I think cartle will be pleased with the course changes because if you look at his his East Lake record overall it's not very good it's full of holes um I think he'll be relishing the new challenge the new course I think he'll appreciate the larger greens you know all these greens are much bigger putting's always been a strength of of cartle so yeah we've got a former felex Cup champion here who's playing really well not going to be frightened by the prize money the prize money is a factor this week if you got a putt to win $25 million um yeah you're going to need to be cool and calm and collected and Patrick Cy has done it before he's won $18 million before it was uh yeah yeah six shots behind well in the hunt so yeah they are my four back them each way and um yeah I think I think that the complexion of this leader ball could could dramatically change by the weekend only needs uh you know one strong round for it to all of a sudden turn on its head now you've already alluded to the fact that you think Scotty sheffer's Too Short Steve I mean it's not many times that you go down a PJ Tour leaderboard and find him tied 33rd last week and more than that actually overath for the four rounds as well we we mentioned a couple of weeks ago we thought he looked tired after the Olympics and certainly that looks to be the case yeah I'm with you I'm with you he's never won the FedEx Cup he's let the FedEx Cup slip through his fingers on on on a couple of occasions this is the third consecutive year he's starting from the front of the grid Rory maroy pipped him in in 2022 Victor hin destroyed him last year this tournament is in sheffer's head you know he he he's been angered by those past failures he doesn't like the course he's yeah he'd be he'd be one of those that's pleased the cours has changed but he's he's he's he's struggling with the format he's made lots of comments about how silly the format is in in the playoffs he's been so angry in the playoffs which which may have something to do with his mental fatigue I mean you know you and me I don't know how you feel when I'm tired I'm I'm more prone to uh to to anger my you know my my window of Tolerance shall we say is is is is smaller um and I think that's what's happening with shefle you can See's he's running on fumes at the end of this year and and this year he's been he's been the dominant force and he's really angry that that that the season long winner might not be him you know he's got a real chip on his shoulder about this and rightly Sh so if you think about he's won six times this year they've all been massive events a major The Players Championship four Signature Events and he might not be the the season long winner Keegan Bradley Keegan Bradley might be the season long win Keegan Bradley suddenly wins last week goes from 50th to to fourth in the FedEx standings if Keegan Bradley wins this week then it yeah it will just show the the Folly of the system but you know it is what it is and and Sheffer can't accept that fact yeah acceptance is key in life was it's key to well I was gonna say Steve as well do you think that the Xander cha situation is also impa him because you could argue that the two of them a pretty much level for golfer of the Year let's say if you were selecting one and maybe that's kind of creeping into his mindset as well he's thinking you know he's probably had a slightly better year than me and also you know I might not win this Felix cup after dominating for long periods yeah I think he's just so angry I think I think he's angry that the golf he's played this year the tournaments he's won this year are equating to just a two shot Advantage which you know he double if he double boges the first H which is entirely feasible all that he's done this year counts for for essentially nothing he's been tety as anything in the playoffs yeah the putting I've never seen him like that before never such an angry fellow in the playoffs and he's not normally like that you're right I mean the putting demons have returned you know that I think that's what's winding him up he thought he had the putting sorted but the demons have returned in the playoffs his approach play was abysmal last week in the BMW i me as you say finished 33 or 48 finishes two players pulled out with it with injury during the event I thought he'd switch off mentally last week but I wasn't expecting his iron play to suddenly become that bad so yeah I think he's running out of puff and I think the FedEx Cup will elude him again I'll give you a stat Wass only only two of the uh the five tour championships under this format have been won by the top seed so you that that mental struggle of starting a tournament already in front um has unsettled some players it may well unsettled Sheffer again this week um couple of others to mention cha and mat armor I mean Hideki did the business for us a couple of weeks ago not tempted to maybe go on him again well cha cha again five to2 I don't think it's any bargain he's another one who admitting he's knackered I mean the schedule's been so hectic for these guys Open Championship Olympics because the Olympics is is in there this year it's even more intense than it ever ever gets so you got Open Championship Olympics FedEx Cup playoffs and you can see chaa I mean and I think he would have turned up at the course this week and just probably wept I wouldn't have been surprised if he found a quiet corner and had a little cry because his record at East Lake is amazing you know he so gutted that they've basically ripped up the course that he loved and then it's totally different I think it's a huge psychological blow for for cha and yeah so I think Sheffer and and Cha have got problems in here and Dey mats armor hasn't got problems in here but he's got problems with his body because he he CED a first round five under par last week right in the thick of things and then withdrew with a bad back and I mean how bad has your back got to be for you to be was he second on the lead of what at that point and um to pull out with all that money at stake so I I just don't see how you can back a deim mat um that with that back element I mean a back injury is one of the worst things as a golfer anyway and then as you say for it to be last week when he's played so well there would certainly be some concerns there as well so they are the main protagonists at the top of the leaderboard but they're there to be shot at as Steve said um and you know the pressure often gets to them I can't even imagine what it's like thr over a put to win 2025 million doar I mean you know this is where you have to put it into context just how good these players are and how good they are at dealing with the pressure that they have on them was there anybody else that kind of came into the equation Steve or were you pretty much adamant on the four picks oh no I've obviously reached capacity on on the Tour Championship I think this is the most I've ever had in the Tour Championship um since the format change uh but I think it's a tournament worth going at because I think you the two favorites there are vulnerable for me and um yeah if I can get as you say one good round from one of my four and they're suddenly in the thick of things uh so yeah I would recommend each way bets on on those four uh no no no no no no absolute capacity on both events no one interests me in any other I know I'm asking a lot 44 formation is quite um quite quite challenging but um if you got your Lydia co- winnings you're okay but uh um yeah yeah yeah no I'm I'm very happy with my four prong attack was up okay a 44 formation then for Steve this week and we'll now react and reflect on Best Bets those four uh selections firstly in the British Masters just remind us Steve who the four picks are thristan Lawrence Matt Wallace Frederick qu Richard Mansel and four selections we said of course as well for the Tour Championship and they are ludig be Sam Burns Windam Clark Patrick Klay there you go then eight selections for this week it's golf action just the two events this week rather than the three that we had last week at uh plenty to look forward to over the course of the next few days Steve it's the last week of the summer holidays have you got Outro anything planned any last trips with the kids or are you pulling your hair out still well just prior prior to this podcast my uh my son decided that throwing stones in the garden was suddenly a good a good hobby to uh to adopt so yeah yeah just before I came on I noticed Stones were being lobbed in so I got to clear up the Garden in in due course uh yeah yeah yeah not long now um not long now till we can um get getting back to school uh so yeah get get your ready oh they're definitely ready they're definitely ready yeah I I am going to campaign for a shortened summer holidays I do think they are ludicrously long uh so yeah we got a big few big week ahead of us is we was you're gonna get your tickets on Saturday you're gonna get your your tickets on Saturday to W fingers crossed I've I've already had my eldest ask me about it today and I've already told him he's having to get up on Saturday morning if he wants some Finance to go towards it he's going to have to do the hard work yeah yeah yeah absolutely yeah no I'm I'll let you know I get on you're back on next week aren't you I am back on next week Dave is incredibly long Around the World trip by the sounds of things and back next yeah we'll be back next week both myself and Steve plenty to look forward to then including the European Masters so we'll be back next Tuesday on the racing post YouTube channel it's it's cran cier next week my favorite venue uh there's only one tournament have an each way double this week just before I go I just want to thrist Lawrence ludig Oar each way double get as many places as you can yeah sweet SP discovered both of those players was it they both got a place in my heart um and um yeah I think could be potent this week what a week it would be if those two delivered bearing in mind how much you back you know pushed them over recent months so crusier European Masters to look forward to next week but of course this week we've got the British Masters and the Tour Championship enjoy your golf H make sure of course that you gamble responsibly and in the meantime of course don't forget to like comment share and subscribe but from me and Steve for now thanks for joining is [Music] [Applause] [Music]