The Morning Listen: Recent Episodes
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Alex Miceli, Morning Read's founder and publisher, brings the game of golf home for readers with his weekly "Morning Listen" podcast. Listen in each Friday morning.
The Internationals' diversity doesn’t lend itself to much of a “team” concept in the Presidents Cup, Alex Miceli says. It will be vital for the host Australian fans to rally the Internationals next week against the heavily-favored Americans and the imposing presence of U.S. player-captain Tiger Woods. Australian Jason Day, who pulled out of the home matches with a back injury, faces an uncertain future. Meanwhile, Dustin Johnson adds a layer of uncertainty for the Americans. Miceli says the Saudis have bought themselves a major championship-like tournament on the European Tour, and Phil Mickelson has caught much of the criticism for taking their money to play. But when there’s that kind of firepower at a tournament, golf fans pay attention, regardless of the political undercurrents. Disagree with Miceli? You’re likely not alone.
Brandon Matthews might have lost in a playoff at a recent Latinoamerica Tour event in Argentina, but he emerged as a clear winner. “You can’t teach what Matthews did,’’ Alex Miceli said. “You have to really want to be that kind of person. … We all can learn from what he did.”
“Volatile” American Patrick Reed can’t so easily shrug off the 2018 Ryder Cup debacle after having gained Tiger Woods’ trust for next month's Presidents Cup. “I love the fire in Patrick Reed … but it is a team game,” Morning Listen host Alex Miceli said. After posting a career year in 2018, Italy’s Francesco Molinari has not been the same golfer since tumbling out of contention on the 12th hole at Augusta National during the 2019 Masters. Miceli put it bluntly: “His confidence level is in the toilet." After leading the European women to a Solheim Cup victory this year, Catriona Matthew says a victory in 2021 at Inverness in Toledo, Ohio, would be even bigger. As big of a miscalculation as Matt Kuchar has had in the past year, Eddie Pepperell’s was even worse last week in Turkey.
Christina Kim acted properly on her responsibility to protect the field in raising a rules issue in a recent LPGA tournament, but she did it in "the wrong way,” Morning Reads Alex Miceli says. He talks with European Tour chief referee John Paramor, who cautions not to label the infraction as “cheating.” That implies intent; this was yet another misdeed via simple ignorance of the rules, Paramor contends. Austria’s Matthias Schwab, a second-year European Tour pro, talks about the differences between U.S. college golf and the professional game. He dissects his putting troubles simply: “They don’t go in enough."
Alex Miceli, Morning Read’s founder and publisher, debuts a Friday feature with The Morning Listen podcast. Gary Van Sickle, a Morning Read contributor, likes Tiger Woods’ chances at winning more major championships, though all roads still go through Brooks Koepka. Trevor Immelman, who like Woods is a Masters champion who has struggled with injuries, talks about returning to competition and his future as a TV broadcaster. Nathaniel Crosby marvels at his fate in landing another shot at a Walker Cup captaincy.