The Golf Insiders 04-29-2015

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Holly G and Rich B are in the studio for another hour of intelligent golf talk. Rich talks about Barry Cheesman winning the North Florida PGA Senior Section Championship recently. 

Holly talks with Rich about Justin Rose winning the Zurich Classic and the media day for U.S. Open. Rich points out that the PGA will be possibly setting up some of the pins and tees on slopes. Lydia Ko wins Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic.

Former PGA Tour player Calvin Peete passed away at 71. Rich said Calvin started late as a golfer and was really successful.

Jeff Shain, PGATour.com, calls in to discuss the round robin format at WGC Cadillac Match Play event. Jeff says that the "Group of Death", much like the World Cup, for the WGC Match Play seems to be Ian Poulter, Webb Simpson, Jimmy Walker and Gary Woodland.

Jeff stresses that if you are putting well in match play you can put pressure on opponent nearly every hole and ramp up the pressure.

Players play 18 holes Wednesday, 18 holes Thursday and 18 holes Friday. To set up the sudden death rounds on Sat and Sunday..

If you make it to Sunday you'd have to play 7 rounds and then go to Players Championship.

Jeff says that WGC next year will be in Austin Texas next year be right after Florida swing. Holly and Jeff discuss the play of Masters champ Jordan Spieth who won his first match Wednesday at Harding Park. "Pretty amazing to tie for 11th place in the tournament following the Masters and the whirlwind media junket that followed.  Jeff also likes Jason Day even though he lost first match. If things pan out there could be a Spieth/Day quarterfinal match.

Todd Lewis, Golf Channel, calls in from Harding Park in San Francisco to talk with Holly about Spieth's 7 birdies through 16 holes in his first match. Todd feels that if Jordan would win this event could play 90+ holes of golf. More significant to win this one versus the one and done format in the past. Be viewed more as a complete player to win both stroke play and match play events.   

Todd and Holly also talk about the fact that The Players golf course magnifies mistakes like no other on the PGA Tour schedule this year.

Garry Smitts, Florida Times Union, calls in to talk about The Players Championship. Holly asks about Phil Mickelson pulling out of the tourney for personal reasons. 

She asks Garry who he thinks along with Spieth will play well at The Players, that really want to win it? The 1-44 positions are really good players and it could be any one of them. Garry points out that McIlroy wants to prove he can win The Players just like Tiger did.

Garry revisits losing a really great player in Calvin Peete. During a 5 yr period he was awesome. A great player real gentleman and great dresser. Wasn't a long bomber. Holly pointed out that Peete overcame elbow injury. Couldn't straighten left arm, which is key point golf instructors stress, but he still won 12 times.