Ep36: LIV World Ranking Points, Min Woo Lee Wins, & Drug Testing on Tour

What a week in golf, there is so much to discuss, so settle into your walk, drive, or chair and get ready for a big episode of Talk Birdie To Me.We start with Min Woo Lee’s big win in Macau at the weekend, what a superstar he is becoming. And we discover that Mark Allen has turned into an 'FWG'....what is that? We explain on the podcast, it's not something to be proud of!Great win from Rod Pampling - a golfer with 'effortless power' according to Mark, and Nick reckons he is one of the good guys, even though Pamps beat him in a matchplay tournament, not that Nick is still bitter about it. Nick and Mark discuss Ben Eccles great win in the WA PGA Championship, an excellent win, particularly after a slow start. And Nick names one of the big earners in golf this week....and it's not a player!We discuss the decision not to award world rankings to LIV players, Mark believes that the PGA/LIV talks are not going well, although the CEO of the PGA Gavin Kirkman has told him that they are proceeding well, so Mark will take him at his word on that. We discuss some of the challenges with giving points to LIV players, and explore a couple of ways it could work, and what they’d like to see happen.This week saw Ben An suspended for doping. Nick talks about when he was drug tested on tour, how often and how it happens. He describes it as quite a humiliating process.This week Lexi Thompson played the PGA tournament in Vegas, and shot even. Nick and Mark discuss how she played, and Nick was fascinated by what she carried in her bag.Nick had a fitting at PING this week, and Mark wants to know all about it. Nick explains what he’s arranged and how the fitting went.Lots of feedback this week, a great question about how US social golfers are ‘liberal’ with the handicap system, and we find out who the nicest bloke on tour is.Nick takes us around the world with the PING global results. Some ripping performances from there Aussies over the weekend; and Nick then talks about playing in Madrid, and his favourite bar there called El Toro.The Top 5 this week was suggested by David Craig from Brisbane, and is the Top 5 shots that pros would like a redo on, Nick has compiled his list, thanks for all your suggestions. One of the Top 5 is from Scott Hoch in the US Masters, and Mark tells a very funny story about having dinner with Scott in New Zealand with their waiter doing something very awkward.And a great masterclass this week from Mark Allen on not moving your head when putting, but moving your eyes instead.Talk Birdie To Me, new episodes weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and you'll never miss an episode! If you've got a friend who is into golf, we'd love you to share the podcast with them, and if you can rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts that would be great.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, or send a voicemail to us here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.