Season 11 Episode 40 Part 1: Tom Patri & John Cook Talk Player of the Year, Olympic Golf, & Money Talking Over the Game...

In Part 1 of Episode 40, I'm joined by our resident Director of Instruction, Tom Patri, and 21-time Tour winner, John Cook.

Tom and I dive into the Player of the Year debate—Scottie or Xander? We discuss whether two majors outweigh one major, The Players Championship, and six wins. We also touch on Keegan Bradley's appointment as Ryder Cup Captain, the significance of Olympic golf, and Tom's recent trip to Sea Island.

John Cook, who has had a remarkable career both as an amateur—winning the 1978 US Amateur and finishing runner-up to Mark O'Meara in '79—and as a professional player and broadcaster, joins the conversation. He shares his thoughts on the topics from the first segment, especially the focus on money versus the traditional values of the Tour. John also gives his opinion on who should be named Player of the Year. We revisit his incredible victory at the 1996 FedEx St. Jude Classic, where he set a 54-hole record on the Tour, and his memories of the 1994 US Open at Oakmont. Additionally, we talk about John's Western Pennsylvania roots through his mother, witnessing Arnold Palmer's final US Open round, and the Cook family's anniversary tradition at Dom & Dom.