Buried in Ryder Cup history, in the middle of the last century, are some enormous personalities, and today we're looking at three of them who rise to the level of "maniac"—which we mean as a compliment. These three stories encompass incredible human resilience in the face of tragedy, outrageous, event-changing competitive drive, and an unlikely savior of the Ryder Cup when it was just about dead.
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The Tour Championship: 40 years of success and failure
In 1987, PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beman announced the first-ever Tour Championship, and 20 years later, new commissioner Tim Finchem kicked off the first-ever playoff series. What problem was it trying to solve, and where has it succeeded or failed in four decades of change? On this week's Local Knowledge, we assess the state of the tour's Super Bowl and explore where it may go in the future.
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The Tiger Killer: The fascinating life and times of Y.E. Yang
For a man who did something so astounding—becoming the first and only golfer to beat Tiger Woods on Sunday at a major from behind—we know very little about 2009 PGA Champion Y.E. Yang. As it turns out, the Korean body builder turned golfer has a surprisingly great story, and one of the most unique life paths we've ever heard of in professional golf...all of it building to that shocking Sunday at Hazeltine.
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The English drought (curse??) at the Open Championship: What gives?
In 1992, Nick Faldo held off John Cook at Muirfield to win his third Open Championship. As it happened, this is the last time an English golfer ever captured the Claret Jug. The 33-year ongoing drought that ensued can't be explained by lack of talent or depth—England has had three world no. 1 golfers, and today they have the most players inside the world top 100 outside of America. To figure out what's happening, we dive deep into the various theories as to why the English keep coming up short in their home major.
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America's Ryder Cup Restoration, Part 2: The Rise of Azinger
Following the blowouts of 2004 and 2006, the lowest point in US Ryder Cup history, the Americans needed a visionary leader. Tiger Woods was out with a knee injury, Europe was stronger on paper, and there was no reason to expect anything but more misery. Which is precisely when Paul Azinger rose to the occasion to rethink how America approached the Ryder Cup, and forever alter their competitive destiny.
The best golf stories have multiple layers to them. In each episode, Local Knowledge dives deep into a subject golfers want to know about, whether it’s about the game they play, the competition at the highest level, or the surprising ways golf factors into larger conversations throughout society. Hosts Alex Myers, Keely Levins, Shane Ryan and Sam Weinman weave together original interviews, Golf Digest reporting, and additional elements to tell the type of compelling stories that have been a Golf Digest staple for decades.
Listen to Local Knowledge, Talk of the Devils: The Athletic FC's Manchester United show and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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