Tour Pro's Nick O'Hern and Mark Allen talk golf each week: breaking news, issues, and inside stories from two golfers who played at the highest level and call it as they see it.Nick is a former world #16 and is the only person in history to beat Tiger Woods twice in matchplay. Mark is a former Tour Pro of 15 years; he played a British Open at Carnoustie, and has more than 20 years experience in radio & television. In his professional career he hit 12 aces.Listen on your favourite podcast platform, and subscribe to never miss an episode.Huge thanks to the team at PING, they'll help you play your best - see your local golf shop or professional for a PING club fitting.Also to the Golf Clearance Outlet, awesome prices on amazing golf gear, in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth or at golfclearanceoutlet.com.au.And to the brand new watchMynumbers app, turn your bogeys into birdies by analysing and improving your game like never before. Download from the App Store.

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Nick O'Hern BlogOne short of a six-pack26 May 2023

A couple of years ago Brooks Koepka gave us one of the great take downs on social media when Bryson DeChambeau, referring to Brooks’ physique during an interview, said:“I don’t know if his genetics even make him look good. Did you see The Body issue? He didn’t have any abs. I have abs.”Brooks’ reply? A photo on Twitter of his two US Open and two PGA Championship trophies along with the comment:“You were right @b_dechambeau I am 2 short of a 6-pack!”Wham! Conversation over, and after his PGA Championship win last week, now he’s only one short of that six-pack.Plenty of water has flowed under the bridge since that public feud. Both players contentiously going to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League, their form suffering along the way. Bryson finally breathed life back into his game at last week’s major with a T4 finish, his best result since leaving for LIV. Koepka had been trending of late with a win at LIV Orlando and a runner up at the Masters. However, he saved his best for the PGA. An opening two over 72 at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, NY just a glimpse into what was to come. Combining power and finesse, rounds of 66-66-67 the final three days led to a two-stroke victory and a place in history. He joins the ‘5 majors club’ alongside Byron Nelson, Peter Thomson, Seve Ballesteros, JH Taylor, and James Braid. Esteemed company indeed.The manner in which Koepka plays the majors versus non-majors is quite fascinating. If it’s not one of the big four he simply doesn’t seem to care. An amazing attitude if you have the game and confidence to back it up, and Koepka has both in spades. Lessons were learnt at the Masters where he allowed Jon Rahm to steamroll past his 54-hole lead for the Spaniard’s first Green Jacket. At the PGA though, he wasn’t letting go of top spot at any cost. His playing partner and closest pursuer, Viktor Hovland, clung on admirably all day until a fairway bunker shot on 16 brought his undoing. Koepka pounced immediately with his approach on the same hole to four feet resulting in birdie, and the tournament was all but over. Bogey on 17 was of little consequence and after four supremely played strokes up the 18th, the Wannamaker Trophy was once again his.Hovland and Scottie Scheffler ended up tying for second, the latter not holing a putt over 15 feet the entire week until finally making one from 15 feet 9 inches on the 72nd hole. Scheffler did however regain No. 1 spot on the OWGR from Rahm, and with Koepka’s win, ongoing calls for world rankings to be revised (even scrapped) will no doubt be at the forefront of LIV protagonists. In a way it was a win for LIV Golf, showing great players are yes, still great players. Unfortunately, those playing the controversial tour who haven’t won a major, are on borrowed time at the biggest events as each one goes by and their world rankings tumble. The PGA Tour v LIV debate will continue raging, but one thing not up for argument is… Brooks is back. And at next month’s US Open at LA Country Club, it’ll be a brave person who bets against him.

The Talk Birdie To Me podcast with Nick O'Hern & Mark Allen is Executive Produced by Dan Bradley of Kaizen Media, with Sound Design by Daryl Missen at Loud Zebra.

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