- 4/9/2025
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00:00And we are back for El Coast to Coast here on a Wednesday, and it is a supersized golf Wednesday on C2C because we have our first major of the year, the Masters, the trip down Magnolia Lane.
00:13And as you know, Keith Stewart from Read the Line is with us every week here.
00:18Doesn't matter if it's Houston, San Antonio, or Augusta, Georgia.
00:23Keith, it is great to see you, as always.
00:26Me and Scotty were just having some fun.
00:27They gave you a great setup.
00:28I know it's not the Butler Cabin or the Crow's Nest, but they gave you a great setup there down at Augusta.
00:36Well, you know, Mike, I was going to mention that.
00:37You said, you know, I'm with you every week, but this is a week unlike any other.
00:41You know, I wasn't in San Antonio or Houston, but I am certainly right here on the grounds of Augusta National, and I can't wait to break this down.
00:48Let's not waste a minute with the pleasantries.
00:51Hit me.
00:51What do you got?
00:52What do you need to know?
00:52Well, let's start like we always do.
00:55First of all, it looks like it is going to be beautiful in Augusta, Georgia this week.
01:00So give me a combination of the weather, always important, and the course, because I know we're here every year, but we've had some differences this year.
01:12Of course, the big hurricane went through in the fall, caused some damage to the course.
01:17Is there anything different about the place, especially I've heard on the back nine?
01:22Well, a lot of the chatter that we've heard throughout the press room, through the interviews, through all the different, like, quick hits on the Golf Channel and everything, this thing is panning out to be exactly what we want from a competitive landscape, okay?
01:36Don't be thrown off by the wet weather.
01:38I'll go weather first.
01:39Don't be thrown off by the wet weather and the front that came through on Monday, and they, you know, they sent the patrons out.
01:44They closed the practice round.
01:45It poured.
01:46Don't get me wrong.
01:47We've got an inch and a half of rain here in the Augusta region, but it is drying out very, very quickly, and last year, if you remember, we were delayed at the start.
01:54We had tons of rain, and it still was firm and fast by the weekend, and that brings me to Keith's Keys because the number one thing that we need this week, we need experience around this place because when it does get firm and fast, you really have to know where you're going to miss it.
02:07The second thing is that when it gets firm and fast, you've got to be a great approach player, and we're not just talking about long iron game, short iron game.
02:14You have got to be able to control spin and trajectory, so how much you can stop the ball and how high or how low you can hit it depending on the wind direction, and the third thing is is that you know it.
02:25The ball is going to be bouncing all over the place down here.
02:28You're going to need to get up and down in key places, and these are the tightest and tightest of lies.
02:33The place is in absolutely immaculate shape, exactly what we expect.
02:38There's a little shower coming very late Thursday night, but it won't affect play at all.
02:42It might just soften the surface a little bit for Friday morning, but I'm telling you, these guys know exactly what they're doing.
02:48Prior to the front that came through on Sunday Monday, this place is ready to go, and when you start to talk a little bit about the effects of last September and Hurricane Helene,
02:56the chatter amongst the guys was that there's some trees that have been removed, and I think that's going to favor some of the better drivers of the golf ball,
03:04like some of the overhanging limbs on the right of three.
03:06Guys are going to be able to take a little bit more of an aggressive run up the right there because the limbs won't block them out to the green.
03:13They're also going to have to worry about the wind a little bit.
03:15A lot of trees were lost on 10.
03:17That's the place you'd notice it the most on TV.
03:20They're going to be able to take more of a direct line there off the tee, not have to sling a hook as much right to left,
03:25or if you're a lefty, right to left, which would be a cut or a fade, right?
03:30So the place itself, ready to rock, and, I mean, it's just absolutely – it's the best place on earth for golf.
03:38Yeah, I saw – I heard Rom yesterday, and I'm sure you're there, mentioned something about –
03:41someone told him he could hit the ball over on 10, I think he said, and he goes,
03:46I'm not going to say who told me, but, yeah, there's some things the guys are going to have to navigate here.
03:52One storyline thing before we get to your selections.
03:56Obviously, Rory and Scotty.
03:58Scotty's won two of the last three years.
04:00He's looking for back-to-back.
04:02Then you have Rory, and this is it, Keith, the final piece of the Rory puzzle.
04:06We wait all year for this, the last major.
04:08You know, he's done everything else you could possibly do in the game of golf.
04:13This is the missing piece.
04:14Is he finally at a point now, headspace, playing-wise, everything that he can get it done?
04:20Well, you know, Mike, as well as I do, at those numbers, they only become a live betting option.
04:26Scotty, we'll start there.
04:28The guy looks laser-focused.
04:29And you're going to throw out history all the time.
04:31People love their trends.
04:32Oh, only one guy's won three times in four years.
04:34That was Jack Nicklaus.
04:35Last time I checked, Scotty won nine times last year.
04:37He's pretty good at golf.
04:39So, like, if he's ready to roll, his secret weapon is the fact that he just doesn't make mistakes.
04:44So, over 72 holes, when you play on the razor's edge here at Augusta National Golf Club,
04:49he's just – he's always going to put it in the right spot.
04:52He did it last year during that windstorm, and he just keeps plodding along.
04:55And at the end of the day, then he wins by four over Ludwig, right?
04:58Then, Rory's story.
05:01Everyone's telling you about, you know, if you win the career grand slam, you do it in your first three tries.
05:05Rory's on try number 11.
05:07It's try number 17 at Augusta National.
05:09It means the most to him.
05:10He's watching Bridgerton.
05:12He's reading John Grisham novels.
05:14All of this stuff.
05:15It's all a bunch of nonsense, right?
05:17Rory's talking to himself.
05:19But unlike last year, Mike, where we talked about he showed up late, he changed his routine,
05:23he looks quite comfortable, at least with his golf game.
05:27I'm not sure what's going on between the ears.
05:29There's a lot of history here for him.
05:32And even if he is in the lead on Sunday, that tee shot on 10 with the Butler cabin to his left,
05:38where he hit it back there in 2011, will be a moment as if, like,
05:42Spieth back in 16 had to hit it over 12 again, right?
05:44I mean, that's the key to all of this.
05:47Rory and Scotty will be a part of this conversation all weekend.
05:50But in the end, does history win or does Rory win?
05:55I'm going to go with history.
05:56He does seem a little bit too worried about what's going on.
06:01Yeah, he talks too much.
06:02And then yesterday with treating it like any other tournament, I mean, when you say something like that,
06:07you know that it's completely in your head.
06:09But we have a lot of great outrights from you, Keith.
06:12In the final minute we have here, let's start with one of them because I got to tell you,
06:15for a guy who's won two of the last three majors, I'm stunned at how the prices dropped for Xander Schauffele.
06:22I tell you what, it was good to get on the X-Man, Xander Schauffele early,
06:26because I just don't get it.
06:28You know, we always complain about the number, especially the favorites.
06:31I don't like him at 12.
06:32I don't like him at 16.
06:33We have a guy that holds two major trophies, and he was over 20.
06:37On his career resume, Xander Schauffele X marks the spot in majors.
06:4130 major championships starts.
06:4315 top tens, Mike.
06:4550% of the time, he's in the top ten, right?
06:49I mean, seven masters, four top tens.
06:52You know, he was awesome at the Valspar with his approach game.
06:55For me, Xander in the 20s, you have to do it.
06:59And as far as I'm concerned, he had the best press conference overall.
07:01Cool, calm, collected.
07:03I love it, man.
07:04X marks the spot.
07:06And we are back for a coast-to-coast here on SportsGrid, SportsGrid Radio.
07:10It is a golf Wednesday, as always, on C2C, ahead of the Masters.
07:14Keith Stewart from Read the Line is with us as we get ready
07:18for really one of the best weekends of the entire year.
07:22All right, Keith, you talked to us about Xander, and I'm with you.
07:25That price has drifted to a place where I am absolutely going to be involved.
07:29Who else do you have on the outright card?
07:31Well, you know, I was lucky enough to get Xander at plus 2,500,
07:35but I also landed JT at that number, too.
07:37Now, you talk about Justin Thomas.
07:39What do you need to do?
07:40I outlined it in the last segment.
07:42You know, two of the three things.
07:43One, you've got to be great on approach.
07:45JT's numbers this year, top five in the world.
07:48And you also have to be great around the green.
07:49Even when JT kind of slumped for, you know, a couple years ago
07:52for about 12, 10 months, right?
07:55His around the green game was still absolutely spectacular.
07:58Top five around the green.
08:00So that's why he's got the skill set here.
08:02Now, everyone's going to say, hey, Keith, he missed the last two cuts.
08:05And I'm going to say, hey, everybody, before that, how about six straight top 25s?
08:09Is that okay here at Augusta National?
08:11Justin Thomas really wants to win this championship.
08:14He's won big tournaments before.
08:16You know, at eight starts this year, he's got four top tens.
08:18I mean, I think JT is poised to do something special here.
08:21I've been out with him on the road all year.
08:23I've seen five starts on site, and he's really impressed me.
08:27And the thing that's been the most important is that I think he's followed
08:29a little bit of the Xander blueprint, Mike, right?
08:32Xander last year kind of pushed dad back, became his own man,
08:36became more independent, and look what he did.
08:37JT has kind of done that with dad, Mike, right?
08:40He's kind of followed that blueprint.
08:41He looks like a new man this year.
08:43I love his independence.
08:44The next one, right?
08:44We have eight lefties in the field.
08:4725% of the masters this century have been won by a lefty, right?
08:51Two by Bubba, three by Phil, one by Mike Weir, right?
08:54Bobby Mack at 6,000.
08:56I love it.
08:57Four top 11s in his last five starts.
08:59Ninth at the players, right?
09:00He's played two masters, both top 25s.
09:03And then my fourth guy, Sepp Straka, plus 8,000.
09:06He's got a win.
09:07He's got six top tens in 10 starts.
09:11In his last 13 events, he's gained positively 12 times on approach,
09:16end off the tee, played at Georgia.
09:18He knows the weather down here, the climate, you know, the grass, perfect fit for him.
09:23Honestly, Keith, I played Sepp as well at 80.
09:26I think it's kind of a slap to him that he's 80.
09:29I think he should be, with how he's played this year,
09:32he should be with these guys in the 40s and 50s.
09:35He should not be 80-1 to win the masters this week.
09:38Real quick, there's 28 guys that are even or shorter than him in odds, right?
09:43Less than half of them have won a PGA Tour event in the last year, right?
09:47This guy's 80-1.
09:49He's a fantastic value.
09:51Let's get to your placements here.
09:53And you are just filled with guys that I also have on my card,
09:57including some of the live players,
09:59especially guys like Sergio, who are playing great golf right now.
10:03All right, I know we're going to run short on time, so I'll go quick.
10:06Top tens, Henley.
10:07You know what?
10:08He's got three top tens this year.
10:10He's got a win in six starts.
10:11The last two majors he's played in were both top tens.
10:13Cam Smith, all he does is come here and top ten.
10:16Last year, he didn't even play live Miami.
10:18He withdrew.
10:18He came in and finished the sixth.
10:20Cam Smith, five of his last seven, top tens at the masters.
10:23Top 20s, Willie Z, right?
10:24You can get a big number like plus 170 on Willie Z to top 20.
10:28Three starts here, three top tens, right?
10:30Then, Sergio Garcia is extremely motivated to go to Beth Page on that Ryder Cup team.
10:35He's playing some of the best golf of his career and the best putting of his career, right?
10:39Six starts this year.
10:40He's got a win.
10:41He's got a bunch of top tens.
10:42He was third at Doral over a tough test this weekend in the wind.
10:45And then, you got Patrick Reed.
10:47As a top 20, he is the most lucrative bet in the top 20 section over the last five years at Augusta National.
10:55Patrick Reed, all he does is win and top 20 here at Augusta.
10:58Top 40.
10:59I've got the parole prop for you, all right?
11:01Angel Caprera.
11:02He's fresh from jail, plus 550.
11:05He just won on the Champions Tour.
11:06The guy's 55 years old, still drives at 300 miles or 300 yards, right, or 300 miles.
11:11The guy bombs it.
11:12He still bombs it at 68, 66, 71, won the Champions Tour by two.
11:17Those are my props.
11:19Angel Caprera.
11:20Now, will he beat Phil for top senior, Keith?
11:23You got Angel for top senior as well?
11:25Will he beat Phil?
11:26I don't know about that.
11:28Doesn't sound like you're agreeing with that one.
11:30That's a tough one.
11:31And Patrick Reed's another guy.
11:32If he wasn't so hated and he wasn't on live, he'd be in the 40s as well, or 50s.
11:37He plays this place so well.
11:38Head-to-heads, quickly.
11:40All right.
11:40Head-to-heads.
11:41I've got Cam Smith over Victor Hovland.
11:43I mean, Victor Hovland could win again this week, but he won't know why.
11:46I'm taking Cam Smith.
11:47He's way too consistent here at Augusta National.
11:49And then I've got Will Zalatoris over Minwoo Lee.
11:51I know Minwoo Lee just won.
11:53We had him.
11:54But it's approach game here, and Minwoo Lee doesn't have it at the level that Will Zalatoris does.
11:58Zalatoris is going to be very comfortable here.
12:00Just like last week, Mike, we won both head-to-heads on Friday.
12:03We're going to do it again this week.
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