The Jay Don Blake 500, Ryder Cup eligibility Qs, and Utah qualifying scandal

The Shotgun Start

It's a historic week for the PGA Tour, so Andy and Brendan are back in full force on this Wednesday episode. Some football talk starts the show, as Andy remains optimistic about the Bears' playoff chances and Robert Saleh is out as head coach of the New York Jets. Andy and Brendan then move on to what's truly important this week - Jay Don Blake's 500th (and final) career PGA Tour start, coming at the inaugural Black Desert Championship in Ivins, Utah. The 65-year-old Blake was moved to tears at the invitation to play in his hometown event, so Andy and Brendan take a walk down memory lane and remember his career. They recap his 1980 NCAA Championship, won while playing for Utah State, his career FedEx Cup point total, and, of course, his legendary mustache. The two pause the Jay Don remembrance for the time being, moving on to discuss a scandal at the Monday qualifier for the Black Desert Championship. The conversation then turns back to Jay Don Blake, as Andy and Brendan debate whether the new Korn Ferry Tour grads should be playing in the FedEx Fall instead of sponsor's exemptions like Jay Don. The two cover the full schedule for the week, with notables for the Black Desert, French Open, SAS Championship, NB3 Match Play, and LPGA Shanghai. In news, the Ryder Cup "Year To Go" presser was today, providing some notes on the selection process and Sergio Garcia's efforts to re-join the fray at Bethpage. To close this episode out, a 2022 Flashback Friday is reheated, with Andy telling the story of Jay Don Blake's lone PGA Tour win in San Diego in 1991.