Chasing Pars Golf Podcast

(Ep 149) The Caddy Mini Series (Alex Williams)

In this latest episode I was joined by Ladies European Tour & ex LPGA Tour caddy Big Ginge (aka Alex Williams) as we speak about a range of subjects including winning on his caddying debut on Seniors Tour with European Tour legend Barry Lane, growing up as part of Autistic Spectrum, what life is like travelling for someone with Aspergers Syndrome as well as finding out the main roles and responsibilities as a Pro Caddy including everything from the yardage books to wind factors to decision making.
Alex was an all round sportsman playing everything from County Cricket, Badminton & Tennis before choosing to take up Golf more seriously and had some Junior success. In 2017 Alex would help Barry Lane win Seniors event at an impressive 22 under and work under Barry's tutorship for 3 years before finding some work working for Former British Am Champion Emily Toy  before working on LET & LPGA for the likes of Leonie Harm, Kim Metraux & Ines Laklalech as well as currently with Rosie Davies & occasionally Marta Martin on LET. 
A greatly respected caddy that has a larger than life presence but one of life's good guys! It was a pleasure Ginge! 
Listen & Download on Podbean, Spotify & Apple Podcasts 

(Ep 148) Chris Mayson (Professional Golf Coach)

After a couple of weeks break, I was joined by one of the game's Elite Golf Coaches Chris Mayson who has coached some of the very best players in the game from World Number 1's in Ariya Jutanugarn to Major Champions in I K Kim.
Chris played Professionally for a period of time after being a good winner at Amateur level at University. At the age of 25 he would have to give up playing g due to a disk injury in his back which by his own admission Chris was doing things wrong in his own practice and routine. Starting out his coaching route Chris would have at an early stage around 7 very good players to help evaluate their swings etc with before gaining a reputation for being a great mind in the coaching analysis side of things. 
Examples of Chris' success is last week Ricky Castillo who would go on to win his PGA Tour card for next year from the Korn Ferry Tour, Chris who has worked with Ricky since 12 years old. Also a few weeks back at Solheim Cup 2 of Chris' players Sarah Schmelzel & Alison Lee were heavily involved in USA's 15.5-12.5 victory over Europe at Robert Trent Jones GC in Virginia! Chris is massively credited by Alison herself for turning her career around!
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be an elite level Golf coach then please be sure to listen in via Podbean, Spotify and Apple Podcasts, I hope you enjoy!

(Ep 147) Jeff Chilcoat (Sterling Sports Management Founder)

First of all a little bit of a Disclaimer in I was out at the time of recording so unfortunately will be background noise but I was joined by Founder of Sterling Sports Management and Golf Enthusiast Jeff Chilcoat who phones in from Ohio to discuss Solheim Cup in Virginia, the job Stacey Lewis done for Team USA, trying to keep neutral having players on both sides with Megan Khang, Sarah Schmelzel, Allisen Corpuz on Team USA & Maja Stark on Team Europe for Jeff's clients! We find out about the day to day running of being a Player Manager to several LPGA Players and what is involved in the role as well as talking about potential growth in the years to come!
Sterling Sports Management is fast becoming a well respected Management stable with multiple Major Champions & multiple title Victories! Jeff has over 25 years worth of experience and having met him at St Andrews on the Friday of AIG Women's Open I can say he was a great guy! 
Hope you enjoy. Listen & Download on Podbean, Apple & Spotify!

(Ep 146) Allisen Corpuz

In this episode I was pleased to be joined by an integral part of Team USA's success at last week's Solheim Cup the 2023 US Women's Open Champion Allisen Corpuz who phones in from Las Vegas, Nevada took talk about in her own words 'the surreal week' at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia for Solheim Cup that saw Allisen win 3 points out of 4 available including win both Morning Foursomes matches with close friend Nelly Korda & a statement victory over the vastly experienced Anna Nordqvist in the Sunday Singles. We talk everything from Barack Obama being in attendance to Allisen watching Lilia Vu clinch the Cup for the US with a brilliant approach at 18 vs Valenzuela to 2 feet to win. 
Allisen assesses life on Tour, her 2024 season which has been consistent including 9 Top 25s & a season best finish of T4th a couple of weeks back in Boston for FM Championship, we discuss the life changing week at Pebble Beach in 2023 for US Women's Open and Starting out as a LPGA Tour member in 2022 after finishing T16 in LPGA Q Series in 2021 to win her LPGA Card.
Allisen was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii before enrolling at University of South California from 2016-2021 which included 2021 Curtis Cup win for US (went 3-0-0 that week), 2x Palmer Cup Participant in 2020 & 2021 as well as playing in 3x US Women's Opens as an Amateur while reaching a high of 7th in the World Amateur Rankings. In 2021 Allisen turned Professional and has never looked back since then having had 31 Top 25s since 2022 making 52/67 cuts since then. 2x Solheim Cup Participant for USA (Won 5 out of 8 Matches played) & in 2023 at Pebble Beach Allisen would defeat Charley Hull & Jiyai Shin by 3 shots to win US Women's Open which remains her sole LPGA Tour win. 
A hugely consistent and accurate player with a great game. Surely only a matter of time before Corpuz wins more titles. 
If you could listen in via Podbean, Spotify & Apple Podcasts that would be great. Appreciate the Support! Enjoy.

(Ep 145) Gemma Dryburgh

In this next player episode I was joined by fellow Scottish compatriot and Scottish Women's Number 1 player Gemma Dryburgh who calls in from Texas due to a hurricane emergency evacuation in New Orleans. We find out how Gemma has found her season so far with 11 cuts made in 20 events this year on LPGA Tour including 6 Top 25 finishes and what is to come for the rest of the year after this week's Solheim Cup is finished. 
Gemma is from Westhill in Aberdeenshire about 7 miles short of Aberdeen and grew up playing Football and supporting both Aberdeen & Manchester United. Gemma went to Tulane University in Louisiana, New Orleans where she would win 2x Individual Titles, Represent Scotland at World, European & South American Team Championships & would participate for Great Britain & Ireland at 2014 Curtis Cup. In 2015 Gemma would turn professional and would gain starts on the Ladies European Tour for the first 2/3 seasons before winning a LPGA Tour card for 2018. 
Gemma is a 5x Professional title winner including the biggest win of her career in at Toto Japan Classic in November 2022 defeating home faithful Kana Nagai by 4 shots to win for the first time on LPGA Tour. Gemma has also won in 2017 on ALPG Tour & 3x Rose Ladies Series event winner in 2020 & 2021 in events hosted by Justin & Kate Rose! In 2023 Gemma would make every cut at the 5 Majors including a career best T8th at 2023 Evian Championship & would get the nod of approval from European Solheim Cup Captain Suzann Pettersen to represent Team Europe at Finca Cortesin where she earned a Full Point in 2 matches in Spain, something that is still memorable for her to this day!
Gemma was great fun to have on and I enjoyed speaking to a fellow Scot! I hope you enjoy also!
Listen & Download on either of Podbean, Apple Podcasts or Spotify! I appreciate the support!

(Ep 144) Isabella Fierro

In the 21st player episode of 2024, Craig was joined by current LPGA Tour Rookie Isabella Fierro who calls in from Ohio to discuss life on LPGA Tour so far after winning her LPGA card finishing 9th overall on the Epson Tour last year!
Inspired & mentored by the legendary 27x LPGA Tour winner, former world number 1 & LPGA Hall of Famer Lorena Ochoa, Isabella talks about what Lorena's influence has had on her and for Mexican Golf in general!
Isabella is from Ciudad del Carmen in Mexico and took up Golf at the age of 4 Inspired by her father. She also went to the Oklahoma State University with the likes of Maja Stark and got to 28 in the WAGR at Amateur level which included multiple titles most notably 2017 North & South Women's Amateur Championship. Isabella also competed at 2021 Palmer Cup for Team International, 2021 NCAA Women's Match Championship, 2x at Augusta National Women's Amateur & finished 76th at 2022 Chevron Championship as an Amateur.  
Isabella turned Pro in 2023 where she would start on the Epson Tour and would shoot a final round 62 at Garden City Charity Classic to finish T2nd. She would also have runs in June with T11th at Island Resort Champs, T17th at Hartford Healthcare Women's Champs & T8th at Black Desert Resort Championship. She would finish the Epson Tour season with T3rd, T4th, a win at Tuscaloosa Classic and T8th at Epson Tour finals to gain LPGA Tour status for 2024. The most notable result for Isabella this year was the T23rd at Chevron Championship in April at the first major of the year! 
I wish Isabella all the best for the remainder of the year and hopefully she progresses next year! A very talented player for sure! Thanks Isabella!
Listen & Download on Podbean,  Spotify & Apple Podcasts 

(Ep 143) Portland Classic (with Scott Mader)

After an enthralling ending to the CPKC Women's Open in Calgary where on her 101st LPGA Tour start Lauren Coughlin finally became a LPGA Tour title winner after standing tall at a tough Earl Grey Golf Club defeating Mao Saigo by 2 shots while Haeran Ryu a stalwart for much of the tournament alongside Coughlin fell away to finish T3rd. Congratulations to former podcast guest Lauren on finally achieving her dreams! 
This week the LPGA heads to a familiar sport in the State of Oregon for the Portland Classic at the  ever present 6400+ yards  Columbia Edgewater Country Club which usually generates great scoring chances for the players and with sun & light winds expected it should be more of the see as Chanettee Wannasaen defends her title after romping to a 4 shot victory at -26 to Xiyu Lin to win as a qualifier at 19 years old. I am joined by Scott Mader as we try our best to guide you through the best plays of the week in what is an extremely weak field this year due to the Olympics being next week for the Women's side.
Be sure to follow myself @ThomsonGolf94 on Twitter for all LPGA content including the LPGA 6 as myself & 5 associates give our best picks of the week just for you lovely people. 
Listen & Download on Podbean, Spotify & Apple Podcasts, enjoy!

(Ep 142) Chiara Tamburlini

In another player episode of the podcast I was joined by the current number 1 ranked in the race for the Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year and 1x LET Winner Chiara Tamburlini who calls in from back home in Switzerland as she enjoys some time off before back to tournament action in mid August for the Scottish Open! It's been a great rookie season so far on the LET for Chiara with 5 Top 10's including a win by a whopping 7 shots at Joburg Ladies Open in April, a T2nd at Jabra Ladies Open at Evian Resort in May and a T3rd on her LET debut in Kenya.
Chiara talks about her journey into the game while having a successful Amateur and College Career playing in 4x European Amateur Team events for Switzerland, playing Espirito Santo Trophy,  playing 2x Palmer Cup's for International team and playing last year Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship! We found out how she has found Tour life so far while striking up friendships with many people. In 2023 Chiara would turn professional and on her first tournament played as a pro she would win the PGA Championship Gothenburg on the LETAS tour by 5 shots then a few weeks later with the Justin Rose backed Rose Ladies Open she would win that by 2 ultimately gaining her LET card after finishing 3rd overall! A couple of weeks ago Chiara would make her Major Championship debut at a Golf Course she has lots of experience at for the Evian Championship where she would make the weekend and finish T55th she would also play on the Saturday with none other than the Undisputed Number 1 Nelly Korda a surreal experience for anybody!
Chiara was a great guest and I hope you enjoy the episode. A super talented Golfer with the world at her feet. Loved this episode. Thanks to Chiara.
Download and listen via Podbean, Spotify & Apple Podcasts 

(Ep 141) The 152nd Open Championship (with Joe Idone)

After a sweet homecoming win at The Renaissance Club for Robert MacIntyre in dramatic fashion draining a 22ft birdie put on the 72nd to win his home Open and jump to a career high of 16th in the OWGR! It was a truly monumental day for Scotland!
 
We are at the final Major Championship of the year on the men's side for the most prestigious Championship in all of Golf for the right to be called 'The Champion Golfer of The Year' its the 152nd edition of The Open Championship at Royal Troon as we return to the Ayrshire Links for the first time in 8 years after the historic dual of 2016 between Henrik Stenson & Phil Mickelson who completed lapped the field that week as the Swede became a Major Champion for the first time! This pristine links has added an extra 190+ yards since 2016 and will play as 7,350 yards Par 71. You will need to have everything working as you navigate this testing golf course! 
I was joined by Joe Idone (@TourPicks) on X as we breakdown Royal Troon and who the contenders this week might be after Brian Harman's rout of Royal Liverpool last July! We have a strong hand of selections this week. Scottie Scheffler returns having missed Scottish Open last week while we all have out say on Rory, Xander, Bryson, Morikawa & Ludvig! Joe is one of the most respected names in the Golf Content Industry and done a really good job here of providing good information! Could we see an 11th different name in a row on the Claret Jug in what has definitely been the most unpredictable Major of the 4!
Listen & Download on Podbean, Spotify & Apple Podcast!
 
Thanks

(Ep 140) Amundi Evian Championship (with Ryan Ballengee)

We have reached the summer and the peak of the beautiful game! This week we are back in Evian-les-Bains, Haute Savoie by Lake Geneva for the 4th Major of the Year for the Major that by fellow pros still gets a lot of slander for its suitability to host a biggie. It's Evian week! One of the most beautiful places on earth with picturesque views of Lake Geneva but a very hilly and tricky Golf course at Evian Resort!
I am joined by Ryan Ballengee of Golf News Net to go over everything you need for the Major that was absolutely dominated last year by Celine Boutier who won by 6 shots to Brooke Henderson in the end! We go over the board from with our views on the top with World Number 1 Nelly Korda returning from a freak dog bite injury this week! Myself & Ryan give our views on who we like & who we are swerving this week with Craig really keen on a new Thai Major winner. We also call some mid range shouts and some long shots! It should be a good event!
Be sure to listen and to download on Podbean, Spotify & Apple Podcasts! 
 
Enjoy!