Episode 171: Flagstick Open / PGA Championship & The Magazine Re-Launch

In this episode, hosts Jeff Bauder and Scott MacLeod catch up on early-season golf plans, including Jeff's recent visit to the grand opening of Archies Golf TopTracer Range. They also follow up on the heavy listener response to their previous golf etiquette segment, debating whether the responsibility for player education falls on local associations, courses, or peers. The Front Nine shifts focus to local competition with a full recap of the 14th Flagstick Open Amateur Championship presented by TaylorMade Canada & Levelwear. The hosts break down the tournament conditions, player responses, and the course's most critical stretches—including the daunting "Rideau Triangle." Ultimately, Brendan Kuffner of the Royal Ottawa Golf Club captured the title with a stellar 66-70 (-8) performance, holding off runner-up Hudson Turcotte by two strokes. On the Back Nine, the conversation heads to Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania for a breakdown of the 2026 PGA Championship. The hosts recap a historic major finish where England’s Aaron Rai shot a brilliant, bogey-free 65 on Sunday—highlighted by a massive 68-foot birdie putt on the 17th—to secure a three-shot victory and his first Wanamaker Trophy. They review the leaderboard push from chasers like Jon Rahm, Alex Smalley, and Justin Thomas, while noting the brutal course conditions that caused pre-tournament favorites like Bryson DeChambeau and Viktor Hovland to miss the cut. Finally, the guys wrap up the show with an inside look at Flagstick’s highly anticipated return to physical print, discussing the logistics behind the process and when readers can expect to grab a copy. This episode is presented by GolfPEI, with additional support from Metcalfe Golf and Falcon Ridge Golf Club. Music by: https://www.bensound.com/free-music-for-videos License certificate #: 2227748