This Shouldn’t Count as a Win… But It Does
Nelly Korda continues her quiet dominance, winning the Chevron Championship by five shots and reinforcing her place as the top American player of her generation.
But on the PGA Tour, things were far less straightforward.
This week on Tough Lies, Colin and Richard break down the bizarre but compelling finish at the Zurich Classic, where Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick blew a four-shot lead on the back nine — only to make a clutch birdie on the 18th hole to win. The victory comes with controversy, as Alex entered on a sponsor’s exemption and now earns a two-year PGA Tour exemption along with entry into elevated events and major championships.
The conversation then turns to a bigger question: does team golf actually work at the professional level? While formats like the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup thrive on identity and meaning, events like Zurich — and the broader LIV team model — continue to struggle for relevance. Colin teases a different vision for how team golf could work in the future.
The guys also touch on changes within the PGA Tour, including staffing cuts under new CEO Brian Rolapp and evolving rules that may be reshaping how the game is played.
Plus: stories from New Orleans, a look at alternative scoring formats, and a MindTRAK moment on why pressure — not format — ultimately defines great golf.
“Because the toughest lies in golf aren’t always on the course.”
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Thanks for listening to Tough Lies ~ The Golfer's Podcast
~ with Colin McDougall & Richard Zokol.
What is Tough Lies ~ The Golfer's Podcast?
Tough Lies – The Golfer’s Podcast is where golf’s harder conversations finally get airtime.
Hosted by PGA Tour veteran Richard Zokol and marketing strategist Colin McDougall, Tough Lies goes beyond equipment launches and leaderboard chatter to explore the real issues shaping the modern game — from the mental side of competition and modern professional golf, to the narratives and assumptions shaping the game, questioned thoughtfully, critically, and constructively.
Each episode blends insider perspective with candid conversation, featuring stories from inside the ropes, lessons learned the hard way, and thoughtful takes on where the game is headed — and why.
This isn’t hot takes for clicks. It’s honest dialogue, grounded experience, and constructive debate — for golfers who love the game enough to question it.
If you’ve ever thought “someone should talk about this” while watching golf… this is that podcast.