This Week on Next on the Tee

On this week’s episode, I’m joined by two incredible guests who bring unique perspectives from both the sports media and golf worlds.

First up is Justin LaBar, General Manager of TribLIVE’s High School Sports Network and longtime content creator for TribLIVE. Justin shares his journey from attending Point Park University in Pittsburgh to covering Super Bowl 43 in Tampa as a student journalist, and eventually transitioning straight into a full-time role at the Trib. He also reflects on the special Father’s Day he spent with his dad at this year’s U.S. Open. Beyond his media career, Justin is also a well-known pro wrestling analyst and weekend host on SiriusXM’s Busted Open radio show. He’s full of great stories and insights you won’t want to miss.

Then, I’m joined by 2-time PGA Tour winner and 4-time Hall of Fame inductee Richard Zokol. Richard makes his 8th appearance on the show, and this time we focus on the mental side of the game. He shares a preview of his upcoming book, Zokology: Winning With Your Mind, set to be released on Father’s Day 2026. Richard opens up about how to overcome self-imposed expectations and those placed on you, strategies for quieting mental noise, and how a Sony Walkman helped him win on Tour. We also look back at his memorable front-nine 30 during the final round of the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and why you should celebrate your own accomplishments.

Both conversations are insightful, inspiring, and filled with powerful takeaways. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

In Part 1 of this week’s Next on the Tee, I had the pleasure of visiting Pittsburgh Brewing Company and sitting down with their amazing Marketing Director, Rachel Gill. Rachel shares the story behind the evolution of this iconic brand—it’s not just your grandfather’s Iron City anymore. While staying true to classics like Iron City and IC Light, they’re also brewing exciting craft selections like Pool Side and Block House Blueberry Wheat.

We talk about their stunning new facility, built on the historic site of the old Pittsburgh Glass Works, and their impressive on-site concert venue that’s quickly becoming a must-visit destination—set to host country legends Alabama during U.S. Open week and Joan Jett later this summer.

Then I got a surprise guest—Rosalie Wisotzski, a spirited golfer who’s played Oakmont and just returned from a dream trip to St. Andrews. She, her stories, perspective, and love of the game were absolutely captivating. I'm so glad she stopped by—you will be too.

It’s a fun, inspiring, and very Pittsburgh kind of episode.

In Part 2 of this week’s episode of Next on the Tee, I’m joined by someone quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite guests—Bill Mallon. Bill’s remarkable journey through golf, medicine, and the story of tickets to the 1980 Winter Olympics that he gave to his father, is one you won’t want to miss.

A former standout amateur and 2x All-American at Duke, Bill captured 43 amateur titles, including the Massachusetts and New England Amateurs twice each. He played on the PGA Tour from 1975 to 1979 and teed it up in the 1977 U.S. Open at Southern Hills—an event made unforgettable by winner Hubert Green playing through death threats, a moment Bill experienced firsthand.

After his time on Tour, Bill returned to Duke for medical school and went on to become one of the country’s top orthopedic surgeons. He also shares an unforgettable story about the time he and Gary McCord set the PGA Tour record for the fastest round ever played—finishing in just 1 hour and 26 minutes at Harbour Town in 1977, a developing story that caught the attention of TV cameras and eventually Commissioner Deane Beman.

We also dive into Bill’s passion as an Olympic historian, including a powerful and emotional story about gifting his father tickets to the 1980 Winter Olympics to see speed skating legend Eric Heiden—a moment that would become part of his father’s final words years later.

This is an episode filled with incredible stories, heartfelt moments, and the kind of perspective only someone like Bill Mallon can bring.

This week on Next on the Tee, I’m joined by two incredible guests who each bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and heart to the game.

First up is former PGA Tour Pro Joe Inman, whose remarkable career includes being a 3-time All-American at Wake Forest, winner of the Arnold Palmer Award in 1969, and a member of that year’s victorious U.S. Walker Cup team. Joe takes us back through the majors he played at Oakmont, the '69 U.S. Amateur, the '78 PGA Championship, and the '83 U.S. Open. Plus he talks about playing with and against future legends Lanny Watkins, Steve Melnyk, Allen Miller, Tom Watson, Jay Siegel, and Paul Purtzer in the Walker Cup and at the US Amateur. Joe’s peers say he’d make the perfect PGA Tour Commissioner—and after hearing this conversation, you might agree with that they're right.

Then, we welcome back our resident “Confidence Doctor” Dr. Bob Winters. In his regular monthly segment, Doc shares stories from his early days in the game, including a touching memory of meeting the great Jim Dent. As always, he brings unmatched positivity and teaches us how to build lasting confidence both on and off the course.

In Part 2 of Episode 25, my gumba Rob Strano joins me to celebrate the grand opening of his new state-of-the-art golf academy in the Florida panhandle. Rob takes us back to his days playing on Tour, sharing reflections on what he calls the “Uecker effect” which he unfairly depicts his PGA Tour career, since he became one of the 1% of the 1% who reached the elite level of the sport. He also recounts a wild story involving what might just be a Tour record on a par 5 at Smithfield Country Club. We also talk about the power of belief, mindset, and staying positive—both on the course and in life.

Then, I’m joined by the Confidence Doctor himself, Dr. Bob Winters. Doc shares stories from his recent travels, including a golf-filled trip to a lesser-known Hawaiian island. With the U.S. Women’s Open last week, we discuss some of the players he’s currently working with in the field, plus the incredible work one of his students is doing for junior golfers across Asia and the Philippines. It’s a fun and insightful wrap to another fun episode.

In this week’s episode of Next on the Tee, we kick things off with our resident Director of Instruction Tom Patri. After a long drive from Key West to Naples, a quick round of golf with students, and another sprint home just to make it on the show, TP shows up delightfully “extra crispy.” Tom shares his expert thoughts on this year’s PGA Championship, including whether the tournament should’ve implemented lift, clean, and place rules after heavy rain left the course saturated—something that cost Scottie Scheffler a couple of strokes thanks to a muddy fairway lie. We also dive into his experiences playing Oakmont both with and without trees, and what makes its lightning-fast greens and 6-inch rough such a brutal test of golf.

Then, we’re joined by 2013 Senior Open Champion Mark Wiebe, who brings his trademark candor, wit, and honesty back to the show. Mark shares behind-the-scenes stories the PGA Tour would rather keep quiet, including past efforts by the players to form a players’ union, the contrast between today’s luxury tour travel and the motels and coach flights of his era, and his own memories of facing Oakmont’s fierce layout.

It’s a mix of golf wisdom, honesty, and humor you won’t want to miss.

In this very special edition of Next on the Tee, I welcome back one of the greatest players in golf history—Mr. Gary Player. For the past 12 years,I've had the incredible honor of spending time with Mr. Player, a true legend whose achievements on and off the course are unmatched. With more worldwide victories than any other golfer and the distinction of being the only player to complete the career Grand Slam on both the PGA and Champions Tours, Gary Player’s place in golf history is undeniable. As Rory McIlroy joins the elite Grand Slam club, Mr. Player reflects on the significance of that achievement and the greatness of fellow legends like Ben Hogan and Bobby Lcke. He also shares powerful insights on mental strength, preparing for major championship pressure, and the evolution of his own golf swing and putting stroke. Mr. Player offers fond memories of the U.S. Opens he played at Oakmont, including holding the 36-hole lead in 1973, and takes us back to his Masters victories—especially the emotional reception he received at Augusta in 1978. Now approaching 90, his enthusiasm for life and the game remains as vibrant as ever. This episode is a heartfelt celebration of a remarkable man and the enduring friendship he’s shared with the show since being its very first guest.

In Part 2 of this week’s Next on the Tee, I’m joined by Champions Tour and European Legends Tour standout Clark Dennis. Over the past few years, I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Clark, including spending time with him at last year’s Mitsubishi Electric Classic here in Atlanta. Clark has had an impressive career with 9 professional victories so far, including five recent wins on the Legends Tour including back-to-back titles at the Italian Open in 2017 and 2018 and last June's victory at Costa Navarino. We revisit his memorable T6 finish at the 1994 U.S. Open at Oakmont—a brutally hot week in Pittsburgh that played to his advantage as a native Texan. Clark also shares the incredible story of qualifying for both the 2023 U.S. Open and Senior U.S. Open on back-to-back days, earning medalist honors in each. With the Senior PGA Championship at Congressional on the horizon, we talk about his preparation for that event, and he reflects proudly on his son Will, who’s now caddying for rising PGA Tour star Sam Stevens, currently ranked inside the Top 100. It’s a fantastic conversation filled with great stories and insight from one of the game’s most seasoned pros.