<p>Welcome to this week’s edition of <b>Next on the Tee — where golf legends live and your game gets better.</b> I truly appreciate you being here and pressing play.</p> <p>I’m really excited to share this episode with you because it features <b>two wonderful friends</b>—one who has been very dear to me for years and another new friend who I hope will be joining me many times going forward.</p> <p>Leading things off is <b>Matthew Laurance</b>, a longtime favorite of this show and someone I’ve been blessed to call a close friend. Many of you know Matthew from his iconic role as <b>Sal Amatto</b>, the fictional bass player in <i>Eddie &amp; the Cruisers</i>—easily one of my all-time favorite movies. What started as a social media connection grew into appearances on <i>Thursday Night Tailgate</i>, and those conversations eventually turned into a genuine friendship.</p> <p>This time around, Matthew shares his thoughts on the <b>direction the PGA Tour appears to be heading</b>, which feels like a sharp turn away from the long-standing focus on “growing the game.” We also dive into why <b>Seve became his all-time favorite player</b>, his lingering disappointment from the 1986 Masters, and revisit stories from <i>Eddie &amp; the Cruisers</i>—including what it’s like for him when <i>On the Dark Side</i> comes on the radio while he’s driving.</p> <p>In <b>Segment 2</b>, I’m thrilled to welcome <b>Steve Strano</b> for his <i>Next on the Tee</i> debut. Steve is the son of my gumba Rob Strano, so you know right away he’s going to be a great guest. Steve is an entrepreneur who is helping to resurrect a <b>legendary and nearly forgotten brand of putters</b>.</p> <p>That brand is <b>Otey Putters</b>, which helped legends like <b>Jimmy Demaret, Dr. Cary Middlecoff, Jackie Burke Jr., and Doug Ford</b> win <b>five Masters between 1947 and 1957</b>. Steve’s passion for Otey is contagious, and during our conversation, he had me completely fired up about these beautifully handcrafted putters, still made in their original factory in <b>Selma, Alabama</b>, by <b>Otey Crisman III</b>, the son of former PGA Tour pro Otey Crisman.</p> <p>You’re going to love Steve’s energy, his respect for the history of the brand, and the care that goes into every putter. Be sure to check them out at <b>OteyThree.com</b>.</p> <p>Thanks again for being here and for pressing play on this week’s show. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.</p>