Billy Ray Brown joins us for a wide-ranging conversation filled with the stories behind some of golf’s most memorable moments. A three-time PGA Tour winner, NCAA individual champion, three-time NCAA team champion, four-time All-American, and longtime broadcaster, Billy Ray has experienced the sport from inside the ropes and inside the television booth.

We revisit his remarkable years at the University of Houston, where he shared campus life with Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Carl Lewis, Steve Elkington, and Jim Nantz. Billy Ray explains how a difficult Christmas Day phone call changed his career, why putting the team first helped him win an individual national championship, and how Curtis Strange and Hale Irwin prepared him to contend at the 1990 U.S. Open.

He also shares stories about Fred Couples winning the Masters, facing Raymond Floyd in a playoff, calling Tiger Woods’ unforgettable World Cup putt in Japan, and joining Jim Nantz for Jim Furyk’s historic 58. It is an honest, funny, and deeply personal look at golf history, pressure, friendship, mentorship, and broadcasting. Listen now and enjoy the stories behind the highlights.

Timestamps:

(00:00:01) – Introducing Billy Ray Brown from Detroit
(00:01:47) – The golden era of University of Houston athletics
(00:03:47) – Clyde Drexler, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Carl Lewis in college
(00:06:04) – Dorm stories, practical jokes, and lifelong friendships
(00:08:25) – Houston’s championship coaches and winning culture
(00:11:01) – Choosing golf over football and the Brown family legacy
(00:12:30) – An NCAA champion who remained the football ball boy
(00:15:49) – The championship ring that flew onto the Cotton Bowl field
(00:17:01) – Struggling to make Houston’s starting golf lineup
(00:18:50) – The Christmas Day phone call that changed everything
(00:20:18) – Winning the NCAA individual title at Pinehurst No. 2
(00:23:11) – Why team golf fueled individual success
(00:25:25) – From three-star recruit to college golf champion
(00:26:01) – Billy Ray’s old-school philosophy on short-game feel
(00:28:27) – Learning the PGA Tour from Houston golf legends
(00:29:09) – Fred Couples’ advice for handling pressure and success
(00:30:49) – Curtis Strange prepares Billy Ray for the U.S. Open lead
(00:32:27) – Hale Irwin’s final-round message at Medinah
(00:34:46) – Why golf’s fiercest competitors helped a young player
(00:37:02) – Injuries, Ryder Cup dreams, and moving into television
(00:38:24) – Curtis Strange pushes Billy Ray into broadcasting
(00:39:12) – The preparation fans never see behind a sports broadcast
(00:40:27) – Why a television crew operates like a sports team
(00:42:00) – Sleeping on the lead at the 1990 U.S. Open
(00:43:45) – Recovering from a late bogey under major pressure
(00:45:01) – Needing birdie on Medinah’s 18th hole
(00:47:14) – Returning to face the same U.S. Open putt six months later
(00:48:53) – Racing from the U.S. Open to a New York golf outing
(00:50:17) – Defeating Raymond Floyd in a Texas playoff
(00:51:48) – Fred Couples wins the Masters with Jim Nantz on the call
(00:53:49) – The emotional Houston connection behind that Masters win
(00:56:01) – Working alongside former college friend Jim Nantz
(00:57:16) – This Justin rapid-fire questions
(00:58:20) – Billy Ray’s most nervous tee shots
(01:00:08) – Beating Greg Norman in an Augusta money game
(01:01:10) – Calling Tiger Woods’ unforgettable World Cup putt in Japan
(01:02:27) – Calling Jim Furyk’s historic 58 with Jim Nantz
(01:04:07) – Why great broadcasters sometimes say nothing
(01:04:50) – Final reflections on friendship, teamwork, and golf
(01:05:45) – Billy Ray and Justin prepare to go live in Detroit

Key Topics:

Billy Ray Brown’s three PGA Tour victories and championship career

University of Houston golf, Phi Slama Jama, and its golden era of athletes

Curtis Strange and Hale Irwin mentoring Billy Ray at the 1990 U.S. Open

Fred Couples, Jim Nantz, and the emotional story behind the 1992 Masters

Tiger Woods’ 72nd-hole World Cup putt and iconic ABC broadcast call

The transition from PGA Tour competitor to longtime golf broadcaster

️ About Billy Ray Brown:

Billy Ray Brown is a three-time PGA Tour winner, NCAA individual champion, three-time NCAA team champion, and four-time All-American at the University of Houston. After his professional playing career, he became a longtime golf broadcaster, bringing firsthand competitive insight, humor, and authenticity to television coverage.

️ About the JustIn Time Podcast:

The JustIn Time Podcast brings you exclusive, in-depth conversations with the biggest names in sports and beyond. As veteran broadcasters, Justin brings unfiltered discussions with legendary coaches, professional athletes, and influential figures who share their remarkable journeys and behind-the-scenes stories you won’t hear anywhere else.

Subscribe now on any major platform to never miss an episode of these timeless conversations.

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