The final Smylie Show of 2025 is here — and there’s a LOT to unpack.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down the biggest golf storylines of the year, starting with the shocking news that Brooks Koepka is leaving LIV Golf, what that means for the league, and how it impacts players like Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm moving forward.

We dive into:

Then, we close out the year with a fun 2025 Year-in-Review game, debating the biggest moments in golf — from Rory McIlroy's grand slam, to the Internet Invitational, to some hilarious TGL bloopers involving Tiger Woods.

A mix of serious golf analysis, hot takes, and classic Smylie–Charlie banter to close out the year.

👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments — who had the moment of the year?

06:30 – Playing golf over the holidays + end-of-year reflections

16:00 – Why Brooks was never fully comfortable in LIV

19:30 – Can Brooks return to the PGA Tour?

23:00 – Rules, suspensions & politics around returning players

26:00 – Bryson DeChambeau’s leverage going forward

29:00 – Jon Rahm’s complicated situation

32:00 – LIV’s long-term future & roster depth

35:30 – Mito Pereira stepping away from LIV

38:30 – Was LIV still worth it financially?

41:30 – Big picture: where pro golf goes from here

45:00 – How we’re defining the “best moments” of the year

47:00 – Tommy Fleetwood’s year vs Justin Rose

49:30 – Frankie Fleetwood & emotional golf moments

52:00 – JJ Spaun’s Oakmont moment

55:00 – The Internet Invitational & YouTube golf explosion

58:00 – Scottie Scheffler at Portrush

1:01:00 – Why Scottie’s dominance feels different

1:04:00 – Pressure, greatness & defining careers

1:07:00 – Ryder Cup implications & away wins

1:10:00 – Europe vs USA mindset debate

1:13:00 – What moments actually last 10–15 years

1:16:00 – Final thoughts on the year in golf

1:18:30 – Wrap-up & closing

#golf #smylieshow #pgatour #liv #golfrecap #golfpodcast #smylieshow 

TGL is back for a second season after a maiden voyage that captivated a large audience, while leaving room for some upgrades that will roll out soon - and Smylie Kaufman & Charlie Hulme are here to break it all down on The Smylie Show.

Smylie is joined first by Roberto Castro with a big announcement! After playing an integral role in helping TMRW Sports develop the TGL competitive structure, Roberto will join the broadcast as an analyst providing insight on the many strategic elements at play.

Smylie and Charlie are then joined by a recurring guest - course architect Agustín Pizá - who dives deep into the imagination, strategy, and data behind his newest designs for TGL. 

From format tweaks and the evolving hammer rule to brand-new holes like Stinger and Cenote, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how TGL is blending elite golf, technology, and entertainment.

Like, comment, & subscribe to support the channel!

CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Welcome to The Smylie Show

00:39 – What This TGL Preview Episode Covers

01:00 – Roberto Castro Joins & Big Announcement

03:30 – How TGL Was Built From the Ground Up

07:30 – What Worked (and Didn’t) in TGL Season 1

10:45 – The Hammer Rule Explained & Why It Changed

14:00 – Why the Players Truly Bought Into TGL

17:30 – The In-Person vs TV Experience at SoFi Center

20:45 – Roberto Castro’s New Analyst Role

24:30 – Why TGL Is a Totally Different Broadcast Challenge

27:45 – Season 2 Team & Title Contenders

31:10 – Agustín Pizá Joins: Designing Golf for TGL

34:00 – Feedback From Players & Season 1 Learnings

37:00 – Tweaks to Fan-Favorite Holes (Flex, Spear, Plunder)

41:00 – New Hole: Stinger (Tiger Woods Influence)

47:00 – New Hole: Cenote & Playing Golf “Backwards”

55:30 – Why TGL Hole Design Is Just Getting Started

58:30 – Season 2 Expectations & Final Thoughts

#golf #golfhighlights #pgatour #golfcourse #golfpodcast #TGL #tigerwoods #smylieshow #smyliekaufman

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme open the show by breaking down the latest shifts in professional golf — from Tiger Woods’ role on the Future Competition Committee to the PGA Tour’s potential move toward a more condensed schedule.

Smylie is later joined by Golf Channel’s Steve Sands for a wide-ranging conversation on the Golf Channel Games, covering golf in the modern media era, Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler’s legacy moments, LIV Golf’s long-term impact, and what fans and broadcasters want from the future of the game.

Don't forget to like, comment, & subscribe! Thanks for tuning in ⛳️

00:00 – Welcome to The Smylie Show

01:10 – Winter golf, travel & working through swing changes

04:05 – Tiger Woods & the Future Competition Committee

08:00 – Condensed schedules, TV windows & golf’s business reality

12:05 – Player pathways, relegation & tour structure concerns

16:15 – What golf can learn from college football’s evolution

19:25 – LIV Golf leverage, contracts & returning players

23:50 – What happens to Korn Ferry & development tours?

28:10 – Is scarcity good for golf or risky?

33:45 – Smylie sets up the Golf Channel Games

34:30 – Steve Sands joins the show

36:10 – Inside the Optum Golf Channel Games format

38:45 – Rory vs. Scottie & Ryder Cup subplots

42:00 – Competitive fire, entertainment & miked-up stars

45:40 – Scottie Scheffler, Tiger Woods & handling the media

49:30 – Which players handle media pressure best?

54:15 – Is a 20–25 event PGA Tour season realistic?

#golf #golfmedia #golfchannel #smylieshow #smyliekaufman #pgatour #livgolf #golfhighlights #grantthornton #scottiescheffler #rorymcilroy

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme are back for a packed episode featuring a guest appearance from 2025 Australian Open champion Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen - fresh off his win at Royal Melbourne!

Charlie opens and closes the show with some heartfelt reflections following his father’s passing. The guys then jump into all the action from the Bahamas - Hideki Matsuyama’s outrageous short game and putter collection, grading Scottie Scheffler's first year with a new putting grip, Wyndham Clark’s viral “turf conditions” quote, and a behind-the-scenes look at Smylie's pro-am round in Albany.

Then Rasmus joins the show — jet-lagged, honest, and riding high. He walks Smylie through:

• The intense crowds in Australia

• Playing head-to-head with Cameron Smith

• How firm Royal Melbourne truly played

• The near-impossible chip on 18

• The pressure of closing out a win overseas

• How he processed the moment on a 20+ hour flight home

Thanks for watching — subscribe for more episodes, interviews, and weekly golf breakdowns!

CHAPTERS:

0:00 – Welcome Back

4:00 – Smylie’s Airline Disaster

10:00 – Hero World Challenge Reactions

15:00 – Hideki’s Iron Game & Short-Game Brilliance

20:00 – Why Hideki Tinkers With 400 Putters

26:00 – Alex Noren’s Rise & Unique Swing Rehearsal

32:00 – Shot Shape Trends & Modern Fade-Dominance

38:00 – Smylie’s Pro-Am Stories + Albany Short-Game Test

44:00 – Wyndham Clark’s Turf Comments & Course Debate

50:00 – Q-School Controversy: Weather, Contracts, and Fairness

56:00 – Rasmus Interview Begins

1:00:00 – Royal Melbourne Conditions & Massive Crowds

1:06:00 – The 18th Hole: Rasmus Breaks Down the Chip

1:12:00 – Fastest Greens? Comparing Sandbelt to Augusta

1:16:30 – Remembering Charlie's Dad

#golf #smylieshow #pgatour #golfhighlights 

Smylie Kaufman is joined by golf analytics authority Rick Gehman, the creator of RickRunGood.com and host of CBS Sports’ First Cut Podcast, for a deep dive into the world of golf data, modeling, betting edges, and modern player strategy.

Rick breaks down how the PGA TOUR is evolving through analytics, why driving is more valuable than ever, how players misinterpret ShotLink data, and where fans can actually find a meaningful betting advantage.

Smylie and Rick also get into:

- Why baseball analytics paved the way for golf

- How players should interpret their own ShotLink stats

- Why proximity is one of the most misunderstood metrics

- What really wins under pressure

- The biggest Ryder Cup mistakes made by Team USA

- Why the European model works — and how the U.S. can fix it

- Which rising players are primed for breakout seasons

- And the surprising ways modern players use (and misuse) data

This episode is packed with insight for golf fans, bettors, stat nerds, and players alike.

Don't forget to like, comment & subscribe to support the show!

CHAPTERS:

00:32 Rick’s background: baseball → data → golf

02:08 Building the golf database

03:27 Baseball analytics ⇄ golf analytics

04:38 How data changed modern golf

05:30 ShotLink: what players misunderstand

06:32 How younger players use tech + data

08:12 Why hitting driver is more valuable than ever

10:08 Misleading stats: Proximity explained

12:26 Real strategy: Driver vs. iron off the tee

14:06 Modeling golf courses & comp-course analysis

16:22 What pros ask Rick for (custom reports)

17:31 Predicting performance on new / unfamiliar courses

19:34 Ryder Cup breakdown: U.S. vs Europe strategy

21:03 Where Team USA went wrong

22:49 Pairing mistakes explained (Scheffler/Bryson, etc.)

24:59 Why Europe trusts data more effectively

27:15 If Rick ran Team USA strategy

29:20 Presidents Cup → How USA should use it better

31:36 Shot-shape & trajectory analytics (new radar data)

33:31 “Go-to shots” under pressure

35:02 Darts, proximity, and scoring insights

36:27 NEW stat idea: Strokes Gained Under Pressure

38:41 Bonus Putting metric

40:14 Rising talents who will break out

42:03 Players who maximize limited skillsets

45:06 The importance of speed in the modern game

49:05 Ben Griffin’s leap explained

51:28 The Jordan Spieth question

54:11 Chris Gotterup’s ceiling

56:00 Outro + In memoriam for Scott Hulme

#TheSmylieShow #RickGehman #GolfAnalytics #PGATour #GolfBetting #GolfStats #RickRunGood #GolfPodcast #DataGolf #ShotLink #GolfStrategy

Brad Dalke joins Smylie Kaufman following his victory at the Internet Invitational — an event that shattered YouTube golf records and introduced millions to one of the most talented ball-strikers in the creator space.

Brad breaks down:

• What the week was really like

• The emotion of winning alongside Francis and the late Cody “Beef” Franke

• How the million-dollar pressure exposed every golfer

• His unbelievable junior/amateur career (Thunderbird win at 13, 5 Wyndham Cups, U.S. Am finalist)

• Arm-wrestling Rory McIlroy at 13

• Battling driver issues through college & pro golf

• His unexpected transition into Good Good & YouTube stardom

• The future of creator golf, Big Break returning, and where he sees golf content headed

• Building the “perfect YouTube golfer”

Chapters below ↓

#TheSmylieShow #BradDalke #InternetInvitational #GoodGoodGolf #BobDoesSports #YouTubeGolf

⏱️ FULL CHAPTERS

00:00 – Brad Dalke Joins the Show

01:00 – Keeping the Win Secret (NDAs, wives, chaos)

03:00 – What the Internet Invitational Did for YouTube Golf

04:30 – How Brad Got Invited (Bob reaching out)

06:00 – Why the Format Worked Perfectly

07:10 – Draft Strategy & Riggs’ Captain Decisions

08:20 – Frankie’s Heartbreak 

10:00 – The Pink Jacket + Champions Dinner

11:30 – Francis’ Food Rituals

13:00 – Luke Kwon 

14:45 – Transition to Brad’s Junior/Amateur Greatness

15:30 – Starting Golf at 11 Months Old

17:00 – Junior Tour Battles with Scottie Scheffler

18:40 – AJGA Majors & Thunderbird Win at Age 13

19:50 – Committing to Oklahoma at 12 (!!)

22:00 – How Coach Hybl Shaped His Game

23:45 – Rory McIlroy Arm-Wrestling Story

27:30 – Pressure of Expectations vs. Pro Golf Reality

29:00 – Battling Driver Issues & the Low-Point Miss

31:30 – Finally Finding the Technical Fix

33:20 – Running Out of Money on the Mini Tours

35:00 – The God-Moment That Brought Him to Good Good

37:00 – What YouTube Golf Gave Him Back

38:20 – Behind the Scenes of Good Good Production

49:00 – Kids & Amateurs Asking Brad for Advice

51:20 – Building the Perfect YouTube Golfer

55:15 – The Return of Big Break & Brad’s Involvement

56:20 – Closing Thoughts

The PGA TOUR is changing — but is it changing for the better?

With the fall PGA TOUR season headed towards a close, Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme take a look some big category and card changes on the way for the 2026 PGA TOUR season. Smylie and Charlie take a look back at the 2025 season to examine how differences in points for signature and full-field events played out, and whether certain players benefited more than others in that structure.

PLUS — huge news: The Smylie Show is heading to GOLF CHANNEL beginning January 2026, airing Wednesdays at 9 AM Eastern. Smylie and Charlie reflect on the journey, what the TV version of the show will look like, and how the audience helped get the show here.

Tune in, subscribe, and stick around for more golf storytelling and behind-the-scenes insight!

Chapters ↓

00:55 — The Smylie Show is heading to the Golf Channel!

01:36 — Reflecting on the three-year journey of the show

03:06 — Show changes to look for in 2026

06:05 — Setting the Table: 2026 PGA Tour Rules & Categories

06:45 — Are PGA Points Fair? Full-Field vs Signature Debate

07:18 — The Maverick McNealy Case Study

08:22 — Is Winning a Full-Field Event Actually Harder?

10:13 — What the Data Says About Difficulty

11:45 — The 200-Point Problem

13:11 — Why Signature Events Give Huge Built-In Advantages

14:06 — Should a Top-10 Be Worth More in Full-Fields?

15:16 — How Signature Starts Create Long-Term Inequality

16:05 — Reviewing the Signature Event Chart (Audio Notes)

17:14 — Case Study: Kurt Kitayama vs Hideki Matsuyama

19:24 — Do Signature Events Artificially Inflate Some Players?

20:32 — Chris Gotterup & the “Late Season Unfairness” Issue

23:16 — Signature Events vs Full-Field: Who Really Benefits?

24:12 — How Players Ride Momentum — or Don’t

25:18 — Why You MUST Play Well Early on Today’s PGA Tour

26:21 — Low Full-Field Point Earners: Morikawa, Aberg, More

27:33 — The No-Cut Advantage Problem

29:06 — What the Tour Actually Wants: Star Protection

29:26 — Tony Finau vs Gary Woodland Breakdown

31:43 — Can You Play Your Way Off Tour With Signature Starts?

32:35 — Adam Scott & Max Homa Examples

34:51 — Rickie Fowler’s Special Case

36:23 — Why Sponsors Will Always Influence Signature Events

37:14 — Golf Is Niche — And That Shapes the Entire System

38:18 — What the Top-100 Cut Means for Journeymen

39:04 — The New 2026 Rules: Field Sizes, 120-Player Players, Q-School

41:23 — DP World Tour vs Korn Ferry: Who Deserves More Spots?

44:41 — Should the DPWT Really Get 10 Cards?

47:55 — The DPWT’s Crossroads: PGA Tour vs LIV

49:45 — Reviewing This Year’s DPWT Grads

52:02 — The Challenge of Jumping from Europe to the PGA Tour

54:07 — Breaking Down the 101–150 Conditional Groups

56:14 — Past Champion Category & Where Smylie Would Slot In

57:31 — Tiger Woods Leading the Competition Committee

#smylieshow #pgatour #golfchannel #golfnews #golfpodcast #golf

Before Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme get to golf’s biggest news of the past week - LIV Golf moving from 54 to 72 holes - we begin by detailing Smylie’s brutal onset of “dad back” that left him crawling around the house. Charlie then recounts his cathartic return to golf at Hidden Creek - from a rain-soaked finish to a well-deserved steam shower.

From there, the guys dig into LIV’s move to 72-hole events: does it help majors performance, OWGR hopes, or brand identity? They hit fan reactions, Rory’s take, player pathways, and why 72 holes might help some stars while blurring what made LIV different.

In the back half of the episode, they tackle the DP World Tour dilemma: Rahm and Hatton’s appeals, Ryder Cup eligibility, the PGA Tour partnership, TV product realities, and whether “home games,” nations, or mixed-gender teams could make team golf click.

00:00 On the road; off-season check-in

00:28 “Dad-back” hits: stairs, stroller, and full-body spasms

04:59 Crawling the house, bathroom saga, and the recovery plan

07:24 Dry needling, PT, and week-to-week swing timeline

07:50 Hidden Creek trip: first rounds back after surgery

09:51 Birdies in a downpour, finishing 18, and the steam-shower reward

12:50 News segue: DP World Tour wrap, Ben Griffin’s win, LIV headlines

13:31 Main topic: LIV moves from 54 to 72—first reactions

14:16 OWGR reality vs format; the closed-shop and pathways problem

15:38 Preparing for majors versus blurring LIV’s brand identity

17:02 Rory’s comments and field-strength implications

18:05 What would actually move the needle: tee times, relegation, field size

18:49 Why 54 could create different winners vs 72’s “truer” leaderboard

19:29 Shotgun starts, sleeping on leads, and pressure differences

21:22 Everyone backtracks sometimes: gear, coaches, and sports takes

25:06 “54” spin vs holes played; player-lens view on 72 vs 54

26:21 The game-within-the-game over 72 holes; form building before majors

27:16 Major-exemption math and why results at the majors are the judge

33:13 Expectation-setting for LIV at the Masters and beyond

34:19 Shift to DP World Tour: Rahm/Hatton appeals, fines, and Ryder Cup stakes

35:36 DPWT’s position in the ecosystem: partner with PGA Tour or pivot toward LIV?

40:03 Funding realities, TV product challenges, and sustainability questions

41:12 What if DPWT had been the Saudi-backed “strong international tour”?

42:42 US TV windows vs international schedules; business trade-offs

45:20 Team-golf ideas: legends + current pros + LPGA, or nations-based squads

46:47 Nations/home-game model and why fans might care more

47:35 Make it a fun product, not an OWGR product; formats beyond 72-hole stroke play

50:05 Borrowing from what works in modern golf content without breaking broadcast logic

51:26 Tape delay vs betting/live; what matters for engagement and sponsors

53:14 Bottom line: does the 72-hole shift simply aim at better major results?

53:41 Has LIV created a star? Tom McKibbin as a possible homegrown example

55:16 DPWT cards via top-10 pathway; late-season stakes and names to watch (closing)

 #Golf #SmylieShow #LIVGolf #PGATour #DPWorldTour #OWGR #RyderCup #JonRahm #TyrrellHatton #HiddenCreek #GolfPodcast

Smylie Kaufman catches up with newly-minted PGA TOUR winner (and card recipient!) Michael Brennan about the whirlwind since his Bank of Utah Championship win: a week off to reset, the celebration at River Creek in Leesburg, and how a painful late collapse in Canada shaped his Sunday mindset in Utah.

Michael also breaks down the training he did to reach 135 mph of clubhead speed, the detailed tracking app he uses to strategize at golf courses he's never played before, and tells a wild near-abduction story while traveling to a PGA TOUR Americas event.

This is a must-watch for anyone chasing the dream — from junior golfers to aspiring pros.

👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more behind-the-scenes stories from golf’s biggest personalities.

#Golf #PGATour #TheSmylieShow #MichaelBrennan #GolfPodcast #SmylieKaufman

00:00 – Smylie welcomes PGA TOUR winner Michael Brennan

01:00 – Processing the win and fan support at home

03:00 – Learning to reset after victory

04:00 – Early recruitment and choosing Wake Forest

06:00 – Building speed and power in college

09:00 – Lessons from Rory and Scotty’s swings

10:00 – From average junior to 190 mph ball speeds

12:00 – Winning eight times in college — and the ups & downs

15:00 – Managing expectations and burnout as a young golfer

17:00 – Missing Korn Ferry status by one spot

19:00 – Crushing disappointment in Toronto and how it shaped him

22:00 – The collapse: five-shot lead turned nightmare

25:00 – What he learned — and how it fueled his next season

26:00 – Deep dive: Using “UpGame” analytics to train smarter

30:00 – How data changed his golf strategy

32:00 – Working with his caddie Jeff and modern prep for PGA TOUR

33:00 – Nightmare travel story: “I thought I was being abducted in Rio”

41:00 – How playing at elevation prepared him for Utah

43:00 – Meeting his caddie and building trust on the road

45:00 – Getting a last-minute sponsor’s exemption to Utah

47:00 – Closing it out under pressure — redemption for Toronto

50:00 – Lessons from Smylie’s own first win

51:00 – Michael’s next steps — moving to Jacksonville, prepping for 2025

52:30 – Smylie’s final thoughts & Brennan’s message to fans

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme kick off this week’s episode catching up on dad life, bedtime chaos, and a wild rant about Brian Kelly’s LSU exit before diving deep into the rise of sports gambling in professional golf — and whether it could ever impact the PGA Tour.

Then, Smylie sits down with Mason Howell, the 18-year-old phenom who won the 2025 U.S. Amateur Championship — making him the third-youngest champion in history. Mason opens up about:

• His emotional journey from small-town Georgia to golf’s biggest stage

• What it felt like to qualify for the U.S. Open and earn a Masters invite

• Competing against top amateurs like Tommy Morrison and Ben James

• The pressures of high school life after winning one of golf’s biggest titles

A can’t-miss conversation about the next great name in golf.

00:00 Dad life updates and bedtime chaos

04:30 LSU, Brian Kelly, and college football chaos

11:15 Gambling scandals

19:10 Could golf ever face a gambling crisis?

27:10 How betting affects players and fans

31:40 Mason Howell Interview

32:00 Life after winning the U.S. Am — back to high school reality

33:40 Growing up in Thomasville and discovering golf

36:20 Qualifying for the U.S. Open at 18 years old

39:10 Competing at Oakmont and learning from the pros

43:15 The grind of the U.S. Amateur at Olympic Club

47:45 Facing Tommy Morrison and Ben James in match play

49:50 Taking down John Daly in a thriller

51:00 Securing Masters and Walker Cup spots

54:00 What’s next for Mason Howell

1:12:10 Smylie’s thoughts on the next wave of young golf talent

1:16:25 Comparing today’s amateur game to the PGA Tour

1:20:00 Charlie’s take: what makes great golfers stand out early

1:24:10 Smylie shares his Masters memories

1:29:00 Wrapping up — offseason plans and what’s next on The Smylie Show

🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts 📺 Watch full episodes weekly here on The Smylie Show

#golf #TheSmylieShow #SmylieKaufman #MasonHowell #USAmateur #GolfPodcast #GolfLife #PGA #Masters #GeorgiaGolf #AmateurGolf #NextGenGolf #GolfInterview #GolfContent #GolfTalk