The Smylie Show

In a recent appearance on the "Stick To Football" podcast, Rory McIlroy made hugely surprising comments on LIV Golf after spending the better part of the last year or two criticizing the tour. Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme listen and react to several key excerpts from Rory's appearance on STF, before previewing the 2024 PGA Tour season + what lies beyond for the Tour with expected changes coming in 2025.

Checking in to let you know we haven't gone anywhere! Just enjoying a holiday break, and hope you are as well. We'll see you with new episodes in 2024!

In their last podcast episode of 2023, Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme discuss a number of recent storylines in the game of golf, including Tiger Woods playing with his son Charlie at the PNC Championship (and perhaps continuing to drop hints about playing the Champions Tour in a few years). SK and CH cover the latest developments in the Tour's negotiations with both a consortium of investors and the PIF, recent comments made by Viktor Hovland, and a group of players upset by the 2024 structure of "signature" events. Smylie also gives some great tips to anyone playing in windy conditions this winter.

With 2023 nearly in the books, Ludvig Åberg looks back on an incredible year - that he began as a college student at Texas Tech, and ended as a PGA Tour & Ryder Cup winner - with Smylie Kaufman. Ludvig discusses his formative years learning the game of golf in Sweden, a caddie change that he thinks will position him well for major championship success, and which of those majors he is most looking forward to in 2024. As Ludvig heads home for the holidays, he closes the show by sharing a uniquely Swedish Christmas tradition.

After weeks of rumors, the bombshell news that Jon Rahm is leaving the PGA Tour for LIV Golf has finally been announced. Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme listen to some statements Rahm has made in the past two years related to LIV, and react to both his shift in tone and what this means for the future of professional golf.

With the rumored news of a universal golf ball rollback now made official by the USGA and the R&A, Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme discuss the strong reaction to the news on social media and elsewhere, what the actual impact will be in the short and long term, and the PGA Tour's response to those two governing bodies.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down yet another eventful week in golf's "offseason," with Smylie's live from the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. SK & CH cover Tiger Woods' return to competitive golf after an injury at the 2023 Masters and predict his 2024 playing schedule, discuss the growing rumors that world #3 Jon Rahm will depart the PGA Tour for LIV, and react to the news that the USGA and R&A plan to roll the golf ball back for not only professionals, but all amateur players as well.

Fresh off his win at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa (and quick trip back to Las Vegas to play in the Netflix Cup), Max Homa joins Smylie Kaufman for a wide-ranging conversation covering stories from Max's time at Cal, to memories from his first year of fatherhood. While Max is now the 7th-ranked player in the world, he worked hard to establish himself on the PGA Tour, a struggle he and Smylie shared. Max and Smylie look at swing video tracking Max's progress to where he is now, a place he finds "aesthetically pleasing."

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down an unusually robust docket of fall golf news, beginning with a first PGA Tour win for a star in the making, Ludvig Åberg. News breaks during the show that the launch of the TGL, an indoor golf league founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy featuring PGA Tour stars, will be postponed a year due to structural damage at the brand new venue when the roof collapsed. Finally, Tiger's return at the Hero World Challenge is discussed, including what should be expected from Tiger playing his first competitive golf since withdrawing from the 2023 Masters.

Lance Armstrong joins Smylie Kaufman to discuss a wide range of topics, from his battle with cancer - one he shares with Smylie's producer and co-host, Charlie Hulme - to the complicated reconciliation of his brilliance as a cyclist with the rampant doping that clouded the sport for years. Lance also shares about his obsession with the game of golf, and how it has helped him bounce back from life's low points.

Smylie and Charlie recap the second emotional victory in a matter of weeks on the PGA Tour, as Camilo Villegas dedicates a win to the memory of his daughter Mia at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. They also discuss Rory McIlroy's comments - and Tiger Woods' attempted intervention - on Patrick Cantlay and Joe LaCava. University of North Carolina juniors - and two of the top-ranked amateur players in the world - David & Maxwell Ford join the show ahead of their start in the RSM Classic this week.

Smylie is joined by Erik van Rooyen following an incredibly emotional few days for the latest winner on the PGA Tour. Erik and his caddie Alex Gaugert celebrated their win at the World Wide Technology Championship with heavy hearts, as their friend and college teammate Jon Trasamar processes his final days with a terminal cancer diagnosis. Erik played brilliantly in his last nine holes at the WWT, shooting an 8-under 28 to win the tournament and dedicate the victory to Jon. Erik and Alex then traveled immediately to see Jon, and shares some of the memories made on that visit. Erik's win was incredibly significant for his career as well - he entered the week sitting in the 125th, and final, spot on the FedEx Cup points list that would earn him a Tour card next season, and with the win, he guaranteed his full status for 2024.

Smylie is joined by fellow Birmingham, Alabama native Gordon Sargent, who has already clinched his PGA Tour card as a junior at Vanderbilt via the PGA Tour U Accelerated program. Gordon discusses the special invitation he received to the 2023 Masters and what he learned in his week at Augusta National, his elite driving skill that has already earned the admiration of Tour veterans like Adam Scott, and his wild putt on the 72nd hole of the 2023 U.S. Open that went viral. Gordon also details the decision he'll be making as to whether he'll stay in school for his senior year, or turn pro after this season.

We begin today's episode by recapping Smylie's week in Jupiter getting a sneak preview of the new course Justin Thomas designed alongside Jack Nicklaus - Panther National - and then playing Michael Jordan's course, Grove XXIII, with JT the next day. We then welcome Michael Wolf - aka "Bama Bearcat" on X - to the show to discuss course architecture, and the leak of Golf Magazine's World Top 100 courses list.

Smylie Kaufman is joined by six-time PGA Tour victor, winner of the 2023 Tour Championship and FedEx Cup, and the de facto MVP of the 2023 Ryder Cup - Viktor Hovland. Viktor covers everything from how he got hooked on death metal, to the transformative short game work he did this year with Joe Mayo, to his chip-in (with Smylie's call!) on the first hole at the Ryder Cup.

1:54 Ryder Cup songs + what he's been up to since

5:40 The origins of his golf game

14:02 How he got into death metal

16:41 College years at Oklahoma State

21:00 Early pro years and "Big Three" with Morikawa & Wolff

23:58 Short game work with Joe Mayo (video breakdown)

42:31 Smylie's prediction on Golf Digest pod

47:18 Smylie covering Viktor's Friday AM foursomes group at Ryder Cup

53:11 Playing with Ludvig Åberg

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down Collin Morikawa's first win since the 2021 Open Championship, and whether his win at the Zozo Championship could be the springboard for a big 2024 season. They also discuss Phil Mickelson's comments about tons of players being interested in making the jump to LIV golf, and try to realistically figure out who those players could be. Plus - a former Ryder Cup captain makes a strong statement about whether he'll continue as part of the Team USA backroom staff.

Michael Neff, creator of the GEARS Sports system that maps 3D models of the golf swing, joins Smylie to discuss the origins of his invention and the Tour pros he works with now. Michael breaks down Smylie's swing, in addition to Rory McIlroy, Cam Smith, and Billy Horschel. Check out video of Michael's swing analysis using GEARS now at youtube.com/@TheSmylieShow.

Smylie welcomes Charlie back from spinal surgery (wearing a hilariously large neck brace) and recaps his weekend in Baton Rouge before getting into the golf. SK and CH discuss Tom Kim's third PGA TOUR win at the age of 21, and Lexi Thompson's strong showing before narrowly missing the cut, at the Shriners Children's Open. Smylie and Charlie also continue to monitor Ludvig Aberg's continued ascent, and the latest developments with LIV Golf and the framework deal with the PIF.

Patrick Renna, known by many as "Hamilton Porter" (aka the Great Hambino) from one of the most iconic baseball movies ever made, "The Sandlot," joins Smylie Kaufman to discuss that role, plus the hilariously honest "play a hole with me" golf videos he's been making on Instagram.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme recap the latest FedEx Cup Fall event at the Sanderson Farms Championship, which turned into a Sunday thriller with at least eight players in contention and five of them making it into a playoff. Smylie was walking with the final group of Ben Griffin and Carl Yuan for Golf Channel, and assesses the impact that this near miss will have on Griffin's game and mentality going forward. SK and CH also discuss Ludvig Aberg making it into a playoff in his first PGA TOUR start since winning the Ryder Cup with Europe.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme conduct an in-depth examination of the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone while advancing all the major storylines forward, discussing: how Team USA's prep could change in two years to emulate Team Europe, if Tiger Woods would be a good captain for the Americans at Bethpage Black opposite Luke Donald's likely re-appointment, and whether the financial storylines swirling around Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele will be resolved before 2025.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme discuss the final day of the 2023 Ryder Cup - from the spirited rally that the Americans made in their singles matches, to Team Europe's triumph and ensuing celebration. Smylie ranks his experience at Marco Simone against some of the best atmospheres he's played or watched golf in, and SK and CH discuss further developments in the flashpoint on Saturday night between Rory McIlroy and Joe LaCava.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme revel in a roller coaster day two at the 2023 Ryder Cup, culminating with Patrick Cantlay's massive birdie putt - and celebration by his caddie, Joe LaCava - that set off a fiery response from Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry. Smylie details the 9&7 demolition of world #1 Scottie Scheffler and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka at the hands of Viktor Hovland and Ryder Cup rookie Ludvig Aberg that he covered in the morning for NBC. Europe leads 10.5 to 5.5, but SK and CH look forward to the final day of singles matches that could set up a thrilling finish.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme recap a dominant performance by Team Europe on day one of the 2023 Ryder Cup, which saw them sweep the morning session 4-0 and save one and a half points on the 18th hole with clutch putts from Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm, and Justin Rose. Brooks Koepka's quotes referring to Jon Rahm in the context of "acting like a child" are read, and Smylie does his best to strategize for Team USA as they leave the first day of play trailing the Europeans by five points.

In the very last preview episode before the first tee shot of the 2023 Ryder Cup, Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme react first to a Team USA lineup that will surprisingly bench Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas in the first session. SK and CH then break down each matchup (with betting odds!), Smylie details his favorite holes on the course - including a detailed explanation of the 16th - and Charlie suggests that there should be presses in the Ryder Cup.

Wyndham Clark joins Smylie Kaufman ahead of his first Ryder Cup appearance for Team USA at Marco Simone. Wyndham details the time he's invested working on his mental approach and how that paid dividends last season, breaks down his most memorable shots leading to his 2023 U.S. Open win, and tells his best club tossing (and breaking) stories.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down Sahith Theegala's first win on Tour at the Fortinet Championship - from the shot-shaping artistry Smylie witnessed all week while in the booth for Golf Channel, to the incredible family and friend support Sahith had in Napa. SK and CH also discuss the dominant week that Team Europe had at the BMW PGA Championship, with all twelve Ryder Cuppers making the cut, and seven of them finishing in the top ten. Things spiral into a random grab bag at the end of the episode, discussing college football, Charlie changing the pronunciation of his last name, and Smylie's obsession with polar bear videos on TikTok.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme discuss the reimagined "FedEx Cup Fall," and whether the structure is fair to Korn Ferry Tour graduates and other young players as they work towards full status on the PGA Tour. SK and CH also review the tee times for all 12 of the Team Europe players in the BMW PGA Championship field this weekend, and whether the pairings could indicate "pods" for the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone. Finally, Smylie speaks with fellow LSU Tiger Dr. Bhrett McCabe - a sports psychologist who works with Jon Rahm, Sam Burns, and Brian Harman - about the mindset required to succeed in a high-pressure environment like the Ryder Cup.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme react to Luke Donald's Team Europe captain's picks, and discuss whether this Ryder Cup will launch Ludvig Aberg into stardom. Smylie and Charlie also discuss Justin Thomas' practice routine, and what to expect from his next start at the Fortinet Championship. The show closes with a recap of the season-opening L that Smylie's LSU Tigers took, and Charlie's UNC Tar Heels starting off the season with a big win.

Fresh off a 33rd-place finish in the FedEx Cup that has him in every 2024 PGA Tour signature event, Denny joins Smylie to talk about his love for basketball growing up, the putting routine that makes him one of the best in the world, and the handwritten Golden Tee course record sheet he keeps in his home.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme watch live and react as Team USA captain Zach Johnson makes his six picks to fill out the rest of his roster for the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome - Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Sam Burns, Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas to go with the already qualified list of Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa and Xander Schauffele. Smylie and Charlie discuss the players who were hard done to get left out, what Team Europe's roster could look like, and take questions and prompts from a very lively chat.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme react to Viktor Hovland's dominant win at the PGA TOUR season finale, the Tour Championship at East Lake. Smylie goes in-depth on the technical changes Viktor has made to his short game that have opened up the floodgates for success on Tour the second half of the season. Smylie and Charlie debate who the final six captain's picks will be for the Team USA Ryder Cup team, and get in the swing of college football season by comparing schedules for LSU and UNC.

Smylie is joined by the only man - other than Tiger Woods - to win a U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Amateur title, Nick Dunlap. Fresh off his U.S. Am win at Cherry Hills, Nick reminisces on the games he played growing up with Smylie in Birmingham, Alabama that helped him prepare for high-level competition, discusses the hometown bond he's formed with WAGR #1 Gordon Sargent, and reveals the details of his conversation with Alabama football coach Nick Saban after his U.S. Am win.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down another eventful week of golf, including: Viktor Hovland shooting 28 on his last nine holes of the BMW Championship to win the penultimate FedEx Cup playoff event, Smylie wearing coat and tie in the booth at the U.S. Amateur and witnessing Nick Dunlap do something only Tiger Woods has done, and yet another twist in the increasingly intriguing Team USA Ryder Cup picture that will culminate with the final six captain's picks next week.

Smylie is joined by two-time PGA TOUR winner - and qualifier for all of the 2024 signature events after advancing to the second round of the FedEx Cup playoffs - J.T. Poston. J.T. ranks his favorite North Carolina mountain golf spots, gives his opinion on all of the changes to the PGA TOUR, and discusses his hilarious caddie - and underwear model - Aaron Flener.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme react to Lucas Glover's win in the first FedEx Cup playoff event of the season - his second win in two weeks - and discuss the putter change that has completely reversed his fortunes. Smylie and Charlie debate whether Lucas is worth a pick on the USA Ryder Cup team, go deep on what the PGA TOUR's signature event fields could look like in 2024, and snake draft their "top five things that make a golf day great."

Smylie Kaufman is joined by Min Woo Lee, a rising star and fan favorite in the world of golf. Min discusses his iconic mock turtleneck/mustache/mullet/wraparound shades look, the "WOOO" and "LET HIM COOK" cheers that have become popular thanks to his social media following, and the parts of his game he is working on to complement his length off the tee and putting skill.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme discuss the putter change that led to Lucas Glover's win at the Wyndham Championship, Justin Thomas narrowly missing the playoffs after a strong finish to the weekend, Tiger Woods joining the PGA Tour policy board, and Charlie's weekend at Cypress Point.

Smylie is joined by Tom Kim, who has already won twice on the PGA Tour and made a Presidents Cup team at the age of 21. Tom tells a ton of great stories - recovering from a quad bogey to win his first Tour event, how he hurt his ankle at the Open and still managed to finish tied for second, Christmas dinner at the Spieth home, and his viral adventures in the mud at the PGA Championship.

Smylie is joined by Lee Hodges fresh off his seven-shot win at the 3M Open to discuss Alabama golf, his new green-reading system, and having an Auburn fan as a caddie. Smylie and Charlie discuss Jay Monahan's most recent memo to Tour pros, the Barbie and Oppenheimer craze, and the best (and worst) Harry Potter movies.

Smylie is joined by Super Bowl LI champion and Washington Commanders quarterback Jacoby Brissett, yet another football player who recently fell in love with the game of golf. Jacoby tells stories about being in the same QB room as Tom Brady, makes an interesting revelation about his relationship with NC State and UNC, and reviews some of his philosophical tweets with Smylie.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down the final day of play at the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, where Brian Harman put the finishing touches on his first major win. Harman becomes just the sixth American to win the Open by 6+ shots, along with Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen, Arnold Palmer, Johnny Miller, and Tiger Woods. Smylie and Charlie also discuss a Team USA Ryder Cup picture that looks even more crowded with Harman now on the team as an automatic qualifier.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down the third day of play at the year's final major, the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. Jon Rahm shot a course-record 63 to move into third place, but Brian Harman held steady to keep his five-shot lead heading into the final round of the Open. Smylie discusses the weather we're expecting for Sunday, the player in the chasing pack he expects to make a run at Harman, and Min Woo Lee's relationship with the fans.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down the second day of play at the year's final major, the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. Brian Harman laps the field with a bogey-free 65 that gives him a five-shot lead heading into the weekend. Smylie gives insight on the two groups he followed today, Rory McIlroy's group and Jordan Spieth's group, and gives his report on the debacle he witnessed at 17 for Matt Fitzpatrick. Charlie has an unfortunate report about the Thursday Night Men's League result.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down the first day of play at the year's final major, the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. The hometown hero Tommy Fleetwood, aka "Tommy lad," is tied for the lead after a first-round 66. Not far behind is Max Homa, a guy Smylie really liked coming into the tournament after tough showings at the first three majors of the year. As we wrap up the show, Charlie heads off to Thursday Night Men's League.

Smylie is joined by Super Bowl XLVI champion and 2012 Pro Bowler Victor Cruz, who very recently played Royal Liverpool ahead of the 151st Open Championship. Victor discusses how his daughter got him into the game of golf, his New York Giants career and the chemistry he developed with Eli Manning, and gives some course notes to Smylie ahead of the Open.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme recap an eventful week in golf that included: Rory McIlroy finishing birdie-birdie to beat the hometown favorite Bobby Mac at the Scottish Open, Scottie Scheffler's insane streak continuing, Smylie playing twilight golf at North Berwick with Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, Smylie trying to figure out how to drive in the UK, and a Senate hearing for PGA Tour leadership.