The Smylie Show

In this insightful discussion, golf analyst James Nitties breaks down the challenges facing Korn Ferry Tour players aiming for PGA Tour success. He reveals why winning doesn't guarantee a card anymore and highlights potential stars like Johnny Keefer, comparing him to Justin Thomas. Nitties also delves into the hurdles faced by Adrien Dumont de Chassart due to injuries and grip changes, and emphasizes the need for personality in the sport, inspiring a new wave of marketable golfers.

The 2026 golf season is here.On this episode of The Smylie Show, Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down the upcoming year in professional golf with full-season predictions.They dive into:- Who dominates the PGA Tour in 2026- Over/unders on Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy & Tommy Fleetwood- Major Championship previews and winner picks- What stats actually matter heading into the season- Which stars could break through — and who might regressFrom Augusta to Royal Birkdale, this is the ultimate 2026 golf season preview.📌 Subscribe for weekly episodes, tour insights, and player-driven analysis.Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe!0:00 Welcome Back + Life Updates5:30 2026 Season Preview: How We’re Doing This6:15 The “Big Three” in Golf Right Now9:30 Scottie Scheffler Win Total & Dominance14:20 Why Scottie Has No Weaknesses21:30 Rory McIlroy: Schedule, Motivation & Expectations29:00 Tommy Fleetwood After Breaking Through33:25 Major Championship Previews Begin37:50 Masters Preview + Winner Pick41:30 PGA Championship Preview + Picks47:05 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Preview52:20 Dark Horse Major Candidates55:15 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Preview1:04:30 Breakout Players & Season-long Predictions1:19:55 Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up#golf #pgatour #golfhighlights #smylieshow #smyliekaufman

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: What Brooks’ exit really means Whether Bryson could eventually leave LIV How the PGA Tour might handle players returning The future of LIV Golf as a product And the ripple effects across professional golf 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? 00:00 – Holiday catch-up, family life & Christmas chaos 06:30 – Playing golf over the holidays + end-of-year reflections 13:00 – Brooks Koepka leaving LIV: what happened 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 43:00 – Transition into 2025 year-in-review discussion 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 Show00:39 – What This TGL Preview Episode Covers01:00 – Roberto Castro Joins & Big Announcement03:30 – How TGL Was Built From the Ground Up07:30 – What Worked (and Didn’t) in TGL Season 110:45 – The Hammer Rule Explained & Why It Changed14:00 – Why the Players Truly Bought Into TGL17:30 – The In-Person vs TV Experience at SoFi Center20:45 – Roberto Castro’s New Analyst Role24:30 – Why TGL Is a Totally Different Broadcast Challenge27:45 – Season 2 Team & Title Contenders31:10 – Agustín Pizá Joins: Designing Golf for TGL34:00 – Feedback From Players & Season 1 Learnings37:00 – 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 Started58:30 – 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 homeThanks for watching — subscribe for more episodes, interviews, and weekly golf breakdowns!CHAPTERS:0:00 – Welcome Back4:00 – Smylie’s Airline Disaster10:00 – Hero World Challenge Reactions15:00 – Hideki’s Iron Game & Short-Game Brilliance20:00 – Why Hideki Tinkers With 400 Putters26:00 – Alex Noren’s Rise & Unique Swing Rehearsal32:00 – Shot Shape Trends & Modern Fade-Dominance38:00 – Smylie’s Pro-Am Stories + Albany Short-Game Test44:00 – Wyndham Clark’s Turf Comments & Course Debate50:00 – Q-School Controversy: Weather, Contracts, and Fairness56:00 – Rasmus Interview Begins1:00:00 – Royal Melbourne Conditions & Massive Crowds1:06:00 – The 18th Hole: Rasmus Breaks Down the Chip1:12:00 – Fastest Greens? Comparing Sandbelt to Augusta1:16:30 – 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. Chapters: 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