Smylie Kaufman is joined by two-time major champion Xander Schauffele on our latest longform conversation with a Tour pro on "The Smylie Show." We go all the way back to Xander's college days, the pressures of Q School and the Korn Ferry Tour that followed, and the manner in which he bursted onto the PGA TOUR scene. Xander details several key moments during that rookie year that were pivotal in his development, his near misses at majors in the ensuing years, and what it felt like to finally win one - and then another one - in 2024. We finally let Xander (and his two dogs) go to complete their move to a new home, but not without some cigar talk and a hilarious fishing story from his rookie year.

Chapters

00:00 Xander's Moving Experience

02:00 Eating Habits and Cigar Culture

03:52 Adjusting to Florida Life with Pets

05:04 College Journey and Early Career

07:53 Transitioning to Professional Golf

10:56 Challenges on the Korn Ferry Tour

13:51 First PGA Tour Experiences

16:54 Breakthrough at Erin Hills

19:50 Winning on the PGA Tour

24:45 The Journey to Success

28:32 Mentality and Growth in Golf

30:58 The Road to Major Championships

38:34 Overcoming Challenges in Major Tournaments

49:24 Validation and Future Aspirations

Join Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme as they delve into the latest news in the golf world, including Austin Eckroat's victory at the World Wide Technology Championship and Rory McIlroy's swing changes. Smylie and Charlie also cover Maverick McNealy's analysis of, and proposal correcting, FedEx Cup points distributions that seemed skewed in 2024. SK and CH continue to review player reaction to the PGA TOUR card changes proposed for 2026, examine the DP World Tour's place within the professional golf ecosystem, and discuss comments made by Rory McIlroy that could be the final straw in instigating change for the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Chapters

00:00 Tough Weekend Scene for Smylie & Charlie

02:57 Austin Eckroat's second PGA TOUR win

05:59 Comparing Young American Golf Stars

09:08 Max Greyserman's Recent Performances

15:04 Doppelganger Talk

22:22 Maverick McNealy fixes the FedEx Cup point problem

34:24 Player Reactions to PGA TOUR card and field size changes

38:09 The Future of the DP World Tour

49:54 The Race to Dubai: Analyzing the Current Standings

59:47 Rory McIlroy's Swing Changes and 2025 Schedule

01:05:53 The Future of the FedEx Cup Playoffs

In this episode, Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme discuss the current state of professional and amateur golf, beginning with reports that the PGA TOUR and LIV GOLF - via the PIF - are close to a deal that would bring the two leagues under the same umbrella. Brentley Romine joins the show to discuss the shifting landscape of collegiate athletics, and the challenges facing college golf programs, including roster cuts and the effects of NIL on recruiting.

Chapters

02:40 Reports that the PGA TOUR is close to a deal with the PIF to unify with LIV GOLF

06:04 Antitrust Issues and Political Influence

09:50 The Future of Professional Golf

12:43 Where Team Golf fits in the Pro Golf Landscape

15:10 Changes in College Golf

22:11 Interview with Brentley Romine on College Golf

33:07 NIL and College Athletics Compensation

36:55 The Impact of Money on College Golf Decisions

39:22 PGA Tour U and Player Development

43:28 Gordon Sargent's Decision to Stay in College

46:41 Evaluating PGA Tour U Points System

51:19 Fall Season Insights and Predictions

54:16 The Future of College Golf Championships

#LukeClanton #GordonSargent #PGATOURU #golf #golftips #golfswing #pgatour #golfpodcast #progolf #golfpodcast #smyliekaufman #smylie #smylieshow #swingtips #presidentscup #rydercup #tobaccoroad #golftrip #golftrips #youtubegolf #goodgood #fyp

PGA TOUR winner (and insightful follow on X) Michael Kim joins Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme on The Smylie Show as they dive into some big proposed changes to how many PGA TOUR cards are available, and the structure of many tournaments, for the 2026 season.

We begin the show with a very heartwarming family golf moment for Smylie ... and some big breaking Hope Valley Men's League news from Charlie. SK and CH then discuss family Halloween costumes, before welcoming Michael onto the show.

In addition to TOUR changes, Michael breaks down the state of his game, the latest news on the PGA TOUR - LIV GOLF negotiations, and explains how he decided to start sharing an inside look at a TOUR pro's life on X.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro

01:18 - Catching Up

04:58 - Halloween Costumes

09:04 - Hope Valley Thursday Night Men's League

12:30 - Michael Kim joins the show

18:32 - The state of Michael Kim's golf game

21:45 - Preparing for the PGA TOUR

25:16 - Michael discusses young pros having success on TOUR

26:38 - Chasing freedom in golf

28:53 - Dealing with missed cuts

31:10 - Struggling as a TOUR pro

35:47 - Proposed changes to the PGA TOUR

40:00 - Impact of changes on Korn Ferry Tour

45:50 - DP World Tour pathway to PGA TOUR

51:13 - Interest in joining the PAC?

52:38 - Michael Kim's "commissioner for a day" PGA TOUR changes

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme are joined by Kyle Porter, who has gone independent with his "Normal Sport" newsletter (which you can sign up for at NormalSport.com) after twelve years of covering golf for CBS. Kyle discusses recent headline comments made by Rory McIlroy in his newsletter about the way golf is covered, examines the state of LIV Golf three years into the league's existence, and explores the future of golf content - both on the pro side, and on YouTube. The episode concludes with Kyle, Smylie and Charlie snake drafting their favorite (and least favorite) major championships from the last decade.

Join Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme as they recap the PGA TOUR's lone event in Japan, the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP. Smylie and Charlie recap the excellent weeks that both Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler had in finishing top five, and what it means for their 2025 campaign on TOUR. Smylie dives deep on two key pieces of equipment for Rickie, explaining the Mini Driver trend we've seen the past year on TOUR. SK and CH wrap the episode with a letter sent from the Player Advisory Council explaining some big changes on the way in 2026 that could see a significant reduction in PGA TOUR cards.

As we look ahead to the 2025 season, Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme welcome on a fellow SportsGrid teammate, Keith Stewart, to share some of the expertise he's gained as the founder of Read The Line - check out his work at readtheline.com.

Keith shares the story behind his transition from green-grass PGA Professional to golf gambling expert, and provides insight into the way he researches and predicts winners - at an incredibly high rate over the past two seasons.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme recap the action from the 2024 Shriners Children's Open, with Smylie fresh out of the Golf Channel booth!

Smylie and Charlie begin by discussing the state of SK's golf game (trending!) and some New York area courses he was able to play this week while working out of Stamford, CT. We then move to JT Poston's win in Vegas, and look at some winners and losers around the Top 125 threshold needed to retain a Tour card for the 2025 season.

The episode wraps with an examination of some unusually high ticket prices for the 2025 Ryder Cup, and Scottie Scheffler's College GameDay appearance.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro

02:00 - JT Poston Wins Shriners

05:55 - Smylie's Golf Game Update

08:05 - Piping Rock and Northeast Golf

16:49 - Maury Povich

19:53 - Shriners Open Recap

22:00 - Minimalist House Music Interlude

24:10 - Smylie's Return to Golf

27:30 - JT Poston's Season Overview

31:53 - Joel Dahmen's 15th Club Penalty

34:55 - ZOZO Championship Field

41:35 - 2023 ZOZO Championship Highlights

41:38 - 2025 Ryder Cup Ticket Prices

52:50 - Scottie Scheffler

55:00 - Did Jail Change Scottie Scheffler?!

1:00:00 - Final Thoughts

1:02:15 - Outro

Join Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme on The Smylie Show as they welcome Korn Ferry Tour analyst James Nitties back on the show!  James appeared last year and put us onto Jake Knapp before the bouncer-turned-Tour-pro went on to win in his rookie season and make it to the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Our analysis of the most recent Korn Ferry Tour graduating class comes fresh on the heels of Matt McCarty winning his third career PGA TOUR start after finishing at the top of the 2024 KFT standings. James identifies the young player with the most star power in this class, who will have the Smylie Show bandwagon riding for him in 2025.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Introducing James Nitties

00:42 - Reliving James' great call on Jake Knapp before the 2024 season

04:17 - Discussing Matt McCarty's win at the Black Desert Championship

14:12 - The best way to prepare Korn Ferry Tour graduates for the PGA TOUR

17:50 - "Koala Karl" Vilips

22:05 - The most talented player in the 2024 KFT graduating class

27:50 - Best iron player and putter

30:54 - A trio of KFT grads from the 2021 Walker Cup

40:30 - Most PGA Tour-ready players

42:34 - Discussing Harry Higgs' return to the PGA TOUR

45:38 - Discussing Isaiah Salinda a year after breaking onto the scene at 2023 Shriners

57:10 - Final Thoughts and Sign Off

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme check in for a rare late-night live show following the conclusion of the Black Desert Championship! Smylie is fresh off a Baton Rouge trip with his family to watch his alma mater, LSU, win an overtime thriller against Ole Miss, and Charlie is back at home (and out of the dreaded hospital chair) after the arrival of his daughter. SK and CH catch up on the latest headline stories in the golf world, talk some football, and preview some exciting content on deck the next few weeks.

- Recap the weekend in golf with insights from the Black Desert Championship.

- Smylie discusses his recent trip to Baton Rouge and the LSU game.

- Charlie shares his experience adjusting to life after the arrival of his daughter.

- Close the show with a preview of upcoming golf content and stories.

Like, comment, and subscribe for more golf insights and join the conversation with your thoughts on the latest in the golf world! #golfpodcast #golftrip #pgachampionship #memorial #justinthomas #scottiescheffler #golf #progolf #pgatour #dpworldtour #lsufootball #collegefootball 

CHAPTERS:

01:23 - LSU vs Ole Miss Recap

09:29 - UNC vs Georgia Tech Recap

12:02 - Matt McCarty Wins Black Desert Championship

15:34 - PGA Tour Fall Series Handling

19:59 - KFT Graduates and PGA Tour Starts

27:10 - Mailbag

28:30 - Criticisms of Short Field Events

31:10 - Charlie’s Whiteboard Fixes

33:07 - Future Venue Selection in Golf

36:05 - Resort Courses on PGA Tour

39:35 - New TV Changes in Golf

41:12 - Fridays with Smylie

44:15 - Rolling Leaderboards in Golf

51:17 - Rory McIlroy on Media

53:26 - Role of Media in Golf

1:05:55 - News & Notes

1:10:10 - Sleep Deprivation

On this episode of The Smylie Show, 13x PGA Tour winner Jason Day joins Smylie Kaufman as they discuss his remarkable golf journey, marked by resilience and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

- Jason's early life challenges, overcoming trauma, and his journey to the PGA Tour.

- Golf upbringing in Australia

- On-course fashion

- Swing changes

- The current state of Jason's game and his plans for the future

- Delve into Jason's intense training history, battling injuries, and balancing family life with his wife Ellie and their five children.

Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more golf insights! #golf #pgatour #progolf #golfpodcast #smyliekaufman #smylieshow #jasonday

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro

00:22 - Fashion

03:58 - Jason Day’s Early Life

08:18 - Time at the Golf Academy

12:05 - Golf Australia National Squad

18:10 - Training & Reaching goals

20:00 - Focus of his early career

26:59 - Meeting His Wife

27:10 - Parenting and Career Impact

34:18 - Swing Journey

39:38 - Trusting the Process

43:47 - Understanding Release Patterns

44:02 - Swing Changes

47:30 - Ownership of Your Game

50:25 - Avoiding Old Habits

53:23 - Struggles with Specific Shots

55:30 - Visualizing Shots

56:35 - 2014 WGC Match Play vs. Victor Dubuisson

59:30 - Like and Subscribe