264: Ryder Cup Tune-Ups for USA 🇺🇸 & Europe 🇪🇺 + Jackson Koivun Interview

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.

15 Dec 20231h 1min

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.

7 Dec 202329min

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.

7 Dec 202333min

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.

4 Dec 20231h 18min

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."

27 Nov 20231h 20min

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! And here's something to pass the time as you travel to and from family gatherings... Tiger and Rory's tech-infused indoor league called the TGL is, of course, delayed a year to 2025. But the other TGL - the "Thanksgiving League" remains very much on schedule. Similar to the original TGL, this league is comprised of six teams - but the roster, drafted by Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme, looks very different. Make sure to follow us on social media @thesmylieshow and tell us which team is your favorite!

22 Nov 20231h 11min

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.

20 Nov 20231h 9min

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.

16 Nov 202356min