The Smylie Show

This week on The Smylie Show, Smylie Kaufman sits down with NBA & broadcasting legend Charles Barkley for a wide-ranging conversation covering everything from the future of Inside the NBA to the environment he'd create at Bethpage if he was USA's captain. Their shared home state of Alabama leads to Chuck's honest thoughts on NIL, the transfer portal, and the future of his Auburn Tigers and college sports at large. He also opens up about 25+ years on Inside the NBA, the chemistry with Ernie, Kenny & Shaq, and what their move to ESPN has entailed thus far. Of course, there’s plenty of golf talk too — Charles shares stories about playing Augusta with Peyton Manning, teeing it up with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, overcoming the yips with Stan Utley, and his Ryder Cup predictions for Team USA vs. Europe at Bethpage. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more! Chapters: 00:00 Growing up in Leeds & choosing Auburn 06:00 NIL, transfer portal & college sports 15:00 25+ years of Inside the NBA 30:00 Golf, Augusta, Tiger & Phil stories 50:00 Overcoming the yips with Stan Utley 1:00:00 Ryder Cup preview & predictions #CharlesBarkley #TheSmylieShow #GolfPodcast #NBA #RyderCup #SmylieKaufman #NBA

Charlie Hulme joins Smylie Kaufman live from Cypress Point as the Walker Cup closing ceremony echoes across the first fairway following a dominant American singles performance on Sunday afternoon. Smylie and Charlie discuss the brilliance of Cypress this week and the Walker Cup venues to come, while also recapping a massive playoff victory for Rory McIlroy at the K Club a year after heartbreak at Royal County Down. SK and CH look at the respective fields for the BMW PGA and Procore Championships, and what they’ll be looking for as both the European and American sides play their final tournament tune-up before the Ryder Cup. Chapters 02:54 Cypress Point Experience 05:44 Rory McIlroy's Irish Open Victory 08:31 The Future of National Opens 11:23 Ryder Cup Preparations 14:11 Walker Cup Highlights 17:01 Emerging Talents in Golf 19:57 The Impact of Team Dynamics 22:52 Future Venues for the Walker Cup 25:47 The Evolution of Golf Competitions 31:30 The Role of National Opens in Golf 37:00 The Influence of Team Dynamics 40:10 The Future of Golf Competitions 43:20 Reflections on the Walker Cup 49:00 The Evolution of Golf Venues 55:00 Closing Reflections and Future Outlook #golf #rorymcilroy #irishopen #walkercup #jacksonkoivun #cypresspoint  Check out the Johnnie Walker "Spirit of the Cup" program here: https://www.johnniewalker.com/en-us/keep-walking/clubhouse

Today's ep of the Smylie Show is a "Cup" Double Feature - beginning with some Cypress Point course notes and observations from Charlie Hulme fresh off a Monday look at the course ahead of the 50th Walker Cup. Smylie and Charlie run through some club history and design notes before examining several of Cypress' holes that could be pivotal in match play, concluding with score predictions for USA and GB&I. SK and CH then shift gears, reacting to Luke Donald's captain's picks on Monday that rounded out his Team Europe Ryder Cup side. Despite those six largely being a foregone conclusion, Smylie and Charlie discuss potential pairings and some European foursomes pairs with impeccable match play records. 00:00 Golf Heaven at Pebble Beach 02:16 Walker Cup Excitement and Course Preview 05:30 Match Play Dynamics at Cypress Point 09:25 Cypress Point's Unique Design and History 13:10 The Challenge of the 16th Hole 17:10 The Walker Cup Format and Team Dynamics 28:34 Final Predictions for the Walker Cup 30:37 Navigating the Course: Strategy and Decision Making 33:00 Johnnie Walker: "The Spirit of the Cup" 36:20 Captain's Picks: Analyzing Team Selections 40:35 Debating the Captain's Picks: Merit vs. Competition 43:02 Experience Matters: The European Team's Edge 47:25 Pairing Strategies: Foursomes and Fourball 51:26 Final Thoughts Check out the Johnnie Walker "Spirit of the Cup" program here: https://www.johnniewalker.com/en-us/keep-walking/clubhouse

We have officially reached the week of the 50th Walker Cup - at an iconic venue this year in Cypress Point - and our previews begin with a member of Team USA, Michael La Sasso! Smylie retraces Michael’s journey in junior golf, where he honed his game in North Carolina while growing a social following thanks to a unique swing and incredibly short inseams 😂 We then follow Michael’s journey to Ole Miss, a D1 individual national championship, and a berth on a Walker Cup team at one of the greatest courses in golf. Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction to Michael La Sasso 5:10 - Walker Cup Week Excitement  10:20 - Michael's College Journey  15:30 - Golf Drills and Training  20:40 - Social Media and Golf  25:50 - The NCAA Championship Experience  31:00 - Walker Cup Preview  36:10 - Golfing at Cypress Point  41:20 - Signing with Breezy Golf  46:30 - Future Plans and Aspirations  51:40 - Closing Thoughts #golf #pgatour #goodgood #olemiss #MichaelLaSasso #golfhighlights #rydercupusa #keeganbradley #teamusa #golfhighlights #smylieshow #smylie #fedexcup #rydercup

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down Wednesday's announcement of Team USA Ryder Cup captain's picks, starting with the stunning decision made by Keegan Bradley to not pick himself as a playing captain. Smylie and Charlie discuss why Keegan opted to go with Collin Morikawa instead of himself, and whether Rory McIlroy and other Europeans were playing mind games in the lead-up to Keegan's decision. SK and CH also dive into potential pairings, and who they would roll out for the Friday foursomes session which will kick off the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Team Apparel Banter 03:09 Keegan Bradley's Captain's Picks Discussion 06:00 Analyzing the Team Composition and Rookies 09:09 Keegan's Decision Not to Play 11:57 The Dynamics of Team Selection 12:52 Press Conference Insights and Data Analysis 15:24 Ryder Cup Format and Strategy 18:15 Pairing Players for the Ryder Cup 21:26 Final Thoughts on Team Dynamics 28:32 Equipment and Pairing Strategies for Bryson 31:25 Exploring Team Dynamics and Player Compatibility 33:51 Experience vs. Form: Crafting the Best Lineup 38:10 Identifying Key Players for Five Sessions 47:20 Setting the Tone: Importance of the First Day #AHEADpartner #golf #pgatour #golfhighlights #rydercupusa #keeganbradley #teamusa #golfhighlights #smylieshow #smylie #fedexcup #rydercup  Big thanks to AHEAD for their support! Check AHEAD out here: https://www.ahead.com/

Fresh off broadcasting Tommy Fleetwood's long-awaited first PGA TOUR win in 164 starts, Smylie Kaufman joins Charlie Hulme to break down all the action he observed at East Lake, and the massive narrative shift now that Fleetwood has notched win number one. Smylie and Charlie then move down the leaderboard to discuss Ryder Cup implications, and break down the developing four-for-three dilemma that Keegan Bradley faces as we look ahead to Wednesday's captain's picks.  Finally, SK and CH wrap the show with some truly mind-boggling Scottie Scheffler stats, and award their "Player of the Year Podium" - the gold is obvious, but who wins silver and bronze for Smylie? Chapters 00:00 Intro 03:45 Tommy Fleetwood's Historic Win 12:04 Analyzing the Tour Championship Format 21:07 Ryder Cup Discussions and Player Selections 48:41 Reflections on the PGA Tour Season 59:02 Closing Thoughts and Future Expectations #AHEADpartner #golf #pgatour #golfhighlights #tourchamp #eastlake #tommyfleetwood #smylieshow #smylie #fedexcup #rydercup  Big thanks to AHEAD for their support! Check AHEAD out here: https://www.ahead.com/

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme are joined on the latest episode of The Smylie Show by recurring guest Kyle Porter of "Normal Sport" - check his work out at normalsport.com! Kyle, Smylie and Charlie review the biggest storylines a week ahead of Keegan Bradley picking the final six players who will represent Team USA in the 2026 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. Kyle dives deep on season-long trends to identify why the Americans could be underestimated, and lists the six he'd be taking to Bethpage - along with answering whether he'd pick himself to be a player-captain if in Keegan's shoes. Smylie and Charlie open the episode reviewing a 2026 PGA TOUR schedule that looks somewhat different from season's past, and look ahead to the 2025 playoff finale at East Lake, making their picks for the eventual TOUR Champion. Thanks for tuning in, and as always, like and subscribe for more golf insights! 00:00 - Intro 01:30 - 2026 PGA Tour Schedule 10:00 - New Events 13:40 - Kyle Porter joins the show 18:45 - Keegan's Dilemma 24:00 - Team USA predictions 28:00 - Team Europe predictions 36:00 - The Ryder Cup excitement 49:00 - New TOUR Championship format? 53:00 - Future of the Playoffs 57:00 - Farewell #AHEADpartner #golf #pgatour #golfhighlights #justinrose #jjspaun #tommyfleetwood #smylieshow #smylie #fedexcup #rydercup  Big thanks to AHEAD for their support! Check AHEAD out here: https://www.ahead.com/

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme recap the weekend in golf at the BMW Championship, discuss Fedex Cup standings and playoff storylines, and recap some interesting conversations Smylie had on-course at Caves Valley 👀 Tune in Wednesday for an in-depth Ryder Cup preview and US Am recap episode! CHAPTERS CHAPTERS 02:15 - Episode start 08:45 - Golf Recap 12:00 - Course Review 15:00 - Fairway Conditions 18:30 - Scheffler's Play 21:30 - Chris Gotterup Story 28:30 - Si Woo on TikTok 31:00 - Keegan Bradley Talk 34:00 - Scottie's Signature Moment 37:00 - Ryder Cup Team 40:00 - US Amateur 50:00 - Tour Championship Preview 55:00 - Final Wrap-Up #AHEADpartner #golf #pgatour #golfhighlights #scottiescheffler #bmwchampionship  #smylieshow #smylie #fedexcup #rydercup #keeganbradley Big thanks to AHEAD for their support! Check AHEAD out here: https://www.ahead.com/

Smylie Kaufman is joined by Ian Baker-Finch - a beloved golf broadcaster who signed off on an emotional CBS broadcast for the final time at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Ian takes us through his golf journey - from an early TOUR win at Colonial, to his 1991 Open Championship triumph, the struggles that followed, and finding a fulfilling second act in the broadcast booth. Smylie and Ian also trade thoughts on the modern game, from the progression in golf instruction and the way Ian used to create his own yardage books, to the complexity of the modern game - and whether some of that is unnecessary. Ian also shares his insights on the future of golf in Australia, emphasizing the importance of creating more global opportunities for players. Check out his book, "Ian Baker-Finch: To Hell and Back," here: https://www.amazon.com/Ian-Baker-Finch-Hell-Geoff-Saunders/dp/1761451642/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Intro 3:00 - Ian's broadcasting career and final sign-off 5:30 - Career Highlights 10:45 - Transition from playing to broadcasting 15:20 - The influence of Jack Nicklaus and early inspirations 20:00 - Evolution of golf instruction  25:40 - Challenges Ian's faced 30:15 - Reflections on the Open Championship win 35:50 - The mental and physical toll of professional golf 40:30 - Transition to broadcasting and finding new purpose 45:00 - The future of golf in Australia and global opportunities 50:20 - Closing thoughts and Ian's book release #AHEADpartner #golf #pgatour #golfhighlights #justinrose #jjspaun #tommyfleetwood #smylieshow #smylie #fedexcup #rydercup  Big thanks to AHEAD for their support! Check AHEAD out here: https://www.ahead.com/

On this episode, Smylie and Charlie dive into the dramatic finish in the first round of the Fedex Cup playoffs. From unexpected leaderboard shifts to the intense playoff between Justin Rose and JJ Spaun, Smylie brings an insider look from a scorcher in Memphis. Plus, insights into the players' strategies and the impact of the new course conditions, analysis on FEC rankings heading into next week, and Ryder Cup implications. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:57 Justin Rose and JJ Spaun 06:06 JJ Spaun 10:08 Scottie Scheffler 13:02 Key Moments 16:01 Playoff Tension 21:49 Course Conditions and Challenges 35:30 Justin Rose's Resilience and Career Reflection 40:39 JJ Spaun's Breakthrough and Consistency 44:44 Tommy Fleetwood 51:10 Rickie Fowler 56:09 The FedEx Cup Bubble and Player Updates #AHEADpartner #golf #pgatour #golfhighlights #justinrose #jjspaun #tommyfleetwood #smylieshow #smylie #fedexcup #rydercup  Big thanks to AHEAD for their support! Check AHEAD out here: https://www.ahead.com/