Ludvig Åberg joins Smylie Kaufman to dive deep on a number of topics - witnessing Rory McIlroy's shot of the 2025 Masters from a fairway over, the strategy he employs at some of Augusta National's most pivotal holes, and nearly shooting a 59 at Bethpage Black!

One of the most talented young players in the game of golf, Ludvig begins by retracing an unusual start to the 2025 season - tons of promise derailed by sickness at Torrey Pines and Pebble Beach, before receiving a redemption shot a month later at the Genesis Invitational.

Ludvig also details some of the swing struggles he experienced in 2025, and what he's been working on to get to a more consistent place with the full swing, the short game, and even his putting setup.

Finally, Charlie Hulme joins for a brand-new show segment - "The E9" - to rapid-fire through a series of questions with Ludvig, ranging from golf to anything but.

Like, comment & subscribe for more golf insight ⛳️ Catch us every Wednesday on the Golf Channel at 9am ET!

CHAPTERS:
00:00 – Welcome to The Smylie Show
00:56 – Life in Jacksonville & offseason routine
02:49 – Early 2025 season & illness at Torrey Pines
05:21 – Pebble Beach withdrawal & physical recovery
07:18 – Genesis Invitational moves to Torrey Pines
08:46 – Sunday at Torrey: realizing a win was possible
11:38 – Seven-wood on 18 & closing the tournament
12:55 – Confidence after the biggest win of his career
14:12 – Augusta National: second-year advantage
20:00 – Sunday at Augusta with Rory & Bryson charging
22:23 – Aggression vs patience late on Sunday
26:17 – Why pressure situations are the goal
27:30 – Evaluating the 2025 season as a whole
29:42 – Swing changes: clubface control explained
33:12 – Pelvis load, sequencing & power
36:01 – GEARS data & offseason technical work
37:06 – Short game growth & wedge changes
41:15 – Putting setup, Quintic data & consistency
44:05 – Almost shooting 59 at Bethpage
46:15 – Ryder Cup fans, chirps & atmosphere
48:19 – "The E9" with Charlie Hulme
56:17 – Ludvig's upcoming PGA TOUR schedule

#golf #pgatour #golfchannel #ludvigaberg #smylieshow #smyliekaufman #golfhighlights #golfpodcast

The PGA Tour season officially begins at the Sony Open, and Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down everything you need to know about Waialae Country Club — from course architecture and strategy to which players are best positioned to start the year strong.

Later in the episode, Smylie sits down with longtime Hawaii golf voice Mark Rolfing for an important conversation on the future of professional golf in Hawaii, the water crisis at Kapalua, and why these tournaments matter so deeply to the islands.

From Sony Open contenders and course fit to Ryder Cup crowd behavior and LIV Golf movement, this episode covers far more than just a weekly preview.

Make sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more, and check us out on Wednesdays at 9am ET on the Golf Channel!

00:00 – Welcome + Why the Sony Open Feels Like the True Season Opener
03:30 – Waialae Country Club: History, Seth Raynor & Classic Design
07:30 – How Waialae Plays: Wind, Bermuda, Angles & Decision-Making
12:00 – Sony Open Strategy: Where Scores Are Actually Made
17:00 – Player Fits, Storylines & Early-Season Momentum
22:00 – Ryder Cup Crowds, Fan Behavior & Where the Line Is
27:30 – LIV Golf Moves, Career Choices & Tour Fragmentation
34:00 – Big Picture: Where the PGA Tour Is Headed
38:30 – Setting the Stage for Hawaii Golf’s Bigger Conversation
40:00 – Mark Rolfing Joins: Why Hawaii Golf Is at a Crossroads
44:30 – Kapalua, Water Issues & Tournament Uncertainty
50:30 – Community Impact, Charity & What the Tour Overlooks
57:30 – Golf Architecture, History & Why These Courses Matter
01:04:30 – Wrapping Up with Mark Rolfing
01:06:30 – Back with Smylie & Charlie: New Year Goals & Mindsets
01:12:30 – Final Thoughts, Sony Open Week & Episode Wrap
01:16:00 – Outro

The Korn Ferry Tour is producing real PGA Tour talent — but the pipeline is tougher than ever with fewer cards available.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme are joined by Golf Channel analyst James Nitties to break down the 2026 PGA Tour rookie class, including:
• Why winning on the Korn Ferry Tour doesn’t guarantee a PGA Tour card anymore
• Which players have true star potential (including Johnny Keefer)
• What went wrong — and what changes — for Adrien Dumont de Chassart
• Why Pierceson Coody is a breakout candidate if he settles the mental side
• The upside (and challenges) of mega-bomber Christo Lamprecht
• Why golf needs more personality — and who might actually bring it

⛳️ New Smylie Show episodes weekly, and now on Golf Channel starting Wednesday 01/14! Subscribe for interviews + Tour insights.

00:00 – Intro + James Nitties’ 3rd Smylie Show Appearance
01:20 – Korn Ferry Reality Check: Why It’s Harder Than Ever
02:10 – Surprises from the 2024–2025 Korn Ferry Classes
03:40 – “Winning Isn’t Enough” (Cards Are Razor Thin)
04:35 – What Needs to Change for Adrien Dumont de Chassart & Pierceson Coody
05:15 – Neal Shipley: High-End Golf vs Missed Cuts
06:40 – Pierceson Coody: Split Schedules & The Mental Game
07:35 – Dumont de Chassart: Wrist Injury, Grip Change, New Miss
08:30 – Why Grip Changes Are the Hardest Adjustment
10:05 – Knowing Your Miss = Comfort (and Why Two-Way Miss Kills)
11:10 – Dumont de Chassart Shoots 33-Under (What It Means)
14:30 – Johnny Keefer Deep Dive (“Keith Dog” Breakdown)
16:05 – Is Johnny Keefer the Most “Ready” Graduate Yet?
18:05 – Ryder Cup / Presidents Cup Talk for Keefer
20:40 – Player Comp for Johnny Keefer (JT Traits)
23:15 – The New Bomber: Christo Lamprecht
26:00 – Height, Mobility, Injury Prevention & TPI Testing
29:00 – Nervous Moments + The “Cold Top” Q-School Story
31:10 – Power vs Accuracy (and why guys still want MORE distance)
33:00 – Veterans Returning + Motivation on Korn Ferry
36:00 – Confidence Shifts: Why Some Guys Finally Stick
38:30 – Trace Crowe: Injury Timing & Schedule Strategy
43:25 – Breakout Pick: Pierceson Coody in 2026
47:20 – Personality on Tour: Why Golf Needs More Characters
53:30 – Cards Cut Down (30 → 20): Player Perspective
56:10 – Is Korn Ferry the 2nd Best Tour in the World?

#golf #pgatour #kornferry #golfhighlights #smylieshow