<description>&lt;div&gt;The PGA TOUR is changing — but is it changing for the better?&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt; 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.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt; 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.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt; Tune in, subscribe, and stick around for more golf storytelling and behind-the-scenes insight!&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt; Chapters ↓&lt;br&gt; 00:55 — The Smylie Show is heading to the Golf Channel!&lt;br&gt; 01:36 — Reflecting on the three-year journey of the show&lt;br&gt; 03:06 — Show changes to look for in 2026&lt;br&gt; 06:05 — Setting the Table: 2026 PGA Tour Rules &amp;amp; Categories&lt;br&gt; 06:45 — Are PGA Points Fair? Full-Field vs Signature Debate&lt;br&gt; 07:18 — The Maverick McNealy Case Study&lt;br&gt; 08:22 — Is Winning a Full-Field Event Actually Harder?&lt;br&gt; 10:13 — What the Data Says About Difficulty&lt;br&gt; 11:45 — The 200-Point Problem&lt;br&gt; 13:11 — Why Signature Events Give Huge Built-In Advantages&lt;br&gt; 14:06 — Should a Top-10 Be Worth More in Full-Fields?&lt;br&gt; 15:16 — How Signature Starts Create Long-Term Inequality&lt;br&gt; 16:05 — Reviewing the Signature Event Chart (Audio Notes)&lt;br&gt; 17:14 — Case Study: Kurt Kitayama vs Hideki Matsuyama&lt;br&gt; 19:24 — Do Signature Events Artificially Inflate Some Players?&lt;br&gt; 20:32 — Chris Gotterup &amp;amp; the “Late Season Unfairness” Issue&lt;br&gt; 23:16 — Signature Events vs Full-Field: Who Really Benefits?&lt;br&gt; 24:12 — How Players Ride Momentum — or Don’t&lt;br&gt; 25:18 — Why You MUST Play Well Early on Today’s PGA Tour&lt;br&gt; 26:21 — Low Full-Field Point Earners: Morikawa, Aberg, More&lt;br&gt; 27:33 — The No-Cut Advantage Problem&lt;br&gt; 29:06 — What the Tour Actually Wants: Star Protection&lt;br&gt; 29:26 — Tony Finau vs Gary Woodland Breakdown&lt;br&gt; 31:43 — Can You Play Your Way Off Tour With Signature Starts?&lt;br&gt; 32:35 — Adam Scott &amp;amp; Max Homa Examples&lt;br&gt; 34:51 — Rickie Fowler’s Special Case&lt;br&gt; 36:23 — Why Sponsors Will Always Influence Signature Events&lt;br&gt; 37:14 — Golf Is Niche — And That Shapes the Entire System&lt;br&gt; 38:18 — What the Top-100 Cut Means for Journeymen&lt;br&gt; 39:04 — The New 2026 Rules: Field Sizes, 120-Player Players, Q-School&lt;br&gt; 41:23 — DP World Tour vs Korn Ferry: Who Deserves More Spots?&lt;br&gt; 44:41 — Should the DPWT Really Get 10 Cards?&lt;br&gt; 47:55 — The DPWT’s Crossroads: PGA Tour vs LIV&lt;br&gt; 49:45 — Reviewing This Year’s DPWT Grads&lt;br&gt; 52:02 — The Challenge of Jumping from Europe to the PGA Tour&lt;br&gt; 54:07 — Breaking Down the 101–150 Conditional Groups&lt;br&gt; 56:14 — Past Champion Category &amp;amp; Where Smylie Would Slot In&lt;br&gt; 57:31 — Tiger Woods Leading the Competition Committee&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt; #smylieshow #pgatour #golfchannel #golfnews #golfpodcast #golf&lt;/div&gt; </description>

The Smylie Show

The Smylie Show

277: We're headed to GOLF CHANNEL! + Breaking down big changes in 2026 for the PGA TOUR

NOV 18, 202567 MIN
The Smylie Show

277: We're headed to GOLF CHANNEL! + Breaking down big changes in 2026 for the PGA TOUR

NOV 18, 202567 MIN

Description

<div>The PGA TOUR is changing — but is it changing for the better?<br> <br> 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.<br> <br> 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.<br> <br> Tune in, subscribe, and stick around for more golf storytelling and behind-the-scenes insight!<br> <br> Chapters ↓<br> 00:55 — The Smylie Show is heading to the Golf Channel!<br> 01:36 — Reflecting on the three-year journey of the show<br> 03:06 — Show changes to look for in 2026<br> 06:05 — Setting the Table: 2026 PGA Tour Rules &amp; Categories<br> 06:45 — Are PGA Points Fair? Full-Field vs Signature Debate<br> 07:18 — The Maverick McNealy Case Study<br> 08:22 — Is Winning a Full-Field Event Actually Harder?<br> 10:13 — What the Data Says About Difficulty<br> 11:45 — The 200-Point Problem<br> 13:11 — Why Signature Events Give Huge Built-In Advantages<br> 14:06 — Should a Top-10 Be Worth More in Full-Fields?<br> 15:16 — How Signature Starts Create Long-Term Inequality<br> 16:05 — Reviewing the Signature Event Chart (Audio Notes)<br> 17:14 — Case Study: Kurt Kitayama vs Hideki Matsuyama<br> 19:24 — Do Signature Events Artificially Inflate Some Players?<br> 20:32 — Chris Gotterup &amp; the “Late Season Unfairness” Issue<br> 23:16 — Signature Events vs Full-Field: Who Really Benefits?<br> 24:12 — How Players Ride Momentum — or Don’t<br> 25:18 — Why You MUST Play Well Early on Today’s PGA Tour<br> 26:21 — Low Full-Field Point Earners: Morikawa, Aberg, More<br> 27:33 — The No-Cut Advantage Problem<br> 29:06 — What the Tour Actually Wants: Star Protection<br> 29:26 — Tony Finau vs Gary Woodland Breakdown<br> 31:43 — Can You Play Your Way Off Tour With Signature Starts?<br> 32:35 — Adam Scott &amp; Max Homa Examples<br> 34:51 — Rickie Fowler’s Special Case<br> 36:23 — Why Sponsors Will Always Influence Signature Events<br> 37:14 — Golf Is Niche — And That Shapes the Entire System<br> 38:18 — What the Top-100 Cut Means for Journeymen<br> 39:04 — The New 2026 Rules: Field Sizes, 120-Player Players, Q-School<br> 41:23 — DP World Tour vs Korn Ferry: Who Deserves More Spots?<br> 44:41 — Should the DPWT Really Get 10 Cards?<br> 47:55 — The DPWT’s Crossroads: PGA Tour vs LIV<br> 49:45 — Reviewing This Year’s DPWT Grads<br> 52:02 — The Challenge of Jumping from Europe to the PGA Tour<br> 54:07 — Breaking Down the 101–150 Conditional Groups<br> 56:14 — Past Champion Category &amp; Where Smylie Would Slot In<br> 57:31 — Tiger Woods Leading the Competition Committee<br> <br> #smylieshow #pgatour #golfchannel #golfnews #golfpodcast #golf</div>