243: Open Championship Preview with Brandel Chamblee + Is Rory McIlroy Back In Major-Winning Form?

The Smylie Show is on the road this week! Smylie Kaufman joins from the airport after a fun week in Tahoe, with Charlie Hulme on a quick trip to Ponte Vedra Beach. SK and CH begin the show recapping Chris Gotterup's breakthrough win at the Scottish Open, and whether he can complement his skill driving the ball with more complete performances like what we saw in North Berwick to take his game to the next level. After a near miss and a T2 in Scotland, Smylie and Charlie discuss a more relaxed looking Rory McIlroy, and where that positions him heading into a home game at Royal Portrush. Brandel Chamblee then joins Smylie to close the episode with a wide-ranging first look at the Open Championship, both previewing the 153rd edition and discussing whether some historic anchor sites like the Old Course can stand up to the increasing impact of technology on the game. Brandel closes with some analysis and predictions on who could emerge victorious at Portrush. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction and Highlights from Tahoe 05:45 Chris Gotterup's Breakthrough Win 08:23 Rory McIlroy's Performance and Mental Game 11:22 The Evolution of Golf and Player Profiles 13:53 Bifurcation of Golf Rules and Equipment 16:54 The Role of Data in Golf Analysis 24:30 Brandel Chamblee joins the show 26:30 Bifurcation 40:24 The Intersection of Data and Storytelling in Golf TV 43:07 The Challenge of Analyzing Tiger Woods 47:39 The Impact of Tiger Woods on Golf's Financial Landscape 48:01 The Risks of Swing Changes: A Look at Current Players 52:19 The Role of Teaching in Golf 01:02:28 Scottie Scheffler 01:10:00 Rory McIlroy 01:14:56 Open Championship Predictions Big thanks to AHEAD for their support! Check them out here: https://www.ahead.com/ Enter the 2025 Dream Ireland Golf Getaway Sweepstakes by ShipSticks: https://www.shipsticks.com/sweeps/ireland-dreamgolfgetaway Use promo code SMYLIE or this link for 20% off: https://www.shipsticks.com/?utm_source=smylie&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ss_acq_pod_0_smylie2025