About this episode
Smylie Kaufman catches up with newly-minted PGA TOUR winner (and card recipient!) Michael Brennan about the whirlwind since his Bank of Utah Championship win: a week off to reset, the celebration at River Creek in Leesburg, and how a painful late collapse in Canada shaped his Sunday mindset in Utah. Michael also breaks down the training he did to reach 135 mph of clubhead speed, the detailed tracking app he uses to strategize at golf courses he's never played before, and tells a wild near-abduction story while traveling to a PGA TOUR Americas event. This is a must-watch for anyone chasing the dream — from junior golfers to aspiring pros. 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more behind-the-scenes stories from golf’s biggest personalities. #Golf #PGATour #TheSmylieShow #MichaelBrennan #GolfPodcast #SmylieKaufman 00:00 – Smylie welcomes PGA TOUR winner Michael Brennan 01:00 – Processing the win and fan support at home 03:00 – Learning to reset after victory 04:00 – Early recruitment and choosing Wake Forest 06:00 – Building speed and power in college 09:00 – Lessons from Rory and Scotty’s swings 10:00 – From average junior to 190 mph ball speeds 12:00 – Winning eight times in college — and the ups & downs 15:00 – Managing expectations and burnout as a young golfer 17:00 – Missing Korn Ferry status by one spot 19:00 – Crushing disappointment in Toronto and how it shaped him 22:00 – The collapse: five-shot lead turned nightmare 25:00 – What he learned — and how it fueled his next season 26:00 – Deep dive: Using “UpGame” analytics to train smarter 30:00 – How data changed his golf strategy 32:00 – Working with his caddie Jeff and modern prep for PGA TOUR 33:00 – Nightmare travel story: “I thought I was being abducted in Rio” 41:00 – How playing at elevation prepared him for Utah 43:00 – Meeting his caddie and building trust on the road 45:00 – Getting a last-minute sponsor’s exemption to Utah 47:00 – Closing it out under pressure — redemption for Toronto 50:00 – Lessons from Smylie’s own first win 51:00 – Michael’s next steps — moving to Jacksonville, prepping for 2025 52:30 – Smylie’s final thoughts & Brennan’s message to fans