283: Brooks Koepka Leaves LIV + The Best and Worst Golf Moments of 2025

The final Smylie Show of 2025 is here — and there’s a LOT to unpack.

Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down the biggest golf storylines of the year, starting with the shocking news that Brooks Koepka is leaving LIV Golf, what that means for the league, and how it impacts players like Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm moving forward.

We dive into:

Then, we close out the year with a fun 2025 Year-in-Review game, debating the biggest moments in golf — from Rory McIlroy's grand slam, to the Internet Invitational, to some hilarious TGL bloopers involving Tiger Woods.

A mix of serious golf analysis, hot takes, and classic Smylie–Charlie banter to close out the year.

👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments — who had the moment of the year?

00:00 – Holiday catch-up, family life & Christmas chaos
06:30 – Playing golf over the holidays + end-of-year reflections

13:00 – Brooks Koepka leaving LIV: what happened
16:00 – Why Brooks was never fully comfortable in LIV
19:30 – Can Brooks return to the PGA Tour?
23:00 – Rules, suspensions & politics around returning players
26:00 – Bryson DeChambeau’s leverage going forward
29:00 – Jon Rahm’s complicated situation
32:00 – LIV’s long-term future & roster depth
35:30 – Mito Pereira stepping away from LIV
38:30 – Was LIV still worth it financially?
41:30 – Big picture: where pro golf goes from here

43:00 – Transition into 2025 year-in-review discussion
45:00 – How we’re defining the “best moments” of the year
47:00 – Tommy Fleetwood’s year vs Justin Rose
49:30 – Frankie Fleetwood & emotional golf moments
52:00 – JJ Spaun’s Oakmont moment
55:00 – The Internet Invitational & YouTube golf explosion
58:00 – Scottie Scheffler at Portrush
1:01:00 – Why Scottie’s dominance feels different
1:04:00 – Pressure, greatness & defining careers
1:07:00 – Ryder Cup implications & away wins
1:10:00 – Europe vs USA mindset debate
1:13:00 – What moments actually last 10–15 years
1:16:00 – Final thoughts on the year in golf
1:18:30 – Wrap-up & closing

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