334: The Identity of the PGA Championship + Ryder Cup Captaincy with Shane Ryan
334: The Identity of the PGA Championship + Ryder Cup Captaincy with Shane Ryan  
Podcast: The Smylie Show
Published On: Tue May 26 2026
Description: Golf Digest’s Shane Ryan joins Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme fresh off the PGA Championship to unpack one of the strangest stories of major week: Garrick Higgo’s “late, but on time” tee-time penalty — and Shane’s now-viral follow-up question that cut straight through the confusion.From there, the conversation turns into a wide-ranging look at the modern PGA Championship: finding an identity in the wake of the move from August to May, whether Aronimink produced a fair major test, expectations for PGA Frisco next year, and what makes this championship feel so unique to the Masters, U.S. Open, and Open Championship.Shane also dives deep into the Ryder Cup, where he breaks down why Jim Furyk may actually be the right pick for Team USA, why Luke Donald and Europe continue to operate with such an edge, and whether the Americans are still searching for a system that can finally match Europe’s continuity.Follow us on socials @thesmylieshow ⛳️ and don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe!Chapters00:00 Shane Ryan joins The Smylie Show00:39 Garrick Higgo’s viral “late, but on time” moment03:08 What is the PGA Championship’s identity now?08:50 Was Aronimink a fair major test?13:53 Shane’s ideal PGA Championship setup16:23 Why PGA Frisco has pressure on it20:40 How PGA crowds compare to other majors21:11 Jim Furyk, Luke Donald & Ryder Cup leadership26:45 Why Team USA’s Ryder Cup job is so hard30:40 Europe’s Ryder Cup system vs. America’s chaos32:26 Biggest Ryder Cup captain snubs34:21 Could Luke Donald captain forever?#golf #pgatour #rydercup #smylieshow #smyliekaufman