It\u2019s been exactly two years since TV history was made and golf postgame coverage was changed for good. Two years since Johnson Wagner walked onto the seventh hole at TPC Sawgrass for a Golf Channel \u201cLive From\u201d segment and started . . . throwing golf balls.<\/p>\n
Wagner was trying to recreate a bounce Rory McIlroy had gotten earlier with a watery drive, but he wound up creating a new popular segment when the video went viral. But with Wagner taking his talents to NBC this year, Smylie Kaufman is filling his void on Golf Channel. And so far, he\u2019s been very entertaining.<\/p>\n
RELATED: All three players in one group find the water on 17<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, Kaufman tried to recreate Si Woo Kim\u2019s famed driver-off-the-deck during his 2017 Players win, which Smylie had a front-row seat to. And Smylie hit back-to-back duck hooks.<\/p>\n
Paired together nine years ago, Smylie Kaufman attempts Si Woo Kim’s incredible driver off the deck from the 2017 Players. \ud83d\udca5\ud83d\ude05 @SmylieKaufman10<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/V7UaJ70xhy<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) March 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n And on Thursday night, the PGA Tour winner and friend of The Loop podcast went to TPC Sawgrass\u2019 most famous hole, which played particularly tough during the opening round, to hit a shot under the lights. It was then when he hit himself with the ultimate announcer\u2019s jinx.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Brandel, I\u2019ve never hit a ball in the water here on the 17th,\u201d Kaufman says to the show\u2019s hosts. \u201cSo, maybe that\u2019s the announcer\u2019s jinx.\u201d<\/p>\n You can guess what happened next. See for yourself:<\/p>\n WE DIDN’T WANT TO DO THIS SMYLIE https:\/\/t.co\/3qLry22IOj<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/7T4J6bnb56<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) March 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n That\u2019s rough. You can sense Kaufman knew that was coming, but yet he still said it. So, as a fellow content guy, respect.<\/p>\n RELATED: Wyndham Clark cracks up Kay Adams with wild drivers-girlfriends analogy<\/p>\n This article was originally published on golfdigest.com<\/p>\n