Golf Dec 07, 2025

Internet Invitational: How YouTube golf series generated social media interest and took sport to a different audience

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Internet Invitational: How YouTube golf series generated social media interest and took sport to a different audience

A golf tournament in a style that has never been seen before, where creators turn into competitors and team-mates into enemies. Sounds good, right?

For those living under a rock or unaware of the concept of watching sport on different platforms, you may have missed the most intense YouTube golf series ever seen - The Internet Invitational.

Some huge names in the social media world were invited to take part in the tournament, ranging from TikTokers to sports stars, with Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri the venue for the inaugural edition.

It was created by Dave Portnoy and his team at Barstool Sports, paired with Robby Berger (Bob Does Sports), with an initial prize pool of $1m (£760,000) up for grabs and the event generating huge interest across social media.

Over three days of intense competition, including multiple challenges, skins games and on-course side bets, 48 influencers and content creators were whittled down to just a six-person final.

Included in the list of entries were two of Britain's best-known golf YouTube creators - Rick Shiels and Peter Finch - while Grant Horvat, Brad Dalke, Luke Kwon, Paige Spiranac, Gabby Girl Golf and Kyle Berkshire were among the other familiar names involved.

Teams were decided each morning before play, with captains selected via a vote and teams then picked in a draft like those seen in the NFL and NBA. Captains then put players into pairs and matched them against the opposition.

Formats included nine holes of two vs two scramble and nine holes of alternate shot, with the losing team at the end of each day then cut from the event. This process continued for day two, before the remaining 12 players were split into four groups of three on the final day.

The creators played 18 holes of alternate shot at the stunning Cliffhangers par-three course and the top two teams then progressed to an 18-hole final, while the whole event led to a six-part YouTube series watched by millions.

The final was between 'Team Dalke', consisting of Dalke, Cody 'Beef' Franke and Francis Ellis, and Team Spiranac, made up of Spiranac, Malosi Togisala and Frankie Borrelli.

Team Spiranac were the heavy favourites and there was drama early after a putt wasn't conceded by Ellis, with Spiranac taking offence and accusing them of 'never playing tournament golf' during a row at the next tee box.

More drama followed with Togisala being accused of using 'slope' on his range finder - a feature that calculates adjusted distances factoring in elevation changes - with the tournament coming to a standstill during an investigation about whether he had intentionally cheated.

It was decided there was no conclusive evidence to suggest foul play, although a social media clip led to some fans suggesting it looked like settings were changed before the range finder was inspected!

It appeared the whole saga weighed on Togisala for the rest of the round, as Team Dalke closed out victory. The ending scenes were emotional as a tribute was played out in memory of 'Beef', who passed away shortly after winning the event and before the series was released.

The main talking point of day one was who had the better players in their team, with former PGA Tour player Wesley Bryan the favourite but then - much to the delight of many of the creators - knocked out in the opening round.

Bryan was knocked out by his brother George Bryan, who has also played on the PGA Tour, with Horvat, Shiels, Garret Clarke and Kwon also among those who failed to progress to the second day.

Kwon made headlines that week for sleeping in and missing his opening tee time. Event organiser Portnoy felt disrespected and gave him a five-hole penalty when he did eventually turn up, with the mishap going viral on social media.

Other viral moments included two players being offered $250,000 by organisers to replay one hole, which Tom "Bubbie" Broders and Togisala both declined before progressing to the next round.

Now that the Internet Invitational is over, many fans have been left wanting more. There was something exciting and groundbreaking about watching a tournament where cameras never cut and golf was relatable to that played on a Sunday morning at your local course.

Portnoy, Barstool Sports and Bob Does Sports have all confirmed that it will be coming back next year, but could something more regular be required to meet the demand and interest?

Do fans want to see this every week? Is Fat Perez going to be the next Tiger Woods? I think not on the latter, but this event has certainly opened the possibility of more tournaments like this in the future. I will definitely not be missing next year's one!

Watch the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour, majors and more golf live on SportNews. or .

Tags:

golf news id:13470261

Share this article

Related Posts

Scottie Scheffler overtakes Tiger Woods in PGA Tour career money list at Tour Championship to cap off dominant FedExCup season

Scottie Scheffler overtakes Tiger Woods in PGA Tour career money list at Tour Championship to cap off dominant FedExCup season

It has taken less than five seasons for Scottie Scheffler to go from being winless on the PGA Tour to breaking Tiger Woods' 26-year-old career money r...

Tiger Woods enters plea agreement to reckless driving charge and issued five-year driving suspension in Florida court

Tiger Woods enters plea agreement to reckless driving charge and issued five-year driving suspension in Florida court

Tiger Woods has been fined and suspended from driving for five years after entering a plea agreement to a reckless driving charge, following March’s r...

Presidents Cup 2026: Jackson Koivun handed shock Team USA debut as Brandt Snedeker, Geoff Ogilvy reveal captain's picks

Presidents Cup 2026: Jackson Koivun handed shock Team USA debut as Brandt Snedeker, Geoff Ogilvy reveal captain's picks

Jackson Koivun has been handed a Team USA debut for this month's Presidents Cup, just months after turning professional, as former world No 1 Jason Da...

Walker Cup: Great Britain and Ireland produce stunning late comeback to beat USA 13½-12½ in thrilling contest

Walker Cup: Great Britain and Ireland produce stunning late comeback to beat USA 13½-12½ in thrilling contest

Great Britain and Ireland won the Walker Cup for the first time since 2015 after a nerve-shredding late comeback saw them beat the USA by a 13½-12½ s...

Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy or Matt Fitzpatrick? Have your say on who should win PGA Tour's Player of the Year award

Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy or Matt Fitzpatrick? Have your say on who should win PGA Tour's Player of the Year award

Rory McIlroy insists it’s 'all to play for' in the race to be crowned PGA Tour Player of the Year, but who is still in contention for the coveted Jack...

DP World Tour: Paul Casey misses crucial putts at Omega European Masters as Thriston Lawrence claims third title

DP World Tour: Paul Casey misses crucial putts at Omega European Masters as Thriston Lawrence claims third title

Paul Casey astonishingly missed a series of putts to win the Omega European Masters before losing to defending champion Thriston Lawrence at the fourt...