We’ve all been there before. Your friend shows you an amazing card trick that leaves you genuinely amazed. Then, the next day, another friend explains the simple sleight of hand behind it, and suddenly, the magic dissolves into a clever prank. This same feeling of delayed disillusionment recently swept through the golf community after Oz Pearlman, known professionally as “OZ the Mentalist,” appeared on the Fore Play show during coverage of The Players Championship.

The Fore Play show, always looking to spice things up for viewers, invited the renowned mentalist who previously impressed hosts Trent and Riggs in Arizona. Oz, a former Wall Street professional who left Merrill Lynch to pursue entertainment full-time, has mystified everyone from NFL teams to A-list celebrities with his apparent mind-reading abilities. However, this time, fans watching at home quickly spotted what they believed were the obvious mechanics behind the “magic.”

OZ the Mentalist’s mind-reading 3-iron stunt leaves hosts speechless

The performance began with Oz casually asking one of the hosts to imagine taking a golf swing. Then, he instructed the host to demonstrate this imaginary swing while Oz picked up a board and pen from another host. Next, he had the first host step away from the desk and take another practice swing in full view of the cameras.

Meanwhile, Oz scribbled something on his board, carefully keeping it hidden from everyone’s view. After the host completed his swing, Oz directed him to close his eyes and stand still. Then, with theatrical flair, Oz approached a nearby golf bag and deliberately selected a club. He subtly flashed three fingers to the camera, revealing it was a 3-iron, before quickly concealing it from the demonstrating host.

When the host opened his eyes, Oz immediately asked which iron he had imagined using. “3,” came the reply, prompting gasps from everyone in the studio. Furthermore, when questioned about his imagined yardage and driving style, the answers apparently matched exactly what Oz had written on his hidden board. As a result, the studio erupted with amazement, with one host exclaiming that Oz was “some kind of wizard.”

The amazement inside the studio, however, didn’t translate to the audience at home, who watched with a far more critical eye than the hosts did in the moment.

Fans call foul on OZ the Mentalist’s stunt on social media

Yet, what appeared magical on air quickly unraveled online. Consequently, when Fore Play posted the clip to their X account, viewers immediately expressed their skepticism. One particularly blunt comment stated, “oh, ffs, a ‘mentalist’. could you guys try to have some dignity?“

More damaging were comments referencing unseen footage from the show. “Now post the video with Damon pretty much acknowledging that he wrote down his names prior to the segment…lol. I like OZ, but this was 100% scripted,” wrote one viewer. Another added, “Watch the Damon segment…he starts to give away the trick and Oz cuts him off.” Obviously, these comments suggested that behind-the-scenes content had accidentally revealed the truth behind the performance from the third-place finisher of America’s Got Talent Season a decade ago.

Some viewers even proposed more elaborate theories about the performance. “One day we’ll learn that he orchestrated all of this with the people he uses as volunteers and pays them under the table,” theorized one commenter. In short, the consensus seemed clear: “My exact thought every time. Have to be in on it.“

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Oz has faced skepticism from golf fans. During a 2024 Ryder Cup event, he performed a similar “mind-reading” trick for captains Luke Donald and Keegan Bradley that received equally dismissive comments on social media despite amazing the captains.

As golf content evolves beyond traditional coverage, the line between genuine entertainment and staged performances grows increasingly blurry.