In retrospect, the Myrtle Beach pre-qualifier was always a precursor of bigger things to come. It was dubbed as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—it was, of course, no question about it—but by the looks of it, this might just become a new feature. We are talking about YouTube Golf, and its inroad into the professional arena on the eve of Creator Classic.

On Wednesday, 16 golfers more famous for their YouTube exploits than their professional ones, will tee off at the East Lake Golf Club. YouTube Golf’s popularity has not eluded Jay Monahan. Neither has eluded that without a star like Bryson DeChambeau in his roster anymore, the Tour needs to walk the extra mile to draw the same audience. But the question staring at us is, can Monahan fill that void left by Bryson DeChambeau with the Creator Classic?

Can Creator Classic draw a YouTube audience? 

The players at the Creator Classic have already teed off with Bryson Dechambeau. Or, are eager to collaborate with him. But none, of course, has the pull of the reigning U.S. Open Champions.  While it’s unlikely that even if DeChambeau was a PGA Tour cardholder, he would’ve been allowed to play, surely, the 30-year-old would’ve visited the East Lake on Wednesday. 

To many, he is the no. 1 YouTube golfer. A large section of his followers on social media only watch him on YouTube and the majors. It’s unclear how many of them have translated to LIV’s fans because the Greg Norman-fronted side’s viewership numbers are uninspiring as well. But without a doubt, having a DeChambeau on the PGA Tour would’ve helped.

Largely because, unlike the LIV Golf, the Tour already has a loyal fanbase. The problem is they are not turning up every time, and some are only satisfied with fun Golf on social media. It’s that crowd the Creator Classic looks to bring back. While talking about social media personalities, it’s always good to check the pulse of the internet. We did late Tuesday, and it told us that folks are already fired up about it. 

The power ranking already caused a firestorm 

Contrary to what many believe, the Creator Classic has reached exactly what it was aimed for. The new generation who are munching on golf content across different channels. Jay Monahan seemed more interested in bringing the casual viewers—those who watch Golf on YouTube but might not tune in for the weekend. He has been fairly successful, even though the PGA Tour scored an early self-goal.

So, if you have checked the Tour’s website, they released a power ranking of all 16 golfers in the field. Actually, the ranking was done by Golfbet, a third-party betting platform, but appeared on the PGA Tour’s website via affiliate marketing. Nevertheless, the ranking was ascribed to the Tour since it popped up on their page and they shared it from the Tour’s official social media handle.

Things got heated. Fans and regular consumers of YouTube Golf were absolutely infuriated that George Bryan IV of the Bryan Bros fame was kept at 7th. Bryan IV was in the Myrtle Beach Classic qualifier field as well. The 36-year-old almost qualified directly before coming second in the pre-qualifier. 

Later, Bryan IV was handed a sponsor exemption and entered the Myrtle Beach field. Although he couldn’t make the cut, it was more of a testament to how hard it is to make the Tour cut rather than his lack of skill. 

The same person featuring at seventh behind Paige Spiranac (#2) ruffled a few feathers. Many pointed out that Bryan IV needs to be at the top just behind his brother, Wesley Bryan. Whereas, some were furious with Peter Finch, a famed Golf instructor who placed 16th. In short, there was a real buzz around the power ranking as it happens for regular Tour events. 

Now, no matter how we see it, power rankings are subjective matters. But the fact that many went wild over it tells you everything you need to know. The spectators are absolutely hooked on this one-of-a-kind nine-hole tournament. They will keep a check on the leaderboard, and debate why someone is underperforming, just like a regular weekend of golf.

Jay Monahan surely would welcome the debate given how far off PGA Tour’s ratings have fallen. Its success will depend on how well the Tour can sell it. Whereas, it’s still up for debate if the number of eyeballs will translate to the Tour Championship as well.