Is YouTube the new battleground for professional golf’s power struggle? Social media influencers have transformed from casual commentators into coveted assets overnight. Their combined reach now extends to millions of golf fans worldwide. This sudden importance has placed them squarely in the crossfire of golf’s most contentious rivalry. The conflict between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf has simmered for years, primarily focused on professional players and tournaments. Now that the battle has unexpectedly spilled over into a new territory. Content creators who once stood on the sidelines reporting on the conflict have become unwitting participants in it.

Additionally, recent reports have sent shockwaves through the golf content community. The PGA Tour allegedly threatened creators with suspensions for participating in LIV Golf’s upcoming event, “The Duels.” Though most of these threats were later withdrawn following creator pushback, the message from Commissioner Jay Monahan was unmistakable. Total loyalty is expected, even from those who aren’t competing as Tour professionals.

Content creators caught between competing golf empires

The situation mirrors what happened with professional players who first joined LIV Golf. “Just like what we saw a long time ago with the first players who went over to LIV had big compensation packages,” noted a host on The Golf Podcast discussing the creators’ dilemma. “Dustin Johnson famously said they assumed all the risk.”

Content creators like Grant Horvat, Rick Shiels, and the Bryan Brothers now face similar risks. Their participation in LIV events could trigger backlash from both the PGA Tour and tour-loyal fans. The potential financial incentives from LIV must be weighed against these career-limiting consequences. When these threats initially emerged, reports indicate that the PGA Tour was prepared to bar creators from participating in future Tour events, including the Creator Classic.

The Bryan Brothers situation highlights this impossible position. George and Wesley Bryan serve on the PGA Tour’s Creator Council while also planning to participate in LIV’s “The Duels” event. This dual involvement creates an awkward conflict of interest that’s difficult to navigate. As The Golf Podcast hosts discussed, “Are they going to be the only two individuals on Earth who get to walk that line between the two tours and have no consequence to it?” LIV Golf’s event offers a substantial $250,000 prize purse exclusive to content creators – the largest payout ever for a YouTube golf competition. The event pairs creators with LIV professionals like Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Sergio Garcia in a team format.

Golf insider Lee Westwood confirmed the Tour’s threats, saying, “Because of the backlash they took them back from everyone apart from Wes. Obviously they have to look consistent with this punishment or they’ll be in a deep hole.” Multiple golf insiders have suggested the Tour be reunited, as this creator controversy merely highlights the unsustainable nature of the current divide. This aligns with the PGA Tour’s consistent messaging that there will be only one tour in the future of professional golf. Commissioner Monahan made this explicit after meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, stating the goal is “the reunification of professional game on one tour, with all the best players on it” – not two parallel organizations with creators caught between them.

As the battle for content creator loyalty intensifies, it’s ultimately the everyday golf fans who suffer most from this ongoing conflict.

Divided landscape hurts golf fans the most

The real victims of this power struggle are the fans who enjoy golf content. “What if we lived in a world where you didn’t have to pick sides?” questioned a host on The Golf Podcast. Golf viewership has declined across both tours since the split began, with PGA Tour events still drawing 3.6 million viewers while LIV Golf struggles with just 34,000 viewers for recent events. This fragmentation forces fans to navigate multiple platforms just to follow their favorite players and creators.

The PGA Tour’s Creator Council, formed in December 2024, assembled influencers like Bob Does Sports, No Laying Up, and Paige Spiranac to enhance fan engagement. Yet this same organization now threatens to exclude creators who associate with LIV Golf. “I just think that whole beautiful world scenario can’t exist because the PGA Tour was so strict in the beginning with these fines and suspensions,” noted the podcast host, highlighting how rigid policies prevent creators from serving all golf fans.

Fan reactions have been overwhelmingly negative toward the Tour’s strong-arm tactics. “This would be absurd honestly,” wrote one fan regarding the threatened suspensions. The conflict exposes a troubling gray area – should content creators face the same restrictions as tour professionals? As The Golf Podcast host emphasized, whoever benefits from creators working with both tours is “us the viewers,” who simply want entertaining content without being caught in golf’s political crossfire.

Will golf’s divided landscape ever reunify? The ongoing content creator controversy suggests that day remains far away. In the meantime, golf YouTubers will continue walking a tightrope between competing tours and competing interests. What do you think about content creators being forced to choose sides? Let us know in the comments section below!