Veiled Warning for Bryson DeChambeau as Paige Spiranac Staunchly Defends PGA Tour Amid Viewership Crisis

Bryson DeChambeau’s YouTube success story stands as a testament to golf’s digital transformation. His channel boasts an impressive 1.66 million subscribers, attracting 252 million views monthly. Meanwhile, the PGA Tour grapples with a stark reality. A 20% decline in TV viewership in 2024. The pattern only continues, highlighted by a whopping 56% viewership drop at the 2025 American Express.

To say that the emergence of YouTube golf creators has reshaped how fans consume the game is an understatement. DeChambeau’s journey from 400,000 to 1.7 million subscribers in just 12 months exemplifies this shift. Even the authorities see that. PGA Tour has launched initiatives like the Creator Classic to better understand younger audiences. Does that mean fans are only interested in seeing golf on YouTube now? Not the actual tournament? This could be one of many narratives, but not of Paige Spiranac’s.

Beyond YouTube fame: Paige Spiranac shares a wake-up call

“Professional golf will always be king,” Spiranac declared. “Golf media personalities are having their moment now because there is so much division in the game. We don’t need more division by comparing YouTube golf to pro golf. They are completely different entities and need to work together to be successful. Once golf YouTube is deemed corporate it will then be uncool and people will flock to pro golf again. It’s a cycle. Rising tides lift all boats. Something I think golf is forgetting right now.”

Her statement came as a direct response to a social media post by @KylePorterNS highlighting how watching YouTube golfers play fascinating courses for 40 minutes was proving more entertaining than following PGA Tour players compete on the course for 400 minutes.

You see, the PGA Tour’s struggle to maintain its audience stems from multiple challenges. At the American Express 2025, the final group took an astounding 339 minutes (5 hours and 39 minutes) to complete their final round, drawing sharp criticism from fans and analysts alike. The Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines faced similar issues.

CBS announcer Dottie Pepper called out the final group of Harris English, Andrew Novak, and Aldrich Potgieter for taking three hours to play just their front nine. “It’s just got to get better,” Pepper emphasized. The glacial pace of play, combined with the ongoing division between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, has left many viewers seeking more dynamic alternatives. Enters the quick, interesting, and easy-to-consume content.

Golfers and creators like DeChambeau follow the approach that focuses on entertaining challenges to gather the audience’s attention. However, the actual events lack this kind of entertainment element. For instance, the 2x US Open winner’s viral hole-in-one challenge over his mansion captivated audiences daily. However, social media influencers often face challenges maintaining their authenticity as commercial opportunities grow. Spiranac has acknowledged this challenge, revealing that she has “turned down so many big brand deals, and so much money because it just hasn’t felt right.” 

DeChambeau’s success has influenced others too, for sure. His collaborations with creators like Grant Horvat, Good Good, and Rick Shiels consistently draw over one million views, benefiting the entire YouTube golf ecosystem. However, as Spiranac emphasizes, YouTube golf and professional golf are entirely different entities that need to work together. Talking about going hand in hand, LIV Golf made a bold move to up their content game.

LIV Golf’s digital revolution featuring Rick Shiels

LIV Golf has boldly moved into the digital space by announcing a multi-year strategic partnership with Rick Shiels, one of the world’s top golf content creators. With 2.93 million YouTube subscribers and over 935 million views, Shiels brings unprecedented reach to LIV.

“I am super excited. It has been in conversation for a while. We started conversations last year, potentially to even launch this last year, but we wanted to make sure it was all nailed on and make a big bang in 2025.[The deal] is the first of its kind. No YouTube golf pro has ever signed with a league or a tour so excited to be first. I’ve been making content for 13 years now and to partner in this capacity is huge for the space. Golf YouTube has been growing so fast. It is really being taken seriously now and this is a showcase of that,” Shiels told Mirror.

“We will be making exclusive content for LIV Golf channels. The majority of what we produce will be sitting on my channel as well. It is very similar to the content we have made already, just better. Better production, better venues, incredible guests, some of the guests are just out of this world,” he continued.

The partnership includes innovative content creation at all 14 LIV Golf League events in 2025, featuring series like “Break 75” showcasing venues and “10 Shot Challenge” with LIV Golf stars. This strategic move demonstrates a clear understanding of changing viewer preferences, particularly among younger audiences who crave more dynamic and interactive content. This move might help LIV gain more viewership at their events, after all. What do you think?