Could 'Golf YouTubers' really be the people to save the PGA Tour against LIV Golf?

It's 2024, and even the most traditional sports like golf, have become more intertwined with the digital age and social media, with professional golfers regularly making guest appearances on YouTube.

However, at the Myrtle Beach Classic in May, there may be a chance that a 'Golf YouTuber' could be teeing it up against the professionals in their official workspace.

According to Sky Sports, the organisers launched the 'Q at Myrtle Beach' on Monday, where eight prominent golf content creators and eight pros competed for the one PGA Tour exemption spot.

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The influencer half of the field included Good Good's Luke Kwon, former Good Good members Micah Morris and Grant Horvat, Nick Stubbe (aka Fat Perez), George Bryan, and England's Peter Finch.

According to YouTube, the influencers account for over four million subscribers across all their channels. Is it a perfect marketing strategy for the PGA Tour?

The editor of the website Bunkered, Michael McEwan, told the Sky Sports Golf podcast that it's a perfect move to get more eyeballs on the PGA Tour product.

McEwan said: "It shows a bit of savvy from the PGA Tour. They have clocked the fact that YouTube golf has sky-rocketed in terms of interest. Some people have YouTube channels, solely about golf, and have bigger followings than nearly every other professional golfer out there."

"The tour needs eyeballs. The tour needs to bring a new audience because it has been threatened in a way that it has never been threatened before, so this to me feels like a stroke of genius."

The PGA Tour is in turmoil at the moment, losing another two of their best players to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tour in December, with Jon Rahm and Tyrell Hatton joining the tour.

As reported by The Independent, Rory McIlroy has been the biggest spokesperson against the LIV Golf Tour. Still, even he may be swayed to join, according to his former agent Chubby Chandler.

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When asked about his former agent's comments on his potential softening stance on LIV Golf, McIlroy said: "Never know. He might know a few things. Who knows?"

If McIlroy was to leave the PGA Tour and join LIV Golf, the revenue and sponsorships would surely plummet for the tour, with only a handful of the world's best still playing PGA Tour golf.

The addition of YouTube golfers, who can compete on tour could save the PGA and bring a new market of fans to the events to watch their favourite influencers play against professional golfers.

According to the Golfing Gazette, fans will have to wait just a little bit longer to find out which one of their favourite YouTube stars made it to the Myrtle Beach Classic.

One of the contestants, Peter Finch, took to X after the qualifying, saying: "This was special! 16 golfers (including me) battling for a chance to play in a PGA TOUR EVENT!! Vids will be released in April and results are under a strict embargo."

Could the addition of golf influencers be a stroke of genius by the PGA Tour or is LIV Golf too big to compete with?

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