The first-ever Myrtle Beach Classic is scheduled for May, and in an effort to make the new tournament stand out, the PGA Tour has decided to offer a spot to a YouTuber. While this move is likely to attract a younger audience, which the Tour is always striving for, it’s hard not to question the qualification process.
Typically, non-signature PGA Tour events hold Monday qualifiers during the regular season. These qualifiers usually consist of over 50 players, most of whom are professionals seeking a breakthrough or former Tour players who have lost their status but refuse to give up on their dreams. These are individuals who live out of their cars, driving across the country and spending hundreds of dollars to compete in the qualifier, hoping to bring their best game to the 18-hole course.
In contrast, this YouTube-themed qualifier will only feature 16 players. Sixteen.
The majority of qualifiers for amateur events across the country have more than 16 participants at any given site. Even the pre-qualifier for my country club’s club championship had over 40 players.
Now, you might call me an old-fashioned individual, but I can guarantee you that the golfers who grind it out in Monday qualifiers are also furious about this announcement.
The qualifier announcement does mention that each of the 16 players in the field meets the USGA requirement of having a 0.0 handicap or better. However, anyone familiar with golf knows that vanity handicaps exist.
Upon examining the 16-player field, the headline “YouTuber qualifier” is somewhat misleading. While a few participants have no experience playing at the professional or elite amateur level, there are also several professionals who have achieved legitimate success.
Matt Atkins, Jay Card III, George Bryan, Morgan Deneen, Luke Kwon, Jamie Wilson, and Scott Stevens have all competed and won in PGA Tour-sanctioned events in addition to creating content.
If I were one of these seven individuals, I would be extremely excited about the qualifier, as it essentially becomes a competition among them for the sole sponsor exemption into the tournament.
I understand that the PGA Tour aims to expand the game and attract a younger demographic, but having a separate 16-person qualifier for an event with a $4 million prize purse seems somewhat gimmicky.
Mark covers all major sports and closely follows the world of golf. He holds a journalism and online media degree from the University of Tennessee, although you can judge his mastery for yourself. When he’s not working, there’s a high chance you’ll find him on the golf course.
According to the Source outkick.com