Everybody loves a good underdog story, though perhaps journalists could put that old adage to the test in 2025.
In an upset likely to land somewhere between Happy Gilmore and Francis Ouimet in the annals of golf history, a team of Journalists defeated a team of Influencers 7-5 in the inaugural PGA Content Cup on Sept. 10 at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens.
The PGA Content Cup, modeled as a Ryder Cup celebration at the site of the 1983 American victory, pitted two of the 21st century’s most respected industries in a friendly, but competitive event of fourball, foursomes and singles on the famed Champion and par-3 Staple courses.
The event drew journalists and influencers from international media hubs such as New York City and golf hotbeds out west such as Arizona. Palm Beach County was well represented in its own right with myself and WPBF sports anchor Yianni Kourakis on the journalist team and locals Gabi Powel and Brady “Birdogey” Nuss on the influencer team.
If I’ve made any sort of name for myself after a decade in the media industry, it’s for a willingness to put my body on the line for journalism.
At my first job in Montgomery, Alabama, I led off the Advertiser’s team in the Firefighter World Combat Challenge, beating a prospective young firefighter in a race up the tower with a firehose over my shoulder. In Pensacola, I summoned my inner Peter La Fleur to be the last man standing on the News Journal’s “Dodge Brawl” team.
However, playing a PGA Tour course in front of fluttering camera lenses and low-handicap golf influencers was surely the most daunting challenge yet, particularly for a guy who cut his teeth in Palm Beach golf at the now-defunct Lone Pine Golf Club and only occasionally splurges to play municipals like Lake Worth Beach Golf Club or the Links at Boynton Beach.
While I can’t say I didn’t spend a few panicked hours in advance “figuring it out” on the driving range at John Prince Golf Learning Center, I was eventually able to relax and appreciate the chance to tee it up on the nicest golf course I’ve ever played while also getting a glimpse behind the screen at influencers in the wild.
I even surprised myelf with a couple pars, too.
A practice round in the attention economy
It’s a testament to modern media celebrity that I had friends and family who were already fans of the influencers I played a practice round with at PGA National on Sept. 9.
Zac Radford and Brady Nuss, an Ocean Ridge resident more famously known as “Birdogey,” combine for nearly 1.6 million followers across Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok.
Each influencer made the rounds at PGA National authentic to the signature styles that have driven their social platforms to success: Nuss, clad in bold, relaxed Chubbies-brand attire, played good golf inconsistently while Radford, every bit the tall, athletic potential PGA Tour professional, launched the sizzling, long-iron shots that have earned him renown.
Both remembered their first “viral” moment in content creation as clearly as their first birdie.
For Nuss, it was the self-deprecating formula that would one day become his comedic routine: A short video breaking down the many pitfalls in his, and clearly so many other golfers’, games. He awoke the next morning to 750,000 views and the realization, “Wow, I need to keep doing that.”
Radford’s path was more gradual. He’d experimented with YouTube and found some success on Instagram, at first mostly sharing scenic photos from courses while he chased a professional golf dream.
As Instagram shifted to focus on short-form video and the vertical scroll, Radford had an idea late one afternoon to film a ground perspective view of a stinger approach shot.
The shot has become his signature, earning the 39-year-old the moniker of “The King of Sting” and a repeatable party trick he can bring to any course he promotes.
Traditional Media vs. Modern Content Creation
What started as eureka has developed into a side hustle or full-time endeavor for almost every creator in the field at the PGA Content Cup.
It’s easy to admire the nimbleness of their operations. The creators are at the center of the hustle, but they’re surrounded by an ecosystem of booking agents, content editors, merchandising pros and marketing insiders helping to surf the wake of whichever social media behemoth is giving off the best waves at a given moment.
Whether churning out short, humorous vertical videos or delving into long-form YouTube series, the content creators sounded no different than a blue-haired journalism instructor in extolling the value of storytelling. Narrative, Radford said to a teammate, was critical to developing an audience that was invested in the creator’s work.
It was impossible not to contrast with my decade of experience in corporate media, which, although less likely to capsize overnight, is tethered to legacy revenue models, journalistic ideals and longform writing that strains modern attention spans.
Of course, many of the methods for capturing audience attention — think on-camera personalities and a prioritization of social media feeds — are gradually making their way into the legacy media. With the convergence, many journalists soon may be indistinguishable from influencers.
Even so, they’ll never be able to take the inaugural Content Cup victory away from “Big J” journalists.
Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at ejwallace@gannett.com.
Journalists:Tim Gavrich – Golf Channel’s GolfPassSean Tolson – Freelance: KINGDOM and LINKSTJ Olwig – Freelance: Men’s HealthMaddi McClurg – Golf.comYianni Kourakis – WPBF-ABC 25Eric Wallace – Palm Beach PostInfluencers:Zac Radford – @realzacradfordMorgan Pankow – @morgan_pankowGabi Powel – @gabipowelMariah Swigart – Ms_Swag_GolfBrady Nuss – @birdbogeyJess Negromonte – @jessnegromonte
