Webb Simpson Drops Truth Bomb on YouTube Golf vs PGA Tour | Rory McIlroy Fires Back 😳⛳
🔥 YouTube golf is no longer just entertainment — it’s reshaping the entire future of the sport. And now, major champion Webb Simpson has officially confirmed what millions of young fans already know.
While filming with the Bryan Bros at Quail Hollow, Simpson made one of the strongest endorsements ever for YouTube golf, calling it the key to attracting the next generation. And he didn’t sugarcoat the truth:
👉 71% of YouTube golf viewers are aged 18–34
👉 PGA Tour’s median TV viewer age? 64
👉 Good Good Golf gets a $45 million investment
👉 Rick Shiels (2.95M subs) & Bryson DeChambeau (2.55M subs) dominate golf media
But not every Tour player agrees.
During The Players Championship, Rory McIlroy took a hard stance against YouTube creators like Fat Perez and Grant Horvat — sparking backlash from fan favorites like Robby Berger of Bob Does Sports.
In this video, we break down:
⛳ Webb Simpson’s powerful message about golf’s future
⛳ Why YouTube golf is exploding among young fans
⛳ The real reason PGA Tour broadcasts are losing viewers
⛳ Rory McIlroy’s sharp criticism of YouTube creators
⛳ The hilarious response from Robby Berger
⛳ Why the Bryan Bros, Good Good, Rick Shiels & Bob Does Sports are winning
⛳ How this creator-driven revolution is changing the sport forever
From Quail Hollow to the digital world, this story reveals a massive divide inside golf — one that could decide the future of the PGA Tour, content creators, and the entire global fanbase.
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#YouTubeGolf #WebbSimpson #RoryMcIlroy #BryanBrosGolf #RickShiels #GoodGoodGolf #BobDoesSports #GolfNews #PGATour #GolfContent #BrysonDeChambeau #FatPerez #GrantHorvat #GolfMedia #GolfEntertainment
Webb Simpson stood in the fairway at Quail Hollow with the Brian Brothers golf cameras rolling and in just a few sentences he summed up one of the biggest shifts happening in the sport. The 2012 US Open champion wasn’t offering a casual opinion about YouTube golf. He was laying out a strategy the entire industry has been slow to understand. If the game wants to grow, it must meet its audience where they already are. Filming for the Brian Bros Roadtrip EP.1 series, Simpson didn’t hesitate when asked about the creator-driven golf boom. His response showed a clear awareness of how modern fans consume the game. I think we got to always evolve and pay attention to our audiences, Simpson said, speaking from his home course. To get to the younger audience, it’s an unbelievable avenue to really grab their attention and get them excited about golf. And he’s not guessing. The data backs him up. YouTube golf content attracts 71% of its viewers from the 18 to 34 demographic, a number the PGA Tour can only dream of given that the median viewer age on traditional broadcast is 64. Meanwhile, creators like Rick Shields have amassed 2.95 million subscribers. Bryson Deambo’s channel is closing in on 2.55 million. And Good Golf recently secured a staggering $45 million investment, proving this is no fringe trend. It’s a real media ecosystem with real money behind it. Simpson didn’t just praise the numbers. He applauded the Brian Bros entire approach. The fun, the energy, the personality. Wesley Bryan, who won the 2017 RBC Heritage, and his brother George have built their channel from early instructional clips into a full travel entertainment brand with 715,000 subscribers, and you guys make it fun, Simpson added. Playing with different people and playing different golf courses is really fun for guys to see, and golf is fun. Still, he acknowledged the tension. Tournament golf is built on intensity and pressure. Things that don’t always translate well to casual viewers. YouTube offers the opposite. Personality, humor, accessibility, and behindthe-scenes authenticity. It is our job, Simpson said, referencing the Brian Bros competitive backgrounds. So, we do look serious out there, but not everyone in the professional ranks sees YouTube as a positive force. When Rory Mroy was asked about creators like Grant Horvat and Fat Perez during his players championship press conference, he didn’t mince words. I’d much rather watch Pure Competition, he said. I’d much rather watch this tournament on Saturday and Sunday than watch YouTube golf. The reaction from the creator world was swift and humorous. Bob does sports personality Robbie Burgerer fired back with a viral response. You bite your tongue, Mroy. Try being eight fireball shots deep trying to hit a 45-footer while the whole YouTube world is relying on you. The Brian brothers weighed in. Two, echoing Simpson’s point, YouTube gives fans access to players as real people, not stiff press conference versions of themselves. Get them out of their element on a Saturday or Sunday on tour and let them have fun, they said. Wesley Bryan summed it up perfectly. YouTube simply peels back the curtain. That curtain, traditional media’s polished barrier between players and fans, is precisely what younger audiences reject. They want authenticity. They want personality. They want connection. YouTube delivers it in a way TV never has. And that’s why Simpsons endorsement matters so much. It’s not coming from a player trying to stay in the spotlight or regain relevance. It’s coming from a major champion who understands the realities of modern audience behavior. Other stars John Rom Brooks Kepka Xander Chaofell have already appeared on channels like Rick Shields and Bob does sports for the same reason. Even the PGA Tour has leaned in, launching the Creator Classic to blend pros and creators and sanctioned events. Simpsons comments make one thing clear. The debate about YouTube Golf’s legitimacy is over. The future isn’t about choosing between traditional broadcasts or creator content. It’s about how the two worlds work together. For young fans who discover golf through YouTube creators, Simpsons words validate their version of the sport. And for creators like the Brian brothers, a major champion calling their content essential rather than peripheral signals full-scale industry acceptance. That moment on the Quail Hollow Fairway wasn’t just an off-hand compliment. It was a recognition that golf’s growth depends on evolution and that YouTube isn’t just part of the conversation anymore. It’s leading it.
