It’s the tournament that’s taken the world of YouTube golf to new levels – so of course it was always going to involve a bit of controversy. (Before you read on, this article contains spoilers.)
The final episode of the impossibly popular Internet Invitational was aired on Thursday. And there was plenty of drama as the winners of the $1 million event were crowned.
The brainchild of Barstool Sports’ founder Dave Portnoy, who not only ponied up the huge prize pot but added on-course side bets as the series went on, the tournament pitted 48 YouTube and social media personalities of varying skill levels in a winner-takes-all showdown over the Cliffhangers course at Big Cedar Lodge.
Each round featured a number of challenges, including scramble match play and alternate-shot team games, with the field halving in size every time.
The final saw the team of Brad Dalke, a former US Amateur champion and member of the Good Good Golf crew, and Barstool pair Francis Ellis and Cody ‘Beef’ Franke take on professional golfer-turned-social media star Paige Spiranac, Barstool’s Frankie Borelli, and Good Good’s Malosi Togisala.
In a match that swung both ways and went the full 18, it was ultimately Dalke, Ellis and Franke who ran out winners after Borelli bladed a chip shot through the green and into the water behind the finishing hole.
But that wasn’t the only drama on a tense final day in Missouri.
Earlier in the round, Spiranac was accused of cheating after English professional golfer and YouTuber Peter Finch noticed her trampling down some grass to improve the lie for teammate Togisala in the three-player alternate shot match.
After Togisala plays an incredible escape from the fescue, Portnoy is shown asking if “Paige put that on a tee” for him.
Finch adds: “That lie in the rough there, it was s***. Paige has gone ahead to the ball and literally pressed down all the long in front so he could hit it out.
“There’s no way he could have hit that shot without that.”
Spiranac’s team end up losing the hole regardless, but she was still asked about it on the green by her opponents after a heads up from Finch.
Spiranac replies: “I thought you could do that. I didn’t realize you couldn’t do that. I didn’t move the ball.”
When Ellis says that “you can’t stomp around in long grass and create a clear path behind or in front of the ball”, a now emotional Spiranac reiterates that she “wasn’t trying to cheat”.
“I would never do that,” she adds. “I don’t want people to think that I would try to cheat.”
The clip was posted on Barstool’s social media feeds, so you can judge for yourselves.
Just in case you’re in any doubt, this is not allowed under the Rules of Golf. Rule 8.1 – under “course played as it is found” – says “actions that are not allowed” include “move, bend or break any growing or attached natural object”.
In a separate rules-related incident, Togisala was also accused of using a rangefinder with the slope function enabled. This is also not allowed in competition.
The Internet Invitational – which was produced by Bob Does Sports and Barstool’s golf division, Fore Play – has more than 20 million views and counting.
When winner Franke was asked what he would do with the money, he replied: “I’ll donate to some charities and I think I’ll pay off my parents’ house.” Franke passed away in October, just week’s before his victory was aired.
