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Many golf lovers have a childhood dream of playing on the PGA Tour, the biggest stage for anyone looking to become a professional golfer. But that’s what it is for Grant Horvat, a childhood dream. Now that he has grown to become a successful YouTube golfer, he no longer wants to play on the PGA Tour. And that’s bugging a lot of people.

Grant Horvat recently appeared on the Good Good Golf podcast, where he opened up about his decision to decline a $6M PGA Tour Invite. He also mentioned the harsh response he received for doing so.

“The one thing that, you know, when we’re filming a video and we’re out with these guys competing, it was really interesting because when I said no to the PGA Tour invite, the amount of crazy tweets that I saw and just people saying like to think that this guy could bring his whole camera crew out there to think like all this the last thing I want to do,” Grant Horvat told Good Good Podcast.

“I’m even thinking about it right now, is like if I’m paired with somebody that’s like doing this for a living and is giving it their all, and you know, was trying to provide for their family, the last thing I want to do is distract them by having cameras.”

Horvat received a sponsor’s exemption into the PGA Tour’s Barracuda Championship at the Tahoe Mountain Club. It was an opposite‑field event played the same week as The Open.

However, the YouTube golfer declined the invite. He revealed the offer in a video earlier in the season while filming with the World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. In the video, he had already hinted at having mixed feelings about accepting a hypothetical exemption.

In a public statement, Grant Horvat said he declined purely because of the PGA Tour’s rules on media rights. The intellectual property rights had not allowed him to film his round during tournament play.

He stressed that his entire opportunity existed because of YouTube. So, playing without cameras would cut out the audience that put him there. He hoped the policy might change in the future so he could “bring everyone along” one day.

Horvat’s idea was never to bring in the whole crew and distract other golfers. All he wanted was to have just one person with a camera, and that too from outside the ropes.

“Like I have one guy, and he’s like outside the ropes with a camera, like it would just be Sky. And so yeah, I just want to make sure that we’re always keeping it really discreet in those,” Grant Horvat said.

The YouTuber states that the first 24-48 hours after the decline were very chaotic. He never expected to get all those crazy messages because for him, it was not that big of a deal.

“It was not necessarily me. It was YouTube golfer declines a PGA Tour invite. Yeah, that was the main title,” the YouTube star told Good Good Podcast.

Social media posts and messages blasted him for turning down other people’s dreams. However, he says that it was a major misconception because he didn’t want to offend any other professional golfers or the fans.

Horvat reiterated that he has no intention of “truly pursuing” professional golf full‑time. But he is open to dropping into select events for the challenge and the content if the setup makes sense.

He specifically mentioned interest in trying a standard four‑round event like something the controversial YouTuber Luke Kwon does on the Asian Tour. Horvat wants to do it partly to see if he can make a cut and partly to feel what his body and mind are like back in a proper grind.

It is not just Grant Horvat; there may be many other popular YouTube golfers who may decline a full-time PGA Tour pro role to continue creating YouTube content. That’s how popular YouTube golf has become, even when compared to the PGA Tour.

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The rising popularity of golf on YouTube

Golfing YouTube has surged in popularity. It is driven by accessible, entertaining content from creators like Grant Horvat, Luke Kwon, and the Bryan Bros. YouTube golfers have attracted younger audiences with billions of views. Even professionals like Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson are creating YouTube content.

The PGA Tour and LIV Golf have capitalized on this boom through creator events like the Creator Classic and The Duels, blending pros with influencers to boost engagement. Launched by the PGA Tour in 2024, the Creator Classic is a 9-hole stroke-play event for YouTube golfers on tournament Wednesdays. It has grown into a series with $100,000 winner-takes-all prizes and playoff formats. Grant Horvat has even won one of these played at the TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach.

LIV launched something similar in 2025. The Duels: Miami was hosted at Trump Doral on April 5, 2025. It was a 9-hole scramble pairing six LIV pros with creators like Phil Mickelson/Grant Horvat, Dustin Johnson/Wesley Bryan, Cameron Smith/Fat Perez, and others. The PGA Tour suspended Wesley Bryan for participating in the event.

The reason behind this rise in popularity is the fun and engaging content. Creators produce relatable tutorials, challenges, and money matches that democratize golf. This is contrasting to the traditional tour coverage’s formality. Bryson DeChambeau alone has nearly 90 million career views, claiming YouTube golf rivals pro golf’s popularity. Channels like Good Good Golf secured $45 million in funding in 2025 for expansion. This fuels a creator economy projected to hit half a trillion dollars globally by 2027.