Salim “The Dream” Sirur found himself at the center of intense backlash after his behavior during the 2026 Internet Invitational finale sparked an on-course confrontation with tournament organizer Dave Portnoy. What was billed as a high-stakes championship broadcast at Big Cedar Lodge’s Payne’s Valley course quickly turned into a viral spectacle as Sirur’s heavy drinking throughout the event drew growing concern from tournament officials, teammates, and viewers alike.

The defining moment came when Portnoy intervened over Salim’s golf cart privileges, telling him, “Salim, we’re going to give you a driver so you don’t run anybody over,” prompting a visibly intoxicated Salim to push back and insist, “I’m not hammered!” NUCLR Golf shared a video of the incident on X.

Portnoy steps in

The confrontation unfolded during the final episode of the joint Barstool Sports and Bob Does Sports tournament. Salim had been drinking heavily throughout both the semifinal and the 18-hole alternate-shot championship match, taking repeated tequila shots and drinking beers on nearly every hole.

Portnoy, acting as head of the tournament committee, made clear through his live commentary that he was concerned about Salim’s state, with fellow Barstool personality Paul Bissonnette (“Biz”) and co-founder Robby Berger also stepping in to address Sirur directly on the course. Beyond the optics of an erratic broadcast, allowing a visibly impaired player to operate a motorized cart on a busy commercial resort property posed an immediate safety and liability risk for organizers.

Portnoy stated they were going to give Salim a dedicated driver so he would not run anyone over, and that they would have someone drive him home. Salim pushed back, saying he was not hammered and that he was fine, though Portnoy and others around him disagreed, with one person saying Salim was definitely hammered.

The moment quickly drew attention online, with fans criticizing Salim’s slurred speech, stumbling, and erratic play. Many viewers argued that his behavior was disrespectful to a high-stakes tournament and unfair to his teammates.

The match outcome

Despite advancing to the championship round, Salim’s Team Red squad, which included Ryan Whitney and Big John, ultimately lost on the 15th hole to Team Blue’s Fat Perez, Riggs, and Bobby Ray. The winning trio split the $4 million prize, with each player taking home $1.33 million.

While the loss left Team Red empty-handed, the sharper criticism centered on the format itself. Because alternate-shot golf requires partners to hit every other stroke with the same ball, one player’s unraveling directly penalizes the rest of the team, turning personal indulgence into a costly handicap when seven-figure payouts are on the line.

What fans said

Criticism spread quickly across social media, with many viewers arguing Salim’s behavior undermined the seriousness of the event. On Reddit, one viewer wrote, “Salim is completely intoxicated. He seems to be gazing in multiple directions at once.” Another added, “By the end of the last round, he’s likely to be quite intoxicated once more.”

On X, one fan wrote, “Salim has made this completely unwatchable. It has ruined what was a 10/10 production.” Another added, “I would rather watch 100 Dukes than 100 Salims.” Other viewers questioned whether the tournament had cut Salim off earlier, while skeptics dismissed his later sobriety statement as damage control.

On the sports forum TigerDroppings, opinion was more divided. One user wrote, “This is stupid as frick, he’s 24 years and he’s essentially on vacation and getting drunk, doesn’t mean he has a problem.” Another countered, “Taking a shot after every decent wedge shot or short putt is a wild stance.”

The criticism centered on the fact that Salim was playing for a share of $1.33 million while his teammates were relying on him in a team-based format. Even tournament founder Robby Berger acknowledged that drinking responsibly was expected, and that excessive drinking could become unfair to teammates if it affected play.

How his teammates reacted on air

Salim’s drinking also created visible friction within Team Red during the broadcast. At one point, Sirur took a beer directly out of teammate Big John’s hand, sparking tension between the two and forcing Ryan Whitney to step in and mediate to keep team morale intact during the alternate-shot match. While Whitney and Big John avoided a full-blown blowup on air and continued playing alongside him, the strain was evident.

Berger later said that Salim had played exceptionally well while drunk earlier in the event, which may have explained why his teammates and organizers did not intervene more aggressively sooner. He noted that the issue only becomes a problem when a player is not playing well and is affecting the team, adding that while casual drinking is part of the event’s appeal, organizers expect players to drink responsibly so it does not become unfair to teammates.

Salim responds

Following the broadcast of the episodes, Salim issued a public apology on Instagram to address the backlash. He acknowledged that watching the footage back was difficult and revealed that his behavior at Payne’s Valley directly prompted him to start a 90-day sobriety challenge immediately after filming wrapped. Salim said he was nearly finished with the 90 days when the finale aired. He did not directly address Portnoy’s comment, though his statement suggested he understood why fans were upset.

What comes next

The fallout underscores a growing tension across YouTube golf. The creator-golf boom was built on casual vibes, on-course drinks, and unfiltered personalities, yet as prize pools climb into the millions, expectations around competitive accountability are shifting fast.

Salim’s 90-day sobriety challenge may determine whether the Internet Invitational’s most polarizing personality gets another chance. If he returns in 2027, the question will not just be whether he can play, but whether he can deliver the entertainment value that made him popular without turning a $4 million tournament into a sideshow. For now, the finale will be remembered less for who won and more for the moment Salim insisted he was fine while Portnoy and the rest of the tournament staff made sure he did not get behind the wheel.