Creator golf is borrowing from Augusta’s playbook. Brad Dalke and Francis Ellis just invited the 2026 champions to dinner, launching a ritual modeled directly on the sport’s most hallowed traditions.
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By adopting this format from the Masters, the Internet Invitational is positioning itself less like a one-off YouTube spectacle and more like an annual championship with genuine history, prestige, and continuity. The inaugural 2025 champions formally invited the 2026 winners, Riggs, Fat Perez, and Bobby Ray, to the first Champions Dinner next year, creating a permanent bridge between past and present winners.
In a video posted by Fore Play, 2025 champion Brad Dalke initiated the ritual by telling the new winners, “Hey, me and Francis would like to cordially invite you to Champions Dinner next year.” The invitation included a familiar, playful twist, as fellow 2025 champion Francis Ellis will foot the bill. “Big dinner on Francis,” Dalke said before the 2026 winners accepted the offer and immediately asked whether they could choose the menu. Dalke confirmed they could.
Borrowing From Augusta
The Champions Dinner is a Masters-exclusive tradition; no other major championship holds a comparable annual dinner. Each year, past Masters champions gather in Augusta on the Tuesday before the tournament, wearing their green jackets to welcome the newest winner into the exclusive club. In Augusta, the defending champion selects the menu and pays the tab.
The Internet Invitational is adopting the spirit of that ritual while flipping a few of its mechanics. Unlike Augusta’s strict Tuesday schedule and single-venue tradition, the Internet Invitational hasn’t locked in a permanent date or host location yet, and there are no green jackets on the line. Instead of making the newest winners foot the bill, the inaugural champions are hosting and paying, while still handing menu control over to the reigning trio.
The 2026 Champions
Team Blue won the 2026 Internet Invitational title and claimed the $4 million purse. The trio featured a mix of personalities from different corners of the golf internet, including Nick Stubbe from Bob Does Sports (Fat Perez), Sam Bozoian from Barstool Sports (Riggs), and professional long drive competitor Bobby Ray.
They defeated Team Big John, featuring Big John, Ryan Whitney, and Salim, 5&3 in the 18-hole alternate shot final at Payne’s Valley in Missouri. Team Blue took control early, built a four-hole lead, and closed out the match on the 15th hole. Golf Digest noted that Bobby Ray “proved clutch for Team Blue down the stretch.” The three winners split the purse, taking home approximately $1.3 million each.
The Inaugural 2025 Champions
The right to host the first dinner belongs to the 2025 winners: Brad Dalke, Francis Ellis, and Cody “Beef” Franke. In the inaugural final, they defeated Paige Spiranac, Frankie Borrelli, and Malosi Togisala by one hole and split a $1 million prize. Their victory established them as the foundational group in Internet Invitational history, giving them the authority to establish this new ritual.
A Major Feel for YouTube Golf
Emerging golf properties have long relied on ceremonial traditions to build legitimacy alongside big payouts. While breakaway circuits like LIV Golf leaned heavily on team formats and shotgun starts to stand apart, established PGA Tour signature events like the Memorial Tournament and the Arnold Palmer Invitational built lasting prestige through host-led traditions and honorary awards.
The Champions Dinner gives the Internet Invitational that exact kind of institutional weight. The tournament already featured a massive prize pool, high-pressure team formats, and a 64-player field consisting of creators, athletes, and celebrities. By adding a ritual that extends beyond the prize money, the event creates a natural storyline for 2027, keeps past winners tied to the tournament, and turns a seat at the table into an annual competitive incentive.