Grant Horvatt, a prominent figure in the golf content creator community, has decided to turn down sponsor exemptions for this week’s Barracuda Championship. His choice is influenced by his commitment to creating content for his YouTube channel.
With nearly 1.4 million subscribers, Horvatt has made a name for himself by playing alongside top golfers like Scotty Schaeffler, John Rahm, and Phil Mickelson.
Although he received an invitation to compete at the Tahoe Mountain Club for the Barracuda Championship, he opted out because the tour wouldn’t allow camera crews on the course to film his rounds. He addressed this in a video, explaining, “The reason we don’t play at PGA Tour events is due to the rules and regulations regarding media rights and filming during tournament play.” He noted that not being able to film during the tournament was a significant factor.
Horvatt emphasized his passion for documenting his experiences, saying, “Personally, I want to do YouTube for a living and document everything I do. This is why I got the invitation in the first place.” He hopes to participate in future tour events—ideally, under conditions more favorable for filming.
While he acknowledges that the PGA Tour might see him as a way to engage new fans, he remains committed to his audience on platforms like Instagram, which boasts nearly one million followers. He expressed, “I didn’t want to play if it didn’t include a camera.”
The Barracuda Championship is taking place concurrently with the Open Championship in the UK, which features big names like Schaeffler and Rory McIlroy, who won’t be competing in California this week.
Interestingly, the PGA Tour has been leaning into the popularity of golf content creators, having even organized a “Creator Classic” tournament reminiscent of the LIV Golf events.
