Wesley Bryan’s latest YouTube video didn’t involve him hitting any golf shots, but rather providing an update on his PGA Tour playing status.
The 2017 RBC Heritage champ confirmed he’s still suspended indefinitely from the PGA Tour for participating in The Duels: Miami, a LIV-run creator event at Doral earlier this month.
“As you can tell from the title and thumbnail, I have been suspended by the PGA Tour,” Bryan begins in the video. “It’s been a difficult few weeks for us. It’s been an emotional roller coaster for sure for everybody in this cart.”
Bryan, appearing in the video with his his brother George, also expressed his thanks to the PGA Tour for all the opportunities it has provided them. The Bryan Bros were YouTube golf pioneers, creating viral videos years before the recent boom of online influencers. And they have appeared in the PGA Tour’s Creator Classic events that preceded The Duels: Miami.
“Even in the midst of the little disagreement we have right now I just wanted to make sure that we said our proper thank yous, because, again, they’ve given us so much,” Bryan says. “And when we started our YouTube journey 10-plus years ago, all we wanted to do was fund our mini-tour journey in hopes of one day playing on the PGA Tour.”
Bryan also explained why he participated in event at Doral.
“We had to jump at that opportunity, because all we’ve ever wanted to do from the Bryan Bros is be able to merge professional and YouTube golf and this was going to be one of those opportunities we’ve been dreaming of since we got into YouTube golf,” said.
Golf Digest reported Bryan was warned ahead of competing in the event by the PGA Tour. While his suspension has been described as “indefinite,” the tour’s rule states members competing in a LIV-backed event face a one-year suspension. The tour generally does not comment on suspensions. Watch Bryan’s
Bryan says he will appeal the suspension on the grounds that “The Duels” wasn’t a regular LIV event.
“I want to be clear I do respect the authorities that are in place at the tour, but because of the ambiguity in the rules and regulations that were written, I do, as a member of the PGA Tour, have a right to appeal their decision of which I plan on exercising,” Bryan says. “And I don’t feel like when the rule was written it was meant to cover content creation on YouTube. I feel like it was meant to cover organized, professional, high-level golf events.”
The news of Bryan’s suspension coincided with Grant Horvat, a YouTube star who also played in The Duels: Miami, announcing he’d received a sponsor exemption to play in the PGA Tour’s Barracuda Championship later this year.
The PGA Tour and LIV Golf’s financial backer, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, continue to work toward a reunification deal. Earlier this month, however, the PGA Tour rejected a $1.5 billion offer on the heels of a largely unsuccessful meeting at the White House in February.
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