Report: PGA Tour suspends popular YouTube pro for playing in LIV’s ‘The Duels: Miami

Wesley Bryan won’t play the PGA Tour’s Puntacana Corales Championship this week after being suspended by the PGA Tour for competing in a LIV-backed event two weeks ago.

Wesley Bryan of the United States plays his shot from the fourth tee during the second round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship 2024 at Port Royal Golf Course on November 15, 2024 in Southampton, Bermuda. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

The popular YouTube golfer, who finished second in the Puntacana opposite-field event in the Dominican Republic last year, has been suspended indefinitely by the Tour for participating in “The Duels: Miami,” a YouTube match associated with LIV Golf and shot during the Miami LIV event ahead of the Masters.

Ryan French of The Monday Q was the first to report the story.

Bryan, winner of the 2017 RBC Heritage, was placed on probation the day after The Duels: Miami was announced in March, according to French. Six LIV golfers teamed up with six YouTube creators for a nine-hole scramble. The match offered a $250,000 purse. Wesley’s brother, George, and Sergio Garcia won in a playoff over Bubba Watson and Luke Kwon. The Duels: Miami has nearly two million views on Grant Horvat’s YouTube channel alone.

French noted that all of the creators were informed through a third party that there was potential for disciplinary action from the PGA Tour, including being excluded from any PGA Tour-affiliated events and content going forward. Multiple sources told French those threats were later withdrawn except for the potential disciplinary notice to Bryan. Bryan was suspended the day after The Duels match went live on Horvat’s YouTube channel.

Bryan, 35, won three times on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2016 and was named the development tour’s Player of the Year. Eight years ago, he won in his home state of South Carolina at Harbour Town Golf Links for his lone PGA Tour victory and reached a career-best of No. 37 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He has dealt with injuries and lost full status on Tour but remains a popular figure in the game with a younger generation that enjoys his vivacious personality on YouTube. Bryan has made 134 career Tour starts, including three this season. He last played in the Puerto Rico Open in March.

“For the last eight or nine years, the opportunities have been amazing,” Bryan told French. “I’m extremely grateful to the Tour for that. I don’t want this to be the end of my professional golf career.”

But he said he had no regrets about participating in a LIV Golf-related event, which has had ramifications for other Tour members.

“That video is one of the most powerful videos in YouTube golf.” Bryan said. “We are going to continue to support Grant and grow the game through YouTube.”

Horvat, who never has had any Tour status, announced that he has been offered a sponsor invitation to the Tour’s Barracuda Championship but has not yet accepted.

Bryan is at the Puntacana Resort with his family, sharing a rental home with Tour member Ben Martin and his family. But it’s unclear how soon he can petition to resume playing the Tour. Efforts to reach the Tour for comment were not answered before this story was posted.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Former PGA Tour winner dropped from Puntacana after playing LIV event

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