Creator Classic brings a social media spin to Tour Championship
The fans were lined up two- and three-deep on the fence by the practice range at the East Lake Golf Club, but they weren’t there to get a peek at Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy. Those guys had already cleared the course to grab a few hours of air-conditioned rest before the Tour Championship begins on Thursday.
These patrons — and a few hundred more surrounding the first tee and a few hundred others scattered throughout the rest of the back nine — were part of the second annual Creator Classic, a competition that features some of the most popular and skillful men and women who have taken social media by storm.
“We’re reimagining the future of live sports — and creators are at the forefront of the evolution,” said YouTube’s vice president of connected TV marketing, Angela Courtin.
The phenomenon began several years ago and has swept through the sport like wildfire, especially among the younger generation of fans, many of whom feel traditional golf is old and stodgy. The competitors in the Creator Classic are certainly not of your grandfather’s generation. It’s all about likes and subscribers and views.
The tournament was carried live on the PGA Tour’s YouTube channel, which has 1.64 million subscribers. They even brought in Aaron Chewning and Hannah Rae Aslesen of St. André Golf, an Atlanta-based producer of funny videos that has 174,000 subscribers, to provide commentary on the broadcast.
Typical of those in the crowd was 38-year-old Jacob Matte of Acworth, who has been captivated by the social media creators since the craze began, and his wife, Morgan. Matte was sporting a “Good Good” hat, representing a brand that had three players in the field. Good Good Golf has more than 1.8 million subscribers to its YouTube Channel, and the Mattes enjoy watching the competition.
“What I love about YouTube golf is they’re really kind of connecting the fans to the players, not only the guys and girls out here today, but a lot of these guys play with Bryson (DeChambeau) and Jack Nicholson, and they’ve done different events where they collaborate with other people.”
The three girls in the field all wore bright golf attire; Gabriella DeGasperis, known as “Gabby Golf Girl,” was decked out in a canary yellow outfit, complete with the yellow shoes. The men in the competition looked like the guys in your regular weekend group, all wearing shorts and some even toting their own water bottle.
“It almost feels like you’re going off to play with your buddy,” Matte said. “You’re just hanging out. You’re watching these guys, but it feels like you’re riding along in the cart with them. They make it very personable, and you get to enjoy a game of golf sitting at home.”
But it wasn’t all fun and games. The 12-player field played eight holes, with the top four teeing it up on the 18th hole, with the winner taking it all for $100,000. Defending champion Luke Kwon, Micah Morris, Sean Walsh and Brad Dalke started the money hole with several hundred fans following them and another hundred or so waiting for them on the green.
Dalke, who was runner-up in the 2016 U.S. Amateur and played in the Masters, is one of the Good Good guys on the program. He didn’t make a bogey all day, finished the first eight holes in 2 under, and then made a short birdie putt as the rain began to fall, to win the event.
Dalke helped Oklahoma win the 2017 NCAA Championship and wants to return to pro golf. Or, as he told YouTube course reporter and social media maven Paige Spiranic, “I expect to do both. I hope I can.”
About the Author
Stan Awtrey has been covering sports for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1977. He currently writes about high school sports, Georgia State University athletics and golf.
