Copyright Essentially Sports

Golf tournaments rarely mix viral drama with million-dollar stakes. But when internet personalities tee it up, the unexpected becomes the norm. That was exactly the case at Barstool Sports’ Internet Invitational, where YouTuber Luke Kwon, paired with PMT from Barstool, was slated to face Frankie Borrelli and Bubbie in a scramble. The only problem? He never showed up for his 9:30 AM tee time. Following the incident, Kwon addressed the situation on his Instagram story. He admitted he had overslept and took responsibility for his mistake. “Just woke up what’d I miss. Obviously nobody sleeps through their alarm wanting to sleep through their alarm,” Kwon wrote on his Instagram story. “Shit happened and I am genuinely sorry honest mistake. I’ve already apologized to portnoy, bob and the boys off camera at the event. Good for content tho 🙃.” ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad The tournament, held at Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri, brought together influencers, athletes, and golf personalities. Luke Kwon is one of the internet personalities playing the event, alongside Wesley Bryan, Paige Spiranac, Garrett Clark, Robby Berger, Riggs, Rick Shiels, JR Smith, Andrew Santino, and many others. Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, was also the host of the $1 million prize pool event. Tee time for the game was 9:30, which is not very early. However, Luke Kwon apparently slept through his two alarms. A video shared by Barstool Sports shows that Dave Portnoy was not happy with the situation. He even said, “Best ability is availability.” Although Luke Kwon apologized, Dave Portnoy gave him a penalty of 4 holes. He was allowed to join from the 5th hole. His controversial action also drew attention from other golf personalities and athletes. Hailey Rae Ostrom, who was missing from the field for the Internet Invitational, wrote, “I mean any other golf tournament if you’re late for your tee time you’re DQ’d.” Golf legend Bubba Watson gave it a humorous touch by saying, “Who is @luke.kwon 😂.” Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports What Hailey Ostram said in the comments is absolutely right. Missing the tee time by over five minutes in professional golf results in a straight disqualification. David Lipsky was assessed a two-stroke penalty for arriving late to his tee time at the 2019 PGA Championship. But he was within the five-minute allowance under Rule 5.3a, so he was not disqualified. Dustin Johnson also missed his scheduled tee time at the 2011 Northern Trust Open. He arrived in a sprint and made it to the tee with just six seconds remaining before being disqualified. As a result, he received a two-shot penalty instead of a DQ. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Jim Furyk was famously disqualified at the 2010 Barclays Pro-Am. He overslept and missed his tee time. The same happened with Grant Waite at the 2000 Canadian Open. He was disqualified after showing up six minutes late for his scheduled tee time. While Luke Kwon stole the show with his controversial action on the first day, there are many others on the field who can do the same because of their popularity. Field for the International Invite The field for the International Invite consists of 48 YouTube golfers and content creators. One of the most popular names fans can watch play at the Barstool Sports event is Paige Spiranac. The former professional golfer decided to become an internet golf personality. She has over 4 million Instagram followers, over 1.1 million X followers, and over 462,000 YouTube subscribers. Spiranac is known for promoting women’s golf and advocating for more opportunities for female golfers globally. Besides Spiranac, another professional golfer on the field is Wesley Bryan. The PGA Tour suspended Bryan in April 2025 after he participated in a LIV Golf event. Although he didn’t join in a regular LIV event, the PGA Tour suspended him. Bryan appealed the decision, but to no avail. Currently, he remains suspended from the PGA Tour, and was also mocked about it at the Internet Invitational. Garrett Clark from GF Golf is also another popular name on the field. He is a co-founder of the popular golf content group Good Good Golf, with over 1 million YouTube subscribers. Golf fans know Clark for his trick shots, challenges, and tutorials. His content helped him build a major following and create a golf apparel brand. Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden is also on the field. He stepped down in 2021 under controversy but has since joined Barstool Sports as an analyst. Though primarily a football figure, his presence brought crossover appeal to the event. Despite the backlash, Kwon’s apology and humor suggest he’s ready to move forward. He might set his alarm a little louder next time. But he is not the only one who can drive controversy and more engagement to the Barstool Sports event.