The PGA Tour media control controversy has intensified after YouTube star and host Grant Horvat was barred from bringing his own filming crew to the 2025 Barracuda Championship in Reno, Nevada, scheduled for July 17-20. Although Horvat received a sponsor’s exemption to participate in the event, the Tour’s strict media rules prevented him from capturing footage of his rounds for his popular YouTube channel, forcing him to withdraw. This development highlights the ongoing tension between independent content creators and the PGA Tour’s rigid control over tournament coverage.
Horvat publicly shared his frustration on the social platform X, stating,
“Unfortunately I will not be playing in a PGA Tour event. The rules and regulations around PGA Tour tournament play will not allow us to film.”
He expressed gratitude for the invitation but emphasized that his YouTube channel’s audience was his primary reason for competing, explaining,
“The only reason I was in the position to receive an invitation like this is because of YouTube and you all watching the videos, so if I’m going to play, we want film it.”
Wesley Bryan Voices Disappointment Over Tour’s Decision
Fellow golfer Wesley Bryan, who himself faced an indefinite suspension from the PGA Tour due to his involvement with the rival LIV Golf league, publicly criticized the Tour’s move to restrict Horvat’s filming privileges. Bryan, who has also voiced concerns about the Tour’s media policies before, lamented the situation by declaring,
“My official comment on the Grant Horvat situation: I am disappointed in the TOUR’s decision to not let Grant film the Barracuda Championship. Sincerely, Grant’s unemployed caddie.”
Bryan’s reaction underscores the growing dissatisfaction among players and affiliated personnel regarding the PGA Tour’s tight grip on media content.
Historically, the PGA Tour has been known to remove videos of players or event highlights from social media platforms. However, reports from Sports Business Journal and Sports Illustrated reveal that this year the Tour has allowed more tournament-related videos to remain online. Despite this progress, the Tour’s rules still restrict independent filming during tournaments, as demonstrated by Horvat’s experience.
Ongoing Media Rights Conflicts Between Players and the Tour
This latest dispute fits within a larger pattern of friction over media control on the PGA Tour, one that extends beyond Horvat and Bryan. Several players have voiced frustration about their limited access to their own media and digital content rights, which are tightly held by the Tour. The restrictions pose challenges for players and content creators eager to share authentic and unfiltered golf-related material with fans in the digital age.
The Tour’s 2025 media policy updates aim to broaden content sharing during practice rounds and pro-am events by granting more rights to tournaments, sponsors, media partners, and approved content creators. Nevertheless, such allowances fall short of fully embracing independent filming freedoms, preserving a core source of tension within the golf community.
Phil Mickelson’s Ongoing Battle Over Media Restrictions
One of the most vocal critics of the PGA Tour’s media control is Phil Mickelson, who has consistently condemned the Tour’s handling of player media rights. In a February 2022 interview, Mickelson sharply criticized the Tour for what he described as “obnoxious greed” and a refusal to relinquish control over digital assets. He stated,
“It’s not public knowledge, all that goes on. But the players don’t have access to their own media. If the tour wanted to end any threat [from upstart tours], they could just hand back the media rights to the players. But they would rather throw $25 million here and $40 million there than give back the roughly $20 billion in digital assets they control. Or give up access to the $50-plus million they make every year on their own media channel.”
Mickelson also highlighted the financial impact of the Tour’s media policies on individual players, noting,
“For me personally, it’s not enough that they are sitting on hundreds of millions of digital moments. They also have access to my shots, access I do not have. They also charge companies to use shots I have hit.”
He revealed that during the production of The Match, the PGA Tour demanded payments of $1 million each time he used his own media rights, calling such demands,
“That type of greed is, to me, beyond obnoxious.”
In May 2024, Mickelson reiterated concerns over media constraints within the PGA Tour, emphasizing the lack of opportunity for equity and personal social media usage. He asserted,
“We didn’t have an opportunity for elevated events [in the PGA]. We didn’t have an opportunity for equity. We didn’t have an opportunity to do our own social media. That was all controlled and shot down.”
Contrasting this with LIV Golf, Mickelson praised that league for embracing equity and social media freedom, explaining,
“Every event is an elevated event. We have equity, and we have the ability to do these social media posts and try to transcend the game of golf to different generations.”
New Leadership Could Bridge Media Control and Content Freedom
Looking ahead, there are hopes that the PGA Tour’s media policies may evolve under new CEO Brian Rolapp. Rolapp’s experience as the NFL’s Chief Media and Business Officer included negotiating major media partnerships with prominent networks such as CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN/ABC, as well as platform agreements with Amazon and Netflix. His history suggests a potential to find balanced solutions between content control and creators’ demands for freedom.
With the PGA Tour caught between protecting its commercial interests and responding to a digital audience craving more direct and personal access to players, how the Tour navigates this media controversy will have lasting effects on the sport. The growing pushback from popular figures like Mickelson, Bryan, and Horvat indicates that media rights management will remain a contentious issue as golf continues to compete in a rapidly changing media landscape.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What is a PGA?
A. The Professional Golfers’ Association started in the Victorian era. It was the result of efforts by three golfers: JH Taylor, James Braid, and Harry Vardon. These men aimed to improve the recognition and status of professional golfers.
Q. What does PGA mean?
A. The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of America is a US group for male professional golfers, founded in 1916. It organizes key golf events each season and hosts an annual PGA Championship.
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