Rory McIlroy takes one other bitter swipe at YouTube golf with Kai Trump declare… amid feud with content material creators
Rory McIlroy has taken another swipe at the YouTube golf community after admitting he’d rather watch the ‘pure, competitive’ form of the sport this week.
With content creators such as Paige Spiranac, Grant Horvat, Rick Shiels and Kai Trump contributing to growth of the sport on online platforms, McIlroy took aim at the online presence of the sport ahead of this week’s Players Championship.
And in a new video with Kai Trump released on Thursday, he doubled down.
The pair played together last month in La Jolla, California, and after a beautiful approach shot from the granddaughter of president Donald Trump, McIlroy had a backhanded compliment for the 17-year-old.
‘Good shot Kai. You’re too good for this YouTube golf,’ he said in a video posted to her channel.
‘Honestly I think that’s what it is. I’m just too good,’ she playfully shot back.
Kai, the granddaughter of President Donald Trump, is pictured with McIlroy in February
McIlroy issued Kai something of a backhanded compliment after she hit a great shot
Paige Spiranac and Kai Trump have generated millions of followers through online golf content
In the four months since launching her channel, Kai has garnered 1.06million subscribers to her content, which also includes lifestyle videos as well as golf .
McIlroy’s comment to Kai comes as he issued a more extended criticism of the YouTube golf culture this week.
‘I’m not of that generation,’ McIlroy admitted. ‘I’d much rather watch pure, competitive… I’d much rather watch this golf tournament on Sunday than watch YouTube golf.’
He also shared a similar sentiment ahead of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in January.
‘You know, I think it (PGA Tour) already has been diminished… YouTube is like golf entertainment adjacent, whatever. Those guys are killing it. They found a niche and it’s really cool and it serves a purpose for a lot of people,’ he began.
‘But look, I would much rather sit down and watch real golfers play real tournaments and that’s just my opinion. That to me is more entertaining… But I understand that other people want something different and that’s totally fine as well. I think there’s space for all of this.
‘Yeah, I can see when the golf consumer might get a little fatigued of everything that’s sort of available to them.’
Even pro golfers have gotten in on the YouTube golf action, as two-time major winner Bryson DeChambeau has racked up 1.76million subscribers thanks to his videos with the likes of President Donald Trump and Tom Brady.
At the same time, the PGA Tour struggled for ratings last year on linear TV.
The Tour averaged 2.2 million viewers for its Sunday telecasts (no majors) in 2024, a drop of 19 percent from 2.7 million in 2023, according to Sports Business Journal.
