Wesley Bryan and Phil Mickelson finally went head-to-head in the latest high-profile YouTube golf match.
After Mickelson and Grant Horvat called out Bryan, the former RBC Heritage winner answered the lefty’s call and made the trip to The Farms Golf Club near San Diego.
Bryan hinted at some ‘spicy’ text messages from Mickelson beforehand, and the pair produced some red-hot golf on the front nine, which was shown on the Bryan Bros’ channel. Mickelson was four under at the halfway stage, and Bryan was three under.
There was also plenty of discourse about the YouTube scene throughout, and Bryan made an interesting point about how prepared he is for professional events whilst still producing video content.
Wes Bryan says what people don’t realise about YouTube golf
Midway through the front nine, Bryan revealed he’s seen comments suggesting YouTube golf leaves him unprepared for professional events. The American, however, believes the competitive online environment actually benefits him.
“When we are having these matches, they don’t understand how competitive it is. We know there’s a lot of people out there watching, and we want to perform at a high level,” Bryan said.
“So hitting that shot and building trust in it in these types of situations prepares you for when you go play in your next event. With George, Grant, and I going around playing the major cut series, we are playing the hardest golf courses in the world, and it’s still a competitive format. What people don’t understand is that actually prepares me for tour events because I am playing courses harder than I am going to tee it up at.”
Bryan produced some of his best-ever golf towards the back end of the FedEx Cup fall and narrowly missed out on the top 125 after missing the cut at the RSM Classic.
What courses has Wesley Bryan played in the ‘Major Cut’ series?
Bryan’s ‘Major Cut’ series, which features George and Horvat, has proven to be a hit with the YouTube audience.
The series follows the trio as they tackle challenging major championship venues. Using a leaderboard from a past major hosted at each location, they aim to make the cut.
2024 has seen Bryan play Kiawah Island, Pinehurst No.2, Chambers Bay, Whistling Straights, Erin Hills, Valhalla and Bethpage Black.
In the most recent episode at the 2025 Ryder Cup venue, Bryan shot a second-round 65 to make the cut after struggling in his first 18 holes. With the 34-year-old losing his tour status, more high-quality YouTube content will come in 2025.
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