Internet Invitational 2026 Episode 5: Winners and Losers

Updated on: November 10, 2026 • ~14 min read

Author: Graeme

Last Thursday, Dave Portnoy said he wanted to destroy Ryan Whitney.

On Monday, Whitney stood over a par putt with his team's place in the Internet Invitational riding on it, and Portnoy watching from the edge of the green.

He holed it.

"I know you were rooting against me, buddy," he told the man who owns Barstool. "Right in your face."

"What a horrible winner," came the reply.

By the end of Episode 5, Whitney is one of the six players left, and one round away from $1.3 million.

Below, I'll go through the shootout that sent Grant Horvat's team home, how the committee built four new teams of three, and every score from the nine-hole semifinal at Payne's Valley.

After that come the winners and losers, judged as in the first four episodes: on what the day did for each player's reputation and channel, not just the scoreboard.

About the author: Graeme Whiles is the founder of Three Putt Golf Clothing and plays off 12.4 in West Yorkshire. He has tested and reviewed more than 100 golf clothing brands on this journal, including several you'll see at the Internet Invitational.

Short on time? Here are the key takeaways:

• The final: Big John, Ryan Whitney and Salim Sirur (Red) play Fat Perez, Riggs and Bobby Ray (Blue) over 18 holes of alternate-shot match play, for about $1.3 million each.
• The shootout: Team Horvat went home after two holes, taking Grant Horvat, Jake Adams, Paige Spiranac and Jon Gruden out of the event.
• The new teams: there was no draft this time. The committee picked four teams of three, and somebody had to have the Duke.
• The semifinal: Blue won at 2 over, and Salim holed a bogey putt on the 9th to put Red through, one shot ahead of Green.
• Biggest losers: Ryan Ruffels and Marissa Wenzler, who got the Duke and finished last.

In this article:

• How the shootout went
• The new teams of three
• The semifinal, hole by hole
• Episode 5 winners
• Episode 5 losers
• What happens next: the final
• Internet Invitational FAQs

How the Shootout Went

Episode 4 finished with the 16 surviving White players split into four teams of four, under captains Ryan Ruffels, Big John, Micah Morris and Grant Horvat.

Each team sent one player out per hole.

The best score was safe, ties included, and the moment one team was alone at the bottom, all four of its players were out.

The captains went first.

Ruffels left himself a tap-in for birdie, which the committee gave him, and that made White safe.

It also meant the Duke, White's last pick, was through to the final day without hitting a shot.

"Somehow the Duke's going to make it to the finals," said someone watching.

Micah missed his birdie putt.

Big John holed his, and the celebrations started before the ball was out of the hole: "Let's go play for 1.3."

That left Micah and Horvat tied on par, so their second picks went to another hole: Ryan Whitney for Micah, and Jake Adams for Horvat.

Both of them drove it into trouble.

Jake's went the wrong way first, and the players watching said they could see his shoulder shaking.

Whitney's then headed out of bounds and somehow bounced back in.

"I wasn't missing left, boys," he said, which was technically true.

His ball finished in the trees, up against a rock, and all he could do was punch it back to the fairway.

Jake got his ball back into play too, then hit a 115-yard sand wedge to about 20 feet.

One of the group called it "the best shot he's ever hit".

He missed the putt for par.

Whitney wedged on and holed his.

That was the end of Team Horvat, and the start of Whitney's very loud celebration.

When he'd finished with Portnoy, he went and found Micah, who had made him his first pick. "You picked me," he told him.

If you're catching up, Episode 1 explains how the event works and who wears what.

Episode 5 is on the Fore Play Golf channel and runs to two hours and 11 minutes, about half the length of the last two.

As the top comment under it says: "You know we're spoiled when 2 hours feels like a short video."

The New Teams of Three

With 12 players left, the committee didn't run another draft.

"We're not going to do a draft because different player abilities," the players were told.

The committee picked the teams itself instead, trying to make "the fairest teams across the remaining players", and it was open about the main problem.

"The worst player by far is the Duke," as one of them put it while the teams were being worked out.

Here's what they came up with:

• White: Ryan Ruffels, Marissa Wenzler and the Duke.
• Green: Micah Morris, Bubbie Broders and Justin Gaethje.
• Red: Big John, Ryan Whitney and Salim Sirur.
• Blue: Fat Perez, Riggs and Bobby Ray.

And here's the format:

• The semifinal: nine holes of alternate shot, scored as stroke play, at Payne's Valley. The top two teams go through, and a tie for second means a playoff in the same format.
• The final: 18 holes of alternate-shot match play, for "1.3 million a man or woman".

Alternate shot means the three players take turns hitting the same ball, so a weak link can't hide.

The players were allowed to object, and White did, politely.

Its one request was to swap the Duke for Salim, "just to give us a little bit of a chance off the tee".

The answer was that White would then be the strongest team by a distance, and in the end, everybody agreed to "run it the way it is".

"It's unfortunate, but somebody had to have Duke," as one player summed it up.

Payne's Valley is the course Tiger Woods designed at Big Cedar Lodge, and it's named after Payne Stewart, who was born in Springfield, Missouri.

The Semifinal, Hole by Hole

The semifinal started with a row about team colours.

One of Red's players had turned up in a shirt that looked white, so a red one was found, and he changed into it after the 1st.

"I look like Tiger Woods on Tiger Woods' course," he said, which, in red, on a course Tiger designed, was fair enough.

The committee gave score updates every few holes, so here's how the nine holes went, in shots over par:

• The 1st: three bogeys and a par, with Green's par coming from Justin Gaethje's putt.
• The 4th: three birdies and a bogey, with Green the only team to drop a shot.
• After the 5th: Red 1 over, Blue 1 over, Green 2 over, White 3 over. "So anybody's match," was the verdict.
• After the 6th: Blue 1 over, Red 3 over, Green 4 over, White 4 over. Red and Green both lost tee shots and made double bogey.
• After the 7th: Blue 1 over, Red 3 over, Green 4 over, White 5 over.
• After the 8th: Blue 1 over, Red 3 over, Green 4 over, White 6 over. "White would need a miracle."
• The 9th: Blue made bogey. Bubbie's putt to force a playoff for Green just missed, and then Salim holed for bogey to keep Red a shot clear.

That's how it finished:

• Blue (Fat Perez, Riggs, Bobby Ray): 2 over, through to the final.
• Red (Big John, Ryan Whitney, Salim Sirur): 4 over, through to the final.
• Green (Micah Morris, Bubbie Broders, Justin Gaethje): 5 over, out.
• White (Ryan Ruffels, Marissa Wenzler, the Duke): last, and out.

Episode 5 Winners

Ryan Whitney

Episode 4 opened with Whitney convinced Portnoy had drawn him against Sabrina Andolpho so that he'd lose either way.

In Episode 5, he needed a par on a hole where his drive had only just stayed in bounds.

He got it, celebrated in his boss's face, then went straight to the captain who'd picked him.

The semifinal wasn't flawless. His tee shot on the 6th at Payne's Valley went into a hazard and cost Red a double bogey.

It didn't need to be. Red still got through, and Whitney finished the day with a shout-out to Pink Whitney, the vodka named after him.

Whitney and Salim are the two finalists who don't make golf content for a living, and they're on the same team.

For the Spittin' Chiclets audience, Thursday is appointment viewing.

Who dresses him: Whitney has his own Spittin' Chiclets x Rhoback polo, which Barstool sells (here's our Rhoback review).

Salim Sirur

For the second episode running, Salim holed the putt that put his team through.

On Thursday, it was a par on the 18th to beat Kyle Forgeard.

On Monday, it was a bogey putt on the 9th, and if he'd missed, Red would have been in a playoff with Green.

"That's not a gimme," somebody pointed out as he lined it up.

It wasn't. He holed it.

By then, his team-mates were calling him "Salim the Dream", and one onlooker had him down as the MVP of the morning.

"One of the best feelings of my life," he said afterwards, more than once.

At the start of the series, Salim was a NELK name that plenty of golf fans wouldn't have known. He's now the best closer in the event.

Who dresses him: Salim still doesn't have a personal clothing deal that I can find. If he wants one, NELK's own label, Full Send, already sells a Full Send Golf range.

Big John

Big John's morning started with a missing wedge.

His 58-degree had vanished, so with the tee time coming up, he handed over his credit card and sent someone to buy a new one from the other clubhouse.

"It's just never easy," he said.

It didn't seem to matter.

The night before, he'd holed the birdie putt in the shootout that kept his team alive, and on the 8th at Payne's Valley, his long putt hung on the lip for a tap-in par that kept Red a shot clear of Green.

This is the man who holed the playoff putt that saved Team Ruffels in Episode 2, and beat Sam Heung Min in the singles. Now he's in the final.

"It's a year of Big John," Whitney told him when the line-ups were read out.

The YouTube comments agree.

"The Big John stock has flown through the roof," reads one of the most liked.

Whatever happens on Thursday, he's become one of the main characters of the 2026 series.

Who dresses him: Big John still has no clothing deal that I can find, just his putter partnership with Reaper Golf. Whoever signs him before Thursday gets a lot of airtime.

Fat Perez, Riggs and Bobby Ray

Before they teed off, Riggs summed up his own team.

Bobby Ray, he said, had been the most disrespected golfer in the field. As for himself: "I don't know if there's anyone whose game is more hated in the history of internet than mine."

Fat Perez, their leader, was "maybe the most beloved golfer in the world".

Riggs was also coming off an episode where he lost the crowd over Cheddy's ball.

Together, they were never more than 2 over, and they won the semifinal by two shots.

That included the 6th, where two of the other three teams made double bogey and Bobby Ray hit what one player called "money" to keep Blue moving.

"The whole world hates Riggs's golf game," as one of the group put it at the end. He's in the final anyway.

Three players who few people had down as finalists are now one round away from $1.3 million each.

Who dresses them: Fat Perez wears Breezy, the Bob Does Sports crew's own brand (here's our Breezy review). Riggs wears Barstool's Fore Play range, which now includes adidas co-branded pieces (our Barstool review and adidas review), and Bobby Ray lists himself as a Druids partner (our Druids review).

Episode 5 Losers

Ryan Ruffels and Marissa Wenzler

Ruffels came into the day as one of the strongest golfers left. His team finished last.

That wasn't really on him, or on Marissa Wenzler.

In a format where the three of them hit the same ball in turn, they were carrying the Duke for nine holes, and every third shot was his.

"Really tough for Ruffles when he drove it and came back three shots later in the same spot," someone noted on the 7th.

The comments under the video are firmly on their side. "Imagine going through everything to get to the finals and then you have to be on an alt shot team with Duke," reads one.

Ruffels has had a strong series, and Marissa got through two elimination days.

But this one was mostly out of their hands from the moment the teams were read out.

Who dresses them: Ruffels is sponsored by Malbon (here's our Malbon review). Marissa is one of the Good Good crew, so she plays in the group's own range (our Good Good review).

The Duke

The Duke made the last 12 of a $4 million event without hitting a shot in the shootout.

Before the semifinal, he promised a new approach. "You're going to see game face, head down, humble," he said. "I'm not going to be a dancing monkey."

That lasted until the 2nd.

He asked for any last advice before a chip, was told to hit it "straight at it" at good speed, and topped it.

In fairness, he had his moments. On the 5th, he two-putted from about 80 feet, which one of the group called "the best putt he's ever hit in his life".

However, the YouTube comments aren't kind. "Having the Duke is an automatic ticket back to home," says one of the most liked.

His appeal has always been that he's out of his depth and doesn't mind. That's harder to enjoy when two other players' chances at $1.3 million go with him.

Who dresses him: The Duke sells his own Planet Duketown merch, down to a "Duke Costume" of the khaki visor, khaki shorts, white tee and durag he plays in.

Micah Morris, Bubbie Broders and Justin Gaethje

After the 1st, Green was the team to beat.

Gaethje holed for the only par on the hole, and one onlooker called the team "stacked", adding: "I really do believe that they might run away with this one."

The UFC fighter played well all morning. "How does he knock people out and do that?" one player asked after one of his tee shots.

But Green lost a tee shot on the 6th, made double bogey and spent the last three holes chasing.

Micah holed a big putt coming back on the 8th to stay in touch, and on the 9th, Bubbie had a putt to force a playoff.

"I thought he had it," said someone watching.

It didn't drop.

For Micah, who survived the shootout and picked the man who saved his team, going out by one shot is a hard way to finish.

Who dresses them: Micah is sponsored by Bad Birdie (here's our Bad Birdie review), and Bubbie wears Good Good, the group he's part of (our Good Good review). I still can't find a golf clothing deal for Gaethje.

Grant Horvat and Team Horvat

Grant Horvat came into the event as one of the biggest names in YouTube golf.

He lost to Evan Thompson in the singles, and then his team was the first one out of the shootout.

It came down to Jake Adams against Whitney, and in fairness to Jake, he went out with real grace.

"The wave of emotions that I just felt, where it was going to come down to me, which was terrifying, and now being eliminated, which also isn't great," he said. "But that par was insane."

Paige Spiranac and Jon Gruden went out without hitting a shot.

Gruden spent part of the hole on the phone, sending pictures of the buffalo that roam the course and signing off: "There's about a 60% chance I'm in real trouble. So I just want to say good night. I love you."

It's one of the moments of the episode, but it came from a player on his way home.

Who dresses them: Horvat co-owns Primo (here's our Primo review), and Jake Adams wears Country Club Adjacent, the brand of his own comedy channel. Gruden's Barstool "Coach Gruden" range includes a Peter Millar polo (our Peter Millar review), and I still can't confirm a current clothing deal for Paige.

Dave Portnoy

Portnoy sits on the committee and owns Barstool, which makes the show with Bob Does Sports, and Episode 5 still didn't go his way.

He'd said he wanted to destroy Whitney.

Whitney is in the final.

In Episode 4, he was caught rooting for Cheddy against Riggs, one of his own employees. Riggs is in the final too.

He'd also been promised a Bobby Ray who would hit driver all week. In the semifinal, Bobby Ray had other ideas.

"You came in with the Oakley blades, the big muscles," Portnoy complained. Bobby Ray's defence: "Alt shot ain't exactly conducive for playing aggressively."

Portnoy will be fine, because the show is a hit.

His predictions, less so.

Who dresses him: Portnoy owns Barstool, which sells its own golf clothing through the Fore Play brand (here's our Barstool review).

What Happens Next: The Final

The final is Red against Blue: Big John, Ryan Whitney and Salim Sirur against Fat Perez, Riggs and Bobby Ray.

• Format: 18 holes of alternate-shot match play.
• Prize: about $1.3 million for each of the three winners, the whole $4 million purse between them.
• When: Episode 6, the finale, is out on Thursday, November 12, at 1pm ET (6pm UK).

Blue beat Red by two shots in the semifinal, but match play is a different game.

A blow-up hole only costs you that hole, and Red's players have been holing the putts that matter all week.

Final Thoughts

Episode 5 came down to who could hole a putt that mattered.

Whitney holed one to keep Micah's team alive, Salim holed one to send Red through, and Bubbie's stayed out.

Our tagline at Three Putt is no gimmies.

It means every putt gets holed and nothing is handed to you, which is exactly how Salim's last one went.

Our hoodies, sweatshirts, tees and polos all carry hand-drawn designs and start at £29.99 ($42).

If you're looking for somewhere to start, try our Contours range.

Frequently Asked Questions About Internet Invitational Episode 5

Who is in the Internet Invitational final?

The final is Red against Blue. Red is Big John, Ryan Whitney and Salim Sirur, who finished 4 over in the nine-hole semifinal at Payne's Valley. Blue is Fat Perez, Riggs and Bobby Ray, who won the semifinal at 2 over. The final is 18 holes of alternate-shot match play, and each of the three winners gets about $1.3 million.

Who was eliminated in Internet Invitational Episode 5?

Ten players went out. Team Horvat (Grant Horvat, Jake Adams, Paige Spiranac and Jon Gruden) lost the shootout when Jake Adams made bogey and Ryan Whitney made par on the second hole. In the semifinal, Green (Micah Morris, Bubbie Broders and Justin Gaethje) finished 5 over, and White (Ryan Ruffels, Marissa Wenzler and the Duke) finished last.

How did the Internet Invitational semifinal work?

The committee put the 12 remaining players into four teams of three, instead of holding a draft. Each team played nine holes of alternate shot at Payne's Valley, taking turns to hit the same ball, with stroke play scoring. The two lowest scores went through to the final, and a tie for second place would have meant a playoff in the same format.

Why was the Duke on Ryan Ruffels' team?

The committee picked the semifinal teams to make them as even as it could, and it rated the Duke as the weakest player left by some distance. So he went with Ryan Ruffels, one of the strongest, and Marissa Wenzler. White asked about swapping the Duke for Salim Sirur, but that would have made White too strong, so the teams stayed as they were.

What is Payne's Valley?

Payne's Valley is a public golf course at Big Cedar Lodge in the Missouri Ozarks, where the 2026 Internet Invitational was filmed. Tiger Woods designed it, and it's named after Payne Stewart, the three-time major champion who was born in Springfield, Missouri. The Episode 5 semifinal was played over nine holes there, in alternate shot.

When is the Internet Invitational final?

Episode 6, the finale, comes out on Thursday, November 12, at 1pm ET (6pm UK), on YouTube. The Bob Does Sports, Fore Play Golf and official Internet Invitational channels have shared the episodes so far. It's 18 holes of alternate-shot match play between Red and Blue, with about $1.3 million for each player on the winning team.