The Duke becomes the Internet Invitational's running bit

The Duke is the last pick in a 64-man field, and somehow he's the guy the Internet Invitational can't stop checking in on.

Dave Portnoy

@stoolpresidente

The most infamous words at the @Internetinvite "How's the Duke doing?" t.co/Wio2BZGHyp

Some background. The 2026 Internet Invitational, Barstool's tournament with Bob Does Sports, was filmed in August at Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri. The field doubled to 64 players split into 4 teams, and Dave put up a $4 million prize pool. The Duke was drafted onto the White team, captained by Ryan Ruffels, and he went with the very last pick of the draft in Episode 1.

F

Fore Play Golf

on YouTube

“The last pick in the draft, Mr. Irrelevant... the Duke. White t-shirt. TEAM WHITE.”

0:45

Mr. Irrelevant was never really irrelevant, though. The hype had built well before the cameras caught on. Kevin Kisner said on Fore Play that he barely knew anyone at the welcome party, missed the Duke on the range because he teed off late, and then got sent back to the 1st tee to watch the swing anyway.

Fore Play Podcast

@ForePlayPodcast

“I came back to the first tee to watch his swing because Dave told me I had to, or Big Cat or somebody.” – Kevin Kisner

0:42

That's the whole thing in 1 line: when Dave tells a former PGA Tour player to drop what he's doing and go watch your swing, you're a storyline. Episode 3 put the Duke with Bobby Ray for the White team, and the group couldn't stop chirping him around the green. The audience is clearly in on it too. Clips from the event are getting passed around, and the reactions are about the Duke himself as much as his golf.

That's a fan reaction, not a scouting report, and it shows why this works. Nobody needs the Duke to win. They need the cameras to keep finding him, and the Internet Invitational account has made that a bit of its own, calling the Duke clips its regularly scheduled programming after a break for other content. Episode 4 dropped November 5. Episode 5 comes November 9 and the finale on November 12, so there are 2 more chances for somebody to ask how the Duke is doing.