The Q at Myrtle Beach: Six Amateurs, One Stage, Unlimited Opportunity

May 3, 2025

On May 5, YouTube becomes a fairway to the PGA Tour as three college and three high school amateurs step into the spotlight. In a 16-player field at TPC Myrtle Beach, these six are chasing a PGA Tour exemption in an event that doubles as an NIL accelerator.

The Q at Myrtle Beach’s YouTube premiere (11 a.m. Pacific time) will reveal the winner of the March 3 showdown, where these amateurs battled alongside aspiring pros and top creators in an 18-hole test for a coveted spot in the 2025 Myrtle Beach Classic.

Meet the amateurs chasing the spotlight

• Tyler Watts (Grissom High School | Huntsville, AL): No. 6 in the AJGA Rankings, Watts is among the nation's top-ranked juniors. The University of Tennessee commit finished third at last year's Q at Myrtle Beach—the only amateur to finish under par (-1). In 2023, Watts became the youngest Alabama State Amateur Championship winner at age 15. He currently ranks No. 4 in the Golf NIL High School Boys Rankings.

  
  

• Nathan Franks (University of South Carolina | Roebuck, SC): No. 81 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, Franks has claimed eight top 25 finishes this season, including two top 5s. The 2024 Golfweek Honorable Mention All-American and PING All-Southeast Region standout brings NCAA experience and SEC pedigree to the field.

  
  

• Drew Sykes (Coastal Carolina University | Myrtle Beach, SC): Sykes, a Coastal Carolina freshman and English native, recently posted back-to-back top-20 finishes and won his match play rounds at the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Men's Championship, helping Coastal Carolina secure the conference title.

  
  

• Trevor Gutschewski (Westside High School | Omaha, NE): Ranked No. 13 in the AJGA Rankings and No. 5 in our High School Boys rankings, Gutschewski is the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur Champion and a member of the 2025 U.S. Junior National Team. The Omaha native, signed to the University of Florida, will make his U.S. Open debut next month.

  
  

• Jake Albert (Blacksburg High School | Blacksburg, VA): Ranked No. 19 in the AJGA, Albert posted a top-5 finish at the 2024 Junior PGA Championship and won the 2024 AJGA Lanto Junior Championship. Albert has solidified his status as a top junior prospect headed to Auburn.

  
  

• Andrew Swanson (Clemson University | Bluffton, SC): The senior Tiger boasts three top 10s this season. Swanson capped off his junior year with a top 20 finish in the NCAA Championships while taking home the NCAA Elite 90 Award (awarded to the golfer with the highest GPA).

The Q at Myrtle Beach 2025 on YouTube | Play Golf Myrtle Beach

Why this moment matters

For these six, The Q isn't just about earning their way into a PGA TOUR event. It's a rare chance to showcase their talent to a broader audience and potential sponsors. The impact is real: the 2024 Q at Myrtle Beach YouTube broadcast has generated over 1 million views in its first year, with the event’s total online footprint extending across multiple platforms. This kind of exposure isn't common for amateur golfers, especially compared to most junior and college events.

Each amateur is featured in a professionally produced video package blending gameplay highlights, interviews, and behind-the-scenes moments. These aren't just recaps—they're stories crafted to reveal skill, character, and marketability, giving college and high school players a platform previously reserved for pros.

With this level of visibility, the event has also started to attract attention from brands: sponsors are scouting for emerging talent, while those already invested in NIL deals use the event's spotlight to showcase and amplify their partnerships.

Inside the experience

The event's production goes beyond traditional coverage. Camera crews followed every shot, capturing not just swings but the personalities and routines that set these amateurs apart. The storytelling blends documentary elements and Tour-level visuals:

• Hometown footage and interviews mirror PGA TOUR profiles, humanizing each player—like Gutschewski reflecting on growing up around the game in Omaha, watching his dad, three-time PGA TOUR winner Scott Gutschewski, compete and dreaming of joining the best players in the world.

• Drone shots and shot-tracing overlays break down shot-shaping and decision-making under pressure, giving viewers a closer look at the strategy and skill behind every shot.

• Pre- and post-round access, along with unscripted moments and player interactions, offer fans a Hard Knocks-style look at the journey from the practice range to the final putt.

Tyler Watts at the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur at Oakland Hills (Left) | Debbie Wong/ZUMA Press Wire; Trevor Gutschewski at the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine (Right) | Mike Ehrmann/USGA

Stakes that go beyond the leaderboard

The winner claims a spot in the 2025 Myrtle Beach Classic (May 8-11 at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club) for a unique experience teeing it up alongside PGA TOUR pros. But for the amateurs, there's a real opportunity for added exposure.

• Evergreen YouTube content, with over 1 million views for 2024 The Q alone.

• Social media promotion to Play Myrtle Beach's nearly 400,000 followers and the PGA TOUR's 15 million-plus followers.

• The Q winner will compete in the Myrtle Beach Classic, with all four rounds airing live on the Golf Channel and streaming on Peacock.

  
  

The Q at Myrtle Beach is rewriting the script on how emerging players can break through. For fans, it’s a front-row seat to the next wave of talent, and even a chance to see the game’s creators put their skills to the test in a new arena. For these six amateurs, it’s a rare opportunity to turn skill and story into something bigger.