John Melstrom II sank a backward-blade birdie putt on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff at Ozarks National, advancing Ryan Ruffels’ Team White to Day 2 and eliminating Peter Finch’s squad as the 2026 Internet Invitational unfolded across Ridgedale, Missouri.
The Snake Draft and Captains’ Wager at Big Cedar Lodge
The field expanded to 64 players split into four 16-player teams for the second iteration of the tournament, filmed between August 10 and August 17 at Big Cedar Lodge. The purse quadrupled to $4 million. Wesley Bryan captained Team Green, Brad Dalke led Team Red, Peter Finch managed Team Blue, and Ryan Ruffels took charge of Team White.
Dalke used the opening pick of the snake draft on New Zealand’s Luke Toomey. Before competitive play began, each captain hit a single shot on a 100-yard hole. Ruffels claimed the victory following an appeal and a tape measure, securing a $5,000 bonus for every player on Team White alongside the right to choose his opening-day opponent. He selected Finch.
The series opened with a tribute to Cody “Beef” Franke, who passed away shortly after winning the inaugural tournament alongside Dalke’s team.
Team Green Ousts Defending Champion Brad Dalke
Day 1 action at Ozarks National consisted of 16 nine-hole matches per duel, split between a morning two-person scramble and an afternoon alternate-shot session on the back nine. The two losing teams faced immediate elimination.
Team Green dominated the morning session 6–2 against Team Red, ultimately closing out Dalke’s title defense with a 10.5–5.5 victory. Bryan teamed up with Robby Berger to defeat DOD King and Andrew Santino 2 and 1.
Meanwhile, the matchup between Finch and Ruffels ended level at 8–8, forcing a sudden-death alternate-shot playoff under strict rules preventing any pair from playing consecutive playoff holes.
Sudden-Death Drama on the Ozarks National Back Nine
On the first playoff hole, Finch paired himself with Luke Kwon while Ruffels selected himself and Micah Morris. The hole was halved after Kwon holed a four-footer to keep Team Blue alive. Kwon had pitched a tent on the first green during the opening day to poke fun at his notoriety from the previous year’s event.
The second playoff hole saw Finch send out Roger Steele and Rick Shiels against Ruffels’ selection of Melstrom and Grant Horvat. Steele’s drive left Shiels roughly 100 yards out, while Melstrom’s tee shot bounced into a fairway bunker. Horvat picked the ball clean from the sand to approximately 20 feet. Shiels landed just outside him, and Steele lagged within a foot for a guaranteed par. Melstrom needed a birdie to win, and he converted.
Melstrom got a late invitation from Berger over the objections of Barstool’s Dave Portnoy.
Team White Builds a Commanding Lead at Buffalo Ridge
The surviving rosters moved to Buffalo Ridge for Day 2 after Berger successfully lobbied Portnoy to preserve the original tournament drafts rather than reshuffle the remaining teams.
The morning session featured eight two-person scramble matches worth one point apiece. Team White secured five wins and two halves to establish a 6–2 lead by lunch. Melstrom and Fat Perez defeated George Bryan and Chaz 2 and 1. Marissa Wenzler and Bubbie Broders beat Tisha Alyn and Evan Thompson 2 up. Team Green’s sole morning point came from the captains’ match, where Wesley Bryan and Berger defeated Ruffels and Sam “Riggs” Bozoian 1 up.
The afternoon singles carried 16 points, requiring Team White to secure 6.5 points to reach 12.5 for the day and advance.
Tournament Pedigree Across the Remaining Rosters
The field featured several players with extensive amateur and collegiate achievements. Ruffels became the youngest winner in the 106-year history of the Riversdale Cup at age 15, later winning the 2014 Australian Boys’ Amateur and Callaway Junior World Championship before turning professional at 17.
Dalke reached the 2016 U.S. Amateur final at Oakland Hills, played the Masters and U.S. Open as an amateur, and clinched Oklahoma’s 2017 NCAA title by defeating Sulman Raza 2 and 1. Wenzler won the 2021 Women’s Western Amateur and advanced through a 12-for-2 playoff at the U.S. Women’s Amateur to defeat medalist Rachel Kuehn 1 up.
George Bryan earned three-time All-American honors at South Carolina, while his brother Wesley won the 2017 RBC Heritage on the PGA Tour. Kwon secured an NCAA quarterfinal point against Scottie Scheffler and won the 2024 Creator Classic at East Lake. Toomey claimed the New Zealand Stroke Play Championship in 2014 and 2016. Thompson transitioned from playing linebacker at Kennesaw State—where he set a school record with 118 tackles—to medaling at U.S. Open Local Qualifying in May 2025. Horvat tested his skills in professional events, including a start at The American Express in January.
Episode 4 premiered on Thursday, covering the Day 2 singles. Episode 5 will release on Monday, November 9, with the tournament finale scheduled for Thursday, November 12, across the Fore Play Golf, Bob Does Sports, and Internet Invitational YouTube channels.
