Luke Kwon a Villain? The TRUTH About Internet Invitational Ep 2

⏱ Estimated Read Time: 8 minutes

Everyone is acting like Luke Kwon committed a crime, but honestly, I think it’s time we check the tape on this one. I’m ready to say the reaction is a bit over the top, and I think it’s time to free Luke Kwon!

I just finished watching Episode 2 of the Internet Invitational. I know, I know, I’m almost three weeks behind, but forgive me. I didn’t sleep in; my alarm clock did go off. I’m just late, and it’s something I can relate to, man. Look, I’m someone who sleeps with four alarm clocks, all half an hour apart, because I’m a deep sleeper. It happens. So, when I have early morning tee times, you best believe I get very little sleep the night before due to anxiety.

When Luke slept in, that was one of the most relatable things. People are saying, “Well, he’s 32 or 33 years old, it’s grown-up hours.” Look, I don’t know what’s going on in Luke Kwon’s life. He said he was traveling, jet-lagged—easily relatable. I was like, “Look, man, I understand where he’s coming from.” But this guy was made out to be this absolute villain who doesn’t care about golf? I don’t think that is true. And I’m saying this just as someone who observes and watches on YouTube, the epitome of a parasocial relationship.

The way this was painted, when Luke showed up, I think a lot of fans were wondering why he wasn’t begging and pleading with Portnoy about the penalty strokes. But I think he was just so apologetic, like, “Look, man, whatever you gotta do, I’m sorry, I get it, you gotta punish me.” And when Portnoy was like, “Well, four strokes,” he was like, “Yeah, yeah, that’s cool, man. I was ready to eat crud if you told me I was going to be disqualified; I was ready to live with that.” He was kind of like, “Okay, I’m happy with four.”

But Portnoy kind of shifted the goalposts, didn’t he? Right when Kwon was late, they were like, “Well, I’m going to take one hole out. He can’t play this hole. He’ll have to join them on hole two. He can begin at hole two.” And then when he saw what was going on, it was like, “Yeah, yeah, no, no, no, no, four-hole penalty,” because that’s better than a disqualification, but still harsh. But hey, it happens.

I think a lot of people were also mad at Luke Kwon because they were like, “Yo, why is he bantering with PFT Commenter the way he is? Why is he being so disrespectful to PFT?” But I didn’t see that at all. What I saw was a guy who was in a tense situation and was trying to cut through that tension by being himself and saying things that maybe in his friend circle people would laugh at. In my friend’s circle, that kind of humor gets us through. So I think he was just trying to make light of a pretty shitty situation, all in all.

And look, the team lost 8 to 4. Luke Kwon being there, shooting 74 or 75, wouldn’t change the complete outcome of this day. This didn’t fall on Luke Kwon, right? A lot of people didn’t perform, and that’s what I always say about basketball games and sports in general: if your loss falls down to one person, your team failed long before that. So, putting this all on Luke in Episodes 1 and 2, man, I’m not a big fan of that.

I thought Luke handled it well. I get it, people like it when others are louder and have more personality, or are more sad or emotionally distraught about situations. But I relate to Luke; I’m very laid-back and soft-spoken. So if someone says, “Hey, four-stroke penalty,” I’m not going to confront them about it. I’m not a confrontational dude myself. I’d be like, “Alright, I just gotta show up now. Just gotta lock it in. I’m not going to fight you about the penalty; I’m not going to sit around and appeal it. I’m just going to try and be better and do what I can control.” I feel like Luke very much thought, “What can I control in this situation?” He could control how he played from here on out. I think he killed it from here on out.

And I think PFT Commenter deserves his flowers in all this, man. PFT, being the high handicapper he’s said to be, I don’t believe it. I think he plays way better than a 20 handicap. As someone who has a pretty high handicap myself, I thought PFT played great. But I think Luke is being used as a scapegoat, man. I’m not buying it at all.

But Episode 2, Day 1… I’m kind of sad my team lost. I was going with Team Pink there, Nadeshot and Daltoosh. I think Nadeshot got so much screen time in Episode 2, and it’s so well-deserved. This guy’s self-deprecating humor, which if you watch his streams, you catch all the time, but catching it on the golf course? “Hey everybody, heads up! I’m just letting you know. Alright, that’s you. God damn it! Can I use your…” I loved it. I think Nadeshot stole the show.

Daltoosh, I said, was one of my favorites going into this in my last post, and he didn’t disappoint in Episode 2, man. When they were trying to get under his skin and chirp him, he was like, “Dude, this is my side gig. You think you’re going to chirp me on my side gig? I’m playing pretty damn good for my side gig!” The fact that he reiterated that to them: “This is my side gig, dude. This is like my side job, and I’m in the same venue as you. Doesn’t that feel shitty?”

And then I was thinking, dude, hawking and kind of chirping someone who spends their time chronically online with a chat constantly at them, who’s so used to toxicity coming their way—you can’t hurt him. There’s nothing you can say that he hasn’t heard before. So that kind of made me crack up because I feel like that’s not something a lot of golfers or a lot of civilized folk could bear to even comprehend, just how toxic the gaming and online world can be. And you’ve got someone who’s one of the best and top in that field coming at you, and you’re trying to go at him.

And Nadeshot had this other line, man. When they were trying to put the whole game on Nadeshot, like, “Look, man, this game’s coming down to your round,” he’s like, “Sh*t, not again.” For anyone who doesn’t know about Nadeshot’s pro COD career, a lot of times people in his chat are just chirping him about that. So, I’m a big fan of self-deprecating humor, and I’m also a big fan of these guys for just being themselves and making me laugh. Like, thank you right now.

Obviously, Santino got eliminated, so no more Santino going on. But Roger Steele made it through, and I’m a big fan of his, like I said. So, seeing him get through, I look forward to seeing what happens in the following episodes. And yeah, when they tried to get at Roger Steele, Roger Steele gives it just as well as he takes it. Man, I saw some comments where people were calling him arrogant, but shut up, man. Roger Steele is the man. The fact that he was giving his chirps back and letting people know that, “Yo, I ain’t taking sh*t.”

So, yeah, Episode 2, great episode, man. I’m so in love with this format now. When you like something so much, you start wondering, “Well, where are they going to go from here?” I’m already thinking about like, “Yo, what happens at next year’s Internet Invitational? Who do you invite? How, because you got the biggest names at this one. How many of these people want to come back? How many do you have back?” I don’t know. How do you move on from this? Obviously, there are always ways, and when they do the next waves, you’re like, “Yeah, I just hope this format and this series doesn’t get played out. I hope it just continues to be what it is, continues to be entertaining, continues to be fun to watch.” Because so far, I am entertained. Like Russell Crowe in Gladiator, “Are you not entertained?” I’m highly, highly entertained so far.

But ah, I just wanted to say that, man. That’s my peace: Free Luke Kwon! What are your thoughts on Episode 2? Do you think Portnoy was too harsh, or are you with me on this one? Let me know in the comments below.

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updated_at 19-11-2025
Ai Disclosure: The above posts were transcribed using AI tools. Some language may not have been accurately transcribed.
Ai Header Image Prompt: High quality, highly detailed digital painting in a dramatic, somewhat abstract style. The central figure is Luke Kwon, a recognizable Asian male, depicted on a golf course. He stands with a contemplative, slightly burdened expression, looking towards the viewer or slightly off-camera. His posture conveys a sense of quiet resilience despite external pressure. The background is a dynamic fusion of abstract digital art and golf course elements. Geometric shapes, glowing lines, and fragmented 'glitch art' effects are interwoven with blurred hints of a golf green, a flagstick, and a golf ball. These abstract elements subtly convey concepts of 'checking the tape,' digital scrutiny, and the internet's influence. Symbolic elements are subtly integrated: - A fractured or distorted clock face, or abstract numerical digits (like '4' or 'strokes') are hinted at in the digital overlay, representing lateness and penalties. - Subtle, almost imperceptible shadowy or fragmented mask-like patterns might partially overlay his figure, hinting at the 'villain' perception without being literal or cartoonish. - A soft, empathetic light illuminates his face, contrasting with the surrounding digital chaos, emphasizing his human vulnerability and relatability. The color palette is rich and moody, combining the greens and browns of a golf course with electric blues, purples, or yellows from the digital abstract elements. The overall aesthetic is cinematic and evocative, with a clear narrative focus on Luke Kwon's character amidst controversy. Art style: Digital painting with strong abstract expressionist influences and subtle glitch art textures. The brushwork is deliberate and painterly, avoiding an overly photorealistic or 'AI-generated' appearance. High level of detail in facial features and clothing, but with abstract blending and distortion in the background. Ensure all hands, fingers, and limbs are anatomically correct and natural-looking. No bold titles or text on the image.