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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Entertainment
Tyler Lauletta

The Netflix Cup Started With a Chaotic Speed Race Hole and Ended With a Broken Trophy

Netflix Netflix Cup The Netflix Cup Carlos Sainz Rickie Fowler Golf Justin Thomas Lando Norris F1

Netflix has dipped its toes in the water over the years when it comes to sports television, serving up memorable documentary series about Formula One, golf, tennis, and several star athletes and big moments in the history of sport.

On Tuesday, the streaming network took things a step further with the first ever “Netflix Cup,” which paired professional golfers with Formula One drivers in a chaotic group golf match which was broadcast live.

It might not have been a big moment in the history of sport, but it sure was something.

The very first hole of the competition gave a good idea of the chaos that was to come, with Rickie Fowler and Lando Norris facing off against Justin Thomas and Carlos Sainz in a race to the hole.

It was a beautiful disaster.

What exactly are the rules here? How do we know whose ball is whose? Why the heck is Rickie Fowler driving the golf cart rather than the fastest man there is in a McLaren?

Some of these questions have answers, others don't. But before we could get to any of those answers, more questions arose.

Like does the Las Vegas sphere actually enjoy watching golf?

And what would it look like if one of the games in Squid Game was golf?

As a test of true golf talent, it’s safe to say the “Netflix Cup” might not be a total success. But as a way to show of the over-the-top amenities of Las Vegas while promoting Netflix shows and testing the waters on a potential jump to live-streaming sports? Sure, good enough.

Fans following the action offered mixed reviews.

Thomas and Sainz would win their match against Fowler and Norris and then go on to win the final, becoming the first ever champions of the Netflix Cup. Naturally, even the trophy presentation brought its own sort of chaos.

Sainz will be looking for a much more important victory come Saturday night at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

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