PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Kyle Berkshire encountered a problem at TPC Sawgrass while warming up for Wednesday’s Creator Classic, an eight-hole event before The Players Championship featuring some the most popular YouTube golfers.

“The range isn’t long enough,” his dad, Bill, quipped.

The portion of TPC Sawgrass’ driving range used by Berkshire only spanned 335 yards. Berkshire, a three-time state champion golfer at Spalding and three-time world long-drive champion, expected a standard driver swing to carry about 360 yards into the wind. He needed to use a different range on the property to prepare for his round, which PGA Tour staff helped find.

The issue is one that could arise more in Berkshire’s future, as he considers playing competitive tournament golf more regularly. While the Crofton native has no intention of chasing his childhood dreams of earning a PGA Tour card, he’s eager to play professional tournaments.

Even though the Creator Classic isn’t a professional event, Berkshire was in a field that included Wesley Bryan. The YouTube creator has also played in 133 career PGA Tour events, including a victory in 2017. Berkshire shot 6-over on his eight holes Wednesday, making one birdie. It wasn’t Berkshire’s best showing, as he finished in a tie for sixth with four other players in the 10-person field, but he did tie Bryan.

Grant Horvat, who has 1.1 million YouTube subscribers, won the event at 1-over par. Berkshire was in contention to make the three-person sudden-death playoff until finishing double bogey-bogey on holes 16 and 17, respectively.

Given his following — Berkshire has over 700,000 Instagram followers, upward of 450,000 TikTok followers and more than 200,000 YouTube subscribers — it’s possible that he could earn future sponsor’s exemptions into Korn Ferry or even lower-tier PGA Tour events. Former NFL quarterback Tony Romo and NBA superstar Stephen Curry have both used sponsor’s exemptions to play in Korn Ferry Tour events in previous years. Having big names appear in a tournament helps generate interest and sell tickets.

“I don’t have any intention to retire from long drive, but I do want to put more effort into competitive golf,” Berkshire told The Baltimore Sun before teeing off Wednesday in the Creator Classic. “I don’t want to pursue a Tour card because I’ve seen the level of commitment. You have to upend your entire life to pursue that, but what I would love to do is get my game to a high enough level competitively where I could compete with pros and I could be in the mix and I could play solid.

“Maybe pick six or seven big tournaments a year to play in and be competitive because I don’t want to not compete. I love competing, it’s just I don’t want to do it every week. And then, balance it out with YouTube content and long drive, but I would love for my game to get to that level where I could play with great players and be right there with them.”

Berkshire knows his game needs improvement to compete with professionals on a regular basis — and TPC Sawgrass isn’t the ideal course to showcase his length, even with him playing from the professional tees — but his exceptional distance gives him a potential advantage moving forward. Working on course management — Berkshire hit just two fairways and one green in regulation Wednesday as he often played well out of position — will be among the next steps in Berkshire’s development.

His skill level is undeniable, though.

On No. 11, Berkshire split the fairway with a drive that carried 347 yards before hooking an iron off the cart path and well left of the green. Despite missing the green, Berkshire flashed his short game by hitting a lengthy, downhill pitch shot to within 15 feet of the hole. He drained the putt and fist-pumped the birdie on the par 5.

With his shifting career goals, Berkshire uses his YouTube channel to not only engage fans, but the videos double as lessons with elite golfers. He’s recently filmed with Rocco Mediate, a former PGA Tour player who finished second at the 2008 U.S. Open to Tiger Woods, and LIV Golf’s Kevin Na. He hopes their advice can benefit his short game and improve his overall consistency.

“A lot of the stuff I learn from the videos I’m filming with them, I’m applying,” Berkshire said.

Berkshire showcased mental fortitude on No. 17, perhaps the most famous par-3 hole on the PGA Tour. The shot itself isn’t particularly hard — it requires a short wedge shot — but the island green means the margin for error is slim.

“The reality of 17, it’s the ultimate test of you vs. you,” Berkshire said. “It’s a 135-yard wedge shot … you cannot force that to be a good shot. You can’t force that ball onto the green. You just have to allow it to open, and you have to be OK with the alternative. You truly do.”

Unfortunately, Berkshire saw the alternative become a reality. His first shot splashed into the water, missing the green left. He rebounded to hit his next shot, technically his third after being assessed a penalty, about 10 feet from the pin. He drained the putt to save bogey.

Winning long drive contests requires mostly high intensity and maximum physical exertion. Playing well in a tournament setting often requires a steadier emotional state. It’s a change of pace for Berkshire, who enjoys the challenge. Events like Wednesday’s — Berkshire played one of the PGA Tour’s most prestigious courses in tournament conditions in front of a crowd of hundreds of engaged fans — help push Berkshire toward his goal.

“I’m still learning how to do both,” Berkshire said, “but this is a great experience for me.”

Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin.