button in SafariDaniel Negreanu is Prepping for the 2026 WSOP ... On the Golf Course?
Most of the high-stakes regulars have been busy competing in the U.S. Poker Open at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas. But not Daniel Negreanu, who is spending his final few weeks before the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) golfing (and vlogging about it).
The GGPoker ambassador has been working on his golf game, and he's taking on some $5,000 challenges on YouTube, a bit different approach to his pre-WSOP preparation than in some past years. Negreanu, who always grinds a full WSOP schedule, typically plays numerous live tournaments leading up to the summer poker extravaganza.
Last year, he racked up 14 tournament cashes, mostly in PGT events, before the 2025 WSOP began. But this year's results include exactly one cash, a fourth place finish for $80,000 in the PGT Championship in mid-January. The lack of cashes isn't due to a downswing or slump. He simply hasn't been playing much poker since the World Series of Poker Paradise (WSOPP) series in December. But he has been playing his fair share of golf.
Is Negreanu a Good Golfer?
Negreanu said he does have one tournament planned before the Series starts in a month. But his bigger focus right now appears to be more on golf, and of course the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The seven-time bracelet winner has posted a few recent vlogs showcasing his golf skills. In each video, he takes on a $5,000 challenge. If he reaches his goal, he wins. If not, he owes the money.
The first challenge was to shoot an 80 on 18 holes at SouthShore Country Club within Lake Las Vegas from the ladies tees. Negreanu appears to have a strong short game, and he has an unconventional putting stance that is somewhat reminiscent of former Major League Baseball star Andres Galarraga's batting stance.
Negreanu shot a four-over 75 round to win the first challenge, hitting six of 13 fairways. The Poker Hall of Famer returned to the same course for a second $5k competition against Eric Wasserson, this time attempting to shoot 100 from the furthest tees. Perhaps bluffing a bit, he didn't seem too confident in his ability to pull it off.
"You might wonder, if you broke 80, this should be easy. No, I promise you, that 80 bet, I was the favorite, okay? This one, we're a huge dog," Negreanu told his viewers before hitting the first tee.
This challenge was more about managing the course than anything. As he said, "a bogey is as good as a par" when trying to shoot 100. Negreanu was either bluffing or underestimated his own game — or, maybe he just shot out of his mind — because he shot a 44 (+8) on the front nine, making him nearly a lock to easily beat 100. He then shot a 41 on the back nine to win the bet by 15 strokes.
Negreanu, at the end of the video, implied the stakes will be increasing in some upcoming videos. No, he isn't quitting poker to become the next Tiger Woods. He'll be at the WSOP all summer long, and has 40 bracelet events planned on his schedule.
