Cody Franke, Barstool golf host, dies at Dominican Republic wedding

Cody "Beef" Franke, a 31-year-old Barstool Sports personality and former PGA professional, died over the weekend while attending a wedding in the Dominican Republic, Barstool’s Fore Play podcast announced Monday. Fore Play said Franke passed after a sudden medical issue; a specific cause of death has not been released.

Franke joined Barstool’s golf team earlier this year and became a frequent presence across the Fore Play brand, where he produced instructional videos, on-course features and podcast appearances that built a strong online following. Fore Play described him as someone who "truly loved the game of golf" and who "selflessly spent much of his life helping others improve and enjoy the game." Barstool founder Dave Portnoy paid tribute to Franke on social media, writing that "you will never find a nicer more genuine person than Beef."

Colleagues said Franke was attending a wedding when he experienced the medical incident. Dan "Big Cat" Katz, a host at Barstool, told listeners on Monday that the news was "really, really, really sad" and called the loss devastating. Tributes also came from figures across the golf community and from fans, many of whom posted condolences on...