USGA and Topgolf’s World Golf Tour Game Launch Inaugural Virtual U.S. Amateur Esports Competition

Championship Match to be Played Live at Topgolf Atlanta Midtown 

(FAR HILLS, N.J.) - The USGA and Topgolf have launched the first Virtual U.S. Amateur on the World Golf Tour (WGT) game. The game is available on the popular WGT Golf app, WGT.com and usga.org, offering fans an opportunity to compete in an esports competition on the iconic Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links, culminating in a live, head-to-head style final round.

The Virtual U.S. Amateur finalists will each win a trip to Atlanta, Ga., to play an 18-hole match live on a big-screen TV at the Topgolf Atlanta Midtown location on Sept. 22, 2018. The winner of the inaugural event will receive a $500 Topgolf gift card, a $500 USGA gift card and an exemption into the 2019 Virtual U.S. Open on WGT.

Similar to WGT’s Virtual U.S. Open, which has been running as an esports competition for 10 years with more than 4.7 million participants, the Virtual U.S. Amateur will use USGA tee markers and flags. In 2018 alone, 3.5 million rounds of the Virtual U.S. Open were played.

“Today, millions of people play and watch esports, making it the fastest-growing phenomenon in media and entertainment,” said Navin Singh, head of Global Content and Media Distribution for the USGA. “With the support of WGT and Topgolf, the inaugural Virtual U.S. Amateur will bring the esports experience to golf. This is the next step in the USGA’s continued efforts to innovate and connect with new audiences worldwide.”

Contestants can play unlimited qualifying rounds for the 2018 Virtual U.S. Amateur from Aug. 1-26. The top 32 scores from the qualifier will be automatically seeded in two 16-player brackets and will win 2,000 WGT Credits for earning a spot in the Bracket Tournament. Starting on Aug. 29, competitors will square off in single head-to-head stroke-play rounds on the virtual Pebble Beach Golf Links. The lowest score between the two players will win the match and advance to the next round. The two finalists will each receive 6,000 WGT Credits and the semifinalists will win 4,000 WGT Credits.

“For the past 10 years, we have collaborated with the USGA to hold the Virtual U.S. Open esports competition on the country’s most iconic venues,” said Topgolf Media President YuChiang Cheng. “We’re excited to continue bringing together virtual and physical golf experiences with the first Virtual U.S. Amateur. The U.S. Amateur-style format of this new tournament and live championship at Topgolf Atlanta Midtown will create an exciting virtual golf experience for competitors and spectators alike.”

The WGT Golf app is available through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store as well as a desktop version on WGT.com.

To learn more, visit usga.org or topgolf.com.