WGT Golf News

To celebrate U.S. Open Weekend*, we're giving you 50% more XP this Saturday and Sunday, 6/16-17.

XP (Experience Points) are what advance your Level in WGT, and the higher the Level, the more virtual golf clubs and golf balls you can unlock, to help improve your game.

So, play as much WGT as you can and Level-Up faster all weekend long…while you watch the U.S. Open on TV.

More about earning XP...

• Earn the most XP when you complete any multiplayer games, including multi-player strokeplay, matchplay, skins, alt shot and challenges
• Earn more XP for completed strokeplay games than closest-to-the-hole games (because they’re longer)
• You can earn bonus XP for winning awards during all game types 
• Tournaments like the Virtual U.S. Open earn the same XP as ranked or practice rounds
• Playing WGT consecutive days in a row will earn you more XP too, from 90 XP for 2 consecutive days up to 880 XP for 6 consecutive days

We also want to wish a Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers on WGT, as Sunday is Father's Day in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and many other countries with lots of WGT players!

*Offer available only to WGT players who log into www.wgt.com 6/16/12-6/17/12, receive 50% more XP while playing World Golf Tour

The USGA paired some of the world's best players together in the opening rounds of the 2012 U.S. Open, but Round 1 went to the challenging Olympic Club golf course.

The top American group was led by Tiger Woods, who was the only one under par...

• Tiger Woods, 69, -1
• Phil Mickelson, 76, +6
• Bubba Watson, 78, +8

The top European players, and also the top 3 ranked players in the world, struggled even more...

• Lee Westwood, 73, +3
• Rory McIlroy, 77, +7
• Luke Donald, 79, +9

Here are the tee times (Pacific) for Round 2 on Friday...

• Westwood/McIlroy/Donald - 7:44am at Hole #9, watch on www.usopen.com live streaming and Golf Channel
• Woods/Mickelson/Watson - 1:18pm at Hole #1, watch on NBC and Golf Channel

For the cut, only the Top 60 players (plus ties) after Round 2 on Friday will advance, which is currently +5 to advance, so Woods and Westwood have the best chance to play this weekend, but the others will need to improve.

Meanwhile, here are the leaders of the U.S. Open after Round 1, with their Round 2 starting times (Pacific)...

• Michael Thompson, 66, -4, 12:52p at #9
• Graeme McDowell, 69, -1, 7:55am at #9
• Nick Watney, 69, -1, 7:59am at #1
• Justin Rose, 69, -1, 8:10am at #1
• David Toms, 69, -1, 1:40 at #1

...and top players at even par include Jim Furyk, Ian Poulter, Matt Kuchar.

Photo: AP

Today, Nick Watney made a rare double eagle (albatross) at the U.S. Open at The Olympic Club -- holing out from 190 yards on Hole #17, the 522-yard par 5. Watney's is just the third in this championship's history, but it's also the second in as many majors this year following Louis Oosthuizen's at Hole #2 at Augusta National in the final round of The Masters.

Play Hole #17 at The Olympic Club free online on World Golf Tour now!

Photo: Getty Images

It's your last chance to play the 2012 Virtual U.S. Open Qualifier on WGT, for your chance to win a Grand Prize golf trip to the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion.

The Virtual U.S. Open Qualifier features 18 holes of full strokeplay golf on The Olympic Club golf course, host of this year's U.S. Open. One lucky sweepstakes player, regardless of their score, will win the Grand Prize trip -- all you have to do is play the Qualifier and post a score. Additionally, the top 156 scores will advance to the Virtual U.S. Open Championship tournament, where they will compete for a second Grand Prize trip to the 2013 U.S. Open. You can play the Virtual U.S. Open Qualifier now through Sunday, 6/17.

Play the Free Qualifier

Attention WGT NATION members: this week during the U.S. Open, and starting today (6/14), is a special golf tournament for our Pro+ NATION members. It's a four-day, four-round tournament, just like the pros play and also on The Olympic Club course.

This tournament is free to play, but is composed of four single-play rounds so you must play/post a score each day through Sunday, 6/17.

More details:

• Four single-play rounds – each round must be posted daily Thu, Fri, Sat and Sun 6/14-17
• Separate tiered tournaments limited to players at that same tier: Pro, Tour Pro, Master, Tour Master, Legend
• Weather and course conditions appropriate for each tier, but they get harder over the weekend
• Top 3 combined scores at each tier win Amazon Gift Cards
• Note, these are single-play rounds, so be sure to practice in the unlimited-play Virtual U.S. Open Qualifier

Play the Free NATIONS Tournament

If you haven't joined the WGT NATION yet, you can go to www.wgt.com/nation to see if you're eligible to sign-up, and play in this free tournament.

With millions of players competing in the 2012 Virtual U.S. Open on World Golf Tour, we wanted to take a closer look to get a better idea of who some of these fierce competitors really are – on and off the virtual golf course.

Today's spotlight is on LVIETRI, a Level 97 Legend player who averages 60 strokeplay and has been a WGT member since May 2009.

What's the easiest hole on the virtual Olympic Club course, and why? 

A: #7, the short par 4. With the wind and a good drive, it sets you up for a shot at eagle (which are hard to come by on this course). Into the wind, lay it up and just wedge it close...it's the first true birdie hole on the course.

What's the hardest shot on virtual Olympic, and why?

A: To me, the hardest shot on this course is the very first one. For a decent shot at a birdie you have to carry it through the tree – and I swear those leaves blow in the wind because you have to hit it and pray it goes through without getting knocked down. That shot sets the tone for the entire round.

If you won the Virtual U.S. Open grand prize, who would you take as your guest to the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion?

A: First off, I thank WGT for opening it up to 1 random person to be selected because even though I did qualify for the last 4 big tournaments, Olympic has me baffled. So the only way I'll win is in the random lottery. But if I did win, I'm sure I would ask one of the guys from our WGT Country Club who I've gotten to know very well and have met in person. This is a WGT thing why not share the wealth?

What is your favorite WGT course to play? 

A: I like Bethpage... It's the course that I started to play on during the Virtual Open. Also, I don't live too far from there and have played it once after I started playing it on WGT. It's very cool to know every hole on a course when you actually get on it, from playing it virtually. By the way – I'll never play it again...you have to actually walk!!!!!

What type of games do you like to play on WGT? 

A: First and foremost, I'm a Match Play guy. I just love the 1 on 1 action. For Credits or not for Credits, it doesn't matter, that's how you get to know people in this virtual world that WGT has created. I also love Skins for cash, but 4 player games just take a long time to play. I don't have the patience, but that's why Alt Shot is a good alternative.

What piece of WGT virtual equipment could you not live without? 

A: That Cleveland 64 degree, Level 80 wedge is like a savior around (and even sometimes on) the greens. Saves par for me 95% of the time when I miss the GIR. I even went and bought one in real life, but it must be defective because it doesn't work the same way... I use it to hold up the hood of my car when I change the oil.

What is your job in the real world? 

A: I'm very fortunate to have just celebrated my 35th year with IBM. Good work which I enjoy. Go Big Blue!

What are your hobbies besides WGT?

A: I play real golf at least 1 time a week in season, and I do go on a few golf weekends here and there. I have my handicap up to 18 now...a real "money maker." Other than that I'm really very boring: I read a lot (at least a book a week) and now I spend as much time as I can with my 2 grandkids... I am enjoying watching them grow up (they are 4 and 2). I guess I missed a lot of my own kids growing up when I was travelling a lot with IBM years ago so this is a treat for me.

Any other "fun facts" that you'd like to share? 

A: If you haven't guessed by now I'm a staunch supporter of WGT. I think from a social media perspective "for golfers" this is about as good as it can get. The folks in our little Country Club have become more than just playing partners – a lot of us are real friends who support each other in real life as best we can, help each other get through some tough times, and of course get together whenever we can to play real golf. We have even branched out and have fantasy football leagues, sports betting pools and virtual poker games. You can't beat it.

My FIRST three years on WGT have been more fun than I could ask for, thanks to both the game and the community. I hope the next 10 are just as much fun.

Check out  LVIETRI in action: an eagle on St Andrews #17

Contributed Content from GlobalGolfPost

While Dustin Johnson was gone, he certainly was not forgotten and he clearly remembered how to win. Johnson broke away from a tightly bunched pack with birdies late in the final round to win the FedEx St. Jude Classic on Sunday.

Johnson, 27, won his sixth PGA Tour event and has now won at least one tournament in each of the past five years. And he heads into this week’s U.S. Open running on a high in confidence and form. Johnson had missed 11 weeks on Tour because of a back injury and returned just two weeks ago at the Memorial Tournament.

Johnson shot a final-round 66 to finish 72 holes at 9-under 271 on the par-70 TPC Southwind. He wound up winning by one over John Merrick, but it was much closer than that in the early afternoon in Memphis.

Players were started early Sunday morning in threesomes, hoping to avoid a forecast of afternoon thunderstorms so the competitors could easily get out of town to travel to San Francisco today for the U.S. Open.

About midway through the back nine, 11 players were within one shot of the lead that was held at times by Johnson, Merrick, Rory McIlroy, Chad Campbell and Nick O’Hern.

But Johnson made birdies on the par-5 16th and the par-4 17th to take the lead for good. He safely found the fairway on the treacherous par-4 18th and two-putted from 30 feet to capture the win.

McIlroy, Campbell, O’Hern and Merrick all stood on the 18th tee needing a birdie to catch Johnson, and only Merrick was able to make as much as a par. McIlroy drove it in the water off the tee and made double-bogey, O’Hern drove in the water and saved bogey, while Campbell missed the the green with his second and couldn’t get up and down. Merrick drove in the right rough, couldn’t reach the green and saved par from the right of the green.

Merrick, who started the day in a three-way tie for the 54-hole lead with O’Hern and Davis Love III, shot 68 on Sunday to finish second, one behind Johnson at 8-under 272. It was by far Merrick’s best finish of the year. He had missed seven cuts in 15 events and his best finish was a T33 at the Farmers Insurance Open.

Ryan Palmer shot a 4-under 66 on Sunday and tied for third at 7 under with Campbell, O’Hern and Love. Ken Duke tied for low round of the day with a 65 to post a tie for seventh with McIlroy, Seung-Yul Noh and Robert Allenby.

Get your daily dose of golf news at WGTGolf.com.

PHOTO: Associated Press

The USGA has announced the first and second round pairings for the 2012 U.S. Open at The Olympic Club on June 14-15, 2012.

The headliners are Tiger, Phil and Bubba, golf's biggest stars paired together, along with a lot of fans.

The USGA continues to have some fun with the pairings, notably the C's of Carl, Charl and Charles, as well as KJ, YE and KT from Korea.

Everyone will be rooting for the Qualifiers, featuring Casey Martin, Dennis Miller and Stanford golf team local, Cameron Wilson. Martin's last U.S. Open was in 1998 and has since been cleared by the Supreme Court to use a golf cart to ride between holes due to a medical condition. Miller was trying for the 12th year to qualify for the U.S. Open, and on the 4th playoff hole appeared to leave his putt on the lip of the hole, but it amazingly dropped in...and he's in the national championship. 

Note, due to course configuration, players will be in threesomes and teeing off on Holes #1 and #9, instead of the typical #10. All times US Pacific Standard. TV coverage in the United States on the Golf Channel on Thu/Fri and NBC Sat/Sun.

See Full 2012 U.S. Open Pairings

Highlighted U.S. Open Pairings

Headliners - Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Bubba Watson

• Thu 7:33a, Hole #9 
• Fri 1:18p, Hole #1

The C's - Carl Pettersson, Charl Schwartzel, Charles Howell III

• Thu 8:06a, Hole #9
• Fri 1:51p, Hole #1

Team Korea - K. J. Choi, Y. E. Yang, K. T. Kim

• Thu 8:28a, Hole #9
• Fri 2:13p, Hole #1

The Qualifiers - Casey Martin, Dennis Miller, A-Cameron Wilson

• Thu 12:45p, Hole #1
• Fri 7:00a, Hole #9

Under The Radar - Martin Kaymer, Hunter Mahan, Justin Rose

• Thu 1:25p, Hole #9 
• Fri 8:10a, Hole #1

UK Stars - Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood

• Thu 1:29p, Hole #1
• Fri 7:44a, Hole #9 

The Contenders - Jason Day, Louis Oosthuizen, Jason Dufner

• Thu 1:47p, Hole #9
• Fri 8:32a, Hole #1

The Bro's - Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson, Ryo Ishikawa

• Thu 1:58p, Hole #9
• Fri 8:43a, Hole #1

Photo Courtesy of Golf Channel

Let's take a quick look at the leaderboard in the 2012 Virtual U.S. Open Qualifier being played on World Golf Tour at www.wgt.com.

See Full Virtual U.S. Open Leaderboard

With over 1 million rounds played since May, the top qualifying score is currently an impressive 53, shared by 4 WGT players: JayJensen, Ffudd, genorb, Win1Soon.

Just a few shots back, but safely qualified, are some familiar (and amusing) WGT player names from past Virtual U.S. and British Opens, including: zant, Starsandros, mongo441, jakestanfill7, dansamcam, TugboatDoug.

Also safely qualified are the recent Virtual U.S. and British Open winners, including:

• mrenn29 - 2011 Virtual U.S. Open champ
• StoneColdKiller - 2011 Virtual British Open champ
• BolloxInBruges - 2010 Virtual U.S. Open champ
• AvatarLee - 2010 Virtual British Open champ

Congratulations to everyone who's qualified and played!

Watch Virtual U.S. Open Replay Video Highlights

The top 156 scores (plus ties) by Sunday 6/17 will all qualify for the exciting championship rounds. The current Cut Line is 59, meaning everyone at 59 and lower will qualify. However, there are 147 players at 58 or better, so if another 9 players post 58 or better, then the Cut Line will move to 58. In other words, if you're at 59 or higher, then you're on the bubble and should try to post a lower score.

For all you mortals out there -- don't worry, you don't have to shoot a 58, a 68 or even a 98, because this year, just entering in the Virtual U.S. Open Qualifier gives you a chance to win the same grand prize: a trip for two to the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion (limited of course to countries that allow residents to win those prizes. Sorry, blame the lawmakers and lawyers.) So everyone should be sure to post at least one round for a chance to win.

Play the Virtual U.S. Open Qualifier

With the 2012 U.S. Open just one week away from starting, there's a lot of focus being put on the challenging golf course where the championship will be played: The Olympic Club Lake Course in San Francisco, but there's one hole that's likely to give up the most birdies and eagles.

This year's championship course is 7,170 yards, which is 373 yards longer than when The Olympic Club hosted the national championship in 1998, and will play at a par 70. Read our analysis of some of the hardest holes here.

However, so far during the 2012 Virtual U.S. Open being played on World Golf Tour, hole 17 at The Olympic Club's has scored the lowest below par on average. For the first-time ever, this 522-yard hole is being played as a par 5 instead of a par 4, but it's still no push-over.

With its short tilted fairway, it's key for players to find the best location right-center of the fairway and then try to reach the green in two shots. But the elevated green has a small landing area and balls can slide off to the right. Hitting the green-side bunker on the left also makes for a challenging bunker shot to get it close but also to keep it on the green without rolling down the hill towards the green-side trees and 18th hole fairway.

Depending on the hole location, we're likely to see some eagles and birdies on the 17th hole at the U.S. Open, but maybe some bogeys as well. Either way, it will be significant in deciding the 2012 U.S. Open champion.

Anyone can play this hole at The Olympic Club now, free online without signup at World Golf Tour. 

Play hole 17

Stay tuned for weekly updates from WGT, and visit the USGA site for more information about the 2012 U.S. Open Championship.

Contributed by Vartan Kupelian of GlobalGolfPost

Nothing gets Tiger Woods' adrenalin flowing or his golf game soaring like the thought of matching a Jack Nicklaus record.

Woods went one better Sunday. Not only did he move into a share of second place with Nicklaus on the all-time list of PGA Tour winners – with 73 – Woods did it in Nicklaus territory. He did it at Muirfield Village Golf Club on a course Jack built and at Jack's Memorial Tournament.

"It’s awfully special to have won and do it here," Woods said. "Just makes it that much more special."

It was the fifth victory for Woods at the Memorial Tournament. He birdied three of the last four holes – including an uncanny hole-out at the 16th hole – to chase down the faltering duo of Rory Sabbatini and Spencer Levin.

Woods shot a final-round 5-under-par 67 for a 279 total, 9-under par. Sabbatini shot 72 to tie Andres Romero (67) for second, two shots behind Woods. Levin shot 75 to tie for fourth at 283.

The victory enabled Woods to complete the Legends Slam this year. In March, Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill for his first victory in 27 Tour events. It was the seventh time Woods won that event.

And now only Sam Snead, with 88 career victories, is ahead of Woods and Nicklaus.

Nicklaus called the hole-out at the 16th hole, "The most unbelievably gutsy shot I’ve ever seen."

"Leave it short, the tournament is over," Nicklaus said. "If it goes long, it's in the water and the tournament is over. He takes a full swing and lands it exactly where you have to land it and it trickles into the hole like a two-foot putt."

Right. And the tournament was over.

"I’ve seen a lot of shots in golf," Nicklaus said. "I don’t think I've ever seen a better one under the circumstances."

For good measure, Woods finished with a birdie at the 18th hole. He also made birdie at the par-5 15th to start the key sequence.

Woods' victory comes two weeks before the U.S. Open at The Olympic Club and once again entrenches the man who has won 14 major championships as a favorite.

"I had it all," Woods said of his ball-striking at Muirfield Village. "To birdie three of the last four holes was a nice finish. To pull off that shot at 16 was pretty sweet, too ... I went for it and I pulled it off. For it to land as soft as it did was kind of a surprise. I didn't think it was going to get there."

Get your daily dose of golf news at WGTGolf.com.