WGT Golf News

By Stephanie Wei

Golf Digest’s made-for-TV US Open Challenge was played on Wednesday and it was a grind-it-out kind of day for the three celebs, Mark Wahlberg, Wayne Gretzky and Drew Brees, and reader’s pick, Peggy Ference.

Teeing up from the championship tees, Marky Mark, the highest handicap in the foursome, was the only one to break 100, firing a 97. Sandbagger!

Meanwhile, apparently if Tony Romo and Drew Brees were to face off on the links, Romo would dominate. Brees, a 3-handicap, opened the round by hitting his first drive on the roof of the spa bordering the hole. He finished with a 102, but the AP report excuses him for being “rusty” because he had just flown in on Tuesday after a trip to the oil spill cleanup effort in the Gulf Coast.

Gretzy almost broke 100, but triple-bogeyed the 18th to shoot 100.

And how about Peggy? The 51-year-old amateur had a rough time reaching most of the fairways from the back tees and shot 118. But she was a good sport and appreciated the experience.

While Ference didn’t meet her goal of breaking 100, she celebrated small victories during her round, such as when she cleared the 150-yard chasm on the eighth hole to stay dry. After the shot, she raised her arms, turned to her caddie Pavin and gave him a hug.

“This was really about the game of golf and how anybody can play it from any set of tees in any conditions,” Ference said. “I have so much appreciation for what the PGA Tour players encounter, not just in the U.S. Open but regular tournaments too.”

I saw some criticisms on Twitter over how poorly she was playing, but seriously, guys, what do you expect? It’s not like any past sweepstakes winners have ever broken 100. But this got me thinking — perhaps I should apply next year. That could be a really fantastic experience to write about, but not sure if I qualify since I guess I’m considered media now. Still, maybe they’d make an exception. I mean, it wouldn’t be a bad PR move. Plus, I played at a high level at one point (no, I’m not talking about Ivy League golf) and with some practice, I think I could break 100 from the big boys’ tees in US Open conditions.

Well, just a thought.

Congratulations to AvatarLee and GLADSTONESCREWER, who won the 2010 USGA Front 9 Challenge and the 2010 Virtual Open Front 9 Challenge, respectively.

For conquering the front 9 of Oakmont, AvatarLee has won a $250 gift certificate for the USGA Online Store, and for beating out the competition on St Andrews, GLADSTONESCREWER will take home The 150th Open Limited Edition Print. 

Congratulations guys!  And good luck to all in the Qualifying Rounds of the Virtual Majors going on now.

Are you on Twitter?  Follow us @worldgolftour and stay up to date with the latest news and updates from the WGT team.

Compete for the Championship Title and Incredible Prizes

The Virtual Majors kick off an exciting phase today with the stroke play Qualifying Rounds of both The USGA Virtual Championship at Oakmont Country Club and The Virtual Open Championship 2010 on the Old Course at St Andrews. Additional events include new Back 9 Closest-to-the-Hole Challenges on both courses. Prizes worth thousands of dollars and experiences money can't buy are up for grabs!

From now until July 11, compete on all 18 holes of Oakmont from the championship tees in the The USGA Virtual Championship Qualifying round. It’s unlimited play and your best scores will automatically post to the leaderboard. The top 156 players plus ties will make the cut to compete in the 36-hole Championship. Those who qualify for the Championship will not only win a 1-year membership to the USGA, but will also have the the opportunity to compete in the Championship round with a grand prize trip for two to the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional as a guest of the USGA. Anyone who posts an 18-hole score will also be entered into a sweepstakes drawing with a chance to win a $500 gift card to the USGA online store.

From now until July 18, compete from the championship tees on all 18 holes of the Old Course at St Andrews in the Qualifying round of the The Virtual Open Championship 2010. The top 156 players plus ties will make the cut and play in the 36-hole Championship to determine this year's winner. Each qualifier will win an official Open 2010 Imperial Cap and will have the opportunity to compete for the grand prize, a once-in-a-lifetime trip for two to Scotland to play golf on the Old Course. Anyone who posts an 18-hole score will have a chance to win a $500 gift card to OpenGolfShop.com via a sweepstakes drawing.

Win Trip for Two to the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional or a Golf Trip for Two to St Andrews!

*Prize eligibility for each event is subject to their official rules. Be sure to read them.

New! Experience Historic U.S. Open shots on Pebble Beach

When you need a break from competing in the Virtual Majors, try testing your skills against those of Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Ernie Els, and more! Watch official archived videos of the best shots from previous U.S. Opens at Pebble Beach, then try to hit those very same shots yourself, and see if you can beat the Pros!

Just go to to USOpen.com and click on the button depicted below to experience US Open History.

Equip yourself for the challenge with the latest new clubs

We have new clubs in our Pro Shop that offer increased distance and power, perfect for hitting from the Championship tees and edging out the stiff competition to make the cut in the Virtual Majors. Check them out in the Pro Shop, and compete with the latest gear.

Heads up!  There will be a brief 20 minute downtime window for some routine maintenance tonight, June 1, at around 11:59 PM Pacific Time.  Please make sure to save your games!

Did you know you have two different sets of clubs in your inventory? When you first join the game, your golf bag is automatically equipped with our Beginner clubs, which offer a slower swing meter, and are a great way to get used to playing the game. But you also have second set of clubs, the WGT Starter clubs, that offer an increase in distance and power with a slightly faster swing meter.

To switch from the Beginner clubs to the Starter set, you'll need to go the the My Equipment tool within the game. To access this tool you must be logged in to the game. Click on the My Equipment option under My Settings from the Main Menu. Alternatively, you can also access My Equipment from your profile page. 

Once you are in the My Equipment interface you need to "click and drag" the club or ball you would like to equip from the inventory section into the In My Bag section. Make sure you click the Save Changes button.  View the video below for a brief tutorial.

You can also purchase more powerful and precise clubs in the Pro Shop.

We hope you are enjoying your Memorial Day weekend. Whether you are traveling, relaxing, or working, we hope you get a chance to pause and remember our country's veterans.

Photo: Chris Inside

Downtime Tonight

The new TaylorMade SuperTri driver is now in the Pro Shop. This powerful Master-tier driver is the longest hitting driver in the game, perfect for hitting from the Championship tees in the Virtual Major Qualifier and Championship rounds that begin June 1st on St Andrews and Oakmont.

Also in the Pro Shop, the perfect balls to complement the fast meter on this powerful driver, the GI3-S and GI3-D balls, which offer an even slower swing meter than the GI-2 balls. These balls come in two varieties: GI3-S which offers extra spin and the GI3-D which offers extra distance.

Here are the highlights from today's product release. While we make an effort to include all updates made to the product, please note that occasionally some changes are unintentionally omitted.

Experience Pebble Beach Like Never Before, in Stunning HD!

Have you ever wondered if you can beat a pro on Pebble Beach? Watch videos of historical shots from previous U.S. Open’s at Pebble Beach, then try to hit that very same shot, and see if you can beat the Pros! Test your skill against Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Ernie Els, and more!

Just go to to USOpen.com and click on the button below to experience US Open History.

Gear up for the Virtual Major with New Clubs and Balls

Now in the Pro Shop, the perfect balls to complement any club in your bag, the GI3-S and GI3-D balls, which offer an even slower swing meter than the GI-2 balls. These balls come in two varieties: GI3-S which offers extra spin and the GI3-D which offers extra distance.

Earn Credits without Depositing through TrialPay

Earn WGT credits by completing a variety of offers through TrialPay from top-end brands such as Golf Digest, Sports Illustrated, Mens Health, Golfsmith, and Nordstrom’s. You can find all these, and more, here.

Bug Fixes and Other Changes

• The St Andrews Triumph award for the best 18 hole score on St Andrews stroke play is now being awarded correctly.
• There is now a preference to turn the WGT Lessons tab on and off.
• New Club Tips and Swing Tips appear in the club and swing popup.
• In the club selection pop-up, the header “club selection” is now a button that opens the in-game equip interface. Remember that equipment changes cannot be saved while a game is in progress.
• There is a new credits display in the upper left hand corner near your username.
• All saved replays on Hole 17 at St Andrews have been erased to accommodate the new tee boxes for the Virtual Open Championship.  Our apologies.