The 2013 Virtual U.S. Open Qualifier on WGT has finished, and 213 top players have qualified to play in the Championship, competing for the ultimate title and the grand prize trip to next year's U.S. Open at Pinehurst #2.
The Virtual U.S. Open Championship consists of two strokeplay rounds on Merion under challenging conditions and the pressure of single-play. Off to an early start are veterans Hanswurst72 with a first round 56, and mrenn29 with a 57, followed by three players tied at 58, bulfrog2004, Kurtsbuford and tinybo.
Watch the Virtual U.S. Open Leaderboard
Just like in the real U.S. Open, the 2013 Virtual U.S. Open is an international field, with 6 countries represented in the Top 10 scores currently posted...
- Hanswurst72 is from Germany, a member of The Elite CC country club, and recently won the WGT Legends tournament with Uneven Lies on Merion, so he's got the experience and momentum.
- mrenn29 is from the USA, a member of The Deviations, and the 2011 Virtual U.S. Open Champion, so he has a proven history of taking on the pressure of these single-play championship rounds.
Here's a video replay of Kurtsbuford playing Merion last month, with an amazing hole-in-one on the 256-yard par-3 third hole, using a TaylorMade R11S 3-wood and a Nike 20XI ball, which just misses hitting Virtual Cam #3!
And a reminder to the WGT players competing in the Championship, be sure to save your Merion replays so they can be eligible to be included in the final video highlights that will be posted to WGT, YouTube and Golf Channel later this month.