New VR FedExCup Playoffs offers elevated experience for fans
3 Min Read
Written by Michael LoRé
With reduced field sizes and $75 million up for grabs, the 2023 FedExCup Playoffs are expected to deliver more drama and excitement than ever before. But for fans, the fun extends beyond the ropes with the first-ever VR FedExCup Playoffs.
Beginning July 20, fans can compete in three weekly tournament events in the hopes of racking up enough qualifying points to earn one of 500 spots to advance to the first-ever VR FedExCup Playoffs in GOLF+. The VR Playoffs allows fans to test their own skills alongside the PGA TOUR’s best as the 2022-23 season comes to a dramatic close.
The game will mirror the actual PGA TOUR Playoffs, which begin with a 70-player field at the FedEx St. Jude Championship (Aug. 7-13). The field then shrinks to 50 a week later at the BMW Championship (Aug. 14-20) before the final 30 players standing vie for the FedExCup at the TOUR Championship (Aug. 21-27) at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
Fans who participate in the VR Playoffs will play the same courses and conditions that PGA TOUR players will face in the final three events of the season. Additionally, participants will play not only for bragging rights, but for prizes including a VIP experience at a 2024 PGA TOUR event, a PGA TOUR prize and 36 exclusive virtual medals awarded throughout the competition for various accomplishments.
“We are thrilled to introduce this immersive experience that puts PGA TOUR fans inside the ropes, allowing them to truly feel the exhilaration and challenges faced by the world’s top professional golfers,” said Chris Wandell, vice president of media business development at the PGA TOUR. “This is the first time that fans have been able to experience a major sporting event in this format – bringing PGA TOUR fans closer to the action than ever before.”
Not only do participants in the VR FedExCup Playoffs play TPC Southwind (Aug. 10-16), Olympia Fields Country Club (Aug. 17-23) and East Lake Golf Club (Aug. 24-27) like the TOUR players do to conclude this year’s campaign, but each VR event will mirror the real-life event. Variables including tee location, pin location, wind speed and wind direction will be replicated for the ultimate test.
Qualifying for the VR Playoffs consists of four tournament rounds beginning with Week 1 at TPC Scottsdale (July 20-26), followed by Week 2 at Pebble Beach Golf Links (July 27-Aug. 2) and Week 3 at TPC Sawgrass (Aug. 3-9). To enter, players should go to the “Tournaments” option on the GOLF+ main menu then select either “Amateur” or “Pro” difficulty, which cannot be changed for the duration of the event.
The top 500 qualifiers after those three events will advance to the VR FedExCup Playoffs, which will start in conjunction with the real-life FedExCup Playoffs. The field will be trimmed in half after the St. Jude Championship, with the top 250 advancing to the BMW Championship and the final 100 vying for the TOUR Championship.
This first-of-its-kind companion fan experience brings the FedExCup Playoffs to your backyard, man cave, garage or wherever you play VR golf at home.
“With the VR FedExCup Playoffs, we’re inviting our global player base to the same stage as extraordinary athletes like Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth,” GOLF+ CEO Ryan Engle said. “We can’t wait to crown the first VR TOUR Champion in GOLF+, opening the door for a new generation of superstars on our platform.”