Golfzon will conduct its unique International Tournament later this week in South Korea, with participants playing the same golf course over 36 holes on a golf simulator and a regulation course to determine the world champion.
The 17 contestants arrive in South Korea on Wednesday, Oct. 17. On Thursday, Oct. 18, finalists will compete in simulator golf on the digital Golfzon County Anseong Q Golf Club at Zoimaru, Golfzon’s Headquarters in Daejeon, South Korea. On Friday, Oct. 19, the field will travel to play regulation golf at Golfzon County Anseong Q, a par-72, 7,100-yard public course.
The competition is the third playing of the international event and this year includes 17 players from 11 countries vying for the title. Qualifiers from the United States, South Korea, Canada, China, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, South Africa, Taiwan, United Kingdom and Vietnam earned their spots from 150 sites globally, including 21 in North America, and were the best among 1,266 who attempted to reach the final.
“It will be cool to see the differences in how we play simulator vs. real golf,” Bouldin(United States) said. “I have never played the real counterpart to a simulator course I have played so it will be awesome to see how alike and different it is.”
The previous two finals were won by Chinese competitors. In 2017, there were 12 finalists among 900 participants who made it to South Korea, representing the United States, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, China and Australia, with China’s Han Zue Gang taking the individual championship. In the International Tournaments debut in 2016, nearly 900 golfers from seven countries and 20 finalists participated, with Chinese professional Bin Gao taking the title at the November conclusion.
“I am honored to win the championship in the first international golf tournament held by Golfzon,” Bin Gao said in 2016. “I was astonished at the outstanding simulation golf skills of competitors from other countries, and it provided me a chance of enjoying the simulation golf as delightful as playing the field golf.”
This year’s field includes Bouldin and Wisen, United States; Wayne Palmer, United Kingdom; Michael Du Plooy and Kylemartin Prang, South Africa; Eden Bichachi, Israel; Kao Kai Huang and Liu Heng, South Korea; Jung Sung Uk, Zhang Guangzhe and Pio Jinzhe, China; Asakuma Kenjirou and Kudo Yukino, Japan; David, Harris, Canada; Jorge Gonzales, Mexico; Jin Sung Ha, Vietnam; and Uiro Lim, Indonesia.