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With Tiger Woods tearing up the golf course at Quail Hollow Championships (both literally and figuratively), but his new game still over 6 weeks away, I've had a crazy craving for some new golf. Fortunately for me, that new golf came to me! Enter World Golf Tour, a browser based game that implements full HD quality. Their claim to fame is that their course is within 1.5 inches of the actual course design (a pretty nifty feat that I'll have to put to the test eventually).

With premiere courses already in place like Kiawah Island, Wolf Creek and Bali Hai golf clubs, the company announced recently a partnership with the USGA to create a "Virtual Open" to run in relation with the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach. As well, they're also looking for a talented individual to be their David Feherty. That's right they're going to send a lucky winner to the 2009 US Open as their first official Video Blogger (I think I need to fire my agent over this).

To me the partnership is a huge deal. The USGA doesn't hand out partnerships lightly so the folks at WGT must have something going for them. If you happen to get a chance to play the game, try and beat my score distance of 1.11 yards from the pin on Kiawah Islands, hole #6 (feel free to post a comment if you do). However I have a LOT of work to do in order to qualify for this year's virtual tournament (available at www.USOPEN.com). Visitors to the site, which by the way is the official Web site of the U.S. Open, can play qualifying rounds for the Virtual U.S. Open, beginning May 25th through June 21st. The top 156 qualifiers plus ties will then square off for the Virtual U.S. Open title on June 22nd. The winner will be crowned the USGA Virtual U.S Open Champion and will be a guest of the USGA the following year at Pebble Beach Golf Links, in Pebble Beach California. 

"This is a unique opportunity for fans to experience a very realistic online representation of the Black Course at Bethpage State Park," said Alex Withers, USGA managing director of Digital Media. "We are thrilled to be able to bring this product to golf fans around the world and to be working with World Golf Tour on this exciting project."

So let me get this straight: Play lots of free online golf, win trip to 2010 US Open? Sound good to me! 

Better start practicing as May 25th is not that far away. If you're worried about the graphics for this championship event not living up to the uberrealism of next generation consoles, don't be. While it's not exactly "Tiger Woods-esque" it sure beats up NES Golf, not to mention its bread and butter is the simultaneous tournament play.

“Through WGT’s association with the USGA, fans now have the opportunity to get more involved in one of golf’s four major championships,” says YuChiang Cheng, CEO of World Golf Tour. “This opportunity is a strong step forward in demonstrating the ability of WGT’s platform to integrate live events with an online experience. We are honored to be working with the USGA to bring players the Virtual U.S. Open, with some of the pressure and elation that the real competitors feel.” Because let's face it, what I want is to have the chance to feel like Kenny Perry did after he blew a putt to win the Masters.

If playing is not your bag, but you still live, eat, breath and sleep golf (much like myself) your chance to go to the US Open is still alive and well through WGT's Video Blogger Search. The search, which began last week, gives fans an all-expense paid opportunity to observe and report on some of the world's best golfers during one of the sport's major four championships. Not to mention the relating that to their experience on the virtual course.

"World Golf Tour's goal is to show golfers that it's possible to capture a piece of the Championship experience through playing the virtual U.S. Open online under the same conditions and guidelines as the best players on earth," says Cheng. "Through this blogger search, we hope to give golf enthusiasts a way to show their passion for the sport and have an experience of a lifetime."

Somehow I'm going to need to find a way to rig this contest.