USGA eSports Grand Slam Series Presented by Lexus
The USGA and World Golf Tour by Topgolf have announced their 2022 lineup for the USGA eSports Grand Slam Presented by Lexus, which offers competitors an opportunity to compete for a variety of prizes, including a grand prize VIP trip to the 2023 U.S. Open Championship at The Los Angeles (Calif.) Country Club.
With the support of Lexus, the USGA and WGT will host four events on WGT platforms throughout the year. The eSports Grand Slam includes the Merion Open, the Virtual U.S. Open and two match-play challenges contested virtually at recent U.S. Open venues Chambers Bay and Erin Hills. All four of the 2022 Grand Slam series events will include courses that are hosting USGA championships this year.
The 2022 USGA eSports Grand Slam schedule is as follows:
- Event #1 – Merion Open: April 23
- Qualifying Rounds: March 15-April 7
- Event #2 – Virtual U.S. Open: July 16 (Composite Best of U.S. Open Course)
- Qualifying Rounds: May 16-June 30
- Event #3 – Match Play Challenge at Chambers Bay: Sept. 10
- Qualifying Rounds: July 25-Aug. 26
- Event #4 – Match Play Challenge at Erin Hills: Dec. 10
- Qualifying Rounds: Oct. 24-Nov. 27
The grand prize for the Virtual U.S. Open includes an exclusive Lexus VIP Experience at the 2023 U.S. Open, custom-engraved Virtual U.S. Open Trophy, $500 prepaid gift card, $500 USGAshop eGift Card and a prize pack. Second- through 10th-place finishers will receive prizes including a variety of prepaid gift cards. The first-place prize for the Merion Open and two Match Play Challenges will include a $500 prepaid gift card, $500 USGAshop eGift Card, custom-engraved trophy and a prize pack. Top finishers in the Merion Open (second-fifth place) and Match Play Challenges (runner-up and semifinalists) will also receive prepaid gift cards, USGAshop cards and prize packs. In total, Lexus will award $10,000 in prizes this year.
All four championship events will be streamed live on the USGA YouTube, Twitch and Twitter channels. In 2021, the USGA Match Play Challenge livestream received 317,000 views, with more than 2.5 million total minutes watched. The 2021 Virtual Open accepted 128,830 player entries, with more than 790,000 rounds played.
