The DP World Tour has partnered with leading virtual reality golf game Golf5 eClub to launch a new tournament in the metaverse that will coincide with the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
The ‘DP World Tour Championship Metaverse Challenge’ will be open to Golf5 eClub members and is available to play from 10-25 November. It will see players compete against each other in a new virtual reality simulation of the final three holes of the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai. That is the same course the world’s leading players, such as Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Matt Fitzpatrick, will be playing from 17-20 November as they bid to win the season ending DP World Tour Championship and be crowned the winner of the 2022 DP World Tour Rankings.
The virtual reality game has been developed by AAA Game Studios and can be downloaded via the Oculus app. Spectators attending the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai will also get the chance to enter the competition at a dedicated gaming area in the spectator village.
Speaking about the initiative, Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour group, said: “Golf lends itself perfectly to virtual reality gaming and we are determined to lead the way in bringing top-level professional golf to the metaverse. The team at AAA Game Studios have done an amazing job in recreating the final three holes of the Earth Course in what is a truly immersive and realistic experience that will enable fans to engage with golf and the DP World Tour Championship in new ways.
“This builds on the success we have already had in the launch of the DP World eTour, that will have its grand finale at the DP World Flow Pavilion in Dubai on 16 November. These innovations will make the DP World Tour Championship a multi-dimensional entertainment spectacle – both on and off the course.”
Daniel van Otterdijk, Chief Communications Officer at DP World, said: “At DP World we are exploring how the metaverse can help tackle real-world supply chain challenges, so it’s great to also see virtual reality technology being integrated into golf and the DP World Tour Championship. We want to be at the forefront of world-class technology and innovation, so to see this challenge being launched by the DP World Tour during one of the biggest weeks of the golf calendar, is extremely exciting. We wish all of the competitors the best of luck and thank our partners for helping to make it happen.”
Antonio Marin, Founder and CEO, AAA Games Studios, added: “We are very excited to partner with the DP World Tour Championship to bring this tournament to life as a world’s first in the Oculus Metaverse. Our vision is to build out this partnership with the DP World Tour over the coming years and ensure fans can play some of the biggest events on the golfing calendar. We at GOLF5 pride ourselves on being the home of authentic golf in the metaverse and we are excited for the fans to be able to play the course at Jumeirah Golf Estates and the immersive experience we will be providing with this unique event.”