St Andrews, Scotland, 26 March 2013: For the first time, golf fans will be able to play against some of the game’s greatest players in The Open Championship when the eagerly awaited new Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 14 video game is released today.
Players can face up to nine of golf’s legends, Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Seve Ballesteros and Tiger Woods, at historic Open venues such as St Andrews, Royal Troon and Royal Birkdale in the new game.
Uniquely, all nine legends have won The Open Championship and each of them has a special place in the history of golf’s oldest Major Championship. The game’s new Legends of the Majors mode enables players to go back in time to play the legends at historic events at the Masters, the US Open, the PGA Championship and, for the first time, The Open Championship.
The R&A, which organises The Open Championship, has worked closely with the developer EA SPORTS to ensure that players can experience the unique spirit and challenge of The Open Championship in the game as they bid to lift the famous Claret Jug.
The inclusion of The Open in the game will help to broaden its appeal through a new digital audience around the world and will complement the Championship’s existing digital activity through its award-winning apps and website: TheOpen.com.
Michael Tate, Executive Director – Business Affairs at The R&A, said, “The Open Championship is a truly unique event in world sport with a history which dates back more than 150 years. Bringing the spirit of The Open to a wider audience through the Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 14 game is very exciting. This is a wonderful platform and I am sure golf enthusiasts all over the world will relish the opportunity to play against their heroes in The Open.”
Speaking to TheOpen.com, Tiger Woods, the three-time Open Champion, said he was delighted to see The Open included in the game. “The Open Championship is history, it’s our oldest Championship. Every great player that has ever played has played in The Open Championship. It means so much as a player to play at some of these historic venues. Lifting the Claret Jug was pretty incredible for me because it completed the career Grand Slam.
“I think it’s fantastic to be able to have an opportunity to play not only against myself but the rest of the field at our oldest Championship. You never know what the weather is going to be there at that time of year or any time of year really. It’s going to be a challenge just like it is for us for the gamers as well.”
The 1971 and 1972 Open Champion Lee Trevino said, “The Claret Jug is absolutely gorgeous. It is probably the most recognised Championship in the world today. You cannot describe the feeling to pick that trophy up.“
He also gave some advice to those looking to play him in the game: “They had better be able to play the wind and they better be able to bump and run or I am going to eat ‘em for lunch!”
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 14 goes on sale in North America on March 26 and worldwide on March 29, for both the Xbox 360® and PlayStation®3 consoles, including support for the Kinect for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation Move.