Win $1m playing Links
Online golf tournament kicks off
If you thought that real-time strategy or first person shooter tournaments were the most popular pro-gaming events in the world, think again. Over the last two years some 34,000 players have taken part in the Virtual Golf Association Tour, playing Microsoft's Links Championship Edition for tens of thousands of dollars in prize money. This year Microsoft is going one better by offering online golfers from around the world a chance to win a cool $1,000,000. The catch is that to get the big prize, the online champion must overcome their nerves to sink a real ball into a real hole on a real golf course from a distance of sixty feet (about 18m in real measurements). Still, even if they fall at the last hurdle, the tour champion will still go home with a cheque for $50,000, which isn't to be sniffed at. The tournament is actually split into three preliminary stages, taking place in July, August and September, each with its own $3,000 prize purse. The top hundred players from these rounds will then go forwards to the semi-final to battle it out for a place in the finals and a shot at prizes ranging from $2,500 for coming fourth all the way up to $50,000 for the winner. If you fancy your chances, head over to the Links Country Club and check out the tournament fact sheet before signing up.