Going Out With A Bang

Going Out With A Bang

WVGA Finishes Impressive 2007 With Largest Private Golden Tee
Tournament in History

There are over 256 reasons the join the World Video Golf Association (WVGA)… as if you needed one.

WVGA_logoThe WVGA's Fall Freeroll Online Classic is in the books and the numbers are staggering. Six weeks. Over 256 players. And well over 500 games played! As impossible as it sounds, in just its first year the WVGA has put together the largest private Golden Tee tournament in history! Not a bad way to celebrate an anniversary.

"It was a great event," said WVGA creator Jeff Allums. "It's an easy, cool format and the players all enjoyed it."

From late October to December, WVGA members from California to Australia faced off in an enormous online bracket. The players themselves, via phone or e-mail, coordinated every match, and results were e-mailed in. It's that player-to-player contact that Allums says is one of the greatest things about a tournament like the Fall Freeroll.

"Tthe whole idea is getting players talking and meeting other players," commented Allums. "It brings the comradery back to the game. Heck, I met two new guys who were members that I have never talked to or played against before. It was great."

Garvais
Sean Gervais, the WVGA Fall Freeroll winner, showing off his Golden Tee muscle

But in any tournament there has to be a winner. And after six weeks it was former Team USA member Sean Gervais from Tampa Bay, FL who claimed the title and $200 first- place prize. And he earned every cent of that money with the list of names he had to plow through to win. All told, Gervais beat a former World Champion (Jeff Harlow), a three-time national champion (Steve Sobe), two 2007 Regional Champions (Chris Thorbrogger and Anthony Goertz) and a former Team USA teammate (Steven Tirey) to win.

"It wasn't easy," said Gervais. "But I like the format and that you can play in your own bar. Jefe and Skipper do a great job of running the tournament."

But Gervais wasn't the only one walking away a winner. Thanks to a deep prize pool and numerous raffles, nearly 50 players of all skill levels won everything from gift cards to golf clubs - including Mike Donahue from San Diego, CA. Despite forfeiting his second round match Donahue was lucky enough to have his name drawn for a set of Ben Hogan irons.

"I was real happy to win the irons," commented Donahue. "The WVGA tourney is a great thing to have, especially for a player like me who is somewhat isolated from the big players of the game out here in San Diego. It's a real cool way to meet other GT players and have some fun. I will be upgrading my WVGA membership to Gold next year."

With more and more ringing endorsements like that coming everyday, the WVGA's member list has been growing at an astonishing pace. And after it's successful first year, there's no telling how big the WVGA will get in 2008. But that's something Allums is excited to tackle… after taking a much deserved year-end break.

Final Results

1st
Sean Gervais
 $200
2nd
Steven Tirey
 $100
3rd - 4th
Ryan Bourgeois and Anthony Goertz
 $75
5th - 8th
Ron Wisniewski, Chris Thorbrogger, Andy Haas, Enzo Polidori
 $50
9th - 16th
Jeff Lannen, Graig Kinzler, Dean Liakakos, Steve Sobe, Robert Holtrey, Steve Churak, Mike Demko, Jeff McClellan
 $25
17th - 32nd
Gavin Busey, Ryan McCook, Jason Detiege, John Thurtston, Scott Kocol, Josh Mertzig, Chad Schrump, Craig Levis, Brian Bernhardt, Ed Godfrey, Evan Gossett, Graig McDonnell, Tim Glenn, Mark Mulcewicz, Lance Bertram, Donald Johnston
 $10

 

Winner of a set of Ben Hogan irons
Mike Donahue - San Diego, CA

Winner of a $100 GT gift card
Brian Heffern - Chicago, IL

Winners of a Ben Hogan Wedge
Don James - Colfax, IA
Brandon Robinson - Ladd, IL
James Pikell - Lenexa, KS
Chris McClain - Plymouth, MI

Winners of $25 AMC movie gift cards
Sonu Khatri - Waynesville,OH
Shane Valkenberg - St Charles, IL
Gary Koehn - Howell, MI
John Bulger - Zelienople,PA

Winners of a 15 pack of Top Flite Balls
Dan Reid - Marion, IL
Jason Todd - Lansing, IL
Andrew Cosgrove - Brampton, ON
Vicki Pardalis - Medford, MA
Ross Parr - Chicago, IL
Derek Correia - Manchester, NH

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