Jordan Spieth captured his second major in a row by winning the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay. It was not just a victory for him, but also for EA Sports, which will release "Rory McIlroy PGA Tour" on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 next month. That's because Spieth is one of the select few licensed golfers who will be featured in the game.
"Rory McIlroy PGA Tour," which has been rebranded after EA dropped Tiger Woods, the 15-year face of the PGA Tour franchise, will feature only 12 licensed golfers. Woods is not one of them.
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Spieth, the reigning Masters and U.S. Open champion, is on the roster, which will give EA Sports something to promote in the run-up to the game's release on July 14. He'll be joined by McIlroy, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Ian Poulter, Hunter Mahan, Brandt Snedeker, Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler, Jonas Blixt, Jason Dufner, Patrick Rodgers and Martin Kaymer.
The primary challengers for Spieth at Chambers Bay included Dustin Johnson, who three-putted on 18 and missed an opportunity to win or force a playoff; Louis Oosthuizen, Adam Scott, Jason Day, Cameron Smith and Branden Grace. None of those names will be featured within "Rory McIlroy PGA Tour."
The video game is also missing a female presence, something especially notable considering the addition of women to the "FIFA" franchise this year and because the "Tiger Woods" series added the LPGA Tour in its final release in 2013.
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There are also only eight courses included on disc for the $60 game: Chambers Bay, TPC Sawgrass, TPC Boston, St. Andrews, Whistling Straits, Bay Hill, Royal Troon and Wolf Creek. Additionally, TPC Scottsdale is being provided free to those who pre-order. It's safe to assume the company will be offering more courses as paid downloadable content post-release.
To fill the gap with content that may appeal to a more "casual" gaming audience, EA Sports is introducing features such as multiple gameplay styles that utilize different control schemes; fantasy courses; and a mode just announced called the "Night Club Challenge."
Bryan Wiedey posts sports gaming news and analysis daily at Pastapadre.com, has co-founded the new site HitThePass.com, is a regular participant in the Press Row Podcast, and can be reached on Twitter @Pastapadre.