Going Low on the NEXT Golf Tour

With some arguing smaller field sizes at the top of the professional game create a more compelling and competitive tour, it’s worth looking at what an unconstrained field size does to a leaderboard. The NEXT Golf Tour is a virtual golf circuit played on Trackman simulators, allowing up to 1,000 players to compete in each event. 

746 players teed off virtually at the NEXT event at Wentworth’s West Course, the historic venue that has hosted BMW PGA Championships and World Match Play Championships. The tournament conditions featured breezy winds, firm greens and soft fairways. After playing a practice round, I told Monday Q Info’s founder, Ryan French, that six-under had a chance; the fairways were narrow, most pins were tucked behind cavernous bunkers, and some greens were set atop black diamond slopes. Perhaps if it was a normal field size, six-under might have had a chance – but not on this circuit. 

There is a designated eight-day window in which competitors can complete a tournament round. Early scores indicated that many players found the conditions as challenging as I did. Then a player posted eight-under, taking a two-shot lead. In the second half of the tournament window, Canadian teaching pro, Chris Horton, posted nine-under. His swing resembles Cameron Young’s, and for one round, Horton’s play was every bit as flashy. 

With two days left to compete, Finland’s Rasmus Karlsson opened his round with a birdie. The 2019 University of South Alabama graduate has a compact and efficient swing that leaves him spotting yardage to many competitors. The 29-year-old Karlsson, who won an event on the Nordic Golf League in 2023, quietly went to work on the front side, making two birdies and an eagle, turning in four-under. Then his iron play tightened on the back. Karlsson ran off four birdies in a row, added another on the 16th, and birdied the 17th to reach 10-under. With only one made cut in six starts on the European Challenge Tour, Karlsson was feeling the pressure when he arrived on 18 with the lead. 

The short par-5 18th is a 45 degree dogleg right with a ravine in play off the tee, and another guarding the green. With the pin tucked three paces from the water in the back-left corner of the green, Karlsson played an overly safe second shot into a greenside bunker right of the green. He’d have plenty of green to work with, but an aggressive third shot would bring the water into play. With $30,000 on the line, Karlsson played conservatively out to the right, leaving a 10 footer to increase the lead – and very likely, capture the win. 

On virtual greens, Trackman gives a player two potential lines: one for an aggressive speed, and one for a trickling pace. Karlsson chose the higher line and watched the ball break toward the cup. When the ball disappeared from the screen, Karlsson let out a primal roar and high-fived a friend. The emotional catharsis capped off seven birdies in his final nine holes.

“I can still feel the adrenaline going through my blood and it just feels amazing,” said Karlsson. “Yeah, I kind of didn't show emotion through the round, and on 18, the birdie putt I had, I just saw it going in and I felt a burst of emotion, and just let it out. It was pretty cool.” 

He’d have to wait until the tournament window ended before he could fully celebrate. 48 hours passed slowly. Too slowly.

“I’ve had a couple long days being on the lead,” Karlsson said. “Checking on the guys coming after me…I didn’t sleep that great last night. Just been waiting and waiting, and I’ve probably updated the leaderboard 50 to 100 times, I’d say.”

The winner of the first event of the season, Viktor Nordwall, started his round after Karlsson. Nordwall took advantage of his breathtaking 200 mph ball speed in the first event, shooting 11-under at Liberty National, and taking home $30,000.

Nordwall eagled the first two par-5s at Wentworth in his tournament round, and after a birdie on 17, the Swede arrived on the par-5 18th at nine-under. Karlsson had reason to worry as Nordwall launched a missile off the tee that carried nearly 360 yards, covering a penalty area that nearly everyone else in the field played short of. Nordwall was left with a 122 yard wedge shot to a tucked pin. A cautious approach left him 23 feet to tie Karlsson. His eagle effort nearly caught the edge, but just slid by. For the second week in a row, Nordwall posted 10-under or better, but this time, it wasn’t enough.

Karlsson dodged one final bullet when Christian Jacobsen nearly holed a 45-footer at the last for eagle, which would have tied the lead. The Dane settled for birdie and 10-under. Karlsson’s 11-under held.

Karlsson says the $30,000 first place check will take care of a significant portion of his expenses for the coming year, and now he’ll focus on winning the Order of Merit, which comes with a DP World Tour start and six Challenge Tour starts. 

Last year’s OOM winner, Jordan Weber, shot seven-under, finishing T9. For topping the Tour's money list, the Iowa native earned three European Challenge Tour starts and one DPWT start in 2024.

“The competition has definitely taken a step up,” Weber said. “How about the number of players that have 190+ ball speed?!” 

29-year-old Patricia Isabel Schmift was the top female player. The Ladies European Tour member made seven birdies at Wentworth, posting a five-under 67, and winning the $5,000 Annika Bonus. Schmidt had her best finish of the LET season in November at the Andalucia Open, where she finished 5th.

“Annika (Sörenstam) supporting our tour is amazing,” Schmidt said. “$5,000 is a lot to help. I mean, it can cover two events and that’s quite a good help. Especially in the off-season where we don’t earn any money.” 

I navigated a number of unexpected obstacles during my round, including a shattered car windshield, a plumber working on a broken septic system next to my simulator bay, and the power to the building where I was playing being cut mid-round. You would never know how eventful my two-under was by scrolling the leaderboard. 

Importantly, the NEXT Golf Tour provides a competitive experience inexpensively, and the stakes are enough to make anyone nervous. For $130, any golfer can tee it up for one round with a shot at a big check and bigger exemptions. The third event of the season will be contested at Muirfield Village beginning January 21.

Against nearly 1,000 players from across the globe, how low do you have to go to contend?

Lower. 

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