MAMARONECK, N.Y., Aug. 13, 1997 — For 22 minutes, it was man – pro golfer Mark Brooks – vs. machine –
“Mike R. Soft” in a battle for the title of Microsoft ® Virtual Golf Champion, with it all coming down to a thrilling sudden-death, closest-to-the-pin playoff.
The face-off occurred today during PGA Championship festivities at Winged Foot Golf Course. CBS golf announcer Jim Nantz called the dramatic action as Mike R. Soft, head pro in the Microsoft Golf 3.0 game, broke a tie with a superbly placed shot during the closest-to-the-pin playoff, landing the ball just a few feet from the flag. Brooks, the 1996 PGA Championship winner, played
“Soft”
shot-for-shot throughout the three-hole Golf 3.0 tournament, finally forcing a playoff by sinking a 20-foot putt for par on the final hole.
“The game is very challenging and realistic,”
Brooks said.
“It was a good match. Although I couldn’t beat the best in virtual golf, the challenge was a fun way to gear me up to defend my PGA Championship title this week.”
“Mark hit a couple of great approach shots, and his short game was excellent,”
said Robbie Bach, vice president, learning and entertainment division at Microsoft.
“In fact, his game was a bit too close for comfort. We’ve got some tricks up our sleeve for our next version of Golf, so Brooks had better keep practicing.”
In honor of its win, Microsoft donated a personal computer system to the Mark Brooks Foundation benefiting the Brooks House Teen Crisis Center. Microsoft also donated a software package, including the best-selling interactive Encarta® Encyclopedia Deluxe 97 and various titles from the award-winning Scholastic’s The Magic School Bus
™
series, to the Southwest Christian Academy, Brooks’ school charity of choice. The total value of the donation exceeds $10,000.
Microsoft Golf 3.0 is the latest version of the classic, award-winning sports-game product and market-leading golf simulator for the Windows® 95 operating system. Golfers can play several championship courses in which the ball reacts as it would in real life, based on course terrain, club choice, swing timing and a host of other true-to-life factors. Microsoft Golf can be played with up to four real or computer-generated players, on one PC or over a modem, LAN or the Internet.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft, Encarta and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Scholastic, The Magic School Bus and associated designs and logos are trademarks of Scholastic Inc.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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