Tiger Woods to boost EA game launch

EA Sports, the sports division of games publishing giant Electronic Arts, is holding an event next week to launch its Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 in the UK, featuring a rare public appearance by the world’s number one golfer.

The event, which takes place next Monday at a secret London location, will feature Woods playing against UK personalities including presenter Vernon Kay, footballer Ian Wright and model Jodie Kidd. They will tee off on the virtual game as well as testing their putting skills against Woods.

All the action is to be screened exclusively on T4, Channel 4’s youth strand. Three par 3 holes from famous courses around the world have been recreated, and players will test their skills in the virtual and real worlds.

The event will also feature game pods and “skill-zone” challenges. One spectator will win the chance to join the other prize winners to meet and play against Woods, with the overall winner earning the right to be immortalised in a future version of the game.

The public will have one attempt to drive a famous fairway as the virtual Tiger, and the player with the longest drive will go through to the final challenge.

In a separate move, EA has signed a deal with Nokia that will see the world’s biggest video game publisher offer mobile video games on a range of current and next-generation mobile phones.

In 2006, EA posted revenue of $2.9bn (£1.6bn) and had 27 titles that sold more than 1 million copies.