The 4th FIFG FootGolf World Cup took place from May 27th to June 6th on five challenging courses spread across Evermore Resort's Grand Cypress and Walt Disney World Golf's Palm Course in Orlando, Central Florida. The tournament lasted for 11 days and featured over 1,100 players from more than 39 countries, including a team from Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) with four qualified players.
Organized by the Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG), the World Cup comprised various categories, including men's and women's team events, senior division, and individual competitions for both men and women. FootGolf is a precision sport that combines the elements of soccer and golf, with closer ties to golf. Played on shortened-length holes at golf course facilities, players use a regulation #5 soccer ball to kick it into 21-inch diameter cups, aiming for the fewest shots possible. Due to its accessibility, safety, and high level of enjoyment, FootGolf has been gaining recognition and popularity worldwide, attracting current and retired professional soccer players as well as golf enthusiasts to the sport.
Thanks to the efforts of the Taiwan FootGolf Federation (TFG), Taiwan became the 5th Asian member country certified by FIFG in 2017, actively promoting FootGolf and forming a team to represent Taiwan in international tournaments.
The four players representing Chinese Taipei in this 11-day event all have full-time professional jobs and took leave to participate in the World Cup at their own expense. Their goal is to engage in friendly competition and exchange knowledge and skills with international players, bringing back the latest techniques and promoting the sport in Taiwan. The team leader, Yu-Ting Shih, works as an occupational therapist and has had a passion for soccer since childhood. As an athlete, he aims to promote proper sports concepts and preventive care for sports injuries. Player Zong Ren Jiang is involved in cargo logistics and utilizes his free time to play soccer and engage in triathlon training. Notably, two of the team members, Satoshi Kawashima and Yusuke Iwama, are of Japanese nationality. Kawashima currently serves as Vice President, Alliance, of a Japanese e-commerce technology company and, as a Taiwanese son-in-law, chose to represent Taiwan. Iwama, who is an athletic trainer and coach, joined the Chinese Taipei team due to his past service and international competition experience with the team.
Although the Chinese Taipei players lacked international tournament experience and faced disadvantages in the schedule, they were unable to advance to the top 100 in the individual competition. Nevertheless, they expressed gratitude for the opportunity to communicate and observe closely how soccer powerhouses in Europe and the Americas identify and judge the field conditions, consider wind directions and speed to avoid water hazards and other obstacles, and pay attention to preventing sports injuries. These valuable experiences made their journey worthwhile. Florida, known as the "Golf State," provided well-designed and challenging golf courses, where bunkers, hazards, and golf course characteristics added more excitement and unpredictability to the World Cup. Cheers and praises were heard at every single hole. Despite the intense competition under the scorching Florida weather, players from different countries maintained a spirit of sportsmanship, friendliness, and respect, embodying the true essence of athletes.
In the end, the women's team event was won by the Japanese National team, with the Senior Men-Argentina team putting up an impressive performance, while France claimed the men's team title. Bence Bacskai of Hungary dominated the men's division, and Slovakian Lucia Cermakova secured the women's individual championship. In the senior division, Jan Aksel Odden of Norway emerged as the champion.
On the final day of the competition, players searched for fellow competitors to exchange jerseys and took heartwarming group photos on the golf course. After the tournament, a farewell celebration was held at the Hollywood Planet Restaurant at Disney Springs, where players gathered without the pressure of competition, chatting and dancing, celebrating and bidding farewell to one another. Until the early hours of the morning, players were reluctant to leave.
The Chinese Taipei team's participation in the World Cup aimed to expand their horizons, acquire valuable knowledge, and inspire fellow players to form teams and engage in international tournaments. Furthermore, they aimed to promote the growth of FootGolf in Taiwan, urging more golf courses in the country to embrace this captivating sport. By encouraging the public to embrace active and healthy lifestyles, the team showcased Taiwan's vibrancy to the global stage.
