NEWS
The Carolina Clash is quickly becoming the home of Golden Tee Speedruns on the National Tour. In 2024, the Clash hosted the first-ever non-Worlds speedrun tournament, marking a historic milestone with an open qualifier that brought some of the game’s fastest competitors to the stage.
The top 8 bracket was stacked with big names, including reigning world champion and world record holder Paul Tayloe. By the time the final four rolled around, the pace was blazing — Bryce Aubart vs. Chris Juszczyk on one side and Tayloe vs. Connor Franta on the other.
The grand finals featured Tayloe vs. Aubart, a clash of precision versus pace. Bryce had turned in some lightning-fast runs, but Tayloe’s steadiness once again prevailed, sealing victory with a time of 5:51:250.
At the Golden Tee World Championships 2025, Director of Esports Andy Kuhlman, alongside community leader Chris Longino, followed the Clash’s lead by making the Speedrun contest an open qualifier.
As Andy put it:
“The community asked and we listened — open qualifier Golden Tee speedruns are here for everyone to enjoy! A brand-new way to compete that’s fast-paced, fun, and focused on more than just score.”
Over two days of qualifying, the top 8 included familiar faces: Tayloe, Juszczyk, Franta, and Aubart, among others.
In the final four, Tayloe battled Gordy Brown, while Juszczyk faced Franta. Both matches delivered, setting up a grand final on Bear Lodge: Tayloe vs. Juszczyk.
The stakes were high — $600 GT gift card for the winner, $300 for runner-up. As Longino half-joked, “To these guys, these cards are as good as any form of currency.”
The finals were electric. Both players were neck and neck on a world-record pace through 9 holes. On hole 13, Juszczyk pulled off a bold water skip, giving him a slight edge. Tayloe, known for his composure, kept pace with sharp play, but a costly mistake on hole 15 ended his run.
In a rare sight, Tayloe stepped away from the cabinet, watching from the crowd as Chris sealed his first Speedrun Championship.
Chris had already set a new world record time of 5:58:766 earlier in the day against Franta, and now he added a championship to his resume — officially ending Tayloe’s streak and establishing himself as the fastest in the game.
In just a few short weeks, the Carolina Clash returns with another open qualifier Speedrun tournament, once again organized by Andy Kuhlman and Chris Longino. With the community momentum and fresh rivalries, the stage is set for another unforgettable speedy showdown.
Your first entry into the open qualifier is FREE! Want another shot? A $10 donation to the Play More Give Back charity earns you one more run.
This competition will be played on Acoma Mesa, with the Top 8 bracket battling on a different locked condition code of the same course.
Chris Longino will be on-site at Calloway’s Sports Bar & Grill to record official times starting at 4 PM on Thursday, October 2nd, and again at the same time on Friday. All qualifier rounds must be played with Chris present.
Prize Breakdown
1st- $250 Golden Tee Gift Card
2nd- $150 Golden Tee Gift Card
3rd/4th- $50 Golden Tee Gift Card
5th-8th- $25 Golden Tee Gift Card
