A global golf competition series pitched by two Melburnians which promised amateurs a pro tour-style experience and $7.2m prize pool has collapsed, leaving entrants out of pocket.
The World Golf Competition – founded by enthusiasts David Coghlan and Jon Kerr – offered participants across four continents the chance to play on top courses in their local areas and nation, with a global final in the Dominican Republic, all for a fee of $6744.
In addition to the huge cash prize pool, travel costs, luxury accommodation, fine dining and green fees, golfers were lured with the promise of a Porsche Taycan or 911 for a hole-in-one.
Weekend warriors were told they could enjoy the “life of a pro on tour”, with an article on the event in Forbes business magazine predicting the series – planned to run from February to October 2025 – would feature more than 13,000 participants.
But multiple people who signed up for packages have told the Herald Sun that they have been left hanging by the proposed golf league, with not a single round being played.
The website has disappeared and they say Mr Coghlan and Mr Kerr have ignored repeated demands for refunds, triggering official complaints to Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Sources close to the tournament said about 40 people had lost either full or partial payments believed to total about $200,000.
Omar Pratista, from Jakarta, was among golfers to have lost money, having signed up after seeing a sponsored ad on Instagram.
Mr Pratista paid the full $6744 entry fee in instalments.
“These people need to take accountability,” Mr Pratista said.
Steve Ryan, from Sydney, said that he and his brother had paid an “early bird” entry fee of $1490.
In an email from the competition’s “concierge team”, seen by the Herald Sun, Mr Ryan was offered a refund last November as a “gesture of goodwill … without admission of liability or obligation”.
But he said he had not received a cent.
“It’s frustrating when we don’t all have a lot of money and something like this happens,” Mr Ryan said.
Marketing for the World Golf Competition launched in 2023, targeting golfers from North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania.
Entrants were offered up to five knockout rounds, with the first two being played locally, then a zone final, a regional final, and the world final at the illustrious Punta Espada Golf Club in the Dominican Republic.
Victorian golfers were told they would enjoy early rounds on sandbelt gems including Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath and Woodlands from February to September 2025.
The Australian regional final was set to be played at Barnbougle Dunes in Tasmania’s northeast in October 2025.
Australian pro Marcus Fraser was listed as an ambassador for the competition, featuring in multiple LinkedIn videos still online.
World Golf Competition emails detailed Porsche, Accor, tournament software provider Golf Genius and Corporate Traveller had signed as “trusted suppliers”.
In March 2024, Corporate Traveller, describing itself as “the exclusive travel manager for a massive new global amateur golf competition”, said the event would provide players “a “unique” experience allowing them “to live the life of a professional golfer”.
Then in January 2025, Mr Coghlan sent out an email to registrants, announcing the entire series would be postponed until 2027.
“While we have been delighted by the enthusiastic support and commitment from the golfing community so far, we believe this decision will allow us to enhance and perfect the experience we have set out to offer. By postponing, we can ensure that the World Golf Competition will be truly unique and unforgettable,” he said.
But between last August and early October, Mr Coghlan sent out further emails to entrants who were seeking refunds, saying the event was back on, with the number of rounds being cut to just a regional final and a world final, both due to be played across a five-day event in Hawaii this month.
The emails asked recipients to confirm by the end of last October if they wanted to participate, with some people receiving pledges that they would be refunded if they still wished to withdraw, but not all.
Angry entrants said the competition website had been shut down for about a year and both Mr Coghlan and Mr Kerr had been uncontactable for about five months since.
A Kingston Heath Golf Club spokesman confirmed it had been in talks with the competition founders, but was no longer a part of it.
Neither Mr Coghlan nor Mr Kerr have responded to the Herald Sun’s inquiries about the event.