Starting this week with the Travelers Championship and running through the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola, the PGA TOUR is introducing a new, easy Matchups Game on Facebook that awards fans with weekly prizes while expanding the TOUR’s social media presence.

Each week, from June 20 through Sept. 22, the PGA TOUR Facebook page will list five head-to-head matchups.

Fans simply have to select the player of their choice from each matchup whom they think will play the best in that tournament and then register for a chance to win prizes.

This weeks Travelers Championship Matchups :

Bubba Watson vs. Jim Furyk
Ben Crane vs. Hunter Mahan
Aaron Baddeley vs. Padraig Harrington
Lucas Glover vs. Geoff Ogilvy
Keegan Bradley vs. Michael Bradley

Unrelated, but interesting, three out of the four of the PGA Tour’s first official boy band Golf Boys are featured in this weeks line up.

Fans with the most points will have a chance to win the weekly prize of a $50 gift card for Shop.PGATOUR.COM. Those entrants who accumulate the most points based on successful picks through the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola will have a chance to win a $1,500 shopping spree at Shop.PGATOUR.COM.

“The Matchups Game is a fun and easy way that our fans can get more engaged with our players and tournaments each week, while having the opportunity to win prizes and earn bragging rights with their friends,” said Scott Gutterman, PGA TOUR Executive Producer for New Media. “From a PGA TOUR standpoint, it provides greater exposure for our players while expanding our presence in the realm of social media.”

In addition to making picks, fans can create groups to compete against their friends, coworkers and fellow fans. Additional game functionality allows players to post comments within groups they belong to, brag about their progress and share their weekly picks on their personal Facebook Wall.

Participants can make their picks beginning noon ET Monday of each tournament week and until 6 a.m. Thursday ET. Correct picks are awarded two points, ties get one, and those who have a perfect week earn two bonus points. Log on to the PGA TOUR Facebook page and click the Matchups link to see the Official Rules and get started. From there, enter your gamer name and you’re in.

I think this is a great idea. The game is much simpler than fantasy golf, they offer weekly prizes and you can compete with your friends on the worlds most used social media platform, facebook. If you’ve missed out on this weeks picks (like me 🙁 ), fear not, it’ll begin again next Monday!