A FIFA delegation visited UT this spring to meet with researchers who are working to create the perfect natural grass pitches for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
New Jersey native and Rutgers turfgrass PhD alumnus Richard Hurley has been a leader in breeding grasses used on golf courses around the world, ranging everywhere from Australia to the Masters, which is hosted each year in Georgia. For decades, the iconic Augusta National Golf Club has used cool-season grasses developed at Rutgers.
Five projects were selected, with each researcher or research team receiving $50,000 to move research beyond the laboratory and into the commercial market.
Meet the third-generation Aggie cultivating the legendary football field, and see how Texas A&M research provides a state-of-the-art playing surface for athletes.