Goals Among the Grass

LAKELAND, Ga. – In their best World Cup performance since 1930, the United States soccer team shocked Portugal 3-2 and upset Mexico 2-0. But during World Cup 2002, a few eyes were focused not on the players, but on the grassy fields of Daejeon’s World Cup stadium in Korea, site of three World Cup events.

The soccer field at Daejeon Stadium is Zenith zoysiagrass, a dense lawn grass known for its carpet-like texture and toughness. This is the first time that the World Cup has been played on a field seeded with hybrid zoysiagrass.

Though zoysiagrass originated in Asia, Zenith zoysiagrass ist he first improved hybrid zoysia commercially available as seed. Until Zenith, the only methods of establishing zoysias were through plugging, sprigging and sodding – all expensive and labor intensive. Dr. Joon Choi, a Korean grass breeder and researcher, spent two years in the U.S. studying turf grasses before selecting Zenith zoysiagrass for the Daejeon Stadium.

“The fact that Zenith zoysiagrass held up well under such stress helps level the playing field,” said Ben Copeland, developer of Zenith zoysia and president of Patten Seed Company, Lakeland, Ga. “Because seeding Zenith is faster and more affordable than many turfing options, Zenith seed offers both wealthy and less affluent clubs and soccer teams the world over a quality surface – and should it need refurbishing, it’s simply a matter of reseeding.”

In the U.S., Zenith is best adapted to the transition zone (the area south of a line from St. Louis, Cincinnati and Baltimore) and is widely used on residential lawns and golf courses.