UPPSALA, Sweden (UPI) -- The World Championship of footballgolf kicked off Thursday in Uppsala, Sweden, organizers said.

The tournament, which is based on the rules of golf but involves players kicking soccer balls toward the holes, was inaugurated by Swedish soccer legend Kurt "Kurre" Hamrin, The Local reported.

Last year's champ, German Alex Kober, said he expected the competition to be much stiffer this year as the contest, which was previously held in Germany, has come home to the sport's country of origin.

"It will be much harder to come in the top positions, after all we are going to the motherland of footballgolf. The favorites are certainly the local 'matadors,' which know their course inside out. The German players want to compete at the top and I don't want to leave the cup in Uppsala without a fight," Kober said.

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