2 Australians Say They Pranked Their Way Into North Korean Golf Tournament

— -- Two Australian men said they posed as professional golfers to compete in a North Korean golf tournament — and got away with the ruse.

The 28-year-old men tricked their hosts into letting them play by applying as members of the Australian golf team and creating green jackets emblazoned with Australia’s coat of arms, they told Australian media.

“Initially, we just said we were a couple of Australian golfers,” Morgan Ruig, a commercial real estate agent, told Australia’s Nine News. “And they said, ‘You are the Australian team.’ And we sort of didn’t say no. So we thought, we better go along with this.”

Their charade extended beyond the 18th green. They said they participated in official visits around Pyongyang, the secretive country’s capital, and even brought bouquets of flowers to the Mansudae Grand Monument — which features giant statues of former North Korean rulers Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

They said they didn't have any trouble leaving the country either.

“I think their internet access is pretty limited in North Korea, so they didn’t really have too many opportunities for research,” said Evan Shay, a builder.

It quickly became clear during competition that their skills were not up to par, though.

Ruig said he shot a 120 — about 50 strokes over par — a performance so poor, he was told he had brought shame to his family.

But he didn’t finish last, according to the friends. That honor was reserved for “the Nepalese ambassador’s 15-year-old daughter,” Shay said.

The duo’s stunt involved significant risk, as North Korean authorities have detained foreigners for allegedly gaining access to the country unlawfully, sentencing some to long prison terms with hard labor.

“We were very nervous handing our passports over at the border,” which they were required to do on arrival, Ruig told The (Brisbane, Aus.) Courier-Mail. “There are stories of people not coming home.”