If last week’s Belgian Knockout seemed a little quirky after it moved to nine-hole knockout matches on the weekend, the GolfSixes takes an even bigger step away from the norm.
The clue is in the name.
A six-hole knockout format is in place all week although this time the event moves from England to Portugal.
Oitavos Dunes is the new location although European Tour fans know it a previous host venue for the Estoril Open de Portugal.
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Schedule
Friday: Six-hole group matches
Saturday: Knockout matches
Match format
Let’s nail this down then...
Pairs golf played over six holes in a Greensomes format (both players hit tee shots, one is selected, alternate shot from that point). The scoring differs from match play in that during the group stage all six holes are played and the score counted in a manner similar to soccer (1-0, 2-1, 2-2, etc.). The women will hit from a forward tee.
Event format
There are 16 two-man teams divided into four groups. They complete in a round-robin format with three points awarded for a win and a single point for a tie. The top two in each group qualify for Saturday’s knockout rounds which start with the morning quarter-finals. If teams are tied on points, the qualifiers are to be decided by: the ‘holes won’ differential, then the result of the match between the tied teams, and finally, if needed, a sudden-death play-off. If the knockout matches are tied they play the sixth hole again (more on that below). If the match is still tied after the first extra hole, it will be settled the second time through a closest to the pin challenge. The team with the closest of the four shots will win the match.
Added innovations
Players will be allowed to wear shorts. Wowzers!
Players will be able to use measuring devices.
Overhead drones will fly overhead to provide live TV coverage
The course
From europeantour.com: “Providing a true links experience, Oitavos Dunes’ setting is dramatic with magnificent views of the Sintra Mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and Cabo da Roca.”
Hole 1: Par 4, 416 yards
Hole 2: Par 4, 347 yards
Hole 3: Par 3, 205 yards
Hole 4: Par 4, 354 yards
Hole 5: Par 4, 474 yards
Hole 6: Par 3, 175 yards
That adds up to a Par 22 measuring 1971 yards.
The women players have their own tees, reducing that yardage to 1762.
The pool hole: Hole 6 is not just a standard 175-yard Par 3. The tee box sits directly over a swimming pool and is flanked by an open area for VIPs and fans with DJs pumping out music.
Draw
Group A
England: Tom Lewis and Paul Waring
Scotland: Stephen Gallacher and David Law
India: S.S.P. Chawrasia and Gaganjeet Bhullar
Portugal: Ricardo Gouveia and Pedro Figueiredo
Notes: As well as watching his team win the Champions League, Liverpool fan Waring has plenty to smile about with his own game. He comes in off three top 25s, including T6 at the British Masters. Lewis’ two Euro Tour wins have come in the Portugal Masters. Gallacher is 4-for-4 on the full course at Oitavos Dunes, including T11 in 2007. Like Scottish teammate Law, he’s a winner on the European Tour this year. India’s Chawrasia was T18 in Denmark two starts ago while last year’s Fiji International winner Bhullar was T25 at last month’s British Masters. Gouveia’s Portuguese partner Figueiredo is ranked 526 in the world.
Group B
Ireland: Paul Dunne and Gavin Moynihan
Sweden: Alexander Bjork and Joakim Lagergren
Thailand: Phachara Khongwatmai and Thongchai Jaidee
England Women: Meghan MacLaren and Florentyna Parker
Notes: The Irish duo of Dunne and Moynihan took the title in England last year and the latter is in far better form this time having made three of his last four cuts. Dunne was fourth at the Made In Denmark. Sweden’s Lagergren has shown his prowess on links tracks with a pair of top fours at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship while Thailand’s Khongwatmai reached the final of the 2017 World Super 6 Perth, also played in a six-hole format. England’s Women (Charley Hull and Georgia Hall) made it out of the group last time, losing to eventual winners Ireland in the quarter-finals, so that will give hope to MacLaren and Solheim Cup star Parker.
Group C
Australia: Scott Hend and Wade Ormsby
France: Romain Wattel and Matthieu Pavon
Wales: Stuart Manley and Jamie Donaldson
Germany Women: Esther Henseleit and Laura Fuenfstueck
Notes: Recent Maybank winner Hend, in partnership with Sam Brazel, helped the Aussies reach the final of the inaugural event in 2017. Ormsby reached the semis with Brazel last year so the Aussies have some pedigree in the event. As do France with Wattel going all the way to last year’s final in tandem with Mike Lorenzo-Vera. New partner Victor Perez was T15 at the British Masters on the links of Hillside. Donaldson has a 4th and an 8th at Oitavos Dunes but is struggling this season, as is Manley. Germany’s Women are inexperienced so look to have it all to do.
Group D
South Africa: George Coetzee and Brandon Stone
Italy: Edoardo Molinari and Lorenzo Gagli
Spain: Nacho Elvira and Jorge Campillo
Denmark: JB Hansen and Jeff Winther
Notes: Coetzee, anther huge Liverpool fan, has played in this event before, as has Stone, but South Africa are yet to progress beyond the group stage. Both are strong on the links though. Campillo and Elvira are the tournament favorites after some excellent form this year, the former gaining his first win with victory in Morocco. This is the toughest group of the lot with Italy’s Molinari showing some good signs lately while Winther has three top 25s in four starts as he and Hansen hope to emulate countrymen Olesen and Bjerregaard, who won the inaugural edition.
Betting: 5/1 Spain, 6/1 England, 7/1 Ireland, 9/1 Australia, 10/1 Denmark, 11/1 Sweden, 12/1 Italy, South Africa, 14/1 Thailand, Scotland, India, France, 18/1 Wales, 28/1 Portugal, Germany Women, 40/1 England Women.
