Wednesday 21 September 2016 14:18, UK
Stars of the European Tour will go head-to-head under floodlights in an innovative, fast-paced one-hole knockout contest at The Grove next month.
The Hero Challenge will feature eight players in seven quick-fire head-to-head straight knockout matches, with the last man standing being crowned champion and the entire contest concluded in less than an hour.
The inaugural contest will take place on the Tuesday night of the British Masters supported by Sky Sports and it will be televised live on Sky Sports from 7.30pm-8.30pm, with tickets to watch the action at The Grove free via www.applausestore.com.
Tournament host Luke Donald, the former World and European No 1, will be part of the eight-man field, while the entertainment on the night will also include a one-hole celebrity shootout featuring TV personality Piers Morgan and cricketers Kevin Pietersen and Shane Warne.
Donald said: "This is another great way of getting new fans to engage with our sport and to showcase golf as a form of entertainment, which is something we are really trying to emphasise with this year's British Masters.
"I think the players will enjoy the fast-paced format of the Hero Challenge, but more importantly, I think the fans will really get into it as it will be something new and different."
The participants will showcase their skills on The Grove's 18th hole, which will be turned into a specially-constructed par three hole under the lights.
For the professionals, the winners from the four opening matches will progress through to two semi-finals, with the subsequent two winners contesting a final head-to-head match to decide the Hero Challenge champion. If the two opponents halve the hole, the outcome of that contest will be decided by the tee shot which was nearest to the pin.
Keith Pelley, chief executive of the European Tour, said: "It is vital that golf introduces shorter formats to appeal to new audiences and this one-hole straight knockout contest will provide fast-paced entertainment, whilst showcasing the considerable skill of our players.
"Last year's British Masters introduced some terrific innovations, ranging from live masterclasses to on-course interviews, and the Hero Challenge will be another exciting new concept for our fans."
The unveiling of the Hero Challenge follows last week's announcement that the World Super 6 Perth, a new format featuring three rounds of strokeplay followed by a six-hole matchplay knockout, will be part of the European Tour's 2017 schedule, taking place next February.
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