European Tour's GolfSixes was a great addition to regular schedule
This quirky team event was perfect from idea to execution
I don't really care that Denmark's Lucas Bjerregaard and Thorbjorn Olesen won the inaugural GolfSixes on the European Tour. I don't care about which country they beat (Australia). I don't even care about how it ended (with a missed putt instead of a make). What I do care about is what a thrilling success the introduction of this team event to the European Tour was last weekend.
A recap: 16 teams of two contended in pool play on Saturday with both players hitting a tee shot and playing alternate shot the rest of the way in. You win a point for each hole you win against the team you are playing, and there are only six holes in all in your competition. After the pool play, teams advance to the knockout bracket of eight teams on Sunday. Those teams play heads-up before determining a winner.
Some of the quirks of the event included a shot clock (the U.S. was penalized!), wild entrances to the first tee and a closest-to-the-pin competition to determine ties between teams.
Scotland finish third by four inches in the closest to the pin play-off hole. #GolfSixes pic.twitter.com/G8ApB2vRLa
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 7, 2017
The ultimate outcome was a terrific week showcasing the variety in how golf can be played in different ways. Denmark won the tournament 3-1 over Australia, but the European Tour took home a victory as well as it broke from its traditional schedule. Following the PGA Tour's team event two weeks ago at the Zurich Classic, the Euros showed how to take a team event and make it even more exciting.
"It's been great fun," said Englishman Chris Wood, whose team was bounced in the quarterfinals. "It's a great format and there's definitely something in it so hopefully people can see it as a success despite the fact that we have not gone through this morning. It's been great. It's a shame but I think it's a great format."
"It's been an unbelievable week," added Wood's teammate, Andy Sullivan. "I just think with this sort of format, you've got to get guys that are willing to, not act silly, but just get into the theme of having fun and stuff and I think that's what it's about. The best thing about it was we had a lot of fun out there but there's competitiveness, you want to win as well. You've seen that this morning. I just think it's a perfect combination over such a short format. It's fantastic."
Game on.... pic.twitter.com/o6wqLOrkCa
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 7, 2017
Giving it 💯 pic.twitter.com/zsWT2phsWs
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 8, 2017
















