LONDON, (Reuters) – A new type of golf tournament played over nine holes in three hours and with two flags on each green will be launched next month with nine-times major champion Gary Player leading an elite group of participants.
The PowerPlay format, which will see male and female players such as U.S. Open champions Graeme McDowell and Paula Creamer competing against each other at Celtic Manor on May 30, aims to make the game more exciting and attract youngsters.
Colin Montgomerie, who captained Europe to Ryder Cup victory at the Welsh course in October, gave his approval to PowerPlay which organisers hope will also appeal to amateur golfers.
“Stand by for something very special,” Montgomerie told a news conference at Celtic Manor. “Golf around the world is about to discover a new dimension.
“I’ve always been an advocate for faster play and this is the perfect form for that — by the time a golfer leaves his house and then returns it’s about six hours. That’s a long time and if we can halve that then great.”
Montgomerie and world number seven Paul Casey are among the competitors for the opening event. The organisers are also planning to take the format to the United States later this year for two more tournaments.
“May 30 can’t come soon enough,” said Casey. “When I get away from tournament golf I want to play fun, exciting stuff.
“It’s standing on a tee and saying, ‘I’m going for that flag … watch me pull this off’.”
TWENTY20 CRICKET
Former major winners John Daly, Ian Woosnam and Helen Alfredsson and Britain’s Ian Poulter are also in the 12-strong field for the May 30 event.
“Just like Twenty20 cricket has given cricket a big boost in terms of speed of play I think that is what PowerPlay will do for golf,” said world number 16 Poulter.
Twenty20 cricket made its debut in 2003 and three World Cups have already been held in the short version of the game.
Golf will return to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 for the first time since the St Louis Games in 1904 and the sport is attempting to show itself in a more dynamic light.
“We’ll watch this with great interest,” said European Tour chief executive George O’Grady.
PowerPlay Golf (PPG) underlined the different nature of the event.
“The extra twist is the innovation of adding two flags on each green. One, the white flag, will be in a standard pin setting,” said PPG in a statement.
“The second black flag will be harder to reach and players can choose to win — or lose — extra points by taking a ‘PowerPlay’ and going for the black flag.”
The players will compete for a prize fund of 350,000 pounds ($569,200) on May 30, with 100,000 pounds going to the winner.
Seven similar tournaments are also due to be held in 2012.
