World Super 6 Perth golf tournament set to revolutionise world golf

Perth will host a brand new golf tournament in 2017, with a very cool new format.

A number of readers have been asking about the Perth International golf tournament which has slipped off the European Tour schedule.

Well here is your answer; it’s been re-launched as the inaugural World Super 6 Perth event which will feature 54 holes of stroke play before the top 24 players battle it out over a final day six-hole shoot-out.

The ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and European Tour are once again co-sanctioning the event and will be a first for world golf to be held at Lake Karrinyup Country Club from 16-19 February, 2017.

The World Super 6 Perth be a combination of three rounds of regular stroke-play a final day of match play; the top-24 from the first three rounds qualifying for the Sunday.

All final day matches (or the Super 6 part of the tournament) will be played over six holes only at Lake Karrinyup; the 1st, 2nd, 8th, 11th, 12th and 18th holes (see image below). The top-8 players will progress straight to the second round of match play with a total of 23 matches to decide the winner.

Any matches tied after the six holes will be decided by playing the new Knockout Hole – a purpose-built 90-metre hole which will be constructed at Lake Karrinyup, with a new tee placed next to the 18th fairway and utilising the 18th green.

“This is an exciting day for international golf as we launch the World Super 6 Perth; a golf tournament which is set to change the way people view golf,” said Brian Thorburn, CEO of the PGA of Australia and PGA Tour of Australasia.

“Cricket has Twenty20, Netball has Fast5, Rugby Union has Rugby7’s and now golf has the World Super 6 Perth.”

A huge proponent for golf’s need to adapt and find a shortened format, Keith Pelley, Chief Executive Officer of the European Tour, is excited to see the World Super 6 Perth make its debut in 2017.

“This initiative was something that we spoke about at great length to our Tournament Committee, led by Chairman Thomas Bjørn. We are thrilled to participate in this because, at the European Tour, we believe that golf needs to look at new and innovative formats.”

While this is being pitched as revolutionary, it’s not entirely new to Australian professional golf.

Some of you may remember the Surf Coast Knockout event played at The Sands in Torquay in 2011 that had a very similar format. We even suggested a few tweaks that could make it a better event, including a free-ride into the second match play round for the best payers over the first three rounds. Great minds!

But this doesn’t make this concept less appealing and both the PGA Tour of Australasia and European Tour’s should be applauded for launching such a great concept that should be very successful.

Now if only we could get a similar teams format going…. Spanning a few months across the Australian summer – IPL style golf, if you will.