The European Tour "launched the innovative Hero Challenge one-hole knockout event ahead of this week's British Masters," according to Tony Jimenez of REUTERS.
An "enthusiastic crowd of more than 2,000 turned up at The Grove course on Tuesday night" to watch former world No. 1 and tournament host Luke Donald "lead an eight-man professional line-up." A floodlit par-three hole, featuring a specially constructed tee where the players made their entrances to a "noisy welcome from the fans and dazzling pyrotechnics" up ahead on the green, "was the stage for a contest won by French pro Alexander Levy." Tour CEO Keith Pelley:
"It's terrific, it's under lights, who would have thought it? It's pretty exciting and it's definitely a chance to be a little more innovative, try things a little bit different." With officials around the world "worried about slow play and a declining interest in golf," Pelley also announced plans earlier this year for a new "six-hole event incorporating a shot clock, music, different clothes and fewer clubs in an effort to attract more followers."
The Hero Challenge "could be the tour's answer to the Twenty20 format that has revolutionised cricket in recent years." Pelley: "It shows the players in a different light... which leads to people experiencing the game differently. This will not replace the traditional game and that's not the purpose" (REUTERS, 10/12).
