European Tour to stage new event under lights

A tournament to be played under lights is the latest innovative event to be rolled out by the European Tour.

Picture by JANE BARLOW. 17th July 2013. England's Luke Donald on the final practise day before the start of the 142nd Open Championship at Muirfield in Gullane, East Lothian.

The Hero Challenge, which will be a one-hole knock-out contest, is being staged in the week of the British Masters at The Grove.

Featuring eight players, including tournament host Luke Donald, the event, which is to be shown live on Sky Sports, will be concluded in less than an hour.

“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,” said former world No 1 Donald.

“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 announcement about this event comes hot on the heels of the European Tour revealing plans for a Super 6 tournament in Australia in February, when the format will combine both stroke-play and match-play.

“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,” said European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley.

“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.”