The ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth is the third Australian event to take place on the 2019 Race to Dubai and completes a two week run Down Under. Here are five things to know about the innovative event at Lake Karrinyup Country Club.
Innovation
The ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth is one of five innovative events on the European Tour International Schedule, following last week’s ISPS Handa Vic Open and the upcoming Belgian Knockout, GolfSixes and the Shot Clock Challenge.
This week 156 players will compete over the first 36 holes with the top 65 and ties progressing to the weekend. Following round three the field size is cut to 24 players - with a sudden-death play-off taking place if required to reach that number.
The fourth and final round will see players battle head-to-head in a six hole match play knockout format. The players will eventually be whittled down to the final two before the winner is crowned in the final.
Aussie double header
This week will see the third edition of the ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth take place in Western Australia. Home favourite Brett Rumford clinched the inaugural title in 2017 before Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat won his fourth European Tour title 12 months ago in the Aussie sunshine.
Following on from the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Victoria last week, it will be the first back-to-back week of European Tour action on Australian soil for 15 years.
Match play pedigree
There is no shortage of players with match play experience teeing it up in Perth with several stars looking to draw on their previous head-to-head form.
Major Champion Geoff Ogilvy, who won the 2006 U.S. Open Championship, will be cheered on by the home crowd in Perth and will fancy his chances to claim his fifth European Tour title. The Aussie has won three World Golf Championships, including the 2006 and 2009 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. His match play triumphs could prove pivotal if he is to take the title on Sunday.
Belgian Thomas Pieters can call upon his 2016 Ryder Cup experience where he won four points from his five matches, including a Sunday singles victory over J.B. Holmes, in his rookie appearance at the biennial event.
Four winners from 2018 will also be hoping their match play experience comes to the fore when they tee off in Perth. Paul Dunne and Gavin Moynihan were triumphant in GolfSixes for Ireland, Adrian Otaegui won the inaugural Belgian Knockout by beating Benjamin Hebert by two shots in the final, while Liam Johnston won the Andalucía Costa del Sol Match Play 9 on the European Challenge Tour.
Beat the Pro
After first being introduced on the European Tour in the 2016 KLM Open, 20 lucky fans will tee off against the stars of the ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth on the par three 12thhole during the third round.
Each amateur will be aligned with a group of professionals and after the pros have teed off, the amateur will have one shot to beat the pros in a nearest the pin competition to win $1,000 worth of golf products.
Record setting location
The Race to Dubai returns to the home of several impressive European Tour records.
Ernie Els recorded the lowest winning 72-hole total in relation to par with 259 (-29) at the 2003 Johnnie Walker Classic at Lake Karrinyup. During the same record-breaking week, the four-time Major champion also recorded the lowest first 54 holes in relation to par with 193 (-23).
A year earlier, fellow South African Retief Goosen also made history at the Perth course when he established the largest 54-hole lead in European Tour history – 13 shots – on his way to lifting the 2002 Johnnie Walker Classic title.
