Three teams to watch at the GolfSixes

With the GolfSixes line-up for this year looking interesting, with 13 of the 16 teams competing being made of men’s teams, two being all-female sides, and one being a mixed team, we thought we’d pick out three partnerships to keep a close eye on this week at Centurion Golf Club…

Team Italy:Renato Paratore and Edoardo Molinari

If there was one player well suited to the format and atmosphere of GolfSixes, many would argue it would be Italy’s Renato Paratore, a player widely regarded as the quickest on the European Tour. The 21 year old is back this year, having partnered Matteo Manassero at the inaugural GolfSixes last year, with Renato playing a big role in helping the Italians make it all the way to the semi-finals, where they were defeated by eventual winners Denmark. The Rome native played some scintillating stuff last year in north London, and seemed to take a particular liking to ‘Accuracy’, the short, par three fifth hole – where he hit several wonderful tee-shots.

This time around Renato will be joined by Edoardo Molinari, the Ryder Cup player who has won three times on the European Tour, and who will bring a wealth of experience to Team Italy. Known for his strong putting, ‘Dodo’ could be a real threat on the greens this week in England. Team bonding is important to any side, and judging by this funny video we shot ahead of the GolfSixes, it looks like the Italians will be having plenty of fun together this week…

European Women:Mel Reid and Carlota Ciganda

In a GolfSixes and European Tour first there’ll be two all-female teams competing this week at Centurion – the English ladies team, made up of Solheim Cup partners Charley Hull and Georgia Hall, and a European Women’s team made up of Mel Reid and Carlota CIganda - with the latter partnership the one we’re going to look at in more detail here.

Reid - who has been compared to European Ryder Cup legend Ian Poulter in the past, owing to her passionate, fist pumping style of play - was the joint top points scorer for Team Europe in the 2015 Solheim Cup, leading to her being trusted to lead the European team out in the ladies biennial event against the Americans last year alongside Hull. A fierce competitor, Reid will relish the chance to compete against the men this week, and perform on the big stage the GolfSixes offers.

Like her partner, Ciganda is also a tough competitor who knows plenty about that winning feeling, having won titles on the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour. The Spaniard burst onto the ladies golfing scene in 2012 thanks to an extraordinary season on the ladies European circuit, where she won the season-long Order of Merit title in what was her debut campaign. One of the longest hitters in the ladies game, Ciganda certainly won’t be intimidated or beaten easily at this week’s GolfSixes.

Team England:Eddie Pepperell and Matt Wallace

Two colourful characters who won’t shy away from the attention that comes with playing in-front of a passionate, noisy home crowd, 2018 European Tour winners Eddie Pepperell and Matt Wallace will be entertaining to watch this week as they set about trying to take Denmark’s title from them. Although on the face of it Pepperell and Wallace are very different characters, both have a great sense of humour, which could stand them in good stead when it comes to playing match golf in pressurised situations.

Both Englishmen also come into this week having impressed on the European Tour in 2018, with Wallace having sealed his second European Tour title in as many seasons at the Hero Indian Open in March, and Pepperell having won an emotional first Tour title at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in February.

The pair’s games could complement each other very well also, with Pepperell playing a steady game based on consistency, and Wallace being the more attack-minded player of the two. Chris Wood and Andy Sullivan received some vociferous support on the way to reaching the quarter-finals at the 2017 GolfSixes, and if Pepperell and Wallace can get it going this year the noise levels will again reach very high levels, which might just be that extra ingredient these two talented players need to help push them across the line and win the GolfSixes!