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England boys just wanna have fun
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England boys just wanna have fun

Andy Sullivan and Chris Wood are hopeful that a relaxed attitude can at last bring them a team victory when they represent England at the inaugural GolfSixes.

Chris Wood and Andy Sullivan

The European Tour breaks new ground for the second time this season at the Centurion Club as the revolutionary new format brings team competition over six holes, first in a group stage and then in a knockout on day two.

Sullivan and Wood have already experienced the pressure-cooker of a Ryder Cup and played together in last season's ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf, so know all about what it takes to represent continent and country.

With pyrotechnics, entrance music and a shortened format, the intensity may not reach the levels of Hazeltine in September, but both Sullivan and Wood believe that could work in their favour.

Andy Sullivan and Chris Wood

"This week for me is all about fun and that is something me and Woody know how to do pretty well so if we don't win we'll just banter our opponents out of it," said Sullivan.

"Ryder Cup and then playing World Cup together, we've got to know each other pretty well.

"I think we know our games pretty well from the World Cup, we played quite well together apart from one nine holes so hopefully we can just go out there and go after it and get the right result in the right manner.

"I know if we get out there and enjoy ourselves, that's where we are going to play our best. The last two times we've been in a team, it's not finished ideally so, third time lucky, we'll get over the line this time.

"Chris can play golf and I'll just get the crowd going."

This week for me is all about fun and that is something me and Woody know how to do pretty well - Andy Sullivan

Much like the final day of the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth, the six-hole sprint will present an exciting new element that some may view as a challenge and others an opportunity, and Wood is very much of the belief that it will help the English team.

"It'll be hard for some," he said. "I don't think that will be a problem for us.

"Any time you get to the weekend and you see the tee-times and they're two balls, you look at the draw and you think 'that's brilliant, we'll get round so much quicker, there's a flow to the game'.

"I feel like I play a lot better when I'm into a round and there is some flow to it so, for me, the speed element that hopefully comes off will work in our favour."

Richie Ramsay and Marc Warren

While England come into the event as the top seeds, fellow Brits Scotland are ranked 16th.

Richie Ramsay and Marc Warren have six European Tour wins between them, however, and Warren believes their games could dovetail perfectly in the greensomes format.

"It's a great honour to represent Scotland and hopefully I'm pretty sure we can do it proud this weekend," he said.

"I think both our games can blend very well together, especially in greensomes format. Hopefully we can tag team and bring out the best in each other.

"Richie is a lot straighter than I am off the tee and I'm a little bit longer than Richie is off the tee so that can bode well.  I can try and give it a rip and if it doesn't work out I can rely on my partner to find the fairway."

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