Søren Kjeldsen and Joost Luiten are preparing to compete in a unique test of nerve and skill, as they complete the line-up for the new and improved ISPS Handa Pressure Putt Showdown at the British Masters supported by Sky Sports.
Luiten, who fired a course-record equaling 63 to win his second KLM Open in September, and four-time European Tour winner Kjeldsen, will join Ryder Cup stars Chris Wood and Matthew Fitzpatrick, the defending British Masters champion.
Each of the four European Tour professionals will pair up with a high profile celebrity as The Grove’s putting green is transformed into a lively arena on Wednesday afternoon.
Chelsea footballer Gianfranco Zola and snooker legend Stephen Hendry will partner Kjeldsen and Luiten respectively, while cricketer Kevin Pietersen pairs up with Wood, and GB Hockey Olympic gold medallist Hollie Webb joins Fitzpatrick.
Sky Sports will broadcast the live action from 3.00pm, with Kirsty Gallacher and DJ Spoony introducing the new format and a live DJ and spectator interaction adding to the spectacle.
The four teams will be competing for a prize of £10,000, provided by ISPS Handa, which will be split between the title sponsor’s own chosen charity and the Golf Foundation, the official charity of the British Masters.
The ISPS Handa Pressure Putt Showdown made a successful debut at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in May, producing a memorable moment as eight year old Jamie Sach stepped in as a ‘Mulligan’ to help Byeong Hun An and Jamie Redknapp on their way to victory.
That feature will remain at The Grove, with pupils from local schools being selected as ‘Sky Sports Game Changers’ to assist the teams. But there will be a new look to the contest itself, with two teams going head-to-head in sudden-death semi-final clashes, with each player attempting to hole putts of increasing difficulty, both in length and angle. If both players from a team miss and one member of the opposition holes out, the contest is over and the unsuccessful team is eliminated.
The final will then take the form of a speed
putting challenge, where players must hole as many putts as possible against
the clock.
Tickets for the 2016 British Masters supported by Sky Sports are now on general
sale, with fans able to buy tickets for the final three rounds of the European
Tour tournament at The Grove. They are available jointly via www.europeantourtickets.com
and www.sky.com/tickets.
Hospitality packages are also available for the British Masters supported by Sky Sports. For further information or to request a brochure call 01344 840550 email enquiries@europeantourhospitality.com or visit www.europeantourtickets.com.
