The Perth Super 6 Returns, Format Intrigues And...

While some may be confused by the format, I still feel like there is something curious and worth watching about this second-year event. Perhaps the lack of ease in explainin the format to a regular fan is the main issue, though really this is a just a normal golf tournament until a Sunday shootout. From there it's match play, with byes given to the stroke play leaders.

Anyway, in support of fresh formats, I give you the European Tour's FAQ page and infographic to explain the event start Wednesday evening on Golf Channel:

Q: What’s the bottom line?
A: - 156 players start for three rounds of strokeplay
- A standard cut to the leading 65 pros (and ties) will be made after 36 holes
- A further cut after 54 will reduce the field to 24 players for a final day of match play action
- If there are any ties for 24th position, a sudden-death play-off on the 18th will determine the qualifiers
- Sunday will bring five rounds of six-hole match play battles – Super 6
- The top eight players after 54 holes will receive a bye into the second match play round
- Any ties for the top eight will be decided by a score count back based on the last 18, 9, 6, 3 and 1 holes
- In Super 6, any results not determined after six holes of match play will be decided by playing a shootout hole
- The shootout hole is a purpose-built par three using the 18th green, but played from a new tee box positioned around 90 yards from the green on the right of the 18th fairway.
- Only one man will be left standing

Comments

[LA John]

Reads a bit confusing, but it does make sense for added excitement (especially if the holes lend themselves to some risk v reward). Could make for a good Olympic format, too.

[Sclaff & Foozle]

Will slow play be encouraged?

[FC]

Light on the cash, this one. A$1,750,000.

Marquee group - Rumford, Westwood, The Beef.

Watch out for Allenby.

[Colin MacGillivray]

Sclaff & Foozie.
Slow play is explicitly addressed on one hole where players are timed with a large clock displayed. The crowd shout out a countdown as time runs out. some players pretend to play slowly to add to the drama?

[Ivan Morris]

I watched a lot of it last year and it was GREAT entertainment.

[Steve B]

$1,750,000 is now considered light on the cash. God save us.

[OWGR Fan]

@Steve B - It is a small total purse for a full field tournament on the 2nd largest professional golf tour in the world. In US Dollars the total purse is slightly under $1.4 million.dollars. So yes in golf terms it is a small purse/light on cash.To put it in a different light the purse in US dollars for this Euro Tour event is smaller than every PGA Tour Champions event purse for 2018.

[Middling Tom]

As @OWGRFan mentions the entire purse on the European Tour this week is only $125,000 more than the Gary Woodland collected for winning Phoenix last week.

Speaking of European Tour purse levels, a little perspective from the last 4 or 5 years.

2017 top10 players in Europe collected 1.3% more compared to their winnings in 2014.

Total winnings for top10 on PGA Tour was up almost 28% in 2017 versus 2014.

Currency adjusted top10 players in Europe took home 59% of what their PGA Tour counterparts did in 2017.

That is down from 74% in 2014.

Hard to imagine any reason why the PGA Tour would look to the European Tour for guidance on any front.