Golf expert Ben Coley provides a guide to the 16 teams taking part in this weekend's GolfSixes, plus his best bet.
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Under the innovative leadership of Keith Pelley, the European Tour breaks new ground this weekend with the introduction of GolfSixes at the Centurion Club just north of London.
While certain not to please everyone, the basic intentions - to speed up the game, to make it more fan-friendly and to sacrifice the rigour of 72-hole stroke play in favour of pure entertainment - should be applauded.
Granted, organisers would've hoped for a better field, but the same was true in the World Super 6 at Lake Karrinyup earlier this year yet that tournament was still a huge hit with spectators and players.
The hope is that in both events, the format sells itself and stronger fields assemble further down the line, although in the case of Golf Sixes that would require a shift in the schedule. Even this week's PGA Tour event is weak.
Format
There are 16 teams, each made up of two players, which have been divided into four groups.
Groups are round-robin, offering three points for a win and one point for a draw.
Matches are played over just six holes and in greensomes - this means both players tee-off, the preferred ball is then selected, and they play alternate shots thereafter.
At the conclusion of the group stage, the top two teams from each progress to the quarter-finals, which are knockout, before the semi-finals and final.
All group matches take place on Saturday with the knockout rounds, including a third and fourth-place play-off, on Sunday.
There is a 40-second shot clock and players will be penalised if going over the alloted time.
The event is being televised live on Sky Sports.
Teams
England - Chris Wood and Andy Sullivan
The top-ranked side could well be hard to beat on home soil and certainly deserve favouritism. Both played in last year's Ryder Cup before teaming up in the World Cup, where they finished a moderate 13th. In terms of recent form, Wood produced some excellent golf after a poor start in China last week while Sullivan appears to have turned a corner, finishing 15th in Houston before a solid Masters. Good friends who both drive the ball well, in a field such as this they're hard to fault.
Thailand - Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Like England, this duo featured in the World Cup last November and will have been disappointed to finish 19th of 28 teams, which was a small step backwards having been 18th in 2011. That said they teamed up well at the 2013 Royal Trophy and the combination of Aphibarnrat's aggression and Jaidee's neat-and-tidy scoring should work well. Jaidee has been ticking over nicely of late while the younger man has shown flashes, particularly over the weekend in Shenzhen. Both go well in the UK - Jaidee has won in Wales, Aphibarnrat in Scotland - and while the draw could've been kinder, they're entitled to go well.
Australia - Sam Brazel and Scott Hend
Two friends whose careers have followed similar paths in as much as both broke through quite late at this level having previously played on the Asian Tour. In fact, both gained their maiden European Tour titles in the same event, the Hong Kong Open. Brazel was a shock winner at Fanling last year but really impressed under pressure and has been consistent since, albeit without threatening to double up. Hend has struggled quite badly - his standout 2017 effort a tie for 29th in Malaysia - and that would be the chief concern, although his power and Brazel's accuracy could prove an effective marriage.
South Africa - Darren Fichardt and Brandon Stone
A blend of experience and youth here and Fichardt's touch around the greens would also look to be a welcome addition to Stone's game, which can be erratic. Fichardt finished 18th in the China Open last week and won as recently as February, while Stone was also 18th in China and behind Fichardt when fourth in Joburg. In other words, they're playing nicely, they've both won this season and while neither has a wealth of team golf experience at professional level, they look a dangerous partnership.
Denmark - Thorbjorn Olesen and Lucas Bjerregaard
A fascinating, potentially deadly line-up. Olesen is one of the European Tour's more prolific mid-tier players, capable of taking a chance when it comes, and his last experience of team golf was a World Cup win. Bjerregaard is among the most talented non-winners on the circuit and might see this as an opportunity to shed that tag having looked in good heart lately. One would imagine they might be staying in Olesen's London flat and while their lack of accuracy could be an issue, their power and ability to rack up birdies might be more relevant. A massive threat to England both in the group and thereafter.
France - Alexander Levy and Gregory Bourdy
On paper, there's much to like here. Levy is in great form, he won last Sunday, and his aggressive style could be perfect for the format. It will be his fourth start in succession but he's had plenty of time to recover from Sunday's play-off victory and this looks an opportunity to showcase his team skills in advance of a run at next year's Ryder Cup side. Bourdy shone at the Seve Trophy in 2013, taking five points from five, and it's just a fortnight since he shared third in Shenzhen. His accuracy should set this team up nicely and the only real concern is the shot clock. Both Levy and Bourdy can be very slow - Bourdy was penalised at the 2010 PGA Championship - and under pressure it'll be interesting to see how they manage.
Spain - Pablo Larrazabal and Alejandro Canizares
No doubt inspired by Sergio Garcia's Masters win, Larrazabal has been in great form over the last three weeks. He'll be frustrated not to have converted a good opportunity on Sunday, finishing a shot behind Levy, but that may act as motivation. He has a mixed team golf record but was second alongside Miguel Angel Jimenez in the 2008 World Cup. As for Canizares, his more accurate game should match up well with Larrazabal's touch, but recent form would be a slight worry. His team resume is limited although he did compile a sensational Palmer Cup record, which included a singles victory over Brandt Snedeker.
Wales - Bradley Dredge and Jamie Donaldson
Two relative veterans and one, Donaldson, with Ryder Cup experience. Dredge has regularly represented Wales at the World Cup and in fact won it in 2005. His last go in the Seve Trophy was extremely successful, but again that's decade-old form. More recently, he's shown that a third European Tour title is possible by contending on several occasions in 2016, although 2017 has been less of a success. Donaldson remains a shadow of his former self, with a best finish of 29th this year, and failed to make the cut alongside Tyrrell Hatton in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, another new team event. Improvement is needed.
USA - Paul Peterson and David Lipsky
Peterson sprang a surprise when showing guts to beat Thomas Pieters in the Czech Masters last year. His previous best form had all come in Asia but he's since added 13th in Germany and, more recently, seventh in Joburg as he continues to improve slowly. Lipsky is stronger overall, also a European Tour winner and brings better recent form to the table. In fact he's been striking the ball particularly well and as a normally dynamite putter, could take to the format and lead the USA to the knockout stages.
Netherlands - Joost Luiten and Reinier Saxton
It's been low-key but typically consistent stuff from Luiten, a five-time European Tour winner, so far this year. That said he's more qualified than most of these, while the fact he's won in Wales is also a plus. But he finished a moderate 17th in the World Cup alongside the lesser-known Darius van Driel and again may be undone by the quality of his partner, with due respect to Saxton. This Challenge Tour player hasn't done anything in 2017 to suggest he can bring a great deal to the team and it's his presence which explains why the Dutch duo are among the outsiders.
Belgium - Nicolas Colsaerts and Thomas Detry
Pieters has set the bar high, but Detry is expected to follow a similar path and become a European Tour winner sooner rather than later. He certainly had little trouble on the Challenge Tour, winning by 12 shots in Oxfordshire last August. This will be his first start in the UK since and he showed some positive signs last week before a disappointing final two rounds in China. The same can be said of Colsaerts, who shot a second-round 66 but went 71-74 at the weekend. At least the relative veteran putted better, and he brings Ryder Cup and overall match play experience to the table. Likely to take this seriously enough and could feature.
Sweden - Johan Carlsson and Joakim Lagergren
Big-hitting Carlsson teams up with the more accurate Lagergren in a partnership which might just take off. Carlsson hasn't been in particularly good form but did play well in the Paul Lawrie Match Play last summer, and last week's T24 in China was a timely boost. Lagergren has also gone off the boil since losing a play-off for the Qatar Masters, but he has several pieces of high-class form to his name and often plays well in the British Isles, such as when landing the Northern Ireland Open in 2014. Recent play is a definite concern for these two but there are reasons to hope for improvement.
India - SSP Chawrasia and S Chikkarangappa
Chawrasia boasts one of the best short-games on the circuit but he's also one of its shortest hitters, and he's yet to prove competitive on the European Tour outside of Asia. Chikkarangappa enjoyed a successful 2016 on the Asian Tour but lacks experience and isn't in particularly good form, although knowing that Chawrasia can get up and down from anywhere is bound to help. Drawn with the favourites and hard to fancy.
Portugal - Ricardo Gouveia and Jose-Felipe Lima
Seven Challenge Tour wins between them, but while Lima is technically a European Tour winner it came in a co-sanctioned event in 2004 and Gouveia still seeks his first. The latter is unexposed and improving, but as a partnership they'll need to do much better than when 26th of 28 in the World Cup. With the Open de Portugal coming up next week they may also lack a little in terms of focus and appear among the least likely winners.
Italy - Matteo Manassero and Renato Paratore
The youngest pairing in the field but in a brand new format that shouldn't be an issue. At 24, Manassero is the senior man with a wealth of experience and he's been piecing together his game over the last 18 months. Where he is short and straight, Paratore is a huge-hitting 20-year-old so they could dovetail nicely, and with two top-20 finishes in his last three starts a breakthrough is coming on the European Tour. Manassero won not far away at the BMW PGA Championship and it's easy to see these two going well.
Scotland - Richie Ramsay and Marc Warren
A former US Amateur champion and a World Cup winner team up. Ramsay is one of the most solid ball-strikers on the circuit when on-song and really knows how to get the job done, while Warren can make the game look effortless and is a three-time winner on the European Tour. The issue is that Ramsay has been in poor form, and Warren hasn't played in two months - which suggests fitness issues for a player whose career has been dogged by them. That said, Warren went really well in two team events in 2013 and playing close enough to home has to be a plus - both have contended in the UK on several occasions, not least Warren who should've won at Wentworth and at home in Scotland.
Groups
Group A
England
Denmark
Netherlands
India
Both India and the Netherlands look too dependent on one player and while the volatility of the format makes anything possible, both England and Denmark will be disappointed if they fail to advance.
It's hard to fault either side in the context of this event but Olesen and Bjerregaard are twice the price in the outright market and therefore represent better value.
Group B
Thailand
Spain
Belgium
Scotland
This is competitive. Spain bring the best recent form, Thailand the strongest overall credentials, but Belgium are dangerous and Scotland have experience and something like home advantage.
I like the fact that both Thai players have won in the UK and they've played together plenty before, but 9/1 in the outright market looks skinny enough given that there is no easy game here. Indeed the longest price in the outright market of these four sides is 16/1 - every other group includes a 33/1 chance.
Group C
Australia
Wales
USA
Portugal
The weakest group in terms of current form and overall quality, without doubt. While Group B contains four teams at 16s or shorter, Wales and the USA are both 16/1, Australia are as big as 22s and Portugal are understandably among the outsiders.
Of the four, Australia make most appeal at the odds as they're good friends whose games could click. Hend's power matches anyone in the event and as Brazel is both accurate and consistent, there's cause for optimism despite the fact Hend has been out of sorts for quite a while now.
Group D
South Africa
France
Sweden
Italy
France are form standouts here but I do have a very genuine concern as to how well suited they are to the format, particularly the emphasis on speed. If they can overcome that issue, they're a match for any side but at 8/1 it's enough of a concern to look elsewhere.
Italy are likeable enough and dangerous as are South Africa, but at 33/1 I think Sweden are the value of the competition. Lagergren has looked a winner-in-waiting and while Carlsson is erratic, he went well at last year's Match Play and found some form last week.
Verdict
Let's be honest - the GolfSixes was not invented to make for great punting material and it's very hard to take a strong stance without seeing how the first renewal unfolds.
The market probably has things right in the main. Home advantage, Ryder Cup experience and some notable recent improvement makes the English duo very much standout and 11/2 could look a generous price come Sunday.
However, on balance the approach has to be to take a chance. Last week's revamped Zurich Classic threw up a surprise winner and we could quite easily see something similar here, given that six-hole greensomes is about as random as golf gets.
As such, my focus is on the outsiders and I don't see why Sweden should be priced alongside the Netherlands and India, both of whom include a player who is not yet European Tour standard.
Portugal also have a potential weak-link in Lima, essentially a good Challenge Tour player, whereas both young Swedes have looked good enough to establish themselves on the European Tour.
There is a concern about recent form, but Carlsson sprang to life last week - he might've finished inside the top 10 but for three late bogeys - and Lagergren is classy enough to find his scoring touch sooner rather than later.
He will also enjoy the benefits of Carlsson's massive drives and in terms of skillset balance, Sweden look right up there.
Of those behind England at the front-end of the market, Denmark have to be worth considering as do Belgium, but at three-times the price it's Sweden for me.
Posted at 1140 BST on 03/05/17.
