Team Denmark wins inaugural GolfSixes

Denmark were crowned the inaugural GolfSixes champions after they beat Australia by 3-1 in the final at the Centurion Club in St Albans.

Denmark, represented by Thorbjorn Olesen and Lucas Bjerregaard came out on top in the inaugural GolfSixes tournament at the Centurion Club north of London.

The Danish pair defeated Sam Brazel and Scott Hend of Australia in an exciting final while Scotland’s Richie Ramsay and Marc Warren secured third place in a nearest the pin shootout with Renato Paratore and Matteo Manassero of Italy.

In the group stages on Saturday, Denmark had been the second qualifiers from Group A for the knockout rounds on Sunday. They then saw off France in the quarter final and Italy in the semi final to set up a showdown with the Australians in the final match.

Hend and Brazel made a birdie at the 3rd hole to move one ahead but the Danes responded brilliantly to win the final three holes and secure the inaugural GolfSixes title.

On the 4th hole both Hend and Brazel found water from the tee and on the par-3 5th, Bjerregaard fired in close and Olesen converted to give Denmark the lead. The job was completed when Bjerregaard played a fine recovery shot on the 6th, leaving the Danes with two putts for the win.

For Thorbjorn Olesen it was a second team victory when representing Denmark – He and Soren Kjeldsen won the ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf at the end of last year.

Thorbjorn Olesen swing sequence:

"It's gone pretty well for me in team events recently," added Olseen. "I was hoping for a win but Lucas played great, especially these last six holes. I was struggling a little bit. "It's been fantastic. Team Denmark has got a lot of support so we're really happy with that."

Although disappointed to have lost out, both Brazel and Hend were thrilled to have been involved in such an exciting new event.

“It’s been a great week for everybody. It’s great to see so many kids kicking around, sliding down hills and just having fun on the golf course,” said Hend. “Yeah, a tad disappointed but Denmark played well and they deserved the win.”

In the third and fourth place playoff, a playoff hole and then a nearest the pin contest were required to find a winner. It was Scotland’s Marc Warren who managed to play the best shot in the end, his ball finishing 7 feet 3 inches from the cup. It was close though as Matteo Manassero’s shot ended just four inches further away.

The inaugural GolfSixes tournament was played to a Greensomes format and, with entrance music, pyrotechnics, plenty of cheering and a shot clock, the event delivered something a little different for the enthusiastic fans who attended.

“The fans have been great and it’s been a fun couple of days. I’d love to see more of this,” said Lucas Bjerregaard.