The very first Optum Golf Channel Games takes place next month, with a fascinating array of events on offer and some of the sport’s biggest names taking part
Everything you need to know aboutOptum Golf Channel Games:
- The inaugural Optum Golf Channel Games will take place on Wednesday, December 17, at Trump National Golf Club Jupiter in Jupiter, Florida. This made-for-TV event will feature the world’s top two ranked golfers, Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, captaining their respective teams.
- UK viewers can watch the event live on Sky Sports Golf, with the action expected to begin in the early hours of Thursday, December 18. Given the 7:30pm start time in the US, the live broadcast will commence at 12:30am UK time.
- The two rival captains are World No. 2 Rory McIlroy and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. Both men will lead four-man teams in a series of innovative, rapid-fire challenges.
- McIlroy’s team includes Shane Lowry, Luke Donald and Haotong Li. The inclusion of both an Open Champion and a successful Ryder Cup captain provides a blend of major experience and team leadership.
- Scheffler’s team features Sam Burns, Keegan Bradley and Luke Clanton. This side combines proven PGA Tour talent with a future star and the current U.S. Ryder Cup team captain.
- One of the five challenges is the Timed Drive Competition, where players compete in head-to-head duels with a two-minute clock. Competitors must successfully land their drives into a scoring grid, requiring a combination of both power and accuracy.
- The Short Game Challenge combines chipping and putting precision, requiring players to hit shots from multiple locations around the green. They must then tackle a putting gauntlet from varying distances, all with just three minutes to complete the challenges.
- The unique 14-Club Challenge pairs two players from each team, drawing a random club (from a single bag) for a closest-to-the-pin competition from a designated spot in the fairway. Once a club is used, it is removed from play, with all 14 clubs used across seven shots per player, plus a 15th lefty shot.
- The Timed Shootout is a frantic alternate-shot competition over three holes, featuring all four players from each team. Players will be pre-staged on the tee, in the fairway and around the green to speed up play, with the goal being the lowest score in the shortest amount of time.
- The final head-to-head competition is The Captains’ Challenge, where only Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler hit from a series of pre-determined locations. Shots include a variety of wedge, bunker, and putting distances, with the winner determined by the lowest aggregate proximity to the hole.
