Why the Jordan Mixed Masters is just what golf needs
The Jordan Mixed Masters – a new event that will bring together male, female and senior players – can only be a good thing for golf.
The recently announced event will be played at the Ayla Golf Club in Jordan between 4-6 April 2019 and will be co-sanctioned by the Challenge Tour, Staysure Tour and Ladies European Tour.
Professional golf has been crying out for a mixed event, and we’re finally going to get one.
You only have to look at the success of GolfSixes earlier in the year to see that these events really can work.
Charley Hull and Georgia Hall, as well as Mel Reid and Carlota Ciganda, progressed to the quarter-finals at the Centurion Club and more than held their own against some of the European Tour’s best.
The event will also give some much needed publicity to three of the lesser-known tours in golf. The Ladies European Tour in particular has struggled recently and this will hand an opportunity to its players to play more competitive golf while becoming a part of history.
What do the players think?
Georgia Hall: “The Jordan Mixed Masters, presented by Ayla, is the next step to show that golf is a game for all. The women are looking forward to joining together to make this another fantastic week and the future is looking good with more events like this on the calendar.”
Phil Golding: “This is such a unique tournament. It’s fantastic that we have brought the three Tours together and it’s an event in a new country for us, which is another bonus.”
How will it work?
123 players will make up the field which will include 40 players and three of the top amateurs from each tour. All players will compete in the same 54 hole strokeplay event but will play the course from different tees.
There will be a cut for the final day’s play where the field will be cut to 60 players who will compete for the grand prize, and the leading players from the remaining two Tours will also receive a ‘special accolade’.
Despite this, it isn’t the first time where men and women will compete in the same event. Laura Davies recently became the first woman to play on the Staysure Tour, and Brittany Lincicome announced she will play in the Barbasol Championship on the PGA Tour in the week during The Open Championship.
We tried to qualify for The Open – but we didn’t read the small print
‘It will be like playing in a major – but obviously with the guys’
Why gender-free tees are the answer to club golf’s problems
Tom Irwin
Tom is a lifetime golfer, now over 30 years playing the game. 2023 marks 10 years in golf publishing and he is still holding down a + handicap at Alwoodley in Leeds. He has played over 600 golf courses, and has been a member of at least four including his first love Louth, in Lincolnshire. Tom likes unbranded clothing, natural fibres, and pencil bags. Seacroft in Lincolnshire is where it starts and ends.
