QBE Shootout
 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Naples, Florida |
| Established | 1989 |
| Course(s) | Tiburón Golf Club (Gold Course) |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,288 yards |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Format | Team stroke play (unofficial event) |
| Prize fund | $3,300,000 |
| Month played | December |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 182 Fred Couples & Raymond Floyd (1990) |
| Current champion | |
 Sean O'Hair & Steve Stricker | |
The QBE Shootout[1] is a team golf event that takes place on the PGA Tour as an unofficial money event. It was originally played during the off-season, but now it is played during the wrap-around season's December break.
The event began in 1989, and is hosted by legendary golfer Greg Norman. The event takes place at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Florida, a Troon-managed facility featuring 36 holes of Norman-designed golf. The first eleven editions of the tournament were played at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California (1989–99). It was then played for one year at Doral Resort & Spa, on the Greg Norman-designed Great White Course, before moving to Tiburón in 2001.[2]
Format
The Shootout is a 3-day, 54-hole stroke play event in which teams of two compete. The format since 2014 has been:[3]
- First round – scramble – also known as ambrose or best-shot; each player in a team tees off on each hole, and the players decide which shot was best. Every player then plays their second shot from within a clublength of where the best shot has come to rest (and no closer to the hole), and the procedure is repeated until the hole is finished.
- Second round – greensomes (i.e. modified alternate shot) – also known as Scotch Foursomes, follows the same format as foursomes (teams use only one ball per team, taking alternate shots until the hole is completed) except that both players tee off on every hole. The better ball is chosen and alternate strokes are then played to complete the hole.
- Final round – better ball (i.e. fourball) – Each golfer plays their own ball from where it lies throughout the round. A team's number of strokes for a given hole is that of the lower scoring team member. It is also known as best ball or, more properly, better ball.
Broadcasting history
The event was originally broadcast in the United States by the USA Network and CBS, with USA broadcasting the first round on a tape-delayed basis, and CBS handling the second round live. Not all the country saw the final round live, as CBS's commitment to the NFL only allows part of the country to see the round as it takes place, with the rest of the U.S. seeing the event beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern Time. In 2007, the event was moved to December, and was broadcast live by both Golf Channel and NBC. It remained on these networks through 2013.
In 2014, weekend coverage moved to Fox, for which host Norman is an analyst. The telecast served as a prelude to Fox's coverage of the 2015 U.S. Open.[4]
In 2017, weekend coverage returned to NBC.
Winners
QBE Shootout
- 2017 Sean O'Hair & Steve Stricker
Franklin Templeton Shootout
- 2016 Harris English & Matt Kuchar
- 2015 Jason Dufner & Brandt Snedeker
- 2014 Jason Day & Cameron Tringale
- 2013 Harris English & Matt Kuchar
- 2012 Sean O'Hair & Kenny Perry
- 2011 Keegan Bradley & Brendan Steele
Shark Shootout
- 2010 Dustin Johnson & Ian Poulter
- 2009 Jerry Kelly & Steve Stricker
Merrill Lynch Shootout
- 2008 Scott Hoch & Kenny Perry
- 2007 Woody Austin & Mark Calcavecchia
- 2006 Jerry Kelly & Rod Pampling
Franklin Templeton Shootout
- 2005 John Huston & Kenny Perry
- 2004 Hank Kuehne & Jeff Sluman
- 2003 Hank Kuehne & Jeff Sluman
- 2002 Lee Janzen & Rocco Mediate
- 2001 Brad Faxon & Scott McCarron
- 2000 Brad Faxon & Scott McCarron
Franklin Templeton Shark Shootout
- 1999 Fred Couples & David Duval
- 1998 Steve Elkington & Greg Norman
- 1997 Bruce Lietzke & Scott McCarron
- 1996 Jay Haas & Tom Kite
- 1995 Mark Calcavecchia & Steve Elkington
Franklin Funds Shark Shootout
- 1994 Fred Couples & Brad Faxon
- 1993 Steve Elkington & Raymond Floyd
- 1992 Tom Kite & Davis Love III
Shark Shootout Benefiting RMCC
- 1991 Tom Purtzer & Lanny Wadkins
RMCC Invitational
- 1990 Fred Couples & Raymond Floyd
- 1989 Mark O'Meara & Curtis Strange
References
- ^ "QBE signs on as title sponsor for QBE Shootout". SponsorPitch.
- ^ "QBE Shootout".
- ^ "Silly-season event adjusts format". ESPN. October 28, 2014.
- ^ Handel, Craig (December 10, 2014). "Fox set for golf debut at new-look Franklin Templeton Shootout". Star Tribune. Associated Press. Retrieved December 11, 2014.