Sports fans Australia-wide will be able to stay up to date with all the action when the final round of the Surf Coast Knockout tees off at Torquay next Sunday.
The world-first strokeplay / matchplay hybrid event will be beamed into the homes of Australians LIVE for seven hours by the PGA’s Broadcast Partner Network Ten and OneHD. It will be simulcast on TEN and ONE HD from 12pm.
This is the first time such a concept has been televised live around Australia and it will set a new standard for future golf broadcasts.
“What we are trying to do through the Surf Coast Knockout is attract a broader audience and create something that non-golfers and golfers can watch, understand and enjoy,” said Max Garske, CEO of the PGA of Australia.
“The final day format of the Surf Coast Knockout will be faster and will produce more immediate results which will translate into more entertaining viewing for both the audience on site and the television audience at home.”
Fans can also stay up to date with all the Surf Coast Knockout action via the PGA’s Facebook page which will provide match by match reports as well as pics and news direct from The Sands Torquay.
In recent months Facebook has become a valuable tool for the PGA in communicating with its fans, particularly at the conclusion of the 2010 Australian PGA Championship presented by Coca-Cola.
With the event forced into a Monday finale that was unable to be televised, Facebook became the Number 1 medium for fans looking to find out real time results.
The PGA’s website will also feature Surf Coast Knockout live scores and the latest news and info direct from the course.
Fast becoming the number one site for Australian Live Scores and golf news, www.pga.org.au should be the first stop for golf fans for all tournaments being played this January.
In November and December 2010 the PGA’s website traffic grew a massive 95% compared to the same time last year and the Surf Coast Knockout is again expected to attract a large international audience to the destination.
In a world first, the first three rounds of the Surf Coast Knockout will be contested under stroke play conditions, while the winner will ultimately be decided on Sunday by a reduced match play format.
The match play will be played over six holes only, with tied matches set to be decided by a ‘knockout hole.’
The PGA’s broadcast partner Network 10 will broadcast the Surf Coast Knockout on Sunday 23rd January live from 12.00pm –5.00pm on Network 10, and from 12.00pm –7.00pm on OneHD.
Entry to the Surf Coast Knockout is free for all spectators.
The PGA and its members are the cornerstone of the sport of golf and the industry. The PGA has played a significant role in the popularity and promotion of the game from televised international events through to the local club or driving range where the PGA members introduce and service the 1.2 million golfers who play the game each year. www.pga.org.au 
