Australia's newest tournament golf format will take another adventurous leap next summer with men and women to compete for the same purse for the first time.
Blitz Golf, which began as a one-off event in Glenelg in 2018, will expand to three venues in 2020 with a prize pool of $150,000 split equally among the events.
Touted as the Twenty20 of golf, Blitz is a fast-paced competition that comprises four partial rounds in half a day, with tie-breaking shootouts and a carnival atmosphere all within easy reach of the clubhouse.
Blitz Golf director Simon Zybek, whose concept is backed by the PGA and ALPG tours, said he was thrilled to expand the concept.
“Our competition in 2020 will be the first time we see this level of gender equality in Australian sport,” Zybek said.
“We are excited that we can provide this opportunity for both men and women to go head to head – and for golf to be leading the way.”
ALPG and LPGA Tour star Hannah Green is among those who'll relish the opportunity to not only take on the men, including her partner, Jarryd Felton.
“Blitz Golf is such a fun format and to have the opportunity to play some of the events while I’m home in Australia is a nice, refreshing change to the traditional events,” Green said.
“But to play against the men in the same field for the same money is a whole new level and I’m really excited this change is happening in 2020.”
Joining Felton, Green and already confirmed for the 2020 series are leading Australian golfers Dimi Papadatos, Matt Millar, Matt Griffin, Zach Murray, Stephanie Na, Rebecca Artis, Whitney Hillier, Daniel Gale and Jack Wilson.
A number of celebrities and media identities have joined the action in previous years, including retired AFL star Brendon Goddard, professional golfer Ian Baker-Finch, NBL player Nathan Sobey and former Australian cricket star Greg Blewett.
The week-long Blitz party will tee off on Sunday 5 January at Curlewis Golf Club near Geelong before heading north to the newest Blitz event at Links Hope Island Golf Club on the Gold Coast on Friday 10 January and rounding out at Glenelg in Adelaide on Sunday 12 January.