The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Hybrid ball game as Oosthuizen takes on Red legends
Louis Oosthuizen will face a test of both his golf and football skills when he and three fellow professionals take on a team of Liverpool legends in a game of FootGolf ahead of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
The South African major winner will join three professional golfers, including countryman George Coetzee, to play a game of FootGolf at The Heritage Golf Club against Ian Rush, Gary McAllister, Vladimir Smicer and Patrik Berger on the Monday of tournament week.
Oosthuizen is making his debut in the £887,000 tournament, which is trisanctioned by the European Tour, Sunshine Tour and Asian Tour, on November 30 to December 3.
The Heritage Golf Club is home to Mauritius’ first FootGolf circuit and Oosthuizen and his fellow professionals will take on the Liverpool legends over the nine-hole course using a size 5 football.
The aim is exactly the same as golf – get the ball into the hole in the least amount of kicks.
The golfers will be delighted to know that the hole is significantly larger – 53cm wide – and the Liverpool players are equally excited about the challenge.
“It’s going to be great being back in Mauritius with the passion of the fans and the great golf course at Heritage Resorts,” said Rush.
Former Scotland international McAllister added: “I can’t wait to experience what I’ve been told about the country.”
“I was there last year on holiday with my family. It’s a beautiful place,” said Smicer, while Berger is equally excited about the experience, saying “I cannot wait to meet the fans and play FootGolf in Mauritius”.
This year the tournament boasts an expanded field of 156 professionals.
It is headlined by 2010 Open champion and current world number 22 Oosthuizen, as well as former European Ryder Cup captain and 2011 Open champion Darren Clarke.
Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts – a member of the victorious European team at the 2012 Ryder Cup and a two-time winner on the European Tour – is in the illustrious field.
He is joined by fourtime European Tour winner Raphael Jacquelin, of France, and his compatriot Romain Langasque.
The field also includes a multitude of European Tour winners.