Stars collide in Porsche European Open Night Shootout
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Stars of the Porsche European Open competed in an illuminated shootout on the 17th hole on Thursday evening to decide who would be the first player to drive this year's Leader's Car.
Defending champion Paul Casey faced off against Major Champions Martin Kaymer and Henrik Stenson, World Number 17 Abraham Ancer and local favourite Max Kieffer in a nearest-the-pin competition to decide who would get to drive the Leader's Car, a Taycan Turbo S, until the opening day of the tournament.
Casey hit it to 36 centimetres during his practice shots, but managed just 46 centimetres to the pin in his three official attempts. Kaymer was handed the keys to the car after hitting his shot to just 35 centimetres.
With his final attempt of the evening, Stenson ended the memorable first Night Shootout with a bang - his shot hitting a drone taking aerial photos of the event.
"It was a really nice and entertaining competition," said Kaymer the following morning after arriving at Green Eagle Golf Courses. "It was my first real drive in the car - what power. Simply amazing."
Ancer was equally thrilled by the Night Shootout. "It was super," he said. "And Henrik's shot? Incredible."
Tournament Director Dirk Glittenberg, U.COM Event CEO, said: "Watching the boys was a whole lot of fun because they were enjoying themselves so much.
"After a long day at the club, it's not necessarily a given. And their shots give rise to hopes that there could well be a hole-in-one this year on the 17th."
During the three tournament rounds, the first player to achieve a hole-in-one on the par three 17th will win a Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo.
