formula One
The unholy collision of Formula 1 and golf was all about entertainment in a city that loves shows
Las Vegas loves shows, so the week Formula 1 came to town there was an unholy mix of golf and Formula 1, with a big emphasis on sports as entertainment and entertainment.
The streaming platform Netflix hosted an unusual tournament – “So we have the F1 series and the Golf series, right?” “How about we bring the two together in our first ever live sports broadcast?” That’s perhaps how it went Pitch – on the Wynn Casino golf course overlooking the race track that will host the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday.
Netflix has made gangbusters out of its F1 series Drive to Survive and the sport has equally benefited from the exposure, particularly in the United States. The “Full Swing” golf series has also been very well received, not least by the young generation of Formula 1 drivers who enjoy nothing more than hitting the fairways and greens after being released from their team obligations. This was a chance to combine the talents of the two disciplines.
In two four-ball games, Alex Albon and Max Homa once again faced Pierre Gasly and Tony Finau, while Lando Norris and Rickie Fowler faced Carlos Sainz and Justin Thomas. They played eight holes, with the two winning pairings then competing in a close-quarters shoot-off for the Netflix Cup (literally a large trophy with “Netflix” written on it).
All four drivers made their love for the game of golf clear. Norris and Sainz like to change the subject to golf if they have half the chance.
When asked if he might want to return the favor and take a trip in an F1 car, Finau, one of the stars of Full Swing, said with a grin: “Our sport is a lot less dangerous.” If you make a mistake while driving “You might not survive.” “Maybe we’ll get a big bubble,” Thomas added.
They duly took their first shots and – Royal & Ancient lovers should look away now – then jumped into golf carts to compete along a route painted on the fairway all the way to the green. It was all a bit of a crazy race until Finau hit a 15-footer and won while everyone else around him was putting.
Things went back to normal on the remaining holes and you could feel the hard-fought F1 drivers really giving their best. Including the fifth, a 150-yard par-3. With additional Squid Game. The series’ iconic puppet was on the tee, flanked by a phalanx of the series’ pink-clad guards with batons.
Players faced a penalty if the puppet’s head turned toward them before they fired their shots. Norris had to try several times and Gasly put his shot straight into the lake. It was more entertaining than any F1 sprint race this season and would be a welcome replacement for the format.
Golfer Max Homa and Formula 1 driver Alexander Albon play golf at the Netflix Cup at Wynn Las Vegas. Photo: David Becker/Getty Images for Netflix © 2023
In the background of The Sphere venue were giant effigies of the players: “Team Lando Norris and Rickie Fowler,” digital behemoths looming over their puny human counterparts. In the background, hip hop was booming from a bar with a DJ on the 4th tee. Former NFL Ruining Back Marshawn Lynch was seemingly everywhere, hosting, interviewing and warming up the audience.
Then, as the sun set and floodlights illuminated the final playoff hole between Sainz and Thomas and Gasly and Finau, they rolled two giant dice down the hill to decide who would shoot first. It won’t catch on at The Open, but it made perfect sense in Las Vegas.
Thomas emerged victorious and shared a champagne moment with partner Sainz. Nobody really cared, it was never about the result but maybe something more. It’s hard to believe that there will be some golf fans who will be watching Formula 1 for the first time this weekend, and some F1 fans who may continue to consider golf to be more than just a pampered stroll.
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