Optum Golf Channel Games: What is it? When is it? Who is playing? How can I watch?

The inaugural Optum Golf Channel Games will be contested on 17 December. 

PGA Tour player of the year Scottie Scheffler will face off against Masters champion Rory McIlroy. 

Scheffler and McIlroy are the respective captains and their teams will take on five challenges. 

All the action will get underway at 7:30pm ET (12:30am GMT). 

GolfMagic has you covered with what you need to know. 

When and where is the Optum Golf Channel Games?

The Games will begin at 7:30pm and contested at Trump National Golf Club Jupiter in Florida. 

Who is playing?

World number one Scottie Scheffler and five-time major champion Rory McIlroy are the respective team captains. 

The American is joined by: 

• US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley
• Multiple PGA Tour winner and good friend Sam Burns
• Rising star Luke Clanton

McIlroy has selected:

• His European Ryder Cup teammate Shane Lowry
• The European skipper Luke Donald
• China's Haotong Li

What is the format?

There are five challenges in which the teams will compete for points. 

They are:

Timed drive competition: Players will compete in head-to-head duels. Each player will have two minutes to hit six drives into a grid, with a smaller fairway in the middle that doubles the amount of points on offer. The sixth and final ball is worth double the points. The winner of each head-to-head match earns one point for their team. The highest individual points total earns a bonus point. 

Timed short game competition: Once again, players will face off in four head-to-head matches determined by the captains. Competitors will hit five shots from different locations and scoring is determined by a circle on the green. A "bonus ball" challenge will see players hit a flop shot over a wall. After the chipping contest, players will race to the putting green and hit putts from five, 10, 15 and 50 feet, with more points on offer. 

Team relay: All four players from each team will play alternate shot across holes 1 and 9, completing the loop twice. 

14-club challenge: Two teams of two players will sqaure off, drawing a club from a single bag (including driver and putter) in a closest-to-the-pin  competition from a designated distance in a fairway. All 14 clubs will be used and, once a club is used, it's out. Each team will also select one player to hit a lefty shot. 

Captain's challenge: McIlroy and Scheffler will hit from predetermined locations from a variety of distances, as well as squaring off in a putting contest.

How can I watch on TV?

The Optum Golf Channel Games will be streamed through services that carry the Golf Channel and USA Network. 

What about in the United Kingdom?

The Optum Golf Channel Games are a U.S. broadcast event on Golf Channel/USA Network, so they aren't automatically available on UK TV channels like Sky Sports.

To watch from the UK, your options are to use a U.S. streaming service or a VPN. 

The Optum Golf Channel Games begin at 12:30am GMT on 18 December.