CELEBRITIES and professional golfers turned out to give the British Masters an explosive start in the North-East.

Eight of the biggest names on the European Tour, as well as a handful of celebrities, battled it out under the floodlights and fireworks in front of thousands of fans in the Hero Challenge event held at Close House in Heddon on the Wall.

The sudden death par three shoot-out on the 18th hole, which was won by Lee Westwood, marked the start of the 2017 British Masters – which sees European Tour golf return to the North-East for the first time in 15 years.

The event, described by some as golf’s equivalent of T20 cricket, has become a big fan favourite since it made its debut at least year’s British Masters at The Grove in Hertfordshire. Among the golfers taking part were tournament host and former world number one Westwood, Masters champion Sergio Garcia, former Masters winner Danny Willett and two-time major winner Martin Kaymer.

Miguel Angel Jimenez, Bernd Wiesberger, Ross Fisher and Matthew Fitzpatrick completed the highly-respectable line up.

As well as the golfers, BBC TV host Dan Walker, former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler and England cricketer Stuart Broad took part in a nearest to the pin competition on the same hole.

The British Masters, the UK’s biggest golf tournament outside of The Open Championship, officially begins at Close House on Thursday. Thousands of North-East golf fans are expected to make the trip to the Northumberland golf club over the four days to watch stars including Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter, Garcia, Willett and Westwood.

Speaking about the Hero Challenge at his pre-tournament press conference today, former world number one Westwood said: “It has been really exciting for people to come along and see us playing at night with the par three with fireworks and flames and smoke going off and all that.

“It is a great buzz before the tournament starts.”

Spanish golfer Garcia, who won his first major championship at the Masters earlier this year, added: “It is important to bring some new things into it (golf), not only for us but for the people who watch. It will get them into the game – that is the most important thing. What we want is for golf to keep growing, and the only way that is possible is to get more young guys into the game.”