Stand by for Match Play magic
The has become one of the most eagerly anticipated tournaments of the golfing year, a refreshing break from the regular diet of 72-hole strokeplay that brings together the world's top players in head-to-head combat.
Furthermore, the first day of competition is akin to FA Cup third-round Saturday given its scope for upsets and intriguing results.
If there is one criticism of the event, which is being played at the gloriously scenic Dove Mountain resort in Arizona, it is that, on occasion, it can fall a little flat after the excitement of the opening rounds.
That is particularly the case if the 36-hole final is a one-sided affair - and only twice in the 12 runnings of this tournament has the championship match gone the full distance.
This year, the format has been tweaked so the final is only 18 holes. That means a tighter contest is more likely.
No Americans made the last four either - and that, together with some cold weather, led to poor attendances, a nightmare scenario for the all-important television executives.
This is a risk of matchplay tournaments. But the answer is to stage more rather than fewer head-to-head events. If all of the WGCs used this format, matchplay specialists would emerge and rivalries could develop through a season-long narrative.
There is no slow burn in matchplay. Players cannot ease their way into the week as they tend to do with a card in their back pocket. On the opening day, there are 32 matches, resulting in a relentless flow of sporting drama.
Poulter, practising ahead of the tournament, is the defending champion. Photo: AP
Nine of the 64 starters this week are from the United Kingdom. The field is headed by Englishman and world number one in the first round. On their day, any player is capable of beating another. And there are few genuine favourites in any of the opening contests.
Casey is one player who can claim to be something of a specialist in this field having reached the last two Accenture finals. The 33-year-old from England faces Australian left-hander Richard Green in the first round.
His match against American Stewart Cink deserves a far greater audience than the handful of spectators who will be out in the early morning chill.
Poulter is clearly miffed at the thought of having to set his alarm at 0430 but is diplomatic enough not to suggest publicly whether the likes of Tiger Woods would be treated in the same way were he the defending champion.
He has been saying this for a while but has yet to contend for a title in a full-field tournament.
Ironically, this is the format in which the American can prosper because one bad hole is not as destructive as it can be in strokeplay. And the world number three is still the main man judging by the raucous welcome he got as he stepped on to the practice range.
This time last year, Woods was on the other side of America, hijacking this tournament with his crassly timed re-entry into public life followed his well-documented marital problems. Fined for spitting in his last tournament in Dubai, Woods showed that he still has a way to go to live up to his stated aim of being "more respectful to the game of golf".
Nevertheless, he remains the player most fans want to see and it was refreshing to witness him signing autographs on his way to the range. If he had stayed to sign them all, he would still be there now.
Wood stops to sign autographs - a rare event. Photo: Getty Images
If Woods can beat resurgent Dane Thomas Bjorn in the first round, there is the juicy prospect of him taking on in round two. Harrington has a tough opening assignment in though.
That is just a snapshot of what is possibly to come. Such ifs, buts and maybes encapsulate the beauty of the WGC Match Play.
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Comment number 1.
At 23rd Feb 2011, sirlemons11 wrote:If they really wanted to juice it up, they could do as they do in the fa cup, all 64 names in a hat and draw them out, then the winners in the hat for the next round etc.
They could do it the day before, all the players there, it would be interesting and create a great buzz as the names came out.
This should be an excellent tournament, i don't have sky anymore, so see very little golf, but people like Casey and Ogilivy will go well, they always will.
As for Tiger and Phil, who knows, anything can happen when they have a club in their hands, from the sublime to the ridiculous.
I would like to see more of the WGC's outside the USA, but i guess thats were the audience is, but 3 majors and 3 WGC's in the states is overkill.
They should have a WGC on each continent.
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Comment number 2.
At 23rd Feb 2011, jimtrick53 wrote:Totally agree with sirlemons, the WGC events are just like all the other US Tour events. When the strength of golf is now in Europe and the rest of the world lets spread these events around. If the Americans won't leave their shores then more fool them.
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Comment number 3.
At 23rd Feb 2011, utopastac wrote:This has always been one of my favourite events of the year - with the exception of the final. I'm really glad they've changed it, but even so it';s a bizarre TV spectacle. They should have some pro-am games on the course or something at the same time so we don't have to listen to the commentators try to fill the enormous gaps. With the current quality of Sky's TV coverage crew it's not a thought that gets me excited. They were simply embarrassing in Dubai. Thinking about it, i'm not certain we don't just get the excellent American coverage on WGC events.
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Comment number 4.
At 23rd Feb 2011, ajspike1 wrote:Couldn't agree more about having more WGC events outside the US. Getting the US based players to play in other parts of the world can only be good. The USPGA can appear a bit insular at times.
Just wondered why the article on Poulter which has the draw at the end, puts the UK golfers in bold except Martin Laird?
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Comment number 5.
At 23rd Feb 2011, hackerjack wrote:I don't see why all the quarter finalists don't simply play the whole weekend so that they can end up with a 1-8 ranking, your two semi losers play for 3/4 etc. It would at least help the TV audience stay awake.
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Comment number 6.
At 23rd Feb 2011, Andy Rollett wrote:I agree this is a great event and the Sky coverage can be a bit slow. The fact that the USPGA can appear a "bit insular" is great news for our Ryder Cup team as they seem to struggle on anything that doesn't resemble a bowling green! It is still a shame we don't see the likes of Woods and especially Mickelson often over here because they all seem to enjoy it.
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Comment number 7.
At 23rd Feb 2011, David Kerr wrote:ajspike1 I noticed that too and emailed ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ online sport about it.
Can't be because he plays most of his golf in the US 'cause Poulter etc. do as well.
Must have been overlooked 'cause he's not one of the big names.....yet!
Watch out for Laird this season.
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Comment number 8.
At 23rd Feb 2011, aussy wrote:utopastac says he is not happy with sky,s tv golf coverage crew, i can agree with this regarding certain individuals i.e david livingston and the guy who was the golf magazine editor who was in the studio with the brilliant rob lee 3-4 weeks ago he was mega boring and his views on tiger were OTT, but sky have some great presenters in rob lee, radar riley, steve beddow, howard clarke, and mark roe they tell it as it is.
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Comment number 9.
At 23rd Feb 2011, McLaren MP4-4 wrote:Iain,
You like kwini have compared the first round to the FA cup. Do you not think this is under stating the quality of the players in the top 64 of the OWGR's? The 64th team in the English football league ladder is probably swindon. Henrick stenson is in no way a swindon to lee westwood being man utd. I would say the first round is more like a normal EPL weekend. Yes some better teams in the top four but most other people/teams very good and all able to beat each other. Maybe some of the players in the lower ranks of the top 64 lack a bit of consistency but not quality.
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Comment number 10.
At 23rd Feb 2011, kwiniaskagolfer wrote:Mac,
I think Iain was just following my lead, third round of the Cup, thrills and spills, etc.
My analogy is to the sudden death nature and romance of t'Cup, not sure about Iain's.
You're absolutely right that the much more level quality is more analogous to the EPL. And a greater disparity too from my other comparison of March Madness.
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Comment number 11.
At 23rd Feb 2011, pcm wrote:post 8.aussy is absolutely correct about Sky's coverage, all the main presenters, particularly David Livingstone, are so bland they remind me of the typical lower management golf club bore, desparate not to ruffle any feathers. It was very refreshing when the knowledgable but banal Ewan Murray spoke his mind for once when he strongly condemned Tiger Woods's conduct in dubai.
Nobody wants the coverage reduced to football levels of hyperbole and cliche but more candid options would be welcomed.
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Comment number 12.
At 28th Feb 2011, kwiniaskagolfer wrote:Congrat's to Lukey. Fantastic performance and lovely stuff to shut Johnny Miller up.
Hopefully Luke can take that self-belief to Augusta.
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Comment number 13.
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