The first big golf event for the year is held this week, the World Accenture Matchplay Championship in Arizona.
It is entirely debatable, but I consider matchplay the best golf format to play and watch. The match-ups are always intriguing, despite half the field disappearing after one round and Sunday only featuring four players.
Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy is the current tournament champion after he defeated Paul Casey is this matchplay format last year and is a favourite to win the event for a third time.
Ogilvy’s form last year was phenomenal and rarely looked like he was going to be beaten he has a 17 – 2 record in this format and must be a big favourite to win his first match against Sweden’s Alexander Noren.
Only four Australians have qualified for the event this year compared with seven in 2009. It says something about the sort of year Australian golfers had last year.
Geoff Ogilvy is joined by Robert Allenby, Adam Scott and Michael Sim, who makes his debut in this tournament.
Robert Allenby hasn’t faired well at this event in the past but has some great form. He’s up against another Swede in Peter Hanson and will go into that match as favourite.
Adam Scott has started the year poorly, but I find it hard to believe he could lose his great form at the Australian Open so quickly. He faces El Pato, (the duck) Angel Cabrera in his first round match and an early victory may get his game back.
Michael Sim’s debut at the WGC event has seen him come up against another young star, Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa. This is going to be a great match to watch.
The winner may potentially meet the most in form golfer on the planet at the moment, Steve Stricker.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Michael,what is it about young Aussie Golfers that see them stall after a good year on the USPGA? Nick Flannagan comes readily to mind. Had a great year on the Nationwide and then came to a shuddering halt. Marc Leishman had a good rookie year and has started well but there is a hesitancy about him this year. As if he is pinching himself and not really believing he belongs. This sense of worth and belonging is so important in a sportsman. Self belief can be fragile.Look at cricket, It has taken someone like Watson to finally believe he is good enough in Elite company and the results speak for themselves. His injuries did not help. Mitch Johnson is another who is now believing he is good enough. On the other side is John Daly who now believes he is not good enough. Lots of interesting questions here. At the elite level mental strength is such a big factor and perhaps the Aussie boys need someone like a Rudi Webster...remember him? He helped with the mental conditioning of Cricketers. Coming to Matchplay ,I agree,this is the form best suited for TV viewing. The one on one drama. The cut and thrust on every hole. A bad fifteen minutes and you could be down two and scrambling. Playing catchup is hard in any sport. Ogilvy is mentally tough and starts the year well. However the last two years he seems to have been going AWOL in the middle of the season. He comes into the New year all refreshed and then loses momentum. Maybe it is the schedule. Did you catch any of Dodt winning the Delhi event? His bunker shot on the 18th showed he is good when the pressure is on.