WGC Accenture World Matchplay

First topic message reminder :

Its that time of the year where the WGC's kick in again properly, we have Englishman Ian Poulter defending his crown in what will be the match up of golfs 2 most popular tweeters, Poulter 1.1million followers v's Cinks 1.2million followers and to great exponents of the art of matchplay. This surely is the pick of the first round ties. Though Poulter has already complained that he an Cink are first out at 725am local time in Tucson.

There are also some serious connotations towards the world rankings, it is possible that Tiger can re
gain world number 1 status, yet at the same time and early bath for Tiger means any of the Worlds top 10 can pass him in the rankings dependant on their own finish in the event.

This rarity of events is a welcome break up to the usual strokeplay we see week in week out on tour so much so we usually get quite a few withdrawals as some guys don't like the format but as we stand on the eve of the event only 1 guys have pulled out this year Tim Clark the most notable of those. Yet into the breach has stepped the next 2 available players from the OGWR Henrik Stenson and JB Holmes. The latter only getting his call up late yesterday meaning a late flight out to Arizona (would've thought he'd have been in the area anyway as chances of late call up at 1st reserve were high but not JB)

Other matches of interest are a plenty, but I'm looking forward Westwood v Noh, Wood's v Bjorn and the one I really like the look of is mr consistent Stricker v young gun Manassero.

Interestingly though this event hasn't gone well in past years for current No1 Westwood failing to make it past the 2nd round in every appearance so far. Can world No2 Kaymer show he has matchplay credentials unlike his fairly average showing in the Ryder Cup ( I maybe being unfair on martin here but I'll let you decide)

There are many good matches on the card but the real interesting stuff will be thursday and fridays matches and can Casey who seems to excel at the art of matchplay make it 3 finals in a row but convert this time? Only time will tell.

All in all it will be a good event I've no doubt about that but who will be in the final duel come sunday and who will be taking the early bath. Let battle commence

(Any chance of a sticky MODS)

Doc wrote:When JB's game fell apart I got the distinct impression that he was not being honest. Big claim I know but did anyone see it.He carved a drive into the desert, and when you think he should declare an unplayable, he manages to get a free drop because of an irrigation head. he dropped the ball in front of another head and claimed it would be in his way, as he wanted to aim that way, when in fact he didn't. So he conned the official and got another drop, which meant he walked off with a par, but Bubba won the hole. If Bubba had not won, maybe the commentary team would have said something, as it was they just said he was lucky. Later he carved another into the desert, and took a drop from another fairway with over 200 yards to carry. Bubba ran over and shouted he was taking it from the wrong place and the official then made him move 50 yards left. I think he was trying for unfair advantage time after time as he was obviously gutted at letting a 5 hole lead vanish

Well, there was an official with the group, and JB asked him for a ruling at every turn. The official can always say no, the ball is in play as is, so play away. I agree the official should have guided him better on the 19th hole drop, but by then it was pretty clear he was going to lose the hole no matter what - unless he dunked it from the that wrong fairway.

Play suspended? I hope that match referee never has to take charge of a match over here

Come on Luke, bring it home for the Mizuno boys!

i hear you goldwolf.....nothing feels like a mizuno!!!!!

Luke has done it!

What I found most interesting is how he found his driving rhythm after totally losing it.

vinyl1 wrote:Luke has done it!

What I found most interesting is how he found his driving rhythm after totally losing it.

Yes I thought he'd bottled it after allowing Kaymer to come back at him. I thought here we go again, as Luke tries to find a way to come 2nd again. But fantastic, at last he's won a big event even when put under pressure. He fully deserved his win and played the best golf all week. Now 3rd in the world, what a week for Europe again.

Great win for Donald, some of the best iron play I have seen in a long time. Looks so effortless too.

It was interesting that the commentary duties seemed to be shared between Sky and the host broadcaster(s) - yet I didn't hear Ewan Murray all weekend (not that I'm complaining).

I wonder if the fallout from spittlegate caused him to be given a week off?

Anyone else think "Colonel" Bruce Critchley is losing it? He is becoming increasing erratic in his commentaries, calling the players by the wrong names etc and it was him, not one of the Americans, who couldn't fathom out the fact the TV draw showed the leading player highlighted in white. It was he who kept saying Francesco Molinari was 4 up when in fact he was 4 down.

It's high time Sky pensioned him off before he gets even more like Murray Walker - hanging on desperately to the job by his fingertips, while getting all the names wrong and making himself a laughing stock.

Delighted to see Luke win - even though I didn't pick him (in fact none of my picks did very well )

I think you may be right LP. I have always prefered "The Colonel" to Ewan Murray but he does seem to be heading towards the realms of Aliss-isms!

Be nice to Peter Alliss... He designed the new club I'm a member of!

LondonJonnyO wrote:Be nice to Peter Alliss... He designed the new club I'm a member of!

Who are you and what have you done with LJ?

LondonJonnyO wrote:Be nice to Peter Alliss... He designed the new club I'm a member of!

Theres a strong rumour that you both have the same waistline, is this correct? I would imagine that would be far too much lime green on display

Davie wrote:

LondonJonnyO wrote:Be nice to Peter Alliss... He designed the new club I'm a member of!

Who are you and what have you done with LJ?

Shush... It's a ploy to get Alliss to visit... then I can spring into action as the masked assassin and sell him to the glue factory down the road!

Doc wrote:

LondonJonnyO wrote:Be nice to Peter Alliss... He designed the new club I'm a member of!

Theres a strong rumour that you both have the same waistline, is this correct? I would imagine that would be far too much lime green on display

Not quite... Although it has been a while since I saw my feet...

Critchley however did seem to back up some of the thoughts we'd had on here over the last couple of weeks. He mentioned quite a few times that the fairway bunkering was proper penal as it should be, and that far too many American courses are set up for big bombers who rely on flat easy fairway bunkers to catch wayward balls before they go into the rough.

Doc - you're quite right, he does come up with some sensible offerings, but then gets all confused with names and nationalities in particular. I certainly agree with him about the bunkers at most US courses. I thought they were supposed to be hazards.

LadyPutt wrote:Anyone else think "Colonel" Bruce Critchley is losing it? He is becoming increasing erratic in his commentaries, calling the players by the wrong names etc

The NBC announcers were just as bad, they called a player the wrong name twice. You would think when there are only four players playing, they could figure out who is who.

vinyl1 wrote:

LadyPutt wrote:Anyone else think "Colonel" Bruce Critchley is losing it? He is becoming increasing erratic in his commentaries, calling the players by the wrong names etc

The NBC announcers were just as bad, they called a player the wrong name twice. You would think when there are only four players playing, they could figure out who is who.

Even the on-screen scoring (in top left hand corner) was sometimes wrong. Sometimes a player was stated as being 1DN when he was actually 1UP and vice versa. What kind of people are in charge of the US golf broadcasts anyway? Everybody seems to talk about charity all the time, so I wonder if they walk the talk and actually have inner city school kids or Darfur refugees producing the broadcasts? If that's the case, then hats off.

pedro wrote:

vinyl1 wrote:

LadyPutt wrote:Anyone else think "Colonel" Bruce Critchley is losing it? He is becoming increasing erratic in his commentaries, calling the players by the wrong names etc

The NBC announcers were just as bad, they called a player the wrong name twice. You would think when there are only four players playing, they could figure out who is who.

Even the on-screen scoring (in top left hand corner) was sometimes wrong. Sometimes a player was stated as being 1DN when he was actually 1UP and vice versa. What kind of people are in charge of the US golf broadcasts anyway? Everybody seems to talk about charity all the time, so I wonder if they walk the talk and actually have inner city school kids or Darfur refugees producing the broadcasts? If that's the case, then hats off.

It seems that in actual fact Bubba won this event after all 8)