More matchplay events please

Severiano798488

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Sep 18, 2006
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After reading everyone's WGC posts and watching a frankly excellent tournament in Arizona at the weekend, I think there should definitely be more matchplay events throughout the season.

I realise that the US Tour in particular will go to great lengths to resist any such move and that it will probably never happen. It may be unrealistic, but if you were given the choice of voting for more matchplay on the pro tours would you go for it? How popular is it among golf fans?
 

Dave3498

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Dec 6, 2006
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I don't have any information on this, but how large were the crowds for this competition? Did the all drift away when the top players were eliminated? How many stayed to watch two relatively unknowns (in the States) battle it out for 36 holes? Also is it practicable for a large crowd to follow one match for 36 holes? This particular match went almost to the wire, but it could have been a completely one-sided affair with a 9 & 8 win.
 

Up_Point_1

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I watched the majority of the Matchplay event from Arizona over the weekend and have to say it was awesome. Really pleased that Stenson came out on top. It’s great to see the world best pitted against each other in a Matchplay event. Personally I think there should be more Matchplay events on the golfing calendar. Sadly though this isn’t likely to happen.

I was also very interested watching the players reactions when conceding, or not conceding putts. This has always been one of those grey areas in golf i.e what should be considered a gimme and what shouldn’t. It was great to see players bemused at being made to sink a putt that he considered a surefire gimme. Nothing like a bit of needle in a match ;-)

I’ve always been taught two things in Matchplay:

1: Never ever concede a putt to allow your opponent to win a hole however short, &
2: Never concede a putt if it has an ounce of break in it, however short.

Dave3498 – Re your query on crowd numbers at the event I vaguely remember hearing something that there were about 35-36k spectators for the beginning of the week, this was then limited by the organisers to 8-9k for the final day for obvious reasons.

DHM
 

Trueblue

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Sep 18, 2006
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I love Match Play - it's the staple golf diet and definitely they should play a few more events a year - not too many so as to take the magic away but a couple would be great!
 
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