World Matchplay Championship- my trip down memory lane

[John_Findlay]

Yes, it's here again, the HSBC World Match Play Championship. Hold it very dear to my heart as it was the first golf tournament I ever watched on telly as a young lad back in 1979/80 and it inspired me to take up the game. It was the Suntory at the time.

Marvelled at Greg Norman (although now find he's a ***) and prayed for Seve and Sandy to reach the latter stages every time, which they usually did. This was it for me. Hadn't held a club in my hand in my life but as a wee city kid I knew I had to give it a try.

Love the one to one matchplay format especially over 36 holes (the only thing this tournament does better than the WGC Accenture World Matchplay, I'm afraid). Who cares if the players are never the top 16 in the world? If you have the odd hero to support (mine were always Seve and Sandy) it's peachy!

Just look at the previous winners;- hardly a bad one, though heaven knows how short hitters like Pavin and Rogers ever won around Wentworth.


2006 Paul Casey - England
2005 Michael Campbell - New Zealand
2004 Ernie Els - South Africa
2003 Ernie Els - South Africa

Cisco World Match Play Championship

2002 Ernie Els - South Africa
2001 Ian Woosnam - Wales
2000 Lee Westwood - England
1999 Colin Montgomerie - Scotland
1998 Mark O'Meara - United States

Toyota World Match Play Championship

1997 Vijay Singh - Fiji
1996 Ernie Els - South Africa
1995 Ernie Els - South Africa
1994 Ernie Els - South Africa
1993 Corey Pavin - United States
1992 Nick Faldo - England
1991 Seve Ballesteros - Spain

Suntory World Match Play Championship

1990 Ian Woosnam - Wales
1989 Nick Faldo - England
1988 Sandy Lyle - Scotland
1987 Ian Woosnam - Wales
1986 Greg Norman - Australia
1985 Seve Ballesteros - Spain
1984 Seve Ballesteros - Spain
1983 Greg Norman - Australia
1982 Seve Ballesteros - Spain
1981 Seve Ballesteros - Spain
1980 Greg Norman - Australia
1979 Bill Rogers - United States

Colgate World Match Play Championship

1978 Isao Aoki - Japan
1977 Graham Marsh - Australia

Piccadilly World Match Play Championship

1976 David Graham - Australia
1975 Hale Irwin - United States
1974 Hale Irwin - United States
1973 Gary Player - South Africa
1972 Tom Weiskopf - United States
1971 Gary Player - South Africa
1970 Jack Nicklaus - United States
1969 Bob Charles - New Zealand
1968 Gary Player - South Africa
1967 Arnold Palmer - United States
1966 Gary Player - South Africa
1965 Gary Player - South Africa
1964 Arnold Palmer - United States

 

[viscount17]

As an aficionado of the HSBC, just what are the criteria for qualification? It's not the most startling field.

Monty is usually good at matchplay but has hardly set the world alight this year.
Woody Austin - who knew of him before he fell in the brook.
Hunter Mahan - I know he played in the Presidents Cup but what else
Jerry Kelly - who he?
Presumably Tiger, Phil, Vijay and others declined so they had to make up the numbers.

 

[birdieman]

JF That's like the 'war and peace' of posts, how long did you spend researching and writing that one?
I only remember the mid 80's wrt this tournament, as a youngster when this tournament really was the 'one to win'. The world matchplay is all about Seve B for me, I see Greg won a few but I just cant remember those. Seve seemed invincible for years round Wentworth.
It seems to have lost it's status badly and I dont really want to watch it, seems quite dull nowadays.
They need some more world top tenners in there?

 

[muttleee]

Birdieman, Wikipedia knows all.

As for qualification, I always thought the main criterion was that you had to be a client of the IMG management group. According to that Wikipedia page though, the field is now chosen in a much fairer way than that.

 

[John_Findlay]

Birdieman, Wikipedia knows all.

Exactly. It's all in the cutting and pasting.