Cisco World Match Play still an intriguing event

BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2002 Cisco World Match Play Championship | Preview | 15 Oct 2002

Considered for many years one of the finest events in the world, the Cisco World Match Play has lost some of its gloss in recent years for a number of reasons but still provides plenty of interest.

The introduction of the World Golf Championship Match Play event in California has taken some of the uniqueness of the event away and one look at this year’s field shows that the Americans have again avoided the event. Fred Funk, although playing well of late, is the only American in the twelve man field so the term “World” Match Play is somewhat of a misnomer.

Still they (IMG) have managed to get five of the top ten in the world rankings to play, a couple of interesting veterans in defending champion Ian Woosnam and Nick Faldo and a bright star of British golf in Justin Rose.

The top four seeds Woosnam, Garcia, Els, and Goosen have the luxury of a bye in round one and face the winners of round one in round two.

Ian Wosnam faces the winner of the match up between Faldo and New Zealander Michael Campbell, Garcia awaits the winner of the Harrington/Weir match, Retief Goosen to play either Vijay Singh or Justin Rose and Ernie Els the victor out of Colin Montgomerie and Fred Funk.

Each match is over thirty six holes and the winner in the final will receive 250,000 pounds. Even the first round losers are assured of 50,000 pounds.

Wentworth is a great course and a fine venue for this event. It generates an atmosphere that does the match play format justice. There have been brilliant matches over the many years the event has been held here and this year sees some very interesting match ups both actual and potential.

Always hard to pick a winner in this format but it may be that last year’s runner up Harrington who as we know is having a brilliant year may well go one better this year.