World Matchplay gets new lease of life

GOLF:ONCE A traditional autumnal affair in the stockbroker belt outside London, the Volvo World Matchplay Championship has been transported to a new venue in the south of Spain – Finca Cortesin near Estepona – with a new slot in the calendar and with a revamped, dare we say, Champions League round-robin style qualifying format before mano a mano combat plays its part in deciding the €800,000 winner's cheque.

The 24 players, which include six of the top-nine off the world rankings, are divided into eight qualifying groups of three, and the top two in each group progress into the knock-out phase. The seeded draw was based on world rankings.

For added spice, Luke Donald, now up to a career-high second in the world, has the opportunity to overtake his compatriot Lee Westwood at the top of the rankings should he win.

Donald has only once finished outside the top-10 in 13 tournaments dating back to the US Tour Championship last September.

Graeme McDowell is the top seed in the so-called “Ian Woosnam” bracket, which also includes British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas.

Rory McIlroy is the top seed in the “Gustaf Larson” group, which also features two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen and Nicolas Colsaerts, who earned a place in the line-up on back of his recent win in the China Open.

Elsewhere, five Irish players will be competing in the Madeira Island Open: Gary Murphy, who has received a sponsor’s invitation, will be joined by Michael Hoey, Simon Thornton, Colm Moriarty and Niall Kearney.