Match play can be very exciting

[PEZGolf]

We all know the drawback to match play: a big star can be eliminated by a "nobody" early in the tournament, and others can be knocked off before the finals. In the end, you can have two relative "unknowns" play for the big check and the trophy. Fans lose interest and TV ratings suffer.

However, the offset to this is that evey day, there is lots of excitement! Look at yesterday---it appears that four matches went to extra holes, including Phil's, and 8 others were decided on the last hole. #1 seeds like Sergio and Padraig were eliminated in their brackets, and some "big names" just squeaked by, including Geoff Ogilvy. Kenny Perry, Trevor Immelman, Adam Scott, and KJ Choi are GONE. As is usual, this tournament can keep us on the "edge of our seats" because on "any given day, anyone can win"---ask Nick O'Hern, who knocked off Tiger twice in the past.

[Range King]

We all know the drawback to match play: a big star can be eliminated by a "nobody" early in the tournament, and others can be knocked off before the finals. In the end, you can have two relative "unknowns" play for the big check and the trophy. Fans lose interest and TV ratings suffer.

Totally agree. Even though I had only a crappy internet stream to watch it, I stayed up until 1 am to see Sergio miss the green on the 18th. Also Immelmans two very makeable but missed putts that changed the tide from matchwinner to spectator in 1 minute. I think Matchplay is great!

[too keen to young]

i personally love matchplay It is the format of the competition my club is in. You can't tell me that counting up stableford points or checking strokes in stroke play are even in the same league as being the last pair walking up the 18 and having your team mates around you offering advice and carrying your clubs for you knowing full well that if you win the hole your team wins.Thats my read on things. I guess what i'm saying is it's not just professionals who can enjoy this style of play

[Pat007]

I love match play. It adds excitement to the game and gives you the feeling that every hole counts. There's also the strategy factor that counts too, playing off your partner, etc. Makes for exciting TV viewing

[David in FL]

I love match play.....watching and playing.

I think more casual golfers would enjoy the game more and become less frustrated if they played it more regularly amongst themselves.

[kfowler]

I only got to watch bits and piece b\c my 2 month old was screaming. I like it and it's a good change of pace.

What's up with Trevor though. Man he's been stinking it up.

[colin007]

yeah, i like it too, especially when you can see a questionable shot choice happening right before youre eyes. like yesterday in phils match, on the real short reachable par 4, Phils opponent hits first, misses the green, and what does Phil do? instead of hitting 3 wood, he pulls the driver like a moron and puts it in the desert. takes an unplayable...lol...

[PEZGolf]

SO---with Tiger and Vijay joining the ranks of the defeated, all of the #1 seeds were sent packing for the weekend (in fact, none of them made it to even Friday)!! Who would have predicted this massacre? This tournament is truly exciting, although the TV ratings will go down the "tubes" now. Last week, "USA Today" had an article that IF Tiger made it to the finals, golf could beat out NASCAR in the ratings race. We do not have to worry about that now.

[colin007]

yeah, because i was really worried about NASCRAP's tv ratings...lol...

[Quinn07]

I personally love Match play and as aluded to earlier, it brings in a different type of pro golf than we are use to seeing on TV. I wish there were more events like this.

[Big Padrigo]

matchplay is a much under-valued golf format in this part of the world. I love watching and playing matchplay. I love the fact that everything can change with every shot, and how you react or don't plays a much bigger role than in strokeplay.

Can you think of the Ryder Cup without matchplay, I mean what would be the point?

[PEZGolf]

matchplay is a much under-valued golf format in this part of the world. I love watching and playing matchplay. I love the fact that everything can change with every shot, and how you react or don't plays a much bigger role than in strokeplay.

You are right. I have won tournaments in stroke play and match play, and I definitely prefer match play. One of my best memories is when I was 3 down in an 18 hole match and came back in the Seniors Men's Club Championship and won 2 up!! I told myself to "not lose my cool" and keep plugging along. It worked. I have used that experience as a guide. Last year, on October 14th, I played a big match, and lost the first hole, even though I had struck a much better drive than my opponent. He parred the par 5, and because I left my tricky chip shot short, made a 7!! I then won 5 of the next 8 holes to win 4 up!! I drew on my previous experience to help me out. All winter long, I have been thinking about that exciting match to inspire me for the upcoming season. Here in Central New York, we usually cannot play until April 10th or so, and the first course that opens is right here in Ilion---at Doty's. I feel that mentally, I will be ready!

[Alex B]

I too love match play and agree that it can be very exciting ... with two caveats.

First, the traditional argument against holding more match play events: the superstar players often lose early. Ogilvy-Casey, although a match-up featuring two of the best 25 players in the world, does draw any firepower or celebrity interest. Without Tiger, Phil, or Sergio (and maybe a few others) in the latter stages of the tournament, the TV ratings are bound to flop.

But honestly, I don't care about TV ratings or world golf rankings or any of that superficial stuff. Hell, I'm watching the Mayakoba Classic right now, and I already know the results. Now that's lame.

My real problem with match play, therefore, has nothing to do with the field's quality or the event's Q rating. Instead, my issue stems from a reality inherent in match play: the tournament gets less exciting as the week progresses . Think about it: in the first few rounds, everyone is playing, coverage can jump from exciting match to exciting match, snoozefests can be ignored. From the quarterfinals on, however, we're stuck with the few matches being played; the broadcast shows lots of dead air and lopsided results.

This great flaw in match play climaxes tomorrow, Sunday, when only the championship and consolation matches are played. Unlike a regular stroke play tournament, during which we focus on just two guys only as the final group comes up the 18th hole, the first round of tomorrow's championship match will feature two warriors battling merely for position before the true blood begins to be shed in the afternoon. In other words, BORING. Eighteen holes, after which someone is 2 UP and no one cares. One could skip the morning round and not miss anything, right? But wait -- when the champion is determined on the first 18 holes, and the afternoon round consists only of a perfunctory 11 holes to close out an 8&7 victory (or something along those lines), the morning round held all the action. Thus, we the viewers are faced with a depressing choice: do we watch the morning 18 and hope that something interesting actually happens, or tune in only for the second half, hoping that neither player pulled away early on? It's a miserable conundrum.

Nor is the Accenture's disappointing final day alleviated during Sunday's latter half: we face the prospects of a foregone champion and the usual bathos of the consolation match. Last year, in fact, after Tiger had closed out Cink 8&7, the third-place battle went on for another hour -- Tiger was in the booth, listening to Johnny Miller ask him annoying swing questions, when a meaningless match was not even near it's conclusion! On the PGA Tour, we occasionally must watch the last group stumble up to the 18th green with the winner already determined; during the last year's Accenture, this meaningless twosome played not half a hole alone on the course but about four.

(Quick proposal for a slightly better Sunday: cut the championship match to 18 holes, ensuring at least a tolerable, somewhat gripping conclusion and assuaging viewers' agony over whether or not to watch the morning eighteen. Also, start the consolation match an hour before the finals: such a move would virtually guarantee that the last match on the course determines the tournament's champion, not the third-place finisher.)

So, although I enjoy the Accenture tournament, I don't think the PGA Tour should hold another match play event. The Accenture works for two primary reasons: it has a novel format and the best players in the world. Another match play tour stop would lose these two qualities: it would be imitative and likely couldn't draw even half of the world's 64 best players, much less the two or three top dogs who determine an event's general interest and allure to the masses. The tour banks on Sundays; an event with traditionally crummy Sundays and without the Accenture's special status (which would in fact be undermined by a second match play event) would founder in generating any buzz whatsoever.

Alex

[PEZGolf]

So, although I enjoy the Accenture tournament, I don't think the PGA Tour should hold another match play event. The Accenture works for two primary reasons: it has a novel format and the best players in the world. Another match play tour stop would lose these two qualities: it would be imitative and likely couldn't draw even half of the world's 64 best players, much less the two or three top dogs who determine an event's general interest and allure to the masses. The tour banks on Sundays; an event with traditionally crummy Sundays and without the Accenture's special status (which would in fact be undermined by a second match play event) would founder in generating any buzz whatsoever.

I agree with you--one big match play event is enough. I remember the old Picadilly Match Play that Arnie, Jack, and Gary and all the big names played in. Gary was a master at that format and loved knocking off Jack and Arnie!

[PiKapp23]

I would love to see more match play on tour, but TV doesn't want that and I'm not sure players really want it. It's more exciting than stroke play, but it's also a lot more volatile. I always enjoy the match play event in England that is at Wentworth (I can't remember name of event). If I remember correctly, it's 36 holes per match instead of 18. I like that because the best player almost always wins in 36. I'll take Tiger every time in 36 holes. Match play doesn't always translate so well to TV, though - especially if Tiger is not in final. It takes a hardcore golfer to sit and watch 36 holes of Geoff Ogilvy/Paul Casey (I watched, of course).