2014 Volvo World Match Play Championship

[FarawayFairways]

You've been Juiced!!!

As a matter of interest Silent, have you got Super Joost's competitive career matchplay record to hand anywhere? I wouldn't know how frequently he's played? but I'm aware that his Seve and EurAsia record is very good. I don't know if he's played the format elsewhere, but he can't be far short of 70% I'd have thought? (a sight better than Gallacher anyway)

[Silent]

You've been Juiced!!!

As a matter of interest Silent, have you got Super Joost's competitive career matchplay record to hand anywhere? I wouldn't know how frequently he's played? but I'm aware that his Seve and EurAsia record is very good. I don't know if he's played the format elsewhere, but he can't be far short of 70% I'd have thought? (a sight better than Gallacher anyway)

'Out of my head' I know he won at the Seve Trophy 4 of the 5 matches played (loss in his single match though), and at the EurAsia Cup he won 2 out of 3 matches (including winning his single). Also he was part of the winning team at the Eisenhower Trophy a couple of years back, walking -6 in the last 5 holes.

[Silent]

Another match, another win for Luiten! The Dutchman beats Levy 4&3 to remain undefeated. # VWMPC

Joost Luiten

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[Crim]

LOL at that entire hole for Larrazabal. Absolutely hilarious.

[FarawayFairways]

I don't know if he's played the format elsewhere, but he can't be far short of 70% I'd have thought? (a sight better than Gallacher anyway)

OK I can say this a little bit without being accussed of after-timing as I was always against his wildcard selection but the BBC's website report contains this little nugget

"I was five under and have played two guys that haven't had any bogeys," said Gallacher who failed to win a point at the Ryder Cup last month and has lost his last 10 matchplay singles contests.

He's LOST 10 IN A ROW!!!!  and McGinley made him a wildcard selection because he came third in the Italian Open (OK it would have been 7 in a row back then) but surely an alarm bell should have been ringing.

It's probably the case in sport that the winner gets lauded beyond their achievement, and the loser similarly demonised to level that wasn't as bad as the myth suggests. I tried doing a very subjectively imprecise error/ correct account the captains tactics the other day (decisions only - not man management) and had both Watson and McGinley in the negatives but very evenly matched otherwise

[Crim]

OK I can say this a little bit without being accussed of after-timing as I was always against his wildcard selection but the BBC's website report contains this little nugget

"I was five under and have played two guys that haven't had any bogeys," said Gallacher who failed to win a point at the Ryder Cup last month and has lost his last 10 matchplay singles contests.

He's LOST 10 IN A ROW!!!!  and McGinley made him a wildcard selection because he came third in the Italian Open (OK it would have been 7 in a row back then) but surely an alarm bell should have been ringing.

It's probably the case in sport that the winner gets lauded beyond their achievement, and the loser similarly demonised to level that wasn't as bad as the myth suggests. I tried doing a very subjectively imprecise error/ correct account the captains tactics the other day (decisions only - not man management) and had both Watson and McGinley in the negatives but very evenly matched otherwise

It seemed like the majority of Euro Ryder Cuppers wanted Gallacher on their team though. McGinley may have taken that into account. A good coach listens to his players sometimes :)

Even though Gallacher ended up being a bust...

[Stretch]

The event was in Scotland and the team thus required a token Scot. Paul Lawrie is busy losing his card at the mo, so ...

George Coetzee to win, from the perennial President's Cup whipping boys.

[FarawayFairways]

It seemed like the majority of Euro Ryder Cuppers wanted Gallacher on their team though. McGinley may have taken that into account. A good coach listens to his players sometimes :)

Even though Gallacher ended up being a bust...

Not sure that's true. Just about every single one of the most successful coaches/ managers I can think of have been very autocratic bordering on dictatorial. In fact some of the most dysfunctional sports teams have been those where player power has been encouraged (I'm sure Silent can think of a national football team that's had its issues in the past).

In any event, didn't Phil Mickelson (I assume that's what you're alluding to) lobby Tom Watson into playing the Friday afternoon foursomes, and ultimately took the place of Reed and Spieth? Basically Phil assured Tom he'd be up to it, and then proceeded to palabaly wilt down the back nine and lost to a European pairing that themselves hadn't played very well and would have failed to beat any other American sent out

I think this captures a bit of the captains paradox really as it isn't the decision that's ultimately judged, but the result. If Watson had over-ruled Mickelson and failed to field him on the Friday afternoon then he'd have been accussed of not listening etc (but only so long as the result went against him).  As it happened he trusted Phil's assessment of his own game and was let down by the result, but no one accussed him of listening. Instead he's accussed of not being decisive enough to take the responsibility for the decision to drop him. This also led to him being accussed of tactical stupidity (not that anyone who accussed him of that was advocating a Spieth/ Reed pairing at any point prior to the morning  fourballs incidentally). It's not the decision, but the result that gets assessed. McGinley made his fair share of erroneous decisions too, but his players bailed him out and limited the damage. He got a bit lucky really. He got half a point out of Bjorn. He managed to get Kuchar and Bubba lined up in the Saturday fourballs against the only European pair that would have beaten them, and as I said, he got his weakest foursome out against the only American that would have lost to it, a decision that Mickelson has to share some blame for. If Mickelson hadn't got his judgement wrong, the chances are the rookie pairing would have played and won.

It's a bit like play scissors, paper, rock, and there's about a 5 pt swing on these alone

Just as an aside, has anyone formed any views about the 'London Golf Club'?

With a drivable par 4 at 17, a par 3 at 16, landscaped grass banking on the final holes capable of supporting a large crowd, as well as being 20 miles from the capital and slap bang on the M20 you needn't be a soothsayer to see what they might have in mind, and a 5 star hotel has just cleared planning permission. I for one can't see that the 2022 can possibly be held in Turkey! The USPGA needs to jump on that one. They're not even in the EU. That leaves England (last hosted in 2002) or Germany i assume (yet to host)

[Silent]

Today's matches:

Group standings: first two qualify for quater finals (tomorrow):

[Silent]

Gallacher immediatly 1down again. All respect for him, but he seems to be a worthless matchplay player.

G-Mac - Luiten is underway.

[Silent]

Have to cheer for Levy today as well. If G-Mac wins against Luiten, and Ilonen wins as well there will be a 3-player play-off. Would be quite frustrating if you get kicked out while gaining 4 points: in all other groups 4 points will mean qualification.

[Crim]

Gallacher immediatly 1down again. All respect for him, but he seems to be a worthless matchplay player.

G-Mac - Luiten is underway.

I had absolutely no faith in Gallacher keeping this close against Victor. But he must have gotten a point back and they are all square going into the back 9.

[Silent]

Wow, this is bad. Luiten with his 3rd on the green while G-Mac missed it. Few minutes later Luiten got a bogey and McDowell a par.... 2down. Levy is up so that's good news for Super Joost.

Reed is crushing Donaldson.

[Crim]

Gallacher has gone 1 up on Victor! Why isn't the Golf Channel showing any of that match

[Silent]

Gallacher has gone 1 up on Victor! Why isn't the Golf Channel showing any of that match

Two reasons I guess:

- Dubsuisson is already qualified for the quarter final

- Gallacher can not qualify anymore, even with a win.

[cubdog]

Reed has his critics but he seems to be a match play stud. He was a part of a National Championship team at Augusta State if I'm not mistaken. It will be interesting to see how his match play career plays out.

cubdog

[Silent]

Luiten is not looking good today. With 4 points already maybe the best day not to be on your best. Let's hope for Levy then..

[Silent]

Well, and now Luiten birdies and wins 2 holes in a row. 1down. Very exciting group with Ilonen 1up. Might get a 3-player play-off here.