Underdogs Bite Back at Form Horses

10/29/2009

The opening day of the Volvo World Match Play Championship, played in warm sunshine and on a tough Finca Cortesín course playing every one of its 6,800 metres, the form book was turned upside down as many of the form horses were bitten by the underdogs.

Out of the championship by the end of the first day was home favourite Sergio García, losing in the morning to England’s Oliver Wilson and finishing all-square with Australian Robert Allenby, whilst back-from-injury Englishman Paul Casey lost both matches to crash out along with German martin Kaymer.

García made no excuses, saying, “The tournament is over for me, it is as simple as that,” adding, “I played poorly in the morning and just could not hole a putt [in the afternoon], mix both of those together, I lost and I’m out.”

The big winners of the opening day were England’s Oliver Wilson and American Anthony Kim, Wilson almost withdrawing on the eve of the championship with the recurrence of a neck injury.

“It was touch-and-go,” he said, explaining,” I am very tired now after two hard and close matches and need to rest ahead of my crucial match on Friday against Robert Allenby.”

Meanwhile, three former Volvo China Open champions fared well, Jeev Milkha Singh crushing Englishman Lee Westwood despite suffering from jet lag and an injured ankle, Simon Dyson overcame Swedish match play specialist Henrik Stenson by three holes and reigning Volvo China Open champion Scott Strange took the scalp of world number four Paul Casey in the opening match before losing out to Retief Goosen by a single hole.

“I’m really happy and a victory over Lee Westwood is a great result, the margin especially pleasing,” said Jeev, whilst Dyson said, “I went out with the intention of winning my first match, which I did and give myself a big chance in Friday’s two matches.”

Played in front of higher than expected galleries for the first year of the Volvo World Match Play Championship at Finca Cortesín in Spain, Friday’s headline matches look like the all-English match-up between Lee Westwood and Ross Fisher, Allenby versus Wilson for a place in Saturday’s semi-final.

In addition, Westwood against Colombian Camilo Villegas with both fighting for survival, Cabrera against Dyson and Fisher versus Jeev Milkha Singh will go a long way to determining the make-up of Saturday’s semi-finals.

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