O/T? Medal Match Play

[Tony_Muldoon]

From the Irish Independent


THE one thing lacking from the sensational Ryder Cup at Medinah will take place in Turkey this week, with Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods facing each other at least once in the battle for a first prize of £935,000 (€1.15m).
McIlroy and Woods, the world's top two players and biggest attractions, were kept apart for the second Ryder Cup in succession in Chicago, despite the Irishman playing in all five sessions as Europe staged a stunning fightback to retain the trophy.
However, the duo have been drawn in the same group at the Turkish Airlines World Golf Final, a new eight-man event which is not part of the European Tour but features a total purse of £3.2 million, with £935,000 to the winner, £620,000 for the runner-up and even £187,000 for seventh and eighth.
Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and 2012 Players Championship winner Matt Kuchar complete Group One, with Lee Westwood, Justin Rose, Hunter Mahan and US Open champion Webb Simpson in Group Two.
The format is medal match play - head-to-head matches with the lowest strokeplay score over 18 holes winning one point - and each player will play three matches in the group stages; one tomorrow and two on Wednesday.
The winner of Group One will then face the runner-up of Group Two, and vice versa, in Thursday's semi-finals, with the final to be staged on Friday.
McIlroy and Woods will not face each other until the final game on Wednesday, by which time they could already be through to the semi-finals if they win their opening two games.
The field was based on the world rankings on April 1, with the only two members of the top eight to turn down a place being Ryder Cup hero Martin Kaymer and Steve Stricker. They were replaced by Rose and Simpson.
Unsurprisingly, the event has not gone down well with either the European or US PGA Tour, although it will finish on Friday so as not to clash with weekend coverage of the Portuguese Masters or the Frys.com Open in California.



So anyone ever played Medal Match Play? I can see that it guarantees the camera’s rolling for 18 holes, but surely it removes all the thrills and spills of the real thing?  I can envisage the scenario where if your opponent has a couple of bad holes,  instead of seeking to keep the pressure on, you play conservatively to avoid any big no’s yourself.

Sounds like a real Turkey to me.

[Michael Whitaker]

That is the format that was used for all of the Shell's Wonderful World of Golf matches... they were very entertaining for the most part.

[Rich Goodale]

They used to play the Dunhill at St. Andrews (when it was a national team event) by medal match play, and it worked well.  I remember the Swedish team, needing only a bogey/par finish to qualify for the next round all following the strategy of playing left of the 17th green with their approaches (assuming that they could chip up the green for a 4 or 5 easily.  Two of three of them, however, overcooked their 2nd shots, ending up in the Swilcan Burn, and the team bombed out.

PS--I played the format once at my home club (it's the way they decide ties in medal play Cup competitions) and I crashed and burned after giving 17 strokes on the first tee and then watching my 22 HCP partner start off Par/Par/Par........

At the very least, it is an interesting diversion.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

I love the format, both players are always "in" the match and whilst it may lack the purity of matchplay proper it is great for TV and useful in the need of tie breaker such as this group format.
In many ways it is the best way of mixing the two formats, and usually seems to work whenever it has ben used.

[JESII]

Straight match play would seem to engender conservative play in the event of a big lead mor ethan this format...or at least as much. You can't make up 2 holes at once in straight match play.

Worth a shot if you ask me...

[Tony_Muldoon]

Straight match play would seem to engender conservative play in the event of a big lead mor ethan this format...or at least as much. You can't make up 2 holes at once in straight match play.

In matchplay you can seek to press home your advantage, every good shot you hit makes your opponents next one that much more difficult.  In this one, once you have a lead why risk anything?

Plus in this format no one couid ever get wound up about being required to make your tap ins!


The worst problem this week is with the groups where you can get 'dead' rubbers.   I felt a little bit sorry for the badminton players in the Olympics who were being ultra competiitve and criticised for throwing their matches. Blame the format not the athletes.

[JESII]

Tony,

What am I missing?

Say you get 5 ahead of me after 5 holes in this medal/match format...if I go on a run I can catch you faster in this format than in regular match play, why are your shots getting every bit as much more difficult if I make two or three birdies in a row?

Also...towards the end of a match...you never have me closed out until the final putt is dropped. Sure, if you're 5 ahead on the last it will not be very compelling drama but in straight match play we'd be having drinks by then.

Is it better? I wouldn't say that...but I don't see it as any worse.

[Mike McGuire]

They should do it like the rest of the rest of us.

Auto 1 downs

Its match play and you play all the holes.

Every side or press you win multiply by some $ number the sponsors can afford.

[Jud_T]

I don't understand the format.  Is it based on holes, 18 hole medal score or some weird combination?  I thought Shell's WWOG was simply head-to-head medal play, which seems to accomplish little other than making sure everyone plays a full 18.  Match play is infinitely better and more entertaining (how were those Ryder Cup rating anyway?).

[JESII]

How are the WGC Match Play ratings?

[Tony_Muldoon]

Tony,

What am I missing?

Say you get 5 ahead of me after 5 holes in this medal/match format...if I go on a run I can catch you faster in this format than in regular match play, why are your shots getting every bit as much more difficult if I make two or three birdies in a row?

Also...towards the end of a match...you never have me closed out until the final putt is dropped. Sure, if you're 5 ahead on the last it will not be very compelling drama but in straight match play we'd be having drinks by then.

Is it better? I wouldn't say that...but I don't see it as any worse.

Jim

I'd love to play with you and  to share a few drinks!  The thought that you might be buying the first round makes me want to get in the clubhouse faster.   Playing a safe game to ensure you pay is not as much fun.

Matchplay is quirky.  I could be sitting in the middle of the fairway and I see you hit in the water, 3 off the tee and with you still to play. Now you've really got to stiff one close and... you put it under the lip of the greenside bunker.   I hole out and I still only gain one hole.  In Stroke play I might gain 5 shots. So it works against me sometimes too.


I've seen this in 'wrangling' about what formats we play in BUDA,  invariably most of those from GB&I want to play strict matchplay and some of the ROW ( ) players will want to play some other format, "because I didn't come all this way not to play 18 holes." “Try it it’s fun”.

I think it’s a cultural thing.  For me matchplay is pure, simple and the best format.

[Sean_A]

Not sure what all the fancy lingo is about.  This is medal - pure and simple. 

I would like to see a running matchplay game based on holes rather than games.  Three guys (or pick your number), 54 total holes of 18 each.  The team with the most holes won is the winner.  Hell, they could even run the entire bracket this way.  Most holes won after three "team matches" advances.  Its different, easy and keeps players in the game just as much as medal can. 

Ciao   

[jeffwarne]

They should do it like the rest of the rest of us.

Auto 1 downs

Is there any other way to play?

[Bill_McBride]

They should do it like the rest of the rest of us.

Auto 1 downs

Is there any other way to play?

Are "flying presses" okay?  If I'm down, I can press anytime your ball is in the air.   

[Rich Goodale]

They should do it like the rest of the rest of us.

Auto 1 downs

Is there any other way to play?

Are "flying presses" okay?  If I'm down, I can press anytime your ball is in the air.   

Yet another fine argument for the ground game.....

[Mark Pearce]

The Official website for this event may well be the worst website for any sporting event I have ever seen.  No scores most of the afternoon, now results showing for matches that haven't been played yet. 

[Gary Slatter]

Not sure what all the fancy lingo is about.  This is medal - pure and simple. 

I would like to see a running matchplay game based on holes rather than games.  Three guys (or pick your number), 54 total holes of 18 each.  The team with the most holes won is the winner.  Hell, they could even run the entire bracket this way.  Most holes won after three "team matches" advances.  Its different, easy and keeps players in the game just as much as medal can. 

Ciao   

Exactly, it's medal play for 18 holes matches.   Medal Play rules I'd think.

[Tony_Muldoon]

From Todays paper

"Both players only had themselves to blame for their poor openings.

Woods took a triple-bogey seven on the ninth after a visit to the water. That handed the initiative to Schwartzel, who held on to win by a shot in the medal strokeplay format. Yet Woods' 70 was commendable when compared to McIlroy's five-over 76.

The Northern Irishman was level with Kuchar on the 15th when a seven caused his challenge to implode, as he dropped seven strokes in three holes.

Kuchar said he believed his opponent "lost interest" after chopping around in the trees on his way to a triple-bogey and McIlroy admitted as much. "I was playing pretty well until the 15th, then I hit it into the hazard on 16 and was just trying to get the round done," he said. "I lost a bit of concentration, went a few behind and gave up a bit." "

If a big no can hurt so much more than just dropping one hole, it's not going to promote attacking golf QED.

[JESII]

OK Tony...you won yesterday.

Now picture yourself on the golf course today spectating...do you watch the scintilating Kuchar v Schwartzel battle or those losers Woods v McIlroy?

[Mark Pearce]

Come on chaps, no discussion of the way that Rose's holed wedge at 14 closed a two shot gap in one fell swoop, rather than just halving the gap as it would in match play?

[JESII]

Hadn't seen it...cool.

Take that Tony...

[Tony_Muldoon]

Jim,

A fluke counting for more than it's worth.  Once again QED


Tony


PS the lack of discussion suggests people could give a rats A=== for this comp. Either way it's something to do with Turkey.

[Michael Whitaker]

I'd like to see the scoring based on one point for each hole... each match worth 18 points. It guarantees every match will go to the 18th and gives the player who is behind an opportunity to close the gap instead of losing 5 and 4 (for example). Competitors with the most points after "X" number of matches move to the next level, then start over.

[JESII]

Tony,

100% agree that noone cares about this event...

The Philadelphia area has a cool event...actually twice. Four teams of 10 or 12 meet and each individual player plays 3 others in an 18 hole match with a point each for Front/Back/18. Really intense team format because we used to play 1/4 point for each hole won in addition to 1 point for front/back/match victories.