If you will recall, Cavendish has fared very well in these matchplay scenarios, not losing a match in four gos. I have been stuck on three way ties so added a 4th venue the last match only to see the three way tie carry on. Now we add Broadstone to the mix.
#1. C's opener hasn't changed, short and to the point except for trees compromise the proper strategy of the hole. BD's opener is an in your face short par 4 played over a quarry then to a huge blind green which slopes hard right. N&P's also starts with a short par 4 where we get an early view of the dreaded caravan park. The hole though is quite good. Broadstone's par 5 opener isn't in the mix, but it does feature a cool bunker. NO BLOOD
Broadstone
#2. C's short 4 comes straight back near the first tee. The green imaginatively slopes right. BD's banger par 4 is a reverse dogleg which is overly constricted by trees/rough up the left, but an excellent hole regardess. N&P is stuck in doldrums with a very dull par 5. Broadstone again doesn't feature well.
1 SKIN TO BEAU DESERT
#3. BD's short hole is very clever moving away from the tee, yet the green gives the appearance of being back to front. C's short par 4 is excellent and these days it will take some control on the part of flat bellies not to run through the green with the drive. N&P's short isn't bad, but nearly of the quality of BD's. The slow start for Broadstone continues. Being a fan of clever short 4s, I have to side with Cavendish.
1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH
#4. C's par 3 is a drop-shotter to skinny green, not bad, but no great shakes. BD's short par 4 is blind from the tee and moves deceptively hard right to a green set below the fairway...awkward hole indeed. N&P is still groping around for form with a very so-so par 4. Broadstone's 4th swings right and is a better effort than the opening three holes, but still nothing to speak of.
1 SKIN TO BEAU DESERT
#5. BD's par 4 swinging downhill and left then uphill is excellent. C's long par 4 is very good as well, but lacking the character of BD's effort. N&P comes alive with a cool green for its par 4. Broadstone continues to improve withs its short 4. I can't pick a winner between BD and N&P. NO BLOOD.
Broadstone
#6. BD's modest par 4 plays straight downhill to a very tricky canted green. C's par 4 is rather dull despite a very good green. N&P's par 4 plays awkwardly around OOB left then to a pulpit green which is very cool. Broadstone's uphill short hole is good, but no match for N&P.
1 SKIN TO NARIN & PORTNOO
#7. N&P's knob to knob par 3 requires sharp flight control. Far less dramatic, but perhaps more fun, BD's redan-like par 3 is comfortably the better design. C's par 4 isn't really in the conversation. Broadstone well and truly turns up with a magnificent hole. Semi-blind over a brow then the second must carry a deep dip. The green isn't what it should be, but this is a terrific hole.
1 SKIN TO BROADSTONE
#8. BD's tight legger left is saved to some degree by a good green. N&P's short and sharply downhill par 4 is the thing of dreams...a very fine hole. Cavendish gives a good offering as does Broadstone's short hole, but N&P wins the day by some margin.
1 SKIN TO NARIN & PORTNOO
#9. N&P comes right back with another rollicking hole. Playing over an abrupt crest to a green set well below...this is awesome stuff. BD's 9th is a great short par 4 which is ever so tempting to have a go at. The green too is excellent!. C's par 3 is a bit of a dog's dinner visually, but the hole ain't bad. Broadstone doesn't feature. I have to go with the raw golf here...
1 SKIN TO NARIN & PORTNOO
#10. N&P's par 5 swinging right and diving to a green squeezed by dunes is very good stuff. BD's 10th is a crafty short hole which produces far more bogies than the card suggests it should. Broadstone's uphill par4 is a good. C's awesome 10th, however, is All-England and takes the prize....as it has done for several matches now.
1 SKIN TO CAVENDISH
#11. C backs up the 10th with another good hole using the same water, though the drive is a bit obscured for such a dangerous shot. N&P's par 3 to the boundary is very good as well, as is BD's longish par 4 with a severely tilted green. Broadstones mangled Redan is good, but no better than the others. This one is too close to call; NO BLOOD.
#12. C's modest par 4 features a killer green running away from play. N&P is in the doldrums with this hole and the next. BD's long par 4 double legs between trees, the sort of hole I usually don't care for. However, I do like that if one can curb the urge to hit driver, its possible to lay-up then play over the trees protecting the second leg. However, Broadstone's par 4 climbs uphill and is a tough bugger. I think BD with its unusual double dogleg takes this one.
1 SKIN TO BEAU DESERT
#13. BD's medium length par 4 plays downhill with the green following suit. C's par 3 is a marvelous take on the Redan playing much more uphill then the orginal. N&P....doldrums. Broadstone shoots back into the picture with an awesome long par 4. The green is set out on a sort of peninsula.
1 SKIN TO BROADSTONE
#14. C's par 5 bending around a wall is a very clever way to make a flat hole interesting. BD's par 4 is superb. The approach is very obscured to a difficult and rather large green. N&P's par 5 moving to the left is good, but a bit tight. Broadstone continues its excellence with a lovely down n' up par 4. Broadstone wins the beauty stakes, but there is nothing between it and C and BD. NO BLOOD.
Broadstone
After 14 holes the match stands at
Beau Desert: 3 Skins- 2, 4 & 12
Cavendish: 2 skins - 3 & 10
Narin & Portnoo: 3 skins - 6, 8 & 9
Broadstone: 2 skins - 7 & 13
No blood: 1, 5, 11 & 14
Ciao