Accenture Match Play - A welcome Format Change

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I think everyone who watches golf prefers match play. This is true whether on TV or live. This does not include the corporate entertainment fans, which really barely watch the golf anyway. The TV networks do not. There are several problems including time allocation, less certainty as to ending on a high point, and only two players left for days broadcast.

[Garland Bayley]

Here's my proposal

Round of 64, losers get nothing

Round of 32 losers can apply for expenses, capped at a reasonable amount.

Round of 16 losers get $5000

Round of 8 losers get $10000

Round of 4 losers get $20000

Championship match, loser gets $40000
Consolation match winner gets $20000

Champion gets all the rest. That would be about $8,000,000

Do you think we would have a chokefest on Sunday?

[Paul Stephenson]

Why?  The average household makes around $50K, so it sounds like a lot, but its nothing to these guys.  $50K to them is less than the greens fees for Pebble is to a guy making that average income.  Those top five pros would need to play for a few million of their own money before it might actually hurt them to write the check, and even then a good month on tour will make up for it.  Hell, if the money is an entry fee they'd be able to deduct it from their other winnings so it hurts even less!

But whatever the cost of entry, and however much some might like to see it, why would they be willing to do it, assuming there is a tournament elsewhere in the world that week where at worst the entry fee is the cost of a plane ticket and hotel room?

Honestly, I think these guys would claw and scratch to take $100 out of each others' pockets.  They wouldn't fly around the world to do it, but if the event could be set up in this manner I think it would be great.

I agree with you, they wouldn't be willing to do it.  I'm only talking about what would make it more interesting to me, not what is actually feasible.

If you could work in presses then you'd have me.  Imagine hearing "press" through those microphones set on every tee?  The player's reaction and Johnny's ability to talk money would be worth watching no matter who the two guys playing were.  Feherty and CBS would be even better.

With many of the "names" already out NBC must be disappointed.

[cary lichtenstein]

Will anyone be watching it this weekend with all the top 10's already out?

[John Shimony]

I will watch if the top 10 are out.  I don't think Fowler is top 10 and he played some amazing golf.  I remember watching Schwartzl play in the Euro tour match play a few years ago and it was great match play.  Can't stand watching JB's stutter steppin' and jerky preshot and he takes forrrreeeeeeever to play a shot.  I may bale on that match.  But I love the format.  Way the game was meant to be played.

[David_Tepper]

I would love to see Rickie Fowler play Matteo Mannasero.

[Tim Pitner]

The tournament could be very interesting over the next few days.  Kaymer and McDowell won majors last year, Ogilvy is very good on this course and in this format and many young players are playing very well, including several Americans.  The one drawback is Holmes--he's impossible to watch. 

The "name" players are not necessarily the best players--there is definitely a changing of the guard going on now. 

[Dan Kelly]

The one drawback is Holmes--he's impossible to watch. 

We're headed for a Holmes-and-Watson match in the quarters.

Maybe we could sic the Hound of the Baskervilles on Holmes, to get him moving.

[jeffwarne]

If I hear one more announcer say "little muffin"......

Good event to watch so far

The course must not be very memorable to Bubba....(if you saw the interview)

[Phil Benedict]

Match play is so weird!  Ben Crane loses 7/6 a day after winning 8/7, beating a young phenom one day and losing the next day to a guy in his 40's with a poneytail and a pot belly.

[Rick Shefchik]

The one drawback is Holmes--he's impossible to watch. 

We're headed for a Holmes-and-Watson match in the quarters.

Maybe we could sic the Hound of the Baskervilles on Holmes, to get him moving.

I ended up actively rooting against Zach Johnson in his match against Justin Rose. Just excruciatingly slow -- the new poster boy for what's wrong with professional golf. And I used to like him, being a normal guy from Iowa and all. But hit the damn ball.