There has been a fair amount of debate about the new round robin format vs the straight traditional knock out format at this Dell Match Play.
In the round-robin format, all of the players still have a chance to advance from their groups and reach the knockout stage. A year ago, only three players who lost in the first round managed to reach the round of 16. It might be easier this year because there are halves during group play.
I am in favour of the round robin format. Granted there would be more sensational news to report today if Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler etal were one and done, but isn't it better to be able to watch them again today and tomorrow to see if they can make the sweet sixteen on Saturday morning ?
Don't forget how dreadfully anti-climatic those Jeff Maggert vs Andrew Magee, Steve Stricker vs Pierre Fulke, or Kevin Sutherland vs Scott McCarron finals were under the old format.
Day 1 was the first look many have had at the windy Austin CC and I was impressed. They have reversed the completely different style of nines for the professionals but either way it has the elements that are great for match play, including driveable par 4's.
Sadly the lead story from Day 1 is in fact Jason Day and the state of his back. He was favouring it on the 15th hole, then it really hurt him after his tee shot on the 16th hole which forced him to his knee on the green after he had beat Graeme McDowell, 3 and 2.
He headed straight for the fitness trailer for treatment, and this morning his crew says he had therapy and is expected to play today. Everyone with a bad back knows it can flare up with the slightest wrong move, so we will have to wait and see.
Some notable results: Jordan Spieth, didn't disappoint the day's largest crowd, going 4 up through seven holes to beat Jamie Donaldson, 3 and 2 in a Ryder Cup flavoured match.
Rory McIlroy never led until he won the 18th hole with a par after Thorbjorn Olesen missed a 3-foot putt on the 16th, and with the match all square, shanked a chip on the 18th to hand McIlroy the match.
Rickie Fowler, (No.5), rallied from 3 down on the back nine to square his match on the 15th hole, but his pal Jason Dufner birdied the next two holes to win 2 and 1.
Dustin Johnson (No. 8) lost to Robert Streb, Hideki Matsuyama (No. 12) lost to Rafa Cabrera-Bello.
Adam Scott (No. 6), had a halve with Thomas Pieters of Belgium. Players and caddies wore black ribbons in their caps to honor the victim of Tuesday’s bombings in Brussels.
Bubba Watson (No. 4) halved his match with PGA Tour rookie Patton Kizzire.
Phil Mickelson built a big lead and Matthew Fitzpatrick couldn’t catch him losing 5 and 4 while the smiling assassin Matt Kuchar had a 6-and-5 victory over Anirban Lahiri, fresh off his runner-up finish in India.
The field will face the gusty wind blowing from the opposite direction today (from the north) if the weatherman is right just to add to the equation....... anything is better than this ice storm that is hammering southern Ontario today !!
Bryan Angus
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