The reported end of the World Golf Championships era this year also spells the end of professional match play golf outside of the established team events.
According to Golfweek (opens in new tab), multiple sources have indicated that 2023 will be the last time the WGC Match Play is held at Austin Country Club and perhaps ever, with the renowned PGA Tour stop set to be replaced by the Houston Open from 2024.
There are rumours the PGA Tour intends to keep a match play event on the schedule, but should it not come to fruition, it would represent a massive own-goal by Jay Monahan and the rest of the bigwigs at Sawgrass HQ.
But where one door closes, another opens, and maybe, just maybe, this disappointment could pave the way for something better.
For those who grew up watching European Tour golf, one of the standout highlights every year was the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth. Founded in 1964, it was essentially an exhibition event until 2004, but that didn’t make it any less prestigious or well-loved by fans and players alike.
In fact, if anything it added to the allure. An allure that included listening to the late, great Peter Alliss in full pomp and watching golfing legends compete against each other in the purest form of the game.
Arnold Palmer at the 1964 Piccadilly World Match Play Championship
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Arnold Palmer, so often golf’s pioneer in the 20th century, captured the inaugural title to start a roll of honour that would rival any great championship. ‘The King’ won it twice but as the decades passed, the exploits of some of the European Tour’s finest exports would come to define ‘the match play’.
Sandy Lyle’s prowess with a one-iron was on full display in the ’80s as the Scot powered his way to five finals. The West Course was also the scene of the famous fruit cake incident between Seve Ballesteros and Nick Price in 1991, the Spaniard’s choking fit at the top of his opponent’s swing one of many tales that lives on as part of his legacy. That year was the last of Ballesteros’ five triumphs, placing him two behind Ernie Els in the all-time standings.
But it wasn’t just the greats of the Old World circuit that featured. Over the years, there was a strong international presence that included a host of big-name PGA Tour players who journeyed over to test their mettle in one-on-one combat on away soil.
Tiger Woods even made two appearances, losing to his good friend Mark O’Meara at the 36th hole in the 1998 final…
..
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Golf Monthly RSS Feed…