Organisers are continually trying to expand the Volvo World Matchplay and this week’s tournament near Marbella sees the field increased from 16 to 24 players. At one time, principally when it was staged at Wentworth in the autumn, the World Matchplay had only eight players competing in a straight knockout format over three days. Nowadays, however, the field is split into eight groups of three who play each other in a round-robin with the two players returning the best results going forward to the knockout stages at the weekend. I can understand the thinking behind it. Bigger is better and the course will gain more revenue from four days of action than three. But I can’t be the only one who thinks this format has diluted the importance, if not the value, of the event. It now seems to be less a test of matchplay expertise and more a trial of endurance but that hasn’t put off most of those invited from taking part, including most of the Europeans who currently dominate the world rankings.
Lee Westwood and Luke Donald, the current world numbers one and two, unsuprisingly head the betting with both available at a general 7/1. The Englishmen are both in good form with Westwood having won back-to-back tournaments in the Far East last month. He skipped last week’s Players Championship (where Donald finished fourth) to prepare for this event but it’s a worry that he failed to escape the group stages at the Finca Cortesin when last staged two years ago. Westwood hasn’t been any favours by the draw again this year with the in-form Aaron Baddeley in his group. Though actually born in New Hampshire, Baddeley is an Aussie to the core having lived there since he was two and he looks to have the perfect profile for an event of this nature. Gritty, an excellent putter and someone who isn’t afraid to try the unexpected, the Melbourne-based six-footer ended a four-year wait for a third US PGA Tour win when successful at the Northern Trust Open in California in February and has consistently managed top 20 places since, including when sixth in the Players Championship . At Betfred‘s 22/1 he makes plenty of appeal in Spain.
Ross Fisher did this column a huge favour at Finca Coretsin in 2009 and bookmakers have again largely ignored the 30-year-old’s chances this year, with Betfred, Stan James and totesport all putting up 28/1. Fellow Ryder Cup star Miguel Angel Jimenez is 35/1 with Betfred and fancied to emerge unscathed from a group also featuring Charles Schwartzel (a general 14/1) and Johan Edfors (100/1 with Skybet and extrabet). He looks the pick of the ‘home team’ and, in this form of the game, makes more appeal at the odds than Rory McIlroy (9/1 with Skybet and extrabet) and Martin Kaymer (9/1 with totesport). But Baddeley could just be the value this week.
