GOLF/World Matchplay Championship: They say that this is a tournament that television could grow to hate. Last year the big names stayed away. This year they were blown away. Attendences are low. Viewing figures are poor. Which is a pity because the drama never stops.
Take Olazabal versus Goosen yesterday, a classic in the match- play model, an extravaganza of good putting, a contest between the Spaniard's patient excellence and the South African's mercurial confidence.
If these mischievous whispers about the Ryder Cup teams being expanded this autumn turn to a clamour one man will be largely to blame. Jose Maria Olazabal is on such a streak of form lately that a European team playing without him would be like Hamlet without the dithery guy.
Just ask an innocent bystander. On Wednesday when told that the top three seeds had been blown out of La Costa, the reaction of Retief Goosen was characteristic. He shrugged. Sure he's a buttoned down South African and not a gesticulating Italian but he was also facing Olazabal in the second round. It must have been like hearing that you have been granted planning permission on the same day that a hurricane is due to tear through your house.
Yet after a disastrous strart Goosen battened down the hatches and took everything the Spaniard could throw at him. On Wednesday Olazabal came through a potentially tricky reunion with his old Ryder Cup nemesis Justin Leonard playing, by his own estimate so poorly on the opening half dozen holes that he was too embarrassed to speak. Fortunately Leonard was equally dumbstruck by his own form. Yesterday Olazabal had the early bragging rights and by the time he sunk a comfortable four-foot putt on the sixth green, the match seemed to be over. Onto the par three seven and Olazabal was on the fringe with a imperfect tee shot. Goosen was more wayward, however. Seven played. five up.
Their game grew into a thing of wonder after that. Olazabal's five- hole lead shrank and shrank through no fault of his own. The Spaniard found himself all square going up the 18th as Goosen, the seventh seed, birdied six out of the next 10 holes.
Goosen has been on a streak since the US Open last summer but Olazabal has two tournaments and almost a million dollars under his belt already this year. He won the Hong Kong Open and the Buick Invitational, took a second in the Asian Open a fifth at Pebble Beach three weeks ago and a ninth last week in LA. He heard the ominous trundle of Goosen's great comeback and then turned it away with a stroke of wonderful drama, sinking a 20-footer on the 18th for a match-winning birdie.
Howls of grief went up from the TV tent as even more top seeds fell. Tom Lehman came back from three down at the turn to defeat Ernie Els on the 19th. "Just found my groove a little late" said Lehman casually
David Love III (eighth seed) had a dozy start to the day, going four down after five holes to Paul Azinger. The pair then traded holes for a while as Azinger held his advantage. And then on the par five 12th, a decent birdie brought Love back to three holes down. Even still only an optimist would have bet against Azinger who had covered the first 14 with six bridies and eight pars. On 15 and 16 Azinger lost his way. One hole in it. Love sensed something salvageable but the number eight seed hadn't brought enough game with which to punish Azinger. When the latter dribbled his second shot right at 17 and into the rocks guarding the lake, he recovered well for a half to be dormie one. On 18, both men missed the green with second shots but Love's miss was the more extravagent. Another top 10 seed lost in the dust.
Tenth seed Chris di Marco was shown the door by Mark Calcavechia and seconds later Niclas Fasth holed a 10- foot putt on 16 to close out a 3 and 2 win over ninth seeded Vijay Singh.
Teleland was left fretting over the well-being of Sergio Garcia ranked four, the highest surviving seed. Being watched, to the delight of gossip mavens by Martina Hingis, the Spaniard began with two birdies each purchased with difficult putts but was seemingly unable to shake the flinty resistance of young Charles Howell III , who made his match play debut on Wednesday.
Watching Garcia waggle his club head two dozen times before each shot allows a man plenty of room for personal growth apparently. Howell was getting better as he went.
