Former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen in 24-man shootout in Perth
A golfing revolution in Perth has flung former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen into a 24-man shootout on Sunday for the $290,000 top prize with a South Australian whose last matchplay experience was winning iced coffees from his mates.
No one has a clue who will rise from today’s innovative string of six-hole matchplay knockouts to decide the winner of the first World Super 6 Perth at Lake Karrinyup.
It guarantees a riveting, fast-changing final day as golf searches for a funky format that might draw fresh young eyes and bigger galleries like Twenty20 has done for cricket.
The theatre for Sunday had a perfect scenesetter late on Saturday on the uphill par four 18th when three play-off holes were needed to separate eight players for the final five spots in the 24-man field for the matchplay.
Perth local Brett Rumford (66-65-68) sailed through as top seed with a five-stroke buffer after the three strokeplay rounds but essentially he starts from scratch again today.
The only previous evidence of this format suggests he is in real danger.
Top seed Peter O’Malley was dumped at the first matchplay hurdle at the Surfcoast Knockout played at Torquay in Victoria in 2011 when Scott Laycock, the 32nd and last man into the field, beat him and won the whole thing.
On that history be wary of Thai Phachara Khongwatmai, the gifted 17-year-old who was last man through after edging Kiwi Grant Fox on the final play-off hole.
“I’ve always loved matchplay, it’s always been my thing,” said South Australian leftie Nick Cullen after slipping through in 14th spot.
“It’s probably been eight or nine years since I played it in pennants golf for The Grange but being a South Australian I’d always play my mates from junior days for a few ice coffees.
“Something new like this for golf is a great idea.”
Oosthuizen has grabbed just two birdies from 18 attempts across the three rounds on the six holes to be used for the matchplay but more shots like yesterday’s holed wedge for eagle on the 13th will make him tough to beat.
“Everyone is going to be quite aggressive...it’ll either be a very quick Sunday or a long day,” said Oosthuizen, who has his Presidents Cup experience in matchplay to fortify him.
“Your opponent can start real fast in matchplay so you have to play the first like the last hole.
“We just don’t play a lot of matchplay and if I do it’s just for 20 bucks with mates. It’s more excitement here to see how it all pans out.”
The PGA of Australia and the European Tour deserve great credit for their punt on this format which has an extra sting...a purpose-built new tee block for a 90m tiebreaker hole into the 18th green should any of the matchplay contests be squared.
The par five 506m 11th hole will be shortened by 20m today to give every player the chance to reach it in two as extra spice to the action which Fox Sports will screen live.
Slow-swinging Yeppoon product Adam Blyth hasn’t played competition matchplay for 13 years since he beat a young Victorian named Marc Leishman in the week of Queensland’s victory at the interstate teams amateur series at Royal Queensland.
For Rumford, he wrily suggested he’d just draw on his normal Wednesday fun at Royal Perth where $5 rides on the front nine, $5 on the back and $5 for the match.
“There’ll be ebbs and flows in matchplay and pressure that an opponent’s golf shot will put on you so it will be an interesting battle,” Rumford said after his five back nine birdies on Saturday.
Birdie-makers such as Victorian Lucas Herbert and Western Australian Jason Scrivener, after his fine 66 on Saturday, are right in the hunt too.
SUNDAY’S MATCHPLAY
(Top 8 straight into 2nd Rd of matchplay) 1 Brett Rumford (66-65-68), 2 Jason Scrivener (67-71-66), 2 Austin Connelly (Can) (69-69-66), 2 Louis Oosthuizen (S Af) (69-68-67), 2 Adam Blyth (67-69-68), 2 Lucas Herbert (67-68-69), Steven Jeffress (68-66-70), 8 Jake Higginbottom (69-70-66).
(1st Rd of matchplay) Thomas Detry (Bel) v Adam Bland, Ryan Evans (Eng) v Nick Cullen, Daniel Fox v Johannes Veerman (US), Hideto Tanihara (Jap) v Duncan Stewart (Scot), Pep Angles (Sp) v Wade Ormsby, Casey O’Toole (US) v Matt Millar, Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) v David Bransdon, Sam Brazel v Phachara Khongwatmai (Thai).
TV: Fox Sports (live)
Originally published as Shootout throws up intriguing clash
