There is no great secret to the dark arts of matchplay golf, other than to be the last man standing; and, as world number one Jon Rahm observed ahead of this latest edition of the WGC-Dell Technologies Matchplay Championship in Austin, Texas:
“One swing can change it all, and it can happen. You don’need to play perfect. You don’t need to do anything special, you just need to play golf and beat the man in front of you. If you just keep that mindset of being aggressive and fighting for every shot, you should probably do fine.”
Rahm’s last taste of matchplay fare came when he was part of a European team on the wrong end of a spanking from the USA at the Ryder Cup.
Indeed, no fewer than 10 members of that European team are in action – Rahm joined by Shane Lowry, Viktor Hovland, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Paul Casey, Matt Fitzpatrick, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter.
The two not playing are Rory McIlroy, who opted to skip it for scheduling reasons in building up to the Masters, and Bernd Wiesberger.
For Rahm and his nine team-mates from that heavy loss, it will be a case of moving on. This time, it’s not about letting anyone else down; it’s all about doing it for yourself, of being selfish, and – in this format of round-robin offering perhaps second chances – achieving the first aim of successfully escaping the group stage to progress to the knockout phase.
As if to underscore that there are no easy groups, Rahm’s bracket includes Patrick Reed – the so-called Captain America of past Ryder Cups – whilst his first opponent will be Sebastian Munoz with the in-form Cameron Young also lying in wait.
Perhaps that Rahm-Reed duel will bring something of a Ryder Cup edge? Who knows.
As Rahm put it: “We all know what Patrick Reed can do. We all know how he plays in matchplay and how well he can do . . . . like every group, it’ll be a difficult one. You’ve got to play good golf, I’m excited about it.
“I think he [Reed] is one to be aware of just because we all know how good his short game can be. He’s a tough competitor. He’s not going to give it to you easy. But, like that, anyone can show up and have their best day and make you have a hard time.”
Huge shocks
Whilst the change from straight knockout from the start to the round-robin structure has reduced the potential for huge shocks, this year’s edition would appear to be one of strength-in-depth and yet with the potential to show how there are different ways to win at golf.
The head-to-head between Bryson deChambeau and rejuvenated veteran Richard Bland being a case in point.
For Lowry, that Ryder Cup fire from Whistling Straits would be a powerful tool if he could recreate it for his own benefit. The Offaly man gets his bid for further WGC glory off with a match against Harold Varner III,with Brooks Koepka and Erik van Rooyen also lying in wait in that group.
Séamus Power, making his debut in the championship and aiming also to remain inside the world’s top-50 come next Monday, the cut-off for exemption into the Masters, plays Sungjae Im in his opening round match with Patrick Cantlay and Keith Mitchell completing the group.
