With the starting line-up for the Accenture Matchplay Championship dropping from 64th in the world rankings to 105th, there were a number of players who had to unexpectedly alter their location for their New Year's celebrations. If you were to say to most players five years ago that they would be competing for a guaranteed $25,000 last place to the ultimate reward of $1 million, that is what they would consider as an ideal scenario. It would appear that this sort of cash is not enough incentive for many in the year 2001 - unless the venue is in the US. In fact, a large number of caddies did not travel, even though their man was playing. It's not only the players who can be accused of complacency or financial security. The appeal of the world event, combined with a family-unfriendly date, is dwindling already, and it's only in an embryonic state. The aim of challenging the Majors for their revered status on the calendar has not been attained; in fact, they have moved even further away from their goal with the recent exodus of top players from both Melbourne and the Valderrama event last year. The "lesser" players are extremely grateful to the choice of date and general apathy on behalf of the top cats, resulting in their chance to play for some of the "big cheese". Philip Price's inclusion and eventual top finish in the Akron event last year has sealed his place in these events with even average play over the coming year. Some more players from the "average" category in the world set themselves up here in Melbourne for a change in playing status in the future. Nick O'Hern and Toru Taniguchi have at least presented themselves in the American TV rooms, even if it was in the middle of the night. There was a definite feel of while the cats are away the mice will play here at the Metropolitan Club. Not that Justin Leonard is in any way a mouse, but he felt the trip was worth while: "It gives you a good chance to get a good start ahead of everyone else to the year."

It was a difficult decision for the two Irish players in the original field to travel through the New Year period. Padraig Harrington would not have made the journey without his wife Caroline. Paul McGinley was feeling homesick on New Year's Eve. Paul's caddie, J P Fitzgerald, was straight out of hospital and onto a plane for the gruelling journey to the other side of the world, recovering from a bout of kidney stones.

Paul's defeat in the first round left them both wondering why they bothered as they headed for the airport on Wednesday evening and their journey back, just as they were acclimatising to the 11-hour time change and 30-degree temperature rise. The caddies' quarters were up to the standard that those of us who have been to these events in the past have come to expect. We had a separate, airconditioned room with complimentary hot breakfast and lunch served every day. There was a lounge area with a well-stocked fridge.

There were some problems with no access to the lockerroom. A rule that is enforced by the American officials, it does not sit easily with those present from other tours where we normally have access.

The problem is one of routines. The European players are used to their caddies preparing the bag for the day's play. The American rule means that the player has to do the caddie's job, something that they obviously don't adapt to quickly. So a check list had to be made before heading for the range every day to ensure that we had enough balls to complete the round. There does seem to be a problem of overlapping officialdom. Just whose rules does the WGC events observe? Some of us caddies asked at the Rules office if we were allowed to walk the course and check the pins before the first round. The answers varied depending on the nationality of the official. I finally asked Trevor Herden, the Australian director of tour operations, who replied that, yes, I could check the pins, if I did so quickly. A compromised if somewhat unclear reply. Those who made the trip to the heart of the Melbourne sand belt, the most intense concentration of excellent golf courses in the world, were not disappointed with the standard and condition of the Metropolitan club. A strategic course, which places high demands on accuracy off the tee and dexterity around the greens, was in prime condition. Steve Stricker, the American who was 195th on the driving accuracy statistics in the US last year, 175th on the greens in regulation stats but sixth on the putting figures, brought his form into the New Year. He chipped and putted his way to victory at Metropolitan last week. Tony Roosenberg, the championship director, put some spin on a dull event by explaining that the matchplay had the 13th-best field in the last 200 tournaments. I assume he was including Sunday fourballs in his list of prestigious events. Great course, wrong time, wrong trophy.