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How to beat the world No.2
On taking down Steve Stricker and trying to tame the Blue Monster
AS I mentioned in my first column the last time I enjoyed some competitive matchplay action was in the Home Internationals about three years ago.
So to go head to head with the world No 2, and No 1 seed Steve Stricker, in my first World Golf Championship event, was a real sign of some decent progress.
Two down after three wasn’t exactly the ideal start but I managed to settle myself down nicely and five birdies in eight holes is always going to give yourself a chance no matter who you are up against.
The last time I was involved in extra holes Peter Baker beat me in a Challenge Tour event in France three years ago, this time, though, I managed to roll in a nice little 30-footer to reach the second round.
Everyone knows Steve is one of the nice guys, and we had a couple of chats on the tees of the short par 4s, but matchplay is quite an internal battle so you tend not to say too much.
The conversations the following day were a bit on the short side as I was up against the youngest player in the field, 18-year-old Ryo Ishikawa, who doesn’t yet speak too much English.
One thing that it is impossible not to notice when playing with Ryo is the amount of photographers that follow him round.
One thing that it is impossible not to notice when playing with Ryo is the amount of photographers that follow him round. The first few holes there were something like 30 just following our match and it was quite difficult to stay focused as once he had hit his shot they would be walking around all over the place.
He is a bit like Rory McIlroy in some ways in that he gives every shot 100 per cent and the course suited his game as he hits the ball a long way through the air and, in the end, he holed a couple more putts than I did.
I managed to get him back to one with four holes to play but that was as close as I got and we shook hands after both parring the 18th.
I tried to Monday qualify for the Honda Classic but didn’t manage to bag one of the four spots available and then spent my time down at West Palm Beach, which included a round at Seminole with Charl Schwartzel.
This was another great course and Charl took most of the money so it was no surprise to see him go so close at the second WGC event of the year, the CA Championship over the Blue Monster at Doral.
It turned out to be a great week for the ISM team, with Ernie winning and Charl finishing second, and there were plenty of encouraging signs for me.
I managed to improve with every round and ended the week in a tie for 30th and leading the Greens in Regulations stats which was satisfying given the difficulty of the course and quality of the field.
I struggled a bit on the grainy greens, which is part of the reason two South Africans did so well but, having had to change my driver, three wood, putter and the harder Callaway ball on the Tuesday to help tackle the course it was all positive.
It is not every week that you get to play with the likes of Matt Kuchar, Anders Hansen, Kenny Perry and Scott Verplank and playing the weekend with the latter pair probably had a lot to do with my best rounds.
Both are particularly good company and even tempered, which always helps me, and you can only learn from players with so much experience.
Everyone talks about the famous 18th and I got to see both sides of it. On the weekend it was probably the easiest hole on the course but, playing into the wind the first two days, I couldn’t get up with my best driver and hybrid.
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