Match play epics down the years
Gary Player vs. Tony Lema
The semi-final of the 1965 World Match Play Championship pitted reigning US Open champion Gary Player against 1964 Open winner Tony Lema at Wentworth that turned out to be an epic battle between two heavyweights.
Lema was seven up after 19 holes but Player was far from done. The South African clawed his way back to draw level on the final hole, then birdied the first extra hole to complete one of the most remarkable comebacks in Match Play history.
Player said: “In retrospect, you put yourself in his position and I was very sorry for him. You’ve got to have sympathy. But I was there to win. The only time I have doubts is when I shake hands and I’ve lost.”
Paul Casey vs. Shaun Micheel
The winner of the 2006 World Match Play Championship was never in doubt. Clad in a Tiger-like red Nike top and black trousers, Paul Casey stormed round Wentworth to claim a record-breaking 10&8 victory over American Shaun Micheel.
The tournament record margin victory netted Casey a tidy £1 million in prize money. Micheel’s consolation came in the form of knocking out then world No. 1 Tiger Woods in the first round.
Scott Verplank vs. Lee Westwood
Leading by two points with two holes left to play, Scott Verplank was made to wait for his first-round 2006 WGC-Match Play Championship victory over Lee Westwood.
Westy pulled the contest level and it would take until the eighth extra hole for Verplank to finally see off the former world No. 1.
The 26 holes tied Verplank and Westwood for the tournament record longest match with Mike Weir and Loren Roberts, who battled for 26 holes in the first round in 2003 before Weir got over the line.
Quick 9 continues on the next page where we learn you don’t sledge Tiger Woods before you play him…
Tom Irwin
Tom is a lifetime golfer, now over 30 years playing the game. 2023 marks 10 years in golf publishing and he is still holding down a + handicap at Alwoodley in Leeds. He has played over 600 golf courses, and has been a member of at least four including his first love Louth, in Lincolnshire. Tom likes unbranded clothing, natural fibres, and pencil bags. Seacroft in Lincolnshire is where it starts and ends.
