Rahm reckons straight knockout was better
JON RAHM believes reverting to a straight knockout format would make the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play a more “thrilling” event.
The 64-man field at Austin Country Club is split into 16 groups of four, with only the group winners advancing to the knockout stages at the weekend.
The group stage was introduced in 2015 and ensured star players would be in action for at least three days rather than potentially crashing out on Wednesday morning.
However, Rahm is in favour of the tournament’s original format and believes it would be unfair if his group rivals were gifted victories if he has to withdraw to attend the birth of his first child.
“I like the sudden-death format,” Rahm, who lost to Dustin Johnson in the 2017 final, said.
“I understand it’s a little bit harder for the sponsors and TV because your best guys might be gone, but I think it’s more thrilling. You’re competing for your life every single event. Well, not your life, but it’s a little different.
“Imagine I beat Sebastian [Munoz] tomorrow then I have to leave. I guarantee wins for the other two players. That’s just not fair, and it’s happened before.
“In this format I guess you can
have one bad day and still somehow make it through, right? So I think it defeats the purpose of match play a little bit.”
Elsewhere, South Africa’s Justin Harding made a brilliant start in his bid for backto-back victories on the same course with an opening 64 in the Kenya Savannah Classic.
Harding, who won the Magical Kenya Open at Karen Country Club on Sunday, carded eight birdies and a single bogey to share the lead with Alejandro Canizares, Joost Luiten and Clement Sordet on seven under par.
“We are playing the same golf course so my strategy stays the same, front foot forward and see if we can keep doing what we were doing last week,” Harding said.
The Austrian Golf Open has also been added to the European Tour schedule to fill the gap left by the postponement of the Portugal Masters.
Meanwhile, The R&A is optimistic it will be able to admit fans for this summer’s AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie.
Chief executive Martin Slumbers said the organisation was “greatly encouraged” the public would be allowed in for the event in August. The Women’s Open, won by Germany’s Sophia Popov, was the only major sporting event to be played in Scotland last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.