Defending champion Graeme McDowell breezed to victory in his opening round match against Frenchman Alexander Levy in the 2014 Volvo World Match-Play Championship at the London Club in Kent, England.
McDowell, who is competing for a first time since being a member of the victorious European Ryder Cup team, had raced to be 2up after five holes, 3up through seven holes and 4up after 10 holes before closing out his encounter 4 & 3 against last week’s Portugal Masters winner.
“The key to the match was holing a putt at the 15th as Alex had won 13 to get back to 3 down, so that was crucial on 15 to keep that 3up cushion with three holes to go, so it was nice to get the job down on 16,” said McDowell.
Graeme McDowell shows his delight in winning his opening round match. (Photo – David Lloyd/www.golffile.ie)
“There is no easy matches out here as we always say that in match-play as there is 16 quality players here this week, and especially being up against a guy coming off a victory last week as he is a really good young player and I am happy to get the victory.
“Historically in this event the last couple of years I have been getting off to slow starts and you don’t want to put yourself in the hole against good players, so a good start for me was key as he had missed a 15-footer on two and I made a great par save at three to hang in there.
“Then I got going with the putter and was able to build a winning lead.”
Fellow Gleneagles winning colleague Henrik Stenson of Sweden was left surprised when South African George Coetzee birdied the last to square their match.
World No. 5 Stenson, and the highest ranked player in the 16-man field, had been 1 down after five holes against his World No. 89 ranked opponent before levelling with a birdie at the sixth hole.
The match then fluctuated over the next six holes before Stenson broke the deadlock with a 14th hole birdie to go 1 up but only to see Coetzee level their encounter at the last.
French-born Ryder Cup star Victor Dubuisson was never behind in his match with Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal moving to 3up after nine holes and despite losing the 10th, Dubuisson sealed a 3 & 2 success.
The PGA Tour based pair of Sweden’s Jonas Blixt and American Patrick Reed were all square through five holes before Blixt went ahead with a birdie at seven and from there on was never headed closing out the match 2 & 1.
England’s Paul Casey handed a Ryder Cup winning hero Jamie Donaldson of Wales a big shock in winning their match 2 & 1.
Casey was always in front of Donaldson, who late last month delivered Europe victory with his second shot into the 15th green at Gleneagles.
However Donaldson was no match for Casey, a former World Match-Play winner.
And Ireland’s Shane Lowry continues to impress taking out Scotland-born Ryder Cup star Stephen Gallacher 3 & 2.
The double Tour winning Lowry went to the front with a birdie at the first and then 2up after fives holes ahead of sealing victory on the 16th
The leading player from each of the four groups at the end of the three round robin matches on Friday with move through to the quarter-finals on Saturday with the final on Sunday.
In other matches:-
Hollands Joost Luiten defeated Finland’s Mikko Ilonen – 1 hole
Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee defeated Italy’s Francesco Molinari – 2 holes
