DID YOU KNOW – VOLVO MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
• Defending Champion, Nicolas Colsaerts will try and become the first player since Ernie Els to make a successful defence of the title in 2003-04. (The South African also won the event in 2002). Should the Belgian triumph once again he would follow Gary Player (1965-66), Hale Irwin (1974-75), Seve Ballesteros (1981-82, 84-85) and Ernie Els (1994-96, 02-04), as players winning in back-to-back years.
• Of the 2013 competitors, eight have previous experience of playing in the Volvo World Match Play Championship. Nicolas Colaserts, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson, have all played twice previously. Branden Grace, Peter Hanson, Francesco Molinari and Geoff Ogilvy have taken part just the once.
• From the field of 24, there are 15 different nationalities. The countries are: Australia, Belgium, Chile, Denmark, England, Ireland, Italy, Northern Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, USA and Wales. South Africa have the most competitors with four.
• There are two winners of the event competing. They are: Ian Poulter (2011) and Nicolas Colaserts (2012).
• Brett Rumford will be looking to continue his winning streak in the Volvo World Match Play Championship, having won the last two events, the Ballantine’s Championship and Volvo China Open. Should he win a third consecutive European Tour tournament, he would be the first to do so since Seve Ballesteros in 1986 when he triumphed in the Irish Open, Monte Carlo and Open de France.
• The Volvo World Match Play Championship will be taking place in Bulgaria. This will be the first time that Bulgaria has hosted a European Tour event and will be the 40th different nation to stage a European Tour event and 67th across all three Tours.
• The 2013 Championship marks 50 years since the inaugural World Match Play Championship, which began back in 1964. In that time no fewer than 18 Major Champions have won the title.
