DID YOU KNOW – WGC – ACCENTURE MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
• Luke Donald is trying to follow in the footsteps of Tiger Woods (2003-04) and become only the second player to make a successful defence of the WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship.
• There are 14 different nations represented in the WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship in 2012.
• There will be 31 European Tour Members competing at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club in 2012. Five of the 31 will be making their debut in the Championship. They are: Rafael Cabrera-Bello, George Coetzee, Nicolas Colsaerts, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño, and Robert Rock. Of these five, Cabrera-Bello and Coetzee are making their first appearance in any WGC event.
• Retief Goosen will make history at the WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship, by playing in the event for the 13th time. This is a record for any player in the tournament. The only year the South African did not compete was in the very first year, back in 1999.
• History will also be equalled in Arizona by Ernie Els and Lee Westwood. Both of these players will be taking part in their 39th career WGC event. This matches the record of Padraig Harrington.
• Matteo Manassero will be the youngest player to appear in the WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship, for the second year running. This year he will be aged 18 years and 309 days. The oldest player in the 64-man field will be Miguel Angel Jiménez, aged 48 years and 48 days. Should he win he would be become the oldest winner in European Tour history.
