There have been numerous classic encounters during the 36-year history of the World Match Play, and none more so than the 1998 final between Mark O’Meara and Tiger Woods.
Cisco Systems, who became the new sponsors last year, could not have scripted their first year’s involvement better as O’Meara, then the reigning Masters and Open champion, edged out World No.1 Tiger Woods on the last green of an epic match.
O’Meara, then 41, became the oldest winner of the long-established and highly popular championship which routinely attracts huge crowds to the famous West Course at Wentworth Club.
The American was 26 under par for his six rounds of golf, and came from four down after six holes to beat his close friend, Woods, by one hole. That victory rounded off a superb year for O’Meara, following his Masters and Open successes.
Once again, O’Meara will be present at Wentworth Club this week for the 36th Cisco World Match Play Championship, aiming for a repeat of his 1998 achievement.
Woods is not playing this time around but he paid tribute to his friend by saying: “I will always cherish that match, even though I lost. Mark has to be commended. He played great down the stretch.
“The support from the spectators was awesome and Chris Kennedy and his team did a wonderful job all week with the course.”
Two of the four major champions of 1999 will be in the field. José Maria Olazábal is joined at Wentworth by Paul Lawrie of Scotland, who captured the Open at Carnoustie and made a tremendous debut in the Ryder Cup at The Country Club, is one of six newcomers to the World Match Play.
Another debutant is Sergio Garcia, the teenage Spaniard who finished runner-up to Tiger Woods in the US PGA at Medinah and has captured two titles on the European Tour in the first six months since turning professional.
Also relishing the chance to compete in the Cisco World Match Play are Retief Goosen of South Africa, a polished performer in the Alfred Dunhill Cup over the past three years; Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, Craig Parry of Australia, Paraguay’s Carlos Franco and American Notah Begay III.
Begay III, a former Walker Cup player, became only the second native American to win on the US PGA Tour with his victory in the Reno-Tahoe Open in August. He also hit the headlines by firing a magnificent 59 on the Nike Tour last season.
Ernie Els, champion three times in a row between 1995 and 1997, is back on his old stamping ground –but this time as a local resident. The powerful South African bought a property on the Wentworth Estate earlier in the year and will feel that this week is very much a ‘home fixture’.
Franco has made his name on the American PGA Tour this season by winning twice to confirm his growing reputation as a top class performer, while Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie and Nick Price of Zimbabwe are regular challengers for one of the most prestigious titles of the season.
