Defending champion Ian Woosnam, reigning Open Champion Ernie Els, 2001 US Open Champion Retief Goosen and two-time winner in 2002, Justin Rose, are all included in a strong international field for this year’s Cisco World Match Play Championship at Wentworth Club from 17-20 October.
No fewer than five out of the top ten in the current Official World Golf Ranking will play at the popular Surrey venue for the 39th playing of the autumn classic over the famous West Course.
Woosnam, who last year became the oldest champion in the event’s history, will face stern opposition in his bid to retain the title, including the man he beat in last year’s superb final, Ireland’s Padraig Harrington.
Els, who captured the Open Championship at Muirfield in July, won an unprecedented hat-trick of titles between 1994 and 1996. Nowadays, the Cisco World Match Play Championship represents a ‘home fixture’ for the South African as he lives on the Wentworth Estate.
Goosen, the 2001 Volvo Order of Merit winner, will hope to improve on last year when he lost in the first round to Woosnam, who subsequently went on to become the oldest winner and the first player to win in three separate decades.
Rose, winner of the dunhill championship and the Victor Chandler British Masters and two other titles worldwide this season, makes his debut in the event along with Canadian left-hander, Mike Weir.
Three past champions are in the field – Nick Faldo (1989 and 1992), Colin Montgomerie (1999) and Vijay Singh (1997) while Michael Campbell of New Zealand and Spain’s Sergio Garcia will be trying to win the title for the first time.
The final player in the 12 man line-up will be announced shortly. The prize fund is once again £1 million with £250,000 going to the winner.
