Previews

Casey aims for second title

Author: John Harris
Date: 29/10/2009
Golf betting

The 2009 Volvo World Match Play Championship gets underway this week with top seed Paul Casey taking on Australian Scott Strange in the opener at Finca Cortesin Golf Club in Spain.

England's Casey won the event in 2006 and is currently the world number four while Strange sits in 168th place.

The competition has had a format shake-up and the field has been split into four sections for the group stage.

This is the 45th edition of the World Match Play Championship and is being played in Spain for the first time in its history since its move from Wentworth near London.

Can Paul Casey win his second World Match Play Championship this week? - Latest Golf Betting

The last event was played in 2007 when South Africa's Ernie Els overcame Argentina's Angel Cabrera, who returns to play at the Malaga course.

Els remains the only man to have won the competition on three consecutive occasions between 2002 and 2004 and has won the event no fewer than seven times.

The total prize pot this year will be 3,250,000 euros with 750,000 euros to be awarded to the winner. It is also an official money event on the European Tour.

Casey and Strange will play alongside Retief Goosen and Anthony Kim.

Sergio Garcia will head Group B where he will be joined by Martin Kaymer, Robert Allenby and Oliver Wilson.

Henrik Stenson, ranked seven in the world, plays against youngster Rory McIlroy, Angel Cabrera and Simon Dyson.

The final group consists of online favourite to win the competition, Lee Westwood, Camilo Villegas, Ross Fisher and Jeev Milkha Singh.

On Thursday the players face two of their rivals before finishing the group stage with their third clash on Friday.

The winners of each group will enter the semi-finals on Saturday when they play their opponent over 36 holes.

Sunday sees the competition come to a close and, again, the last men standing will shoot 36 holes to determine who walks away with the bumper pay cheque.

The tournament was founded by sports agent Mark McCormack and was first held in 1964 when Arnold Palmer was victorious.

South African Gary Player and Spaniard Seve Ballesteros each won the competition on five occasions during their playing days.

Ballesteros holds the record for the most successive appearances, competing 19 times between 1976-1994.

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