The draw of the Volvo World Match Play Championship promises strong emotions at Finca Cortesín. The draw for the groups of the first round of the Volvo World Match Play Championship ensures a great show this week at Finca Cortesin. Sergio Garcia will have to face Alvaro Quiros and Tetsuji Hiratsuka, while Rafa Cabrera-Bello will face Martin Kaymer, winner of the 2010 PGA Championship, and Richard Finch. The 24 participants were divided into eight groups of three players each. The top 16 by world ranking have avoided the draw and have been paired by joining the best placed with the worst and so on. The third player was chosen by draw in a ceremony attended by Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Robert Karlsson together with Antonia Morera, Mayoress of Casares; Vicente Rubio, General Manager of Finca Cortesín; Per Ericsson, President and CEO of Volvo Event Management; Guy Kinnings, International General Manager of IMG Golf; Keith Waters, Director of International Relations of the European Tour and José María Zamora, Tournament Director.
Following the draw, the draw for the Volvo World Match Play Championship is as follows:
Severiano Ballesteros Group: Martin Kaymer, Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Richard Finch.
Gary Player Group: Ian Poulter, John Sender and Tom Lewis.
Mark McCormarck Group: Brand Snedeker, Thomas Björn and Branden Grace.
Assar Gabrielsson Group: Justin Rose, Robert Rock and Darren Clarke.
Gustaf Larson Group: Graeme McDowell, Robert Karlsson, Jbe Kruger.
Ian Woosnam Group: Sergio García, Álvaro Quirós and Tetsuji Hiratsuka.
Greg Norman Group: Peter Hanson, Paul Lawrie and Camilo Villegas.
Arnold Palmer Group: Charl Schwartzel, Nicolas Colsaerts, Retief Goosen.
The first phase of the Volvo World Match Play Championship -Thursday and Friday- will be played under the group format. The three players will play against each other and the top two in each group will advance to the round of 16.
Rafa Cabrera-Bello: “The victory in Dubai was a turning point. It’s not that I noticed a substantial change in my game, but I went from 119th to 60th place, which has allowed me to access important tournaments like this one, where I compete with the best.
There is no easy group, all the players have made merits to be here. Martin Kaymer is a good friend and a great player, Finch too. I will try to do my best. At least we will have a Spaniard in the next round, as Sergio and Alvaro are in the same group.
In match-play anything can happen, it is very unpredictable. You can go through the round playing badly, and lose playing well. That’s what makes this modality so attractive. I come with a lot of confidence, this season has been the best, I have won in Dubai and I have been third in Malaysia, and that gives me a lot of security and confidence.
I was very excited to be part of Severiano Ballesteros’ group. If I could have chosen, it would have been this one.
Robert Karlsson: “I think I’m very lucky to be here. I got the invitation on Sunday afternoon and I was delighted to accept, when I had 3 or 4 hours left to catch the plane. I didn’t even have any clothes because I had only brought enough for 6 days in Jacksonville and they are all in the laundry… luckily now my wife is arriving with more. I played a lot in Spain when I was young, practicing with the Swedish national team, long before Finca Cortesin existed. I have always liked Spain and have won here twice, Open Mediterránea in 1995 at El Escorpión and the Open de España in 2001 at El Saler, so I asked Per (Ericsson) to move this tournament to the Valencia area, which is where I am good at!
There is no easy group in this tournament. I had to play against McDowell, who is a specialist, and that’s why they put him in the last match in the Ryder Cup. In match-play he is the player you prefer not to play at the start. With Jbe Kruger I’ve never played, but I know he’s had a great season in South Africa, so it’s going to be very interesting.”
Per Ericsson, President of Volvo Event Management: “This is the 127th tournament sponsored by Volvo, which is a record. We are very pleased to have players from five continents and 13 different countries. Half of the participants compete on the American circuit and we have three great Spanish players and six Grand Prix winners.
The images of the tournament will reach more than 150 countries and it is an excellent opportunity to showcase our products. In fact, this week there will be a special prize on the 10th hole. The player who gets a hole-in-one will win the All New Volvo V40, a car that is not yet on the market and there are only six of them in the world”.
Antonia Morera, Mayoress of Casares: “We are proud to present the Volvo World Match Play Championship, which will be, as in previous editions, a very important economic boost in times of crisis. The championship is an excellent opportunity to promote Casares, declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1978, as well as the Costa del Sol”.
Vicente Rubio, General Manager of Finca Cortesín: “We face this new challenge with enthusiasm and the conviction that both the course and all the facilities will exceed expectations once again. Our hallmark is excellence”.
Keith Waters, Director of International Relations of the European Tour: “We are very grateful to Volvo for so many years of supporting golf. This is the third tournament they have sponsored this season, which is very important in these difficult times. I would also like to thank IMG and Finca Cortesin”.
Guy Kinnings, International General Manager of IMG Golf: “Year after year, the best players in the world have participated in the tournament. This is the first time that we have three Spaniards, so there will be more chances of a victory to follow Seve Ballesteros’ 1991 victory”.
José María Zamora, Tournament Director: “This year we have moved up the tees on holes 10 and 6. They are very long par 3’s and will be played shorter to gain more interesting flag positions”.
Pro-Am with Kovalainen and Manchester City players James Milner and Gareth Barry.
The Pro-Am is being played today with the presence of Finnish Formula 1 driver Heikki Kovalainen, who plays for Retief Goosen’s team (10th tee), and Premier League champions Manchester City players James Milner and Gareth Barry, who will tee off alongside Robert Karlsson (9th tee).
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