The BMW PGA Championship: The flagship event of the European Tour season. Crowds crammed into Wentworth's iconic grounds in sweltering heat like sardines in a sauna. On Saturday I joined them, and here's what happened.

The McIlroy Effect

Many of my fellow sardines appeared only interested in one man. Fortunately for them, the interest was clearly mutual as Rory McIlroy greeted one spectator with a suspected broken arm and another with a bloodied face. Oh, and he managed to catch a marshal with an errant ball for good measure. My decision to follow Francesco Molinari and Kiradech Aphibarnat instead of McIlroy was based more on anticipation of quality golf than a fear of stray golf balls, but it paid off in more ways than one.

With the Northern Irishman in possession of a three-stroke lead at -12 and his nearest competitors a couple of relative unknowns in Sam Horsfield and Sebastian Gros, I can only imagine that the on-screen statistics in the Championship Village of his poor record when leading after 36 holes was designed more to convince people the tournament was still worth watching than to deter people from playing follow the leader. However, that's exactly what it did for me.

Marvellous Molinari

Watching Molinari on Saturday was an absolute treat. Seemingly incapable of putting a foot wrong, the Italian oozed class. He was blissfully unaware of McIlroy's struggles, but continued to track down the World No. 6 with a flawless 66. A wayward approach shot left him with a tricky chip over the water on the 18th, but he executed it to perfection to make par in style. He may have usurped the fan-favourite, but he managed to win those fans over in the process. A deserving winner.

Ryder Cup Ready

Bearing in mind that there was still another round to play in the tournament, as Molinari approached the 18th green on Saturday the crowd was already abuzz with talk of his Ryder Cup ranking. The announcement of Team Europe's vice-captains earlier in the week and the start of the accelerated ranking points (all points earned are now multiplied by 1.5 until Made in Denmark) clearly had people excited, and with newly-appointed vice-captains Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood entering the weekend at -6 and -5 respectively, the crowds were excited. On Saturday, Westwood moved to -8 and T7 with his second round of 69 on the bounce to really get people talking.

Are You Not Entertained?

There are few golf tournaments with the same level of interaction and entertainment for fans. The Championship Village offered a variety of games and experiences, including a 100-foot putt challenge and the chance to win a trip to Seychelles by watching the golf from a bed (don't ask!), and performances from Rudimental and Simple Minds to close out Saturday and Sunday respectively. Combine that with great golf and you have yourself one of the most popular events on the European Tour calendar.

What's in the Bag - Francesco Molinari

Driver: TaylorMade M4

3-Wood: TaylorMade M3

5-Wood: TaylorMade M4

Irons: TaylorMade P790

Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind

Putter: Bettinardi Dass BBZero

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

How time flies! It seems like yesterday I was sat here writing about the 2017 D+D Real Czech Masters kicking off Team Europe's qualification campaign. Now, Thomas BjØrn has his entourage. Robert Karlsson will be joined by Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood as Team Europe Vice-Captains.

Much has been made of the foursome's golfing prowess (two Major champions and two former World Number Ones), but the wealth of Ryder Cup experience (and successful experience, crucially) is what will concern those on the other side of the pond. These are men who know how to win the Ryder Cup. That said, all bar Donald have tasted defeat as part of Team Europe in the past. It may not have been in their minds at the time, but those defeats could very well have helped the cases of Westwood, Harrington and McDowell as BjØrn assessed his options.

On top of the Vice-Captains announcement, the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth this week signals the beginning of the inflated points system. From this week through to August's Made in Denmark, points for European Tour events will be multiplied by 1.5 on the World Points List and the European Points List.

There's plenty of time to go, but there's certainly reason to get excited as BjØrn & Co. prepare Team Europe's attempt to regain the title.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

The European Tour returns to Surrey’s iconic Wentworth Club for the showpiece BMW PGA Championship. Serving as a curtain-raiser for the return of the lucrative Rolex Series, this year’s tournament holds added importance for the field. But that won’t stop them having plenty of fun, with a star-studded Celebrity Pro-Am featuring legends of football, rugby, cricket, television and more as well as plenty of activities for fans in the Championship Village. Perhaps most intriguingly, a BMW i8 Roadster will sit in the grandstand waiting to be awarded to any player who manages an albatross on the West Course’s par-5, 521-yard 18^th; tempting players to go for broke around the water-surrounded green.

Headline Acts

World No. 8 Rory McIlroy and World No. 10 Paul Casey headline this week’s event, with last year’s winner Alex Noren joining Race to Dubai champion Tommy Fleetwood, Branden Grace, Francesco Molinari and Ian Poulter in a mouth-watering field.

The Course

Wentworth Club has been closed for renovation since last year’s tournament, with brand spanking new greens playing a lot faster than in previous years. Twenty-nine bunkers have been removed as part of an attempt to make the course more playable, which should lead to lower scores than previous years.

Favourites

Unsurprisingly Rory McIlroy heads the bookies’ list at 15/2, with Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood, Alex Noren and Branden Grace just behind on 14/1.

Paul Casey’s recent missed cut at the RBC Heritage was his first in over a year. The 2009 champion has only managed one victory in that period, at the 2018 Valspar Championship, but Mr Consistent looks a nailed-on Top 10 finisher. An impressive T7 at THE PLAYERS Championship last time out will have Fleetwood brimming with confidence despite missing the cut here in 2017. Alex Noren hasn’t won since his title here last year, making him a risk at that price. Branden Grace’s T3 at the At&T Byron Nelson last week combines with his outstanding putting ability to give him a chance here.

I think this revamped course will force the best golf out of Rory McIlroy. He has the wow-factor and as other players struggle to come to grips with course changes I can see the superstar emerging to shoot a low score. The accelerated greens will be a test, but one I believe he will overcome.

It’s a tough tournament to call, but they're always the best. We’ll surely be entertained with elite golf, an awesome Pro-Am, live music and all sorts of activities at the European Tour HQ.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

Simpson Steals Sawgrass Show

Nobody would have predicted Webb Simpson strolling to victory at TPC Sawgrass. Well, not until he started Sunday seven strokes clear. Without a win in five years, the American was hardly a frontrunner, but a course record-equalling 63 on Friday, sandwiched between a 66 and 68, left the rest of the field chasing second spot. Whilst we always want to see a tournament of this magnitude go down to the wire, Simpson played three days of beautiful golf (and one day of understandably safe golf). A deserving champion.

Sunday Stories

Despite Simpson's commanding lead, Sunday was no dead rubber. Brooks Kopeka struck just the fourth albatross in PLAYERS history on the par-5 16th as he charged to the second course record-equalling round of the tournament, matching Webb Simpson's 63.

But the big story of the day was Tiger Woods, who went 72-71 to scrape inside the CUT with nothing to spare. He then roared to a seven-under 65 on Saturday to make things interesting. Like I said, the title was all-but decided before Sunday, but if one man could change that it was Tiger Woods on a hot streak. Tiger struck six birdies in twelve to raise a few eyebrows, although a bogey at the fourteenth killed off any hope. A double-bogey at the seventeenth reminded us that he's still not quite there yet- or not mentally at least- but a highly respectable -11 for T11 leaves us wondering what next.

Foremost Shortlist

Jason Day, Justin Thomas and Henrik Stenson.

Day topped the list with a solid week of golf which left him in T5 at -13; one stroke off Charl Schwartzel, Jimmy Walker & Xander Schauffele at T2. The Aussie once again putted sublimely and looked set for more after an eagle on the 9th put him four-under at the turn on Sunday, but nine consecutive pars on the home stretch still left him looking good for the week.

After opening with a one-over 73, Justin Thomas improved day-by-day in shooting 70-68-66 en route to -11. That opening round 73 included five birdies, but an erratic showing also produced four bogeys and a double. But whilst the early wobble cost him a shot at the tournament, a late wobble from Dustin Johnson did hand Thomas the World No. 1 spot. Things could be worse.

Henrik Stenson went below par every day as he finished -9 for T23. He looked good after opening with 68 but failed to kick on as the rest of the field posted low numbers over the weekend. Still, consistent and respectable in typical Stenson fashion.

Webb Simpson - What's in the Bag?

Driver: Titleist 917 D2

3 Wood: TaylorMade M2

5 Wood: Titleist 913

Hybrid: Titleist 913

Irons: Titleist 718 MB

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7

Putter: Odyssey Tank Cruiser V-Line

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Plenty of talking points as always from THE PLAYERS Championship, with Tiger looking more like Tiger than he has in years, the crowning of a new World No. 1 and one of the most impressive wins in PLAYERS history.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

"It is one of the toughest tests in golf, with potentially the best field in golf."

Nobody knows how to win a major better than Jordan Spieth, and nobody knows how hard it is to win THE PLAYERS Championship better than Jordan Spieth. When quizzed about pal Rickie Fowler's absent major title, Spieth cited the Californian's 2015 PLAYERS title, saying "essentially he's won what's harder to win than a major". No marketing team in the world can give you a better advert for this tournament than Jordan Spieth just did.

The Groupings

As a spectator you really couldn't ask for a better field. The marquee grouping of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson & Rickie Fowler has everybody overlooking the grouping of Rory McIlory, Justin Thomas & Jordan Spieth. However, I think you're most likely to find your winner in the group of Jason Day, Henrik Stenson & Sergio Garcia. Day looks set to produce another dominant run of results similar to the one that culminated in his 2016 title at TPC Sawgrass, whilst 2009 champion Henrik Stenson is in great form and suits this course down to the ground. Whilst I don't fancy Garcia's chances this year, he has posted two runners-up (2007, 2015) and a victory (2008) here, so only a fool would write him off.

The Course

TPC Sawgrass is a course that tests just about every aspect of a player's game. Consistency from tee-to-green is an enviable trait in any golf tournament, but this is perhaps the most diverse course on Tour. It does not favour a powerhouse like Tony Finau any more than a confident putter like Sam Burns unless they can raise the rest of their game to the same standard.

Stat's the Ticket

I mentioned Finau because he is No. 2 in driving distance and Sam Burns because he is No. 3 in Strokes Gained (SG): Putting, but neither ranks in the Top 5 for any other aspect of the game. Sure, statistics don't tell the full story, but they do give a raw representation of a player's game. Jason Day, Justin Thomas and Henrik Stenson are the loudest names in the PGA Tour statistics, so it's no surprise that they all rank in the Top 5 for SG: Total (1st, 4th & 5th respectively).

Predictions

Don't be fooled by last year's tournament, this is not a place for upsets. The world's Top 50 golfers are not easily beaten. Day and McIlroy top the bookies' list (14/1) and I think Day is onto something big at the moment, but McIlroy's game isn't where it needs to be for me. Spieth & Thomas (16/1) and Dustin Johnson (18/1) aren't far behind, but with Spieth missing three consecutive cuts and DJ out-of-form Thomas is the only man there worth his price. Skipping over a few big names, my shout for the week is Henrik Stenson at a massive 28/1. He's a past champion in great form with the stats in his favour and he's due a win.

It really is as open as any golf tournament in the world, but that's my shortlist: Jason Day, Justin Thomas and Henrik Stenson.

Expect some major golf this week at TPC Sawgrass.

Credit: @PGATOUR - Official Twitter account of the PGA Tour

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

Day Wins Wells Fargo

Jason Day returned to the World Top 10 with victory at the Wells Fargo Championship on Sunday, and just in time for THE PLAYERS Championship.

The Aussie may have won, but he did it the hard way (as per usual) by blowing a three-stroke lead before birdies at the 16th & 17th sealed a two-stroke victory to put certain demons to bed. Day described the hard-fought win as feeling like he "went ten rounds out there just fighting against myself"; a telling reflection of personal struggles both on and off the golf course.

The "Fifth Major"

His second win of 2018 has earned Day a spot as the joint-bookmakers' favourite, along with Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth & Justin Thomas. Whilst the pressure of expectation has historically been more a curse than a blessing for Day, it is testament to his apparent resurgence since falling from the top of the world rankings at the close of 2016.

21-year-old Korean Kim Si-Woo upset the odds to win last year's tournament, but that is unusual at TPC Sawgrass with then-World No. 1 Jason Day winning in 2016, Rickie Fowler in 2015, Martin Kaymer in 2014 (prior to winning the U.S. Open), Tiger Woods in 2013 and Matt Kuchar in 2012. In other words, you have to have some serious ability and form to win here.

Ones to Watch

One name that jumps out at me is Henrik Stenson. Form is definitely important here and his run of 4-T6-T5 at the Arnold Palmer, Houston Open & Masters means he is red-hot right now. He also crops up at the right end of just about every PGA Tour statistic. On a nicely balanced course, his well-rounded game means his 28/1 price is very, very good.

Justin Thomas looks very good across the board on the PGA Tour, so I expect a big week from him. Like Stenson, his ability in every department means he is suited to the balanced course in Ponte Vedra.

Spieth's game should suit this course well, but his T4 debut in 2014 is the only time he has made the cut at TPC Sawgrass, which tells me something is fundamentally wrong there. That said, he can never be written off.

People continue to back Rory because, well, surely he has to win a big tournament again at some point. Right? He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and finished T5 at the Masters, so there's definitely reason for optimism.

Patrick Reed's form since his Masters victory has been solid, but I don't seen him taking the title. Dustin Johnson is usually good for a top 10, but I don't fancy him this year. Rickie Fowler has only finished better than T60 twice; a 2015 win and a 2012 T2, so he is the definition of a wildcard. I wouldn't bank on him showing up.

We'll Be Back

Still not sure who you fancy? No need to panic, we'll be back with more tomorrow to clear everything up.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

It was set to be a momentous Masters. One of the most highly-anticipated in recent history. So many storylines. So many superstars. So many fan-favourites. Then Patrick Reed won.

Reed Reigns

Reed won against the odds, but also against the fans. McIlroy was his nearest contender going into Sunday; three behind at -11, and the Northern Irishman was chasing his career grand slam. When the pair stepped up to the first tee, it was immediately obvious who the fans were rooting for. Rory received a deafening cheer, whilst Reed received little more than a sportsmanlike customary round of applause.

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson's shared warm-up round highlighted the two players that fans most wanted to see donning the green jacket, but it was not to be for either man. Tiger carded a final round of 69 and Mickelson a final round of 67, but the damage was already done. Successive above-par rounds of 73, 75 on Thursday-Friday left Tiger +4, before an even-par 72 and the aforementioned 69 to close on 1-over for the week. Mickelson started brightly with a 2-under 70, but then shot 79, 74 to drop way back heading into Sunday.

Tony Finau did provide us with a feel-good story, though. The 28-year-old was all set for his first official Masters start and sunk a hole-in-one during the Par 3 Contest to celebrate. However, celebrations soon turned sour when the American dislocated his ankle amidst the excitement... only to pop it back into place immediately and reel off a 4-under 68 the next day with a makeshift swing. Finau then went 74, 73 but finished with six consecutive birdies between 12-17 for a final day 66 and a T10 result.

Resilient Reed

He'd never shot a single sub-70 round at Augusta before, then he shot three on the bounce between Thursday and Saturday. Rory McIlroy appeared to have the best shot at knocking Reed off his perch (and making a lot of fans happy), but of course that man Jordan Spieth had something to say about it. The 2015 champion rattled off five birdies on the front nine and four on the home stretch to make Reed sweat. His only bogey of the day came at the 18th, meaning fell just short of the course record (63) and second-place Rickie Fowler. Whilst not quite on Spieth's level, Fowler's -5 culminated in a birdie at the last- sparking the biggest cheer of the day- meant Reed had to make par to avoid a playoff. Whether that cheer was for Fowler or against Reed is for you to interpret, but I will say that Reed sparked the quietest reaction to a Masters-clinching putt of all time.

The Leaderboard

Patrick Reed's consistency was the difference. Runner-up Rickie Fowler was also consistent, though, with his worst round being a par on Friday. Third-place Spieth fluffed his lines with a 2-over 74 on Friday, whilst Jon Rahm managed to recover from an opening round of 75 to shoot 68, 65, 69 and finish fourth. Rory's final day collapse saw him tie for fifth with Cameron Smith, Bubba Watson and Henrik Stenson. Dustin Johnson finished strongly for T10, whilst Justin Rose was England's highest finisher with -6 for T12; one stroke ahead of Paul Casey in T15 and two ahead of Tommy Fleetwood in T17, which he shared with Justin Thomas.

Highlights & Lowlight

It was ultimately not the champion or the Sunday shootout we'd all hoped for. That said, we did see some sublime golf over the course of the week.

I've already mentioned Finau's comeback for the ages, the crowd's reaction to Rickie Fowler's final-hole birdie and Jordan Spieth's incredible final round. Spieth shot 66 on Thursday, featuring some quite unbelievable golf. Doug Ghim claimed the low-amateur title and sunk THREE eagles en route. Two came in the first round and he also holed-out from the bunker for birdie with his last shot of the tournament. Charley Hoffman hit the only ace of the tournament on the 16th on Sunday.

We'd like to avoid lowlights, but unfortunately we can't avoid mentioning last year's champion Sergio Garcia, who found the water five times to card a record 13 shots on the par-5 15th. He crashed out at 15-over with an 81, 78 scorecard.

Credit: @TheMasters - Official Twitter account of The Masters

Patrick Reed - What's in the Bag?

Driver: PING G400 LS Tec

Fairway Wood: Nike VR Pro Ltd. Edition

Irons: Titleist 716 T-MB (3-iron), Callaway X Forged 2013 (4-iron), Callaway MB-1 (5-PW)

Wedges: Artisan Golf, Titleist Vokey SM5

Putter: Odyssey White Hot Pro 3

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

Great Expectations

Augusta National doesn't exactly present as an opportunity to post low scores. In fact, four of the last five tournaments have seen winners post single-figure scores. And, need I remind you, it was only in 2007 that Zach Johnson won with +1 on his scorecard. And yet, this year, we're all expecting something special from someone special. Why? Because there are too many special players for that not to happen.

Phil Mickelson has three Masters titles and is coming off the back of a WGC win, yet is eighth favourite with the bookies. That sounds crazy... until you see the players with lower odds. You've got Rory McIlroy chasing a career grand slam, Jordan Spieth looking to repeat his -18 2015 win, World No. 1 Dustin Johnson, World No. 2 Justin Thomas, four-time champion Tiger, last year's runner-up Justin Rose and two-time champion Bubba Watson. And that doesn't tell half the story. Oh man, we're in for a treat!

The Big Guns

‘Lefty’ point-blank told us he is chasing fifty PGA Tour wins after his WGC-Mexico win a month ago. Fighting talk from a man who knows how to win at Augusta and has proven himself still capable of winning the big events. At 16/1 it would be a real crowd-pleaser.

Speaking of crowd-pleasers, imagine if Tiger won! Can you imagine it? Of course you can, he's done it four times already. Recent performances from Rory at the Arnold Plamer Invitational, Spieth at the Houston Open and Justin Thomas at the… well, everything, have boosted Tiger’s odds to 14/1.

Lefty and Tiger raised eyebrows by practicing together earlier in the week, but this strikes me as savvy from both men. It’s not just the crowds that will be behind the two legends heading into the tournament; the statistics make for good reading too. Lefty ranks in second and Tiger eleventh for Strokes Gained: Putting, whilst Mickelson is fourth and Tiger fourteenth in Strokes Gain: Approach-The-Green. Quality in these areas will come in handy at Augusta.

Of course Spieth, Rory, DJ and JT simply can’t be ruled out, but if I was a betting man (Me? Betting? Never!) I would steer clear because the prices just don’t warrant a sufficient risk/reward ratio.

You can find last year’s champion Sergio Garcia at 28/1 despite topping the PGA Tour charts for Strokes Gained: Tee-To-Green and Strokes Gained: Approach-The-Green. I personally feel it’s too much of a stretch for him to go back-to-back, but I felt it was definitely worth dropping that one in there.

English Invasion

NINE Englishmen will be heading to Augusta. Let that sink in.

It will be nice to see amateur Harry Ellis on the big stage. Danny Willett returns following his shock win in 2016 and will be joined by fellow countrymen Matthew Fitzpatrick and Ross Fisher.

Ian Poulter has taken the long road to Augusta. After an heartache at the WGC Match Play he somehow manged last-gasp qualification with a playoff win at the Houston Open.

Moving towards the players who can actually win (sorry lads), we have a two-time runner-up (including last year in a playoff) in Justin Rose, who hasn’t finished outside the top-25 here since 2004 and is in fine form this year. He is, without question, England’s best hope.

That said, I’ve heard Paul Casey’s name thrown around a lot pre-Masters. Three top-10 finished on the trot on this famous course and a recent win at the Valspar Championship… I can see why. Casey is Mr Consistent, but I’ve not sure he’s got the edge to win this tournament. A good bet to place though.

Two names that have barely been mentioned are Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrell Hatton. Both made their Masters debut last year and neither made the cut, but a lot has happened since then. I can’t see Fleetwood being in contention this year, but he deserves more credit than he’s getting. Hatton, on the other hand, has a genuine shot at a top-10 finish.

In Conclusion…

Rose is definitely England’s best chance of a winner, but if you’re looking for big odds I think Tyrrell Hatton each-way is what you’re looking for.

With regards to a winner, I’m going with Phil Mickelson. His form is good, his game suits this course and by-god does he know how to win.

Credit: @PGATOUR - Official Twitter account of the PGA Tour

Enjoy!

Written by Joe Carabini

Joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

Poulter Pulls Through

It's funny what pressure can do to people. At the WGC Match Play Ian Poulter was told his progression to the quarter final had secured qualification to the Masters... until ten minutes before teeing off, when he was infamously informed otherwise. Belatedly discovering he needed to beat Kevin Kisner to crack the OWGR top 50 and qualify for the Masters, Poulter crumbled to an 8&6 loss. The English veteran was understandably unhappy; casting doubt over whether he'd even compete at next week's Houston Open, where he'd need to win against all odds in order to qualify.

Many were surprised by Poulter's collapse under pressure against Kisner. After all, Ian Poulter with the Miracle at Medinah (Odyssey #7) putter in his hands is something of a symbol for overcoming pressure against American opposition on the golf course. But Poulter did compete in Houston. And Poulter won in Houston. And Poulter will play in the Masters.

How it Happened

Poulter opened with a +1 73 on Thursday and confessed to having already started packing his bags before the seemingly inevitable missed cut on Friday. But an incredible -8 not only made the cut but suddenly launched him into contention. A -7, -5 weekend followed. An incredibly professional performance from rookie Beau Hossler saw him post -19; narrowly missing a long birdie putt which would have secured victory on the final hole. However, Poulter still needed to sink a 20-yard clutch putt to force the playoff. Of course he duly delivered with his trusty Odyssey putter.

Despite, Poulter's sublime three days of golf, the playoff was ultimately decided by Hossler's errors as the inexperienced American went bunker-bunker-water to post +3 on the par-4 18th. Poulter two-putted for par.

Who's Ready for the Masters?

Whilst Poulter's miraculous qualification grabbed the headlines, Jordan Spieth went below-par every day to finish T3 with -16, which he declared 'mission accomplished for the week'. Henrik Stenson finished -14 for T6; one stroke ahead of T8 Matt Kuchar. At the other end of the scale, Rickie Fowler's opening -6, -4 had him in contention until a triple-bogey on the par-5 13th on Saturday began back-to-back 73 for a +2 weekend and T43 finish. A stroke behind Fowler was Justin Rose (T52), who went 68, 69, 72, 72 for the week, meaning he never went over par. Despite the disappointing finishes, Fowler and Rose can definitely take positives from their respective -8 and -7 scorecards.

The plot thickens.

Ian Poulter - What's in the Bag?

Driver: Titleist 917 D2

Fairway Wood: Titleist 917 F2

Hybrid: Titleist 816 H2

Irons: Titleist 716 T-MB (4-iron), Titleist 718 AP2 (5-PW)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7

Putter: Odyssey White Hot #7

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Credit: @GolfDigest - Official Twitter account of Golf Digest

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

He's never been one to follow the script, but golf fans have learnt to expect the unexpected with Bubba Watson. Three Majors, two WGC titles and eleven PGA Tour wins later, he's certainly a man for the big occasions. His 7&6 Sunday afternoon victory over Kevin Kisner made light work of what should have been a gruelling championship game, but the two-time Masters winner was no less emotional in celebration.

Elite Eliminations

World No. 1, current tournament champion and nailed-on favourite Dustin Johnson: eliminated with a day to spare. World No. 3 and last year's runner-up Jon Rahm: eliminated with a day to spare. World No... Oh, you get the picture. 14 of the world's top 18 entered the WGC Match Play; 4 made it to the knockout stages. Jordan Spieth fell to regular teammate Patrick Reed on Friday, Hideki Matsuyama carded back-to-back losses after opening with a win and Rory McIlroy's 1-2 record was flattering as he never really got going. Sergio Garcia and Tyrrell Hatton both lost in the first knockout round. Alex Noren and Justin Thomas both suffered semi-final defeats, but the loss was far more bitter for JT, who could have stolen the World No. 1 spot from DJ with a win over Bubba Watson. Third-place playoffs may be the least inspired matches in sport, and Noren's defeat of JT was the epitome of that.

In an event that usually brings the best players to the surface, the lack of top-10 representation in the knockouts will have bookies scratching their heads for Masters odds. Right now, the smart money is in your pocket.

Poulter Pain

When Ian Poulter dug out his 2012 Ryder Cup Miracle at Medinah putter, Tommy Fleetwood's fate was sealed. The veteran eased past the 27-year-old 3&2 to start the ball rolling on an undefeated group stage. The match play demon looked on his way to the kind of big-time result that would ensure an unlikely Masters qualification. In fact, after an impressive eight-birdie victory over Louis Oosthuizen, Poulter was told by multiple sources that he had qualified. But 10 minutes before teeing off in the quarter final against Kisner, a text message informed him that he actually hadn't qualified and would need another win to make the cut. Then, he crumbled. 8&6, to be precise.

Watson Wins

Bubba opened with a 5&3 after going 6UP at the turn and immediately looked like a contender. Despite halving his final group game against Julian Suri, it was a consistent tournament for the 39-year-old. He conquered Brian Harman 2&1, then an extremely fatigued Kiradech Aphibarnrat (5&3) practically handed him a play to the semi-final. Justin Thomas admitted to being distracted by the prospect of becoming World No. 1 as Bubba took control of the contest from the get-go. Bubba's scorecard boasted 3 birdies, an eagle and a lone bogey as he led from start to finish and came out 3&2 victor.

A bizarre tournament ended in bizarre fashion, with Bubba Watson's 7&6 victory the largest winning margin since the WGC changed to an 18-hole final in 2011. It was a damp squib; Kisner lost as much as Bubba won. Not the type of final that any fan wanted to see, to be quite honest, but they all count; especially this close to the Masters.

Credit: @DellMatchPlay - Official Twitter account of the WGC-Dell Match Play

Bubba Watson - What's in the Bag?

Driver: PING G400 LST

Fairway Wood: PING G

Irons: PING iBlade (2 iron), PING S55 (4-PW)

Wedges: PING Glide 2.0

Putter: PING PLD Anser

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com