Tour News
WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship could be in line for venue change
There’s no denying the importance of match play to the game of golf’s rich history. Golfers of every level, from amateur to professional, have played a match against another golfer and have a tale to tell. That’s one reason the World Golf Championships created its match play event in 1999.
Despite the popularity of the match-play format, is it possible that it no longer works for the world’s best players as a stand-alone event?
The biggest sign that an event like the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship may no longer be viable is the situation with the tournament’s sponsor. As the event’s only sponsor since its inception, Accenture — a global financial management company — has finally pulled the plug. That means, should the event continue, big changes are on the way that could include a new venue and dates.
As the only match play event on the PGA Tour schedule, you would assume that players and fans would flock to it. That hasn’t been the case, as television audiences have declined and many of the world’s top players have opted to skip the event.
This week, three of the top 64 players to qualify will be absent: Tiger Woods, Adam Scott and Phil Mickelson.
With only 64 players in the field and a $9 million purse, the WGC Accenture Match Play is a guaranteed paycheck for the professionals who qualify to play. So what would make three of the world’s best skip? For some, it’s scheduling as the event bridges the West Coast and Florida tour swings. For others, it’s simply the venue.
Last year’s Masters champion and world No. 2 Scott is not returning to the match play simply because he doesn’t enjoy playing at Dove Mountain. He said, however, that he would “absolutely” consider a return if the event found a new venue. Before moving to Dove Mountain in 2009, Carlsbad, California’s La Costa Resort hosted the event.
Recent speculation has the event moving to San Francisco’s Harding Park Golf Club, host of the 2009 President’s Cup. It’s a course Tour players rank high on their wish list of tournament venues; it’s also a layout with dramatic finishing holes for matches coming down to the wire.
For now, Tour and WGC officials have been quiet on the future of the event. However, it’s clear that they’ll need to do something to keep golfers like Woods and Mickelson engaged and interested in playing. In the end, that alone could draw more viewers to their television over the course of the five-day event.
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News
Photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
GolfWRX is live this week at the Wells Fargo Championship as a field of the world’s best golfers descend upon Charlotte, North Carolina, hoping to tame the beast that is Quail Hollow Club in this Signature Event — only Scottie Scheffler, who is home awaiting the birth of his first child, is absent.
From the grounds at Quail Hollow, we have our usual assortment of general galleries and WITBs — including a look at left-hander Akshay Bhatia’s setup. Among the pullout albums, we have a look inside Cobra’s impressive new tour truck for you to check out. Also featured is a special look at Quail Hollow king, Rory McIlroy.
Be sure to check back throughout the week as we add more galleries.
General Albums
- 2024 Wells Fargo Championship – Monday #1
- 2024 Wells Fargo Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Wells Fargo Championship – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Akshay Bhatia – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Matthieu Pavon – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Keegan Bradley – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Webb Simpson – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Emiliano Grillo – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Taylor Pendrith – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Kevin Tway – WITB – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
Pullout Albums
- New Cobra equipment truck – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Rory McIlroy – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- New Cobra equipment truck – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Eric Cole’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Custom Cameron putter – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Matt Kuchar’s custom Bettinardi – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Justin Thomas – driver change – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Rickie Fowler – putter change – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Rickie Fowler’s new custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Tommy Fleetwood testing a TaylorMade Spider Tour X (with custom neck) – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
- Cobra Darkspeed Volition driver – 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying about our Wells Fargo Championship photos in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
GolfWRX is on site this week in McKinney, Texas, at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson (FKA the AT&T Byron Nelson).
Last year at TPC Craig Ranch, Jason Day ended a five-year winless streak. J-Day is in the field again, as are Jordan Spieth, Tom Kim, and Will Zalatoris.
We have our usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums for your perusal. As always, we’ll continue to add links to additional albums as they make their way to us from the Lone Star State.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Pierceson Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kris Kim – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- David Nyfjall – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Adrien Dumont de Chassart – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Jarred Jetter – North Texas PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Richy Werenski – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Wesley Bryan – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Parker Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Peter Kuest – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Blaine Hale, Jr. – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kelly Kraft – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Rico Hoey – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Pullout Albums
- Adam Scott’s 2 new custom L.A.B. Golf putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Scotty Cameron putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Ben Griffin playing Maxfli golf ball
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans
GolfWRX is live on site this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the PGA Tour’s one-and-only two-man team event.
As usual, general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums — including some pretty spicy custom putters and headcovers — await your viewing.
Be sure to check back for more photos from the Big Easy, as we’ll continue to update this page with additional galleries throughout the week.
General Albums
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #2
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Alex Fitzpatrick – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Austin Cook – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Alejandro Tosti – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- MJ Daffue – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Nate Lashley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- James Nicholas – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Kevin Streelman – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rasmus Hojgaard – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Tom Whitney – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- SangMoon Bae – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Daniel Berger – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rory McIlroy – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Russ Cochrane – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Aldrich Potgieter – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Steve Stricker WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Drew Brees WITB (Legendary New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Thriston Lawrence WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
Pullout Albums
- MJ Daffue’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Cameron putters – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Swag covers ( a few custom for Nick Hardy) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Custom Bettinardi covers for Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Doug Ghim’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Patrick Cantlay spotted testing a Scotty Cameron blade putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
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JDB
Feb 21, 2014 at 5:39 am
How about Wolf Creek…. Looks like a fun course for the pros and it might make match play even better. I watch it now but Wolf Creek’s layout would draw the big names and sponsers
Ei
Feb 20, 2014 at 1:50 am
They should move it to the LA/Palm Springs/San Diego area, or Florida, and get it out of the no man’s land of Arizona. Dove Mountain is so far and away from anything attractive or interesting, it’s literally in the middle of nowhere. Europeans and other world players go there and wonder where in the heck they are. And hardly any crowd shows up to see it so the event makes no money that way, even though there’s 64 really good players showing up to play. At least on the West Coast they would get some sort of a crowd. That’s the mistake they made with putting that event in the middle of nowhere. Florida would probably be a good bet for the future, it would be much closer for 90% of the guys in the event (including the Europe-based players), and a good kick start to the Florida swing.
MFB
Feb 20, 2014 at 9:23 am
Obviously you have no idea of what you are talking about.
Ei
Feb 21, 2014 at 12:53 am
Obviously I do, otherwise they wouldn’t consider moving it.
Brian
Feb 19, 2014 at 6:38 pm
The main reason they are complaining is because the tour had to play in conditions us normal golfers had to encounter: 40s with wind. I also agree with the point it’s a waste of time for some players to play 16 holes and be sent home right away.
Too bad though, it’s nice to see something other than stroke play
Aaron
Feb 19, 2014 at 2:45 pm
I like to see these guys challenged with a different format. It makes every hole a grind vs. a bunch of meaningless holes on Thurs. and Fri.
Mat
Feb 19, 2014 at 12:03 pm
Tucson should continue to host a high profile event. What is baffling is the format is ALL bracket! Play a field for Two rounds on Wed & Thu, qualifying the top 16 for match play over F, S, Sun.
Or cut half the field after two, half on Friday, half on Saturday, then play the remaining 8 on Sunday with a 9-hole match play. It would be awesome tv.
Worst part about the current format is so many one-and-out. No one has time to watch the head to head of 32 matches. It’s just too many in the opening rounds.
Rob
Feb 19, 2014 at 1:02 pm
That’s a great point. Maybe more guys like Mickelson and Woods would play if they knew it would be guaranteed action for more than one day. The current format stinks for tv.
Paul
Feb 19, 2014 at 11:19 am
How about a wgc event that actually travels the world ??
mick
Feb 19, 2014 at 12:06 pm
California counts as a different country
Ei
Feb 20, 2014 at 1:51 am
So does Texas :-p
mick
Feb 20, 2014 at 11:42 am
No argument here
MFB
Feb 20, 2014 at 9:26 am
Sorry but the American Players are not leaving the US in February to possibly play one round of golf.
And since the American PGA Tour is the number one tour it will stay in the US or just go away.
Rob
Feb 19, 2014 at 10:51 am
Harding Park would be a cool venue, but what about someplace closer to the Florida swing? TPC Sawgrass would be pretty awesome with matches coming down to 17 and 18.