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Furyk at the fore of withdrawals for World Match Play
London, Sept 30: US Open champion Jim Furyk and several other leading American players became on Monday the latest golfers to turn down places at next month`s World Match Play tournament at Wentworth, England.
London, Sept 30: US Open champion Jim Furyk and several other leading American players became on Monday the latest golfers to turn down places at next month's World Match Play tournament at Wentworth, England.
Despite the 1 million pounds ($1.6 million) first prize on offer -- the second biggest in golf -- Furyk and compatriots Davis Love III, David Toms, Kenny Perry and Phil Mickelson -- all turned down a place in the 12-man field.
Their decisions opened the way for Europeans Alex Cejka, Fredrik Jacobson and British Open runner-up Thomas Bjorn to compete in the event but left organizers struggling for the 'big names' who have often been seen at the Wentworth tournament.
World No. 1 Tiger Woods had already withdrawn because he has a Tiger Woods Foundation clinic on the same weekend as the World Match Play.
But Ernie Els, looking to win his fifth World Match Play crown and equal the record of fellow South African Gary Player and Spain's Seve Ballesteros, is still in event.
For the first time in the tournament's history there are no players from either Britain or Ireland taking part.
Furyk and Perry both qualified off the table compiled from this year's four majors, but said they were unable to compete "due to prior commitments."
Mickelson, Toms and Love finished 13th, 16th and 17th in that table, but when asked to step in as replacements declared themselves unavailable.
However, the tournament still boasts three of this year's major winners in Canada's U.S. Masters champion Mike Weir and the United States duo of Ben Curtis (British Open) and Shaun Micheel (U.S. PGA)
Bureau Report
Their decisions opened the way for Europeans Alex Cejka, Fredrik Jacobson and British Open runner-up Thomas Bjorn to compete in the event but left organizers struggling for the 'big names' who have often been seen at the Wentworth tournament.
World No. 1 Tiger Woods had already withdrawn because he has a Tiger Woods Foundation clinic on the same weekend as the World Match Play.
But Ernie Els, looking to win his fifth World Match Play crown and equal the record of fellow South African Gary Player and Spain's Seve Ballesteros, is still in event.
For the first time in the tournament's history there are no players from either Britain or Ireland taking part.
Furyk and Perry both qualified off the table compiled from this year's four majors, but said they were unable to compete "due to prior commitments."
Mickelson, Toms and Love finished 13th, 16th and 17th in that table, but when asked to step in as replacements declared themselves unavailable.
However, the tournament still boasts three of this year's major winners in Canada's U.S. Masters champion Mike Weir and the United States duo of Ben Curtis (British Open) and Shaun Micheel (U.S. PGA)
Bureau Report