Volvo World Match Play Championship Preview

Finca Cortesin

published 17 May 2011

Lowdown: A supremely strong field of 24 players has assembled at Finca Cortesin Golf Club in Spain for the return of the Volvo World Matchplay Championship. Six of the world's top nine players will tee it up.

The Volvo World Matchplay makes a welcome return to the European Tour schedule after a one-year break. As in 2009, Finca Cortesin in Andalucia, Spain will host the event. The field size has been increased from 16 to 24 for this year's tournament. The players have been split into eight groups of three for a round-robin format over Thursday and Friday to decide the top 16 who will go on to contest the title over the weekend.

In 2009 England's Ross Fisher took the victory, beating Anthony Kim of the USA in the final. The World Matchplay has a long and prestigious history. First contested in 1964, it was hosted by Wentworth Golf Club every year until 2007. It's an event that was won five times by the late Seve Ballesteros and the group featuring World Number 1 Lee Westwood has been named after the five-time Major Champion.

Joining Westwood in the Seve Ballesteros group are Denmark's Anders Hansen and Aaron Baddeley of Australia.

World Number two Luke Donald heads the Mark McCormack group and will play his first match against Ryan Moore of the USA on Thursday. He'll then face an enthralling battle against fellow Englishman and defending champion Ross Fisher on Friday.

Martin Kaymer of Germany is the top ranked player in the Arnold Palmer group. He's up against fellow USPGA winner Y.E. Yang and another Korean golfer, Seung-yul Noh.

Designed by Cabell Robinson, the course at Finca Cortesin opened for play in 2006. It's a fantastic layout overlooking the Mediterranean on one side and spectacular mountains on the other. Venue: Finca Cortesin Golf Club, Spain Date: May 19-22 Course stats: par 72, 7,380 yards Purse: €3,400,000 Defending Champion: Ross Fisher

Luke Donald - Arguably the most on-form player in the world right now. He's finished in the top-10 on his last seven straight starts and was Accenture Matchplay Champion earlier this season.

Martin Kaymer - Another fine exponent of the matchplay format, Kaymer will be looking to get back in the winner's circle here.

Key hole: Any hole can prove to be a crucial turning point in a matchplay contest but the par 4 13th is generally regarded to be Finca Cortesin's signature hole. 413 yards, a water hazard guards the left side of the fairway as well as protecting the front of the green. Where next? Golf Monthly Centenary days: Spaces available

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?