Why the British dominate golf’s leaderboards
The first round of the WGC Match Play championship, which begins today in Arizona, reveals not so much the best of British as the British as best, writes Ben Monro-Davies.
The WGC Accenture Matchplay in Phoenix is the first big golf event of 2012. It is a so-called world tour event, of which there are four in a calendar year. Their status rests on the field, made up of the top 64 available golfers.
And of that 64, 11 are British. Let us not waste shots on comparisons with previous golfing crops – although such British representation is without precedent in the modern era – but instead compare it to other British sports.
Northern Irish domination
In cricket England are ranked as the world number one test side, despite recent Middle Eastern calamities. In football England are ranked number five in the world; Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are ranked 42nd, 48th and 82nd respectively. In tennis… stop laughing. The Olympics looks set to be a marvellous shop window for British sporting excellence.
But in no field, I would argue, do we dominate as we do in golf, unless you start considering snooker and darts.
In no field, I would argue, do we dominate as we do in golf.
Nor are British golfers middle-rank elitists. Number one in the world is Luke Donald. Number one in terms of fame, number two in terms of rankings, is Rory McIlroy. Darren Clarke is the reigning Open champion. Lee Westwood is world number three. Ian Poulter wears outlandish clothes but is not simply a fairway dandy, having won this tournament in 2010.
America has the biggest representation with 23 competitors, but given the differences in population and playing numbers, that is a favourable ratio. And if you look a the top 10, Britain has three representatives (the top three as it happens) to America’s four.
Perhaps the most remarkable sub-set within this UK success story is Northern Ireland. It is soaked in golfing history, with its courses at Royal Portrush and Royal County Down comparable to any worldwide. To have the last two US Open champions in Rory Mcilroy and Graeme McDowell is remarkable enough. But to then add to it with Darren Clarke winning the British Open is surely as great an achievement as any in Northern Irish sporting history.
Swinging sticks
So depressed Chelsea fans and suicidal boxing aficionados, take a degree of comfort if possible from the millionaires swinging sticks at Dove Mountain Resort. On numbers alone there is a strong chance a Brit will win – and almost no chance whatsoever that two of them will end up fighting at a press conference.
British golfers at the WGC Accenture Matchplay:
– Luke Donald (England)
– Robert Rock (England)
– Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)
– Simon Dyson (England)
– Ian Poulter (England)
– Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland)
– Lee Westwood (England)
– Darren Clarke (Northern Ireland)
– Martin Laird (Scotland)
– Justin Rose (England)
– Paul Lawrie (Scotland)