P – Australia’s Brett Rumford aims to continue his golden run on the European tour when he competes against the likes of countryman Geoff Ogilvy and Ryder Cup hero Ian Poulter in this week’s historic 24-man Match-Play Championship in Bulgaria.
Rumford is coming off back-to-back European Tour wins and secured his place in the Bulgaria field by capturing the recent China Open, a result inspired by the success of fellow Australian Adam Scott in capturing last month’s Masters.
“I got a couple of text messages from Scotty (Adam Scott) which was fantastic, and he said to me how really proud he was for me,” said 35-year-old Rumford.
“His effort in winning the Masters was the inspiration for me and every other Australian competing around the world.”
Rumford is assured of making his debut later this year in the US PGA Championship at Oak Hill in upper New York State, he’s also well placed also in qualifying for only a third British Open.
Of more immediate concern is the challenge of a strong field and Thracian Cliffs, a spectacular Gary Player-designed course laid out over four kilometres on a cliff top overlooking the Black Sea.
Defending champion Poulter was uncharacteristically lost for words when asked if he could name any course similar to this week’s host venue.
“I’m wracking my brain trying to think if I’ve ever played a course like this, and I just can’t think of one,” Poulter said of Bulgaria’s first major golf tournament.
“It’s been called the ‘Pebble Beach of Europe’ but there are only a few holes at Pebble Beach where you play along the shoreline whereas here at Thracian Cliffs holes three to 10 are perched right on the cliff edge.”
The tournament has eight groups of three players who play a round-robin format with the top two advancing to single elimination.
Leading players joining Poulter and Rumford are Graeme McDowell, Henrik Stenson and Ogilvy, who makes a surprise return to his favourite format.
Ogilvy missed out on this year’s WGC Match Play Championship in Arizona when he plunged in the world ranking, a tough blow for a man who has won the event twice and reached the championship match another time.
But the 2006 US Open winner found himself on the charter from TPC Sawgrass in Florida to Bulgaria to take part in the European equivalent.
“It wasn’t even on my radar,” Ogilvy said after missing the cut at The Players Championship.
“It’s a good format for me, probably – hopefully,” said Ogilvy, who is having a year to forget.
“Besides, when am I ever going to go to Bulgaria again?”
