Change of format brings confusion

What has the inaugural Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship brought? Well, a slight bit of confusion for golfers who are far more used to things like stroke play and the scorer's tent.

Davis Love III had just conceded to Steve Pate on No. 18 in the first round of the Match Play Championship at La Costa on Wednesday when the two walked off the green.

"What do we do now?" asked Pate, who seemed confused because there wasn't a scoring tent to go to and sign his card.

Love pulled a scorecard from his back pocket.

"You have a scorecard?" Pate said.

"Yeah," said Love, who also looked around for an official.

"Well, I don't know what to do," Pate said.

Nothing, except to show up for his second-round match against Brandt Jobe on Thursday. Someone was keeping score, because Pate's 1-up victory went up on the board.

College Reunion

Pate laughed when told he'll play Brandt Jobe in the second round.

"I was his coach in college," Pate said. "He was a freshman at UCLA and I was a fifth-year senior." Jobe, who plays on the Japanese Tour, beat Jeff Sluman 3 and 2.

The Trophy

The trophy created for the Match Play Championship has been named The Walter Hagen Cup. The flamboyant Hagen (1892-1969) is widely recognised as one of the most successful match-play golfers in history.

Hagen was credited by many for modernising the game. He was the first American professional to make a living playing golf rather than teaching, the first to cash in on endorsements and was noted for his colourful wardrobe while everyone else wore drab colours.

Hagen said he "never wanted to be a millionaire, just live like one." The winner of Sunday's 36-hole championship match will win $1 million, plus a replica of the Hagen Cup, which was made by Wedgwood, a sister company of Waterford crystal.

Hagen's 11 major titles included five PGA Championships (1921, 1924-27), which at that time were Matchplay competitions.

Doral is losing out

The Doral Open used to be considered the unofficial start of the PGA Tour, the first tournament of the Florida swing when international players began arriving and preparing for the Masters.

But now that the $5 million Match Play Championship is on the schedule, the top players in the world are leaving Doral high and dry.

Tiger Woods is playing his fifth consecutive tournament this week, and he's not about to make it six in a row so he'll skip Doral.

Ditto for David Duval, who had planned on playing Doral and then taking the rest of the March off until The Players Championship, also decided to skip next week. Ernie Els isn't coming, and neither is Mark O'Meara.

Throw in Fred Couples, Phil Mickelson, Payne Stewart and Tom Watson -- all of them plan to take the week off, and most will head to the Honda Classic a week later.

Tournament director Scott Montgomery was holding out hope that some of these big names would change their mind if they were eliminated early in match play.

"This match play format is so different, so new," Montgomery said. "I want to withhold comment until we see what happens this week. These players aren't used to being cut on Wednesday. Three-fourths of the field will be eliminated by Thursday."

Nick Price offered one other reason why Doral could take a beating -- those who make it to the weekend at La Costa would be too worn out after playing six matches in five days, including a 36-hole final.

"It's going to be hard to pick your clubs up and play next week," he said.

Watson's Caddy

Tom Watson has signed to represent Cadillac on the senior tour, which he'll join after he turns 50 on Sept. 4.

Watson, who won eight majors, said he'll drive an Escalade, a sport utility vehicle.

"It might be a little too fancy for me," he said "I look forward to getting one and getting it muddy."

Watson lost to Bob Tway on Wednesday, 6 and 4.