Match Play winner will pocket £1m
Els yesterday participated in the announcement that HSBC would replace Cisco as new tournament sponsors in a new 10-year deal, with the bank contributing to a first prize of £1 million.
No competition on the European or US tours has such high prize money, although the annual Sun City event, where the winner receives £1.35 million, still ranks as the most lucrative tournament in the world.
Andrew Hampel, senior international group vice president of IMG, the sports management agency which founded the tournament, said: “Since Arnold Palmer won the first trophy in 1964 the World Match Play at Wentworth has become a special part of world golf.
“HSBC’s 10-year sponsorship allows us to continue to build the championship, and the first £1 million prize in US and European golf reflects the event’s stature as the most prestigious match play tournament in the world.”
This year’s event takes place from October 16 to 19, and there will be annual prize money of £2.3 million. Not even the majors have as much on offer for the winner.
Ernie Els, who won last year’s competition for the fourth time, said: “It has always been such an exciting event. Not only to get into the field but to participate in such a prestigious event.
“Through the years we have had some great champions.
“I have enjoyed myself at the tournament, especially winning it for the fourth time last year.
“Beating Sergio Garcia in the final was a great reward for me at the end of my season, especially after winning the Open championship, and the birth of my son Ben a week before the championship started.
“I have some great memories from the World Match Play.
“I want to congratulate HSBC for stepping in as new sponsors for the World Match Play, and for upping the prize money to £1 million, quite unheard of on our European Tour.”
Simultaneous with the arrival of HSBC, new eligibility rules will come into effect for the event.
Previously the World Match Play entrants had been by invited to participate, but now the 12 competitors will be made up of other players who will make up a field of 12 will be the top 10 leading players from the HSBC major championship ranking, along with the world number one and the defending champion.
If any of the 12 players are unavailable, their places will be taken from the rankings or, in exceptional circumstances, a maximum of two players will be chosen by the event’s international advisory committee.
Organisers are hoping that the world number one Tiger Woods, the world number one, who was beaten in the 1998 final by Mark O’Meara, will compete.
While the winner receives the top prize of £1 million, the runner-up will collect a very respectable £400,000, the losing semi-finalists £120,000 each, the second round losers £90,000 and the first round losers £75,000.
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