Goosen mows down Maggert to claim matchplay record

RETIEF GOOSEN broke a World Matchplay record at Wentworth yesterday when he hammered American Jeff Maggert 12 and 11 in the rain-affected first round.

The previous biggest defeat in the event had belonged, believe it or not, to current world number one Vijay Singh, who was crushed 11 and 10 by Mark O’Meara six years ago.

Maggert was the inaugural winner of the Andersen Consulting world match play in California in 1999, defeating Tiger Woods along the way, but Goosen took seven of the first 10 holes against him and with a 10-up lead at halfway equalled the championship best of O’Meara and Tom Watson.