World’s Top Golfers to Compete in Accenture Match Play Championship Feb. 22-26
David Toms Will Attempt To Become Event’s 2nd Two-Time Winner, After Tiger Woods
CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb. 17, 2006 – An international field comprising 64 of the world’s top golfers will converge at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California Feb. 22 – 26 to compete in the 2006 World Golf Championships–Accenture Match Play Championship. This year marks the eighth anniversary of the cornerstone World Golf Championships (WGC) series event.
These marquee players, as identified by the Official World Golf Ranking, will go head to head in five days of single-elimination competition for a $1.3 million winner’s share of the $7.5 million prize purse and the sought-after Walter Hagen Cup, named after golf’s greatest match-play competitor. Among those expected to attempt to prevent David Toms from repeating as a two-time winner is Tiger Woods, the only player in the eight-year history of the Accenture Match Play Championship tournament to win the event twice. Tom’s win in 2005 was his first WGC title, improving his career match-play record to 18-5, second only to Woods’ 21-4 record.
The Accenture competition format is unique among the four WGC events in that it is the only head-to-head match-play championship, providing a showcase for some of the most exciting and nail-biting golf that fans will see this season.
Unlike stroke play, which counts all strokes for the 18 holes to produce a winner, match play is a hole-by-hole format, providing players with stern tests of their golf skills, strategy and nerves. At La Costa, players will match each other shot for shot and hole for hole in an effort to see who gets to tee it up in the grueling 36-hole, one-day championship match.
While the match play format allows little room for error and provides an added measure of excitement, it also gives any one of the participating world-class players a chance to win the Accenture Match Play Championship if he brings his best game and performs at the highest level for five consecutive days. This global golf event captures the spirit and culture of Accenture – to continually achieve through the very best performance, and then raise the bar even higher.
“Match play’s unpredictability, head-to-head competition, required skills and strategy celebrate the highest human performance and extraordinary achievement and typifies similar challenges facing business every day worldwide,” said James E. Murphy, Accenture’s chief marketing and communications officer. “At the same time the event communicates the power of the Accenture brand.”
The opening event of the four 2006 World Golf Championships, the Accenture Match Play Championship is further distinguished by the four 16-player brackets that were added in 2003, making it even more compelling. The 64 players are divided into four brackets of 16 players, each named in honor of four of the game’s greatest players: Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones, Gary Player and Sam Snead. Players in each of the brackets are seeded No. 1 through No. 16, with the top-ranked golfer playing the No. 16 seed in the first round, No. 2 pairing off with No. 15, No. 3 meeting No. 14, and so forth.
Viewed on television in more than 140 countries, the Accenture Match Play Championship will be telecast for a total of 27½ hours over the five days. In the United States, ESPN will lead off with 16 hours of coverage, Wednesday – Friday, Feb. 22-24 from 2:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. and on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 10:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m., with ESPN2 adding another three and one-half hours of coverage on Sunday, Feb. 26 from 10:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. ABC will provide eight hours of weekend coverage beginning Saturday, Feb. 25 from 3:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. and on Sunday, Feb. 26 from 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. All times listed are Eastern Standard Time.
Prior to David Toms’ 2005 victory, other previous Accenture Match Play Championship winners included Tiger Woods in 2003 and 2004; Kevin Sutherland in 2002; Steve Stricker in 2001; Darren Clarke in 2000; and Jeff Maggertin the inaugural event in 1999.
About the Accenture Match Play Championship
This year marks the eighth playing of the World Golf Championships–Accenture Match Play Championship, one of four World Golf Championships sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours. The other World Golf Championships include the American Express Championship, Bridgestone Invitational and Barbados World Cup. For more information, please visit www.worldgolfchampionships.com.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Committed to delivering innovation, Accenture collaborates with its clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. With deep industry and business process expertise, broad global resources and a proven track record, Accenture can mobilize the right people, skills and technologies to help clients improve their performance. With more than 126,000 people in 48 countries, the company generated net revenues of US$15.55 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2005. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
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