WGC Match Play preview: Senden v Bae

John Senden. Getty Images
The battle for Australian leadership was happening on the fairways of the Ritz-Carlton Golf club this morning, with  John Senden victorious and assuming the role of the lone Australian at the WGC Match Play Championship.
The Aussie duo of Jason Day and John Senden found themselves matched up against each other on the second day of the WGC Match Play Championship this morning. The Queenslander’s were not only fighting for a spot in the round of 16 but to be the sole Australian left in the field after four other Aussies had been beaten on day one.
It was Senden who jumped out of the starting blocks early and never really looked like losing to a rusty looking Day.
Day had won in remarkable fashion on day one by winning his final three holes and then the play-off hole to go through to the second stage of the tournament. He claimed he felt like he had won the tournament after the victory and his game against Senden looked a little fatigued.

Senden was two up through four holes after birdies at the 3rd and 4th holes. When he birdied the 8th to move to three up, the writing was on the wall as Day had yet to make a birdie. A drop on the 12th forced Day to concede the hole and the match was pretty much over. Senden finished the match on the 13th hole, winning 6 and 5.
“I had the pressure on him early,” said Senden. “Then from there, I wanted to keep focused and keep the quality of shots going on. And then I did that. And he sort of made the mistakes to force the match to go further and further my way.”
So let’s look at John Senden’s next match, against South Korean Bang-moon Bae.
John Senden v Bang-moon Bae (Winner plays Jimenez or McIlroy)
Senden has only played 28 holes in two matches. While this may be an issue when if he arrives at the finishing holes tomorrow, one might suggest another big win is on the cards if he keep hitting greens in regulation. He hit 10 of 13 against Day,
Sang-moon Bae is a rookie PGA Tour player and has now defeated Ian Poulter and Charl Schwartzel before confronting Senden. He made three bogey’s on his way to defeating Schwartzel, thanks mainly to a solid back nine and some saving par’s at the finish.
Senden is just so good from tee to green that he only needs to keep making putts and he can be through to the quarter-finals.
Prediction: Senden 3up

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *