Stenson: No favourites in match play

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February 19, 2014

Henrik Stenson says entering the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship as the favourite doesn’t count for much.

Having won both the Race to Dubai and the FedEx Cup last year, Stenson has become an international star but insisted that world rankings would have no bearing on the outcome of the tournament.

“I don’t think it makes a difference for me here. If you’re going to have a good week, you need to play well,” said Stenson.

“You need to have better luck on your side and it doesn’t really matter if you’re No. 1 seed or if you’re No. 50 coming into this week.”

With Tiger Woods, Adam Scott and Phil Mickelson deciding not to take part in the match play event, the world number three is the top ranked player and he will undoubtedly look to fed off his 2007 victory when he tees off against Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

The Swede highlighted that there would be very little room for error and that it would be foolish to underestimate any opponent.

“We know you can shoot 64 and someone else shoot 63 and you’re going home,” Stenson said.

“You can shoot 74 and you still squeeze by because the other guy is having a worse day than you are having.

“You’ve got to be able to squeeze by on the matches when you’re not playing that well. Hopefully you’ll win the ones where you’re playing well. It’s all about timing in that sense.”

Meanwhile defending champion Matt Kuchar shared Stenson’s sentiments, adding that he relished the cut-throat nature of the competition.

“I love the format, it’s good for golf,” said Kuchar.

“It makes for some real exciting matches, makes for something just different than four rounds of 72-hole stroke play.”

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