Volvo match play stars confirmed

A star studded field, including defending champions Graeme McDowell and reigning Race to Dubai Champion Henrik Stenson will be in attendance at the Volvo Match Play Championship.
Other top names confirmed for the event includes 2014 Ryder Cup teammates, Thomas Björn, Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson and Stephen Gallacher.
This year’s event marks the 50th anniversary since the inaugural Championship which was won by Arnold Palmer at Wentworth in 1964.
The rest of the field will consist of 2013 Runner-up, Thongchai Jaidee, 2014 Volvo China Open Champion, Alexander Levy, three-time European Tour winner, Joost Luiten, two-time European Tour winner, Shane Lowry and 2014 Irish Open winner, Mikko Ilonen.
For McDowell, the fact that he will try to defending his title in the UK was reason enough to celebrate.
“I am really excited about defending my title in England in October at the London Golf Club,” he told the European Tour’s official website.
” I love the match play format and it certainly seems to bring out some of my best golf so this is a tournament and a title I have been looking forward to defending all year.”
The field will be split into four groups of four in the group stages before the leading two players per group proceed to the knock out phase to be played over the weekend.
The 2014 Tournament will now be played over five days starting on Wednesday with the remainder of the field to be announced shortly.
Stephen Gallacher was equally excited to be part of the tournament.
“I’m delighted to qualify for the 2014 Volvo World Match Play Championship. My focus right now is on making my debut in the Ryder Cup and contributing all I can to our team’s efforts to retain the Ryder Cup,” said the man whose whose well documented journey to qualify for his home Ryder Cup has seen him play world-class golf all year commented.
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