1971 Piccadilly World Match Play Championship

The 1971 Piccadilly World Match Play Championship was the eighth World Match Play Championship. It was played from Thursday 7 to Saturday 9 October on the West Course at Wentworth. Eight players competed in a straight knock-out competition, with each match contested over 36 holes. The champion received £8,500 out of a total prize fund of £25,000. In the final, Gary Player beat Jack Nicklaus 5 & 4 to win the championship for the fourth time.

1971 Piccadilly World Match Play Championship
Tournament information
Dates7–9 October 1971
LocationVirginia Water, Surrey, England
Course(s)West Course, Wentworth
FormatMatch play – 36 holes
Statistics
Par74
Length6,997 yards (6,398 m)
Field8 players
Prize fund£25,000
Winner's share£8,500
Champion
Gary Player
def. Jack Nicklaus 5 & 4

In his first round match, Jack Nicklaus went 4 up over Lu Liang-Huan after six holes but Lu levelled the match by the 12th hole and went ahead at the 16th. Nicklaus won the 18th to be level at lunch. Nicklaus then went 3 up after eight holes in the afternoon and although Lu reduced the deficit to 1 hole, Nicklaus holed a long putt for a birdie at the 16th to take a two hole lead and won 2 & 1 at the next hole. Neil Coles won six holes in a row against Charles Coody from the 12th to the 17th holes of the first round and went to lunch six holes up. Coles eventually won by a score of 5 & 4.[1]

In the final between Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, Nicklaus was 1 up at lunch but Player won the first four holes in the afternoon and, with Nicklaus missing a number of short putts, Player eventually won 5 & 4. It was his fourth win in the eight World Match Play events contested.[2]

Course

Source:[1]

Hole123456789Out101112131415161718InTotal
Yards4761574574971923474034004603,3891904084804371834803805554953,6086,997
Par534534444363454354553874

Scores

Source:[1][2][3]

  Quarter-finals
7 October
Semi-finals
8 October
Final
9 October
                     
  Jack Nicklaus 2 & 1  
Lu Liang-Huan  
  Jack Nicklaus 7 & 5  
    Neil Coles  
Charles Coody
  Neil Coles 5 & 4  
    Jack Nicklaus
  Gary Player 5 & 4
  Gary Player 4 & 3  
Tony Jacklin  
Gary Player 2 & 1
    Bob Charles  
Arnold Palmer
  Bob Charles 37 h  

Prize money

The winner received £8,500, the runner-up £4,500, the losing semi-finalists £3,000 and the first round losers £1,500, making a total prize fund of £25,000.[4]

References

  1. "Coles in control on greens". The Times, Friday, 8 October 1971; pg. 9; Issue 58293.
  2. "Practice makes a player perfect". The Times, Monday, 11 October 1971; pg. 9; Issue 58295.
  3. "Player must hit new peak to hold Nicklaus at his best". The Times, Saturday, 9 October 1971; pg. 15; Issue 58294.
  4. "Increased prizes in Piccadilly". The Glasgow Herald, Friday, 19 February 1971; pg. 6.

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