Graeme McDowell and Thongchai Jaidee, the two finalists at last year’s Volvo World Match Play Championship, opened up the 2014 edition with wins on Wednesday.
Northern Ireland’s McDowell took a 3 & 2 victory over France’s Alexander Levy, who was fresh off his win at the rain-soaked Portugal Masters last weekend. McDowell hit four birdies in the first six holes to put Levy in a hole of his own.
Jaidee wasn’t nearly as cozy in his margin of victory, with a three-putt on No. 17 before edging Italy’s Francesco Molinari, 2 up, coming through with a birdie 4 on No. 18.
McDowell’s win was one of three 3&2 routs on the day, the others being won by France’s Victor Dubuisson and Ireland’s Shane Lowry.
Lowry knocked off Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher by notching a pair of birdies on 16 and 18, while Dubuission took out Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal easily. Larrazabal only managed one birdie on the day, that on No. 10, by which time Dubuisson was three holes ahead.
Patrick Reed, the only American in the field, continued to struggle on UK soil as he did in the Ryder Cup last month. Reed lost to Sweden’s Jonas Blixt 2 & 1, getting down two holes early and never catching back up.
Also falling 2 & 1 was Wales’ Jamie Donaldson, bested by England’s Paul Casey. In the most exciting match of the day, Casey got up three holes in the first six, then saw Donaldson catch him with three birdies between 11 and 14. Casey responded by winning 15 with a birdied and closed it out with another birdie on 17.
The Netherlands’ Joost Luiten defeated Finland’s Mikko Ilonen 1 up, rallying from behind with birdies on 15 and 16.
Meanwhile Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and South Africa’s George Coetzee halved their match when Coetzee, who was down 2 holes through 10, birdied No. 18.
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