“I'm sure there's a solution to it”: Jon Rahm insists Match Play should be played ‘every year’
Jon Rahm is among those who believe the WGC Match Play event, which has been a staple of the PGA Tour schedule for a while, should not be canceled. The event is coming to an end after this year and some of the participants aren't too happy.
Rahm, who is playing some of the best golf of his life, admitted that he didn't want the event to end.
"I'm excited. I love match play. It's too bad that this is the last edition of this tournament. I'm hoping maybe it's just a one-year deal and we get a match play event back on the schedule. It's really the only time throughout the year besides maybe the Ryder Cup where you're playing truly against the person in front of you."
Rahm added that he believes there should be one every year:
"That is much more relatable to every sport we play in the world, which is basically about just playing better than the team in front. I'm sure there's a solution to it. I'm sure there's a way around it, because I think we should have a match play event every single season."
The event is being removed from the schedule in 2024, but Rahm hopes that it will return in 2025. WGC was non-commital about the future of the event, so it's not out of the realm of possibility.
Why was Match Play canceled in 2024?
Why are Jon Rahm and others having to come to the defense of the event? It was announced to be ending after this year, which has disgruntled some.
According to Golf Week, the vice president and executive director of PGA Tour championship management, Jordan Uppleger announced:
“We’re formally announcing today that the 2023 World Golf Championship Dell Technologies Match Play will be the final playing of the event here at Austin Country Club, and not be included on the 2024 calendar or moving forward. The event has had an incredible run here at Austin Country Club.”
Uppleger added that it had exceeded expectations, but that the event had to come to a disappointing end regardless of that fact:
“I was told you had to have three main components to have a successful event, you had to have an active title sponsor, an engaging country club and a supporting community and client base. And there is no doubt that this event has exceeded all of those expectations as we’ve been here since 2016.”
He did say he wasn't all that surprised that it was being canceled.
Perhaps with all the golfers coming forward to say that they'll miss the event or that it shouldn't be canceled, the PGA Tour and others will look into its future a little more closely.