General Manager Austen Gravestock is hoping for a great spectacle as the Volvo World Matchplay comes to the London Golf Club this week.

The Volvo World Match Play tournament begins today at the London Golf Club with the Pro Am competition over the same course that Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell will defend his title over the next couple of days with the final being played over 18 holes on Sunday.

In the build up to only one of two European Tour events staged in England this year. In an exclusive interview with Kent Sports News, LGC General Manager Austen Gravestock explained how important the next few days for the Club.

He told us, “It’s a major honour and I suppose a coup for us to be hosting the World Match Play – a very prestigious event with a very great sponsor.”

“It’s 25 years now that Volvo have been backing golf right from the very onset and to be hosting the event in its’ 50th anniversary year is even more of a special privilege for us.”

“We’re overjoyed and having announced the full 16 man field last week and I think we’ve got a great field on the back of the Europeans winning the Ryder Cup – we really are looking forward to a great week of golf at the London Club.”

“It’s a great field – we’ve got the six triumphant European Ryder Cup team – with one or two of them who are really going to shine and become real stars on the European Tour with Victor Duboisson the one that really catches everyone’s eye.”

“Add to that the other greats of the European tour – my mind is drawn to Paul Casey who won so well in Holland a couple of weeks ago, and let’s hope that Paul is back on a high and get some of those world ranking positions back (I think he got as high as number 3).”

“And add to that we’ve the American influence in Patrick Reed and I’m sure that he will get the crowd going, and I think they’ll expect that of him given the way that he played at Gleneagles which was fantastic.”

“It was great to read his comments in the press about how privileged he is to be coming to the event which is great before we start.”

Each of the sixteen entrants will get a good look at the International Course as each player will play a minimum of three group games, as Mr Gravestock explained.

“It’s a different format and I think it takes an outside mind to look at things and change things and I think it’s for the better,” he said.

“I think that’s what happened through Per Eriksson, the man in charge of Volvo Events Management, he took a look at the event when Volvo decided to take on the event and said to himself that he wanted to keep things going for the first few days.”

“There was one year gone by on the West Course when Tiger Woods was knocked out on the first day never to be seen at the event again!”

“The Champions League style of qualifying gives everyone a chance to see their favourites for a second watch. I think we could get some great Play Offs on Friday evening which will be great to see.”

“A definite change for the better with a great thing as far as the staging team is concerned,” said Gravestock with a huge grin on his face, “is that because it’s not a 72 hole event when you’re up at the crack of dawn working until very late, this format is a lot more relaxed and if one draws an analogy to the Senior Tour event when the players just have that little bit calmer attitude – the players are going to be off at around 11:00am most days or just after and they’re all staying here at a wonderful hotel at Eastwell Manor being well looked after and I think that that will add to the crowd experience.”

It’s a huge weekend of sport in this part of Kent as Mr Gravestock told us. “As the knockout golf at the weekend clashes with the Final Round of the British Superbikes over the road at Brands Hatch, it really is going to be the place to be, but we’re not overly concerned and neither are the authorities, but just the fact that we will be finishing that little bit later will help too, but we are well served with our logistics to the M2, M26 and M25 which gives us the options of getting people in nice and easily, so that they can come and watch some of the best golfers in the world!”

You have been warned!

The European Open Championships had very successfully been held on the LGC’s Heritage Course in 2008 and 2009, so why the change?

“After holding the strokeplay tournaments on the Heritage Course, we steered the stakeholders for this event towards the International course and I think we’ll be proved right as it lends itself better to Match-play.”

“It’s a great spectator course where there’s a lot of natural amphitheatres where the spectators will love it. And more than that, there are some real spectacle holes on the course over water and some great elevated par threes particularly over the water and the par fives offer a real risk and reward opportunity – you can make eagles on our par fives.”

“I think in Matchplay you’re always looking for those great shots – the great, great shot into the green followed by the putt. And I think for that reason alone, the International lends itself, whereas the Heritage will always be our better course – it’s a little bit longer; its a tougher golf course and undoubtedly when they were both being played in tournament conditions, the International will be the best for the Matchplay.”

“I don’t think any of the field had played the International course before this week – I know that some have played the Heritage – but I’m guessing that none of them will have played the International.”

“We did ask the players’ approval before making the decision towards the International, in particular the reigning champion, Graeme McDowell seemed very comfortable with the decision, and I think that now that they’ve had their practice day and have the Pro Am on Tuesday.”

“I think the course is set up absolutely wonderfully – our green keeping team have done a tremendous job along with the European Tour team and IMG – I believe that there’s a new cut line in there to make things a bit tougher than normal; some of the bunkers they’ve added in and some of the tees to lengthen some of the holes – they’ve made it really, really special and there’s a new rooting on the usual back nine for this tournament in particular which means that some of our better better holes – the real crux holes are later in the actual match coming down 14 and 15 over two spectacular holes (one par three and one par five) – there’s a big natural amphitheatre there; theres a big spectator platform which is where a lot of the catering is and I’m sure where all the crowds will be hanging out…”

“We did need a bit of natural water as we’ve had over the last few days so we were fortunate to get that especially as it’ll liven up the rough a touch. We did need the rain, but now the event is here let’s hope that we don’t get too much more! Let’s face it, cutting wet grass in certain areas with the heavy machinery that we’ve got in certain areas doesn’t do the course itself too much good.”

Looking into his crystal ball, Mr Gravestock told us, “My hope for the week is that everyone who comes along from the spectators to the organisers that are here, to the players that are playing – in particular the stakeholders who are investing money into the event, all have a fantastic and memorable time here.”

“They have a great time, the players have a great time and you never know – maybe we could get one new winner who becomes an inspiration to bring the next top players through in the next generation, especially in Kent and the rest of the country.”

“That will be a great legacy for us and a great event. But I just hope that everyone has a great time and who knows, we might have one or two more of these events in the future.”

“It’s incredibly important that we have a good week as it’s a privilege as its only one of two events scheduled in England this year and in the past few years, away from Royal St Georges hosting the Open Championship so brilliantly, the only other event in the country has been the BMW at Wentworth, so it is a great privilege and so it’s up to us to make sure that things do go well.”

“To add one or two events in between those wonderful Opens is undoubtedly important for golf in the county and indeed England as well.”