1973 Piccadilly World Match Play Championship

The 1973 Piccadilly World Match Play Championship was the tenth World Match Play Championship. It was played from Thursday 11 to Saturday 13 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 £10,000 out of a total prize fund of £30,000. In the final, Gary Player beat Graham Marsh at the fourth extra hole to win the championship for the fifth time.

1973 Piccadilly World Match Play Championship

Tournament information
Dates	11–13 October 1973
Location	Virginia Water, Surrey, England
Course(s)	West Course, Wentworth
Format	Match play – 36 holes
Statistics
Par	74
Length	6,997 yards (6,398 m)
Field	8 players
Prize fund	£30,000
Winner's share	£10,000
Champion
Gary Player
def. Graham Marsh after 40 holes

In a close final, Player holed a 7-foot birdie putt at the 36th hole to tie the match after Marsh's second shot had found a green-side bunker and he was unable to get down in two more. Player had to get up and down from bunkers at the first two extra holes to extend the match. At the fourth extra hole, he holed from 9 feet and then Marsh missed from 3 feet to give Player the victory.[1]

Course

Source:[2]

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
Yards	476	157	457	497	192	347	403	400	460	3,389	190	408	480	437	183	480	380	555	495	3,608	6,997
Par	5	3	4	5	3	4	4	4	4	36	3	4	5	4	3	5	4	5	5	38	74

Scores

Source:[1][2][3]

	Quarter-finals 11 October				Semi-finals 12 October				Final 13 October
	Tom Weiskopf	3 & 2
	Lanny Wadkins
					Tom Weiskopf
					Graham Marsh	4 & 3
	Tommy Aaron
	Graham Marsh	3 & 2
									Graham Marsh
									Gary Player	40 h
	Johnny Miller	4 & 3
	Peter Oosterhuis
					Johnny Miller
					Gary Player	3 & 2
	Gary Player	3 & 2
	Tony Jacklin

Prize money

The winner received £10,000, the runner-up £5,000, the losing semi-finalists £3,500 and the first round losers £2,000, making a total prize fund of £30,000.

References

1. "Best of Piccadilly kept to last day as Player has fifth win". The Times, Monday, 15 October 1973; pg. 13; Issue 58913.
2. "The British chaff is separated from the American wheat". The Times, Friday, 12 October 1973; pg. 16; Issue 58911.
3. "The quiet Australian moves in to seek a world reputation". The Times, Saturday, 13 October 1973; pg. 7; Issue 58912.