Highs and lows

THIS week's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona promises to be a thrilling one. The draw has been confirmed with top seed Lee Westwood heading a 64-man line-up.

Japan's Toru Taniguchi - ranked 64th in the world - is the only absentee from the world's elite after suffering a neck injury, his place taken by Henrik Stenson. The Swede, who won the title in 2007, takes on Westwood in the first round on Wednesday.

Ernie Els is expected to be fit to take on American Jeff Overton after he was advised to miss last week's Northern Trust Open with a stiff neck. In one of the best looking matches of the first round Martin Kaymer takes on South Korean talent Seung-yul Noh, while Tiger Woods starts out against recent Qatar winner Thomas Bjorn.

Ian Poulter will launch the defence of his title against former Open champion Stewart Cink.

The Matchplay format provides the platform for extremely exciting golf and over the years upsets have been a plenty; with matches over a short format anyone can beat anyone else, liken it to the FA Cup in English football.

Poulter last year proved his love of Matchplay and has since backed it up with a memorable performance at the Ryder Cup, many labelling him a Matchplay specialist. Maybe this is the week he needs to kick-start his season.

The Englishman though is not alone in this respect with many more players looking for that spark to ignite their form - but some need it more than others!

I cannot pass on the recent golfing exploits in the region, although there was a comprehensive report in last week's Golf Scene.

The Gulf Swing is over for another year and it can reflect on a wonderful four weeks of golf on four quality golf courses. The month produced top-drawer winners in Martin Kaymer, Paul Casey, Thomas Bjorn and after an amazing final round at the Majlis course in Dubai, Alvaro Quiros gave us a fitting finale.

The win of Alvaro was thrilling. His fifth victory on tour was nerve-jangling and his final round included an eagle two and an eagle one and a triple bogey! Alvaro is a special talent and because of the way he plays, there will be highs as well as lows, rather like Arnold Palmer during his career. He has the natural ability to go to the very top of the sport and I would not be surprised if he manages to do that.

The focus in Dubai was the rehabilitation of the former number one, Tiger Woods. Disaster is a strong word and I don't think it should be overused, but it often is. The first day produced a wonderful finish with Tiger at odds with his game. A last-hole eagle reminded us of his brilliance as he turned a possible 76 into a very creditable 71.

The second day saw Tiger shoot 66 with three birdies on each nine and was in a whisker of the lead, setting us up for a fantastic weekend; 'could the great man recapture his winning touch?' was a question on everyone's lips.

Instead, it was what emerged from Tiger's lips that took the attention and to a certain degree the headlines away from the deserved Quiros.

In the final round at the 12th green, Woods stooped to an all-time low. Quite simply it was the most degrading moment I have experienced in the game. Having left a 25-foot putt four feet short of the hole, as he bent down to mark it, a spurt of phlegm was released which landed a few feet away on the putting surface.

There were four groups behind him and the deposit could clearly be seen on the green. Quiros, playing two groups behind him would be unaware that his second putt was just inches from the splat.

I could go on, but what's the point? My sadness is that Woods has given me, like you, so much enjoyment and thrills down the years, but his actions in Dubai were totally unacceptable to everyone - including the game of golf itself.

Woods has a long way to go before his game is anywhere near where it was and whatever criticisms can be made of other areas of his life, his work ethic remains an example and inspiration to all.

But, on that Sunday in the United Arab Emirates, a country that has paid handsome dividends for his services, he stooped to depths that simply should never be reached. He was paid a reported $3 million for his performance last week. Surely he has to do better than he did?