Report: WGC Match Play to be axed

It looks like the WGC Dell Match Play has run its course.

According to Golfweek, the event is set to be scrapped from the PGA Tour schedule due to sponsorship reasons.

The event, where Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion, has been played at Austin Country Club since 2016, but it appears 2023 will be the final year for the tournament which has been a fixture since 1999.

The report from Golfweek states that an agreement between the host club, Austin Country Club and the PGA Tour couldn’t be reached, with Kevin Streelman, a member of the tour’s Player Advisory Council, telling them “it’s a sponsorship issue.”

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This year, the WGC Match Play is one of the PGA Tour’s ‘elevated events,’ meaning it has an increased purse, and will feature most of the top-ranked players on the circuit. It’s thought that the Cadence Bank Houston Open will take its spot on the spring schedule.

The report from Adam Schupak continues to say that Austin CC and the PGA Tour tried to come to an agreement to stage the WGC, but that for several months there was no contact between the parties. 

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It’s also said that the PGA Tour turned down a five year proposal where Intel, a partner of Dell, would be the presenting sponsor of the spring tournament, but the tour rejected the deal.