This is a silly hijack, but this is the point I was originally responding to. I think you just transposed your words in the original post. In match play, you ignore the course and just play to beat your opponent on each hole.
A stroke play tournament may become a head-to-head event on the last day, but it never becomes match play, for the precise reason given by others. And if/when announcers say that it’s come down to being “match play,” they are being idiots (not unusual for the usual suspects in the booths).
Interesting information I didn’t know yesterday: Tiger and Harrington were on the clock from the 16th tee on. Harrington felt rushed, especially on his shot from behind the green.
Not idiots at all. In every way but scoring by holes, it is identical to match play. You ignore the rest of the field and play 1 man. You are in a twosome and can see every shot . You can use intimidation. You can pull a club early that you do not intend to use. It also changes strategy to match play thinking.
What difference does pulling a club early and using a different one make? Only an idiot would fall for that “trick”.
As for Tiger, kudos on him for speaking his mind that the clock may have cost Padraig the championship. He wanted a real battle, not a gimme when the clock forced Padraig to rush his shot on the 16th.
For his trouble, Tiger got fined. Doesn’t the PGA realize that viewers want to see a clash of titans? That it might be more interesting and dramatic? Instead, the decision resulted in a game of speed golf with players wildly slapping away to avoid penalties.
Viewers tune in to see Tiger and potential rivalries. If you fine your top ratings draw, maybe he doesn’t show up at the PGA championship this year? What would the ratings be like sans Tiger?
To ignore the “scoring by holes” part is to ignore the only thing that distinguishes match play from stroke play. This event is a prime example of why. Harrington was ahead going into 16, throws up a snowman and now he’s 3 strokes behind with 2 holes to play. In match play, if he’s one ahead going into 16, the absolute worst that can happen is to be tied going into 17.
Being tied going into 17 is completely different than being 3 shots behind, and your thinking when you play has to reflect that.
Tiger puts his approach within 6 inches. Match play, you go for the pin, try to match his score so you split the hole, it doesn’t matter if you miss and wind up in the drink, it’s no worse than getting par. Stroke play, you still have to manage the hole, play the course, don’t get yourself in trouble, if Tiger makes up a stroke, so be it, but make sure it’s just 1, not 4.
Being head to head does give you an opportunity to change your strategy, but you don’t change it to match play.
One thing I haven’t seen mentioned much is that (supposedly) Tiger and Padraig were held up on the first tee to accomodate television so they started out farther behind than they should have. Was that taken into account in placing them on the clock or were they not held up?
Edited to add: Apparently not. This link shows that they started a 2p - 10 minutes after the group ahead
Great article. (And thanks, Controvert, for bringing this up.) What a classy act by Tiger to smack that official down and stand by Harrington.
Classy act?? I hope you are being sarcastic.
They were behind. The rule is the rule. They were put on the clock. If they had been Joe Shmoe and John Doe, the same rule would have applied. It applies to the second group in the field, the same as the last group in the field.
Tiger’s ire would better be aimed at letting himself and Harrington get so far behind the field that timing actually came into play. And while he might say something about it being too bad Harrington reacted poorly to being under the stopwatch, he doesn’t need to be implying that the official screwed up for doing his job there.
One of the first times I’ve thought Tiger’s comments were out of line. 
It’s rules lawyering. It lets someone “out-smart” an opponent rather than outplay them. Why bother practicing or striving to be good at a sport, if you can invoke rule 37-b to boomerang the outcome?
Ticky-tack fouls are unpopular if called in the last 2 minutes of a close-fought NBA game. It lets an official decide the outcome and erases the other 46 minutes of effort.
The manager who got the umpire to invalidate George Brett’s home run because he had pine tar above a certain area of his bat was also within the rules, but the fact that he saved that gem for the game determining moment is surely not in the spirit of the game.
So the question becomes, do we want a random boner factor to decide potentially historic golf battles? Or do you apply a little good judgement and common sense and not slap the clock on a group the moment the rules allow it?
In poker tournaments, players are generally given plenty of time to decide key hands. Most of the plays go quickly, but if you’re deciding whether someone is bluffing with your tournament life on the line, it can take longer. You could invoke the clock on a player in this situation, because it is in the rules. But it is hardly ever done, because it takes away the skill factor. If the rules lawyers have their way, it would be done on every hand.
It appeared Tiger was enjoying the battle. He felt cheated by the refs forcing Paddy to play faster than he felt comfortable. I think they play too damn slow anyway.
Tiger is leading the PGA. He is 5 under which is 1 up . He has a short birdie put on his 16th hole. His irons are beating down the stick today.
Could be a four day head to head shootout with Harrington. That would be fun to see.
All true, except for the fact that they weren’t actually behind. They were right behind the group in front of them, according to Tiger.
It’s changed multiple times, actually. My parents used to live near the original course & Sam Snead Drive.
Tiger was wrong, as the PGA noted. They hit the tee at 16 (a par 5) as the group ahead hit the 17th tee (that’s out of position by a substantial amount) and the group ahead was already off the 18th tee when Tiger hit the 17th tee.
Tiger is wrong. Period. He should accept that.
Midway or so through Friday and Harrington is still right there. Is it possible we finally have a real rivalry for Tiger? And maybe one who actually lets his clubs do the talking instead of a big fat mouth.
Folks, let me direct your attention to the thread devoted to the 2009 PGA Championship. 
And I feel think is a good time advertise for my Professional jinxing services.