"Europe's Pebble Beach" Hosts This Week's World Match Play

With an intriguing round-robin format, the 24-player Volvo World Match Play heads to Bulgaria and the stunning setting for the Gary Player-designed Thracian Cliffs.

From a Euro Tour story:

Just as Jack Neville attempted to take as many holes to the rocky Pacific coastline as possible at Pebble, the Black Sea borders eight of the holes at this year’s World Match Play Championship, meaning that wind speed and direction will certainly be a major factor for the 24 players to contend with this week.

Opened just two years ago in 2011, you could say that Thracian Cliffs was always destined to become a World Match Play venue.

Thanks to reader Phil for noticing the eye-opening quote from head pro Vesselin Savoia:

“We obviously have the signature holes of the eighth and the ninth, but there is also the third hole, which is almost 700 yards long, too. But I think one of the most challenging things about playing this course for the first time is concentrating on playing golf because the golf course is so beautiful and so spectacular that everyone spends almost six hours a round. Taking pictures on every tee box, where there are amazing views everywhere. Sometimes people come back having lost six or ten golf balls in their round and yet they are still happy.”

Golf Channel Airtimes (Eastern):

Thursday         7-11 a.m. (Live)

Friday              7-11 a.m. (Live)

Saturday          6-11 a.m. (Live)

Sunday            5-11 a.m. (Live) / 12:30-3 a.m. (Replay)