The British Matchplay Championship Group predictions

Well the draw has been made (and published in record time on the BMGA website) and looks like this:

• Group A - John McIver, Alex Pragnell, Will Donnelly + 1 tbc
• Group B - Seth Thomas, Freddie Blackburn-Shaw, Brenda Smith, Marc Chapman
• Group C - Nick Sandqvist, Scott Lancley, Tony Kelly, Brad Shepherd
• Group D - Marion Homer, Owen Johnson, Alan Norman, Adam Kelly
• Group E - Sean Homer, Alastair Shaw, Paul Johnson, James Rutherford
• Group F - David Donnelly, Michael Smith, Andy Exall, Chris Smith

So as promised here’s the Putting Predictors predictions of who will be the top 2 in each group:

GROUP A

Mciver and Donnelly both beat Pragnell. McIver beats Donnelly and tops the group so presuming there are no 11th hour entrants it will be McIver and Donnelly topping the group but with the 'missing' fourth player it should see Pragnell qualify as one of the top 4 third place players due to his 'bonus' 3 points as long as he doesn't get hammered in either of his two matches and ends up with a dreadful stroke difference.

GROUP B

Thomas and Shaw draw. Chapman beats Smith. Chapman beats Shaw. Thomas beats Smith. Shaw beats Smith. Thomas beats Chapman.

Chapman and Thomas through.

GROUP C

Lancley beats Sandqvist. Shepherd draws with Kelly. Kelly beats Sandqvist. Shepherd draws with Lancley. Sandqvist beats Shepherd. Kelly and Lancley tie. The two Kent players, Kelly and Lancley edge this group. But Shepherd has a good track record against quality players and Sandqvist is also playing well by all accounts. Whatever happens, one of the top players will not be in the top 16 (possibly 2).

GROUP D

Homer beats Johnson. Kelly beats Norman. Norman beats Homer, Kelly beats Johnson. Johnson draws with Norman. Kelly beats Homer.

Kelly and Norman taking the spoils.

GROUP E

Homer beats Shaw. Rutherford beats Johnson. Homer beats Johnson, Rutherford beats Shaw. Shaw beats Johnson. Homer and Rutherford draw.

Homer and Rutherford topping the group tied on points.

GROUP F

Donnelly and Smith tie. Exall and Smith tie. Exall beats Donnelly. Smith beats Smith. Smith and Exall tie. Donnelly and Smith tie.

Smith and Exall through. Probably Michael but could be Chris as the Twittersphere has been abuzz today with reports of an unwell UK number 1. 

As for the rest of the qualifiers, its tough to say who will join the 12 players in the final 16. Would hazard a guess that Blackburn-Shaw, Marion Homer and Pragnell will all creep through but I just cannot pick a fourth and final player at this stage.  

As for the knockout stages this is in the lap of the gods dependant on the draw.

But no doubt there will be a few shocks, tears and tantrums as the day progresses…