Reed joins Lowry and McDowell in Volvo World Match Play field

Patrick Reed. Picture: Fran Caffrey / www.golffile.ie

US Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed, Francesco Molinari, Pablo Larrazabal, Jonas Blixt and 2006 World Match Play Championship winner Paul Casey, complete the 16-man field for next week's Volvo World Match Play Championship at the London Golf Club.

The field boasts ten of the world’s top 50 with 15 players ranked within the world’s top 70 for the event which will be played on the International Course at the Kent venue.

Shane Lowry, defending champion Graeme McDowel and his Ryder Cup team mates Henrik Stenson, Thomas Björn, Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson and Stephen Gallacher will be joined by 2013 runner-up, Thongchai Jaidee, 2014 Volvo China Open champion Alexander Levy, Joost Luiten and Irish Open winner, Mikko Ilonen. 

Reed said: “Although we suffered a very disappointing loss at Gleneagles, I enjoyed the competition of my first Ryder Cup and can’t wait to get back out there to play in another match play event in the UK. With six of the European Ryder Cup players in the field, I am excited to be representing the Stars and Stripes overseas once again at the London Golf Club!”

Casey, who won the KLM Open last month, is the beneficiary of the sole sponsor’s invite.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary since the inaugural Championship, won by Arnold Palmer at Wentworth in 1964, the 16-man field is now finalised as the players look to build on their successful seasons by taking home the €650,000 first prize as they compete for a total prize fund of €2.25m.

The field will be split into four groups of four in the group stages before the leading two players per group proceed to the knock out phase to be played over the weekend. The 2014 Tournament will now be played over five days starting on Wednesday.