Andrew Spencer : Golf
There is little doubt in the minds of those at the Japanese motor company who have stacked their yen behind the World Matchplay Championship at Wentworth this weekend that the man to bring their event out of the doldrums and back into golfs big league is Ernie Els.
This Friday, the languid South African starts the defence of the title he has already won an unprecedented three times and aims to make it four in a row. He does so as the only current holder of a Major he is the US Open champion to have put his name down on the starters sheet.
So great are the rewards and so intrusive the demands on the time of the winners of one of golfs Grand Slam tournaments, that Masters champion Tiger Woods, British Open winner Justin Leonard and US PGA title holder Davis Love III have all pleaded prior commitments rather than try and face Els down on a terrain he has made his own.
It is not a situation the sponsors are particularly happy about, but there are a number of factors which continue to weigh against them.
Americans, largely, have been raised on the concept of strokeplay. The Ryder Cup, retained by the Europeans, who have a more concrete background in the cut-and-thrust of matchplay, gave some insight into this lack among the players in the land of the Stars and Bars.
There is also the question of the television exposure that the annual matchplay extravaganza at Englands Wentworth can expect to receive in the United States
There are too many other attractions; too varied a sporting diet, for there to be hoards waiting to view a tournament played in an unaccustomed format without the spur of nationalistic American pride behind it.
It has led to a situation where none of the top four seeds, the men who get an automatic bye into the second round, are Americans by birth.
With Els designated number one as is the right of a champion, Scotlands glowering Colin Montgomerie is seeded to meet the lanky South African in the final. Behind Monty are Australian Steve Elkington, winner of the Players Championship at Sawgrass this year, and the amiable Zimbabwean Nick Price.
It could be argued that of the top four, only Montgomerie spends more time in Europe than the United States, but it must also be realised that all four of them learnt their golf in countries where amateur matchplay is the norm.
So, it is on the broad shoulders of Els that the stature of the tournament as a major worldwide attraction must rest.
Should he become a four-time winner in as many tilts at the title, the organisers will have an extra lever to use to boost the American contingent in their future fields.