Matchplay guide: Phillip Price

As the World Match Play and the Ryder Cup put the focus on matchplay golf, we asked experts for their insight. Click on a name below to learn the secrets of success.

PHILLIP PRICE - European Ryder Cup team 2002

Welshman Price beat American superstar Phil Mickelson 3&2 in the Ryder Cup singles at The Belfry in 2002.

I was more concerned that I was number 11 in the list than who I was playing.

Expect the unexpected in matchplay - if you think they'll miss and they don't you'll be rattled

I was quite shocked and thought, 'hang on, this could all come down to me'. I thought Sam Torrance would hide us rookies in the middle of the order. But after I'd taken it in, I focused on how I was going to beat Mickelson.

I was playing well and had played against him in the foursomes. Even though we lost I thought I had a good chance. I felt the difficult bit would be to actually finish the game off, and that was my goal for the whole day.

In the foursomes (Price and Pierre Fulke lost 2&1 to Mickelson and David Toms) the occasion got to us and we backed off a little bit when we had a chance to do well. We were one up and had a chance to go two up and then faltered.

I was determined not to let it slip the next time if I got my chance to win.

Against Mickelson I won the 5th to go one up, but the turning point was the 6th. I nearly hit it in the hazard, while he found the fairway and then put it to about three feet.

I hit my second to about four feet, from standing in the hazard, and then holed it. He missed his and three-putted the next and all of a sudden, I was three up.

MATCHPLAY EXPLAINED Matchplay: Lowest score wins hole. Victor is winner of most holes in round. Format used in Ryder Cup Strokeplay: Least number of shots overall wins. Format used in majors Fourballs: (Or better ball) - Two teams of two, each player uses own ball. Best score wins hole. Matchplay Foursomes: Two players alternate shots using same ball against another team of two. Matchplay Ryder Cup explained

Then it was just a case of hanging on. I wasn't looking at scoreboards and I wasn't starting to think ahead about what it would be like if I won. I managed to stay focused and wasn't distracted at all.

I holed a long putt on 16 for a birdie and the match, which was incredible. I wasn't thinking about holing it but the crowd went crazy and that set me off. Phil shook my hand but didn't say anything particularly.

Good matchplayers are pretty determined and like the competition and confrontation. My philosophy is, whatever he's doing, I'm going to try to do a little bit better.

A good tip for matchplay is to expect the unexpected. Always expect them to hit a good shot or hole a putt so you're prepared for yours. Never expect them to miss because when they do hole it, it jolts you.

The World Match Play takes place at Wentworth, Surrey, from 14-17 September. The Ryder Cup is set for the K Club, Co. Kildare, Ireland, from 22-24 September.