Accenture Match Play Championship Thread (Spoiler)

[arydolphin]

The first World Golf Championship event of the PGA Tour season takes place this week as 64 players travel to the desert just outside of Tucson, Arizona for the Accenture Match Play Championship. This event typicially has the top 64 players in the Official World Golf Rankings, but will be missing #9 Phil Mickelson (family reasons) and #24 Paul Casey (shoulder injury). #65 Ernie Els and #66 George Coetzee will fill out the field to replace Mickelson and Casey. In last year's tournament, Luke Donald took down Martin Kaymer in the final which started his ascent to the #1 golfer in the world, a position that he still holds coming into this year's event.

The seedings are a little confusing because the field of 64 was determined by last week's Official World Golf Ranking, but the actual seedings of the players is determined by this week's OWGR which was not finalized until after the Northern Trust Open. In no particular order, here are the first-round matchups that caught my eye:
Luke Donald vs. Ernie Els
Webb Simpson vs. Matteo Manassero
Adam Scott vs. Robert Rock
Dustin Johnson vs. Jim Furyk
Charl Schwartzel vs. Gary Woodland
Bill Haas vs. Ryo Ishikawa
Graeme McDowell vs. Y.E. Yang
Nick Watney vs. Darren Clarke
Sergio Garcia vs. Miguel Angel Jimenez
Keegan Bradley vs. Geoff Ogilvy
Tiger Woods vs. Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano
Hunter Mahan vs. Zach Johnson
Bubba Watson vs. Ben Crane

Link to a printable PDF for the bracket: http://i.cdn.turner.com/pgatour/docs/2012_wgc_accenture_match_play.pdf

This event starts on Wednesday with 32 matches. Sunday has the semifinals in the morning and the final in the afternoon along with the consolation match to determine 3rd and 4th place. Here are the TV times:
Wed 12 – 6 PM ET on Golf Channel
Thu – Fri 2 – 6 PM ET on Golf Channel
Sat 12 – 2 PM ET on Golf Channel, 2 - 6 PM on NBC
Sun 9 AM – 1 PM ET on Golf Channel, 2 - 6 PM on NBC

I have absolutely no idea on who to pick as the favorite with Mickelson not in the field this week. Who does everyone else like in this tournament?

 

[blugold]

Tiger Woods will most likely disappoint. A Brit will probably win.

 

[bahester]

Tiger Woods will most likely disappoint. A Brit will probably win.

Rock v Tiger. Round II

 

[Damaikis]

I bet Tigger wins because Phil isn't there to take him down. Tigger will rise up and go HAM to make it to the finals, then win on the 10th hole in the final.

 

[Jersey Nate]

I'm curious to see the Golf Boys slug it out.

 

[JeffReedMO]

Guh-reat. My boy Adam Scott gets to play The Hair in Rd 1.

 

[Damaikis]

How does fantasy golf go for this tourney? Do you have to look at the bracket and go from there (I'd assume you would want to try to pick guys from each of the different brackets) or does Yahoo have a different format for this?

 

[#Cookie]

How does fantasy golf go for this tourney? Do you have to look at the bracket and go from there (I'd assume you would want to try to pick guys from each of the different brackets) or does Yahoo have a different format for this?

Fantasy does not cover this one. Fantasy will be the Mayakoba Golf Classic where Johnson Wagner will look to defend his title.

 

[arydolphin]

Link to a printable bracket has been added to the first post. I'm still looking for a JPG file of the bracket to post on here as well.

It's fun to look past the first round to possible matchups in this tournament. Possible second-round matchups include Brandt Snedeker vs. Kyle Stanley (Torrey Pines rematch), Hunter Mahan vs. Graeme McDowell (Ryder Cup rematch), Nick Watney vs. Tiger Woods, Webb Simpson vs. Alvaro Quiros. Also, how good would a Lee Westwood vs. Tiger matchup be in the 3rd round?

 

[#Cookie]

I am intrigued by the KJ Choi & Kyle Stanley match in round 1. Choi is just a warrior on the course but I have much respect for Kyle Stanley from what has transpired over the last 3 weeks. Interesting...

 

[TC]

Lee Westwood takes it this year boys! Oh wait, he putts like cookie. Nevermind.

I do reckon a foreigner gets it done though. They seem to do well in these.

 

[War Eagle]

I am intrigued by the KJ Choi & Kyle Stanley match in round 1. Choi is just a warrior on the course but I have much respect for Kyle Stanley from what has transpired over the last 3 weeks. Interesting...

I like that matchup as well, very intriguing.

I just like watching Match Play in general.

 

[TC]

I don't care how he's playing leading up to this thing, that pesky IJP is always a monster in this event. It's kind of annoying.

 

[arydolphin]

I don't care how he's playing leading up to this thing, that pesky IJP is always a monster in this event. It's kind of annoying.

Speaking of IJP, apparently he overslept this morning and missed his charter flight to Arizona. So now he's on a Delta flight from Orlando to Minneapolis, and live-tweeting about it. Then he's flying from Minneapolis to Tucson. He put up a photo of him, he's sitting in a middle seat in coach!

 

[#Cookie]

Lee Westwood takes it this year boys! Oh wait, he putts like cookie. Nevermind.

I do reckon a foreigner gets it done though. They seem to do well in these.

What about Haas? He is playing pretty good these days.

Hard to bet against Rory...if I had to pick one player.

 

[Golf Ghost]

A few match-ups that look really interesting to me include:

Adam Scott-Robert Rock
Bubba Watson-Ben Crane
Hunter Mahan-Zach Johnson
Webb Simpson-Manessero
Keegan Bradley-Geoff Ogilvy
Sergio Garcia-MAJ

Always love a little match play.

 

[TC]

What about Haas? He is playing pretty good these days.

Hard to bet against Rory...if I had to pick one player.

I don't get it. B/c he beat Phil in a playoff? Who's your favorite golfer cookie? I bet you don't even have one.

Rory ain't winning this thing. Stroke play and match play are entirely different beasts. He doesn't exactly tear it up in the RC. I like guys who are killers in this format. And especially guys who can make putts.

 

[Hawk]

LOL at IJP riding dirty in coach. He's probably dying right now.

 

[TC]

LOL at IJP riding dirty in coach. He's probably dying right now.

Although I hate his penis head logo, he's a pretty cool dude. He worked his butt off to be where he is, and he has a good time. I don't mind some IJP, even if he blocked Kmac on twitter.

 

[Golf Ghost]

I don't get it. B/c he beat Phil in a playoff? Who's your favorite golfer cookie? I bet you don't even have one.

Rory ain't winning this thing. Stroke play and match play are entirely different beasts. He doesn't exactly tear it up in the RC. I like guys who are killers in this format. And especially guys who can make putts.

GIR and putts are a lot more important in match play than stroke play.

As much as I like Rory, I can't see him making it past 3 round in this one.

 

[TC]

GIR and putts are a lot more important in match play than stroke play.

As much as I like Rory, I can't see him making it past 3 round in this one.

Agreed on that one. I reckon Sergio might be prime for a little something. He used to be unbeatable in this format. Lee's pretty darn good to. He'll FIR and GIR you to death.

 

[#Cookie]

I don't get it. B/c he beat Phil in a playoff? Who's your favorite golfer cookie? I bet you don't even have one.

Rory ain't winning this thing. Stroke play and match play are entirely different beasts. He doesn't exactly tear it up in the RC. I like guys who are killers in this format. And especially guys who can make putts.

It was a joke about Haas, hence the alien. Actually, he beat both Keegan and Phil.

My favorites? I am a David Toms, Couples fan. Plus Keegan......he uses a belly putter.

I think Rory does some damage this week. We shall see.

 

[Hawk]

Although I hate his penis head logo, he's a pretty cool dude. He worked his butt off to be where he is, and he has a good time. I don't mind some IJP, even if he blocked Kmac on twitter.

I'm cool with him as well. Definitely a good story behind his success. The thought of him in coach is pretty hilarious.

 

[TC]

It was a joke about Haas, hence the alien. Actually, he beat both Keegan and Phil.

My favorites? I am a David Toms, Couples fan. Plus Keegan......he uses a belly putter.

I think Rory does some damage this week. We shall see.

Shut it cookie! You don't even watch golf on Sunday's. You go out, flail clubs around, flub chips and miss par saving putts, then come in and watch the playoff holes and pretend like you know what's going on. You picking Rory shows me how much you know about match play, which then tells me how badly you're going to suck at the MC.

Spoiler

 

[tucsondivots]

I live in Tucson and am going out to watch on Thursday. Was able to get the Canyon Club Tent (all inclusive food and drink). The Ritz Carlton is a pure desert "target" course and from what I hear, the pros do not like it all that much. Rumor is this is staying in Tucson through 2014 and moving back to The Omni Tucson National. For those of you that might remember, that is where Johnny Miller had his big wins many years ago. Weather is supposed to be phenomenal. 72 to 75 degrees everyday and all sun -- woo hoo!