PGATOUR.COM - First-round match the experts would most like to follow

Here's a look at the first round matches our experts would most like to follow from inside the ropes:

T.J. Auclair

PGATOUR.com Interactive Producer

Retief Goosen vs. Scott Verplank

Scrolling through all the brackets, the first-round match I'd most like to be inside the ropes to watch is one most might not think twice about -- Match No. 11 in the Snead bracket between No. 2 seeded Retief Goosen and No. 15 Scott Verplank. On paper, Goosen should take care of Verplank without too much trouble. The South African is longer of the tee, has a couple of majors under his belt and is in contention nearly every time he plays. Verplank, though, while shorter off the tee and without the major credentials of his opponent, has always been a gritty, never-give-up competitor, which is why hes made a career of more than two decades on the PGA TOUR -- a remarkable feat. Simply put, Verplank is the ultimate grinder, which is an invaluable asset to have when it comes to match play.

Brett Avery

The Fantasy Insider

Stewart Cink vs. Jeev Milkha Singh

Throughout his career The Fantasy Insider has spent the first round of a match-play tournament observing players he's rarely or never seen. If he were in Tucson this week instead of vacationing on a south Florida beach, hed spend a few hours determining whether The Other Singh lives up to the press clippings coming out of India. A year ago Singh was plugging away as one of the best players on the subcontinent, a moderately ringing endorsement in a nation still nurturing its development in golf. But in the last year he won the Volvo China Open (his first win anywhere since 1999), the European season-ending Volvo Masters in Spain and twice in Japan (Casio World Open and Golf Nippon Series JT Cup). He climbed as high at 37th in the world, his nations first top-100 player, and now makes his Accenture Match Play Championship debut. How about a third-round match against that guy from Fiji, the one who spends so much time on the practice tee?

Lauren Deason

PGA TOUR.com Editorial Coordinator

Sergio Garcia vs. Darren Clarke

From a sentimental standpoint, the Sergio Garcia/Darren Clarke pairing is my match to watch. They represented the emotional heart of last year's victorious European Ryder Cup team, with the veteran Clarke grieving over the loss of his wife Heather while Garcia was all youth and exuberance following his successes. Like watching a mentor play a protg or a father play a son, it's going to be an interesting match to see simply because, to me, they will always be on the same team.

Melanie Hauser

PGATOUR.com Correspondent

Tiger Woods vs. J.J. Henry

The only place you're guaranteed to see a shot in this one is inside these ropes. Tiger never ceases to amaze so that part of the equation doesn't need explanation. What my eye will be on is how Henry handles this one. Tiger took him and other Ryder Cup rookies under his wing last year and,well, it's Henry's chance to take his mentor to school. Well, at least deep into the back nine.

Dave Lagarde

PGATOUR.com Contributor

Tiger Woods vs. J.J. Henry

I'd be interested in following the Tiger Woods-J.J. Henry match. Not only would it be fun to see how the two Ryder Cup teammates respond, how often do you get the chance to see Tiger at work from close range?

John Maginnes

PGA TOUR Network on XM Radio analyst

Y.E. Yang vs. Rod Pampling

The one match that I would like to follow for a few holes would be the Y.E. Yang-Rod Pampling match. Not only would I enjoy the solitude but I would like to see the young Korean play. Every year there are a few players in the match play whose games I am not familiar with. This year Y.E. Yang is the only true mystery to me. Although there are a few players whose games I don't know well I have at least heard of them. I will watch this match with great curiosity. We could be watching the next K.J. Choi....or even better.

Helen Ross

PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents

Sergio Garcia vs. Darren Clarke

Expect these two Ryder Cup teammates to put on quite a show. They're good friends -- but highly competitive, at the same time. The emotional heart of Europe's lopsided victory at The K Club last September, both have sterliing team records -- Clarke at.9-5-1 and Garcia at 13-1-2 -- but each has only one singles victory. Clarke has the edge at the Accenture Match Play Championship, winning in 2000 while has yet to advance past round three. The biggest attraction, though, is the utter joy with which both play the game, and that's sure to be part of the aura here on Wednesday.

Dave Shedloski

PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent

Padraig Harrington vs. Lee Westwood

European Ryder Cup stalwarts square off in what potentially could be the most friendly match -- and the one with the most banter. Don't think they're going to make each other grind over many 2-3 footers.