Third-round bracket preview: Gary Player bracket

text size

Here's a look at the Gary Player bracket going into Friday's second round of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. OTHER BRACKETS: Bobby Jones | Ben Hogan | Sam Snead | Third-round predictions

---

POTENTIAL BLOWOUT: Paul Casey vs. Peter Hanson. The lowest seed still left in the Accenture Match Play Championship, Hanson will need some magic against Casey, who brings with him a wealth of match play experience both from the Ryder Cup and this event. Neither of them, however, have trailed in their matches this week.

PLAYER WE'RE SURPRISED TO SEE IN THE THIRD ROUND: Peter Hanson. No. 15 seeds rarely stick around, but Hanson has been surprisingly good in wins over Stephen Ames and Robert Karlsson -- neither of which reached the 18th against him. Hanson does have three career victories around the world and did finish T23 at the 2007 PGA Championsip, but there was nothing indicating he would survive the first round this week.

Third-round matches

IAN POULTER (31) vs. SEAN O'HAIR (47) Poulter has made just two bogeys all week, while O'Hair's been the beneficiary of his opponents playing poorly and him making a few timely birdies. Given all of Poulter's international match play experience and success here -- three top 10s -- you have to like his chances. PAUL CASEY (23) vs. PETER HANSON (58) After four straight years of first-round losses, Casey has reached at least the third round each of the last three years. This is just Hanson's second Accenture Match Play Championship and the furthest he's gone after a first-round exit last year. Can the Cindarella run continue?

NOTE: Official World Golf Ranking in parentheses.