Match preview: Championship finals, Accenture Match Play

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MARANA, Ariz. -- The championship match of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship is set, with Ian Poulter facing fellow Englishman Paul Casey. Here's all you need to know about the two finalists, who will play 36 holes on Sunday to decide the champion.

QUICK LOOK AT IAN POULTER: The flashy-dressing Poulter has made 102 PGA TOUR starts without a win, which is why a victory Sunday at Accenture Match Play Championship would be so sweet. It would allow him to cross off another thing on his to-do list as he seeks to climb into the elite status of world-class golfers.

"It would mean an awful lot," he said. "... To win on this side of the pond would be another particular box in the boxes that are still unticked, so it would be good."

Another thing that Poulter will tick off is becoming a top-five player in the Official World Golf Rankings. He entered this week's tournament at No. 11 but will jump to No. 5 if he beats Casey. If he loses, he still rises to No. 6.

"I would like to finish, certainly 2010 within the top five," he said. "It would be a nice position to be in tomorrow, putting myself in that position if I can go out there and win the golf tournament."

One of the keys for Poulter this week has been his putter. He needed just 11 putts in beating Sergio Garcia 7 and 6 in 12 holes in the semifinals.

"I'm comfortable on the greens," Garcia said. "I think I've done my homework, I think I'm prepared and I understand the breaks on the greens.

"And the greens -- the golf course is immaculate. I think if you're stroking the ball well and you're actually picking the right line and you can start it down the line, then the ball is definitely going to go in."

QUICK LOOK AT PAUL CASEY: For the second consecutive year, Casey has reached the finals of this event. He lost to Geoff Ogilvy 4 and 3 a year ago.

It's clear that this event just down the road from his home in Scottsdale is one that he enjoys. In 2007, the first year the tournament was played in Marana, Casey reached the quarterfinals after four previous years of losing in the first round when the event was held at La Costa.

"Tthis is a golf course, the more you play it the more you not only learn it, but you kind of enjoy it because it is a little funky," Casey said. "The more I've played it, the more I've kind of enjoyed -- I learned to love the golf course, because there are places you can hit is and be rewarded."

Casey ran roughshod through his first four rounds this week, winning 5 and 4 before beating Camilo Villegas in an endurance match in the semifinals. The match went 23 holes on Saturday before being halted by darkness, forcing Casey and Villegas to get up early Sunday morning to finish. Casey won by getting up and down on the 24th hole (the 10th at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.

Casey said his game is in peak condition right now. Expect him to have the length advantage against Poulter.

"I don't think there's any one particular part of my game that's jumping out that is fantastic right now," he said. "It's just all very, very solid.

Tale of the Tape

IAN POULTER   PAUL CASEY   34 Age 32 England Country England 1995 Turned pro 2000 0 PGA TOUR wins 1 8 International wins 10 11 Current world ranking 7 First start PGA TOUR results in 2010 T10: SBS Championship N/A FedExCup rank 94th 31 FedExCup rank in 2009 52 Featured video Click image to play 2004: Lost in quarters 2005: Lost in consolation finals 2006: Lost in first round 2007: Lost in third round 2008: Lost in second round 2009: Lost in third round Previous results in Match Play finishes 2003: Lost in first round 2004: Lost in first round 2005: Lost in first round 2006: Lost in first round 2007: Lost in quarters 2008: Lost in third round 2009: Lost in finals 17-7 Career match record at Accenture Match Play 15-7 Rd. 1: Beat Leonard, 19 holes Rd. 2: Beat Scott, 2 and 1 Rd. 3: Beat J.M. Singh, 5 and 4 Quarters: Beat Jaidee, 1 up Semis: Beat Garcia, 7 and 6 Road to the 2010 finals Rd. 1: Beat Ames, 5 and 4 Rd. 2: Beat Weir, 5 and 4 Rd. 3: Beat Gay, 5 and 4 Quarters: Beat Cink, 5 and 4 Semis: Beat Villegas, 24 holes 80 Holes played 80 31 Holes won 31 13 Holes lost 10