Feb. 20, 2011
By PGATOUR.COM staff
The brackets for this year's World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship are now available. PGATOUR.COM is breaking down each of the brackets:
MORE PREVIEWS: Snead bracket | Jones bracket | Hogan bracket | FIELD STUDY: All 64 players
DOWNLOAD A BRACKET: Click here for printable bracket (.pdf)
| Player preview |
| DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 9 (out of 10) |
| He may be ranked second, but many think top-seeded Martin Kaymer is playing the best of anyone in the world. Add in world No. 7 Rory McIlroy and No. 10 Jim Furyk and this bracket is an extremely tough one. All but three of the 16 have played in the Accenture Match Play Championship before and Jonathan Byrd should have confidence after winning the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. |
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| BEST FIRST-ROUND MATCH: Zach Johnson vs. Justin Rose |
| This is the Ryder Cup match that never happened last year when Justin Rose was left off Colin Montgomerie's team -- despite winning twice on the PGA TOUR. Both players are tenacious competitors and have similar games. Their Accenture Match Play Championship records are solid, too, with Johnson owning a third-place finish and Rose having reached the quarterfinals in 2007. |
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| POTENTIAL SECOND-ROUND MATCH: Jim Furyk vs. Miguel Angel Jimenez |
| Again, let's go with a pair of Ryder Cup veterans who have two decades of Accenture Match Play Championship experience between them. Furyk should get by Ryan Palmer, who is making his debut at Dove Mountain, while Yuta Ikeda, Jimenez's opponent, lost in last year's first round. |
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| GETTING AHEAD OF OURSELVES |
| This one is easy. What's not to like if Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy get to the finals of the Gary Player bracket. They're the present and future of the game, ranked Nos. 2 and 7 in the world, respectively. |
|
| BEST DOUBLE DIGIT-SEEDED SLEEPER |
| This would have to be No. 12 Sean O'Hair. Yes, he's started slowly this year but O'Hair reached the quarterfinals just two years ago and he could be tough. |
|
| Player seeds |
| 1 |
 |
Martin
KAYMER |
PGA champ is among top four seeds for second straight year |
| 2 |
 |
Rory
McILROY |
Will be making first stateside appearance of the year here |
| 3 |
 |
Jim
FURYK
| FedExCup champion has career Match Play record of 9-10 |
| 4 |
 |
Robert
KARLSSON |
The Swede's 1-5 record in this event does not bode well |
| 5 |
 |
Hunter
MAHAN |
Nice start to season with some top 10s but just a 2-3 record in this event |
| 6 |
 |
Miguel A.
JIMENEZ |
In last seven starts here, the Spaniard's record is 3-7 |
| 7 |
 |
Adam
SCOTT |
The Aussie hasn't advanced past second round in last five years |
| 8 |
 |
Zach
JOHNSON |
Reached the semifinals in 2006 but not much of an impact since |
| 9 |
 |
Justin
ROSE |
Has lost in first round three times in previous five starts |
| 10 |
 |
Ben
CRANE |
Advanced to third round for first time last year, losing to Villegas |
| 11 |
 |
Yuta
IKEDA |
Has won eight tournaments on Japan Tour in the last two years |
| 12 |
 |
Sean
O'HAIR |
Finished fifth in his last WGC event (last year at Bridgestone) |
| 13 |
 |
Hiroyuki
FUJITA |
Won for the 10th time on Japan Tour last December at JT Cup |
| 14 |
 |
Ryan
PALMER |
Has three TOUR wins but this is first Match Play start |
| 15 |
 |
Jonathan
BYRD |
Winning the TOUR's season opener at Kapalua has him in a good frame of mind |
| 16 |
 |
Seung-yul
NOH |
Won the Maybank Malaysian Open last year at the age of 18 |
|
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