Feb. 22, 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: Jones bracket | Player bracket | Hogan bracket | FIELD STUDY: All 64 players
DOWNLOAD A BRACKET: Click here for printable bracket (.pdf)
| Snead preview |
| DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 7 (out of 10) |
| A three-time champ in Tiger Woods and Geoff Ogilvy, who has won twice in the desert, give this bracket star power. Not to mention, Paul Casey has been the runner-up the last two years and Camilo Villegas was third in 2010. At the same time, though, there are five players who have never played in the Accenture Match Play Championship and another two who have never gotten out of the first round. |
|
| BEST FIRST-ROUND MATCH: Geoff Ogilvy vs. Padraig Harrington |
| Both veterans come to Dove Mountain playing pretty well, and they have a match play mentality that should make this encounter a nail-biter. Ogilvy, though, has had more success at the Accenture Match Play Championship. Harrington has never gotten out of the quarterfinals. |
|
| POTENTIAL SECOND-ROUND MATCH: Dustin Johnson vs. Bill Haas |
| It was tempting to pick the Ogilvy-Harrington winner against Tiger Woods but let's go for something that could be just as entertaining with these young guns. Of course, Johnson has never won a first-round match and he faces Accenture rookie Mark Wilson, who has already won twice this year, in his opener. Both Haas and his first-round opponent Bubba Watson are Accenture rookies, too. But Haas is coming off a 67 Sunday at Riviera while Watson withdrew to rest a strained oblique. |
|
| GETTING AHEAD OF OURSELVES |
| There are two bracket finals that could be fun. Tiger Woods, as always, looms large, although his game has been inconsistent. The potential to have him match up against Ernie Els is exciting after their epic Presidents cup duel that ended in a draw in South Africa. Another interesting possibility would be Geoff Ogilvy and Paul Casey to see if the Englishman can avenge his 4-and-3 championship defeat from 2009. |
|
| BEST DOUBLE DIGIT-SEEDED SLEEPER |
| There are several possibilities like No. 13 Mark Wilson, already a two-time champ in 2011, and Camilo Villegas, seeded 11th, who finished third at Dove Mountain last year. But it's hard to look past No. 12 Bill Haas, who has three top-10s in five starts this year. |
|
| Snead seeds |
| 1 |
 |
Tiger
WOODS |
Tough to know what to expect from three-time winner |
| 2 |
 |
Paul
CASEY |
Runner-up last two years; no surprise he's one of the favorites |
| 3 |
 |
Ernie
ELS |
The South African reached semifinals in 2001 but has made little noise since |
| 4 |
 |
Dustin
JOHNSON |
The big hitter has lost to Stricker, Villegas in his two starts |
| 5 |
 |
Bubba
WATSON |
After two TOUR wins in last 12 months, he's making first start here |
| 6 |
 |
J.B.
HOLMES |
66th-ranked player a late replacement for Tim Clark, who WD'd due to injury |
| 7 |
 |
Kyung-Tae
KIM |
Just 24, he was first Korean player to lead money list on Japan Tour |
| 8 |
 |
Geoff
OGILVY |
Two-time winner seems to have healed from finger injury |
| 9 |
 |
Padraig
HARRINGTON |
Paddy's record in this event is spotty at best (11-10 record) |
| 10 |
 |
Jason
DAY |
The young Australian native is making his Match Play debut |
| 11 |
 |
Camilo
VILLEGAS
|
Finished third last year after losing to Casey in semifinals |
| 12 |
 |
Bill
HAAS |
Ninth on the Presidents Cup points list, he'd like to solidify a spot |
| 13 |
 |
Mark
WILSON |
OK, so we know he can win stroke-play events; what about match play? |
| 14 |
 |
Jeff
OVERTON |
Showed his match play mettle for U.S. at last year's Ryder Cup |
| 15 |
 |
Richard
GREEN |
Four starts, four first-round losses for the Aussie |
| 16 |
 |
Thomas
BJORN |
Moved into top 64 thanks to his win earlier this month at Qatar Masters |
|
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