MARANA, Ariz. -- The number to remember in the second round of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship appears to be 12.
There are 12 Americans and 12 Europeans remaining in the field. Not to mention, 12 of the top 20 players in the world are left to do battle at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Dove Mountain.
There were some stunning upsets on opening day -- most notably of world No. 3 Tiger Woods and defending champ Ian Poulter. But the potential exists for even more excitement as the second round gets under way.
| Accenture Match Play: Preview of second-round matches |
| 33 |
11:10 a.m. ET |
2. Graeme McDowell |
vs. |
10. Ross Fisher |
Hogan |
Accenture Match Play records: McDowell is 2-4. Fisher is 5-3
THE SKINNY: Fisher may have reached the consolation final in 2009 but McDowell is playing better this year. Look for the Northern Irishman to prevail in this match of Ryder Cup teammates. |
| 34 |
11:22 a.m. ET |
14. Stewart Cink |
vs. |
11. Y.E. Yang |
Hogan |
Accenture Match Play records: Cink is 22-11. Yang is 2-2
THE SKINNY: Cink always seems to kick it up a notch, as evidenced by Wednesday's gritty upset of defending champion Ian Poulter. Cink hasn't been playing as well as he'd like but this week could turn the season around. |
| 35 |
11:34 a.m. ET |
2. Paul Casey |
vs. |
10. Jason Day |
Snead |
Accenture Match Play records: Casey is 16-8. Day is 2-3
THE SKINNY:Casey had a surprisingly close match with Richard Green in the opening round. But he's already won once this year and brings a ton of confidence to the table are runner-up finishes the last two years. |
| 36 |
11:46 a.m. ET |
3. Ernie Els |
vs. |
6. J.B. Holmes |
Snead |
Accenture Match Play records: Els is 10-10. Holmes is 1-1
THE SKINNY:Els showed no lingering effects from the neck injury that sidelined him last week as he rallied from 3 down to win. But Holmes shot 6 under on a course he had never seen before so he could be tough. |
| 37 |
11:58 a.m. ET |
15. Matteo Manassero |
vs. |
7. Charl Schwartzel |
Jones |
Accenture Match Play records: Manassero is 1-0. Schwartzel is 4-2
THE SKINNY: Schwartzel dispatched one teen in the opening round and now gets another. Judging from the way he handled world No. 8 Steve Stricker, though, Manassero figures to be a challenge. |
| 38 |
12:10 p.m. ET |
3. Luke Donald |
vs. |
6. Edoardo Molinari |
Jones |
Accenture Match Play records: Donald is 11-6. Molinari is 1-1
THE SKINNY: Donald didn't make a bogey as he took a lopsided first-round victory, and his Ryder Cup teammate proved to be a birdie machine, making seven on Wednesday. The hot putter will prevail. |
| 39 |
12:22 p.m. ET |
2. Rory McIlroy |
vs. |
10. Ben Crane |
Player |
Accenture Match Play records: McIlroy is 5-2. Crane is 5-3
THE SKINNY:Both players won by 4 and 2 margins in the first round; McIlroy over Jonathan Byrd and Crane taking down Adam Scott. This match will be a contrast in styles of the excitable Northern Irishman and steady American. |
| 40 |
12:34 p.m. ET |
14. Ryan Palmer |
vs. |
6. Miguel Angel Jimenez |
Player |
Accenture Match Play records: Palmer is 1-0. Jimenez is 7-9
THE SKINNY: If experience is the key, then this match should go to the Spaniard they call "The Mechanic." But Palmer had to gain confidence from his upset win over Jim Furyk so he could surprise. |
| 41 |
12:46 p.m. ET |
1. Phil Mickelson |
vs. |
8. Rickie Fowler |
Hogan |
Accenture Match Play records: Mickelson is 16-10. Fowler is 1-0
THE SKINNY: Mickelson had an easy time in his first round match while Fowler won 1 up. Mickelson's putter has been suspect of late but he was bogey free on Wednesday while Fowler made five and survived. |
| 42 |
12:58 p.m. ET |
4. Matt Kuchar |
vs. |
12. Bo Van Pelt |
Hogan |
Accenture Match Play records: Kuchar is 2-1. Van Pelt is 1-0
THE SKINNY: There's not a lot of match play experience in this group. But Van Pelt claimed a big one in beating Louis Oosthuizen and Kuchar showed his toughness in going 22 holes against Peter Hansen. |
| 43 |
1:10 p.m. ET |
16. Thomas Bjorn |
vs. |
8. Geoff Ogilvy |
Snead |
Accenture Match Play records: Bjorn is 5-6. Ogilvy is 19-3
THE SKINNY: Bjorn earned Wednesday's headlines when he upset Tiger Woods in 19 holes. But there are those who would say Ogilvy is an even more formidable foe given his two wins in this tournament in the desert. |
| 44 |
1:22 p.m. ET |
13. Mark Wilson |
vs. |
5. Bubba Watson |
Snead |
Accenture Match Play records: Wilson is 1-0. Watson is 1-0
THE SKINNY: This could be a good one. Both players have won this year -- Wilson actually taking two titles -- and their styles are contrasting. Watson weilds the big stick while Wilson's short game is stellar. |
| 45 |
1:34 p.m. ET |
1. Lee Westwood |
vs. |
8. Nick Watney |
Jones |
Accenture Match Play records: Westwood is 7-11. Watney is 3-1
THE SKINNY: The world No. 1 could be ripe for the upset. After all he has never advanced past the second round. Watney is confident after a second-round upset of Westwood last year and comes is playing extremely well with nothing lower than a tie for sixth in three starts this year. |
| 46 |
1:46 p.m. ET |
13. K.J. Choi |
vs. |
12. Ryan Moore |
Jones |
Accenture Match Play records: Choi is 6-7. Moore is 1-1
THE SKINNY: Both players should be on top of their games after top-10s on Sunday at the Northern Trust Open. Choi has more experience, though, which could pay off in a tight match. |
| 47 |
1:58 p.m. ET |
1. Martin Kaymer |
vs. |
9. Justin Rose |
Player |
Accenture Match Play records: Kaymer is 3-3. Rose is 5-5
THE SKINNY: The road gets tougher for the German, who breezed through his opening match. Rose will need to call on all his experience, though, to upset the man many think is playing the best golf in the world. |
| 48 |
2:10 p.m. ET |
4. Robert Karlsson |
vs. |
5. Hunter Mahan |
Player |
Accenture Match Play records: Karlsson is 2-5. Mahan is 3-3
THE SKINNY: Hard to belive but the Swedish veteran has never gotten past the second round. Neither has Mahan but he's playing the best with two top-10s, including second at Pebble Beach two weeks ago. |
|
| Second-round predictions |
| Match |
McAllister's pick |
Ross' pick |
| Graeme McDowell vs. ROss Fisher |
McDowell |
McDowell |
| Stewart Cink vs. Y.E. Yang |
Cink |
Cink |
| Paul Casey vs. Jason Day |
Casey |
Casey |
| Ernie Els vs. J.B. Holmes |
Holmes |
Holmes |
| Matteo Manassero vs. Charl Schwartzel |
Schwartzel |
Schwartzel |
| Luke Donald vs. Edoardo Molinari |
Molinari |
Donald |
| ROry McIlroy vs. Ben Crane |
McIlroy |
Crane |
| Ryan Palmer vs. Miguel A. Jimenez |
Palmer |
Jimenez |
| Phil Mickelson vs. Rickie Fowler |
Mickelson |
Mickelson |
| Matt Kuchar vs. Bo Van Pelt |
Van Pelt |
Kuchar |
| Thomas Bjorn vs. Geoff Ogilvy |
Ogilvy |
Ogilvy |
| Mark Wilson vs. Bubba Watson |
Wilson |
Wilson |
| Lee Westwood vs. Nick Watney |
Watney |
Watney |
| K.J. Choi vs. Ryan Moore |
Moore |
Moore |
| Martin Kaymer vs. Justin Rose |
Kaymer |
Kaymer |
| Robert Karlsson vs. Hunter Mahan |
Karlsson |
Mahan |
|
| FIRST-ROUND RESULTS |
20-12 |
24-8 |
|
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