Feb. 24, 2012
By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM
MARANA, Ariz. -- The third round of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship takes place Friday with the 16 second-round winners squaring off in eight matches. Here's a look at each match (tee times are ET):
WGC-ACCENTURE: Round 3 Predictions | Round 2 match recaps | Updated bracket | Thursday wrap-up | Video
| Third round: Match previews |
| 49 |
12:50 p.m. |
 |
1. Martin Kaymer |
vs |
 |
4. Matt Kuchar |
Hogan |
| Match Play records: Kaymer 9-4, Kuchar 8-2Last year Kaymer reached the finals, while Kuchar reached the semifinals. Now one of them will suffer an earlier exit. Kaymer has not trailed after any of his 34 holes this week; Kuchar has not trailed after any of his 34 holes this week. Obviously something will have to give between two players who seem to thrive in this format. For the German, it's his second consecutive match against an American -- he beat David Toms 2 up in the second round. Although Kaymer and Kuchar were on opposite Ryder Cup squads in 2010, they did not face each other. But perhaps this is a precursor to this year's Ryder Cup. "It will be nice to play against him," Kaymer said. "He's a nice guy; he's always smiling. I think we'll have a good game tomorrow." |
| 50 |
1:02 p.m. |
|
2. Steve Stricker |
vs |
|
6. Hunter Mahan |
Hogan |
| Match Play records: Stricker 12-8, Mahan 5-4These two met in 2008 in the second round, with Stricker winning in 20 holes. "It was a lot of fun," Mahan remembered. If Mahan plays like he did on Thursday, it won't be a lot of fun for Stricker. Mahan reeled off six birdies in a seven-hole stretch in an easy win against Y.E. Yang while Stricker had to rally against Louis Oosthuizen, winning with a 21-foot putt at the last. "Good match play player," Stricker said of Mahan. "He's in every hole, doesn't hit it crooked ... It's tough playing a friend. You've got to put that friendship aside for a day and try to beat him." |
| 51 |
1:14 p.m. |
 |
1. Lee Westwood |
vs |
|
4. Nick Watney |
Snead |
| Match Play records: Westwood 9-11, Watney 6-2It's uncharted territory for Westwood, who's playing in the third round for the first time in 12 Match Play starts. His reward is facing a player who has eliminated him in each of the past two years. Watney won 2 and 1 in 2010 and 1 up last year. But this is a different Westwood than in past visits to Tucson. Consider this: In 33 holes played, Westwood has been ahead after 32 of them and has never trailed. From the 12th hole on, his lead has been at least 2 up after every hole. "Obviously he's in form," Watney noted. "There may be a bit of revenge factor, I'm not sure. I know it's going to be a really difficult match." Said a confident Westwood: "I feel the way I'm playing I'll be tough to beat." |
| 52 |
1:26 p.m. |
 |
10. Martin Laird |
vs |
|
11. Paul Lawrie |
Snead |
Match Play records: Laird 2-1, Lawrie 6-4
After Lawrie won the 1999 British Open, he was asked to speak to a group of about 30 Scottish kids. One of those was a 17-year-old Laird. "I don't remember Martin," Lawrie said. "... but he did tell me the story." Now the two Scots face off, the 43-year-old Lawrie from Aberdeen against the 29-year-old Laird from Glasgow. They've practiced together but have never been paired together in a tournament and don't really know each other that well. "I'm sure there won't be too much chatting going on tomorrow," Laird said. Even so ... "It should be good fun," Lawrie said. But Laird will need to put aside his admiration of Lawrie, who has made an unlikely run to the third round. "I remember looking up to him then, thinking this where I want to go," Laird recalled about that encounter a long time ago, in which Lawrie brought the Claret Jug for the kids to see. "I want to be holding the trophy like he is. And it's kind of funny now I'm playing him tomorrow right here in Arizona." |
| 53 |
1:38 p.m. |
 |
9. Peter Hanson |
vs |
|
5. Brandt Snedeker |
Jones |
Match Play records: Hanson 4-4, Snedeker 2-1
Snedeker and Hanson were paired together in the first two rounds at Muirfield Village in 2010. Hanson posted the better score in both rounds. Does that mean anything? Not really. But Snedeker is impressed by the Swede. "A great ball-striker," Snedeker said. "Probably one of the best out there. If he gets his putter working, he's pretty tough to beat." Of course, the same could be said for Sneds, who says his putting has been mediocre this year. "If I can get my putter going, just average, like it normally is, I should have a really good weekend." |
| 54 |
1:50 p.m. |
|
10. Mark Wilson |
vs |
|
3. Dustin Johnson |
Jones |
Match Play records: Wilson 3-1, Johnson 2-3
Wilson is tied for 159th in driving distance on the PGA TOUR this year; Johnson is seventh (and that's low for him). Johnson has already beaten two guys not known for their distance off the tee (Jim Furyk, Francesco Molinari) and now faces a third. But Wilson has been solid this week; he has yet to trail after any of his 32 holes. And last year, he beat Dustin in 19 holes. "He's a great match play player," Johnson said. "He's a good all-around player. It will be a tough match." |
| 55 |
2:02 p.m. |
 |
1. Rory McIlroy |
vs |
 |
13. Miguel Angel Jimenez |
Player |
Match Play records: McIlroy 7-3, Jimenez 11-10
McIlroy said he hasn't had his best stuff this week, but the fact that he's advanced this far is telling. "I'm confident that I can hang in there," McIlroy said. He'll have his hands full with the 48-year-old Spaniard, the oldest player in the field this week. Jimenez is one of six player who have not trailed in either of their first two matches. "I've been playing well," he said. If Jimenez goes on to win this week, he would be the oldest Match Play winner ... by 10 years. |
| 56 |
2:14 p.m. |
 |
10. John Senden |
vs |
 |
11. Sang-moon Bae |
Player |
Match Play records: Senden 2-1, Bae 2-0
Hold up your hand if you had this matchup on your bracket. Bae's a PGA TOUR rookie who has beaten a past Match Play champ (Ian Poulter) and the reigning Masters champ (Charl Schwartzel). His front nines have been messy -- six boeys, three birdies -- but he's been solid on the back side at the Ritz-Carlton course. Senden is making just his second Match Play appearance, but you can't overlook his solid play on the PGA TOUR this year. He ranks first in ball-striking, tied for second in total driving and third in scoring average. |
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