MARANA, Ariz. -- The fourth round of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship takes place Saturday with the eight third-round winners squaring off in four quarterfinal matches. The winners of these matches will be booked for 36 holes Sunday. Here's a look at each match (tee times are ET):
WGC-ACCENTURE: Quarterfinal predictions | Round 3 match recaps | Updated bracket | Friday wrap-up | Video
| Quarterfinals: Match previews |
| 57 |
12:05 p.m. |
 |
9. Peter Hanson |
vs |
 |
10. Mark Wilson |
Jones |
Match Play records: Hanson 5-4, Wilson 4-1
Neither Wilson nor Hanson has seen the 18th hole this week and the Swede has yet to trail in any of his three matches. Hanson, who lost in the first round the last two years, feels like he's been something of a slow starter. So the five-time European Tour winner has opted for a different approach this week because he feels match play is more of a sprint than stroke play where the focus is to be in the hunt on Sunday. Toward that end, Hanson has tried to fire himself up by playing music -- loud -- before each of his matches and it's worked. Hanson has won at least one of the first two holes in all three matches, including Nos. 1-3 against Brandt Snedeker on Friday. He proved resilient, too, as the American birdied three straight during the middle of the round, to get back to 1 down at No. 10. Hanson then gutted out four pars, three which won him holes, on the way to victory. While Hanson is playing in the Accenture for the fifth time, this week marks Wilson's second appearance. "Match play is a new thing for me," said Wilson, who did lose to Tiger Woods in the championship of the 1992 U.S. Junior Am. "I've definitely felt a little more comfortable each day." Wilson, who won the Humana Challenge last month, says he played his best golf in his first match with Bo Van Pelt as he made six birdies and didn't make a bogey in 16 holes. "Since then I haven't scored as well, but my opponents have given me holes,' said Wilson, who was 4 up on Dustin Johnson through seven holes on Friday.. "I played a little more tentative on purpose. I'm happy to be here and advancing and see what we can do tomorrow." |
| 58 |
12:20 p.m. |
|
4. Matt Kuchar |
vs |
|
6. Hunter Mahan |
Hogan |
Match Play records: Kuchar 9-2, Mahan 6-4
The two Americans are well-acquainted with each other after playing together on the most recent U.S. Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup teams. Mahan says Kuchar "never seems to get that angry on the golf course, just kind of ho-hums it and he just kind of laughs and smiles while he's stepping on your heart." Mahan has been the more explosive of the two, making nine birdies on Friday and posting a stretch of six more in seven holes during his second-round win. Part of the credit there goes to his switch this week to the Ping Nome putter that has less offset and helps him to have better aim. Friday was Mahan's best ball-striking round, too, as he hit 80 percent of his fairways and 83 percent of his greens in regulation. Kuchar, who finished third a year ago, is as steady as they come and has only trailed in two of the 49 holes he's played this week. He's hit 32 of 49 greens in regulation and found all but eight fairways in 38 holes. Kuchar was relentless in beating the world No. 4 Martin Kaymer on Friday, winning four of six holes starting at the sixth to seize control. After the match was over, Kuchar opted to continue playing the other three holes. "I was working on a few things that I thought could be tightened up a little bit," Kuchar said. "All in all, I feel like my game is in good form. I just wanted to play a few extra holes to familiarize myself with them." |
| 59 |
2:05 p.m. |
 |
1. Rory McIlroy |
vs |
 |
11. Sang-moon Bae |
Player |
Match Play records: McIlroy 8-3, Bae 3-0
Bae may be a PGA TOUR rookie while McIlroy is making his 2012 debut in the United States. The two won't need to be introduced on the first tee, though. They were paired together in the final round of the 2009 Korean Open -- which Bae ended up winning, shooting a 67 to McIlroy's 72. "I was really impressed with him," McIlroy recalled. "... He's been very impressive this week taking down (Ian) Poulter and Charl (Schwartzel), two of the best players. Especially Poult is one of the best match players, and Charl, obviously, a major champion. So he's had a great week so far." McIlroy, though, feels like he played his best golf of the week on Friday in beating Miguel Angel Jimenez. He never trailed against the gritty Spaniard and McIlroy was particularly pleased with his performance on the closing segment as he halved the 15th with a birdie and the 16th with a par, then fired a flawless approach to 4 feet that Jimenez eventually conceded for the win. " I hit a lot of quality shots," McIlroy said. "I still hit a couple of loose ones, but for the most part I felt like I drove the ball great. I hit a lot of iron shots close to the pin. I was really pleased when I had to hit good shots coming down the stretch ... I was able to produce them." Bae said the Accenture was his first-ever match play event but he seems to have gotten the hang of things quickly. He plans to approach the bout with the world No. 2 just as he did the first three rounds. "It's match play so only I will try to focus on my game, that's it," he said. |
| 60 |
2:20 p.m. |
 |
1. Lee Westwood |
vs |
 |
10. Martin Laird |
Snead |
Match Play records: Westwood 10-11, Laird 3-1
Westwood has applied pressure early in each of his first three matches -- winning the first two holes of his last two matches with birdies and two of the first three in his opener. Chalk that up to the "more aggressive attitude" Westwood has taken to the first tee. Not to mention, after halving his first hole on Wednesday with a par, Westood has been in front of his opponent for his next 48 holes. "I think the format dictates that you need to get off to a fight, really," Westwood said. "You want to come out and get momentum as quickly as possible. And the only way to do that is by winning holes earlier. And probably in this kind of company making birdies and eagles." Laird made his share on Friday, as well, in taking down his countryman Paul Lawrie. The Scotsman who now lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., practices in the desert so he knows the ball starts going farther as the temperatures heat up -- and with a 2:20 p.m. ET tee time on Saturday that could be a bonus. Laird also spent the last four days working with his coach and he feels like he's hitting the ball as well as he has in the last six or eight months. The date with Westwood is a first for Laird and he's excited. "You've got to look forward to playing the guys that are ranked up in the world," he said. "He's definitely proven that he's one of the best players in the world over the last few years and I'm looking forward to tomorrow." |
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