Mar 27, 2019
It's another kind of March Madness at Match Play
TSN Golf Analyst Bob Weeks weighs in on a different kind of March Madness bracket - the one from this weekend's WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play from Austin - and gives his picks for who will come out of each group.
By Bob Weeks
TSN Golf Analyst Bob Weeks weighs in on a different kind of March Madness bracket - the one from this weekend's WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play from Austin - and gives his picks for who will come out of each group.
Group 1
Dustin Johnson
Hideki Matsuyama
Brandon Grace
Chez Reavie
Winner: It’s hard to bet against the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer in Dustin Johnson. He’s won more holes in this event (77) than anybody else since it moved to the Austin Country Club in 2016.
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Group 2
Patrick Reed
Sergio Garcia
Shane Lowery
Andrew Putnam
Winner: While Patrick Reed works away with new coach David Leadbetter, Sergio Garcia’s form is strong despite his outburst in Saudi Arabia. The Spaniard advances.
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Group 3
Xander Schauffele
Rafa Cabrera Bello
Tyrrell Hatton
Lee Westwood
Winner: Look for the X-Man to move on from this group, but expect a challenge from Cabrera Bello.
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Group 4
Jon Rahm
Matt Kuchar
JB Holmes
Si Woo Kim
Winner: Rahm played well at the Players with the exception of a couple of holes. He can get away with that form in match play, but I still believe past champion Matt Kuchar will take this group.
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Group 5
Justin Thomas
Keegan Bradley
Matt Wallace
Lucas Bjerregaard
Winner: Thomas isn’t yet in his best form, but it’s still good enough to move on from this foursome.
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Group 6
Jason Day
Phil Mickelson
Henrik Stenson
Jim Furyk
Winner: This is the group of major champs and, while Day is playing well when his back is isn’t in traction, I will go with the hot hand and take Jim Furyk from this marquee group.
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Group 7
Tiger Woods
Patrick Cantlay
Brandt Snedeker
Aaron Wise
Winner: This group is harder to pick than it might seem. Wise hasn’t been playing well of late, but has a good match play record in NCAA play. Snedeker can putt as well as anyone and Cantlay is ranked 11th in strokes gained: total. Still, I’ll go with Tiger to move on.
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Group 8
Rory McIlroy
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Justin Harding
Luke List
Winner: Rory McIlroy is playing too well to not move on from this grouping.
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Group 9
Justin Rose
Gary Woodland
Eddie Pepperell
Emiliano Grillo
Winner: Although he missed the cut last week at Valspar, Gary Woodland had done just about everything but win this year with six top-10 finishes in 12 starts. Look for him to move past the world’s No.-2 ranked player Justin Rose.
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Group 10
Bubba Watson
Jordan Spieth
Billy Horschel
Kevin Na
Winner: Defending champion Bubba Watson played well last week at Valspar with a tie for fourth, so he should advance.
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Group 11
Paul Casey
Cameron Smith
Charles Howell III
Abraham Ancer
Winner: A group with all four golfers having strong seasons but I’ll go with Casey who just won last week and is a good match play golfer.
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Group 12
Francesco Molinari
Webb Simpson
Thorbjorn Oleson
Satoshi Kodaira
Winner: Simpson, who has been very consistent this season with a well-rounded game.
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Group 13
Bryson DeChambeau
Marc Leishman
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Russell Knox
Winner: While he’s cooled off a bit after a torrid start to the season, Leishman has a decent record in this event, advancing out of his group in 2015 and 2017.
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Group 14
Tommy Fleetwood
Louis Oosthuizen
Kyle Stanley
Ben An
Winner: Fleetwood’s game is too strong for the other three golfers in this group at the moment.
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Group 15
Tony Finau
Ian Poulter
Kevin Kisner
Kevin Mitchell
Winner: A tougher group to choose than you might think. I give the edge to Poulter, simply based on his match-play prowess.
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Group 16
Brooks Koepka
Alex Noren
Haotong Li
Tom Lewis
Winner: A semi-finalist a year ago, Noren might get some action, but he has missed his last two cuts. I’ll go with Koepka here, although the possibility of an upset from Li or Lewis looms.