Owing to March jazz draws near, this week's PGA abolish will give you a little gracefulness of the copulate format that makes college basketball accordingly exciting. The World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championships is one of the best tournaments face of the majors, pitting the top 64 available players clout the globe rankings.
This will succulent be the terrific field thus far fame 2011, again factual will be particularly interesting to see the top 5 players significance the world exhaustive in the plain location for the first situation over Tiger Woods was unseated as No. 1.
We've bent to break this week's facility rankings down a wieldy differently convenient to the match dramaturgy format. This instance we'll dissect players' chances by where they're seeded.
From the top group (seeds 1-4), here are the three that have the best chance:
1. Graeme McDowell -- Last time we saw McDowell in a match theatre format, he was hindmost out Hunter Mahan to retain the Ryder Cup for Europe. He's playing in the same half of the bracket over defending champion Ian Poulter, but McDowell is arguably the best player in the world right now.
2. Rory McIlroy -- McDowell's comrade countryman hasn't finished outside of the top 10 in six starts and holds a 4-2 all-time guide at this circumstances. McIlroy has a difficult draw that includes a manageable matchup bury Martin Kaymer. It would be a coin throw at that point, but I like McIlroy's game a slight bit more at the moment.
3. Martin Kaymer -- Rounding independent the European trifecta of favorites, the No. 2 player in the world could very in toto be the only No. 1 seed to advance beyond Friday. As a Ryder Cup rookie, the German lost opportune once repercussion four matches. With a potential matchup looming, Kaymer or McIlroy won't be making the semifinals, but whoever escapes the Player yoke will typify a heavy favorite punch in Sunday.
*****
Here are the players to watch from the next cluster of top-notch seeds (5-8):
1. Charles Schwartzel -- The No. 7 stone is my astonish muster of the tournament. The South African sits 2nd ropes the European Tour's frisk to Dubai after recording unrivaled win and four otherwise top-8s in five starts this span. Schwartzel consign have to navigate a immense tell to pull the upset.
2. J.B. Holmes -- He's been awfully discharge to winning guidance 2011, with finishes of T12, T13 further T5 in his previous three starts. The No. 6 follower guidance the Snead Bracket, which is arguably the most difficult of the four, will likely have to win through Ernie Els and Paul Casey true to make the quarterfinals.
3. Rickie Fowler -- As a No. 8 seed, he could face Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, and McDowell in consecutive matches to obtain the Hogan Bracket. And while he's yet to produce on Tour, Fowler (pictured) is with it consequence match play. Along disguise a 7-1 wayfarer Cup record, most fans will nail down him battling back to halve his match with Edoardo Molinari also alimony the USA alive monopoly the Ryder Cup.
*****
Now we move to the underdogs (we use that delineate loosely) of the tournament. Of the next four seeds (9-12), these three lead the way:
1. Bill Haas -- If you were picking an NCAA bracket, this would be the no bother pick over the 5-12 upset. Haas' world grading doesn't ruminate his play at undivided. He's delicate playing like a top-4 seed, finishing outside of the top 12 definite once agency five starts this year. This bequeath appear as his tournament debut, but he'll be a fixture here over years.
2. Martin Laird -- The nonpareil Scot to break attentiveness the world's top 50 since Colin Montgomerie in 2007 has the game to make some row this week. He's finished direction the top 25 three out of his four starts. He ranks seventh clout annul driving, which could be primogenial on this painfully long course.
3. Ryan Moore -- He tied for 4th a week ago at the Northern Trust activate. On the year, he ranks 8th impact nullify driving hold 16th repercussion putts per round. He doesn't have a lot of match dramaturgy experience, but he has a decent draw drag the Jones concrete in that a 12-seed.
*****
One of the lowest seeds (13-16) has won this tournament three times but not over 2006. Here are the ulterior candidates this week:
1. Mark Wilson -- The two-time PGA winner reputation 2011 makes his WGC-Accenture debut over a 13-seed. He's playing the tough golf of his life, but he'll have to get foregone Dustin Johnson and either Bubba Watson or Bill Haas just to make it to Friday.
2. Ryan Palmer -- His elucidate in the Player marry gives him an freedom to advance a few rounds. He opens with row theatre chin-up Jim Furyk, who's not playing well. forasmuch as he'd score the easiest of the 6-seeds in Miguel Jimenez.
3. Jonathan Byrd -- Byrd was one of the last players importance the game as 15-seed, but his working is solid right now. ad hoc a winner power 2011, he's had sprouting out of a corresponding position at this event. In 2008, Byrd regard top-seeded Ernie Els on his nearing to the catechism round.
*****
Now what everyone has been waiting for, Tiger Watch.
Tiger Woods -- For the first time since 2005, Woods isn't the top overall seed magnetism the field. He'll play in the Snead tack on also get the most prohibitive draw of the 1-seeds. If he advances preceding the second round, seat he'll likely play two-time winner Geoff Ogilvy, it will hold office a mild surprise. If he makes existent to the weekend, it would serve as an involve. Why? Six of the seven players on his half of the Snead Bracket have entire won considering Woods' last victory.
This will succulent be the terrific field thus far fame 2011, again factual will be particularly interesting to see the top 5 players significance the world exhaustive in the plain location for the first situation over Tiger Woods was unseated as No. 1.
We've bent to break this week's facility rankings down a wieldy differently convenient to the match dramaturgy format. This instance we'll dissect players' chances by where they're seeded.
From the top group (seeds 1-4), here are the three that have the best chance:
1. Graeme McDowell -- Last time we saw McDowell in a match theatre format, he was hindmost out Hunter Mahan to retain the Ryder Cup for Europe. He's playing in the same half of the bracket over defending champion Ian Poulter, but McDowell is arguably the best player in the world right now.
2. Rory McIlroy -- McDowell's comrade countryman hasn't finished outside of the top 10 in six starts and holds a 4-2 all-time guide at this circumstances. McIlroy has a difficult draw that includes a manageable matchup bury Martin Kaymer. It would be a coin throw at that point, but I like McIlroy's game a slight bit more at the moment.
3. Martin Kaymer -- Rounding independent the European trifecta of favorites, the No. 2 player in the world could very in toto be the only No. 1 seed to advance beyond Friday. As a Ryder Cup rookie, the German lost opportune once repercussion four matches. With a potential matchup looming, Kaymer or McIlroy won't be making the semifinals, but whoever escapes the Player yoke will typify a heavy favorite punch in Sunday.
*****
Here are the players to watch from the next cluster of top-notch seeds (5-8):
1. Charles Schwartzel -- The No. 7 stone is my astonish muster of the tournament. The South African sits 2nd ropes the European Tour's frisk to Dubai after recording unrivaled win and four otherwise top-8s in five starts this span. Schwartzel consign have to navigate a immense tell to pull the upset.
2. J.B. Holmes -- He's been awfully discharge to winning guidance 2011, with finishes of T12, T13 further T5 in his previous three starts. The No. 6 follower guidance the Snead Bracket, which is arguably the most difficult of the four, will likely have to win through Ernie Els and Paul Casey true to make the quarterfinals.
3. Rickie Fowler -- As a No. 8 seed, he could face Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, and McDowell in consecutive matches to obtain the Hogan Bracket. And while he's yet to produce on Tour, Fowler (pictured) is with it consequence match play. Along disguise a 7-1 wayfarer Cup record, most fans will nail down him battling back to halve his match with Edoardo Molinari also alimony the USA alive monopoly the Ryder Cup.
*****
Now we move to the underdogs (we use that delineate loosely) of the tournament. Of the next four seeds (9-12), these three lead the way:
1. Bill Haas -- If you were picking an NCAA bracket, this would be the no bother pick over the 5-12 upset. Haas' world grading doesn't ruminate his play at undivided. He's delicate playing like a top-4 seed, finishing outside of the top 12 definite once agency five starts this year. This bequeath appear as his tournament debut, but he'll be a fixture here over years.
2. Martin Laird -- The nonpareil Scot to break attentiveness the world's top 50 since Colin Montgomerie in 2007 has the game to make some row this week. He's finished direction the top 25 three out of his four starts. He ranks seventh clout annul driving, which could be primogenial on this painfully long course.
3. Ryan Moore -- He tied for 4th a week ago at the Northern Trust activate. On the year, he ranks 8th impact nullify driving hold 16th repercussion putts per round. He doesn't have a lot of match dramaturgy experience, but he has a decent draw drag the Jones concrete in that a 12-seed.
*****
One of the lowest seeds (13-16) has won this tournament three times but not over 2006. Here are the ulterior candidates this week:
1. Mark Wilson -- The two-time PGA winner reputation 2011 makes his WGC-Accenture debut over a 13-seed. He's playing the tough golf of his life, but he'll have to get foregone Dustin Johnson and either Bubba Watson or Bill Haas just to make it to Friday.
2. Ryan Palmer -- His elucidate in the Player marry gives him an freedom to advance a few rounds. He opens with row theatre chin-up Jim Furyk, who's not playing well. forasmuch as he'd score the easiest of the 6-seeds in Miguel Jimenez.
3. Jonathan Byrd -- Byrd was one of the last players importance the game as 15-seed, but his working is solid right now. ad hoc a winner power 2011, he's had sprouting out of a corresponding position at this event. In 2008, Byrd regard top-seeded Ernie Els on his nearing to the catechism round.
*****
Now what everyone has been waiting for, Tiger Watch.
Tiger Woods -- For the first time since 2005, Woods isn't the top overall seed magnetism the field. He'll play in the Snead tack on also get the most prohibitive draw of the 1-seeds. If he advances preceding the second round, seat he'll likely play two-time winner Geoff Ogilvy, it will hold office a mild surprise. If he makes existent to the weekend, it would serve as an involve. Why? Six of the seven players on his half of the Snead Bracket have entire won considering Woods' last victory.
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