Preveiwing the Top Five Matches Thursday at the Match Play Championship
As always, the first two rounds provide many shocks and surprises to fans at or viewing the Accenture Match Play Championship. While the first day was certainly no disappointment with many upsets and headlines, the second day shapes up to be just as entertaining.
Predictably, number-one seeds Lee Westwood, Phil Mickelson, and most-impressively Martin Kaymer, sailed onward to the second round.
Maybe it was not even a surprise when Tiger Woods faltered down the stretch against Thomas Bjorn and lost in overtime, which also eliminated a much anticipated round of 32 match against Geoff Ogilvy.
However, there are some very interesting ties to be played on Thursday as we take a look at the most intriguing matchups heading into tomorrow.
(11) Y.E. Yang vs. (14) Stewart Cink
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Ben Hogan Bracket
Both former major winners pulled off headline-grabbing first round upsets on Wednesday as Yang defeated Spaniard Alvaro Quiros on the second playoff hole. A large upset considering Quiros was one of the hottest players coming into the tournament not finishing outside of the top-25 this season on the European Tour. His most recent outing was a win in the star-laden Omega Dubai Desert Classic, where he logged an ace in the final round to take the title.
Yang has one top 10 in three starts this season on the PGA Tour and he missed the cut in his most recent appearance at Riviera. Yang’s last tournament win is his improbable PGA Championship victory in 2009; can he stick around to produce another unlikely victory?
Cink dispatched last year's match play champion Ian Poulter on the first playoff hole. Cink, who has yet to win this tournament but has had a couple close finishes and is very successful in match play, could now be turning heads as a favorite to go deep in the tournament.
Both pulled off extra-hole first round upsets in the first round, and their matchup shows much promise to be another close one tomorrow.
(2) Graeme McDowell vs. (10) Ross Fisher
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Ben Hogan Bracket
Both cruised to 4 and 3 victories in their first round matches and look to get back at it tomorrow.
McDowell was arguably playing the best golf coming into 2011 coming off his impressive victory at the U.S. Open and looks to continue momentum into this tournament.
Fisher was McDowell’s teammate in the Ryder Cup, as both had strong performances at Celtic Manor. He now looks to take down McDowell tomorrow in order to advance in the Hogan bracket toward the winner of the Yang/Cink match.
Fisher would like to certainly announce his name on the international stage, but his neighbor to the east McDowell would like to regain his dominating form from late last year, and a deep run into the weekend would confirm that.
(7) Charl Schwartzel vs. (15) Matteo Manassero
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Bobby Jones Bracket
Continuing with the cross-Atlantic theme moving into the Bobby Jones bracket.
Schwartzel defeated teenager Ryo Ishikawa in 20 holes on Wednesday, and his competition gets even younger in the 17-year old Manassero, who upset mainstay Steve Stricker 2 and 1 on Wednesday.
An intriguing matchup between two up-and-comers where with a win tomorrow could have a foreseeable route into the final four if they both keep up their strong form coming into this tournament.
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(1) Lee Westwood vs. (9) Nick Watney
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Bobby Jones bracket
The top player in the world faces a tricky matchup over a potential tournament dark horse in the second round.
Westwood and Henrik Stenson both admittedly struggled in their first round matchup as Westwood eventually advanced, 3 and 2, while Watney easily disposed of a besieged Anthony Kim, who opened up with a front-nine 42 and didn’t accomplish much more after that.
Watney has three appearances to start the year on the PGA Tour and hasn’t finished very far outside the top five in all three starts. Watney is looking to overcome the final round disaster in the PGA Championship, and a victory this weekend might be the correct medicine.
Westwood will look press on and keep a grip on his No. 1 status, which is slipping given the solid play of Martin Kaymer. Should he get through this match, a deep run is certainly attainable.
(5) Bubba Watson vs. (13) Mark Wilson
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Sam Snead bracket
When Dustin Johnson missed a simple par putt on the first playoff hole to hand Mark Wilson victory, viewers and analysts alike grumbled at not getting the long-hitting, bomb-and-gouge matchup they were dreaming of, but this tie brings arguably the two hottest players to start the season on the PGA Tour head-to-head.
While Wilson was given a gift to advance, Watson cruised to a 3 and 2 victory over fellow PGA Tour winner this season Bill Haas.
Watson has looked formidable to start the year, including a win at the Farmers Insurance Open. Wilson finds himself atop of the FedEx Cup standings with wins at the Hyndai Tournament of Champions and the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale.
Both are looking for another victory in 2011 and a well-deserved (my apologies for this) boost in the FedEx Cup standings.
Exciting Thursday Viewing Upcoming
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The Accenture Match Play Championship provides some of the greatest mid-week viewing golf can offer, and judging by the looks of the bracket after the first round, we will not be disappointed tomorrow and all weekend.
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