by Jeff Skinner
The PGA Tour moves quickly this week as The Accenture Match Play Championship starts a day early on Wednesday. It’s strange to think that 32 of the best golfers in the world will be sent packing on Wednesday night but that is what makes The Match Play so appealing, it’s decisiveness. You win you move on, you lose you start packing.
But don’t feel too bad for those pros that get bounced in the first round, they pocket $45,000 for just teeing it up. That’s not a bad pay day for a trip to Dove Mountain for a day.
The Match Play is an exciting week but unfortunately most of the excitement happens on Wednesday and Thursday as many of those top seeds get taken down by the lower seeded golfers.
OK, it’s not March Madness but having “a Bracket” filled out and a little cash on the line always makes the week a lot more fun. You can print your Bracket here and then join some online challenges here at The Golf Channel and here at The PGA Tour.
The first round always boasts some interesting and exciting matches.
Rory McIlroy (1) vs Shane Lowry (16): Rory hasn’t been seen much at all lately. Could he be ripe for an upset?
Tiger Woods (1) vs Charles Howell III (16): Woods is playing well with a win already but his good buddy Howell is in the middle of a resurgence that has him carding three top tens this season.
Graeme McDowell (5) vs Padraig Harrington (12): This all Irish fest will be an interesting match.
Branden Grace (8) vs Robert Garrigus (9): This middle of the pack,”pick’em” match pits two players that have seen their world ranking soar recently.
Justin Rose (2) vs K.J. Choi (15): You won’t find a pairing of two more gentlemanly players. Rose has been on a great streak but Choi is always capable of taking down anyone.
Adam Scott (2) vs Tim Clark (15): The “Long Putter Pairing” will put their broomsticks to the test as the USGA and the PGA Tour debate their livelihood.
Ian Poulter (3) vs Steven Gallacher (14): Poulter’s match play skills are legendary as is his stare but there are always plenty of big names that exit early from Dove Mountain.
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