The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship begins in Arizona on Wednesday, and here are four golfers to watch and four to avoid when betting on this tournament.
We have seen it time and time again, whether it's the WGC-Accenture Match Play, the Volvo-sponsored version or in team competitions like the Ryder Cup. Match Play golf is a refined art, quite distinct from strokeplay. Some players thrive under head to head conditions, others hate it.
Four To Watch:
Luke Donald (19.0 Tournament Winner @ Betfair) Tournament record: Won 16, Lost 6
No prizes for originality here, but the defending champion's wider matchplay record confirms his status as the man to beat in Arizona. Donald was also runner-up in last year's Volvo World Match Play, and has won two out of three singles matches at the Ryder Cup. A first-round draw against Ernie Els may look daunting at first glance, but the Big Easy has never been seen to best effect in this event.
Ian Poulter (34.0 Tournament Winner)
Tournament record: Won 18, Lost 8
No player improves more when switching to matchplay than Poulter, who won the 2010 renewal and has a tournament record that belies his rankings over the same period. Poulter also won last year's Volvo renewal, and has a perfect three from three in Ryder Cup singles. Something about head to head golf repeatedly brings out the best in him.
Geoff Ogilvy (60.0 Tournament Winner)
Tournament record: Won 20, Lost 4
If anybody warrants the title of tournament specialist, it has to be twice champion and thrice finalist Ogilvy. Even the few dents in an awesome 84% strike-rate are nothing to be ashamed of, such as last year's defeat to a peak-form Bubba Watson, who produced an unbeatable standard in their match.
Hunter Mahan (60.0 Tournament Winner)
Tournament record: Won 4, Lost 4
Mahan's matchplay credentials are less clear-cut than the others, but there is enough in his record to suggest he loves the format. Most impressive was a semi-final appearance in the 2007 HSBC-sponsored version at Wentworth - despite a considerable disadvantage in terms of course experience. Hunter was also extremely impressive when winning four from five points at the last Presidents Cup, and fared better in Ryder Cups than the bare numbers suggest, having often been drawn against top opponents such as European talisman Graeme McDowell last time.
Four To Avoid:
Lee Westwood (20.0 Tournament Winner)
Tournament record: Won 6, Lost 17
After repeatedly failing in this event, Phil Mickelson withdrew this year and I suspect Lee Westwood might have been tempted to follow suit. In 11 attempts, he's yet to go beyond the second round. His body language and attitude has often looked less than convincing, suggesting 18-hole matchplay on a US course just isn't his thing.
Sergio Garcia (22.0 Tournament Winner)
Tournament record: Won 11, Lost 10
Though Garcia is not without some happy matchplay memories, his record barely warrants this week's short odds. Despite thriving in Ryder Cup fourballs and foursomes, he's only won one out of five singles matches. Somewhere along the line this week, a bad putting day looks bound to put paid to his bid.
Dustin Johnson (36.0 Tournament Winner)
Tournament record: Won 0, Lost 3
Though one of the top US strokeplay stars, Dustin has yet to make any impact at matchplay, losing all three first round matches in Arizona. He was also extremely disappointing in the USA's recent Presidents Cup victory.
Tiger Woods (15.0 Tournament Winner)
Tournament record: Won 32, Lost 8
Don't blink. The three-time champion with an 80% strike-rate controversially makes the matchplay mugs' list. Comparisons with Tiger's glory years are meaningless. He was virtually unbeatable anywhere in those days, yet still managed to come a cropper against the likes of Jeff Maggert, Peter O'Malley and Nick O'Hern, which would have been unimaginable in strokeplay. Woods has always been more vulnerable in this format than strokeplay, and there are plenty of tough hurdles in his section of the draw. Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano is no pushover on Wednesday, and if he progresses, Nick Watney looks a daunting second-round opponent.
