|
 Because of the sheer lottery of the matchplay format, good form
does not guarantee success in Wednesday's opening round and a player
could easily be sent packing despite piling up a bunch of birdies in
a bogey-free display.
"We know you can shoot 64 and someone else shoot 63 and you're going
home," Swedish world number three Henrik Stenson told reporters at
Dove Mountain on Tuesday.
"You can shoot 74 and you still squeeze by because the other guy is
having a worse day than you are having.
"You've got to be able to squeeze by on the matches when you're not
playing that well. Hopefully you'll win the ones where you're
playing well. It's all about timing in that sense."
Stenson is the tournament's top seed with world number one Tiger
Woods and second-ranked Australian Adam Scott opting not to play in
the first of the year's four WGC events.
He said he felt no added pressure due to his elevated status.
"I don't think it makes a difference for me here," explained the
37-year-old Swede. "If you're going to have a good week, you need to
play well.
"You need to have better luck on your side and it doesn't really
matter if you're No. 1 seed or if you're No. 50 coming into this
week."
Stenson, who ended a stellar 2013 campaign by topping the European
Tour's money list after also securing FedExCup honours on the PGA
Tour, will come up against Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat in the
first round.
BLURRED EXPECTATIONS
Former world number one Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, who was
beaten by American Hunter Mahan in the 2012 final, said the event's
unpredictability made it very difficult to hold any expectations for
the week.
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"What is a good week? You could shoot 67 tomorrow and be going
home," said McIlroy, 24. "It's hard to know. You have to take one
match at a time.
"The year that I got to the final here, I didn't play very well the
first three days and then my game started to come around. I played
well in the quarters, the semis and the final, as well.
"It's just one of those formats ... someone can get hot and that can
be it. Expectations, I've just got to go out and try to beat whoever
I'm up against," added McIlroy, who meets American Boo Weekley in
the opening round.
Mahan, who also reached the final last year before losing to
compatriot Matt Kuchar 2&1, was delighted be back at a venue where
he has produced a lot of winning golf.
"Excited to be here, excited about this event," said Mahan, who will
face Spaniard Gonzalo Fenz-Castano on Wednesday. "Obviously I enjoy
this golf course. It's a lot of fun to play.
"Wherever you're drawn, you're going to have to beat some good
players. Who you may go up against (next) isn't really relevant and
it's who you go up against (on the day).
"One year I had to beat Steve Stricker and Matt Kuchar and Rory
McIlroy. You're going to have to beat some great players no matter
who you have to play or what bracket you're in."
Stenson, U.S. Open champion Justin Rose of England, American Zach
Johnson and double major winner McIlroy are the top seeds in the
four groups of 16 for this week's tournament.
For a sixth consecutive year, the elite event that brings together
the world's best players will be held on the 7,791-yard layout at
Dove Mountain's Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles;
editing by Gene
Cherry)
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