|
 A draw on Monday put Northern Ireland's world number one up against
reigning FedExCup champion Billy Horschel, seven-times PGA Tour
winner Brandt Snedeker and major champion Jason Dufner in
round-robin play starting on Wednesday at TPC Harding Park.
The Match Play Championship, the first of the season's elite four
World Golf Championships (WGC) events, was a knockout event from its
inception in 1999 until last year, which meant that many of the big
names were sent packing on the first day.
Therefore, the format was tweaked this year in an effort to give top
seeds a chance to overcome one bad match.
Masters champion Jordan Spieth, the second seed in the field of 64,
drew Englishman Lee Westwood, American Matt Every and Finn Mikko
Ilonen.
Spanish 10th seed Sergio Garcia was drawn in an all-European group
with Jamie Donaldson, Bernd Wiesberger and Tommy Fleetwood.
"It's an all-European group so it will be pretty friendly I think
but no easy matches," Donaldson told Golf Channel.
Defending champion Jason Day of Australia is grouped with American
Zach Johnson, South African Branden Grace and American Charley
Hoffman.
The top player in each of the 16 four-man groups was awarded to
players based on their position in the world rankings while the rest
of the group was filled through a random draw.
[to top of second column] |
Each golfer will play the other three men in his group in 18-hole
match play over the first three days. The top player from each group
will then advance to the final 16, when the event will become sudden
death.
Two big names already missing are Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
Woods did not qualify, while Mickelson has withdrawn for personal
reasons.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Frank
Pingue)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
