Observations from the groupings at WGC-Dell TechnologiesObservations from the groupings at WGC-Dell Technologies
AUSTIN, Texas – The groups have been drawn, and now the fun really gets cranked up. Plenty of intrigue exists going into the group stage of the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play. Here are some odds and ends going into Wednesday’s opening day at Austin Country Club. MAJOR CHORE FOR TOP SEED Dustin Johnson is on fire. He climbed to world No. 1 by winning the Genesis Open, then made an impressive statement by winning the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship in his next start. He’s the hottest golfer on the planet. But his group – the only one with four major champs — is arguably the toughest of any of the 16. He must face reigning PGA champ Jimmy Walker, as well as past U.S. Open winner Webb Simpson and two-time major winner Martin Kaymer. You may recall it was Kaymer who benefitted the most from Johnson’s bunker ruling penalty at the 2010 PGA, ultimately beating Bubba Watson in a playoff. If Johnson wins this week, he’ll complete the WGC Slam, having already won the other three legs. But on paper, he certainly doesn’t have an easy path. GROUP OF DEATH? If you add up the cumulative seeds of each group, then Dustin Johnson’s Group 1 has the lowest figure (118 total). You could argue that it makes that group the dreaded group of death. But Group 7’s total is 119 – Sergio Garcia 7, Jon Rahm 21, Kevin Chappell 38 and Shane Lowry 53 — and that might be the unofficial Group of Death. Not only do you have two Spanish countrymen, but Rahm and Chappell are very close. And Lowry, a past World Golf Championship winner who finished T-2 at last year’s U.S. Open, seems much better than the 53rd seed. “Looks like a pretty strong group,” Rahm said. Group 2 (Rory McIlroy 2, Emiliano Grillo 26, Gary Woodland 33 and Soren Kjeldsen 62) and Group 9 (Patrick Reed 9, Brooks Koepka 20, Kevin Kisner 34 and Jason Dufner 59) are also high up on the list. On the flip side, Group 14 has the highest seed total at 143 (Phil Mickelson 14, J.B. Holmes 31, Daniel Berger 35 and Si Woo Kim (63). GUARANTEED REMATCH Two years ago, Rory McIlroy beat Gary Woodland 4 and 2 in the championship final of the match play event at TPC Harding Park. Now they find themselves in the same group, along with Emiliano Grillo and Soren Kjeldsen, and will play on Thursday. McIlroy hopes having beaten Woodland once will give him an advantage in a battle of two of the TOUR’s biggest hitters. “I certainly hope there is some sort of psychological advantage there,” McIlroy said. “I did well the last time. I hope that’s still on his mind. I think anytime you can get 1 up on a guy, I think it helps a little bit. “But again, there’s that revenge factor. He’ll want to come back and try to get me for beating him a couple of years ago.” McIlroy said he is happy with the draw as he looks to maintain his success in this event. He’s won 73 percent of his matches in this event. “I feel like I’m playing well enough,” he said. “I feel like I can advance from that group and get myself into the weekend.” SPIETH SEEKS HOME COOKING In his first Dell Technologies Match Play start in 2014, Jordan Spieth was knocked out in the quarterfinals by Ernie Els, 4 and 2. “I was a bit of mental midget that day,” he said, noting his outbursts in which he later apologized. The next year, he failed to get out of group play, losing to Lee Westwood in his third match 2 down. It was a tough result, given that he was a cumulative 16 under in his three matches that week. Last year, playing at the Austin Country Club course that he’s very familiar with, he lost to eventual finalist Louis Oosthuizen 4 and 2. “I’d love to win this tournament being here,” said Spieth, the former University of Texas star. “I’d love to. I’m also not going to win it every year. And I lost to a guy who’s a major champion and went to the finals [and] was obviously playing that well.” This year’s group play has him against a person he’s quite familiar with – former U.S. Amateur champ Ryan Moore – and two guys not as familiar to him in Japanese starts Yuta Ikeda and Hideto Tanihara. “I’ve got a tough group,” Spieth said. “I don’t know much about two of my players, which is somewhat of a disadvantage to not know much about their games.” THREE POTENTIAL GIANT KILLERS Each and every is capable of winning this week. But just who are the most likely giant killers? Keep your eye on these potential bracket busters. No. 47 Ross Fisher: The Englishman is in a very tough group with Hideki Matsuyama, Louis Oosthuizen and Jim Furyk, but counting him out completely could be a very unwise move. With his putter on fire recently at the World Golf Championships – Mexico Championship, he proved he could be a player to get a run of birdies going and perhaps surprise this stacked group. The four-time European Tour winner was fourth in the event in 2009 but hasn’t been back since 2011. No. 42 Bill Haas: A member of the last three Presidents Cup winning teams, including being the man to clinch in Korea in 2015, Haas could easily replicate his 2016 effort where he went 3-0 in group stage to progress. He took out Adam Scott, Thomas Pieters and Chris Wood in Austin Last year and this time around needs to negotiate past Danny Willett, Russell Knox and K.T. Kim. Despite being the “C” player, you could make an argument he’s the favorite his group. No 30: Thomas Pieters: Pieters showed just how effective he can be in match play with his Ryder Cup heroics last year where he went 4-1-0, setting the European rookie record for most points and wins in a single Ryder Cup. His four wins as a rookie surpassed the previous record of three set by several European greats, including Sir Nick Faldo, José María Olazábal and Sergio Garcia. Given the top seed in his group is a somewhat out of form Bubba Watson, the Belgium bomber could find his way past Watson, Scott Piercy and Jhonattan Vegas. MATCHES THAT INTRIGUE US Wednesday: Jason Day vs. Pat Perez. Day, the defending champ, has never hesitated to use gamesmanship in match play. Could be very interesting how Perez will respond. Thursday: Phil Mickeson vs. Daniel Berger. A year ago, this match was all square thru 17. Then Berger, having to pull off a hero shot after finding trouble on the last hole, suffered an injury and had to concede the hole Friday: Sergio Garcia vs. Jon Rahm. All-Spanish matchup could come down to deciding the group winner.
