Power Rankings: WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play

Because of the format, a Power Rankings for any match-play event should be consumed almost entirely as a straightforward preview replete with details about the host course, notable history among the qualifiers, trends and other nuggets to get you set for the tournament. As always, you’ve come to the right place for all of that. But, oh, them vagaries. The “v-word” is a staple at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship. While cliché and certainly overused, it’s still not inaccurate to preface expectations accordingly. With three rounds of pool play to determine the round of 16 that advance into the traditional knockout portion, anything can happen and always does. This is why you’re encouraged to continue to adhere to the breadth of daily coverage at PGATOUR.com for every match will be previewed and recapped. The first 16 golfers ranked below are who I have surviving pool play. Their position reflects logical reasoning based on the four golfers I have emerging from each of the sub-brackets as semifinalists. For example, because Bubba Watson is slotted fourth (or lowest among the semifinalists), Francesco Molinari is ranked fifth (or highest among the quarterfinalists) because they would meet in the quarters. Similarly, No. 8 Justin Thomas (lowest among the quarterfinalists) would meet No. 9 Jim Furyk (highest of the eight who wouldn’t advance from the round of 16). Golfers sitting 17-64 are slotted subjectively. Power Rankings Continued 17. Louis Oosthuizen 18. Cameron Smith 19. Phil Mickelson 20. Bryson DeChambeau (first-timer) 21. Jason Day 22. Rafa Cabrera Bello 23. Marc Leishman 24. Thorbjørn Olesen 25. Gary Woodland 26. Matthew Fitzpatrick 27. Webb Simpson 28. Tiger Woods 29. Keith Mitchell (first-timer) 30. Byeong Hun An 31. Charles Howell III 32. Henrik Stenson 33. Brandt Snedeker 34. Hideki Matsuyama 35. Billy Horschel 36. Si Woo Kim 37. Tyrrell Hatton 38. Kevin Kisner 39. Matt Kuchar 40. Keegan Bradley 41. Tony Finau 42. HaoTong Li 43. Eddie Pepperell (first-timer) 44. Chez Reavie 45. Branden Grace 46. Matt Wallace (first-timer) 47. Russell Knox 48. Lee Westwood 49. Jordan Spieth 50. Alex Noren 51. Aaron Wise (first-timer) 52. Andrew Putnam (first-timer) 53. Shane Lowry 54. Abraham Ancer (first-timer) 55. Emiliano Grillo 56. J.B. Holmes 57. Patrick Reed 58. Satoshi Kodaira 59. Tom Lewis (first-timer) 60. Kevin Na 61. Luke List 62. Lucas Bjerregaard (first-timer) 63. Kyle Stanley 64. Justin Harding (first-timer) The pursuit of the Walter Hagen Cup will begin on Wednesday, thus giving the Match Play the earliest start of any PGA TOUR event all season. Every golfer will face every other golfer in his opening pool of four for one match each on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Overall records in pool play determine who advances to the knockout competition on the weekend. More on this below. For the fourth consecutive year, Austin Country Club provides the scenic backdrop. Big swingers Jason Day (2016), Dustin Johnson (2017) and Bubba Watson (2018) have prevailed in the Texas capital, but given how much of today’s elite talent brings the muscle, it’s not surprising. Yet, length off the tee is a bonus at Austin CC. It’s a par 71 that tips at just 7,108 yards. Two-inch bermuda rough isn’t overseeded, so the course is eminently playable through the green. Although the tee at the par-4 15th hole was enlarged and trees near four greens were removed to enhance growth in those areas, there weren’t any influential changes to the course since last year. Overseeded TifEagle bermuda greens have been prepped to touch 12 feet on the Stimpmeter. If there was an average on the PGA TOUR, that’d be it. The 10 first-time participants will be contributing to the bank of data that has slowly revealed why the highest seeds perform the best. It’s one vagary that doesn’t need validation. In three editions since Austin CC has hosted, 18 of the 48 pool-play survivors were seeded 1-16. Twelve were seeded 17-32. Nine advanced from each of the other two layers. Only 21 of the 48 pool-play survivors opened 3-0-0, including Day and Johnson en route to their victory. Another 13 went 2-0-1 to advance, including Watson last year. A dozen who moved on went 2-1-0, while two managed to survive with a record of 1-0-2. No golfer has survived pool play in all three editions that Austin CC hosted. During his title defense, DJ was the only golfer in last year’s field with the chance to turn that trick, and he was the No. 1 seed, but he lost all three of his pool-play matches. Parts of the field of 64 are going to face a little of everything that Mother Nature has to offer in Austin. After a benign first two days with daytime highs in the 70s, the threat of rain enters the picture. As the temperature rises to maybe 80 degrees on Friday, the precipitation could linger into Sunday when jackets will be commonplace with a high that might not reach 65 degrees. And, of course, wind will play a bit part until the weekend when it turns around and blows out of a northerly direction. In addition to receiving 550 FedExCup points and $1.745 million, the winner will be eligible for PGA TOUR membership through at least 2021-22. ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE PGATOUR.COM’s Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous angles. Look for his following contributions as scheduled. MONDAY: Rookie Ranking, Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Power Rankings (Corales) TUESDAY*: Power Rankings (Match Play), Fantasy Insider, One & Done (Match Play) WEDNESDAY: One & Done (Corales) THURSDAY: Champions One & Done * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesdays.

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