With the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament in full swing, it’s time for golf to get some March Madness itself.
The Dell Technologies Match Play takes place starting Wednesday at the Austin Country Club in Texas.
I have always been a big fan of match play as it presents a different game to the professionals. It can reward – or punish – the risk-takers, but at the same time, it allows the golfers to move on after a bad hole as each hole plays out as a different match.
Here is the schedule/format. There are 16 groups of four players and the golfers will take on the other three golfers in their group, with one of the four advancing to the Round of 16.
These first three rounds of matches will take place Wednesday-Friday. On Saturday, the Round of 16 and the quarterfinals will take, with the semifinals and championship match set for Sunday.
It’s a grind, but a fun one to watch!
Let’s take a run through the field with my thoughts and see how I fare with the golf brackets! I will go through each group, then tackle the win or go home rounds.
Group 1 (seed in parenthesis): Dustin Johnson (1), Hideki Maysuyama (24), Brandan Grace (40), Chaz Reavie (55).
It’s hard to pick against the top-seeded DJ here and even though match play brings out the best in the lower ranked players, DJ has got all the tools to be successful here. He advances out of this group.
Group 2: Patrick Reed (16), Sergio Garcia (26), Shane Lowry (46), Andrew Putnam (51).
Now we are having some fun. Reed is very solid in match play and is one of the more fiery players on the Tour. Garcia has been one of the hottest players emotionally and recently had a mini-meltdown, taking out his aggressions on the greens in a European Tour Event. I am going to go with Captain America to advance out of this group, but Sergio could easily get the nod. Looking forward to their match-up!
Group 3: Xander Schauffele (9), Rafa Cabrera Bello (29), Tyler Hatton (35), Lee Westwood (62).
One of the top up and coming American players faces a way better than advertised three players in this group. It would be easy to sleep on Schauffele as the one that will advance, but Cabrera Bello has been playing great, Hatton is always tough and Westwood, even though getting older, can take down any player in this event. As much as it pains to pick against the young American, I will go with Cabrera Bello is the winner of this group.
Group 4: Jon Rahm (8), Matt Kuchar (23), JB Holmes (43), Si Woo Kim (54).
Wow! A very tough group. Rahm deserves the top billing here, but Kuchar and Holmes can go a long way in this event. Even Kim can be a tough out. I will go with Rahm to survive and set up an interesting second-round match of a pair of Spanish players.
Group 5: Justin Thomas (5), Keegan Bradley (31), Matt Wallace (33), Lucas Bjerregaard (50).
A big Justin Thomas fan, his match with Bradley may decide the group. Bradley has found his game again and is pounding the ball off the tee. JT has the total game, but I will go against what the TV stations are rooting for and take Bradley to advance.
Group 6: Jason Day (12), Phil Mickelson (20), Henrik Stenson (37), Jim Furyk (5).
This is the golf equivalent of World Cup Soccer’s “Group of Death.” Not that any group has an “easy” match, but here are four guys that throughout the years have been capable of winning this. With Day it’s always going to a case of how he is feeling. If he’s good to go, he as good as anyone in the world, but we’ve all seen his health problems rise-up. Mickelson? Can you really bet against Phil in any one-on-one match? Stenson has always been a top-notch match-play golfer and Furyk has turned back time and is playing his best golf in years. I am going off the rails here and taking Furyk to advance!
Group 7: Tiger Woods (13), Patrick Cantlay (18), Brandt Snedeker (44), Aaron Wise (61).
Fun group here. Of course, the majority – myself included – want Woods to advance, but can you really trust his game enough right now? A long history of success is match play, but tough to ride here. Cantlay has unlimited potential and Sneds has got the game, including the putting to make a run. Wise is the unknown here, but the kid from Oregon can go low. I will go with Snedeker to advance as he will ride the hot flat-stick.
Group 8: Rory McIlroy (4), Matthew Fitzpatrick (32), Justin Harding (47), Luke List (64).
This group is all about the McIlroy-Fitzpatrick match. The two European golfers match will determine who advances. If Rory take him down, he advances. It would have set up a thrilling Woods-McIlroy elimination match, so if Tiger does advance from his group, we could have that to watch for. Take Rory here.
Now we flip to the other side of the brackets!
Group 1 A: Justin Rose (2), Gary Woodland (22), Eddie Pepperell (34), Emiliano Grillo (53).
Rose must be thinking, “I am No. 2 in the world, and I get Gary Woodland in my group?” Yes, you do Justin. I will take Rose to advance, but not without some anxious moments. Woodland is such a fun player to watch as he has power and touch. Pepperell will be the life if the party in the pub after the early rounds.
Group 2 A: Bubba Watson (15), Jordan Spieth (28), Billy Horschel (38), Kevin Na (57).
Another fun group. Can Spieth resurrect his game in his home state? We know he will be comfortable here. Watson has been the buzz pick the last week, but if Spieth can find his putter, I like him to rebound. Horschel is an under-rated player in my mind and Na can be a wild-card. As slow as Na plays, you have to wonder the mental impact it might have on his opponents. I will go with Spieth to find his way. If he does, he may go deep into the event and would have Rose pondering his draw yet again.
Group 3 A: Paul Casey (10), Cameron Smith (25), Charles Howell III (42), Abraham Ancer (58).
I think Casey has become one of the top players in the world and he will show it in this group. Ancer has been playing well as of late and could be a big factor in this group.
Group 4 A: Francesco Molinari (7), Webb Simpson (21), Thorbjorn Olsesen (45), Satoshi Kodaira Knox (63).
A pair of Major’s winners should battle it out for the top spot here. Molinari has certainly been one of the it players since last summer, but Simpson, a U.S. Open champion has been getting his game together and if you can handle the pressure of the tough U.S. Open courses, you can handle this event. I will go with Simpson here to advance.
Group 5 A: Bryson DeChambeau (6), Marc Leishman (17), Kiradech Aphibarnrat (39), Russel Knox (59).
The obvious pick is the Mad Scientist – DeChambeau, but don’t sleep on Leishman, the big Aussie. It has to be one of those two that get out of this group. I will go with the powerful Leishman to get it done.
Group 6 A: Tommy Fleetwood (11), Louis Oosthuizen (19), Kyle Stanley (41), Byeong Hun An (49).
Not going to spend a lot of time on this group. Love Fleetwood’s game and demeanor. He’s got a shot to make some serious noise on this tournament. Stanley, who has been through big ups and downs in his career, could push Fleetwood.
Group 7 A: Tony Finau (14), Ian Poulter (30), Kevin Kisner (48), Keith Mitchell (56).
Finau has really become one the top golfers in the world over the course of the last year, combining his power and his touch. But as much as I can’t stand Poulter, he is just so very tough to go against in match play. Poulter is reluctantly my pick on this group.
Group 8 A: Brooks Koepka (3), Alex Noren (27), Hao Tong Li )36), Tom Lewis (60).
Everyone has to be thinking Koepka is your winner of this group and he should be, but don’t overlook Noren as the Swedish player could take Koepka out. I believe our two-time U.S. Open player will get it done and face that tough second round match.
ROUND OF 16
Johnson vs. Reed: Oh, this is where the tournament really starts to get fun. Every reason to think Johnson takes this, but Reed loves these moments and feeds of the energy of the crowd, whether or against him. I am taking the upset here and going with Reed.
Carbrera Bello vs. Rahm: The battle of the Spaniards has the potential to be a good one, but I am going to Rahm winning this easily, possible a 5 and 4 winner.
Bradley vs. Furyk: Two upset winners – at least as far as their seeds mandate – I am taking the resurgent Bradley to take out Furyk, who certainly had the skills to not only win this match, but to go another couple of rounds.
Snedeker vs. McIlroy: Everyone will be rooting for the Tiger-Rory match but it’s not going to happen. If McIlroy gets out of his group, and I am picking him to do just that, then he is going to be very tough the rest of the way out. Easy winner here.
Rose vs. Spieth: Will be easily the most anticipated match of this round and rightly so. If Spieth can win his group, his game will be rounding into shape and that certainly means he can win this. Rose is so steady and playing so well, it’s tough to pick against him, but I am going to do just that and take Spieth.
Casey vs. Simpson: Two steady players going after it here. I like Simpson, but Casey has even more tools and is the one that wins this match.
Leishman vs. Fleetwood: A great match here. I love Leishman’s game, but I don’t think it’s enough to overcome Tommy Terrific in this spot. Go with the flowing locks to advance yet again.
Koepka vs. Poulter: Wow! Where to go here? Poulter, the man Americans love to hate, takes on our two-time US Open winner. The stoic player that is Koepka takes on the emotional Poults, arguably the player that keeps off emotion better than any other save Reed. I am counting on the crowds in Texas to be loud for some of there matcher and I am going with the emotion to get Koepka over the top!
QUARTERFINALS
Reed vs. Rahm: The player that keeps his emotions in check best wins this match. That must be Reed. Rahm still seems to melt down more when things don’t go his way, while Reed almost seems to revel in those moments. I can already see his sneaky little smile.
Bradley vs. McIlroy: You didn’t think I would honestly pass up the chance to have a Reed-McIlroy semifinal, did you? Rory will be rolling at this point and wins this match to set up the dream semi.
Spieth vs. Casey: Jordon keeps the roll going in front of the home state crowd, seizing on the moment to declare his game is back.
Fleetwood vs. Koepka: Could be the best match of the quarters. As much as I would love to see the all-American semifinal, I have to go with Fleetwood here to move on.
SEMIFINALS
Reed vs. McIlroy: Come on, I know you all want to see this as well. Rory is one of those players that can intimidate 99 percent of the players when his game is on. Reed is not one of those that will be flustered and will relish the chance to put it right back in McIlroy’s face. The more emotional these two get, then better they play. Play this match 100 times and they probably win 50 each, but I take Reed to win the 101st match and move to the finals.
Spieth vs. Fleetwood: Once again, did you think I would pass on the chance to have Reed face Spieth?? I know there is every reason o expect Fleetwood to win this, but if Spieth gets to this spot, he would have to be favored. His game will be back and he’s rolling the putts. I am going with Spieth.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Reed vs. Spieth: There was the tension that came out of the Ryder Cup last year when Spieth opted not to partner with Reed and it does appear the two have “hugged it out,” but does anyone believe that? Reed thrives on the spotlight and moments like this, but when Spieth went up and gave Reed a hug on the first tee the last time they were paired together, it did seem to leave Reed a little uneasy. Spieth may be the one player capable of getting inside Reed’s head and that’s all it will take to win the title.
Jordan Spieth, your match play winner.
By Dennis Miller