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WGC Dell Technologies Match Play: Tournament preview and picks

By Josh Chandler

AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 24: Kyle Stanley of the United States plays his shot from the 13th tee during the quarterfinal round of the World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play at Austin Country Club on March 24, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Darren Carroll/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 24: Kyle Stanley of the United States plays his shot from the 13th tee during the quarterfinal round of the World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play at Austin Country Club on March 24, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Darren Carroll/Getty Images) /
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The WGC Dell Technologies Match Play returns to the PGA schedule this week after its absence from the calendar in 2020.

The second World Golf Championship event this year will be a welcome sight for many this week after its cancelation in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The event remains the only Match Play event on the PGA schedule and in true March fashion is played under a single-elimination knockout format once only 16 golfers remain.

Unlike last week’s weakened Honda Classic field this week sees 64 of the top 69 per the Official World Golf Ranking competing, this includes World number one Dustin Johnson who won this event back in 2017, and newly crowned PLAYERS Champion Justin Thomas.

Meanwhile, current number three ranked Jon Rahm will be looking for his first win at this event after losing to Johnson in 2017 while World number four Colin Morikawa looks to complete the WGC double after his win several weeks back at the WGC-Workday, and he will be amongst 22 other first-timers set to tee off at Austin Country Club on Wednesday.

WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club, your gambling preview.

This unique four-day event can be broken down into two phases, firstly golfers will take part in a round-robin style format that consists of 16 groups that contain four players apiece. The second phase is when the knockout tournament begins after each group winner advances to form the last 16, from then on its single elimination until a WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play champion is crowned!.

Austin Country Club is one of the oldest clubs in Texas that is still around after being founded back in 1899 and it was home to famed golfing instructor Harvey Penick. The club has been home to the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play since 2016 and the PAR 71 Pete Dye designed course is perfectly suited for match-play golf with its numerous risk-reward holes.

The course sits at right around 7,100 yards in length and features around 100 bunkers, 5 water hazards, and smaller than average Bermuda grass greens. The front nine holes are played at higher elevation while working their way through the Texas woodlands before a closing nine is played at lower elevation alongside Lake Austin. Several of Austin Country Club’s PAR 4’s play at under 425 yards in length and with three PAR 5’s as well there are ample scoring opportunities.

One of the course’s most exciting and notable holes is the PAR 5 12th, a 580 yard plus hole that play’s almost entirely downhill with Lake Austin coming into play near the end and the historic Pennbacker bridge as its backdrop.

Kevin Kisner won the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play when it was last contested back in 2019.

Previous Champions of the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play

2019: Kevin Kisner 3&2 over Matt Kuchar

2018: Bubba Watson 7&6 over Kevin Kisner

2017: Dustin Johnson 1 up over Jon Rahm

2016: Jason Day 5&4 over Louis Oosthuizen

With an unpredictable element revolving around Match Play events picking out a winner could prove more difficult than it already is, let’s take a look at who Vegas believes has the best chance to lift the trophy come Sunday.

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