Ahead of this week’s WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play event in Texas, Compleat Golfer editors GARY LEMKE and ANDRE HUISAMEN make three winning picks. Do you agree with them?
LEMKE: Paul Casey, Jon Rahm and Collin Morikawa
I just love this format, but it really is a lottery. That’s probably what makes it such fun. I walked with Ernie Els when he played in the 1988 British Amateur quarter-finals – and he was beaten 6&5 by the Englishman Nigel Graves at Royal Porthcawl.
Graves went on to turn pro and played five events on the European Tour. Els? Won the World Match Play seven times and became a golf icon.
So, I’m guessing for this week’s WGC-World Match Play Championships. I also took the Fantasy Bracket Challenge on the PGA Tour website and one of my picks for this week seems to be No 17 seed Paul Casey! He’s in a group where Webb Simpson is the highest-ranked player but Casey has been in good form recently. So, in giving three candidates to win the World Watch Play I’m going with Casey. My other two selections are Jon Rahm and Collin Morikawa.
I am so tempted to include Rory McIlroy, but he’s switched swing coaches again, so there’s clearly something wrong with his game at the moment, although he’s such a competitor and talent that it could click overnight.
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HUISAMEN: Justin Thomas, Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy
Everything my colleague says about the format is true, bar his picks. Matchplay golf, and specifically the knockout phase, provides real excitement for golf fans. The Fantasy Bracket is a brilliant initiative for spectators to get involved, similar to SuperBru or fantasy football.
It’s hard to deny the brilliance of Justin Thomas and I really do believe he is entering a new phase of his already impressive career. Flying high after the win at TPC Sawgrass, this format is probably the perfect challenge for his game at the moment.
Similarly, Lee Westwood‘s rejuvenation has been a welcome sight in the world of golf. Many experts or fans might feel a win at a WGC event is above the Englishman, but nothing silences critics more than a confident sportsman, and he sure is riding high at the moment.
My controversial pick, purely based on current form, will have to be Rory McIlroy. As Gary mentioned, he appointed a new swing coach earlier this week and it is clearly a sign of the problems he currently experiences. But, McIlroy is brilliant at matchplay and has a stunning record at WGC events. This week could prove to be the turning point for his current issues.
Play the Fantasy Bracket Challenge here
Photo: Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic
