Quick look at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play

THE OVERVIEW AUSTIN, Texas — In Arizona, Dustin Johnson was a pushover. In Austin, he’s practically unbeatable. No player in this week’s World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play field has benefitted more from a change of scenery than the world’s No. 1 player. When the event was held in Dove Mountain outside Tucson, Johnson’s match record was 2-6, and he was ousted in the first round in four of his five appearances. The event was then played at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco in 2015, which was also the first year of the format change. Johnson did not advance out of group play. The next year, Austin Country Club became the home course, and Johnson immediately took a liking to the Hill Country layout. He advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to Louis Oosthuizen in 2016, a precursor to last year’s dominating performance in which he not only won the championship with seven match wins but never trailed at any time. Johnson, who held off Jon Rahm in a tough championship match a year ago, didn’t hesitate Tuesday when asked why his performances improved. “It had a lot to do with the golf course,â€� he said. “I don’t want to talk bad about any golf course, but it wasn’t my favorite place to play. It didn’t suit me very well.â€� Of course, Johnson’s game also was elevated in recent years, as he won his first major while reaching the top of the world standings. Given Johnson’s elite status and current form, perhaps Dove Mountain might not provide as much frustration now as it did then. Paul Casey – another player in great form right now – was asked if the feeling of uncomfortableness at a golf course can be reduced by being in good form. “Certainly less of a factor,â€� said Casey, recent winner of the Valspar Championship. “Maybe a nemesis hole you’ve never been able to figure out, suddenly you see a way. Or it bothers you less.â€� While Johnson has shown his ability to thrive in a match play environment, he doesn’t get caught up in the differences between this week’s format and a regular stroke-play event. In other words, he’s not fixating on his opponent, just his own game. “If you play well, usually that takes care of your opponent,â€� he said. “Obviously there are certain situations where you’re kind of just playing him. But for the most part, you’re out there just trying to make as low a score as you can on every hole.â€� If nothing else, Johnson knows what it takes to win at Austin Country Club. He’s hoping to follow the same gameplan this week.   THREE PLAYERS TO PONDER Dustin Johnson Defending champ has won at least one World Golf Championships event every year since 2014. Jason Day Didn’t get a legitimate chance to defend his 2016 title after withdrawing due to his mother’s health. Consider him the co-defending champ. Rory McIlroy Anybody else get the feeling that McIlroy’s win at Bay Hill might be the start of a big run for the next few weeks?   Three matches to ponder Wednesday: Tony Finau vs. Thomas Pieters. If the last two years are any indication, then Austin Country Club favors the big hitters. Finau and Pieters, part of Group 13, are two of the longest on the world stage. Thursday: Justin Thomas vs. Patton Kizzire. This Group 2 match pits the top two players in the FedExCup standings, as each already has won twice this PGA TOUR season. Thomas, the defending FedExCup champ and current leader, could also move to world No. 1 if he wins on Sunday. Friday: Jordan Spieth vs. Patrick Reed. Spieth joked on Tuesday there “might be some sort of rigging that’s going onâ€� in order to have Reed drawn into his Group 4. (Ah, the Patrick Ewing lottery conspiracy theory!). Safe to assume that for U.S. golf fans, this is the most anticipated group match of the week.   The Flyover Jordan Spieth calls the par-4 stretch of hole Nos. 13, 14 and 15 “the most pivotal holesâ€� at Austin Country Club this week. “That’s where the difference in the match happens,â€� Spieth added. The 317-yard 13th can be drivable and has played under par in the first two years. The 465-yard 14th and 440-yard 15th both played over par last year; the 14th was the most difficult hole on the back nine last year. “When you’re playing those three holes and playing them accordingly should put you at an advantage if you were to play them at par or better over your opponent,â€� Spieth said. The Landing Zone The 498-yard eighth hole is the longest par 4 at Austin Country Club, and consequently the most difficult par 4 on the course. It played to a stroke average of 4.283 last year. Players will favor going down the left side of the fairway to take advantage of the slope running to the right, but a long iron will still remain into a small green guarded by several pot bunkers. Weather check From PGA TOUR meteorologist Stewart Williams: “Showers and isolated t-storms will be likely through daybreak Wednesday morning as a cold front sweeps through the region. Skies will quickly clear with breezy and cooler conditions expected for the afternoon. Cooler and drier air continues Thursday and Friday with highs in the 60s each day. Warmer temperatures return Saturday with highs in the mid 70s. The next cold front appears to be slowing down and will likely bring showers and t-storms Sunday afternoon into Sunday night.â€�   For the latest weather news from Austin, Texas, check out PGATOUR.COM’s Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK I could shoot 2 over every single round and win a WGC this week. There’s a luck of the draw to it.The margin around here is very small. You’re always 3 feet away from a glorious shot or a disaster. Thank god it’s match play because I wouldn’t want to play straight play around here. BY THE NUMBERS 85.7 – The career winning percentage of Jon Rahm (6-1) in the event, the best of anyone in the field. 62 – The lowest seed to ever win the tournament (Kevin Sutherland 2002) 18 – Number of different countries represented in the tournament. 112 – Amount of holes played by Dustin Johnson last year in winning the title. It was a record high equal to Louis Oosthuizen from 2016. SCATTERSHOTS Of the 96 matches set for the three days of group play, 19 of them pit American versus fellow American. Just three others match up non-U.S. players from the same country – Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama vs. Yusaku Miyuazato and England’s Tommy Fleetwood vs. Ian Poulter on Wednesday, and England’s Paul Casey vs. Matthew Fitzpatrick on Friday. Jason Day is the only player in the field with multiple wins in this event, having won in 2014 and 2016. Tiger Woods won three times and Geoff Ogivly won twice. Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter have each won 23 matches in this event. That’s the most of any players in the field. Poulter’s amount is impressive since only one of his 12 appearances came in the current group-play format that guarantees at least three matches.

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