MARANA, Ariz. -- After spending a day in the high desert at The Gallery Golf Club I would say that I am a bit disappoint about the new venue. Yes the course is in great shape and all the players will enjoy the greens, no problems with Poa Annua like La Costa and yes every ticket is sold but the course isn't that great. What we were hoping for was a Desert Highlands type of course or a PGA West, one in which you would see a lot of gambling type of shots having to be played. Not only is the scenery good on those courses but one hole disasters happen very frequently.
Unfortunely what the Federated of Golf gave us was a resort course that's in very good shape with four reachable par 5s and two reachable par 4s but other than that a plain, vanilla type of venue. What is really funny about this whole thing is that this course isn't going to be the course used all four years of the contract life. Jack Nicklaus had a press conference to tell us about the new course he is building for the Dove Mountain folks called the Tournament Course, which will be the true home in hopefully 2009. Boy does this have the smell of the disaster that the Honda Classic had going off to the C.C. at Mirasol. That event was played on two different courses before the development didn't want the event anymore.
Still there is good news, the event is sold out and the people of Tucson couldn't be warmer toward all of us. Yes, the best players in the world are here but I have to wonder if the cream will rise to the top. I really feel that a no name will win this week, in looking at the course someone that is a very good putter could be victorious this week.
Still we look forward to the first round on Wednesday morning and want to give you the matches and some tidbits with my picks for the day.
Oddities of the first round:
- In the 32 matches, nobody has faced each other in this tournament before.
- In a bit of a oddity, five of the matches have players that were on the same Ryder Cup team: Harrington/Westwood, Donald/Jimenez, Garcia/Clarke, Woods/Henry, DiMarco/Wetterich
- Five American's facing each other: DiMarco/Wetterich, Love/Crane, Toms/Oberholser, Woods/Henry, Furyk/Quigley
- Four Europeans facing each other: Montgomerie/Edfors, Garcia/Clarke, Donald/Jimenez, Harrington/Westwood
The 32 matches
7:50 a.m. - Trevor Immelman (12) vs. Thomas Bjorn (53)Immelman has only won one of four matches, Bjorn has lost four of his last five matches and has a won only three times in nine matches his biggest victim was Colin Montgomerie in 2003.
My Pick: Immelman, he is playing great and has shown great improvement in the last year.
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7:59 a.m. - Chris DiMarco (21) vs. Brett Wetterich (44)
Great record in this event for DiMarco, 11-6 but more importantly in his last three Accenture's has been 9-3 and those three loses came to Phil Mickelson, David Toms in finals in 2005 and Davis Love last year. Plays Brett Wetterich who has never played in this event and was on the Ryder Cup team with DiMarco last year.
My Pick: DiMarco, even though he isn't playing that great.
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8:08 a.m. - Geoff Ogilvy (11) vs. Steve Stricker (54)
Only player in the field with a perfect 6-0 record. Two past champions facing off, Stricker hasn't had much luck since winning in 2002, lost twice in the first round and once in the second round. First time in this event since 2002.
My Pick: Stricker,should go a long way on this course, Ogilvy hasn't shown us much this year.
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8:17 a.m. - Jose Maria Olazabal (22) vs. Paul Goydos (43)
Olazabal has made it to the Quarterfinals twice in five Accentures, Goydos playin in his first one.
My Pick: Olazabal should have a easy time with him.
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8:26 a.m. - Henrik Stenson (9) vs. Zach Johnson (56)
Stenson back from Honeymoon in the Indian Ocean, Johnson made it and won Consolation match last year.
My Pick: Johnson, too much honeymooning for Stenson, this is a type of course that favors Johnson.
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8:35 a.m. - K.J. Choi (24) vs. Carl Pettersson (41)
In four match play events Choi only made it past the first round once in 2003 but lost to Tiger in the second round. Pettersson in two starts has lost to Tiger in first round 2003 in the event that Tiger went on to win and last year lost in the second round to Davis Love III who finished 2nd.
My Pick: Choi this match won't last long
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8:44 a.m. - Padraig Harrington (10) vs. Lee Westwood (55)
Harrington has played in seven Accentures and in five of his seven loses made it to the 17th or 18th hole. He has lost to the likes of Jesper Parnevik 2 & 1 in 2000, Steve Stricker, who went on to win, 2 & 1 in 2001, Tiger Woods, who went on to win, 2 & 1 in 2004, Rory Sabbatini 3 & 1 in 2005 and Davis Love 1 up last year.
Westwood in six Accentures never made it past the second day.
My Pick: Harrington, this could turn into the best match of the day.
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8:53 a.m. - Stewart Cink (23) vs. Jeev Singh (42)
Cink played in seven Accenture, best finish losing in Quarterfinals in 2005 to Chris DiMarco. Playing against the best player in India.
My Pick: Cink, he could easily win this event, he get the putter going I would say he will go a long way.
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9:02 a.m. - Ernie Els (5) vs. Bradley Dredge (60)
Big Easy has never had much success in this event at La Costa, in four starts in California never made it past the 2nd round. Els only good finish was 4th in Australia in 2001. Dredge playing in first Accenture.
My Pick: Els, not even close Els will have a easy day.
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9:11 a.m. - Ian Poulter (28) vs. Bart Bryant (3)
Poulter was good in his first two Accenture's making it to the weekend, lost in first round last year. Bryant lost in only match last year to John Daly
My Pick: Bryant, because Poulter seems to harp on the fact that he has lost in Match Play.
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9:20 a.m. - Retief Goosen (6) vs. Scott Verplank (59)
After five tough years Goosen made it to the semi's in 2005 and the quarterfinals last year. Verplank in seven Accenture's lost three times in the first round and four times in the second round.
My Pick: Goossen, If he gets his putter going, look for him to go a long way's in this event.
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9:29 a.m - Joe Durant (27) vs. Niclas Fasth (38)
Durant's only lose was to European Paul McGinley in 2002, Fasth has more experience winning two matches in 2002, one match in 2003 but losing in the first round in 2004 and 2006.
My Pick: Fasth because he is a better putter, this isn't a type of course for Durant.
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9:38 a.m. - Luke Donald (8) vs. Miguel Angel Jimenez (57)
Both times Donald has lost in the third round
Jimenez has played five Accenture's best finish T5th in 2000.
My Pick: Jimeenz, because it seems that Donald has lost his game in the last couple of weeks.
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9:47 a.m. - Shingo Katayama (25) vs. Aaron Baddeley (40)
Katayama has played five straight years, 2006 was the first time he made it past the first round match getting beat in the third round.
Baddeley has never played in Match Play, was a winner in Arizona three weeks ago.
My Pick: Baddeley, because of his putting and the fact that he won on a similar course just a couple of weeks ago.
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9:56 a.m. - Vijay Singh (7) vs. John Rollins (58)
In seven Accentures Singh has only made it past the second round once and lost in the third round last year. In Rollins only start lost the two final holes to lose 2004 match to Tiger Woods 1 up, Woods went on to win after barely beating Rollins.
My Pick: Singh, because he is a better player and will do better in the clutch.
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10:05 a.m. - Robert Karlsson (26) vs. Stephen Ames (39)
Karlsson only played once losing to Phil Mickelson in 2003, Ames has played twice and gotten clobbered both times losing to Tiger 9 & 8 last year and 7 & 6 to Mark Hensby in 2005.
My Pick: Karlsson, the question is can he destroy Ames as much as Tiger and Hensby did?
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10:14 a.m. - Sergio Garcia (13) vs. Darren Clarke (52)
Two European Ryder Cup hero's meet, Garica in five Accenture's has never made it past the third round while Clarke won it in 2000 and was 3rd in 2004. In 20 different matches played Clarke has played ten times in matches that were with a Ryder Cup player and only lost once in the semi's to Davis Love in 2004.
My Pick: Garica, he is just playing better right now.
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10:23 a.m. - Stuart Appleby (20) vs. Charles Howell III (45)
Appleby is the only player that has seen action in all eight previous Accenture's, still record not that great since he only has made it past the second round once when he lost in the third round in 2001. Howell has lost in the first round four straight years, his first Accenture in 2002 he lost in second round.
My Pick: Howell, in one of the tougher matches of the day he is playing to great for Appleby right now.
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10:32 a.m. - Paul Casey (14) vs. Mike Weir (51)
Dismal Accenture record for Casey losing all four matches in last four years, Weir's record not very good as he has only made it past the second round once in 6 tries losing in the third round last year.
My Pick: Casey, to much fire power over poor Weirsy who seems lost with swing changes.
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10:41 a.m. - Colin Montgomerie (19) vs. Johan Edfors (46)
Monty may have a 20-9-7 record in the Ryder Cup and won the World Match Play Championship three times at Wentworth and the Accenture World Championship of Golf in 1997 but in six Accenture's lost three times in the first round, lost twice in the second round and once in the third round. Edfors is playing for the first time.
My Pick: Montgomerie, because of his match play experience.
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10:50 a.m. - Nick O'Hern (16) vs. Lucas Glover (49)
O'Hern knows how to best Tiger, did it in the 2nd round in 2005. Two of O'Hern's three loses have come at the hands of the winner, in 2006 lost to Geoff Ogilvy in the second round, in 2001 lost to Steve Stricker in the quarterfinals. Also odd, both of those matches went into overtime.
My Pick: Glover, he could be one of those sleepers this week.
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10:59 a.m. - David Howell (17) vs. Rory Sabbatini (48)
Howell lost to last year's champion Geoff Ogilvy in a overtime quarterfinal match.
My Pick: Howell, tough competitor, Sabbatini hasn't shown us much this week.
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11:08 a.m. - Davis Love III (15) vs. Ben Crane (50)
Love has been runner-up two of last three years, plus played in the consolation match in 2000. Overall record is 18-8. Crane beat Justin Leonard last year but lost his next match to Retief Goosen.
My Pick: Love, you have to root for him to one day win this event that he has come so close to in the past
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11:17 a.m. - David Toms (18) vs. Arron Oberholser (47)
Toms has good record, in seven Accentures has always won at least one match. In 2002 lost to winner Kevin Sutherland in quarters, lost to Tiger in the finals in 2003 before winning in 2005. Oberholser has had back problems all year, played last year beating Tim Clark in first round then losing to Chris DiMarco in second round.
My Pick: Toms, in a match that won't be close, Oberholser should so signs of rust if he makes it to the first tee
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11:26 a.m. - Phil Mickelson (4) vs. Richard Green (61)
In seven Accentures Mickelson has never made it past the quarter-finals, while Green's first taste of the Accenture in 2005 saw him lost in first round to the winner, David Toms. Lost last year to Luke Donald in first round.
My Pick: Mickelson, but this will be close, you can never underestimate a player like Green.
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11:35 a.m. - Michael Campbell (29) vs. Justin Rose (36)
In five Accenture's for Campbell has only made it past the first round once in 2001 when he beat Mathias Gronberg and Toshi Izawa two players that had limited experience in the Accenture. For Rose he has played in three matches and lost two of them.
My Pick: Rose, this is a easy match as Campbell is just getting over neck problems.
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11:44 a.m. - Adam Scott (3) vs Shaun Micheel (65)
Scott has a good record in this event, always wins at least once, in 2003 lost to Tiger who went on to win on the 19th hole, then lost to another winner in Davis Toms in the quarterfinals.
My Pick: Michell, if he could tame Tiger, you would think that taming a Adam Scott who isn't playing well right now would be easy
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11:53 a.m. - Yong-Eun Yang (30) vs. Rod Pampling (35)
Yang playing for the first time, he has won six times in three years in Asia, Pampling has lost both matches he played in 2005 and last year.
My Pick: Yang, is just full of surprises.
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12:02 p.m. - Tiger Woods (1) vs. J.J. Henry (64)
Only one time in the history of the match play championship has the number one seeded player been beaten and that was in 2002 when Peter O'Malley beat Tiger 2 & 1.
My Pick: Woods, he respects Henry's game and will come into this match ready to go, don't see anything but a win.
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12:11 p.m. - Tim Clark (32) vs. Robert Allenby (33)
Clark has played three times and gone home after the first match all three times.
My Pick: Allenby, game is good right now, Clark is hurt, should be a easy win
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12:20 p.m. - Jim Furyk (2) vs. Brett Quigley (63)
Furyk a bit of a disappointment in this event, in six matches lost three times in the first round and three times in the third round. In 2002 lost in third round to Kevin Sutherland who went on to win. First time for Quigley.
My Pick: Furyk, but he will have problems with a feisty Quigley.
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12:29 p.m. - Angel Cabrera (31) vs. Chad Campbell (34)
Cabrera has never made it past the second day in five Accenture's, Campbell has good record in three Accenture's, making it through the first two rounds in 2004, '05 and then getting to the quarterfinals last year, on the way beat Tiger 1 up.
My Pick: Campbell, is great at match play and should have a good week.
