Event of the Day: WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play
Our event of the day is the World Golf Championships - Dell Technologies Match Play at the Austin Country Club in Austin, Texas. Sixty-four of the world’s best golfers come together to play in this unique match play format event. The tournament begins with a round-robin format, organised between sixteen groups of four golfers. Be sure you don’t miss the start of the action today. Given the unique tournament format at the Dell Match Play, there are players to watch all over the sixteen group round-robin first stage. Tournament favourite Dustin Johnson headlines group one. The American is having an enviable 2019, with two wins and six top-ten finishes. However, he faces tough challenges from Hideki Matsuyama, who has three top-ten finishes in his last six starts, and Chez Reavie, who is third in driving accuracy this season. Justin Rose, who has sometimes struggled in match play, will battle with Gary Woodland, who has two second place and six top-ten finishes this season, for dominance in group two. Group four is Rory McIlroy’s to lose as he plays fledgling star Matthew Fitzpatrick, tournament debutant Justin Harding and sixty-fourth seed Luke List. One of the tournament’s dark horses resides in group five. Justin Thomas, the 2017 PGA champion, has five top-ten finishes in nine starts and has a lethal game, leading the tour in birdies and rounding out the top ten in eagles.
However, he will have to contend with the career renaissance of Keegan Bradley, who will pose a threat if he can keep his putting under control. Like McIlroy, defending European Tour champion Francisco Molinari faces a winnable group in group seven. Group eight sees a battle between John Rahm, who has eight top-twelve finishes in nine starts, and Matt Kuchar, who has reached the Sweet 16 in six of his eight appearances at this tournament, as well as a title at the 2013 competition. Group nine sees four talented match play golfers who are often overlooked by the media and fans. Xander Schauffele is fourth in strokes gained, Rafa Cabrera-Bello has fifteen top-ten finishes in seventy-nine starts, and while Tyrrell Hatton and Lee Westwood have shown mixed form, they still pose a threat. Group ten’s Paul Casey is an outside favourite if he can improve his putting slightly. Group eleven pits Tommy Fleetwood, Louis Oosthuizen, Kyle Stanley and Ben An against one another in one of the tournament’s most competitive groups. Two-time tournament champion Jason Day will look to take group twelve as Phil Mickelson continues to struggle for form since his Pebble Beach win. Tiger Woods, making his first WGC Match Play appearance since 2013, will look to continue his career revival in group thirteen. Finally, despite expressing his dislike of the competition, Bubba Watson will look to defend his title in Austin from group fifteen. Be sure you do not miss the start of this exciting golf tournament.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the NBA, where the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Indiana Pacers at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Thunder need to win three more matches to secure at least the eighth seed in the West. However, they come into this match on a one-game losing streak. On the other hand, the Pacers have clinched a playoff berth in the East but still need six wins to secure the fourth seed. Both of these teams need this win so expect a match to remember tonight. Elsewhere, in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, Bayern host Slavia Praha at the FC Bayern campus in Munich for the second leg of their quarter-final fixture. In the NHL, the Colorado Avalanche host the Vegas Golden Knights at the Pepsi Center. In tennis, the Miami Open continues at the Hard Rock Stadium.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Photos by WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play