AUSTIN - From 64 to 32. That’s the way Match Play at Bracket-ville works. But, it’s NOT one and done like the college basketball game. It’s a series of three matches and best record survives and advances. The World Golf Championship Dell Technologies Match Play preliminary round stage began Thursday and continues today and tomorrow.
The theme of Thursday’s Match Play? A slow stream of UPSETS but when the final tally was complete, higher seeds managed to win at a 20-10-2 clip over their lower-seeded opponents. The top five seeds are undefeated (4-0-1) with the highest-seeded player to lose first match being No. 6 Justin Thomas losing to Luke List, 3 and 2.
Eleven players making their WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play tournament debut combined for a 5-5-1 record. Wins were had by: Lucas Herbert, Maverick McNealy, Seamus Power, Harold Varner III, and Cameron Young.
Kevin Kisner broke a tie with Matt Kuchar for most matches won since the event moved to Austin Country Club in 2016 (17) while defending champion Billy Horschel opened with a 3-and-2 victory over Min Woo Lee.
Paul Casey conceded his match against Corey Conners (thru 2 holes) due to back spasms. It was the first match conceded at the event since Kevin Chappell conceded a match against Ian Poulter in 2018 (third match of group play). Casey still has scheduled matches vs. Alex Noren and Louis Oosthuizen, a tough road back.
After Friday’s final preliminary round, Saturday morning will be the ‘Round of 16” and Saturday afternoon will move-on to the Quarterfinals. Sunday morning is the Semifinals and Sunday afternoon is the Championship and Consolation (3rd Place) Match.
Meanwhile, the Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic teed-off this morning at 6:45am (ET) and tee-times go to 1:09pm (ET).
In the Dominican Republic: Puerto Rico native and local favorite Rafael Campos will be making his fifth start at the Corales Puntacana and second of the season (T-59/Puerto Rico Open). Last season, Campos posted two Top-3 results on Tour in a 29-day span with T-3 at 2021 Puerto Rico Open and T-2 at 2021 Corales Puntacana Championship.
Joel Dahmen earned first Tour title at 2021 Corales Puntacana Championship and seeks to become the event’s first repeat winner. He’s qualified for the FedEx Cup playoffs the last four consecutive seasons and enters the week after a T-39 at the Valspar Championship.
Main Event: WGC Dell Technologies Match Play
COURSE: Austin Country Club, Austin, Texas
ARCHITECT: Pete Dye
YARDS/PAR: 7,108 yards/Par 71
PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $12,000,000/$2,100,000
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Billy Horschel
PAST RESULTS: (link)
PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 550
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @DellMatchPlay
WGC MATCH PLAY TV COVERAGE: Today and March 25, preliminary round play is scheduled for coverage from 2:00pm to 8:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel. On Saturday Sweet 16 coverage is set for 10:00am to 2:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel and 2:00pm to 6:00pm (ET) on NBC. Sunday, coverage is set for 10:30am to 3:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel and 3:00pm to 7:00pm (ET) on NBC.
WGC PGA TOUR LIVE STREAMING on ESPN+: Today and March 25, Streaming coverage will be featured on ESPN-Plus with Main Feed, Featured Hole and Featured Groups from 10:30am to 8:00pm (ET). Sunday, March 26, streaming on ESPN+ from 8:30am to 2:00pm (ET).
WGC PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: SiriusXM Radio will have live radio coverage of the preliminary rounds today and Friday with broadcasts originating from Austin from 2:00pm to 8:00pm (ET). Saturday will have coverage from 10:00am to 6:00pm (ET) and Sunday coverage runs from 11:00am to 7:00pm (ET). PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92 or online via PGATourCom.
How to Watch/Stream the PGA Tour Live: (ESPNCom)
How to Watch: In case of changes, visit: (PGATourCom)
How to Watch Corales Puntacana: (PGATourCom)
The Basics:
Tournament website: Dell Technologies Match Play Championships
WGC Match Play Tee Times - Dell Tech Match Play Tee Times start today with matches beginning at 10:20am (ET) and go to 4:01pm (ET).
Weather: Today’s forecast in Austin, Texas is for clear and sunny skies and warming from 55-75-degree temperatures as day progresses. There’s a 0% chance of rain. Winds at 9 mph. Sunny skies for all weekend.
PGA Tour Brunch will post by 9:00am (ET) on Friday.
Note: The majority of coverage will be dedicated to the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play tournament this week. For up-to-the-minute news on the Corales Puntacana Championship from the DR, click HERE.
WGC Dell Technologies Match Play:
THE FORMAT: 64 players, grouped into 16 groups of four players each for rounds 1, 2 and 3, held Wednesday to Friday. Groups were determined Monday morning by the Advance Rules Official.
During group play, players play 18-hole matches against each of the other players in their group. Matches are played to either a conclusion or a tie. Matches tied after 18 holes are not extended. Points awarded to players based on results of each match as follows:
Winner - 1 point
Loser - 0 points
Tied - 1/2 point per player
• In the event two or more players in a group are equal with the highest point totals, a stroke-play hole-by-hole playoff will determine the player that advances to the 16-player, single elimination matches.
• The purse distribution for the event will be similar to past years, but payments for the players who do not advance beyond group play will be based on the player’s record within the pool play round.
Fields Tee Times & a Bracket:
WGC - The Field: (link)
Update: Sam Burns (out) / Maverick McNealy (in)
Paul Casey - conceded his match but is still eligible to play
WGC Tee Times: (link)
WGC Leaderboard: (link)
WGC Bracket: (link)
Corales Puntacana Champ Tee Times: (link)
Corales Puntacana Champ Leaderboard: (link)
Corales Field Update:
Monday:
Davis Riley (out) - Richard S. Johnson (in)
Kevin Tway (out) - Derek Ernst (in)
Ryuji Imada (out) - Kevin Stadler (in)
Mike Weir (out) - JJ Henry (in)
Chris Stroud (out) - George McNeill (in)
Tuesday:
Stephan Jaeger (out) - Andres Romero (in)
Andres Romero (out) - Eric Axley (in) NB: Charlie Beljan, Jason Bohn, Mark Hensby all WD from alternate list
What They’re Saying:
Wednesday Recap from WGC Match Play (PGATourCom)
McNealy Soars, Bryson Struggles (ESPNCom/Associated Press)
Austin, Texas = Half an Upset City (PGATourCom)
Five WGC Matches to Watch Thursday (PGATourCom)
Horses for the Course in the DR (PGATourCom)
On This Day in Golf History:
March 24, 1979 - Enduring winds of up to 45-mph, Lanny Watkins survived the difficult conditions to win the Tournament Players Championship by five strokes over runner-up Tom Watson. Watkins was the first player to win the event at TPC Sawgrass. - Courtesy of Randy Walker, Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
Parting Putt:
PGA TOUR Brunch is brought to you by Digital Sports Desk. Subscriptions to PGA Tour Brunch are the perfect gift for your friends and/or family members who love pro golf. Click here for MARCH MADNESS Discount.
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