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The WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play takes place at Austin Country Club in Texas for a fourth year running. Long drivers have prevailed in the first three with Jason Day winning in 2016, Bubba Watson taking the title last year and Dustin Johnson ousting Jon Rahm in a battle of the power hitters in the 2017 championship match. But Kevin Kisner’s march to last year’s final shows that the shorties can’t be dismissed. Indeed, Kisner offered a hint why last year, saying that: “You can hit low bullets here that roll forever.” However, he also added this: “DJ hit it 500 yards or something yesterday. I would like to be able to do that. I think length is an advantage on every course we play.” As in the last three editions at Austin, the 64-man field is split into 16 groups of four with round-robin matches taking place from Wednesday to Friday. That ensures everyone plays at least three matches although dead rubbers are a possibility. The 16 group winners play knockout head-to-head match play on the weekend – the last 16 and quarter-final matches on Saturday and the semis and final on Sunday. Angles to consider Top-level match play experience Dating back from last year, these are the winners of this event: Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Luke Donald, Ian Poulter, Geoff Ogilvy, Tiger Woods, Henrik Stenson, Geoff Ogilvy, David Toms, Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods. What united those last 16 winners? They’d all played previously in a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup. Although these are the world’s top 64 players, it’s only the very elite who go home with the trophy. Current form To winner will play seven matches this week so must be capable of stringing good rounds together. Perhaps it’s no surprise, therefore, that the two champions at Austin – Bubba and DJ – had already won that season and were flowing with confidence. Beaten 2017 finalist Jon Rahm was also in hot form having won at Torrey Pines, finished fifth at Pebble and third in the WGC-Mexico Championship. Texas form Course form on other Texas tracks correlates well. After all, there are similar traits, an obvious one being able to play well in the wind. Day had secured his first PGA Tour win in the Lone Star State and Dustin Johnson and Rahm both have a string of top 10s in Texas. Kisner’s previous start in Texas had resulted in a win at Colonial. Selections The above angles have been considered to produce the three following picks. Tony Finau As a huge-hitting American, who played on the last Ryder Cup team, Finau immediately comes into the crosshairs. He made his debut in this event 12 months ago and won his first two matches, beating Thomas Pieters and Kevin Na. That set up a decider against Alex Noren which went the way of the Swede who reached the last four. Finau has shown potential at this course and is always a player to have in mind in big events. He was runner-up at the WGC-HSBC Champions and made the top 10 in three of the four majors last season. Rafa Cabrera Bello The Spaniard had a memorable first visit to Austin Country Club, going all the way to the last four in 2016 after wins over Hideki Matsuyama, Kevin Kisner, Byeong Hun An and Ryan Moore before losing to Louis Oosthuizen in the semis. He shook off that disappointment by beating Rory McIlroy in the third place match. He’s not repeated those feats for the last two years but flashed some impressive form when third at Bay Hill and, of course, he’s also played in a Ryder Cup. RCB also has a top four in the Houston Open on his CV. Sergio Garcia Given his exploits in the Ryder Cup, Sergio has a curiously poor record in this event although this venue may suit him better than previous ones. He showed that last year when winning all three group games but then lost unexpectedly to Kyle Stanley. A local resident (this is his wife’s neck of the woods), Garcia has a superb record in Texas and this could be the year it all clicks. (Betfair Sportsbook are paying eight each-way places so reaching the quarter-finals will be enough to secure a profit). Selections 1-2; +1.60pts 1pt e.w. Tony Finau at 30/1 (Betfair 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8) 17th 1pt e.w. Rafa Cabrera Bello at 50/1 (Betfair 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8) 17th 1pt e.w. Sergio Garcia at 33/1 (Betfair 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8) 5th
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