For the sixth year running the WGC: Dell Technologies Match Play takes us to Texas and the Austin Country Club.
The Pete Dye track measures in at barely over 7,000 and features four par fives, a drivable par four and plenty of risk-reward holes ideal for this format.
The lack of length means it’s open to all and that’s shown up nicely by the past winners in Austin.
We’ve had big hitters such as Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson lift the trophy while the 2019 final was contested by two shorties: Kevin Kisner and Matt Kuchar.
The format sees the 64 players put into 16 four-man groups. They play round robin, with the 16 group winners progressing. From there it’s straight knockout to the final.
Thankfully, several bookies are paying out eight each-way places which means a profit can be secured by getting a selection through to the quarter-finals.
One standout feature is that the top seeds (1-16) have a modest record, reflecting the wide-open record of this format.
Jon Rahm was the only player from that bunch to make the last eight in 2021 as the trophy went to 39th seed Billy Horschel.
He was the fourth straight US winner in Austin and the third to win an all-American final.
Angles to consider
1/ Match Play experience and prowess
Seven of the 10 finalists in Texas had honed their match play skills by previously contesting a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup. It shows that the cream tends to rise to the top. All the winners had plenty of experience in this event too.
2/ Strokes Gained: Putting
Putting is so often the key factor when it comes down to it in match play. Most of the players who go deep in this event putt well so this isn’t an event to pick a ball-striker who struggles at the business end.
3/ Current form
Looking at past winners, Day and Johnson had both won on their previous start and 2021 champion Horschel had finished runner-up in the WGC-Workday Championship just three starts earlier.
4/ Texas form
Last year’s winner Horschel had a previous win in Texas as well as plenty of other top 10s in the Lone Star State.
Selections
The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected.
Scottie Scheffler
Texas native Scheffler was runner-up on his tournament debut last year and looks to have everything going for him this week. He has two wins in his last four starts, was brilliant in the last Ryder Cup (beat Jon Rahm in the singles) and ranks 15th this season in Strokes Gained: Putting. He looks the pick of the top seeds.
Kevin Kisner
Kisner is a real course here and loves Austin Country Club. He reached back-to-back finals in 2018 and 2019, losing the first to Bubba and winning the second against Kuchar. Last year he won two of his three group matches and he comes in off a recent fourth place at the Players Championship (Sawgrass another Pete Dye track). Kisner also played Presidents Cup once.
Sergio Garcia
Sergio has reached the quarter-finals in the last two editions and that’s all we need again this year to secure profit. The Spaniard has a brilliant record in Ryder Cups, has always been a strong performer in Texas and, crucially, has his putter working well (27th for SG: Putting this season).
Tips 2-1; +28.50pts
1.5pts e.w. Scottie Scheffler at 16/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair 1/5 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8) 1st
0.75pts e.w. Kevin Kisner at 45/1 (Boylesports 1/5 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8) 2nd
