WGC Accenture Match Play Championship: Tiger proof?

Chris Baldwin,
Senior Writer

MARANA, Ariz. - Stephen Ames wasn't about to fall into the Tiger trap. No matter how innocent the question was, if it involved the most dominant golfer in the world, Ames was walking.

Fast.

"Does Match Play reduce Tiger Woods' edge because only one player in the field has to beat him one day as opposed to being better than him for four days over the length of the tournament?"

"No, no, you're not getting me into that," Ames said, shaking his head before the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship, which begins today with 32 first-round matches that will wilt the star-studded 64-man field in half by the time the sun sets in the Arizona desert.

Ames' reluctance to discuss the past or broach any type of possible Tiger Woods' vulnerability comes from personal history, of course. He's the bloke who threatened to replace some hockey player with no teeth as the world's dumbest Canadian when he questioned how Tiger was hitting the ball before the 2006 World Match Play, only to see Tiger turn around and crush him 9 and 8.

That's still probably the most memorable moment from this World Match Play tournament, which is entering its 10th year. And that speaks to all the upsets that have happened over the years in this win-or-fly-the-Gulf stream-home format. While Woods won back-to-back World Match Play titles in 2003 and 2004, the format has also produced Sunday 36-hole finales between relative no names that brought all the buzz of a new episode of "Two and a Half Men."

"People will complain that Tiger wins too much and he needs better competition," said Geoff Ogilvy. "But then they'll complain if he's not there on the weekend in this setup too. I guess you can't win."

In the World Match Play, maybe you can.

While Tiger's 25-6 match record in the event's nine years is impressive, David Toms' is almost as good (22-7) and Ogilvy's is actually better in terms of winning percentage (11-1). Ogilvy won the whole thing as the 52nd seed in 2006 (55th and 62nd seeds have also taken home the trophy), and he made it all the way back to the finals last year.

Of course, last year, Tiger Woods wasn't being asked questions about the possibility of going undefeated for the season, like he already has been at The Gallery Golf Club at Dove Mountain.

"It's an upset if any seed beats Tiger," Steve Stricker said. "I don't care if it's another top seed."

Woods moved on from his "match play is like a boat ride" analogy - who knew that mega yachts had bumpy rides? - from earlier in the week. Instead, he talked about it being a sprint rather than the usual four-round marathon. But when the clichés were done, he also may have revealed his true feeling on the format.

"Here, what your playing partner does dictates what you do, and vice versa," Woods said. "You can force your opponent to try things he doesn't want to do."

Only Phil Mickelson didn't seem to be in the match play spirit. Fresh off his win at Riviera, Mickelson didn't even play a practice round at The Gallery. He spent his time holed up on the back practice range, away from the fans on Tuesday. He declined to talk to the media.

The Gallery goes swing wild in Tucson course setup

Another factor working in unpredictability's favor is the setup of the golf course. The Gallery has several short par 4s that figure to be birdie havens for many of the top 65 golfers in the world. That sets the stage for frequent momentum swings in these 1-on-1 duels.

The United States Golf Association would take one look at The Gallery's 314-yard, downhill par-4 seventh and immediately declare it a par 3. In World Match Play though, it's par for the fun - along with a 336-yard par 4 (No. 12) and a 402-yard par 4 (No. 11).

Ernie Els - the No. 1 seed in the Sam Snead bracket - believes that most of the field can "get to 50 percent of the par 5s in two shots."

Unlike last year, when the World Match Play made its Tucson debut under windy, cold and near miserable (for Arizona's winter wonderland) conditions, it's been a deluge of beautiful clear 70-degree days with only an occasional shower expected for today and tomorrow. The improved weather will not be the only thing that makes some often conservative play last year a memory.

Practice rounds have shown that the pins are in more go-for-it positions this time around with organizers having rethought their approach.

"It adds up to a lot of excitement," said Els, who finds Retief Goosen, defending champ Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia, Woody Austin, Adam Scott and Boo Weekley all in his 16-player sub bracket, clearly the toughest quarter bracket in the tournament.

Of course, this is one week where looking ahead can really wreak havoc on your travel plans.

Scott openly talked about the need to brace yourself for the possibility of an early week.

"You've got to do that and not beat yourself up over it," Scott said. "At the start of the week you've got to be confident and expecting to play through the weekend. But looking back on tournaments in the past, you can play well and lose."

It may take a little luck to run off six match play wins in a five-day span.

Then again, nobody's asking Tiger Woods if he remembered to bring enough clothes for the whole week.

February 20, 2008

As Senior Staff Writer, Chris Baldwin brings a critical, objective eye to the golf meccas of Las Vegas, Arizona, California and Mexico. He carries more than 11 years of journalism experience, seven in the ultra-competitive New York metropolitan area market.