Power Rankings: WGC Accenture Match Play
- By Ryan Ballengee
- Feb 20, 2012 11:30 AM ET
The PGA Tour's West Coast Swing concludes this week with the first World Golf Championships event of the year, the WGC-Accenture Match Play in Arizona. Sixty-four of the top 66 players in the world will meet up at Dove Mountain in the year's only official match play event on this side of the Atlantic.
Meanwhile, the players who didn't qualify for Road to the Final Fore are teeing it up in Riviera Maya, Mexico for the Mayakoba Golf Classic. The full-field event can propel its winner to bigger and better things; just ask last year's winner, Johnson Wagner.
After taking a look at our picks for the week, tweet yours using the hashtag #GCFantasy and follow me @RyanBallengeeGC. Also be sure to join the Golf Channel Fantasy Challenge to test yourself against our panel of experts, including defending champion Win McMurry.
1. Rory McIlroy: This whole bracket is practically set up for him to win. His game should fit Dove Mountain - accurate driver and hits a lot of greens in regulation.
2. Bubba Watson: Watson finished fourth here last year, where he used his length and short-game imagination to take finalist Martin Kaymer to 19 holes. He hasn't finished worse than T-18 in four starts this year.
3. Sergio Garcia: Two years ago, Garcia finished fourth in this event. If his putter is anywhere near as hot as it was on Sunday at Riviera, he can give McIlroy a run for the title.
4. Tiger Woods: Despite the disappointing finish at Pebble, Woods continues to put himself in position in worldwide starts. The question mark for the three-time winner is mid-range putting.
5. Kyle Stanley: The Clemson product has a win and a P-2 this year - both on courses that benefit bombers like himself. Dove Mountain plays to his strengths.
6. Bill Haas: After staring down Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley at Hogan's Alley, it's hard not to like Haas' chances in a match play format.
7. Martin Kaymer: Kaymer was the best in the world when he got to the finals last year. He's not playing to that caliber right now, but finished in the top 13 in his last two starts in the Middle East swing.
8. Jason Day: Day began his year with a runner-up in Qatar, but was distracted at Riviera with off-course obligations. The Aussie loves the subtlety of match play.
9. Thomas Bjorn: The Great Dane enjoys a wild part of the draw. If he can slip past the first round matchup with Dustin Johnson, the wily veteran has a chance to take it deep in the bracket.
10. Steve Stricker: Rested from a week off, Stricker should be ready to go. A first round casualty in the last two years, the world's best putter can't be held down for long in this format.
You can watch complete coverage of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Wednesday-Friday live on Golf Channel from 2PM-6PM ET.
Ballengee is a GolfChannel.com contributor who writes for GTC and Fantasy Insider.
Latest News
GolfTalkCentral- DQ gives 'Bama edge over UVA in Women's NCAAs
- Only Woods can measure his progress
- Fantasy: Crowne Plaza rankings, fact pack, picks
- Dufner, Kooch, Fowler paired at Colonial | Tee times
- Woods envisions winning on Tour into his 50s
- McIlroy embracing No. 1 ranking at BMW PGA
- Tiger blames 24/7 media for constant criticism
- Donald receives life membership on European Tour
- Wishful thinking? Els hoping players like Wentworth
- Munoz '100 percent sure' she didn't break rule
- Cantlay wins Hogan Award for top men's amateur
