AUSTIN, Texas – The dark horses had themselves a day at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
Thirteen players from the south side of this week’s bracket pulled off what would be considered, at least mathematically, an upset on Wednesday at Austin Country Club.
Depending on who you ask, however, an upset at golf’s version of March Madness has less to do with those little numbers beside each player’s name and more to do with current form.
“I don’t think when you get in this field you can look at the seedings because everybody is really good,” said No. 42 seed Charles Howell III, who won one for the underdogs with his 2-and-1 victory over Cameron Smith, the 25th-seeded player. “I don’t think you ever think about it when you’re out there playing. You might think this guy’s playing good right now. I think that matters more than a seed.”
Howell’s point is valid when you consider the day’s 17th match between 12th-seeded Jason Day and 52nd-seeded Jim Furyk. The 48-year-old has two top-10 finishes in his last three starts while the Australian has a missed cut, withdrawal and T-8 finish in his past three outings.
But that doesn’t mean the WGC-Match Play is devoid of potential Cinderella stories. Look no further than the 2013 Match Play when Howell stunned Tiger Woods, then ranked second in the world, on Day 1 with a 2-and-1 victory.
“Beating Tiger with the expectations on him I felt like I had nothing to lose,” Howell admitted. “That’s more about Tiger than a seeding. If I played the guy tomorrow, I’d still think the same way. He’s Tiger and he’s the favorite because he’s Tiger.”
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But if Howell was reluctant to call an upset an upset, others had no problem embracing the role of underdog.
Kevin Na began the week unsure if he’d even be able to play after being slowed by a neck injury, but he set out on Wednesday as the 57th-seeded player against No. 15 Bubba Watson. Following a round full of eventful momentum turns – including Na’s par save at the 12th after he hit his second shot into the water followed by back-to-back birdies at Nos. 13 and 14 – the emotion of the 1-up victory was evident.
“He’s a two-time Masters champion, the defending champion [at the WGC-Match Play], I’m the underdog. Let’s be honest. I’m not afraid to say that,” Na said. “I’ve got nothing to lose. Match play changes your attitude. Just go play hard.”
Would Na call his Day 1 victory an upset? “You can say it. I’ll agree to it,” he conceded.
Furyk also had zero issue playing the role of underdog following his victory over Day.
“Absolutely, I’m the underdog, without a doubt,” Furyk said. “Even when I was 3 down, you can get in match play and get 3 down and feel like basically, ‘Oh, s--- I can’t make a mistake.’ And that feel is very binding. It’s tough to hit good golf shots at that point.”
Whether players actually believe that the concept of underdogs and upsets extends to golf really doesn’t seem to matter. What counts is how they use that chip, either real or perceived, to their advantage.
For Furyk, who wasn’t anywhere near being qualified for this event when he began the year ranked No. 222 in the world, it’s been a steady progression that’s seen him qualify at the 11th hour for The Players, where he finished runner-up, and eventually the WGC-Match Play.
“It was the same thing at The Players, I didn’t think I was going to be playing in this event. I’m standing on the 15th tee all square, kind of pinching myself. Here I am playing Jason Day at the WGC-Match Play, and I wasn’t even supposed to be here,” Furyk said.
While some of those 13 “upsets” on Day 1 certainly stretch the bounds of competitive reason, like Henrik Stenson’s 2-and-1 victory as the 37th seed over the 20th-seeded Phil Mickelson, or Branden Grace (No. 40 seed), who defeated Hideki Matsuyama (No. 24), 4 and 3. But there was no debate over Lucas Bjerregaard’s surprise victory.
The Dane set out as the week’s 50th-seeded player against No. 5 Justin Thomas and fell behind early before taking the lead on the seventh hole. He never trailed again on his way to a 3-and-2 victory over the major champion and former PGA Tour Player of the Year.
“Yes, of course. I’m pretty sure everyone did,” said Bjerregaard when asked if he considered himself an underdog on Wednesday. “It was frightening getting the e-mail with the tee time and seeing that I was playing him first. I’m like, eh. I’ve been playing well, and I was confident that if I played well and stuck in there, I could give him a bit of fight for his money.”
Recent form is always a more accurate account when it comes to the Tour’s one-and-almost-done experiment, although it should be noted that the Danish dark horse hasn’t had a top-10 finish anywhere in the world this year.
The relative gap between the top-seeded player (Dustin Johnson, who did easily win his match on Wednesday) and the last man in isn’t what it might be in other sports. But those who do beat the odds, whether they are bona fide or manufactured, have no problem relishing the significance of the moment.
On Wednesday, the dark horses had plenty of moments.