Barring late withdrawals, Tiger likely to face Kim in match play
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. -- Tiger Woods will face emerging American talent Anthony Kim in the opening round of next week's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship if there are no more withdrawals before Friday.
Ernie Els and 45th-ranked American Brett Wetterich already have pulled out, and players have three more days to commit to the elite event in Tucson, Ariz.
The top 64 in the world automatically qualify. Australia's Peter Lonard, ranked 67th, is next in line for a spot.
The official draw will be announced late on Sunday, the PGA Tour said in a statement on Tuesday.
Wetterich's withdrawal last week because of a shoulder injury brought Kim, ranked 66th, into the field for an intriguing encounter with two-time champion and top-ranked Woods.
Kim, 22, is one of the hottest prospects on the PGA Tour and highly rated by his peers.
Mark O'Meara believes Kim has a better golf swing at 22 than Woods had at a similar age.
"At 22, Tiger had already won six tournaments and I think Tiger's mental game was probably stronger," O'Meara, 51, said at last month's Buick Invitational.
"But technique-wise, I reckon Anthony's swing is better at 22 than what Tiger's was. I think I'm a pretty good judge of what I see in somebody's bag and what they've got in talent and that kid has got it.
"He could win multiple tournaments a year easily and win major championships. That's how talented he is in my opinion."
The Accenture Match Play Championship, being held at Dove Mountain's Gallery Golf Club for the second year in a row, was previously staged at La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, Calif.
Sweden's Henrik Stenson, who won last year's title by beating Geoff Ogilvy of Australia 2 and1 in the final, is scheduled to launch his defense against American Jerry Kelly.
