Updated: February 26, 2003, 11:52 AM ET
A brief look at each of the 32 first-round matches
Bobby Jones bracket | ||||
| Matchup | time (ET) |
Comment | ||
Carl Pettersson (16) |
2 pm | Looks like a mismatch, with Woods having 42 worldwide wins compared to Pettersson's one, but it's not. Pettersson is averaging just two strokes more per round than Woods in 2003. | ||
Fred Funk (9) |
2:08 pm | The ultimate 8-9 match, pitting the 25th-ranked player in the world against No. 27. Each of these guys could win it all, but one will be out in the first round. | ||
Jose Maria Olazabal (13) |
A rematch of their pivotal and controversial 1999 Ryder Cup clash, and also a reprisal of a first-round match last year, which Olazabal won 1-up. | |||
Stephen Leaney (12) |
1:04 pm | Estes -- who made the quarterfinals last year -- has two top-10s in 2003, including last week, while Leaney tied for second behind Ernie Els at the European Tour's Johnnie Walker Classic. | ||
John Cook (15) |
Harrington was second on the European Order of Merit last year, and has one win in two events this season. He's winless at the Match Play (0-3). Cook has made four cuts in four events in 2003. | |||
Tom Lehman (10) |
noon | A clash of two forty-something Americans. Hoch has played in just one event in 2003, while Lehman has a second-place finish and a tie for 21st in six starts. | ||
Toshi Izawa (14) |
DiMarco has a couple third-place finishes in 2003, but is 1-2 lifetime in the event. Izawa has won first-round matches each of the last two years, but has lost in the second round both times. | |||
John Huston (11) |
10:56 am | Romero reached the quarterfinals in his only Match Play appearance in 1999, beating Phil Mickelson and Greg Norman along the way. Huston reached the semis that year, but fell in the first round in 2000 and 2001. | ||
Gary Player bracket | ||||
| Matchup | time (ET) |
Comment | ||
Phil Tataurangi (16) |
The Big Easy hits the U.S. mainland for the first time, bringing with him all the momentum in the world and a 6-4 career Accenture record. He won the World Match Play last year so he's an ace at the format. Tataurangi will be making his first appearance. | |||
Kenny Perry (9) |
2:40 pm | Lonard is also a first-timer, with two top-5 finishes in two Euro events and a 12th-place showing at the Sony in 2003. Perry has made three of four cuts in 2003. | ||
Trevor Immelman (13) |
Allenby has a tie for fourth at the Sony but hasn't really made any noise in 2003. Immelman, making his first Match Play appearance, is 23 years old and has a win and two other top-3 finishes in Europe this year. | |||
Jeff Sluman (12) |
1:36 pm | Campbell has lost in the first round two of the last three years, while Sluman has a 2-4 career Match Play record. | ||
Paul Casey (15) |
Both have victories in 2003 (Love at Pebble and Casey in Australia). Love has a 2-1 career record in the Match Play first round, while Campbell is 1-2. | |||
Tim Clark (10) |
12:32 pm | The clash of the Clark(e)s. Darren won the event in 2000, and his 6-2 career record is third-best among players in the field. Tim is making his first appearance. | ||
Len Mattiace (14) |
Furyk has two top-10s in 2003 and a 4-3 career Match Play record. Mattiace has one top-10 and two missed cuts and will be making his Match Play debut. | |||
Steve Lowery (11) |
11:28 am | These two battled down the stretch in the final round of last year's memorable International. Lowery won his first-round match last year but was ousted in the second. | ||
Ben Hogan bracket | ||||
| Matchup | time (ET) |
Comment | ||
Jay Haas (16) |
Goosen became a top seed when Vijay Singh dropped out, and has two top-10s on both the PGA And European Tours in 2003. Haas has been defying his 49 years, has a second and two top-25s. Goosen is the most likely top seed to go down in Round 1. | |||
Scott McCarron (9) |
2:24 pm | A tough draw for both Maruyama and McCarron, who each have great Match Play records. Maruyama is tied for the most wins in Match Play history (8), while McCarron is 5-1 and lost in last year's final. | ||
Paul Lawrie (13) |
Price has been playing well of late, and has a 2-1 record in Match Play first rounds. Lawrie is also 2-1 in the first round, and 4-3 overall. The Scot has a second-place finish in four European events this season. | |||
Niclas Fasth (12) |
1:20 pm | Howell made some bad decisions last week at the Nissan, but has two straight top-10s and won his first-round match last year. European Ryder Cupper Fasth had two wins in last year's Match Play. | ||
Kevin Sutherland (15) |
This one has upset written all over it. Garcia hasn't played well in 2003 (although he does have a 4-2 Match Play record) and Sutherland is the defending champion. | |||
Justin Rose (10) |
12:16 pm | The last two winners have gone through Duval. Sutherland (2002) and Clarke (2000) each beat him en route to their titles. Duval has a 6-3 Match Play record, while Rose -- who has three top-10s in 2003 -- is making his first appearance. | ||
Shingo Katayama (14) |
Mediate beat John Daly in last year's first round, while Katayama was blown out by Lee Westwood in last year's first round 4 and 3. | |||
Adam Scott (11) |
11:12 am | A rematch of last year's first-round clash between the two, which was won by Scott. Langer hasn't made it out of the first round since 1999. | ||
Sam Snead bracket | ||||
| Matchup | time (ET) |
Comment | ||
Robert Karlsson (16) |
Should be a waltz for Lefty (2-3 Match Play record) against Robert "Just Happy To Be Here" Karlsson. But then again, in match play you never know. | |||
Brad Faxon (9) |
2:56 pm | Watch out for Faxon, he's reached the quarterfinals each of the last two years and is playing well right now. His eight career Match Play wins are tied for most of anyone. Parry hasn't won a match since 1999. | ||
Loren Roberts (13) |
Weir has never lost in the first round, and he comes in playing the best golf of his life. Roberts is a formidable foe, but Weir is a buzzsaw. | |||
Thomas Bjorn (12) |
1:52 pm | Look for an upset here (if there is such a thing in match play). Kelly is 0-1 in the Match Play, while Bjorn has never lost in the first round (2-0). | ||
Anders Hansen (15) |
Toms' lack of length might hurt him off the tee in the wet conditions, but he's got a weak foe in the first round in Hansen. Toms has a 5-3 career Match Play record and is 3-0 in the first round. | |||
Chris Riley (10) |
12:48 pm | Appleby is 2-4 at the Match Play, while Riley -- two top-10s so far in 2003 -- is making his debut. | ||
Alex Cejka (14) |
11:36 am | Monty was 4-0-1 at the Ryder Cup last year, but is a dismal 1-3 at the Match Play. Remember, he still hasn't won on U.S. soil, don't expect that to change this week. Cejka is making his debut. | ||
Scott Verplank (11) |
11:44 am | Cabrera is winless in two appearances at the Match Play, while Verplank (3-0) has never lost in the first round. He's also never won in the second round (0-3). | ||
David Lefort is ESPN.com's golf editor, and can be reached at david.m.lefort@espn3.com.
