Local fan favorite Jordan Spieth highlights a group of major champions as the draw for the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play was conducted Monday morning.
The field is divided into 16 four-player groups that will begin three days of round-robin play Wednesday at the Pete Dye-designed Austin Country Club in Texas. The top 16 players in the Official World Golf Ranking who are in the field are the top seeds in each group; each group was filled out randomly.
The three-time major champion Spieth, the 11th seed, is joined by 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott, 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose and 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley.
Defending champion Billy Horschel, who defeated Scottie Scheffler, 2 and 1, in last year’s final, is the 12th seed and grouped with Thomas Pieters, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am winner Tom Hoge and Min Woo Lee.
Scheffler, another local favorite and winner of the WM Phoenix Open and Arnold Palmer Invitational earlier this year, is the No. 5 seed and will face a trio of Englishman in group play — Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood and Ryder Cup warrior Ian Poulter.
World No. 1 and reigning U.S. Open champion Jon Rahm has U.S. Ryder Cup hero Patrick Reed, Cameron Young and Sebastian Munoz in his group.
Sixth-seed Justin Thomas, who tied for third in last week’s Valspar Championship, will have to deal with Kevin Kisner, the 2019 champion and 2018 runner-up; Marc Leishman; and Luke List, who won the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this year.
Eight-time PGA Tour winner Bryson DeChambeau is the ninth seed and grouped with Talor Gooch, Lee Westwood and Richard Bland. DeChambeau has not played on the PGA Tour since the Farmers Insurance Open in January. He was in the field for the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship but withdrew with a wrist injury before play began.
The strongest group based on seeding features Louis Oosthuizen (10th seed), Paul Casey (19), Corey Conners (36) and Alex Noren (50).
After pool play, the format turns to single elimination beginning Saturday.
Four of the top 12 players in the world are not in the field – Players Champion Cameron Smith (No. 6), four-time major winner Rory McIlroy (8th), last week’s Valspar Championship winners, Sam Burns (10th) and reigning Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama (12th).
WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play groups
(Seed in parentheses)
Jon Rahm (1)
Patrick Reed (23)
Cameron Young (40)
Sebastian Munoz (58)
Jon Rahm follows his shot from the second tee as Patrick Reed looks on during the second round of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course. (Photo: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports)
Collin Morikawa (2)
Jason Kokrak (22)
Sergio Garcia (43)
Robert MacIntyre (61)
Collin Morikawa acknowledges the crowd after making his putt on the 13th hole during the third round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions golf tournament at Kapalua Resort – The Plantation Course. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
Viktor Hovland (3)
Will Zalatoris (24)
Cameron Tringale (45)
Sepp Straka (63)
Viktor Hovland of Norway reacts to his shot from the second tee during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Course on March 06, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Patrick Cantlay (4)
Sungjae Im (21)
Seamus Power (42)
Keith Mitchell (62)
Patrick Cantlay reacts after sinking his putt on the 16th green during Round 2 of the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. (Photo: Cheryl Evans-Chow-Arizona Republic)
Scottie Scheffler (5)
Matt Fitzpatrick (20)
Tommy Fleetwood (41)
Ian Poulter (59)
Scottie Scheffler of the United States looks on during a practice round prior to THE PLAYERS Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 09, 2022 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Justin Thomas (6)
Kevin Kisner (29)
Marc Leishman (37)
Luke List (53)
Justin Thomas of the United States reacts on the 16th green during the final round of the Valspar Championship on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club on March 20, 2022 in Palm Harbor, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Xander Schauffele (7)
Tony Finau (18)
Lucas Herbert (39)
Takumi Kanaya (56)
Xander Schauffele of The United States plays his tee shot on the par 4, 18th hole during the rain delayed completion of the second round of THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass on March 12, 2022 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
Dustin Johnson (8)
Max Homa (30)
Matthew Wolff (38)
Mackenzie Hughes (51)
Dustin Johnson plays his shot on the 16th tee during the first round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament. (Photo: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)
Bryson DeChambeau (9)
Talor Gooch (27)
Lee Westwood (47)
Richard Bland (54)
Bryson DeChambeau’s hat: New year, new headgear at the Sentry Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua Golf Club on January 06, 2022 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
Louis Oosthuizen (10)
Paul Casey (19)
Corey Conners (36)
Alex Noren (50)
Louis Oosthuizen watches his tee shot on the fifth hole during the final round of the 2021 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. Photo by Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Jordan Spieth (11)
Adam Scott (32)
Justin Rose (46)
Keegan Bradley (60)
Jordan Spieth reacts to his birdie putt on the 15th green during the third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Billy Horschel (12)
Thomas Pieters (26)
Tom Hoge (33)
Min Woo Lee (49)
Billy Horschel hits his tee shot on the first hole during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. (Photo: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports)
Tyrrell Hatton (13)
Daniel Berger (17)
Si Woo Kim (48)
Christiaan Bezuidenhout (52)
Mar 6, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Tyrrell Hatton hits his tee shot on the first hole during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Joaquin Niemann (14)
Kevin Na (25)
Russell Henley (34)
Maverick McNealy (64)
Event host Tiger Woods arrives with winner Joaquin Niemann following the final round of the 2022 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
Abraham Ancer (15)
Webb Simpson (31)
Brian Harman (44)
Bubba Watson (57)
Abraham Ancer tees off on 9 of the Players Stadium Course Thursday, March 10, 2022 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. Thursday marked the opening round of golf for The Players Championship. Inclement weather suspended play for a few hours.
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Brooks Koepka (16)
Shane Lowry (28)
Harold Varner III (35)
Erik van Rooyen (55)
Brooks Koepka looks over the green on the 16th hole during the first round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament. (Photo: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)
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