– Last Updated on November 20, 2022 10:09 pm
2016 WGC – Dell Match Play Golf Preview and Picks
Ready for 2016 WGC Dell Match Play betting predictions? The top 64 golfers in the world assemble in Austin, Texas this week for the 2016 WGC Dell Match Play – a notoriously tough tournament in which to handicap. The 64 man field will be divided into 16-four player groups, and each group will play round-robin matches Wednesday-Friday.
2016 WGC Dell Match Play
Dates: March 23 – 27, 2016
Golf Course: Austin Country Club, Austin, TX
Format: Match Play
Field: Top 64 available players based on the Official World Golf Ranking
Purse: $9,250,000 / Winner Share: $1,572,500
Defending Champion: Rory McIlroy
Updated Sportsbook Bonuses For Today
Players with the best record in each group will advance to 16-man, single-elimination match play, with two rounds on Saturday and the semifinals and final Sunday.
Austin Country Club will play host to this year’s edition – a 7,073 yard par 71 track. Obviously distance likely won’t be a factor this week – those who can shape their shots and hit the small greens are likely to do well. I will be looking at tee-to-green specialists this week – ones that can control their distances and play into the inevitable wind.
With that in mind who should we be keeping an eye on this week? Let’s take a look.
2016 WGC Dell Match Play Favorites:
Rory Mcilroy +1000
The defending champion has been a tad inconsistent and may be focused more on Augusta than this week. We should never count him out but stringing together five or six rounds may be a bit too much to ask.
Jason Day +1100
Won this event two years ago and finished third in 2013 but didn’t look great in his repeat attempt last year. But coming off a wire-to-wire win at Bay Hill he has to be in the conversation again.
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He will be motivated by the fact that he can hit #1 in the World with a win this week – look out for a confident Day!
Adam Scott +1200
Has gone T2-Win-Win-T12 in his last four events but this format doesn’t seem to suit him at all – he hasn’t hit the top 10 in a Match play in 11 years! His short game has been sensational lately however – something that will definitely come in handy this week.
That said it is hard to support a guy that struggles in Match Play.
Jordan Spieth +1200
The World #1 plays a home game this week but enters in “un-Spieth-like” form. Still, he has finished top 25 in three straight and had a top 10 in his WGC-Match Play debut two years ago (he was eliminated in the first round last year).
He is one of a handful of guys that have played on this course but has what looks to be a tough group.
2016 WGC Dell Match Play Contenders:
Rickie Fowler +1400
He has been terrific this year and has a good record in Match Play. He has been T8 or better in every start but one this season, including a win in Abu Dhabi and a playoff loss to Hideki Matsuyama at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
He was perfect in pool play in this event last year and was solo third in 2014 and enters this week in career best form.
Patrick Reed +2800
Has thrived on Match Play going back to college where he went 6-0 in his senior year. He has seven top 10s on TOUR the last eight months and has one WGC victory under his belt.
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Reed’s current form and penchant for success in this format have him on my radar for sure.
Paul Casey +3000
Is coming off a respectable T13 a the WGC-Cadillac Championship – back to form ahead of an event he’s done well at – he was second in 2009 and 2010. He was also very competitive in last year’s version losing in the quarters.
He is second on TOUR in ball-striking – something that should come in very handy this week.
Danny Willett +3300
Finished solo third in this event last year and enters this week in much better form than in 2015. His recent finishes include a T3 at Doral making him a true threat this week.
Louis Oosthuizen +3300
Has really been coming on of late – T12 in Malaysia, win in Perth, T14 at Doral, T7 at Copperhead and has been in the quarters of this event each of the last two years. He also went undefeated in the President’s Cup last year in a Match Play format.
Present form and an affinity for Match Play make Oosthuizen an intriguing +3300 this week.
2016 WGC Dell Match Play Sleepers (+5000 or higher):
Zach Johnson +5000
Is a member here and enters this week off a good solo fifth at Bay Hill. On a shorter track that rewards strong iron play Johnson has to be in the conversation.
Forget that he has been out of the first round just twice in his career at this event – this track suits his game and his present form is nothing to sneeze at.
Marc Leishman +5000
Has a knack of playing well in the wind and has been playing well ahead of this week – a T5 at Riviera and a T17 at Bay Hill. He was 3-0 in the round robin in this event last year and could be a sneaky +5000 this week.
2016 WGC Dell Match Play Picks:
The Pick this week is Ricky Fowler at +1400. He lives for the big stage and his current form against top fields is as good as it has ever been.
The Sleeper is Zach Johnson at +5000. Tom Kite loves him to win it this week – who am I to argue?
Do you like our predictions for this week’s WGC Dell Match Play? Comments welcome below.
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