Am I just a golf geek or is tomorrow Christmas Day? I love the match play so much, and while it isn't exactly March Madness, the bracket thing is about as good as it gets for me in golf save the Masters in HD and early morning coverage of the British.
If you just want to see my whole bracket, you'll have to follow me on Twitter, as it is posted there. @fananswerman is the handle. Otherwise, the breakdown is below, following one aside about the Northern Trust Open.
So, I had Aaron Baddeley in my five picks last week, which was likely my call of the year, as he won the event with a world ranking worse than the likes of Mardan Mamat, Floris de Vries, and Hideto Tanihara. However, for some unexplainable reason I picked Rory Sabbatini in my one and done, not Badds. I hate Rory Sabbatini. At least I thought I did. Apparently I never knew hate until Sabbatini went SEVEN over in his last 10 holes Friday to miss the cut by one shot...in a cowboy hat, no less. Infuriating.
At least I traded Marino and Davis for Baddeley and Laird in the auction league Wednesday night.
Onto the match play.
In the Jones bracket Westwood and Watney are destined to meet in the second round, which is a crusher as these two are both potential champs. I like Watney to beat Westwood like he did last year and go on to win the bracket. Stricker and Goosen are both in the bracket and should advance a round, but I like Charl Schwartzel to meet Watney in the final eight. Schwartzel has a 2011 win and ousted Jim Furyk in the second round last year.
The Player bracket is probably the weakest of the bunch, but may feature the eventual champ. While Justin Rose and Hunter Mahan loom as threats to Martin Kaymer on the top of the bracket, Rory McIlroy should have smooth sailing on the bottom. He's a former quarterfinalist here and should do so again with the potential for more unless Kaymer gets him. I like Rory.
The Hogan bracket is the most difficult, with European giants McDowell and Poulter, the defender, in the bottom of the draw. I like the winner of that to face Mickelson, who will be sternly tested by the Fowler-Peter Hanson winner in round two. Hanson is a darkhorse and has the game to do some damage. Phil doesn't have the greatest match play record, but I just have a feeling, and like him over Poulter in the final eight.
The Snead bracket features Tiger, who's going to get all he can handle from the combination of Ogilvy or Harrington, then Dustin Johnson or Bill Haas. However, like Tiger, none of those guys outside of Haas are coming in too hot. I think Tiger's stellar match play record carries him through to a duel with Paul Casey, who has an easy draw to get to the final eight. Tiger beats Casey, though it should be noted Casey has been runner up two years in a row.
I like Rory to win the thing over Watney in a battle of two guys from oppsite sides of the pond who are destined to make big noise in 2011. Now let's just hope Yuta Ikeda doesn't bust through and ruin the party for the weekend.
Love it.
Cheers,
TFAM
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