2018 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play

The 2018 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play was the 20th WGC Match Play, played March 21–25 at Austin Country Club in Austin, Texas. It was the second of four World Golf Championships in 2018.

2018 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play

Tournament information
Dates	March 21–25, 2018
Location	Austin, Texas, U.S. 30°20′35″N 97°47′49″W / 30.343°N 97.797°W / 30.343; -97.797
Course(s)	Austin Country Club
Tour(s)	PGA Tour European Tour Japan Golf Tour
Format	Match play – 18 holes
Statistics
Par	71
Length	7,108 yards (6,500 m)
Field	64 players
Prize fund	$10,000,000 €8,168,600
Winner's share	$1,700,000 €1,388,662
Champion
Bubba Watson
def. Kevin Kisner 7 & 6
Location Map
Austin Location in the United States Show map of the United States Austin Location in Texas Show map of Texas
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Field

The field consisted of the top 64 players available from the Official World Golf Ranking on March 11.^[1] However, the seedings were based on the World Rankings on March 18.

Justin Rose (ranked 5th on March 12, personal reasons),^[2] Rickie Fowler (7th, personal reasons), Brooks Koepka (8th, wrist injury),^[3] Henrik Stenson (15th, personal reasons),^[4] Adam Scott (56th, personal reasons), and Joost Luiten (67th, wrist injury) did not compete, allowing entry for Kevin Na (ranked 65th), Charles Howell III (66th), Keegan Bradley (68th), Luke List (69th), and Julian Suri (70th).

Format

In 2014 and earlier editions, the championship was a single elimination match play event. A new format was introduced in 2015, and the championship now starts with pool play, with 16 groups of four players playing round-robin matches, on Wednesday through Friday. The top 16 seeded players are allocated to the 16 groups, one in each group. The remaining 48 players are placed into three pools (seeds 17–32, seeds 33–48, seeds 49–64). Each group has one player randomly selected from each pool to complete the group.^[5]

All group play matches are limited to 18 holes with one point awarded for a win and one-half point for a halved match. Only one player advances to the weekend from each of the 16 groupings. After all 3 rounds are played, if 2 or more players are tied for first place in their group, then they play a sudden-death stroke play playoff, beginning on hole 1 and moving beyond if necessary.^[5]

The winners of each group advance to a single-elimination bracket on the weekend, with the round of 16 and quarterfinals on Saturday, and the semi-finals, finals, and consolation match on Sunday.^[5]

Pool A – Top 16 seeds Seed Rank Player 1 1   Dustin Johnson 2 2   Justin Thomas 3 3   Jon Rahm 4 4   Jordan Spieth 5 6   Hideki Matsuyama 6 7   Rory McIlroy 7 10   Sergio García 8 11   Jason Day 9 12   Tommy Fleetwood 10 13   Paul Casey 11 15   Marc Leishman 12 16   Tyrrell Hatton 13 17   Alex Norén 14 18   Phil Mickelson 15 19   Pat Perez 16 20   Matt Kuchar

Pool B Seed Rank Player 17 21   Rafa Cabrera-Bello 18 22   Brian Harman 19 23   Patrick Reed 20 24   Xander Schauffele 21 25   Francesco Molinari 22 26   Charley Hoffman 23 27   Branden Grace 24 28   Gary Woodland 25 29   Louis Oosthuizen 26 30   Daniel Berger 27 31   Ross Fisher 28 32   Kiradech Aphibarnrat 29 33   Tony Finau 30 34   Patrick Cantlay 31 35   Matt Fitzpatrick 32 36   Kevin Kisner

Pool C Seed Rank Player 33 37   Kevin Chappell 34 38   Li Haotong 35 39   Bubba Watson 36 40   Brendan Steele 37 41   Webb Simpson 38 42   Adam Hadwin 39 43   Thomas Pieters 40 44   Satoshi Kodaira 41 45   Dylan Frittelli 42 45   Jason Dufner 43 47   Chez Reavie 44 48   Jhonattan Vegas 45 49   Kyle Stanley 46 50   Cameron Smith 47 51   Yuta Ikeda 48 52   Patton Kizzire

Pool D Seed Rank Player 49 53   Charl Schwartzel 50 54   Kim Si-woo 51 55   Russell Henley 52 56   Bernd Wiesberger 53 57   Yūsaku Miyazato 54 58   Zach Johnson 55 60   Alexander Lévy 56 62   James Hahn 57 63   Peter Uihlein 58 64   Ian Poulter 59 65   Charles Howell III 60 67   Luke List 61 68   Kevin Na 62 69   Shubhankar Sharma 63 70   Keegan Bradley 64 72   Julian Suri

Rank – Official World Golf Ranking on March 19, 2018.

Results

Pool play

Players were divided into 16 groups of four players and played round-robin matches Wednesday to Friday.

• Round 1 – March 21
• Round 2 – March 22
• Round 3 – March 23

Group 1 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Wiesberger 3 & 1 D. Johnson Kisner vs Hadwin – halved 2 Hadwin 4 & 3 D. Johnson Kisner 5 & 4 Wiesberger 3 Kisner 4 & 3 D. Johnson Hadwin vs Wiesberger – halved Seed Player W L H Points Finish 32   Kevin Kisner 2 0 1 2.5 1 38   Adam Hadwin 1 0 2 2 2 52   Bernd Wiesberger 1 1 1 1.5 3 1   Dustin Johnson 0 3 0 0 4

Group 2 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Thomas 2 up List Molinari 3 & 1 Kizzire 2 Thomas 3 & 1 Kizzire Molinari 3 & 2 List 3 Thomas 7 & 5 Molinari Kizzire 4 & 2 List Seed Player W L H Points Finish 2   Justin Thomas 3 0 0 3 1 21   Francesco Molinari 2 1 0 2 2 48   Patton Kizzire 1 2 0 1 3 60   Luke List 0 3 0 0 4

Group 3 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Rahm vs Bradley – halved Aphibarnrat 3 & 2 Reavie 2 Reavie 1 up Rahm Aphibarnrat 1 up Bradley 3 Aphibarnrat 4 & 3 Rahm Reavie vs Bradley – halved Seed Player W L H Points Finish 28   Kiradech Aphibarnrat 3 0 0 3 1 43   Chez Reavie 1 1 1 1.5 2 63   Keegan Bradley 0 1 2 1 3 3   Jon Rahm 0 2 1 0.5 4

Group 4 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Spieth 2 & 1 Schwartzel Reed 3 & 2 Li 2 Spieth 4 & 2 Li Reed 2 up Schwartzel 3 Reed 2 & 1 Spieth Schwartzel 3 & 2 Li Seed Player W L H Points Finish 19   Patrick Reed 3 0 0 3 1 4   Jordan Spieth 2 1 0 2 2 49   Charl Schwartzel 1 2 0 1 3 34   Li Haotong 0 3 0 0 4

Group 5 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Matsuyama 2 & 1 Miyazato Smith 2 up Cantlay 2 Smith 1 up Matsuyama Cantlay 1 up Miyazato 3 Cantlay 4 & 3 Matsuyama Smith vs Miyazato – halved Seed Player W L H Points Finish 46   Cameron Smith 2 0 1 2.5 1 30   Patrick Cantlay 2 1 0 2 2 5   Hideki Matsuyama 1 2 0 1 3 53   Yūsaku Miyazato 0 2 1 0.5 4

Group 6 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Uihlein 2 & 1 McIlroy Harman vs Vegas – halved 2 McIlroy 2 & 1 Vegas Harman 3 & 2 Uihlein 3 Harman 5 & 3 McIlroy Uihlein 4 & 3 Vegas Seed Player W L H Points Finish 18   Brian Harman 2 0 1 2.5 1 57   Peter Uihlein 2 1 0 2 2 6   Rory McIlroy 1 2 0 1 3 44   Jhonattan Vegas 0 2 1 0.5 4

Group 7 Round Winner Score Loser 1 García 1 up Sharma Schauffele 1 up Frittelli 2 García 2 up Frittelli Schauffele 2 & 1 Sharma 3 García 3 & 1 Schauffele Frittelli 1 up Sharma Seed Player W L H Points Finish 7   Sergio García 3 0 0 3 1 20   Xander Schauffele 2 1 0 2 2 41   Dylan Frittelli 1 2 0 1 3 62   Shubhankar Sharma 0 3 0 0 4

Group 8 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Day 4 & 2 Hahn Oosthuizen 1 up Dufner 2 Dufner 3 & 1 Day Hahn 3 & 1 Oosthuizen 3 Oosthuizen 2 up Day Dufner 3 & 2 Hahn Seed Player W L H Points Finish 25   Louis Oosthuizen 2 1 0 2 1 42   Jason Dufner 2 1 0 2 2 8   Jason Day 1 2 0 1 T3 56   James Hahn 1 2 0 1 T3 Oosthuizen advanced in sudden-death playoff over Dufner – 1 hole

Group 9 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Poulter 3 & 2 Fleetwood Chappell 3 & 2 Berger 2 Fleetwood 7 & 6 Chappell Poulter 2 & 1 Berger 3 Fleetwood 2 & 1 Berger Poulter con Chappell Seed Player W L H Points Finish 58   Ian Poulter 3 0 0 3 1 9   Tommy Fleetwood 2 1 0 2 2 33   Kevin Chappell 1 2 0 1 3 26   Daniel Berger 0 3 0 0 4 Chappell conceded his match with Poulter after 9 holes (Poulter 3 up) and withdrew from the tournament.

Group 10 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Casey 1 up Henley Stanley 1 up Fitzpatrick 2 Casey 3 & 2 Stanley Henley 2 & 1 Fitzpatrick 3 Fitzpatrick 3 & 2 Casey Stanley 1 up Henley Seed Player W L H Points Finish 45   Kyle Stanley 2 1 0 2 1 10   Paul Casey 2 1 0 2 2 51   Russell Henley 1 2 0 1 T3 31   Matt Fitzpatrick 1 2 0 1 T3 Stanley advanced in a sudden-death playoff vs Casey winning with birdie on the 2nd hole.

Group 11 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Suri 3 & 2 Leishman Watson 5 & 3 Grace 2 Watson 3 & 2 Leishman Grace 2 & 1 Suri 3 Leishman vs Grace – halved Watson vs Suri – halved Seed Player W L H Points Finish 35   Bubba Watson 2 0 1 2.5 1 23   Branden Grace 1 1 1 1.5 T2 64   Julian Suri 1 1 1 1.5 T2 11   Marc Leishman 0 2 1 0.5 4

Group 12 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Hatton 3 & 2 Lévy Steele 1 up Hoffman 2 Hatton 3 & 2 Steele Lévy 1 up Hoffman 3 Hoffman 3 & 2 Hatton Steele 3 & 1 Lévy Seed Player W L H Points Finish 12   Tyrrell Hatton 2 1 0 2 1 36   Brendan Steele 2 1 0 2 2 55   Alexander Lévy 1 2 0 1 T3 22   Charley Hoffman 1 2 0 1 T3 Hatton advanced in sudden-death playoff over Steele – 1 hole

Group 13 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Norén 4 & 2 Na Finau 2 & 1 Pieters 2 Norén 5 & 4 Pieters Finau 3 & 2 Na 3 Norén 1 up Finau Pieters vs Na – halved Seed Player W L H Points Finish 13   Alex Norén 3 0 0 3 1 29   Tony Finau 2 1 0 2 2 39   Thomas Pieters 0 2 1 0.5 T3 61   Kevin Na 0 2 1 0.5 T3

Group 14 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Howell III 3 & 2 Mickelson Cabrera-Bello 2 & 1 Kodaira 2 Mickelson 1 up Kodaira Howell III 3 & 1 Cabrera-Bello 3 Mickelson 1 up Cabrera-Bello Howell III 2 & 1 Kodaira Seed Player W L H Points Finish 59   Charles Howell III 3 0 0 3 1 14   Phil Mickelson 2 1 0 2 2 17   Rafa Cabrera-Bello 1 2 0 1 3 40   Satoshi Kodaira 0 3 0 0 4

Group 15 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Perez vs Kim – halved Woodland vs Simpson – halved 2 Simpson 2 & 1 Perez Kim 5 & 3 Woodland 3 Woodland 1 up Perez Kim 2 up Simpson Seed Player W L H Points Finish 50   Kim Si-woo 2 0 1 2.5 1 24   Gary Woodland 1 1 1 1.5 T2 37   Webb Simpson 1 1 1 1.5 T2 15   Pat Perez 0 2 1 0.5 4

Group 16 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Kuchar vs Z. Johnson – halved Ikeda 2 & 1 Fisher 2 Kuchar 1 up Ikeda Fisher 2 up Z. Johnson 3 Kuchar 6 & 4 Fisher Ikeda vs Z. Johnson – halved Seed Player W L H Points Finish 16   Matt Kuchar 2 0 1 2.5 1 47   Yuta Ikeda 1 1 1 1.5 2 27   Ross Fisher 1 2 0 1 T3 54   Zach Johnson 0 1 2 1 T3

Final 16 bracket

First round March 24 – morning

Quarter-finals March 24 – afternoon

Semi-finals March 25 – morning

Final March 25 – afternoon

32

Kevin Kisner

1 up

16

Matt Kuchar

32

Kevin Kisner

8&6

58

Ian Poulter

25

Louis Oosthuizen

58

Ian Poulter

2&1

32

Kevin Kisner

19 h

13

Alex Norén

19

Patrick Reed

13

Alex Norén

5&3

13

Alex Norén

4&2

46

Cameron Smith

46

Cameron Smith

2&1

12

Tyrrell Hatton

32

Kevin Kisner

35

Bubba Watson

7&6

2

Justin Thomas

6&5

50

Kim Si-woo

2

Justin Thomas

2&1

45

Kyle Stanley

7

Sergio García

45

Kyle Stanley

3&1

2

Justin Thomas

35

Bubba Watson

3&2

28

Kiradech Aphibarnrat

1 up

Third place

59

Charles Howell III

28

Kiradech Aphibarnrat

13

Alex Norén

5&3

35

Bubba Watson

5&3

2

Justin Thomas

18

Brian Harman

35

Bubba Watson

2&1

Prize money breakdown

Place	Description	US ($)
1	Champion	1,700,000
2	Runner-up	1,072,000
3	Third place	695,000
4	Fourth place	559,000
T5	Losing quarter-finalists x 4	306,000
T9	Losing round of 16 x 8	163,000
T17	Those with 2 points in pool play x 12	97,917
T29	Those with 1.5 points in pool play x 7	77,429
T36	Those with 1 point in pool play x 16	65,500
T52	Those with 0.5 points in pool play x 7	54,214
T59	Those with 0 points in pool play x 6	50,250
	Total	10,000,000

• Source:^[6]

References

1. "Week 10 – 2018" (PDF). Official World Golf Ranking. March 11, 2018.
2. Hoggard, Rex (March 9, 2018). "Rose skipping Match Play: Not a good Masters prep". Golf Channel. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
3. Everill, Ben (January 19, 2018). "Koepka sidelined for 10 weeks, hoping to play Masters". PGA Tour. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
4. Gray, Will (March 7, 2018). "Stenson cites pool format for skipping WGC-Match Play". Golf Channel. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
5. . PGA Tour. February 11, 2016. Archived from the original on February 28, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
6. "Past Results – World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play". Retrieved March 30, 2021.

External links

• Official website
• Coverage on the European Tour's official site
• Austin Country Club