Match Play Championship of Golf Betting – Big names continue to fall

The Quarter Finals of the Accenture Match Play Championships in Arizona, will continue to thrill and excite, although Friday was dominated by the announcement which Tiger Woods made to the world. The upshot of his 15 minute speech is that he was sorry and that he does not know just yet, when he will be returning to golfing action. Apparently he has more things to work out in his personal life, so golf courses around the world aren’t likely to be graced with his presence for some time yet. But, as the sport continues on without him, the Match Play Championships are seriously hotting up, as more big names are heading home, as the last 8 players remain standing.

Saturday is the busy day, when both quarter finals and semi finals are played. That means, for four of the players, there will be two intense rounds of knockout action. The tournament is broken down into four quarters, or brackets as they like to call them in golf. This is a test of endurance, as the eight players have already come through three rounds of golf this week, with another possible three still to come. The benefits of a little extra rest will be there for those players who can stroll to victories. A big 7 and 6 win (meaning that a player is seven shots ahead with only six holes remaining) is a lot different from a 2 and 1 victory. Every hole that doesn’t have to be played, will count towards having a little extra stamina in the later rounds. Here is a breakdown of the brackets, and what to expect on Saturday in the draw: Bracket seedings in, um, brackets….

Jones Bracket

Thongchai Jaidee (12) v Ian Poulter (1)
Jaidee beat Ishikawa in the Quarter Final 5 and 4, to continue his progress in the tournament. This is his first appearance at the Match Play and is looked in fine form on Friday. Ranked in 18th of the European Tour after 3 events this season, he has won all of his matches very comfortably so far, in contrast to Poulter who has had some close scrapes in the first couple of rounds. Poulter though, looked a bit more confident and free flowing during Friday’s Quarter Final against India’s Jeev Milka Singh, and ran out 5 and 4 winner over his opponent. For England’s Poulter, this is the third time he has reached the Quarter Final stage of the Match Play tournament and has that flair to go all of the way. Poulter is currently ranked 14th on the European Tour, but as shown throughout 2009, has a great deal of consistency to aid him. The winner of this Quarter Final will play the winner from the Hogan Bracket.
Jaidee to win: 8/5 at Boylesports
Poulter to win: 11/20 at SportingBet

Hogan Bracket

Sergio Garcia (4) v Oliver Wilson (10)
Sergio Garcia had a great battle against South Africa Tim Clark in the Quarter Final, with neither player dropping a shot. The Spaniard squeezed through with a 2 and 1 victory. He will play England’s Oliver Wilson in the semi final of the bracket, as Wilson took 20 holes to overcome Luke Donald in a epic battle. Wilson is having a great tournament, as he has put in impressive performances to beat Miguel A. Jimenez and one of the tournament favourites, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy. Wilson is one of the rising stars of golf, who only had his rookie year in 2005. Since then his rise has taken him to 7th on the list of money earners in 2009 on the European Tour. Definitely an outside threat, and Garcia, who has had two close matches, will have his hands full.
Garcia to win: 8/11 at Stan James
Wilson to win: 5/4 at SkyBet

Gary Player Bracket

Retief Goosen (5) v Camilo Villegas (6)
Retief Goosen makes his third appearance in the Quarter Finals of the World Match Play in his career, after coming through a tough match against England’s Nick Watney. Watney had produced one of the surprises of the second round, when he beat one of the tournament favourites, and bracket favourite, Lee Westwood 2 and 1. Unfortunately he couldn’t quite reproduce that in the Quarter Final match against South African Goosen, who had a twenty hole match in the previous round to overcome Ernie Els. Goosen will now take on Columbia’s Camilo Villegas, who is looking like a real threat in the tournament. He has now taken out Dustin Johnson, who has been in great form this season, and then defending champion Geoff Ogilvy. Villegas got the better of Ben Crane going down the back 9, where he started to turn the screw and pull away, running out a 3 and 2 winner. Definitely one to watch is Villegas who was ranked 6th for the bracket, one behind 5th ranked Goosen. The winner of Villegas v Goosen will play the winner from Snead bracket.
Villegas to win: Evens at BetFred
Goosen to win: Evens at Boylesports

Sam Snead Bracket

Paul Casey (2) v Stewart Cink (5)
England’s Paul Casey is looking in some of the best form of all the players in the tournament. He is storming through the rounds, winning each of his three matches 5 and 4, which simply translates into less physical endeavour than some of the other competitors left in the competition. This again, is the important benefit of winning well in this knockout format. Casey has beaten Stephen Ames, Mike Weir and Brian Gay along his road to the Quarter Finals, and will start as favourite against American Stewart Cink. Cink needed a 19th hole to beat Schwartzel, who had showed a lot of promise in beating bracket favourite Jim Furyk in the first round. Everything was all square going into the final four holes and that was the way it stayed, pushing the close contest to another hole. Upon which, Cink nabbed a birdie. One wonders if Casey’s lack of practice on the final four holes on the course this year, may come into effect if he’s pushed all the way by Cink. He’s only gotten a little practice in on them before the tournament, but his yawning victories has meant that he hasn’t gotten anywhere near them in the last three rounds. Carrying great form, and him against Villegas in the semi final would be an awesome match up.
Casey to win: 8/13 at Boylesports
Cink to win: 13/10 at Boylesports

So there it is. The final eight players in this unique stop on the PGA Tour. It’s both Quarter Final and semi final action on Saturday, with the final and third placed match being played on Sunday.