2021 Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play format: Round robin groups, matches, points, brackets
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2021 Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play format: Round robin groups, matches, points, brackets

May 26, 2021
Ryan Ballengee
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The 2021 Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play format is unique in golf because it's not only the rare match-play event in professional golf, but it's an individual match-play event with a round-robin group component designed to help preserve the best players in the tournament from being eliminated in a potential fluke loss in the first three days of the event.

Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play format

The Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play format is similar to that of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, with a 64-player event beginning with 16 groups of round-robin play leading to 16 group winners who advance into a single-elimination, bracket-style tournament to determine a winner.

For the first three days of the tournament, Wednesday through Friday, the Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play is concerned with matches inside 16 groups, each anchored by one of the top 16 highest-seeded players in the event based on this week's Official World Golf Ranking. From there, players are snake drafted from three subsequent groups of the next 16 highest-ranked players to fill out groups. In these 16 groups of four, round-robin play continues for the first three days, with each player getting an 18-hole match against each player in their group.

In these 18-hole matches, three outcomes are possible: win, loss or 18-hole tie. If a player wins a match, they get 2 points. If they lose the match, they don't get a point. If they tie or halve the match, they and their opponent each get 1 point. In the final day of round-robin play on Friday, matches which determine the group winner. If players are tied for the lead in a group after round robin play, a sudden-death playoff begins on the first hole as soon as possible.

The winners of each group then advance into a single-elimination, bracket-style competition on Saturday with 18-hole matches:

  • Group 1 winner vs. Group 16 winner
  • Group 8 winner vs. Group 9 winner
  • Group 4 winner vs. Group 13 winner
  • Group 5 winner vs. Group 12 winner
  • Group 6 winner vs. Group 11 winner
  • Group 3 winner vs. Group 14 winner
  • Group 7 winner vs. Group 10 winner
  • Group 2 winner vs. Group 15 winner

There must be a winner in each of these matches. From there, the bracket takes over, determining next matchups until a champion is crowned on Sunday afternoon in an 18-hole finish, and a third- and fourth-place finisher is decided by a consolation match.

2021 Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play groups

  • Group 1: Jin Young Ko (1), Anna Nordqvist (32), Caroline Masson (33), Natalie Gulbis (64)
  • Group 2: Inbee Park (2), Gaby Lopez (31), Celine Boutier (34), Jennifer Chang (63)
  • Group 3: Sei Young Kim (3), Brittany Altomare (30), Yu Liu (35), Ayako Uehara (62)
  • Group 4: Brooke M. Henderson (4), Angela Stanford (29), Ashleigh Buhai (36), Jenny Coleman (61)
  • Group 5: Danielle Kang (5), Lizette Salas (28), Madelene Sagstrom (37), Albane Valenzuela (60)
  • Group 6: Hyo Joo Kim (6), Megan Khang (27), Jenny Shin (38), Alison Lee (59)
  • Group 7: Patty Tavatanakit (7), Stacy Lewis (26), Mi Hyang Lee (39), Sarah Kemp (58)
  • Group 8: Minjee Lee (8), Moriya Jutanugarn (25), Cheyenne Knight (40), Jaye Marie Green (57)
  • Group 9: Hannah Green (9), Mel Reid (24), Azahara Munoz (41), Gerina Piller (56)
  • Group 10: Nasa Hataoka (10), Mi Jung Hur (23), Jasmine Suwannapura (42), Jing Yan (55)
  • Group 11: So Yeon Ryu (11), Mirim Lee (22), Eun-Hee Ji (43), Ryann O'Toole (54)
  • Group 12: Austin Ernst (12), Amy Olson (21), Bronte Law (44), Annie Park (53)
  • Group 13: Jennifer Kupcho (13), Ally Ewing (20), Leona Maguire (45), Christina Kim (52)
  • Group 14: Jeongeun Lee6 (14), Shanshan Feng (19), Brittany Lincicome (46), Pajaree Anannarukarn (51)
  • Group 15: Sophia Popov (15), Sung Hyun Park (18), Su Oh (47), Hee Young Park (50)
  • Group 16: Ariya Jutanugarn (16), Carlota Ciganda (17), Sarah Schmelzel (48), Lauren Stephenson (49)

2021 Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play: Wednesday matches and results

  • 7:30 a.m. -- Group 9: Hannah Green (9) vs. Gerina Piller (56)
  • 7:40 a.m. -- Group 9: Mel Reid (24) vs. Azahara Munoz (41)
  • 7:50 a.m. -- Group 8: Minjee Lee (8) vs. Jaye Marie Green (57)
  • 8:00 a.m. -- Group 8: Moriya Jutanugarn (25) vs. Cheyenne Knight (40)
  • 8:10 a.m. -- Group 16: Ariya Jutanugarn (16) vs. Lauren Stephenson (49)
  • 8:20 a.m. -- Group 16: Carlota Ciganda (17) vs. Sarah Schmelzel (48)
  • 8:30 a.m. -- Group 1: Jin Young Ko (1) vs. Natalie Gulbis (64)
  • 8:40 a.m. -- Group 1: Anna Nordqvist (32) vs. Caroline Masson (33)
  • 8:50 a.m. -- Group 12: Austin Ernst (12) vs. Annie Park (53)
  • 9:00 a.m. -- Group 12: Amy Olson (21) vs. Bronte Law (44)
  • 9:10 a.m. -- Group 5: Danielle Kang (5) vs. Albane Valenzuela (60)
  • 9:20 a.m. -- Group 5: Lizette Salas (28) vs. Madelene Sagstrom (37)
  • 9:30 a.m. -- Group 13: Jennifer Kupcho (13) vs. Christina Kim (52)
  • 9:40 a.m. -- Group 13: Ally Ewing (20) vs. Leona Maguire (45)
  • 9:50 a.m. -- Group 4: Brooke M. Henderson (4) vs. Jenny Coleman (61)
  • 10:00 a.m. -- Group 4: Angela Stanford (29) vs. Ashleigh Buhai (36)
  • 10:10 a.m. -- Group 10: Nasa Hataoka (10) vs. Jing Yan (55)
  • 10:20 a.m. -- Group 10: Mi Jung Hur (23) vs. Jasmine Suwannapura (42)
  • 10:30 a.m. -- Group 7: Patty Tavatanakit (7) vs. Sarah Kemp (58)
  • 10:40 a.m. -- Group 7: Stacy Lewis (26) vs. Mi Hyang Lee (39)
  • 10:50 a.m. -- Group 15: Sophia Popov (15) vs. Hee Young Park (50)
  • 11:00 a.m. -- Group 15: Sung Hyun Park (18) vs. Su Oh (47)
  • 11:10 a.m. -- Group 2: Inbee Park (2) vs. Jennifer Chang (63)
  • 11:20 a.m. -- Group 2: Gaby Lopez (31) vs. Celine Boutier (34)
  • 11:30 a.m. -- Group 11: So Yeon Ryu (11) vs. Ryann O'Toole (54)
  • 11:40 a.m. -- Group 11: Mirim Lee (22) vs. Eun-Hee Ji (43)
  • 11:50 a.m. -- Group 6: Hyo Joo Kim (6) vs. Alison Lee (59)
  • 12:00 p.m. -- Group 6: Megan Khang (27) vs. Jenny Shin (38)
  • 12:10 p.m. -- Group 14: Jeongeun Lee6 (14) vs. Pajaree Anannarukarn (51)
  • 12:20 p.m. -- Group 14: Shanshan Feng (19) vs. Brittany Lincicome (46)
  • 12:30 p.m. -- Group 3: Sei Young Kim (3) vs. Ayako Uehara (62)
  • 12:40 p.m. -- Group 3: Brittany Altomare (30) vs. Yu Liu (35)

2021 Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play: Thursday matches and results

  • 10:05 a.m. -- Group 12: Austin Ernst (12) vs. Bronte Law (44)
  • 10:15 a.m. -- Group 12: Amy Olson (21) vs. Annie Park (53)
  • 10:25 a.m. -- Group 5: Danielle Kang (5) vs. Madelene Sagstrom (37)
  • 10:35 a.m. -- Group 5: Lizette Salas (28) vs. Albane Valenzuela (60)
  • 10:45 a.m. -- Group 13: Jennifer Kupcho (13) vs. Leona Maguire (45)
  • 10:55 a.m. -- Group 13: Ally Ewing (20) vs. Christina Kim (52)
  • 11:05 a.m. -- Group 4: Brooke M. Henderson (4) vs. Ashleigh Buhai (36)
  • 11:15 a.m. -- Group 4: Angela Stanford (29) vs. Jenny Coleman (61)
  • 11:25 a.m. -- Group 10: Nasa Hataoka (10) vs. Jasmine Suwannapura (42)
  • 11:35 a.m. -- Group 10: Mi Jung Hur (23) vs. Jing Yan (55)
  • 11:45 a.m. -- Group 7: Patty Tavatanakit (7) vs. Mi Hyang Lee (39)
  • 11:55 a.m. -- Group 7: Stacy Lewis (26) vs. Sarah Kemp (58)
  • 12:05 p.m. -- Group 15: Sophia Popov (15) vs. Su Oh (47)
  • 12:15 p.m. -- Group 15: Sung Hyun Park (18) vs. Hee Young Park (50)
  • 12:25 p.m. -- Group 2: Inbee Park (2) vs. Celine Boutier (34)
  • 12:35 p.m. -- Group 2: Gaby Lopez (31) vs. Jennifer Chang (63)
  • 12:45 p.m. -- Group 11: So Yeon Ryu (11) vs. Eun-Hee Ji (43)
  • 12:55 p.m. -- Group 11: Mirim Lee (22) vs. Ryann O'Toole (54)
  • 1:05 p.m. -- Group 6: Hyo Joo Kim (6) vs. Jenny Shin (38)
  • 1:15 p.m. -- Group 6: Megan Khang (27) vs. Alison Lee (59)
  • 1:25 p.m. -- Group 14: Jeongeun Lee6 (14) vs. Brittany Lincicome (46)
  • 1:35 p.m. -- Group 14: Shanshan Feng (19) vs. Pajaree Anannarukarn (51)
  • 1:45 p.m. -- Group 3: Sei Young Kim (3) vs. Yu Liu (35)
  • 1:55 p.m. -- Group 3: Brittany Altomare (30) vs. Ayako Uehara (62)
  • 2:05 p.m. -- Group 9: Hannah Green (9) vs. Azahara Munoz (41)
  • 2:15 p.m. -- Group 9: Mel Reid (24) vs. Gerina Piller (56)
  • 2:25 p.m. -- Group 8: Minjee Lee (8) vs. Cheyenne Knight (40)
  • 2:35 p.m. -- Group 8: Moriya Jutanugarn (25) vs. Jaye Marie Green (57)
  • 2:45 p.m. -- Group 16: Ariya Jutanugarn (16) vs. Sarah Schmelzel (48)
  • 2:55 p.m. -- Group 16: Carlota Ciganda (17) vs. Lauren Stephenson (49)
  • 3:05 p.m. -- Group 1: Jin Young Ko (1) vs. Caroline Masson (33)
  • 3:15 p.m. -- Group 1: Anna Nordqvist (32) vs. Natalie Gulbis (64)

2021 Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play: Friday matches and results

TBA

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Ryan Ballengee

Ryan Ballengee is founder and editor of Golf News Net. He has been writing and broadcasting about golf for nearly 20 years. Ballengee lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his family. He is currently a +2.6 USGA handicap, and he talks about golf on various social platforms:

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