Looking for 2018 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play picks, either for betting or fantasy golf games like DraftKings, FanDuel, Yahoo, Golf Channel or the PGA Tour?
We have your 2018 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play rankings and expert picks, as we do each week of the PGA Tour season.
The PGA Tour has two events this week, and the lead event is the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin, Texas. Austin Country Club hosts once again as the top 64 available players in the world compete over five days to determine a champion.
Making fantasy predictions for this event is always particularly difficult given the fickle nature of match play. Going to a round-robin format for the first three days frankly hasn't made it easier. So, we're taking some liberties here in making predictions, in each group, and then we'll play it down to a champion.
Just to point to a great resource for match play records, Adam Sarson has compiled combined match play records for scores of players in all kinds of events.Worth a look here.
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2018 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play rankings: Group stage picks
- Group 1: (1) Dustin Johnson, (32) Kevin Kisner, (38) Adam Hadwin, (52) Bernd Wiesberger -- Hard not to love Dustin Johnson here. None of these guys can compete on power, but they do have great short games.
- Group 2: (2) Justin Thomas, (21) Francesco Molinari, (48) Patton Kizzire, (60) Luke List -- Cool rematch of The Honda Classic playoff with Thomas vs. List, but I like JT here. Molinari not playing well. Kizzire and List could sneak through if JT stumbles in one match.
- Group 3: (3) Jon Rahm, (28) Kiradech Aphibarnrat, (43) Chez Reavie, (63) Keegan Bradley -- Really liking Aphibarnrat here. Rahm has been a winner this year already, but Kiradech's seen success in match play already this year.
- Group 4: (4) Jordan Spieth, (19) Patrick Reed, (34) Haotong Li, (49) Charl Schwartzel -- Liking Reed here. He's gonna get a fun showdown with Spieth after shading him with a referee at Bay Hill. Haotong too variable to pick.
- Group 5: (5) Hideki Matsuyama, (30) Patrick Cantlay, (46) Cameron Smith, (53) Yusaku Miyazato -- Loving the prospect of a Matsuyama-Cantlay matchup. I kind of like Cam Smith in an upset here.
- Group 6: (6) Rory McIlroy, (18) Brian Harman, (44) Jhonattan Vegas, (51) Peter Uihlein -- McIlroy. He won last week and has his putter right. Chalk.
- Group 7: (7) Sergio Garcia, (20) Xander Schauffele, (41) Dylan Frittelli, (62) Shubankhar Sharma -- Really intrigued by this group. Lots of talent. I like Sharma here. He's so steady.
- Group 8: (8) Jason Day, (25) Louis Oosthuizen, (42) Jason Dufner, (56) James Hahn -- I'm in for Day here, though not very strongly. Louis and Duf could easily win this group if they beat or halve Day.
- Group 9: (9) Tommy Fleetwood, (26) Daniel Berger, (33) Kevin Chappell, (58) Ian Poulter -- This is a spunky group for sure, and I think Tommy Fleetwood is too good right now to lose.
- Group 10: (10) Paul Casey, (31) Matthew Fitzpatrick, (45) Kyle Stanley, (51) Russell Henley -- Paul Casey seems like he got a fairly easy draw right here. All great players, but Fitz, Stanley and Henley are struggling.
- Group 11: (11) Marc Leishman, (23) Branden Grace, (35) Bubba Watson, (64) Julian Suri -- If Watson stays interested in all three matches, I like him. But I'm thinking Branden Grace moves on.
- Group 12: (12) Tyrrell Hatton, (22) Charley Hoffman, (36) Brendan Steele, (55) Alexander Levy -- This may be the biggest coin-flip group. My gut tells me Brendan Steele. Most consistent this year.
- Group 13: (13) Alex Noren, (29) Tony Finau, (39) Thomas Pieters, (61) Kevin Na -- Give me Tony Finau vs. Tommy Pieters, please! I'm liking Finau to move on in this group.
- Group 14: (14) Phil Mickelson, (17) Rafael Cabrera-Bello, (40) Sotashi Kodaira, (59) Charles Howell III -- Mickelson making a third-consecutive match play appearance after staying away from the Arizona venue that stunk. I'll take him, though RCB is a close second.
- Group 15: (15) Pat Perez, (24) Gary Woodland, (37) Webb Simpson, (50) Si Woo Kim -- Such contrasting styles among these four players. It's a crapshoot on which wins out. I like Pat Perez.
- Group 16: (16) Matt Kuchar, (27) Ross Fisher, (47) Yuta Ikeda, (54) Zach Johnson -- I'm going with Zach Johnson in this group, though he's not some kind of match play stud.
2018 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play rankings: Group stage picks
Round of 16
- Dustin Johnson vs. Zach Johnson: DJ. C'mon now.
- Jason Day vs. Tommy Fleetwood: Jason Day will overpower Tommy Fleetwood on an ACC course he loves.
- Cameron Smith vs. Brendan Steele: I'll take steady Steele in this one.
- Patrick Reed vs. Tony Finau: Patrick Reed seems a man on a mission.
- Rory McIlroy vs. Branden Grace: I think this could be the best Round of 16 match, but give me McIlroy.
- Kiradech Aphibarnrat vs. Phil Mickelson: I'll take Mickelson given his current form.
- Shubankhar Sharma vs. Paul Casey: Sharma's run ends here because Casey is too good.
- Justin Thomas vs. Pat Perez: I like Pat Perez here. I think he can rile up Thomas.
Quarterfinals
- Dustin Johnson vs. Jason Day: This should be so fun, and I'll take Jason Day slow-walking DJ.
- Brendan Steele vs. Patrick Reed: Get me Patrick Reed to a semifinal, and then we'll see what happens.
- Rory McIlroy vs. Phil Mickelson: I think Mickelsonn shows McIlroy what's up here.
- Paul Casey vs. Pat Perez: Paul Casey is ready for Pat Perez.
Semifinals
- Jason Day vs. Patrick Reed: Reed goes down here. Jason Day's eyes light up when he sees this golf course.
- Phil Mickelson vs. Paul Casey: Paul Casey goes over here, leaving Phil to wonder what went wrong.
Final
- Jason Day vs. Paul Casey: I think Jason Day goes all the way here.
My primary DraftKings lineup
- Jason Day - $9,200
- Paul Casey - $8,800
- Pat Perez - $8,400
- Tony Finau - $7,900
- Patrick Reed - $7,700
- Branden Grace - $7,300
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