World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship

The average guy who pays $35 (or $45 or $55) to watch the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship doesn't know, or care, if it's match play, medal play or a four-man, alternate-shot scramble.

This is a town that daily put 25,000 people on the turf to watch Gabriel Hjertstedt and Frank Lickliter III win the old Tucson Open. It is a community that celebrated the PGA Tour for 60 years, at the downtown muni courses and at the high-roller resort courses.

We don't quibble if a winning score is "3 and 1" even if we're not exactly sure what it means. When the golfers play, we pay.

About all we ask (except for the rain-and-cold thing) is that when we drive 20 miles, catch a shuttle and then tromp a half-mile into the desert to watch the PGA Tour, is to actually be able to see a recognizable golfer.

Alas, the Match Play format has its flaws. In 2008, Tiger Woods crushed Stewart Cink to win the title 8-7, ending the match at the 11th green. Thousands of people who had paid hundreds of dollars to occupy party tents on the 12th and 13th holes didn't get a glimpse of Tiger in that concluding round.

Their Sunday afternoon ticket enabled them to see consolation finalists Justin Leonard and Henrik Stenson.

That's it. Two golfers came within their vision.

This front-loaded event is colossal on Wednesday, glorious on Thursday and absorbing on Friday. But as the field narrows from 64 to 32 to 16 and then, to a bare Elite Eight on Saturday, the party slows. It's like the day after Christmas.

There has yet to be a big crescendo, or a minicrescendo. After four years in Marana, the championship final has finished at the 17th, 11th, 15th and 16th holes. Most of the drama has been on a weekday.

Two things: This is a superb golf tournament. Its field of 64 golfers is matchless. But the finish often has been anticlimatic - not like Mark Wilson staving off Jason Dufner to win the Waste Management Phoenix Open - because 62 of the world's 64 best golfers have been eliminated by Saturday night.

That will change this year because the 36-hole finale has been shaved to 18, meaning there will be a final field of four Sunday morning.

That's wonderful. Here are four ways to maintain even more star power on the weekend:

1. Adopt the old LPGA-like match-play format.

Here's how it works: Start with 64 golfers on Wednesday, reduced to 32 Thursday and 16 on Friday. Then put the 16 remaining golfers into a medal-play format, cutting six from the field after Friday's play.

That leaves you with 10 players for the weekend. Make it a straight 36-hole, lowest composite score wins.

That would create five twosomes for Saturday and Sunday. Drama and star power everywhere. But what are the chances the staid PGA Tour and the starchy World Golf Championship people buy it?

Match Play isn't sacred. It's not the U.S. Open. It is a made-for-TV event. Why not go for drama over purity?

2. Give the top eight seeds byes through a round or two. That's how it was done in the initial Seiko-Tucson Match Play Championships in 1984.

Benefit: It would likely preserve Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Lee Westwood to the weekend yet, because the overall field is so strong, not compromise the Wednesday-Thursday action.

Flaw: The other 56 players might whine. In 1984, Craig Stadler, Bob Gilder and J.C. Snead all were fined after criticizing the byes format, won by Tom Watson, who had to play but two rounds.

3. Reset the tournament to a Thursday start.

That way 64 golfers would launch Thursday, 32 on Friday. Saturday would require two sessions, reducing the field to eight and four. It would make Saturday a rousing, all-day affair.

Sunday would again require 36 holes for the two finalists. Hey, golf isn't heavy lifting. And the winner gets $1.4 million. Go for it.

4. Double-elimination.

It would sometimes be confusing, but there would be more golf on Saturday and Sunday. Who doesn't want that?

Unless you are a Golf Channel devotee, you are often as confused by the Ryder Cup format as you were by some of your seventh grade algebra classes.

Double-elimination is a plus for the viewer/ticket-buyer. And if Tiger gets bumped off early by someone like Nick O'Hern, there's a chance for Tiger to storm through the consolation bracket.

The Match Play Championship needs a change. Not much. A tweak. Some byes, perhaps. Or double-elimination. Or a later start. Or a modified, match-and-medal play format.

You can thank me later.

Contact Greg Hansen at 573-4362 or ghansen@azstarnet.com

1. Lee Westwood

• Age: 37

• Residence: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England

• Career earnings: $28.9 million

• Match Play moment: Westwood's still waiting. He was eliminated in the second round of last year's event, marking the 10th time he has failed to make the round of 16.

• Off the course: Westwood supports the National Golf Club Challenge, held every year in England. The winner receives the Wedgwood-designed Lee Westwood Cup, which looks similar to Match Play's Walter Hagen Cup.

2. Martin Kaymer

• Age: 26

• Residence: Mettmann, Germany

• Career earnings: $11.4 million

• Match Play moment: Kaymer defeated Chad Campbell 4 and 3 in the first round last year.

• Off the course: Kaymer is an active go-cart racer, a hobby that ruined his 2009 season. Kaymer broke four bones in his foot in a go-cart accident.

3. Tiger Woods

• Age: 35

• Residence: Windermere, Fla.

• Career earnings: $107.1 million

• Match Play moment: Woods beat Stewart Cink 8 and 7 to win the 2008 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship at The Gallery Golf Club, Dove Mountain.

• Off the course: Woods is a sneaky-good Twitterer. Since joining the social media site in November, Woods has pontificated on everything from music - he prefers Tupac Shakur to the Notorious B.I.G. - to "Chappelle's Show" racial-draft sketch to the Super Bowl. He picked the Steelers to defeat the Packers this year because he couldn't root for Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers. "Because he's a Cal guy," said Woods, a Stanford alum.

4. Phil Mickelson

• Age: 40

• Residence: Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

• Career earnings: $64.7 million

• Match Play moment: Mickelson advanced to the 2004 quarterfinals before losing to Davis Love III.

• Off the course: Mickelson was diagnosed in August with psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory and potentially debilitating condition. Mickelson is taking medication for the condition.

5. Graeme McDowell

• Age: 31

• Residence: Portrush, Northern Ireland

• Career earnings: $14 million

• Match Play moment: McDowell advanced to the second round in 2005.

• Off the course: McDowell went straight from Northern Ireland to the Deep South; he attended the University of Alabama-Birmingham from 1998 to 2002. He was named the United States' best college golfer as a senior.

6. Paul Casey

• Age: 33

• Residence: Scottsdale; Weybridge, Surrey, England

• Career earnings: $21.6 million

• Match Play moment: Casey has advanced to the final round in each of the last two Match Play events. He lost to Geoff Ogilvy in 2009, and to Ian Poulter a year ago.

• Off the course: The English-born Casey played collegiately at Arizona State. For a Brit, he has very American hobbies - mountain biking, snowboarding and Indie music.

7. Rory McIlroy

• Age: 21

• Residence: Holywood, Northern Ireland

• Career earnings: $8.7 million

• Match Play moment: McIlroy advanced to the quarterfinals in 2009, his first-ever Match Play appearance.

• Off the course: McIlroy is one of golf's most sought-after endorsers. The Jumeirah Resorts, Oakley, FootJoy, EA Sports, Titleist and Trion:Z are among the dozen or so companies who pay McIlroy to support their products.

8. Steve Stricker

• Age: 43

• Residence: Madison, Wis.

• Career earnings: $29.6 million

• Match Play moment: Stricker was the No. 55-rated player when he won the 2001 tournament in La Costa, Calif. His run remains one of the best underdog stories in the history of Match Play.

• Off the course: Stricker's wife, Nicki, caddied for him until 1998.

9. Luke Donald

• Age: 33

• Residence: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England; Evanston, Ill.; Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

• Career earnings: $15 million

• Match Play moment: Donald has advanced to the round of 16 four times since 2005.

• Off the course: Donald and his wife collect contemporary art. He owns a degree in art and practice from Northwestern University.

10. Jim Furyk

• Age: 40

• Residence: Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

• Career earnings: $49.8 million

• Match Play moment: Furyk advanced to the round of 16 in 2009 before losing to Ross Fischer 4 and 3.

• Off the course: Furyk, a former Arizona Wildcats star, remains a UA fan. He was introduced during an Arizona basketball game in November; the next day, he took part in the UA golf program's annual fundraiser.

11. Ernie Els

• Age: 41

• Residence: George, South Africa; Wentworth, England; Jupiter, Fla.

• Career earnings: $55.9 million

• Match Play moment: Els, a hard-luck Match Play golfer, advanced to the quarterfinals in 2009 before losing to Stewart Cink.

• Off the course: Els established the Els for Autism Foundation in 2009. His son, Ben, is autistic.

12. Ian Poulter

• Age: 35

• Residence: Orlando, Fla.; Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England

•Career earnings: $21.3 million

• Match Play moment: Poulter won last year's Match Play title, his first-ever PGA Tour win on American soil.

• Off the course: The stylish Brit has his own clothing line, Ian Poulter Designs. He will pick this year's Match Play outfits based on votes from fans.

13. Matt Kuchar

• Age: 32

• Residence: Winter Park, Fla.

• Career earnings: $13.6 million

• Match Play moment: Kuchar advanced to the second round of last year's tournament, his first, before losing to Jeev Milkha Singh.

• Off the course: Kuchar is a die-hard Atlanta Falcons fan. He entered the Waste Management Phoenix Open only after his favorite team was eliminated from Super Bowl contention.

14. Dustin Johnson

• Age: 26

• Residence: Myrtle Beach, S.C.

• Career earnings: $9.7 million

• Match Play moment: Johnson has been eliminated in the first round in each of the last two years.

• Off the course: Johnson is a basketball guy. His uncle, Art Whisnant, starred at South Carolina in the 1960s, and Johnson's younger brother, Austin, played at Charleston Southern last year. Dustin can dunk.

15. Robert Karlsson

• Age: 41

• Residence: Monte Carlo, Monaco

• Career earnings: $15.3 million

• Match Play moment: Karlsson defeated UA alum Rory Sabbatini last year, but was eliminated in the second round by Thongchai Jaidee.

• Off the course: The 6-foot-5- inch Karlsson has two of the world's best nicknames: Ivan Drago and The Scientist.

16. Retief Goosen

• Age: 42

• Residence: Polokwane, South Africa; Ascot, Berkshire, England; Orlando, Fla.

• Career earnings: $37.2 million

• Match Play moment: Goosen advanced to last year's quarterfinals before losing to Camilo Villegas 4 and 3.

• Off the course: Goosen's a drink guy. He owns a wine label, "The Goose," and avoids fizzy drinks when he's playing. "They dehydrate you," he says.

17. Francesco Molinari

• Age: 28

• Residence: Turin, Italy

• Career earnings: $8.1 million

• Match Play moment: Molinari's Match Play debut was a short one. Zach Johnson defeated him in 21 holes during the first round last year.

• Off the course: Molinari is half of the golfing Molinari Brothers. He and brother Edoardo are Italy's two best golfers.

18. Hunter Mahan

• Age: 28

• Residence: Plano, Texas

• Career earnings: $15.2 million

• Match Play moment: Mahan advanced to the second round in 2008 and 2009.

• Off the course: Mahan restores vintage trucks during his off-seasons.

19. Bubba Watson

• Age: 32

• Residence: Bagdad, Fla.

• Career earnings: $10.3 million

• Match Play moment: Watson will be making his debut.

• Off the course: Watson's wife could beat your wife in a game of H.O.R.S.E. Angie Watson played collegiately at the University of Georgia and in the WNBA, and was a member of the Canadian National Team at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

20. Louis Oosthuizen

• Age: 28

• Residence: Mossel Bay, South Africa; Manchester, England

• Career earnings: $5.7 million

• Match Play moment: Oosthuizen lost to Rory McIlroy 2 and 1 in the first round of the 2009 tournament.

• Off the course: The reigning British Open champ has the best full name of anyone in golf: Lodewicus Theodorus Oosthuizen.

21. Alvaro Quiros

• Age: 28

• Residence: La Linea, Cadiz, Spain

• Career earnings: $5.3 million

• Match Play moment: Quiros is still waiting for one. He has lost in the first round the last two Match Play events; Mike Weir defeated him 8 and 6 last year in a match that went just 12 holes.

• Off the course: Quiros, who won at Dubai on Feb. 13, is a big fan of James Bond movies.

22. Tim Clark

• Age: 35

• Residence: Scottsdale

• Career earnings: $20.5 million

• Match Play moment: Clark defeated Tiger Woods 4 and 2 in the second round of the 2009 tournament, eliminating the top seed.

• Off the course: The South African-born Clark attended North Carolina State.

23. Miguel Angel Jimenez

• Age: 47

• Residence: Malaga, Spain

• Career earnings: $18.9 million

• Match Play moment: Jimenez advanced to the quarterfinals in 2000, losing to Davis Love III.

• Off the course: Jimenez is an improviser. After breaking his club in last month's Volvo Champions tournament in Bahrain, he finished the round putting with a lob wedge.

24. Edoardo Molinari

• Age: 30

• Residence: Turin, Italy

• Career earnings: $3.2 million

• Match Play moment: Molinari lost to Stewart Cink 2-down in last year's Match Play, his first.

• Off the course: Molinari earned a degree in engineering from the University of Torino.

25. Charl Schwartzel

• Age: 26

• Residence: Vereeniging, South Africa

• Career earnings: $9.4 million

• Match Play moment: Schwartzel advanced to the round of 16 last year before losing to Stewart Cink in 19 holes.

• Off the course: Schwartzel idolizes Angus Buchan, a South African corn farmer-turned-evangelist. Buchan's "Mighty Men" conferences draw hundreds of thousands of people.

26. Adam Scott

• Age: 30

• Residence: Crans-Montana, Switzerland

• Career earnings: $28.4 million

• Match Play moment: Scott came within one hole of beating Tiger Woods - and advancing to the finals - in 2003. Woods prevailed 1-up in 19 holes.

• Off the course: The Australian-born Scott attended UNLV.

27. Kim Kyung-Tae

• Age: 24

• Residence: Seoul, South Korea

• Career earnings: $216,445

• Match Play moment: Kim will be making his debut.

• Off the course: The South Korean government waived his required military service time so he could focus on golf.

28. Robert Allenby

• Age: 39

• Residence: Melbourne, Australia

• Career earnings: $25.1 million

• Match Play moment: Allenby advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2005 tournament, then lost to Retief Goosen.

• Off the course: Allenby is recovering from a knee injury suffered when he slipped on his boat.

29. Rickie Fowler

• Age: 22

• Residence: Jupiter, Fla.

• Career earnings: $3.5 million

• Match Play moment: Fowler will be making his debut.

• Off the course: Fowler is one of the PGA Tour's most eccentric dressers. He wore all orange - hat, shirt, pants and shoes - at last month's Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego.

30. Geoff Ogilvy

• Age: 33

• Residence: Scottsdale

• Career earnings: $25 million

• Match Play moment: Ogilvy won the 2009 tournament, defeating friend and fellow Scottsdale resident Paul Casey 4 and 3. Ogilvy received $1.4 million for finishing first.

• Off the course: Ogilvy, an Aussie, is recovering from a hand injury he suffered last month while surfing in Hawaii.

31. Zach Johnson

• Age: 34

• Residence: Lake Mary, Fla.

• Career earnings: $21.2 million

• Match Play moment: Johnson defeated Tom Lehman in the 2006 consolation final to finish third.

• Off the course: He founded the Zach Johnson Foundation last summer to benefit kids in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, area. The first Zach Johnson Foundation Classic is scheduled for Aug. 1.

32. Nick Watney

• Age: 29

• Residence: Fresno, Calif.

• Career earnings: $11.4 million

• Match Play moment: Watney advanced to the round of 16 last year before losing to Retief Goosen 1-up.

• Off the course: Watney is the ultimate NorCal: He lists baseball's Giants, football's 49ers and basketball's Kings as his favorite teams.

33. Anthony Kim

• Age: 25

• Residence: Dallas

• Career earnings: $12.2 million

• Match Play moment: Kim advanced to the second round in 2009 before losing to Oliver Wilson.

• Off the course: Kim is friends with longtime major-league baseball star Derrek Lee, now with the Baltimore Orioles.

34. Justin Rose

• Age: 30

• Residence: London; Orlando, Fla.

• Career earnings: $19.4 million

• Match Play moment: Rose advanced to the quarterfinals in 2007 before losing to Trevor Immelman.

• Off the course: His fans can join The Rose Club, an online group that grants them access to golf tips from the British pro.

35. Padraig Harrington

• Age: 39

• Residence: Dublin

• Career earnings: $36.3 million

• Match Play moment: Ireland's Harrington made the quarterfinals in 2004 and 2006.

• Off the course: Harrington lists "Pulp Fiction" and "The Shawshank Redemption" among his favorite movies.

36. Peter Hanson

• Age: 33

• Residence: Trelleborg, Sweden

• Career earnings: $8.69 million

• Match Play moment: Hanson advanced to the third round in 2009 before losing to Paul Casey.

• Off the course: Hanson is coached by the head pro at Bokskogen Golf Course, the same facility where he learned to play the game as a boy.

37. Ross Fisher

• Age: 30

• Residence: London

• Career earnings: $7.2 million

• Match Play moment: Fisher finished fourth in 2009, losing the consolation match to Stewart Cink.

• Off the course: Fisher collects cars.

38. Jason Day

• Age: 23

• Residence: Beaudesert, Queensland, Australia

• Career earnings: $5.6 million

• Match Play moment: Day will be making his debut.

• Off the course: Day took up golf as a teenager after reading a book about Tiger Woods.

39. Ben Crane

• Age: 34

• Residence: Dallas

• Career earnings: $14.1 million

• Match Play moment: Crane advanced to the round of 16 a year ago before losing to Camilo Villegas.

• Off the course: Crane and his wife support Love146, a humanitarian group against child sex slavery and exploitation.

40. Ryo Ishikawa

• Age: 19

• Residence: Matsubushi, Japan

• Career earnings: $461,107

• Match Play moment: Ishikawa advanced to the round of 16 in last year's tournament before losing to Thongchai Jaidee.

• Off the course: Ishikawa's shy demeanor has earned him the most unique nickname in golf: "The Bashful Prince."

41. Martin Laird

• Age: 28

• Residence: Scottsdale

• Career earnings: $405,000

• Match Play moment: Laird will be making his debut.

• Off the course: Laird is a proud Scotsman. He wears the Scottish flag on his belt and golf bag; even his golf tees exude his Scottish pride.

42. Yuta Ikeda

• Age: 25

• Residence: Chiba Prefecture, Japan

• Career earnings: $329,068

• Match Play moment: Lost to Nick Watney in the first round of last year's tournament.

• Off the course: Ikeda attended Tohoku Fukushi University, the same school that produced big-league pitcher Takashi Saito.

43. Camilo Villegas

• Age: 29

• Residence: Jupiter, Fla.

• Career earnings: $14.1 million

• Match Play moment: Villegas defeated Sergio Garcia 5 and 4 last year to win the consolation championship. His semifinal loss to Paul Casey went 23 holes.

• Off the course: Villegas hates Twitter - or at least he should. Villegas was disqualified from last month's Hyundai Tournament of Champions for signing a card with an incorrect score. A viewer Tweeted the PGA Tour when he saw Villegas move a piece of debris from his ball's path, a one-stroke penalty.

44. Y.E. Yang

• Age: 39

• Residence: Southlake, Texas

• Career earnings: $7.4 million

• Match Play moment: Yang advanced to the second round of last year's tournament before losing to Ben Crane.

• Off the course: Yang is, by PGA Tour standards, a late-bloomer. He didn't turn professional until age 21.

45. Bo Van Pelt

• Age: 35

• Residence: Tulsa, Okla.

• Career earnings: $13.1 million

• Match Play moment: Van Pelt will be making his debut.

• Off the course: Van Pelt's father, Bob, was a football star at the University of Indiana and a fifth-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1967.

46. Bill Haas

• Age: 28

• Residence: Charlotte, N.C.

• Career earnings: $8.7 million

• Match Play moment: Haas will be making his debut.

• Off the course: Haas' father, Jay, was a three-time Match Play competitor (2003, 2004, 2006) and has been playing professionally for 30 years.

47. Sean O'Hair

• Age: 28

• Residence: Westchester, Pa.

• Career earnings: $14.1 million

• Match Play moment: O'Hair advanced to the 2009 quarterfinals before losing to Paul Casey 4 and 3.

• Off the course: O'Hair turned pro as a senior at Phoenix's Brophy College Prep in 1999.

48. Ryan Moore

• Age: 28

• Residence: Las Vegas

• Career earnings: $9.4 million

• Match Play moment: Moore lost to Ernie Els last year in his Match Play debut.

• Off the course: Moore attended UNLV.

49. K.J. Choi

• Age: 40

• Residence: Southlake, Texas

• Career earnings: $24 million

• Match Play moment: Choi advanced to the 2008 quarterfinals, where he lost to Tiger Woods 3 and 2.

• Off the course: Choi is the first-ever Korean-born player to earn his PGA Tour card.

50. Hiroyuki Fujita

• Age: 41

• Residence: Fukoaka Prefecture, Japan

• Career earnings: $360,578

• Match Play moment: Fujita will be making his debut.

• Off the course: Fujita is one of the most popular golfers in Japan.

51. Mark Wilson

• Age: 36

• Residence: Elmhurst, Ill.

• Career earnings: $9.8 million

• Match Play moment: Wilson, who won the Phoenix Open on Feb. 7, will be making his debut.

• Off the course: Wilson lists Ben Hogan as his golf idol.

52. Anders Hansen

• Age: 40

• Residence: Zurich, Switzerland

• Career earnings: $10.4 million

• Match Play moment: Hansen advanced past the first round in 2010, his first win in four tries at Match Play.

• Off the course: Hansen attended the University of Houston for two years before turning pro.

53. Stewart Cink

• Age: 37

• Residence: Duluth, Ga.

• Career earnings: $30.2 million

• Match Play moment: Cink advanced to the 2008 final, where he lost to Tiger Woods, and finished third in the 2009 tournament.

• Off the course: Cink is a die-hard fan of the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers.

54. Jeff Overton

• Age: 27

• Residence: Evansville, Ind.

• Career earnings: $7.2 million

• Match Play moment: Overton will be making his debut.

• Off the course: Overton attended the University of Indiana.

55. Ryan Palmer

• Age: 34

• Residence: Coleyville, Texas

• Career earnings: $10 million

• Match Play moment: Palmer will be making his debut.

• Off the course: Palmer has established a fund through the Northern Texas PGA to help junior golfers pay for tournament fees and member dues.

56. Charley Hoffman

• Age: 34

• Residence: Las Vegas

• Career earnings: $8.9 million

• Match Play moment: Hoffman will be making his debut.

• Off the course: Hoffman sports shoulder-length, bleached-blond hair. "I don't like being the same as everybody else," he said.

57. Matteo Manassero

• Age: 17

• Residence: Verona, Italy

• Career earnings: $1.1 million

• Match Play moment: Manassero will be making his debut.

• Off the course: Manassero is the youngest player in the Match Play field.

58. Jonathan Byrd

• Age: 33

• Residence: Sea Island, Ga.

• Career earnings: $13.3 million

• Match Play moment: Byrd advanced to the round of 16 in 2008, then lost to Henrik Stenson 1-down.

• Off the course: Byrd played collegiately at Clemson with PGA Tour pros Lucas Glover, Charles Warren and D.J. Trahan.

59. Richard Green

• Age: 40

• Residence: Melbourne, Australia

• Career earnings: $9.4 million

• Match Play moment: Green has been eliminated in the first round of four tournaments since 2005.

• Off the course: Green is one of the few lefties who regularly competes in Match Play.

60. Heath Slocum

• Age: 37

• Residence: Baton Rouge, La.

• Career earnings: $14.3 million

• Match Play moment: Slocum will be making his debut.

• Off the course: Slocum played high school golf with PGA Tour pro Boo Weekley.

61. Brendan Jones

• Age: 35

• Residence: West Wyalong, New South Wales, Australia

• Career earnings: $1.3 million

Match Play moment: Jones drew Tiger Woods in the first round of the 2009 tournament, and lost 3 and 2.

• Off the course: Jones sold used cars to support his amateur career before turning pro.

62. Thomas Bjorn

• Age: 40

• Residence: Skilleborg, Denmark; Wentworth, Surrey, England

• Career earnings: $15.8 million

• Match Play moment: Bjorn advanced to the round of 16 in 2000, where he lost to Darren Clarke 1-down.

• Off the course: Bjorn is one of the few Danes on the PGA Tour.

63. Noh Seung-yul

• Age: 19

• Residence: Gangwon-do, South Korea

• Career earnings: $1.3 million

• Match Play moment: Seung-yul will be making his debut.

• Off the course: Seung-yul has a little Cosmo Kramer in him. The South Korean star took up the sport by hitting golf balls on the beach near his family home; no word on if he got, in the "Seinfeld" star's words, a "hole in one" with a whale.

64. Henrik Stenson 

• Replaced Toru Taniguchi, who withdrew because of injury.

Pairings are subject to change and will be updated in the daily edition of the Arizona Daily Star. Seedings in parentheses. Play begins Wednesday at 7:36 a.m.

• Lee Westwood (1) vs. Toru Taniguchi (64)

• Martin Kaymer (2) vs. Noh Seung-yul (63)

• Tiger Woods (3) vs. Thomas Bjorn (62)

• Phil Mickelson (4) vs. Brendan Jones (61)

• Graeme McDowell (5) vs. Heath Slocum (60)

• Paul Casey (6) vs. Richard Green (59)

• Rory McIlroy (7) vs. Jonathan Byrd (58)

• Steve Stricker (8) vs. Matteo Manassero (57)

• Luke Donald (9) vs. Charley Hoffman (56)

• Jim Furyk (10) vs. Ryan Palmer (55)

• Ernie Els (11) vs. Jeff Overton (54)

• Ian Poulter (12) vs. Stewart Cink (53)

• Matt Kuchar (13) vs. Anders Hansen (52)

• Dustin Johnson (14) vs. Mark Wilson (51)

• Robert Karlsson (15) vs. Hiroyuki Fujita (50)

• Retief Goosen (16) vs. K.J. Choi (49)

• Francesco Molinari (17) vs. Ryan Moore (48)

• Hunter Mahan (18) vs. Sean O'Hair (47)

• Bubba Watson (19) vs. Bill Haas (46)

• Louis Oosthuizen (20) vs. Bo Van Pelt (45)

• Alvaro Quiros (21) vs. Y.E. Yang (44)

• Tim Clark (22) vs. Camilo Villegas (43)

• Miguel Angel Jimenez (23) vs. Yuta Ikeda (42)

• Edoardo Molinari (24) vs. Martin Laird (41)

• Charl Schwartzel (25) vs. Ryo Ishikawa (40)

• Adam Scott (26) vs. Ben Crane (39)

• Kim Kyung-Tae (27) vs. Jason Day (38)

• Robert Allenby (28) vs. Ross Fisher (37)

• Rickie Fowler (29) vs. Peter Hanson (36)

• Geoff Ogilvy (30) vs. Padraig Harrington (35)

• Zach Johnson (31) vs. Justin Rose (34)

• Nick Watney (32) vs. Anthony Kim (33)

WINNER

$1,400,000

Second place

$850,000

Third place

$600,000

Fourth place

$490,000

Quarterfinal losers (4 golfers)

$270,000

Third-round losers (8 golfers)

$140,000

Second-round losers (16 golfers)

$95,000

First-round losers (32 golfers)

$45,000

 

Best PGA Tour venue used in Tucson

Starr Pass vs. Gallery North Course

• Starr Pass: Spectator access was not good (what's new?) but the old TPC stadium-course design was made for spectator golf and November dates were weather-perfect.

• Gallery North Course: Used for one year only in the old Tucson Open, it trumpeted the beauty of the Tortolita Mountains rarely seen by the average golfer.

Winner

• Gallery North Course. It's the only place you could see John Daly reach the 660-yard, No. 9 hole, over a wash, in two shots.

Best viewing station at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain

Bleachers at No. 1 tee vs. Walter Hagen Club at 13th hole

• First tee: Every seat is perfect, almost on top of the golfers.

• Hagen: The beer flows and flat-screen TVs are everywhere.

Winner

• No. 1 tee. You are guaranteed to see everyone - so close you can hear them breathe.

Most imposing tree in Southern Arizona golf

Silverbell No. 5 vs. Golf Club of Vistoso No. 14

• Silverbell: The No. 5 hole is 370 yards, uphill, with a massive mesquite tree smack in the middle of the fairway, about 240 yards off the tee.

• Vistoso: The No. 14 hole is a risk-reward, 325-yarder. It takes a drive of about 270 yards to clear the mesquites and land on the green.

Winner

• Silverbell. All golfers have to deal with the tree. There is no bailout. At Vistoso, those who aren't big hitters can direct their tee shots right of the tree, then have a wedge of about 100 yards.

Most memorable 16th seeds of Match Play

Ross McGowan, 2010, vs. Jonathan Byrd, 2008

• McGowan: He had never finished higher than 77th in a PGA Tour event, but he toppled No. 1 seed Steve Stricker on the 18th hole.

• Byrd: As the 61st seed, Byrd took out Ernie Els and Andres Romero to shatter the brackets in '08.

Winner

• McGowan. Even though he lost to Ryo Ishikawa in Round 2, he'll be Mr. Cinderella until another 64th seed wins.

Most successful Match Play performers

Paul Casey vs. Stewart Cink

Casey is 15-4; Cink is 14-4. Casey reached the final against Ian Poulter and Geoff Ogilvy in successive years. Cink has won at least twice every year.

Winner

• Casey. His list of victims includes Cink, as well as Colin Montgomerie.

Best place to shoot a 59 (or 69, 79, 89 or 99, a breakthrough round)

SaddleBrooke Ranch vs. The Quarry Pines

• SaddleBrooke Ranch: It's not especially hilly; there's not too much water; the fairways are generous; and the greens aren't elevated.

• Quarry Pines: The front nine is the easiest track in Southern Arizona. The back nine can be a beast, dug into an old quarry. But once you become familiar and unafraid, you've got a chance to score well.

Winner

• SaddleBrooke Ranch. If you hit it even relatively straight, you've got a chance to go home happier than normal.

Most likely place to wish you had never heard the word golf

Del Lago vs. Tucson Country Club

• Del Lago: If it's windy, and Vail seems to get as much wind as West Texas, you'll struggle.

• TCC: If you're not right, the country club's narrow fairways and hundreds of towering trees will bite you all day.

Winner

• TCC. It is long and tight with elevated greens and nasty rough.

Most legendary champion of a Tucson pro golf event

Arnold Palmer, 1967, Tucson Open vs. Tom Watson, 1984, Seiko-Tucson Match Play

• Palmer: At the height of his popularity, Arnie and his Army marched at Tucson National in record numbers.

• Watson: His victory in the first-ever match-play event in Tucson stamped the format as doable, even at the Randolph North municipal course.

Winner

• Palmer. Some estimates were that 5,000 fans surrounded each of the final four holes to get a close-up view of Arnie.

Best place to make you think you're in a "Tin Cup" movie

Haven Golf Club vs. El Rio Golf Course

• Haven: The clubhouse has a 1950s look and feel to it, and enough summertime mosquitoes to scare off a hippo.

• El Rio: Tattered on the fringes and anchored by less-than Home & Gardens surroundings.

Winner

• El Rio. Where else does your tee shot at the No. 3 hole come accompanied by the crowing of a nearby rooster?

Best place to survive No. 18 and be happy

Skyline No. 18 vs. Tubac Golf Resort, No. 9 Anza Course

• Skyline: Matchless views of the Tucson valley from the SCC clubhouse and the 18th hole, a cunning par 5 with a serious dogleg left to an elevated green is so tough you may need to sit awhile after you finish.

• Tubac: The ninth hole is to an island green, with free-roaming cattle as witnesses.

Winner

• Tubac. The haciendas and casitas, and two on-site restaurants are four-star quality.

Biggest busts at Match Play

Rory Sabbatini vs. Padraig Harrington

• Sabbatini: Sabo has gone 1-3 in the role of local favorite, but his UA ties haven't helped him. He even lost to Bradley Dredge in a 2008 first-rounder.

• Harrington: He is 2-4.

Winner (or loser in this case)

• Harrington: He was sent packing by Pat Perez and Jeev Milka Singh.

Best TV network at Dove Mountain

NBC vs. CBS

• NBC: Dan Hicks, Johnny Miller and Co.

• CBS: Jim Nantz, Nick Faldo and funnyman David Feherty.

Winner

• NBC: Hicks is a Sabino High School and UA grad, and the combustible Miller won three Tucson Opens. No contest. Welcome back, NBC.

Best place to improve your game in Southern Arizona

Tucson National practice facility (resort division) vs. Fred Enke practice facility (municipal division)

• National: Unequaled short-game area for chipping and wedge play, in addition to a first-class range and putting areas.

• Enke: No rubber mats on the range, and enough space to chip and putt that you can get some real work done.

Winner

• National. The short-game area is superb.

Hole in which you'd most like to see Tiger Woods hit a tee shot

No. 15, Randolph North, pin tucked back left, vs. No. 12 Heritage Highlands, pin tucked back left

• Randolph: The 215-yard par 3 is all carry over water and a cement-hard bunker.

• Heritage: Blind tee shot on a drivable 300-yard par 4 swerves right, over a large hill, with desert danger everywhere.

Winner

• Randolph. Water also comes into play to the left and behind the green. Pin-point accuracy required or you're swimming.

Most-watched practice moments at the Ritz-Carlton driving range

Vijay Singh hitting drivers off the deck vs. Ryo Ishikawa tailed by an entourage of 18 Asian photographers

• Singh: He might hit 100 drives off the grass, no tee, and all seem to go 280 yards down the pipe.

• Ryo: Can you imagine how many shutters must click when he's on his home turf in Japan?

Winner

• Ryo. He dresses like a movie star in Technicolor and attracts more attention than anyone except Tiger.

Two biggest Match Play heartbreakers

Nick O'Hern vs. Tim Clark

• O'Hern: He sent Tiger Woods home in a sudden-death drama in 2007, the same year he knocked out Sabbatini.

• Clark: He also was a Tiger slayer, in 2009, the same year he eliminated Retief Goosen.

Winner

• Both! Too hard to pick between them.

Toughest opening hole in Southern Arizona

No. 1 Silverbell vs. No. 1 Desert Hills

• Silverbell: Architect Ken Kavanaugh didn't buy into the "give 'em an easy hole to get started" theory of municipal golf. The opening hole is 440 yards with an elevated green into a prevailing morning breeze. Four bunkers are in the middle of the fairway.

• Desert Hills: The first hole at the Green Valley course doesn't have big numbers; it is 355 yards, but the fairway is ridiculously narrow, with a hill bordering on the right and the green hidden from view, twisting to the left.

Winner

• Silverbell. When the wind is blowing, a par on the first hole feels more like a birdie.

Amen Corner of Southern Arizona golf

Stone Canyon Nos. 11, 12, 13 vs. Del Lago Nos. 10, 11, 12

• Stone Canyon: Three consecutive par 4s, each from 410 to 435 yards from the middle tees, with washes intersecting the fairways and trouble everywhere.

• Del Lago: This anything-but-holy trio of holes begins with a twisting, downhill, 418-yarder with no room for error. Then comes a 360-yard shot over water, where you can pick your poison (or landing point). It finishes with a 567-yard par 5 with desert on the left.

Winner

• Stone Canyon. These holes are hard to reach in regulation, even by the low-handicappers.

Tucson's professional golf tournament has gone by many names, has been played at many sites, and has had different formats since Ray Mangrum won the inaugural Tucson Open in 1945.

Southern Arizona's passion for golf hasn't changed.

As we prepare for the fifth WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Marana, here are some highlights of pro golf in Tucson over the last 66 years:

Tucson Open (1945-55)

• 1945 - Ray Mangrum shoots a final-round 64 to win the first Tucson Open at historic El Rio Country Club. Mangrum edged the legendary Byron Nelson for the $1,000 first-place prize.

• 1949 - Lloyd Mangrum, Ray's younger brother, sets a record with his 17-under-par 263 to win the tournament.

• 1950 - Chandler Harper holds off the legendary Sam Snead and fan favorite Manuel de la Torre for the Open title.

Tucson Open Invitational (1956-60)

• 1957 - Dow Finsterwald defeats Don Whitt in an 18-hole playoff, the first in Tucson tournament history. "We had an 18-hole playoff on Monday," Finsterwald told the Star. "The PGA staff went on ahead to the next tournament. The guy that ran the playoff, Ed Keating, carried a holstered gun. … That was the last time I ever had an armed official at a match."

Home of the Sun Open (1961)

• 1961 - Dave Hill beats Tommy Bolt in the Open's first sudden-death playoff. The tournament is held at El Rio.

Tucson Open Invitational (1962-71)

• 1963 - Don January wins the tournament at Forty Niner Country Club and takes home $3,500 - the most to date in tournament history.

• 1966 - With the support of the Tucson Conquistadores, the Tucson Open makes its first appearance on national television. Joe Campbell wins the tournament at Tucson National, which became the host course in 1965.

• 1967 - Arnold Palmer, backed by "Arnie's Army," wins to take home $12,500, the first five-figure winner's check in the tournament's history.

• 1969 - Lee Trevino wins with a 17-under 271, the largest margin of victory since 1963. Trevino repeats as champion a year later.

Dean Martin Tucson Open (1972-75)

• 1972 - Dean Martin's sponsorship brings celebrities - and NBC's television cameras - to Tucson. Miller Barber defeats George Archer after an 18-hole playoff and three additional playoff holes on Monday. More than 100,000 fans - an Open record - watch the tournament at Tucson National.

• 1975 - Johnny Miller shoots a tournament-record 61 to finish with a 263 - 25 strokes under par. Years later, Miller told the Star the performance at Tucson National was the second-best round of his career.

NBC Tucson Open (1976)

• Johnny Miller wins his third consecutive Tucson title at Tucson National.

Joe Garagiola Tucson Open (1977-83)

• 1979 - Bruce Lietzke wins his second Open title and $45,000 at Randolph North.

Seiko-Tucson Match Play Championship (1984-86)

• 1984 - Match Play makes its professional debut in Tucson, bringing PGA Tour and Senior PGA Tour players to town for the event. Tom Watson wins the first Match Play title; Jim Thorpe wins the next two.

Seiko Tucson Open (1987)

• 1987 - Mike Reid wins the Tucson Open, which has an old format - stroke play - and a new home, TPC at Starr Pass.

Northern Telecom Tucson Open (1988, 1990)

• 1988 - David Frost takes the winner's share of the $1 million purse.

• 1990 - Former Arizona Wildcat Robert Gamez wins in his first tournament as a member of the PGA Tour. The tournament is played at Starr Pass and Randolph North.

Northern Telecom Open (1991-95)

• 1991 - Phil Mickelson, an ASU junior, enters on a sponsor's exemption and wins. As an amateur, Mickelson forfeits the $180,000 prize.

Nortel Open (1996)

• 1996 - Phil Mickelson wins his third Tucson title. This time, he is allowed to keep the $225,000 winner's check.

Tucson Chrysler Classic (1997-98)

• 1998 - David Duval completes a 19-under-par 269 for a four-stroke victory at Tucson National. Duval closed with a 1-over 73 but easily held off Justin Leonard and David Toms.

Touchstone Energy Tucson Open (1999-2002)

• 1999 - Gabriel Hjertstedt wins his share of the then-record $2.75 million purse in a playoff.

• 2000 - Jim Carter earns his first PGA Tour victory.

Chrysler Classic of Tucson (2003-06)

• 2004 - Heath Slocum pars the 18th hole to hold off Aaron Baddeley, who bogeys the final hole.

• 2005 - Geoff Ogilvy earns his first PGA Tour victory, but he has to work for it. Ogilvy, Mark Calcavecchia and Kevin Na enter a three-way playoff after the final round. Na and Ogilvy advance past the first playoff hole, and Ogilvy wins the tournament on the second.

• 2006 - Kirk Triplett shoots a final-round 63 to become the final player to hoist the conquistador trophy. The gold-plated helmet was mothballed when Match Play came to town. "It's kind of got a bucket look to it," he said.

WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship (2007-present)

• 2007 - Henrik Stenson edges Geoff Ogilvy 2 and 1 in the final to win the first WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson. The tournament is held at The Gallery Golf Club, South Course.

• 2008 - Tiger Woods routs Stewart Cink 8 and 7 for the Match Play title. The world's best golfer takes home $1.3 million.

• 2010 - Brit Ian Poulter wins his first-ever stateside tournament, defeating Paul Casey 4 and 2 at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson both miss the tournament for personal reasons.

WGC-ACCENTURE MATCH PLAY WINNERS

YEAR WINNER SCORE LOCATION

1999 Jeff Maggert 38 holes over Andrew Magee La Costa Resort and Spa (Carlsbad, Calif.)

2000 Darren Clarke 4 and 3 over Tiger Woods La Costa Resort and Spa

2001 Steve Stricker 2 and 1 over Pierre Fulke The Metropolitan Club (South Oakleigh, Victoria, Australia)

2002 Kevin Sutherland 1-up over Scott McCarron La Costa Resort and Spa

2003 Tiger Woods 2 and 1 over David Toms La Costa Resort and Spa

2004 Tiger Woods 3 and 2 over Davis Love III La Costa Resort and Spa

2005 David Toms 6 and 5 over Chris DiMarco La Costa Resort and Spa

2006 Geoff Ogilvy 3 and 2 over Davis Love III La Costa Resort and Spa

2007 Henrik Stenson 2 and 1 over Geoff Ogilvy The Gallery Golf Club (Marana)

2008 Tiger Woods 8 and 7 over Stewart Cink The Gallery Golf Club

2009 Geoff Ogilvy 4 and 3 over Paul Casey The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain (Marana)

2010 Ian Poulter 4 and 2 over Paul Casey The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain

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The newly opened Twin Peaks Road interchange cuts northeast from Interstate 10 to Dove Mountain, trimming most Tucsonans' commute to the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in half.

But will it become a road to nowhere?

Match Play enters its fifth tournament in Southern Arizona this week with an uncertain future.

Officials from the PGA Tour and Accenture continue to discuss the future of event, but they have yet to announce whether it will return.

Peter Kent, the PGA's vice president of championship management business affairs, told the Star's Greg Hansen last month they were hoping to get a decision done quicker.

"It would be nice to have this buttoned up, but that's not the way it is," he said. "It's not ideal to get to the ninth inning like this, but that's where we are."

Match Play executive director Wade Dunagan said officials "don't have any timetable" on extending the tournament's life in Southern Arizona.

If anything, he said, they're more concerned about putting on this year's event. Match Play moved from La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif., to Marana in 2007. The first two tournaments were played at The Gallery Golf Club before moving to the nearby Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain in 2009.

"If I get any sleep between now and the tournament, maybe it would be a little bit different," Dunagan said. "Our full focus is on this year.

"We would very much like to see the tournament supported and very well-attended."

Bolstered by appearances from golf's top 64 players and warm weather, the tournament thrived in its first few years here.

Poor weather and something even worse - call it "The Tiger Effect" - hurt the tournament a year ago. Woods missed the event because of well-documented personal problems, then compounded things by holding an apologetic press conference in Florida during the week of Match Play.

Rain, hail and 30-mph winds turned Saturday's semifinals into a slog. The semifinal match between Paul Casey and Camilo Villegas was suspended after 23 holes because of darkness.

Casey eventually prevailed, but lost the Sunday final to Brit Ian Poulter.

Things appear to be looking up this year.

Woods is expected to compete and fans should follow, weather permitting. The Twin Peaks Interchange and improvements to the Ritz-Carlton course should make the tournament more people-friendly.

The present looks bright, even if the future's uncertain.

"We've had a great run here, but the PGA Tour will make that decision," Accenture spokesman Gary Beckner said. "We rely on them. It's their call."

 

This year's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship final will be 18 holes shorter and, tournament officials say, longer on excitement for those spending the weekend at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain.

Match Play officials have shortened the championship match from 36 holes to 18, and moved the semifinals from Saturday afternoon to Sunday morning.

"We think this is a step in the right direction," tournament director Wade Dunagan said. "We certainly try to make it better every year."

The changes are designed to eliminate what many believe is the biggest drawback to the six-round, single-elimination tournament: The dearth of big matches on Sunday, when most spectators and television viewers are paying attention.

In past years, the final day of competition featured just two matches - the championship and a third-place match.

This year, there will be four.

The scheduling tweaks "will work in the best interest of our fans and corporate partners, while not jeopardizing the competitive integrity of the event," Dunagan said.

"It'll be terrific for fans, spectators and for television. It's certainly going to be a more compelling weekend."

Saturday's four quarterfinal matches will be staggered, with the first two teeing off just after 10 a.m., and the second two at 12:20.

The 18-hole championship match, the first in tournament history, highlights a Sunday that could become appointment television for fans.

The two semifinal matches will start just after 7 a.m., with the two losers facing each other in a third-place match at 12:02 p.m. The 18-hole championship match will start at 12:17 p.m.

The shortened final shouldn't affect the integrity of the tournament, Dunagan said.

Since Match Play began 12 years ago, only two finalists - Andrew Magee (1999) and Davis Love III (2004) - led through 18 holes, only to lose the championship.

Last year's winner, Ian Poulter, was 2 up over Paul Casey through 18 holes. He won the tournament, his first in the United States, 4 and 2.

Changes for 2011

This year's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship will feature a handful of changes designed to make the tournament more fan- and television- friendly:

• Sunday's championship match has been shortened from 36 to 18 holes.

• The two semifinal matches will be played Sunday at 7:15 a.m., instead of Saturday.

• Saturday's quarterfinal matches will be staggered between 10:05 a.m. and 12:20 p.m.