Almost all of the world’s top players are in the field this week for the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play event. Last week’s winner, Rory McIlroy is the favorite at odds of +600, while defending champion Dustin Johnson is the second choice at odds of +700. This tournament gets underway on Wednesday with round-robin pool play which continues through Friday. The round of 16 and quarterfinals are on Saturday, while the semifinals and final are on Sunday.We are coming off a 2-3 week with the matchups at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Let’s look at the odds and picks for this week’s WGC Dell Technologies Arnold Palmer Invitational.
WGC Dell Technologies Match Play Matchup Picks
Before we get to the picks there are a few things to consider. The last six winners of this event are Luke Donald, Hunter Mahan, Matt Kuchar, Jason Day (twice), Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson. Europeans have done well in this event through the years, as nine of the 20 finalists in the last 10 years were Europeans. Austin Country Club is a par 71 that measures just 7,108 yards. You can’t just take the higher seed and expect to make money, as the higher seed has won just 52% of the time in the last two years. The seeds making the quarterfinals the last two years are interesting. In 2016 it was 16, 8, 52, 45, 54, 3, 18 and 2, while last year it was 1, 8, 47, 54, 62, 21, 14 and 42.
Players to Take in Matchups
Dustin Johnson
Did you know that Johnson didn’t trail in a single match in this tournament last year? He dominates par 5’s with his length and I can’t see any reason to go against him in any matchup this week.
Jason Day
Day has been excellent in this event through the years, winning twice. He said recently that he loves match play and his form coming into this event is good. I will take Day in his matchups this week.
Tommy Fleetwood
Fleetwood did really well at the EurAsia Cup in January, going 3-0. He is up to No. 12 in the world and he still isn’t getting the respect he deserves. I like him in his matchups this week.
Paul Casey
How can you go against Casey in match play? He made the finals in 2009 and 2010 and last year he went 3-0 before losing to Hideto Tanihara in the last 16.
Tyrrell Hatton
Hatton should have made the last 16 a year ago but a rules violation cost him. He has played really well of late and he looked good in the EurAsia Cup in match play going 3-0.
Alex Noren
Noren made it all the way to the quarterfinals last year but then ran into Johnson. Noren is playing really well this year with six cuts made including a second and a third place finish.
Rafa Cabrera Bello
Cabrera Bello is 14-5-1 in his career in singles matches and two years ago he took third place in this event. He has played well in Texas in the past and I like him this week at plus prices in his matchups.
Pat Perez
I think Perez is worth a shot at plus money in his matchups. He has played well in Texas in the past and he should be undervalued in this tournament.
Xander Schaueffele
He continues to go under the radar. He tied for 18th in Mexico and he previously finished tied for 9th at Riviera and tied for 17th in Phoenix.
Branden Grace
I can’t leave out Grace who always seems to excel in match play. He went 5-0 in the 2015 Presidents Cup.
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
I also can’t forget Aphibarnrat who has won twice in Match Play on the European Tour.
Player to Fade in Matchups
Sergio Garcia
It was just about a week when Sergio welcomed his new daughter into the world and I find it hard to believe he will be ready and prepared for this event, especially with the Masters just around the corner and his focus on defending at Augusta. He has made it past the last 16 just once in 15 tries in this tournament.
I also said in the odds preview that I am staying away from Rory McIlroy this week. I simply don’t like to take a player to win in back-to-back weeks that often. I am not going to put Rory in the fade category, but I would probably avoid taking him in his matchups.
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Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker.eu. The WGC Dell Technologies Match Play is scheduled for March 21-25, 2018. Austin Country Club will host the event and NBC and Golf Channel will televise it.
