Players and fans are giddy with excitement over a new format that will be rolled out during this year's World Golf Championship-Cadillac Match Play tournament.
The new World Cup-like format begins Wednesday at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco with 16 four-player groups. Every player will get to play three matches in the group stage — one again each member. The player with the best record in each group advances to the round of 16 for single-elimination match play. (In the event of a two-way tie in a group, head-to-head results will be used as the tiebreaker; a three-way tie will require a sudden-death playoff.)
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Players are happy with the changes, because it allows them to have a bad round and not get eliminated from the competition. Like soccer's World Cup, writers and fans are searching for the infamous "Group of Death."
No group stands out on its own as an obvious lethal group, but there are three or four that have caught our eye.
Here's a look at the groups, and the intrigue within them (World Golf Ranking in parenthesis):
Group 1
Rory McIlroy (1), Billy Horschel (19), Brandt Snedeker (36), Jason Dufner (56)
It'll be hard to find a more formidable group with two major champions (McIlroy and Dufner), the 2012 FedEx Cup winner (Snedeker) and last year's Cup winner (Horschel), even though they're not all in typical form. McIlroy and Horschel have history dating back to their meeting in the Walker Cup as amateurs, and there seems to be no love lost between them. If Horschel can stave off Snedeker in his first match, it could set up a highly entertaining rematch between the high-energy Horschel and pragmatic McIlroy. Dufner hasn't been in form lately, but can still be dangerous to one of McIlroy's challengers.
Prediction: McIlroy (2-0-1)
Group 2
Jordan Spieth (2), Lee Westwood (27), Matt Every (41), Mikko Ilonen (68)
This appears to be the easiest group for a favorite to advance. Westwood has a rich pedigree, and has been tough to beat in a match-play format, but his game just isn't on the same level as Spieth right now. Unfortunately for Every, this isn't Bay Hill, a course he's won on twice, so he would have to play some truly special golf to come out on top. Ilonen was in better form last year around this time. He lacks the firepower to give these guys a run for their money.
Prediction: Spieth (3-0-0)
Group 3
Henrik Stenson (3), Bill Haas (24), Brendon Todd (43), John Senden (65)
Stenson is seemingly over his flu battle, and should be ready to roll through a tournament he won in 2007. These are coincidentally four players with very similar strengths. Each one possesses a superb iron game, and all-around ball-striking abilities. Senden and Haas especially struggle with their putters and Stenson has become a little shaky in that area as well. Stenson is the clear favorite, but the other three are dark horses.
Prediction: Stenson (2-1-0)
Group 4
Bubba Watson (4), Louis Oosthuizen (30), Keegan Bradley (34), Miguel Angel Jimenez (69)
Here's the first potential "Group of Death." The rematch of the 2012 Masters between Watson and Oosthuizen should be fun to watch. Watson mashes the ball and Oosthuizen methodically picks his way around the course. Both are fully capable of making a long run. Bradley could go 3-0 or lose every match, it just depends on how he's putting. Jimenez may be the most interesting man in golf, but the only thing interesting about his prospects in this tournament is how far Watson will be outdriving him.
Prediction: Oosthuizen (2-0-1)
Group 5
Jim Furyk (5), Martin Kaymer (17), Thongchai Jaidee (45), Groege Coetzee (64)
Based on current form, Coetzee, not Kaymer, will be Furyk's biggest adversary. The hard-hitting South African owns two wins and tied for third in his last three starts worldwide. Furyk, of course, won two weeks ago at Harbour Town and finished fifth in this tournament a year ago. Kaymer is a two-time major champion, former world No. 1 and the winner of events such as the Players and the Match Play. At the same time, has missed his last three cuts and only owns one top 10 in 2015. Jaidee is scrappy and shouldn't be overlooked.
Prediction: Furyk (3-0-0)
Group 6
Justin Rose (6), Ryan Palmer (23), Anirban Lahiri (35), Marc Leishman (60)
This one will inevitably come down to Rose and Palmer, because its hard to imagine either of them losing to the remaining opposition in the group. Lahiri is talented but is still very green in big events and Leishman's mind is likely still on his wife, who recently had a health scare. Rose will be a tough out after tieing for second at the Masters followed with a win in New Orleans. We don't think one of these three will be the ones to slow Rose down.
Prediction: Rose (3-0-0)
Group 7
Jason Day (7), Zach Johnson (25), Branden Grace (39), Charley Hoffman (50)
Day might not have been subjected to the "Group of Death," but he'll have his hands full in a group filled with scrappy players. Hoffman posses an interesting challenge with the ability to make birdies in bunches and often plays well on the West Coast. Grace is a great player and is having a terrific season. He could give Day some problems. Johnson is a steady player that won't make many mistakes. He plays within himself and doesn't let other players around him influence his game, which is important in match play.
Prediction: Day (2-0-1)
Group 8
Dustin Johnson (8), Victor Dubuisson (22), Charl Schwartzel (38), Matt Jones (63)
Dubuisson left us all in wonder last year when he displayed a crafty array of tricks around the greens. Players with strong short games usually have success in this format, and he could make a long run once again. Johnson has been playing as well as anyone on tour so far and can bomb it past all three of these guys with ease. Schwartzel has a propensity for showing up in big events and Matt Jones has been solid on the West Coast in recent seasons.
Prediction: Dubuisson (1-1-1)
Group 9
Adam Scott (9), Chris Kirk (26), Paul Casey (37), Francesco Molinari (70)
Scott isn't having a great season, as he tangles with putter selection and the loss of his caddie, Steve Williams. He might have been the top-rated guy players wanted to end up with the most, and Casey might be the guy players didn't want to see in their group. The Englishman has a sterling match-play record and is in the midst of a career resurgence. Kirk is out of form and shouldn't pose much of a threat to Scott and Casey. Watch out for Molinari and his streaky putter.
Prediction: Casey: (2-0-1)
Group 10
Sergio Garcia (10), Jamie Donaldson (31), Bernd Wiesberger (40), Tommy Fleetwood (57)
Here's a bold prediction: a European will win this group. It seems like a safe bet seeing all four of these guys are from across the pond. Garcia is a streaky putter that hasn't been on his "A" game yet this season. Donaldson is a dangerous match-play threat, but has missed three of his last four cuts. Fleetwood is poised to be a force on whichever tour he ends up playing on, just not this week. Watch out for the Wiesberger.
Prediction: Donaldson (2-1-0)
Group 11
Jimmy Walker (11), Ian Poulter (28), Webb Simpson (47), Gary Woodland (52)
Out of all the groups, this one is the closest to a "Group of Death." Poulter is a different player in match play. He plays with a chip on his shoulder and makes enough clutch putts to fill up a lifetime. Walker is long, has a great short game and is the most consistent putter on tour. The winner of the group will need to go through him. Simpson is a major champion, but has struggled over the last two seasons. Woodland mashes the ball off the tee and could get hot at the right time.
Prediction: Poulter (2-0-1)
Group 12
J.B. Holmes (12), Brooks Koepka (20), Russell Henley (46), Marc Warren (53)
Anything could happen in this evenly matched group. Holmes has had a terrific season and Koepka is the only one that can hit it anywhere close to Holmes' ball off the tee. He also broke out for his first win recently. Henley can beat anyone when his putting is on and Warren is a steady player tee-to-green. Someone will prevail, but we expect the winner to be thoroughly exhausted after a three-match dog fight.
Prediction: Henley (2-1-0)
Group 13
Rickie Fowler (13), Graeme McDowell (33), Shane Lowry (48), Harris English (58)
It's tough to pick a favorite in this group. All four of them have had match-play success yet none of them are in their best form right now. Fowler and McDowell are particularly lethal in this format, but English is the most consistent player right now. Fowler missed the cut last week, but said he's happy with his swing.
Prediction: Fowler (1-0-2)
Group 14
Matt Kuchar (14), Hunter Mahan (32), Stephen Gallacher (42), Ben Martin (67)
We really don't see a scenario where Kuchar or Mahan doesn’t make it through. Now that we've eliminated the two wrong answers, like a multiple-choice question in school, we can look into the battle between Ryder Cup teammates. Both of them have won this event in the past and both have put up some solid finishes in the last month. Kuchar is the safer bet, but Mahan is dangerous when his ball striking is on.
Prediction: Kuchar (3-0-0)
Group 15
Patrick Reed (15), Ryan Moore (29), Danny Willitt (49), Andy Sullivan (61)
Reed always seems to have something to prove after calling himself a "top-five player" last year. He will have his hands full with Moore and Willitt. Moore won multiple amateur championships in match-play form and has been a solid performer in this event through the years. Willitt is in fine form and has even done reasonably well in the U.S. Sullivan is a little-known commodity and will most likely be playing for the experience.
Prediction: Moore (2-0-1)
Group 16
Hideki Matsuyama (16), Kevin Na (21), Joost Luiten (44), Alexander Levy (54)
This group won't get much recognition for being difficult, but it should. Unlike the rest of the groups, this one features four in-form golfers. Matsuyama had a strong showing in the Masters (tied for fourth) and is just as steady as McIlroy and Spieth. Na can be tough to play in this format because he's very slow and twitchy. Luiten and Levy have been putting up strong showings for a couple years now and it wouldn't at all be surprising if one of them made it through.
Prediction: Matsuyama (2-1-0)