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    Devil Ball Golf

    Shotgun Start: Previewing the WGC-Accenture Match Play

    By Jonathan Wall | Devil Ball Golf – Tue, Feb 21, 2012 1:00 PM EST

    WGC-Accenture Match Play / Getty ImagesIt's tournament time! We continue the season at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, the only non-stroke play event on the PGA Tour schedule.  Here's a tournament primer to get you prepared for the week.

    The course: For the fourth year in a row, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain will play host to the WGC-Accenture Match Play. The 27-hole Jack Nicklaus course, located in the High Sonoran Desert, is one of the longest tracks on tour at 7,833 yards. But don't get hung up on the length of the course; Luke Donald won the event last year, so you know the course doesn't favor the bombers on the PGA Tour. Aside from some seriously generous fairway, you'll also notice the course's bunkering is all over the map. Dove Mountain not only has your standard bunkers, but pot bunkers and expansive waste areas that stretch over 50 yards. Hitting wayward shots isn't advisable ... unless, of course, you enjoy spending time in the desert vegetation.

    The schedule: The tournament runs Wednesday-Sunday. It'll be broadcast on the Golf Channel from 12 to 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday,  2 to 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday; and on CBS from 2 to 6 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday. That's over 28 hours of live tournament coverage ... whew!

    The field: Marana, Ariz., plays host to the top 64 players in the World Golf Rankings this week, but a few notable names decided to pass on the event -- including Phil Mickelson, who's going to be on Spring Break with his kids (what a nice guy). Other than Mickelson, this event definitely has a major championship feel to it. Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer are just a few of the notable names in the field. There's also some guy by the name of Tiger Woods playing this week.

    The video: Check out some of the memorable moments from the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship's history.

    Your turn. Who are your picks for this week? Swing away!

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    8 comments

    • Scott
      Scott  •  Salt Lake City, Utah  •  2 months ago
      Sat & Sun broadcast is on NBC, Mr. Wall. 6 hours of crazy Johnny Miller's "analysis" and opinion. Can't wait.
      • BB
        BB 2 months ago
        You are correct, Wall got it wrong, again. Where is Busbee to proof-read these articles??
    • John
      John  •  Warren, Oregon  •  2 months ago
      Johnny's out there, but he can make it fun.
    • BB
      BB  •  2 months ago
      Wall, in your paragraph titled "The field", last sentence, you wrote "And there's some guy by the name of Tiger Woods playing this week, which I guess I sort of a big deal." You most likely meant to write "....which I guess is sort of a big deal." Nobody else has commented on it yet, so you still have time to correct the typographical error and save face.
      • Double U
        Double U 2 months ago
        Busbee is busy with Daytona. The writers here might not be getting edited.
      • BB
        BB 2 months ago
        Did you check out the long article Busbee wrote on the NASCAR blog today? My lord, if only he put as much thought into his golf blog.
      • Double U
        Double U 2 months ago
        I did and he he got a lot of praise for it. Him and Bacon must have hit the links and left JW in charge.
    • ken
      ken  •  2 months ago
      Who else besides Phil passed up this tourney when they qualified??? The writer should have said who they were & not left us quessing.
    • A Yahoo! User  •  Minneapolis, Minnesota  •  2 months ago
      I'm a 31 handicap golfer who played Dove Mountain in November. As lon as you put it in fairway easy to get to green, but greens are crazy. Some putts will break as many as 4 to 5 ways. I often four putted. Will be interesting to watch.
    • Sean M
      Sean M  •  Fort Myers, Florida  •  2 months ago
      I am really excited to see a couple (few) Ryo Ishikawa matches. The bracket with Tiger in it is wide open, it is the most deep bracket...Luke Donald and Adam Scott should cruise thru their bracket...Stricker and McDowell are the only legit shots in their bracket, and then Rory has an easy path too...
      If I had to take 2 long shots, Id go with Hunter Mahan or Webb Simpson to win it all, I think you could find either at 35 to 1, if not 50 to 1
      • Alex
        Alex 2 months ago
        Should cruise thru their bracket? Have you watched this tournament before? Any 16 seed could win the whole tournament! This is no tennis or basketball where you play defense on the opponent. Anyone can have a rough 18.
    • JAMES HENRY
      JAMES HENRY  •  2 months ago
      DAM I HOPE THE SEX NUT DON;T WIN TIGER NEEDS HELP
      • Chili Palmer
        Chili Palmer 2 months ago
        your dad is in the tournament?
      • PAJoe
        PAJoe 2 months ago
        So does Bill Clinton, John-Bobby-Ted Kennedy! Get over it JAMES!
    • Bolts in 12
      Bolts in 12  •  Los Angeles, California  •  2 months ago
      Last few Sundays have been epic. How about three in a row!
     Post a comment

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