In what will be the last WGC-Dell Match Play at Austin Country Club, the matchups and pods are set for the players contending ahead of the 2023 Masters. The PGA Tour released its bracket on Monday as 64 golfers will attempt to take home the biggest share of the $20 million purse as possible.
Here’s how it works: The Tour sets the top 16 seeds based on the Official World Golf Rankings. From there, the remaining players are randomly added into the groups. The four golfers from each group play the other three over the first three days of the event with the biggest point-earner from each pod moving on to the final 16.
That has not always meant the best players, though.
Below you can have a look at the groups that will be featured during the 2023 WGC-Dell Match Play in Austin, Texas. Official World Golf Ranking in parentheses.
Group 1
Scottie Scheffler (1)
Tom Kim (17)
Alex Noren (38)
Davis Riley (54)
Group 2
Jon Rahm (2)
Billy Horschel (22)
Keith Mitchell (39)
Rickie Fowler (49)
Group 3
Rory McIlroy (3)
Keegan Bradley (20)
Denny McCarthy (48)
Scott Stallings (52)
Group 4
Patrick Cantlay (4)
Brian Harman (25)
K.H. Lee (35)
Nick Taylor (55)
Group 5
Max Homa (5)
Hideki Matsuyama (18)
Kevin Kisner (42)
Justin Suh (63)
Group 6
Xander Schauffele (6)
Tom Hoge (23)
Aaron Wise (40)
Cam Davis (64)
Group 7
Will Zalatoris (7)
Ryan Fox (29)
Harris English (37)
Andrew Putnam (56)
Group 8
Viktor Hovland (8)
Chris Kirk (28)
Si Woo Kim (34)
Matt Kuchar (59)
Group 9
Collin Morikawa (9)
Jason Day (32)
Adam Svensson (44)
Victor Perez (51)
Group 10
Tony Finau (10)
Kurt Kitayama (19)
Adrian Meronk (45)
Christiaan Bezuidenhout (60)
Group 11
Matt Fitzpatrick (11)
Sahith Theegala (26)
Min Woo Lee (41)
J.J. Spaun (61)
Group 12
Jordan Spieth (12)
Shane Lowry (21)
Taylor Montgomery (47)
Mackenzie Hughes (50)
Group 13
Sam Burns (13)
Seamus Power (30)
Adam Scott (33)
Adam Hadwin (53)
Group 14
Tyrrell Hatton (14)
Russell Henley (31)
Lucas Herbert (46)
Ben Griffin (62)
Group 15
Cameron Young (15)
Sepp Straka (27)
Corey Conners (36)
Davis Thompson (57)
Group 16
Sungjae Im (16)
Tommy Fleetwood (24)
J.T. Poston (43)
Maverick McNealy (58)
The Rahm group is a nightmare. Rahm has been either the best player in the world or the second-best (behind Scheffler) so far in 2023, Horschel is always a match-play menace, Mitchell has been playing some of the best golf of his career and Fowler is probably better than a No. 4 seed in any group right now.
The other groups that stand out are Group 5 with Homa, Matsuyama, Kisner and Suh (all menaces) and Group 6 with Schauffele, Hoge, Wise and Davis. Any of those four could emerge from that group into the final 16.
Regardless, the matches on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will be a blast as the Tour winds down its time at ACC. Scheffler is playing so well right now and is the favorite to repeat, but Rahm has thrived here before, is playing the best statistical golf of his career and … might not even get out of his pod. We haven’t even mentioned McIlroy (former winner), Spieth (nearly won last week) or Morikawa and Hovland (both playing solid golf). Match Play always produces some fun, wild outcomes, and this year should be no different.