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WGC-Accenture Match Play: Sunday Preview

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And then there were four. The 64 man field that began the WGC-Accenture Match Play is down to just four golfers after the Round 4 matches.

The only men still standing? Jason Day (2), Rickie Fowler (14), Ernie Els (8) and Victor Dubuisson (7). Seeing the second-seeded Jason Day make it this far in the competition isn’t a surprise. As for the other three golfers though, their resiliency is impressive.

We’ve had a number of great matches thus far (and some great hair, courtesy of Jason Dufner), and now we’re moving on to the semifinals.

Jason Day (2) vs. Rickie Fowler (14): 7:05 a.m. MT (9:05 a.m. ET)

Jason Day’s road to the semifinals has been a relatively smooth one. His Round 4 match with Louis Oosthuizen (8) was a seesaw affair to begin with Day eventually springing ahead to a 3-up lead after 11 holes. Oosthuizen, who’s been bothered by a myriad of injuries over the past year, was suffering from back trouble that was apparent during the back nine. That and stellar play from Day were too much to overcome and the Australian closed the match out on the 17th hole.

14th-seeded Rickie Fowler certainly wasn’t expected to make it this far into the competition. Certainly, most punters would have picked Ian Poulter to do away with Fowler in the first round, yet he defeated the Englishman, Jimmy Walker and Sergio Garcia, before facing off with Jim Furyk. Fowler rushed ahead early in the match. However, quintessential grinder that he is, Jim Furyk wasn’t going to go down without a fight, and he fought back to capture the lead early in the back nine. The competitors arrived at the 18th hole tied, and Jim Furyk was unable to get up and down to continue the contest.

Day’s start to the season has been a good one, with two of his three finishes being of the top-10 variety. His ability to bomb the golf ball has served him well this week, and he looks as strong as any golfer in the competition. Fowler, whose struggles early this season have been well documented, has played with determination this week, and he appears to be reaping the benefits of the work he’s doing with swing coach Butch Harmon. This should be a great match.

Ernie Els (8) vs. Victor Dubuisson (7): 7:20 a.m. MT (9:20 a.m. ET)

Eighth-seeded Ernie Els showed 20-year-old Jordan Spieth a thing or two on Saturday. With many predicting that the old man didn’t stand a chance against the rising star, the South African simply dominated the younger player. It wasn’t a rout, but Els never gave any indication that he wasn’t going to win the match. He crept ahead early and gradually pressed the accelerator down, eventually winning 4&2.

Victor Dubuisson (7) had to figure that no matter what he did in his match against Graeme McDowell, the latter would come back to win as he had all week, however improbable that result seemed. Unfortunately for McDowell, his luck ran out on Saturday. The two competitors battled evenly through most of the match, with Dubuisson taking a 1-up lead at the 16th hole that he held onto until the end.

Entering the week, Dubuisson likely had many golf fans exclaiming “Dub-WHO-son?” (I couldn’t resist). However, the Frenchman is 30th in the Official World Golf Rankings, and he’s steamrolled some formidable opponents thus far. Els, for his part, seems confident and determined. The Big Easy is loving his counterbalanced Yes! putter. With the way he’s playing, the 44-year-old could ride a hot flatstick past Dubuisson to victory this week. This, too, should be a great match.

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. holden madiq

    Feb 23, 2014 at 10:24 am

    Pulling for Els. Ricky is too weird, tucks his ears into his hat. Dubuisson is cool but overmatched. Day is the best player in the semis, will probably win

  2. Mx

    Feb 23, 2014 at 5:25 am

    I hope rickie wins. He deserves it after putting in a lot of effort in the off season. Would love to see Ernie in the final.

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