The opening day of the WGC Dell Match Play sees 32 matches going out onto the golf course with all 64 players looking to get off to a winning start which will ease the pressure on their shoulders for the remainder of the group phase.
The first day of the tournament is where the top seed plays the bottom seed in their group while the two middle seeds meet in the other match in each section so we have some intriguing contests to enjoy across Wednesday. I’ve scoured the card and I like two bets.
Keegan Bradley vs Denny McCarthy
Match tees off at 15.37 GMT
The first match of interest for me is one of the earlier matches out onto the golf course when Keegan Bradley, a veteran of these WGC Match Play events, takes on a debutant in the form of Denny McCarthy.
Bradley might be a veteran of this tournament but he has a terrible match play record. Here he has played nine matches and is still looking for a first win and his overall singles record in this event is 1-12-6 so he has won one of the 19 matches he has played in the tournament. Admittedly all six of those ties have come on this course but I can’t be having anyone with that record as a favourite here. McCarthy could be a tough nut to crack because in recent weeks he has gained strokes in every category but especially the putter where he is known to be strong and it is with that club he has a significant advantage and I always like to be on the better putters in match play. McCarthy is on debut here which isn’t ideal but Bradley clearly doesn’t get on well with the place so there is value in the debutant in my eyes.
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Sungjae Im vs Maverick McNealy
Match tees off at 19.28 GMT
Much later into the Wednesday card is where my second bet comes along as Sungjae Im looks to make the most of being the top seed in Group 16 when he goes up against Maverick McNealy, who is making his second appearance in the event.
Im is another whose record here flatters to deceive. He has a 2-4 record at Austin CC and has never come out of his group here. In fact, he has finished bottom of the pile in both of the groups he has been in. That isn’t exactly a positive for the Korean player. Im has probably improved his all-round game but there is something about him and this course which don’t get along. That is in contrast to McNealy who absolutely walloped Joaquin Niemann here last year and beat Russell Henley too but went out in sudden-death. It isn’t a surprise he went well around here with his putting ability combined with his solid enough play into the greens. The Im putter always worries me and with his mixed record around here I think he’s another who has to be taken on at a decent price.
Tips
Back D.McCarthy to beat K.Bradley for a 3/10 stake at 2.25 with William Hill
Back him here:
Back M.McNealy to beat S.Im for a 3/10 stake at 2.50 with BetVictor
Back him here:
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