MARANA, Ariz. -- An eclectic mix remains after the first two rounds of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship have been completed.
There's just one top seed in Martin Kaymer after Thursday's upset-filled second round that saw world No. 1 Lee Westwood and the ever-popular Phil Mickelson make premature exits.
The veteran Geoff Ogilvy is back at Dove Mountain, too, and he's bidding to host the Walter Hagen Cup for the third time.
Of course, there's also the kiddie brigade, led by Italian teenager Matteo Manassero, who is one of eight players remaining in the field who have yet to hit the big 3-0. Only one of the 16, Miguel Angel Jimenez, is over 40 as youth is being served.
So there are plenty of storylines to follow on Friday as the third round gets under way. Here is a quick look at the matches.
| Accenture Match Play: Preview of third-round matches |
| 49 |
12:35 p.m. ET |
8. RICKIE FOWLER |
vs. |
4. MATT KUCHAR |
Hogan |
| Accenture Match Play Championship records: Fowler is 2-0. Kuchar is 3-1 |
| THE SKINNY: Fowler was awfully impressive in upsetting top-seed Phil Mickelson in the second round as the 22-year-old made five birdies, one eagle and a lone bogey on Thursday. Kuchar had the putter working, too, but the 1997 U.S. Amateur champ will need to eliminate the mistakes -- he's had six bogeys in 26 holes -- to advance. |
| 50 |
12:47 p.m. ET |
2. GRAEME McDOWELL |
vs. |
11. Y.E. YANG |
Hogan |
| Accenture Match Play Championship records: McDowell is 3-4. Yang is 3-2. |
| THE SKINNY: McDowell hasn't been totally happy with the way he's played in the first two rounds, but it's hard to see what's not to like. The Northern Irishman has yet to play the last two holes and only trailed for one hole in each match. Neither he nor Yang, who mowed down match-play specialist Stewart Cink on Thursday, have ever played in the third round. |
| 51 |
12:59 p.m. ET |
8. GEOFF OGILVY |
vs. |
5. BUBBA WATSON |
Snead |
| Accenture Match Play Championship records: Ogilvy is 20-3. Watson is 2-0. |
| THE SKINNY: Watson, an Accenture Match Play rookie, didn't make a bogey in beating Mark Wilson Thursday, and he's made 10 birdies in 29 holes which is a pretty strong percentage. Ogilvy, though, thrives in this format, and on these courses, with two wins and a runner-up finish. Thursday's tight battle with the Tiger-beater, Thomas Bjorn, could be a confidence boost. |
| 52 |
1:11 p.m. ET |
10. JASON DAY |
vs. |
6. J.B. HOLMES |
Snead |
| Accenture Match Play Championship records: Day is 2-0. Holmes is 2-1 |
| THE SKINNY: The Accenture rookie from Australia has played extremely well with 12 birdies, one eagle and three bogeys while going only 16 holes in each of his first two matches. Not to mention, he eliminated the two-time runner-up Paul Casey Thursday. But Holmes has staying power, too, and the two youngsters won't hold back. |
| 53 |
1:23 p.m. ET |
8. NICK WATNEY |
vs. |
12. RYAN MOORE |
Jones |
| Accenture Match Play Championship records: Watney is 4-1. Moore is 2-1. |
| THE SKINNY: Watney is coming off the upset of world No. 1 Lee Westwood so he'll need to guard against a letdown. But with three finishes of sixth or better this year, Watney is at the top of his game. Moore, the 2004 U.S. Amateur champ, made short work of K.J. Choi -- winning five of his last nine holes to end the match at No. 14. |
| 54 |
1:35 p.m. ET |
15. MATTEO MANASSERO |
vs. |
3. LUKE DONALD |
Jones |
| Accenture Match Play Championship records: Manassero is 2-0. DOnald is 12-6. |
| THE SKINNY: The 17-year-old Italian teenager could become the youngest winner ever on the PGA TOUR on Sunday. First, though, he'll need to get by the steady Donald, who plays a similar fairways-and-greens game and has a stellar short game. Manassero has already beaten world No. 8 Steve Stricker; Donald clocks in at No. 9. |
| 55 |
1:47 p.m. ET |
1. MARTIN KAYMER |
vs. |
5. HUNTER MAHAN |
Player |
| Accenture Match Play Championship records: Kaymer is 4-3. Mahan is 4-3. |
| THE SKINNY: Justin Rose took Kaymer to the limit -- and more -- on Thursday as the world No. 2 won in 20 holes. Kaymer can overtake Lee Westwood if he gets to the title tilt but Mahan could have a say in that. The American birdied three of his last six holes to rally from 1 down and dispose of Swedish veteran Robert Karlsson 2 up. |
| 56 |
1:59 p.m. ET |
10. BEN CRANE |
vs. |
6. MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ |
Player |
| Accenture Match Play Championship records: Crane is 6-3. Jimenez is 8-9. |
| THE SKINNY: Crane pulled off arguably Thursday's biggest upset when he demolished Rory McIlroy 8 and 7. He made five birdies in 11 holes against the Northern Irishman and has nine in 27 holes for the week. Jimenez reached the quarterfinals in 2000 but he's dropped more shots to par (seven) than made birdies (six) in his first two matches this week. |
|
| Third-round predictions |
| Match |
McAllister's pick |
Ross' pick |
| Nick Watney vs. Ryan Moore |
Watney |
Watney |
| Matteo Manassero vs. Luke Donald |
Donald |
Donald |
| Rickie Fowler vs. Matt Kuchar |
Fowler |
Fowler |
| Graeme McDowell vs. Y.E. Yang |
McDowell |
McDowell |
| Martin Kaymer vs. Hunter Mahan |
Kaymer |
Mahan |
| Ben Crane vs. Miguel Angel Jimenez |
Crane |
Crane |
| Geoff Ogilvy vs. Bubba Watson |
Watson |
Ogilvy |
| Jason Day vs. J.B. Holmes |
Holmes |
Day |
|
| CUMULATIVE RESULTS |
26-22 |
35-13 |
|
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