WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship 2012 Winner Odds and Betting Preview

MARANA, AZ – The top-64 players in the World Golf Rankings descend on Dove Mountain in Arizona to compete for the first World Golf Championship in 2012. This prestigious knock-out tournament was fist held in 1999 and this will be the fourth consecutive time the event is held at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Arizona. The 64 players are split up into four groups and the winner of each bracket come up against each other in the semi-finals. Last year Luke Donald walked away with the trophy but due to the absence of Phil Mickleson and Paul Casey from the field the world number one faces a stiff test in the opening round against three time major champion Ernie Els.

Rory McIlroy has been installed as the 13/1 favourite with Stan James to win his maiden WGC title in the desert. The Northern Irishman is the top seed in the Player group which also includes Jason Day and Sergio Garcia as his main challengers. He has finished in the top-five in nine of his last ten events but faces a test of a different set of skills in this head-to-head format of the game.

Next in the betting comes a man who has won this event a record three times, Tiger Woods who can be backed at 14/1 with most firms this week. He is only ranked as the fifth seed in the Snead bracket but will be eager to avenge his opening round defeat in Arizona last year. He faces Gonzalo Fernando-Castano in the opening round and the Spaniard will not fear the 14-time major champion who is still some way off his best form. Tiger faces some tough matches to win this bracket but if he comes through these a possible semi-final date with Rory McIlroy is sure to draw the crowds.

Luke Donald is the number one seed for the Jones bracket at this match play event following his success last year both at this event and throughout the golfing world. The current world number one is quoted at 18/1 with Betfred to win this year’s renewal of the event and is joined in this bracket by Adam Scott and Dustin Johnson. Donald has a solid match play record and his success in recent years at the Ryder Cup shows how his consistent stroke-play is hard for an opponent to break down.

Sergio Garcia is a 20/1 chance with Coral to lift this valuable trophy and he has enjoyed a resurgence in recent months that has seen him challenge in many stroke play events in 2012. He is a very strong match play golfer and the Spaniard reached the semi-final when he last competed in this event back in 2010. He is grouped in the same bracket as Rory McIlroy and could play the US Open champion in Friday’s quarter-final.

Lee Westwood is available at 20/1 with sportingbet and is the top seed in the Snead bracket and the spotlight will be off the Englishman with Tiger Woods also in this group. Westwood has a superb record in this format while the second seed in the Snead bracket, Webb Simpson a 30/1 shot to win the tournament is the highest-ranked player to make a debut at this event. He is ranked four on the PGA Tour for greens in regulation and was tied eighth in Phoenix recently.

The final bracket, named Hogan, is headed by the last year’s beaten finalist Martin Kaymer who is priced up at 25/1 with totesport to go one better in 2012. Kaymer has a base in this part of the world and so will know the desert conditions better than most of his rivals. This group looks is dominated by Americans and the big-hitting Bubba Watson a 35/1 chance with Betfred enjoyed a superb debut at the event in 2011 finishing a respectable fourth. The left-hander has begun this season very strongly recording top-20s in all four of his starts on the PGA Tour and clearly enjoys this format.

Geoff Ogilvy a 55/1 chance with Betfred should also be considered this week and as a two-time winner of the event he knows what is required here. He was instrumental in helping the USA to their recent Presidents Cup win. Graeme McDowell is another who thrives in match play golf and he is 50/1 with Coral to win this week. He finished third in Abu Dhabi earlier this year but has played very little golf so should be fresh to mount a serious challenge in Arizona.

The first round matches tee off at 14.00 GMT on Wednesday 22nd February and coverage of the event is broadcast live on Sky Sports.

Accenture Match Play Championship – Winner Odds