A stomach virus left Jon Rahm without the possibility of continue his spectacular 2023 by provoking his abandonment in ‘The Players’. He ‘Lion of Barrika’ (28 years old) started the season like a shot winning three titles (Sentry Tournament of Champions, American Express and The Genesis Invitational)but a gastric problem left him out of the fifth ‘major’ after the first round. Now fully recovered, he begins a new challenge: attempt gain in Austin the World Match Play, the only tournament on the PGA calendar to be played under a format with direct knockouts
rahm, that arrives as number two in the world ranking and that he will not be able to snatch the one to the american Scheffler (“This kind of game is fun and I really enjoy it. If you play your best golf you are rewarded for it, it’s a good format,” Scottie says) start the journey today at a tough knockout group in which he will face Rickie Fowler (63rd, today 17:54), Keith Mitchell (34th, tomorrow 16:26) and Billy Horschel (31st, Friday at a time yet to be determined). Three head-to-head matches on consecutive days that will determine the only golfer to reach the round of 32 who dispute the Saturday (also that day will be the rooms, leaving semifinals and final for Sunday). One point for victory and half by draw after the 18 holes of each match. If there is a tie, there will be a playoff between the players who have the same score. It will be the sixth time that jon rahm play this tournament with a balance of a second place, some quarterfinals, some eighths; and on two occasions they did not make it past the group stage.
The event, which is held in the oldest club in Texas (Austin Country Club, 1899), brings together 64 of the 79 best in the world (including 8 from the Top 9) is a challenge for rahm who will seek to be the first Spaniard to lift the trophy of a tournament dating from 1999 and therefore improve that second place he achieved in 2017 after lose the final against the American Dustin Johnson. And, incidentally, pocket the check for 3.34 million euros which will receive the winner of the WGC-Dell Technologies.
Possible crosses.
If the Spaniard passes the qualifying group his most likely path I would be Will Zalatoris (8th) in the round of 16; Tony Finau (12th) in the quarterfinals; Rory McIlroy (3rd) or Xander Schauffele (7th) in the semifinals; and Scottie Scheffler (1st), Patrick Cantlay (4th), Max Homa (6th) or Viktor Hovland (9th) in the hypothetical final.
