Rahm to meet Captain America
MATCH PLAY: WORLD NO 1 GROUPED WITH REED IN AUSTIN
World No 1 Jon Rahm was drawn into a first-round group with Masters winner Patrick Reed for the WGC Match Play Championship that begins today in Austin, Texas.
Rahm, the reigning US Open champion from Spain, and Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, were paired with Colombian Sebastian Munoz and US rookie Cameron Young, a runner-up last month at Riviera, in the round robin stage of the event at Austin Country Club.
Reed is known for his matchplay success in the Ryder Cup, earning the nickname “Captain America” for his flamboyant style in the wake of cheers and hecklers at the event.
A 64-player field based upon world rankings is divided into 16 groups of four players for round-robin matches today through Friday with group winners reaching weekend knockout rounds.
Defending champion Billy Horschel, seeded 12th, has a group with Australian Min Woo Lee, the reigning Scottish Open champion; Belgium’s Tom Pieters, a January winner at Abu Dhabi, and American Tom Hoge, who won last month at Pebble Beach.
World No 2 Collin Morikawa was grouped with fellow American Jason Kokrak, Scotsman Robert McIntyre and Spain’s Sergio Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion.
Norway’s third-ranked Viktor Hovland was drawn with Austrian Sepp Straka and Americans Will Zalatoris and Cameron Tringale.
Fourth seed Patrick Cantlay will be joined by fellow American Keith Mitchell, South Korean Im Sung-jae and Ireland’s Seamus Power.
US fifth seed Scottie Scheffler was grouped three Englishmen: Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick and Ian Poulter, the 2010 Match Play winner.
Morikawa, Scheffler, Cantlay and Hovland all have a chance to topple Rahm from atop the rankings this week.