Lowry and Power given attractive but demanding WGC Match Play draws
Séamus Power, who now represents The K Club, will play South Korea's Sungjae Im on day one of the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin tomorrow. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
SHANE Lowry and Séamus Power have been handed attractive but demanding draws in this week's WGC Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club in Texas.
Seeded 28th, Lowry goes in Group 16 and starts against South Africa's Erik van Rooyen tomorrow (1711 Irish time) before facing Saudi International winner Harold Varner III on Thursday (1839) and four-time Major winner Brooks Koepka in his final match on Friday.
The leading points winner in each group in the round-robin format advances to the last 16 on Saturday morning with any ties decided by playoffs.
Debutant Power remained 48th in the world yesterday, and while he must stay inside the top 50 at the end of this week to qualify for the Masters, he has a fighting chance of emerging from Group 4 or at least getting world ranking points.
The 42nd seed will make his debut against South Korea's Sungjae Im tomorrow (1733 Irish time) before taking on world number four and reigning FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay on Thursday (1554 Irish time) and the powerful American ball-striker Keith Mitchell on Friday.
The good news for Power is none of the three has managed to emerge from the group stages in their previous appearances.
Recently-crowned Players champion Cameron Smith, 2015 winner Rory McIlroy, new world number 10 Sam Burns, Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, the PGA champion Phil Mickelson, Shaun Norris and Stewart Cink are all giving the event a miss as the Masters starts on April 7.
But with 64 of the top 74 in the world in action, there are no easy games.
Lowry reached the last 16 on his debut in 2013, but he's failed to get out of his group since the round-robin format was introduced in 2015, winning three, halving three and losing nine of his 15 matches.
His biggest challenge could be Koepka, but the Floridian has a mixed record, reaching the quarter-finals in 2016 and the last 16 in 2017 before going out in the group stages on his most recent appearance in 2019.
Varner III is making his debut, while Van Rooyen fared well in his first appearance last year before going out to current world number one Jon Rahm in the last 16.
Should they emerge from their groups, Lowry and Power could meet in the semi-finals, but the path ahead is paved with danger.
Lowry could face the winner of the group featuring number one seed Rahm, Patrick Reed, Cameron Young and Colombia's Sebastian Muñoz, with Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau also on that side of the draw.
Shane Lowry of Ireland plays his second stroke on the No. 11 holeduring Round 2 of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Friday, April 9, 2021.
Were Power to advance, he would take on the winner of group 13 featuring Tyrrell Hatton, Daniel Berger, Si Woo Kim and Christiaan Bezuidenhout.
Power rested last week having complained of some niggles in his elbow while the in-from Lowry was looking to recharge yesterday after playing three of the last four events, contending in two of them.
"The Match Play it's going to be good, but it's a quick turnaround," he added. "I feel like I have had no days off the last few weeks. It's been busy with The Players going into Monday and the matchplay with the Wednesday start.
"But I'm home tonight, and I'll fly out tomorrow and maybe take a bit of a chilled afternoon tomorrow and get going on Tuesday again and see what draw I get. Hopefully, I can go out and win my match on Wednesday and see where we go from there."
Power, meanwhile, is looking forward to his first matchplay appearance since he lost to Michael McGinley Jnr, younger brother of Ryder Cup captain Paul, in the second round of the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch in 2010.
Elsewhere, defending champion Billy Horschel faces Belgium's Thomas Pieters, Tom Hoge and Australia's Min Woo Lee.
As for last year's runner up, Scottie Scheffler, he's in the Group of Death with English Ryder Cup stalwarts Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood and Ian Poulter.
Groups for the 2022 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play (seeding in brackets)
Group 1
Jon Rahm (1)
Patrick Reed (23)
Cameron Young (40)
Sebastian Munoz (58)
Group 2
Collin Morikawa (2)
Jason Kokrak (22)
Sergio Garcia (43)
Robert MacIntyre (61)
Group 3
Viktor Hovland (3)
Will Zalatoris (24)
Cameron Tringale (45)
Sepp Straka (63)
Group 4
Patrick Cantlay (4)
Sungjae Im (21)
Seamus Power (42)
Keith Mitchell (62)
Group 5
Scottie Scheffler (5)
Matt Fitzpatrick (20)
Tommy Fleetwood (41)
Ian Poulter (59)
Group 6
Justin Thomas (6)
Kevin Kisner (29)
Marc Leishman (37)
Luke List (53)
Group 7
Xander Schauffele (7)
Tony Finau (18)
Lucas Herbert (39)
Takumi Kanaya (56)
Group 8
Dustin Johnson (8)
Max Homa (30)
Matthew Wolff (38)
Mackenzie Hughes (51)
Group 9
Bryson DeChambeau (9)
Talor Gooch (27)
Lee Westwood (47)
Richard Bland (54)
Group 10
Louis Oosthuizen (10)
Paul Casey (19)
Corey Conners (36)
Alex Noren (50)
Group 11
Jordan Spieth (11)
Adam Scott (32)
Justin Rose (46)
Keegan Bradley (60)
Group 12
Billy Horschel (12)
Thomas Pieters (26)
Tom Hoge (33)
Min Woo Lee (49)
Group 13
Tyrrell Hatton (13)
Daniel Berger (17)
Si Woo Kim (48)
Christiaan Bezuidenhout (52)
Group 14
Joaquin Niemann (14)
Kevin Na (25)
Russell Henley (34)
Maverick McNealy (64)
Group 15
Abraham Ancer (15)
Webb Simpson (31)
Brian Harman (44)
Bubba Watson (57)
Group 16
Brooks Koepka (16)
Shane Lowry (28)
Harold Varner III (35)
Erik van Rooyen (55)
