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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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2015 WGC-Match Play Championship

The 2015 WGC-Cadillac Match Play was the 17th WGC-Cadillac Match Play Championship, played April 29 – May 3 at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, California. It was the second of four World Golf Championships in 2015. Top-ranked Rory McIlroy defeated Gary Woodland 4 & 2 in the final, for his second win in a WGC event, after his win in the 2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

On September 30, 2014, Cadillac was announced as the new title sponsor.

Field

The field consisted of the top 64 players available from the Official World Golf Ranking on April 19. However, the seedings were based on the World Rankings on April 26.

Luke Donald (ranked 50 on April 19, personal reasons), Tim Clark (ranked 57, injury), and Phil Mickelson (ranked 18, personal reasons) did not compete, allowing entry for Miguel Ángel Jiménez (ranked 65), Francesco Molinari (ranked 66), and Mikko Ilonen (ranked 67).

Two players made their WGC debut: Andy Sullivan and Ben Martin.

Format

A new format was introduced in 2015. Previously, the Championship was a single elimination match play event. Beginning in 2015, the championship started with pool play, with 16 groups of four players playing round-robin matches, on Wednesday through Friday. There are no halved matches in pool play with extra holes played to determine the winner. The top 16 seeded players were allocated to the 16 groups, one in each group. The remaining 48 players were placed into three pools (seeds 17–32, seeds 33–48, seeds 49–64). Each group had one player randomly selected from each pool to complete the group.

The winners of each group advanced to a single-elimination bracket on the weekend, with the round of 16 and quarterfinals on Saturday, and the semi-finals, finals, and consolation match on Sunday. If two players are tied at the top of the group, the result of their head-to-head match determines the group winner. If three players are tied, the winner is determined by a sudden-death playoff.

Top 16 seeds
Seed and Rank Player
1 Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy
2 United States Jordan Spieth
3 Sweden Henrik Stenson
4 United States Bubba Watson
5 United States Jim Furyk
6 England Justin Rose
7 Australia Jason Day
8 United States Dustin Johnson
9 Australia Adam Scott
10 Spain Sergio García
11 United States Jimmy Walker
12 United States J. B. Holmes
13 United States Rickie Fowler
14 United States Matt Kuchar
15 United States Patrick Reed
16 Japan Hideki Matsuyama
Pool 1
Seed Rank Player
17 17 Germany Martin Kaymer
18 19 United States Billy Horschel
19 20 United States Brooks Koepka
20 21 United States Kevin Na
21 22 France Victor Dubuisson
22 23 United States Ryan Palmer
23 24 United States Bill Haas
24 25 United States Zach Johnson
25 26 United States Chris Kirk
26 27 England Lee Westwood
27 28 England Ian Poulter
28 29 United States Ryan Moore
29 30 South Africa Louis Oosthuizen
30 31 Wales Jamie Donaldson
31 32 United States Hunter Mahan
32 33 Northern Ireland Graeme McDowell
Pool 2
Seed Rank Player
33 34 United States Keegan Bradley
34 35 India Anirban Lahiri
35 36 United States Brandt Snedeker
36 37 England Paul Casey
37 38 South Africa Charl Schwartzel
38 39 South Africa Branden Grace
39 40 Austria Bernd Wiesberger
40 41 United States Matt Every
41 42 Scotland Stephen Gallacher
42 43 United States Brendon Todd
43 44 Netherlands Joost Luiten
44 45 Thailand Thongchai Jaidee
45 46 United States Russell Henley
46 47 United States Webb Simpson
47 48 Republic of Ireland Shane Lowry
48 49 England Danny Willett
Pool 3
Seed Rank Player
49 50 United States Charley Hoffman
50 52 United States Gary Woodland
51 53 Scotland Marc Warren
52 54 France Alexander Lévy
53 56 United States Jason Dufner
54 57 England Tommy Fleetwood
55 58 United States Harris English
56 60 Australia Marc Leishman
57 61 England Andy Sullivan
58 63 Australia Matt Jones
59 64 South Africa George Coetzee
60 65 Australia John Senden
61 67 United States Ben Martin
62 68 Finland Mikko Ilonen
63 69 Spain Miguel Ángel Jiménez
64 70 Italy Francesco Molinari

RankOfficial World Golf Ranking on April 26, 2015.

Results

Pool play

Players were divided into 16 groups of four players and played round-robin matches on Wednesday to Friday.

  • Round 1 – April 29
  • Round 2 – April 30
  • Round 3 – May 1

Notes: Round 1

Of the 32 matches played, 14 were "upsets" with the lower seeded player beating the higher seeded player. These included #3 Henrik Stenson (lost to #60 John Senden), #6 Justin Rose (lost to #56 Marc Leishman), #7 Jason Day (lost to #49 Charley Hoffman), and #9 Adam Scott (lost to #64 Francesco Molinari).

Notes: Round 2

Of the 32 matches played, 16 were upsets. These included #5 Jim Furyk (lost to #44 Thongchai Jaidee), #7 Day (lost to #38 Branden Grace), #8 Dustin Johnson (lost to #37 Charl Schwartzel), #9 Scott (lost to #36 Paul Casey), and #10 Sergio García (lost to #39 Bernd Wiesberger). Two players, #13 Rickie Fowler and #60 John Senden, were guaranteed to advance.

Notes: Round 3

Of the 32 matches played, 18 were upsets. These included #2 Jordan Spieth (lost to #26 Lee Westwood), #3 Stenson (lost to #23 Bill Haas), #4 Bubba Watson (lost to #29 Louis Oosthuizen), #7 Day (lost to #24 Zach Johnson), #9 Scott (lost to #25 Chris Kirk), and #10 García (lost to #30 Jamie Donaldson). Day, Scott and Jimmy Walker were the only top seeds to lose all three matches. Only five of the top seeds advanced: #1 Rory McIlroy, #5 Furyk, #12 J. B. Holmes, #13 Fowler, and #16 Hideki Matsuyama. 12 of the 16 group winners advanced with perfect 3–0 records. Three groups winners advanced based on head-to-head tie-breaker and one group went to a three-way sudden-death playoff. Branden Grace defeated Zach Johnson and Charley Hoffman on the third extra hole in group 7. In Group 11, all six matches of the three rounds were upsets. A total of 18 of the 96 matches went extra holes, causing some to suggest altering the format next year to include halved matches.

Group 1
Round Winner Score Loser
1 McIlroy 5 & 4 Dufner
Horschel 5 & 4 Snedeker
2 McIlroy 2 up Snedeker
Horschel 3 & 2 Dufner
3 McIlroy 20 h Horschel
Dufner 1 up Snedeker
Seed Player W L Finish
1 Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy 3 0 1
18 United States Billy Horschel 2 1 2
53 United States Jason Dufner 1 2 3
35 United States Brandt Snedeker 0 3 4
Group 2
Round Winner Score Loser
1 Spieth 4 & 2 Ilonen
Westwood 1 up Every
2 Spieth 4 & 3 Every
Westwood 1 up Ilonen
3 Westwood 1 up Spieth
Ilonen 8 & 6 Every
Seed Player W L Finish
26 England Lee Westwood 3 0 1
2 United States Jordan Spieth 2 1 2
62 Finland Mikko Ilonen 1 2 3
40 United States Matt Every 0 3 4
Group 3
Round Winner Score Loser
1 Senden 19 h Stenson
Haas 3 & 2 Todd
2 Stenson 3 & 2 Todd
Senden 4 & 3 Haas
3 Haas 3 & 1 Stenson
Senden 1 up Todd
Seed Player W L Finish
60 Australia John Senden 3 0 1
23 United States Bill Haas 2 1 2
3 Sweden Henrik Stenson 1 2 3
42 United States Brendon Todd 0 3 4
Group 4
Round Winner Score Loser
1 Watson 5 & 4 Jiménez
Oosthuizen 6 & 5 Bradley
2 Watson 4 & 2 Bradley
Oosthuizen 2 up Jiménez
3 Oosthuizen 19 h Watson
Jiménez 2 up Bradley
Seed Player W L Finish
29 South Africa Louis Oosthuizen 3 0 1
4 United States Bubba Watson 2 1 2
63 Spain Miguel Ángel Jiménez 1 2 3
33 United States Keegan Bradley 0 3 4
Group 5
Round Winner Score Loser
1 Furyk 3 & 2 Coetzee
Kaymer 3 & 1 Jaidee
2 Jaidee 3 & 1 Furyk
Coetzee 19 h Kaymer
3 Furyk 20 h Kaymer
Coetzee 21 h Jaidee
Seed Player W L Finish
5 United States Jim Furyk 2 1 1
59 South Africa George Coetzee 2 1 2
17 Germany Martin Kaymer 1 2 T3
44 Thailand Thongchai Jaidee 1 2
Group 6
Round Winner Score Loser
1 Leishman 3 & 2 Rose
Lahiri 4 & 2 Palmer
2 Rose 19 h Lahiri
Leishman 4 & 3 Palmer
3 Rose 2 & 1 Palmer
Leishman 1 up Lahiri
Seed Player W L Finish
56 Australia Marc Leishman 3 0 1
6 England Justin Rose 2 1 2
34 India Anirban Lahiri 1 2 3
22 United States Ryan Palmer 0 3 4
Group 7
Round Winner Score Loser
1 Hoffman 4 & 3 Day
Z. Johnson 2 up Grace
2 Grace 4 & 3 Day
Hoffman 2 & 1 Z. Johnson
3 Z. Johnson 3 & 2 Day
Grace 2 & 1 Hoffman
Seed Player W L Finish
38 South Africa Branden Grace 2 1 1
24 United States Zach Johnson 2 1 T2
49 United States Charley Hoffman 2 1
7 Australia Jason Day 0 3 4

Grace won sudden-death playoff with a birdie on the third hole.

Group 8
Round Winner Score Loser
1 D. Johnson 3 & 1 Jones
Schwartzel 5 & 4 Dubuisson
2 Schwartzel 20 h D. Johnson
Jones 2 up Dubuisson
3 D. Johnson 2 & 1 Dubuisson
Schwartzel 20 h Jones
Seed Player W L Finish
37 South Africa Charl Schwartzel 3 0 1
8 United States Dustin Johnson 2 1 2
58 Australia Matt Jones 1 2 3
21 France Victor Dubuisson 0 3 4
Group 9
Round Winner Score Loser
1 Molinari 5 & 4 Scott
Casey 22 h Kirk
2 Casey 1 up Scott
Kirk 2 & 1 Molinari
3 Kirk 1 up Scott
Casey 1 up Molinari
Seed Player W L Finish
36 England Paul Casey 3 0 1
25 United States Chris Kirk 2 1 2
64 Italy Francesco Molinari 1 2 3
9 Australia Adam Scott 0 3 4
Group 10
Round Winner Score Loser
1 García 2 up Fleetwood
Donaldson 1 up Wiesberger
2 Wiesberger 2 & 1 García
Fleetwood 21 h Donaldson
3 Donaldson 2 & 1 García
Fleetwood 19 h Wiesberger
Seed Player W L Finish
54 England Tommy Fleetwood 2 1 1
30 Wales Jamie Donaldson 2 1 2
39 Austria Bernd Wiesberger 1 2 T3
10 Spain Sergio García 1 2
Group 11
Round Winner Score Loser
1 Woodland 19 h Walker
Simpson 3 & 2 Poulter
2 Simpson 19 h Walker
Woodland 3 & 2 Poulter
3 Poulter 4 & 2 Walker
Woodland 1 up Simpson
Seed Player W L Finish
50 United States Gary Woodland 3 0 1
46 United States Webb Simpson 2 1 2
27 England Ian Poulter 1 2 3
11 United States Jimmy Walker 0 3 4
Group 12
Round Winner Score Loser
1 Warren 2 & 1 Holmes
Koepka 1 up Henley
2 Holmes 19 h Henley
Koepka 20 h Warren
3 Holmes 2 & 1 Koepka
Henley 1 up Warren
Seed Player W L Finish
12 United States J. B. Holmes 2 1 1
19 United States Brooks Koepka 2 1 2
45 United States Russell Henley 1 2 T3
51 Scotland Marc Warren 1 2
Group 13
Round Winner Score Loser
1 Fowler 1 up English
Lowry 1 up McDowell
2 Fowler 1 up Lowry
English 2 & 1 McDowell
3 Fowler 5 & 4 McDowell
English 1 up Lowry
Seed Player W L Finish
13 United States Rickie Fowler 3 0 1
55 United States Harris English 2 1 2
47 Republic of Ireland Shane Lowry 1 2 3
32 Northern Ireland Graeme McDowell 0 3 4
Group 14
Round Winner Score Loser
1 Martin 1 up Kuchar
Mahan 7 & 6 Gallacher
2 Kuchar 3 & 2 Gallacher
Mahan 5 & 3 Martin
3 Mahan 5 & 4 Kuchar
Martin 20 h Gallacher
Seed Player W L Finish
31 United States Hunter Mahan 3 0 1
61 United States Ben Martin 2 1 2
14 United States Matt Kuchar 1 2 3
41 Scotland Stephen Gallacher 0 3 4
Group 15
Round Winner Score Loser
1 Reed 2 & 1 Sullivan
Willett 3 & 2 Moore
2 Willett 2 & 1 Reed
Sullivan 3 & 2 Moore
3 Reed 1 up Moore
Willett 1 up Sullivan
Seed Player W L Finish
48 England Danny Willett 3 0 1
15 United States Patrick Reed 2 1 2
57 England Andy Sullivan 1 2 3
28 United States Ryan Moore 0 3 4
Group 16
Round Winner Score Loser
1 Matsuyama 5 & 4 Lévy
Luiten 19 h Na
2 Matsuyama 2 up Luiten
Na 3 & 1 Lévy
3 Matsuyama 5 & 4 Na
Luiten 1 up Lévy
Seed Player W L Finish
16 Japan Hideki Matsuyama 3 0 1
43 Netherlands Joost Luiten 2 1 2
20 United States Kevin Na 1 2 3
52 France Alexander Lévy 0 3 4

Final 16 bracket

First round
May 2 – morning
Quarter-finals
May 2 – afternoon
Semi-finals
May 3 – morning
Final
May 3 – afternoon
            
1 Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy 6&5
16 Japan Hideki Matsuyama
1 Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy 22h
36 England Paul Casey
37 South Africa Charl Schwartzel
36 England Paul Casey 3&1
1 Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy 1up
5 United States Jim Furyk
5 United States Jim Furyk 5&3
12 United States J. B. Holmes
5 United States Jim Furyk 4&2
29 South Africa Louis Oosthuizen
29 South Africa Louis Oosthuizen 1 up
13 United States Rickie Fowler
1 Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy 4&2
50 United States Gary Woodland
56 Australia Marc Leishman
50 United States Gary Woodland 2&1
50 United States Gary Woodland 5&3
60 Australia John Senden
60 Australia John Senden 2&1
31 United States Hunter Mahan
50 United States Gary Woodland 3&2
48 England Danny Willett
38 South Africa Branden Grace Third place
54 England Tommy Fleetwood 2&1
54 England Tommy Fleetwood 5 United States Jim Furyk
48 England Danny Willett 4&3 48 England Danny Willett 3&2
26 England Lee Westwood
48 England Danny Willett 3&2

The match between Rory McIlroy and Paul Casey was completed on May 3 having been all square after 21 holes when it became too dark to continue.

Prize money breakdown

Place Description US ($)
1 Champion 1,570,000
2 Runner-up 930,000
3 Third place 646,000
4 Fourth place 520,000
T5 Losing quarter-finalists x 4 285,000
T9 Losing round of 16 x 8 150,000
T17 Those with 2–1 record in pool play x 17 85,824
T34 Those with 1–2 record in pool play x 18 63,500
T52 Those with 0–3 record in pool play x 13 49,385
Total 9,250,000
  • Source:

References

  1. ^ "Rory McIlroy wins WGC Match Play by beating Gary Woodland". BBC Sport. May 3, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  2. ^ "Cadillac new title sponsor of WGC-Match Play". PGA Tour. September 30, 2014.
  3. ^ "Mickelson withdraws from WGC-Cadillac Match Play". PGA Tour. April 26, 2015.
  4. ^ "Tim Clark (elbow) withdraws from Match Play Championship". ESPN. Associated Press. April 23, 2015.
  5. ^ Sobel, Jason (April 27, 2015). "Phil Mickelson pulls out of Match Play, cites personal reasons". ESPN.
  6. ^ "WGC-Cadillac Match Play's new drawing process". PGA Tour. March 18, 2015.
  7. ^ "Match Play gets new format for '15". ESPN. Associated Press. July 2, 2014.
  8. ^ Harig, Bob (April 30, 2015). "Jordan Spieth handles Mikko Ilonen to advance in WGC-Cadillac Match Play". ESPN.
  9. ^ Harig, Bob (April 30, 2015). "Rory McIlroy advances at Match Play, will next face Billy Horschel". ESPN.
  10. ^ "Rickie Fowler assured of advancing at Match Play; Jordan Spieth 2-0". ESPN. Associated Press. May 1, 2015.
  11. ^ "McIlroy rallies to advance in Match Play Championship". USA Today. Associated Press. May 2, 2015.
  12. ^ Sobel, Jason (May 1, 2015). "Five ways to fix the 'new' WGC-Match Play". ESPN.
  13. ^ "Past Results – World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play". Retrieved March 30, 2021.

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