World Golf Championship-Dell Match Play: Bracket breakdown, favorites and sleepers

Jordan Spieth

If your NCAA Tournament bracket is busted — we know it probably is — then this week's World Golf Championship-Dell Match Play gives you another shot at creating a perfect bracket.

This is the only match-play event on tour. It also had a bit of a facelift since its inauguration in 1999.

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The event originally was single-elimination all the way through. Players competed in a 64-man bracket very similar to the NCAA Tournament. Last year, the event adopted a World Cup-like format that features 16 groups of four golfers. One player will win his group, then enter a single-elimination knockout stage with 16 golfers remaining.

Some pros, like Henrik Stenson, who chose not to compete this week, are not fans of the changes. Stenson feels the round-robin start takes the edge out of match play because Friday's matches may not even matter.

With that being said, expect a lot of fireworks as difficult Austin Country Club hosts the event for the first time. Winds are expected to be high and water is in play there, so there could be some interesting duels.

Here are the groups and our predicted winners:

Group 1

Jordan Spieth
Justin Thomas
Victor Dubuisson
Jamie Donaldson

Moving on: Spieth and Thomas are good friends off the course who know each other's game's really well. Dubuisson finished second in this event in 2014, but Spieth at home — he went to the University of Texas, briefly — will be too much for the other three.

Sleeper: Despite entering the week in poor form, Dubuisson is capable of pulling off a few upsets. All eyes will be on the Spieth-Thomas matchup on Friday, but Dubuisson could sneak through.

Group 2

Jason Day
Paul Casey
Thongchai Jaidee
Graeme McDowell

Moving on: Casey enters the tournament with the best record in this event in the entire field. He has 20 wins and he has finished second twice in the event. He also made it to the final eight last year.

Sleeper: Jaidee may be the oldest player in the field, but he's sneaky around the greens. He could catch this group of stars unaware and advance to the final 16.

Group 3

Rory McIlroy
Kevin Na
Smylie Kaufman
Thorbjorn Olesen

Moving on: McIlroy, last year's champion, should have a pretty smooth road to the knockout stage. There are some sneaky-tough matchups in here, but expect the Northern Irishman to prevail.

Sleeper: Kaufman has enjoyed a fine rookie season. He won in the fall and owns consecutive top 15 finishes. Kaufman will be a force in this event — just not this week.

Group 4

Bubba Watson
J.B Holmes
Emiliano Grillo
Patton Kizzire

Moving on: In a group of heavy hitters, Watson has the best chance to make it through. He has been in great form this year and comes in with the most experience. Regardless of who wins, the match between Watson and Holmes will be fascinating to watch.

Sleeper: Grillo won in the fall and played well last week at Bay Hill. He ranks first on tour in total driving, which will be important in the windy conditions. He, not Holmes, will likely be Watson's biggest threat.

Group 5

Rickie Fowler
Byeong-Hun An
Scott Piercy
Jason Dufner

Moving on: At first glance, Fowler may have drawn the easiest group among the top 10 players; however, An is a player to watch and Piercy is dangerous when hot. Expect Fowler to make it through, though.

Sleeper: Dufner won earlier this year and has played on countless Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams. His match-play experience should at least vault him to second in this group, and maybe even to a position where he can topple the heavy favorite.

Group 6

Adam Scott
Bill Haas
Chris Wood
Thomas Pieters

Moving on: This one is tough. Scott might be the hottest golfer in the world right now, but he has been brutal in this event since his fine showing in 2003. We think Haas, who is a better wind player than Scott, will make it out of the group.

Sleeper: Wood, normally a European Tour player, has found success in recent events on American soil, posting a T-20 last week at Bay Hill. He has the firepower to cause a couple upsets.

Group 7

Justin Rose
Matt Kuchar
Anirban Lahiri
Fabian Gomez

Moving on: Rose should have no trouble making it through to the knockout stage. He's long off the tee, is solid with his irons and can handle wind. Rose will be more concerned with making a long run than advancing out of this group.

Sleeper: Lahiri has acquainted himself with PGA Tour golf this year, with mixed results. He finished second on the European Tour last week, so he should enter the tournament with confidence.

Group 8

Dustin Johnson
Jimmy Walker
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Robert Streb

Moving on: This group features a wide assortment of talents. Johnson smashes the ball and has had success in windy conditions. Walker is one of the best iron players on tour, and Aphibarnrat is an excellent putter. Walker makes it through in the state he played college golf (Baylor).

Sleeper: Aphibarnrat, nicknamed "Arm," finished in the top 10 last week and has impressed during WGC events in the past. Johnson is very beatable in match play and Walker's form is always a question.

Group 9

Patrick Reed
Phil Mickelson
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Daniel Berger

Moving on: There was a lot of buzz when this group was announced, but a second glance really separates two guys. Reed has been great in match play recently, so expect him to get through.

Sleeper: Berger is a hard-nosed golfer who doesn't get scared by his opponent. If Reed trash talks, Berger will give it right back. He hasn't been in the best form this year, but could break out of this group.

Group 10

Danny Willett
Brooks Koepka
Billy Horschel
Jaco Van Zyl

Moving on: Golf Channel called this one the "Group of Death" after it was announced. We, however, think Day and Casey's group is tougher. With that being said, any one of Willett, Koepka or Horschel could make it through. We give Koepka the slight upper hand.

Sleeper: Van Zyl won't get a lot of attention grouped with these three stars, but the hard-hitting South African can play. If the other three aren't on their games, Van Zyl could walk out of this group.

Group 11

Branden Grace
Russell Knox
David Lingmerth
Chris Kirk

Moving on: Grace is the most talented player in this group by far. His low ball flight should be a positive in the high winds as well. He just needs to take care of business on the greens.

Sleeper: Lingmerth is making his debut in this event. The talented Swede has flashed potential a couple times in the last two years. Consistency is an issue, but he could make some noise if he's in form.

Group 12

Hideki Matsuyama
Kevin Kisner
Soren Kjeldsen
Rafael Cabrera-Bello

Moving on: The battle between Matsuyama and Kisner would have been epic a couple months ago when Kisner was playing better than anyone. He has since slowed down, and Matsuyama is in form. He will advance easily.

Sleeper: Cabrera-Bello has two runner-up finishes on the European Tour this season and just finished T-11 at Doral. He's a streaky player who makes a lot of birdies. That could be dangerous in this format.

Group 13

Sergio Garcia
Marc Leishman
Ryan Moore
Lee Westwood

Moving on: This group would have been the group of death a couple years ago. Now, it's hard to say who will make it through because no one inspires much confidence. Moore, who is in the best form currently and has had success in match play, gets the nod.

Sleeper: Leishman is a dangerous player who seemingly plays his best golf in big events.

Group 14

Zach Johnson
Shane Lowry
Martin Kaymer
Marcus Fraser

Moving on: Lowry has upset McIlroy in this event event, and he won a WGC event last season. Johnson is always a tough opponent in match play, but he doesn't have a winning record in this tournament. Lowry gets through.

Sleeper: Kaymer is easily the most enigmatic golfer on tour. The two-time major champion has also won the Players and finished second at this event in 2011. His current form is brutal, though.

Group 15

Brandt Snedeker
Charl Schwartzel
Danny Lee
Charley Hoffman

Moving on: Schwartzel, despite not being the top seed in the group, is the favorite to make it through after advancing out of Dustin Johnson's group last year. Schwartzel also won the Valspar Championship two weeks ago.

Sleeper: Lee is a great iron player with a streaky putter. If he gets hot, he could get past this winnable group.

Group 16

Louis Oosthuizen
Andy Sullivan
Bernd Wiesberger
Matt Jones

Moving on: Sullivan will surprise some people and carry his good form into this week. The talented Englishman has won three times on the European Tour since the start of 2015.

Sleeper: Jones was in contention at the PGA Championship until the end last year. He's a solid wind player and streaky putter. Really, anyone could make it out of this group.

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