Ogilvy/Casey Final at Accenture Match Play

Two neighbors and buddies at Whisper Rock decided to make the 90 mile trek to the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, AZ, and play a practice round in advance of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. That little trip appears to have paid off in spades. Geoff Ogilvy and Paul Casey, the two friends mentioned, have a date in the 36 hole final tomorrow. They took decidedly different routes in the semifinals with the same result. Ogilvy took care of the last American in the field, Stewart Cink, 4 and 2, in a match that was never really close. Casey, on the other hand, dismissed fellow Brit Ross Fisher, 2 and 1, in an interminable match that both players seemed hell bent on throwing away. They combined for 23 strokes on holes 15 and 16 where combined par was 14. Casey ended the marathon on 17 with a conservatively played par on a 463 yard hole where he hit an iron off the tee. The slates are wiped clean however for tomorrow's final. Full tournament scoring.

Based on his winning this event before, Ogilvy would have to be considered the favorite. He has a major championship under his belt as well. Nevertheless, Casey is a bothersome opponent. He has a solid game in all aspects and is used to being in the winner's circle, just not in the US. Expect a solid match with Ogilvy's experience proving out in the end. Phew, last prediction for the week and probably for some time.



Til' next,