Golf:Pádraig Harrington is in line to face two-time champion Geoff Ogilvy at the WGC-Accenture Match Play next week. The Dubliner will face the Australian, a winner in 2006 and 2009, if all the world's top 64 show up in Tucson.
Graeme McDowell, the highest ranked Irish player in the field (fifth), is due to open his campaign against Heath Slocum while Rory McIlroy will face another American after being provisionally drawn against Jonathan Byrd.
With Phil Mickelson now deciding to return to the event after missing it last year — as did Tiger Woods in the aftermath of his personal problems — the only current doubt is thought to be Francesco Molinari.
The Italian’s wife Valentina gave birth to their first child last weekend and he is making a decision later this week on whether to make the long trip.
Ian Poulter is set to start the defence of his title against 2009 British Open champion Stewart Cink. And Thomas Bjorn’s “reward” for leaping into the field with his Qatar Masters victory a week ago could be a duel with Tiger Woods.
The only change in the game’s top 64 in the final week of qualifying was Dane Anders Hansen replacing former winner Henrik Stenson thanks to his joint runners-up finish at the Dubai Desert Classic.
American Steve Marino would have made it too if he had birdied the last hole to take outright second place in the AT&T National Pro-am at Pebble Beach, but he ran up a triple bogey eight.
While the long-time leader faded in the final round, DAPoints tasted success for the first time on the PGA Tour. The American finished his four rounds, spread across three courses, on 15-under, two shots clear of Hunter Mahan, who carded a 66 on Sunday.
Points, who was partnered by actor Bill Murray, managed to overhaul Marino, the man who had led the competition from the off. Marino sent his third shot on the 18th into the Pacific Ocean, knowing he needed an eagle to force a play-off with Points.
It was an eagle on the par-five 14th that had helped Points get his nose in front on the final day.
“Pebble Beach may be the most iconic place in America to play golf, and to win here is amazing,” Points said.
As a result, he will compete in the US Masters at Augusta for the first time. Marino ended up five shots behind Points, with three-time major winner Mickelson a further two shots back. A disappointing final round of 78 saw Harrington drop to 63rd position overall.
Provisional WGC-Accenture Match Play draw(seeded positions in brackets):
(1) Lee Westwood v (64) Toru Taniguchi, (32) Nick Watney v (33) Anthony Kim, (16) Retief Goosen v (49) KJ Choi, (17) Francesco Molinari v (48) Ryan Moore, (8) Steve Stricker v (57) Matteo Manassero, (25) Charl Schwartzel v (40) Ryo Ishikawa, (9) Luke Donald v (56) Charley Hoffman, (24) Edoardo Molinari v (41) Martin Laird
(4) Phil Mickelson v (61) Brendan Jones, (29) Rickie Fowler v (36) Peter Hanson, (13) Matt Kuchar v (52) Anders Hansen, (20) Louis Oosthuizen v (45) Bo Van Pelt, (5) Graeme McDowellv (60) Heath Slocum, (28) Robert Allenby v (37) Ross Fisher, (12) Ian Poulter v (53) Stewart Cink, (21) Alvaro Quiros v (44) YE Yang
(2) Martin Kaymer v (63) Noh Seung-yul, (31) Zach Johnson v (34) Justin Rose, (15) Robert Karlsson v (50) Hiroyuki Fujita, ((18) Hunter Mahan v (47) Sean O'Hair, (7) Rory McIlroyv ((58) Jonathan Byrd, (26) Adam Scott v (39) Ben Crane, (10) Jim Furyk v (55) Ryan Palmer, (23) Miguel Angel Jimenez v (42) Yuta Ikeda
(3) Tiger Woods v (62) Thomas Bjorn, (30) Geoff Ogilvy v (35) Pádraig Harrington,(14) Dustin Johnson v (51) Mark Wilson, (19) Bubba Watson v (46) Bill Haas, (6) Paul Casey v (59) Richard Green, (27) Kim Kyung-tae v (38) Jason Day, (11) Ernie Els v (54) Jeff Overton, (22) Tim Clark v (43) Camilo Villegas
