WGC Dell Technologies Match Play: Tournament Format & History

Unlike most other tournaments that crown a champion based on total strokes, the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play (as its name suggests) is decided by match play. Match play involves two golfers dueling for individual holes over a round of golf. Whoever achieves the lowest score on a hole wins the hole, with no winner for tied holes.

The tournament starts with a group stage before moving to single-elimination matches until only one golfer remains. During the group stage, there are 16 groups of four golfers, and each golfer plays a match against the other three golfers in his group. Wins are worth two points, while halved matches are worth one point.

At the end of group play, the winner of each of the 16 groups advances to the single-elimination bracket play. If there's a tie for first place in the group, the tied golfers play a sudden-death playoff to decide the group winner.

Once the dust has settled on the group stage, the group winners head to bracket play. The round of 16 takes place Saturday morning, with the quarterfinals following on Saturday afternoon. Sunday morning hosts the semifinals, followed by the third-place match for the losers. The finalists play the final match on Sunday afternoon to determine the winner.

The match play championship is one of the most grueling tournaments to win, as the players who make the Sunday afternoon matches will have played three group stage matches, plus round of 16, quarterfinal, semifinal, and final (or consolation) matches, a total seven rounds of golf over five long days.

Austin Country Club has hosted the previous six WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play events. The course is basically built into the Colorado River and is easily accessible off Route 360. Casual golf viewers will recognize the course by the frequent shots of the Pennybacker Bridge, which sits over Lake Austin. Its arch form is practically on the golf course.

The private club was founded in 1899 and is one of the oldest clubs in all of Texas. Interestingly, however, 123 years of existence only apply to the name. The course is in its third location, and the current track was designed by famous golf course designer Pete Dye and opened in 1984.

Austin Country Club is synonymous with one of the game’s greatest instructors, Harvey Penick. He began there as a caddie and eventually lived out the rest of his days calling Austin Country Club his home. In fact, the furthest tee box at the club is called the Harvey tees. They measure 7,062 yards with a 75.2 rating and 152 slope (par-72).

Tiger Woods made his mark as being one of, if not the best, match-play golfers of all time at this very event. Woods has won this tournament a record three times (2003, 2004, 2008) and finished runner-up once (2000).

On a memorable Tiger note, he dismantled Stephen Ames in this event in 2006. When asked how he felt about his chances against Woods, Ames said: “Anything can happen. Especially where he’s hitting it.” Tiger went on to win every hole on the front nine and halved the 10th to hand Ames a ridiculous 9&8 drubbing. When asked if he had any extra motivation heading into the match, Woods said: “Oh yeah. There certainly was. Stephen provided it. I think I did alright today. I think he understands now.”

In 2002, Kevin Sutherland won the event as the 62nd seed, the record for the lowest-seeded player ever to win that still stands today. It was his only PGA Tour victory, but it was a memorable one. He defeated the number one golfer in the world, David Duval, as well as Jim Furyk and David Toms on his way to victory, and culminated his win by defeating Scott McCarron 1 up.

The No. 1 seed has won the WGC-Dell Technologies Play five times. Tiger in all three of his wins, Rory McIlroy in 2015, and Dustin Johnson in 2017.

In addition to his win in 2019, Kevin Kisner has a pair of runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2022. Two other players have two runner-up finishes. Paul Casey did it back-to-back in 2009-10, and Davis Love III in 2004 and 2006.

The 2020 championship was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the 23 events thus far, golfers from the U.S. have had the most success, with 14 victories. Players from England and Australia have each had four wins. The lone win for a player from any other country is Sweden's Henrik Stenson, who won in 2007.

Other courses to have hosted the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play are:

• TPC Harding Park (2015)
• Dove Mountain Golf Club (2009-2014)
• The Gallery Golf Club (2007-2008)
• Metropolitan Golf Club (2001)
• La Costa Resort (1999-2000, 2002-2006)