Asia’s stars look to challenge at WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play

Indian-American Sahith Theegala Reddy joins a list of Asia’s best golfers at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play that begins at Austin Country Club in Texas on Wednesday, with Korea’s rising star Joohyung ‘Tom; Kim grouped with world no. 1 and defending champion Scottie Scheffler.

The 26-th ranked Theegala as he is now widely-known on the PGA Tour, has been grouped in flight 11 along with England’s Matt Fitzpatrick (world number 11), Australia’s Min Woo Lee (41) and J.J. Spaun of the US (61) at the $20 million tournament.

Given their recent form, Asia’s representatives are expected to provide a solid challenge at the Austin Country Club, the PGA Tour said.

Kim, 20, who has won twice on the PGA Tour, makes his debut at the event that comprises of the leading 64 players in the world. Kim will also have European Ryder Cup strongman Alex Noren and Davis Riley for company in Group 1.

A change in tournament format to match play will bring back good memories for the uber-talented Kim, who sparkled at the Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow last September for the International Team where he contributed two points.

He partnered K.H. Lee in a 2&1 victory over Scheffler and Sam Burns in the foursomes on Saturday morning and then lined up with Si Woo Kim to snatch a thrilling 1-up result over Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele in the four-ball where he holed the winning putt on the 18th green.

Joohyung Kim also has an association with India where at the age of 17 years and 149 days, he won the fog-reduced Panasonic Open India in 2019 as the second-youngest winner on the Asian Tour.

Si Woo in his sixth appearance in the Dell Technologies Match Play will be keen to advance beyond the group stage for the first time. The four-time PGA Tour winner is in Group 8 alongside Viktor Hovland, Chris Kirk and 2013 winner Matt Kuchar.

The 27-year-old Si Woo was the leading performer for the Internationals where he picked up three points, including a 1-up win over Justin Thomas in the Singles

After finishing tied 19th at the Valspar Championship on Sunday, Lee makes his debut in the Dell Technologies Match Play in the company of Patrick Cantlay, Brian Harman and Nick Taylor in Group 4 while a fourth Korean, Sungjae Im, was drawn alongside Tommy Fleetwood, J.T. Poston and Maverick McNealy.

Im will be looking to progress beyond the group stage for the first time in what is his third appearance in the tournament.

Japanese superstar Hideki Matsuyama, an eight-time PGA Tour winner, is in Group 6 with Max Homa, Justin Suh and Kevin Kisner, who won the tournament in 2019 and was runner-up to Scheffler last year.

No Asian golfer has won the Dell Technologies Match Play since its inception in 1999. Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat qualified for the quarter-finals in 2018, as did countryman Thongchai Jaidee in 2010.

Korean K.J. Choi was also a quarter-finalist in 2008. Japan’s Hideto Tanihara was a surprise semi-finalist where he eventually finished fourth in 2017 while compatriot Toru Taniguchi holds the honour of being the best Asian finisher in the history of the tournament when he finished third in 2001.

Following are the groupings for the event

Group 1 Scottie Scheffler (1) Tom Kim (17) Alex Noren (38) Davis Riley (54)

Group 2 Jon Rahm (2) Billy Horschel (22) Keith Mitchell (39) Rickie Fowler (49)

Group 3 Rory McIlroy (3) Keegan Bradley (20) Denny McCarthy (48) Scott Stallings (52)

Group 4 Patrick Cantlay (4) Brian Harman (25) K.H. Lee (35) Nick Taylor (55)

Group 5 Max Homa (5) Hideki Matsuyama (18) Kevin Kisner (42) Justin Suh (63)

Group 6 Xander Schauffele (6) Tom Hoge (23) Aaron Wise (40) Cam Davis (64)

Group 7 Will Zalatoris (7) Ryan Fox (29) Harris English (37) Andrew Putnam (56)

Group 8 Viktor Hovland (8) Chris Kirk (28) Si Woo Kim (34) Matt Kuchar (59)

Group 9 Collin Morikawa (9) Jason Day (32) Adam Svensson (44) Victor Perez (51)

Group 10 Tony Finau (10) Kurt Kitayama (19) Adrian Meronk (45) Christiaan Bezuidenhout (60)

Group 11 Matt Fitzpatrick (11) Sahith Theegala (26) Min Woo Lee (41) J.J. Spaun (61)

Group 12 Jordan Spieth (12) Shane Lowry (21) Taylor Montgomery (47) Mackenzie Hughes (50)

Group 13 Sam Burns (13) Seamus Power (30) Adam Scott (33) Adam Hadwin (53)

Group 14 Tyrrell Hatton (14) Russell Henley (31) Lucas Herbert (46) Ben Griffin (62)

Group 15 Cameron Young (15) Sepp Straka (27) Corey Conners (36) Davis Thompson (57)

Group 16 Sungjae Im (16)

Tommy Fleetwood (24) J.T. Poston (43) Maverick McNealy (58)