2015 WGC-Cadillac Match Play

2015 WGC-Cadillac
Match Play

Tournament information
Dates	April 29 – May 3, 2015
Location	San Francisco, California, U.S.
Course(s)	TPC Harding Park
Tour(s)	PGA Tour European Tour
Format	Match play – 18 holes
Statistics
Par	71
Length	7,127 yards (6,517 m)
Field	64 players
Prize fund	$9,250,000 €8,487,016
Winner's share	$1,570,000 €1,440,499
Champion
Rory McIlroy
def. Gary Woodland, 4 & 2
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San Francisco

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Location in the United States

San Francisco

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Location in California

The 2015 WGC-Cadillac Match Play was the 17th WGC-Cadillac Match Play Championship, played April 29 – May 3 at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, California. It was the second of four World Golf Championships in 2015. Top-ranked Rory McIlroy defeated Gary Woodland 4 & 2 in the final, for his second win in a WGC event, after his win in the 2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.^[1]

On September 30, 2014, Cadillac was announced as the new title sponsor.^[2]

The field consisted of the top 64 players available from the Official World Golf Ranking on April 19. However, the seedings were based on the World Rankings on April 26.^[3]

Luke Donald (ranked 50 on April 19, personal reasons),^[4] Tim Clark (ranked 57, injury),^[4] and Phil Mickelson (ranked 18, personal reasons)^[5] did not compete, allowing entry for Miguel Ángel Jiménez (ranked 65), Francesco Molinari (ranked 66), and Mikko Ilonen (ranked 67).

Two players made their WGC debut: Andy Sullivan and Ben Martin.

A new format was introduced in 2015. Previously, the Championship was a single elimination match play event. Beginning in 2015, the championship started with pool play, with 16 groups of four players playing round-robin matches, on Wednesday through Friday. There are no halved matches in pool play with extra holes played to determine the winner. The top 16 seeded players were allocated to the 16 groups, one in each group. The remaining 48 players were placed into three pools (seeds 17–32, seeds 33–48, seeds 49–64). Each group had one player randomly selected from each pool to complete the group.^[6]

The winners of each group advanced to a single-elimination bracket on the weekend, with the round of 16 and quarterfinals on Saturday, and the semi-finals, finals, and consolation match on Sunday.^[7] If two players are tied at the top of the group, the result of their head-to-head match determines the group winner. If three players are tied, the winner is determined by a sudden-death playoff.

Top 16 seeds Seed and Rank Player 1 Rory McIlroy 2 Jordan Spieth 3 Henrik Stenson 4 Bubba Watson 5 Jim Furyk 6 Justin Rose 7 Jason Day 8 Dustin Johnson 9 Adam Scott 10 Sergio García 11 Jimmy Walker 12 J. B. Holmes 13 Rickie Fowler 14 Matt Kuchar 15 Patrick Reed 16 Hideki Matsuyama

Pool 1 Seed Rank Player 17 17 Martin Kaymer 18 19 Billy Horschel 19 20 Brooks Koepka 20 21 Kevin Na 21 22 Victor Dubuisson 22 23 Ryan Palmer 23 24 Bill Haas 24 25 Zach Johnson 25 26 Chris Kirk 26 27 Lee Westwood 27 28 Ian Poulter 28 29 Ryan Moore 29 30 Louis Oosthuizen 30 31 Jamie Donaldson 31 32 Hunter Mahan 32 33 Graeme McDowell

Pool 2 Seed Rank Player 33 34 Keegan Bradley 34 35 Anirban Lahiri 35 36 Brandt Snedeker 36 37 Paul Casey 37 38 Charl Schwartzel 38 39 Branden Grace 39 40 Bernd Wiesberger 40 41 Matt Every 41 42 Stephen Gallacher 42 43 Brendon Todd 43 44 Joost Luiten 44 45 Thongchai Jaidee 45 46 Russell Henley 46 47 Webb Simpson 47 48 Shane Lowry 48 49 Danny Willett

Pool 3 Seed Rank Player 49 50 Charley Hoffman 50 52 Gary Woodland 51 53 Marc Warren 52 54 Alexander Lévy 53 56 Jason Dufner 54 57 Tommy Fleetwood 55 58 Harris English 56 60 Marc Leishman 57 61 Andy Sullivan 58 63 Matt Jones 59 64 George Coetzee 60 65 John Senden 61 67 Ben Martin 62 68 Mikko Ilonen 63 69 Miguel Ángel Jiménez 64 70 Francesco Molinari

Rank – Official World Golf Ranking on April 26, 2015.

Players were divided into 16 groups of four players and played round-robin matches on Wednesday to Friday.

• Round 1 – April 29
• Round 2 – April 30
• Round 3 – May 1

Notes: Round 1

Of the 32 matches played, 14 were "upsets" with the lower seeded player beating the higher seeded player. These included #3 Henrik Stenson (lost to #60 John Senden), #6 Justin Rose (lost to #56 Marc Leishman), #7 Jason Day (lost to #49 Charley Hoffman), and #9 Adam Scott (lost to #64 Francesco Molinari).^[8]

Notes: Round 2

Of the 32 matches played, 16 were upsets. These included #5 Jim Furyk (lost to #44 Thongchai Jaidee), #7 Day (lost to #38 Branden Grace), #8 Dustin Johnson (lost to #37 Charl Schwartzel), #9 Scott (lost to #36 Paul Casey), and #10 Sergio García (lost to #39 Bernd Wiesberger). Two players, #13 Rickie Fowler and #60 John Senden, were guaranteed to advance.^[9][10]

Notes: Round 3

Of the 32 matches played, 18 were upsets. These included #2 Jordan Spieth (lost to #26 Lee Westwood), #3 Stenson (lost to #23 Bill Haas), #4 Bubba Watson (lost to #29 Louis Oosthuizen), #7 Day (lost to #24 Zach Johnson), #9 Scott (lost to #25 Chris Kirk), and #10 García (lost to #30 Jamie Donaldson). Day, Scott and Jimmy Walker were the only top seeds to lose all three matches. Only five of the top seeds advanced: #1 Rory McIlroy, #5 Furyk, #12 J. B. Holmes, #13 Fowler, and #16 Hideki Matsuyama. 12 of the 16 group winners advanced with perfect 3–0 records. Three groups winners advanced based on head-to-head tie-breaker and one group went to a three-way sudden-death playoff. Branden Grace defeated Zach Johnson and Charley Hoffman on the third extra hole in group 7. In Group 11, all six matches of the three rounds were upsets. A total of 18 of the 96 matches went extra holes, causing some to suggest altering the format next year to include halved matches.^[11][12]

Group 1 Round Winner Score Loser 1 McIlroy 5 & 4 Dufner Horschel 5 & 4 Snedeker 2 McIlroy 2 up Snedeker Horschel 3 & 2 Dufner 3 McIlroy 20 h Horschel Dufner 1 up Snedeker Seed Player W L Finish 1 Rory McIlroy 3 0 1 18 Billy Horschel 2 1 2 53 Jason Dufner 1 2 3 35 Brandt Snedeker 0 3 4

Group 2 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Spieth 4 & 2 Ilonen Westwood 1 up Every 2 Spieth 4 & 3 Every Westwood 1 up Ilonen 3 Westwood 1 up Spieth Ilonen 8 & 6 Every Seed Player W L Finish 26 Lee Westwood 3 0 1 2 Jordan Spieth 2 1 2 62 Mikko Ilonen 1 2 3 40 Matt Every 0 3 4

Group 3 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Senden 19 h Stenson Haas 3 & 2 Todd 2 Stenson 3 & 2 Todd Senden 4 & 3 Haas 3 Haas 3 & 1 Stenson Senden 1 up Todd Seed Player W L Finish 60 John Senden 3 0 1 23 Bill Haas 2 1 2 3 Henrik Stenson 1 2 3 42 Brendon Todd 0 3 4

Group 4 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Watson 5 & 4 Jiménez Oosthuizen 6 & 5 Bradley 2 Watson 4 & 2 Bradley Oosthuizen 2 up Jiménez 3 Oosthuizen 19 h Watson Jiménez 2 up Bradley Seed Player W L Finish 29 Louis Oosthuizen 3 0 1 4 Bubba Watson 2 1 2 63 Miguel Ángel Jiménez 1 2 3 33 Keegan Bradley 0 3 4

Group 5 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Furyk 3 & 2 Coetzee Kaymer 3 & 1 Jaidee 2 Jaidee 3 & 1 Furyk Coetzee 19 h Kaymer 3 Furyk 20 h Kaymer Coetzee 21 h Jaidee Seed Player W L Finish 5 Jim Furyk 2 1 1 59 George Coetzee 2 1 2 17 Martin Kaymer 1 2 T3 44 Thongchai Jaidee 1 2

Group 6 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Leishman 3 & 2 Rose Lahiri 4 & 2 Palmer 2 Rose 19 h Lahiri Leishman 4 & 3 Palmer 3 Rose 2 & 1 Palmer Leishman 1 up Lahiri Seed Player W L Finish 56 Marc Leishman 3 0 1 6 Justin Rose 2 1 2 34 Anirban Lahiri 1 2 3 22 Ryan Palmer 0 3 4

Group 7 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Hoffman 4 & 3 Day Z. Johnson 2 up Grace 2 Grace 4 & 3 Day Hoffman 2 & 1 Z. Johnson 3 Z. Johnson 3 & 2 Day Grace 2 & 1 Hoffman Seed Player W L Finish 38 Branden Grace 2 1 1 24 Zach Johnson 2 1 T2 49 Charley Hoffman 2 1 7 Jason Day 0 3 4 Grace won sudden-death playoff with a birdie on the third hole.

Group 8 Round Winner Score Loser 1 D. Johnson 3 & 1 Jones Schwartzel 5 & 4 Dubuisson 2 Schwartzel 20 h D. Johnson Jones 2 up Dubuisson 3 D. Johnson 2 & 1 Dubuisson Schwartzel 20 h Jones Seed Player W L Finish 37 Charl Schwartzel 3 0 1 8 Dustin Johnson 2 1 2 58 Matt Jones 1 2 3 21 Victor Dubuisson 0 3 4

Group 9 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Molinari 5 & 4 Scott Casey 22 h Kirk 2 Casey 1 up Scott Kirk 2 & 1 Molinari 3 Kirk 1 up Scott Casey 1 up Molinari Seed Player W L Finish 36 Paul Casey 3 0 1 25 Chris Kirk 2 1 2 64 Francesco Molinari 1 2 3 9 Adam Scott 0 3 4

Group 10 Round Winner Score Loser 1 García 2 up Fleetwood Donaldson 1 up Wiesberger 2 Wiesberger 2 & 1 García Fleetwood 21 h Donaldson 3 Donaldson 2 & 1 García Fleetwood 19 h Wiesberger Seed Player W L Finish 54 Tommy Fleetwood 2 1 1 30 Jamie Donaldson 2 1 2 39 Bernd Wiesberger 1 2 T3 10 Sergio García 1 2

Group 11 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Woodland 19 h Walker Simpson 3 & 2 Poulter 2 Simpson 19 h Walker Woodland 3 & 2 Poulter 3 Poulter 4 & 2 Walker Woodland 1 up Simpson Seed Player W L Finish 50 Gary Woodland 3 0 1 46 Webb Simpson 2 1 2 27 Ian Poulter 1 2 3 11 Jimmy Walker 0 3 4

Group 12 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Warren 2 & 1 Holmes Koepka 1 up Henley 2 Holmes 19 h Henley Koepka 20 h Warren 3 Holmes 2 & 1 Koepka Henley 1 up Warren Seed Player W L Finish 12 J. B. Holmes 2 1 1 19 Brooks Koepka 2 1 2 45 Russell Henley 1 2 T3 51 Marc Warren 1 2

Group 13 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Fowler 1 up English Lowry 1 up McDowell 2 Fowler 1 up Lowry English 2 & 1 McDowell 3 Fowler 5 & 4 McDowell English 1 up Lowry Seed Player W L Finish 13 Rickie Fowler 3 0 1 55 Harris English 2 1 2 47 Shane Lowry 1 2 3 32 Graeme McDowell 0 3 4

Group 14 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Martin 1 up Kuchar Mahan 7 & 6 Gallacher 2 Kuchar 3 & 2 Gallacher Mahan 5 & 3 Martin 3 Mahan 5 & 4 Kuchar Martin 20 h Gallacher Seed Player W L Finish 31 Hunter Mahan 3 0 1 61 Ben Martin 2 1 2 14 Matt Kuchar 1 2 3 41 Stephen Gallacher 0 3 4

Group 15 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Reed 2 & 1 Sullivan Willett 3 & 2 Moore 2 Willett 2 & 1 Reed Sullivan 3 & 2 Moore 3 Reed 1 up Moore Willett 1 up Sullivan Seed Player W L Finish 48 Danny Willett 3 0 1 15 Patrick Reed 2 1 2 57 Andy Sullivan 1 2 3 28 Ryan Moore 0 3 4

Group 16 Round Winner Score Loser 1 Matsuyama 5 & 4 Lévy Luiten 19 h Na 2 Matsuyama 2 up Luiten Na 3 & 1 Lévy 3 Matsuyama 5 & 4 Na Luiten 1 up Lévy Seed Player W L Finish 16 Hideki Matsuyama 3 0 1 43 Joost Luiten 2 1 2 20 Kevin Na 1 2 3 52 Alexander Lévy 0 3 4

First round May 2 – morning

Quarter-finals May 2 – afternoon

Semi-finals May 3 – morning

Final May 3 – afternoon

1

Rory McIlroy

6&5

16

Hideki Matsuyama

1

Rory McIlroy

22h

36

Paul Casey

37

Charl Schwartzel

36

Paul Casey

3&1

1

Rory McIlroy

1up

5

Jim Furyk

5

Jim Furyk

5&3

12

J. B. Holmes

5

Jim Furyk

4&2

29

Louis Oosthuizen

29

Louis Oosthuizen

1 up

13

Rickie Fowler

1

Rory McIlroy

4&2

50

Gary Woodland

56

Marc Leishman

50

Gary Woodland

2&1

50

Gary Woodland

5&3

60

John Senden

60

John Senden

2&1

31

Hunter Mahan

50

Gary Woodland

3&2

48

Danny Willett

38

Branden Grace

Third place

54

Tommy Fleetwood

2&1

54

Tommy Fleetwood

5

Jim Furyk

48

Danny Willett

4&3

48

Danny Willett

3&2

26

Lee Westwood

48

Danny Willett

3&2

The match between Rory McIlroy and Paul Casey was completed on May 3 having been all square after 21 holes when it became too dark to continue.

• Source:^[13]

• Official website
• Coverage on the European Tour's official site

37°43′26″N 122°29′35″W / 37.724°N 122.493°W / 37.724; -122.493