2015 WGC-Cadillac Match Play

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]

2015 WGC-Cadillac
Match Play
Tournament information
DatesApril 29 – May 3, 2015
LocationSan Francisco, California, U.S.
Course(s)TPC Harding Park
Tour(s)PGA Tour
European Tour
FormatMatch play – 18 holes
Statistics
Par71
Length7,127 yards (6,517 m)
Field64 players
Prize fund$9,250,000
8,487,016
Winner's share$1,570,000
€1,440,499
Champion
Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy
def. Gary Woodland, 4 & 2
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San Francisco is located in the United States
San Francisco
San Francisco
Location in the United States
San Francisco is located in California
San Francisco
San Francisco

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

Field

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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.

Format

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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

RankOfficial World Golf Ranking on April 26, 2015.

Results

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Pool play

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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

Final 16 bracket

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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.

Prize money breakdown

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Place Description US ($)
1 Champion 1,570,000
2 Runner-up 930,000
3 Third place 646,000
4 Fourth place 520,000
T5 Losing quarter-finalists x 4 285,000
T9 Losing round of 16 x 8 150,000
T17 Those with 2–1 record in pool play x 17 85,824
T34 Those with 1–2 record in pool play x 18 63,500
T52 Those with 0–3 record in pool play x 13 49,385
Total 9,250,000

References

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  1. ^ "Rory McIlroy wins WGC Match Play by beating Gary Woodland". BBC Sport. May 3, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  2. ^ "Cadillac new title sponsor of WGC-Match Play". PGA Tour. September 30, 2014.
  3. ^ "Mickelson withdraws from WGC-Cadillac Match Play". PGA Tour. April 26, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Tim Clark (elbow) withdraws from Match Play Championship". ESPN. Associated Press. April 23, 2015.
  5. ^ Sobel, Jason (April 27, 2015). "Phil Mickelson pulls out of Match Play, cites personal reasons". ESPN.
  6. ^ "WGC-Cadillac Match Play's new drawing process". PGA Tour. March 18, 2015.
  7. ^ "Match Play gets new format for '15". ESPN. Associated Press. July 2, 2014.
  8. ^ Harig, Bob (April 30, 2015). "Jordan Spieth handles Mikko Ilonen to advance in WGC-Cadillac Match Play". ESPN.
  9. ^ Harig, Bob (April 30, 2015). "Rory McIlroy advances at Match Play, will next face Billy Horschel". ESPN.
  10. ^ "Rickie Fowler assured of advancing at Match Play; Jordan Spieth 2-0". ESPN. Associated Press. May 1, 2015.
  11. ^ "McIlroy rallies to advance in Match Play Championship". USA Today. Associated Press. May 2, 2015.
  12. ^ Sobel, Jason (May 1, 2015). "Five ways to fix the 'new' WGC-Match Play". ESPN.
  13. ^ "Past Results – World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play". Retrieved March 30, 2021.
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37°43′26″N 122°29′35″W / 37.724°N 122.493°W / 37.724; -122.493