Tiger Woods commits to the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play

Top 64 in the world rankings have officially secured qualification for 2019 event

AUSTIN, Texas – Tournament officials announced today that 80-time PGA TOUR winner Tiger Woods has committed to the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club March 27-31. Woods, who has 18 career World Golf Championships titles to his credit, will be making his 14th career start in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, but first career start in Austin.

“I'm hoping that I can play all the matches,” Woods said Sunday about the Dell Technologies Match Play. “That would be great, I'm guaranteed to play three instead of -- when I played it was only one guaranteed, so that's kind of nice knowing that I'll be able to get at least three good rounds in, possibly more if I play well, and that's basically like a tournament.”

Woods is the only three-time winner of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play (2003, 2004, 2008) and remains the only player in tournament history to successfully defend his title. His last start at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play came in 2013, where he fell in the opening round to Charles Howell III 2 & 1.

“We’re incredibly excited that Tiger Woods has added the Dell Technologies Match Play to his schedule and know our fans will be thrilled to get the chance to watch him compete in Austin as he further chases history,” said Jordan Uppleger, Executive Director of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. “The addition of Tiger adds to an already stacked field, and we are encouraging fans to buy their tickets now before they are no longer available.”

With the group format of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, which was adopted in 2015 and which Woods has never participated in, Austin fans will be treated to at least three matches from Woods, who has been responsible for some of the most dominant wins in tournament history. Woods famously beat Stephen Ames 9 & 8 in the first round in 2006 for the largest margin of defeat in tournament history, curtly replying, “9 & 8” when he was asked if Ames’ pre-tournament comments had fueled him in the match. In his third career WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play victory in 2008, Woods posted an 8 & 7 win over Stewart Cink in the 36-hole championship match, the largest margin of defeat in championship match history.

On the way to his 2008 victory, Woods produced one of the most memorable matches in tournament history with a thrilling, come-from-behind win against J.B. Holmes in the first round. Entering the 14th hole 3-down, Woods won the next four holes with three birdies and an eagle and closed out Holmes 1-up on his way to winning his third career WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play title.

Due to the unpredictable nature and drama that the match-play format produces, Woods has also been apart of some of the biggest upsets in tournament history, with Nick O’Hern snapping his streak of 13 consecutive match victories 3 & 1 in the first round in 2005 and then famously beating him two years later with a 20th-hole birdie in the 2007 third round as well.

The WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play will mark Woods’ fifth start of the 2018-19 PGA TOUR Season. Woods made his season debut at the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego where he carded a final-round 67 to finish T20. He finished T15 at the Genesis Open, T10 at the WGC-Mexico Championship and T30 at last week’s THE PLAYERS Championship.

Over the course of his illustrious career, Woods has proven incredible in match-play format, winning three WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, three consecutive U.S. Amateurs, and three consecutive U.S. Junior Amateurs. Woods will be the Captain of the 2019 U.S. Presidents Cup Team as well, which is set to take place at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in December.

Woods is among the top 64 players in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) as of Monday, March 18, who are now officially qualified for the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. Players have until 5 p.m. ET on Friday, March 22, to commit to the field. Players who do not commit by the deadline will be replaced by Nos. 65, 66, etc., in the OWGR until the field of 64 is filled.

Jim Furyk was the only player that moved into the top 64 in the world rankings this weekend after finishing runner-up to Rory McIlroy at THE PLAYERS Championship.

The top four in the OWGR lead the way, including world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, defending FedExCup champion and No. 2-ranked Justin Rose, 2018 PGA TOUR Player of the Year Brooks Koepka and THE PLAYERS Championship winner Rory McIlroy (No. 4).

Rank Player
1 Dustin Johnson
2 Justin Rose
3 Brooks Koepka
4 Rory McIlroy
5 Justin Thomas
6 Bryson DeChambeau
7 Francesco Molinari
8 Rickie Fowler
9 Xander Schauffele
10 Jon Rahm
11 Tommy Fleetwood
12 Jason Day
13 Tiger Woods
14 Tony Finau
15 Paul Casey
16 Patrick Reed
17 Bubba Watson
18 Marc Leishman
19 Patrick Cantlay
20 Webb Simpson
21 Phil Mickelson
22 Matt Kuchar
23 Gary Woodland
24 Hideki Matsuyama
25 Cameron Smith
26 Sergio Garcia
27 Louis Oosthuizen
28 Alex Noren
29 Adam Scott
30 Jordan Spieth
31 Rafa Cabrera Bello
32 Ian Poulter
33 Keegan Bradley
34 Matthew Fitzpatrick
35 Matt Wallace
36 Eddie Pepperell
37 Tyrrell Hatton
38 Haotong Li
39 Henrik Stenson
40 Billy Horschel
41 Kiradech Aphibarnrat
42 Branden Grace
43 Kyle Stanley
44 Charles Howell III
45 J.B. Holmes
46 Brandt Snedeker
47 Shane Lowry
48 Justin Harding
49 Thorbjorn Olesen
50 Kevin Kisner
51 Byeong Hun An
52 Lucas Bjerregaard
53 Andrew Putnam
54 Emiliano Grillo
55 Si Woo Kim
56 Chez Reavie
57 Jim Furyk
58 Keith Mitchell
59 Abraham Ancer
60 Kevin Na
61 Tom Lewis
62 Russell Knox
63 Aaron Wise
64 Lee Westwood

Players ranked 65-70 will fill the field in the event any players from above do not commit by Friday, March 22.

Rank Player
65 Satoshi Kodaira
66 Luke List
67 Joost Luiten
68 Adam Hadwin
69 Ryan Palmer
70 Adrian Otaegu

Players already committed to the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play include World No. 1 Dustin Johnson, reigning PGA TOUR Player of the Year Brooks Koepka, former Longhorn Jordan Spieth, defending champion Bubba Watson, Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, and Francesco Molinari.

Upgraded hospitality for the event is no longer available, but a limited supply of daily grounds passes remain available at http://www.dellmatchplay.com for Wednesday and Thursday’s rounds at $130 plus taxes and fees and $160 plus taxes and fees for Friday-Sunday’s rounds, while weekly grounds tickets are available for $405 plus taxes and fees. As part of the best youth ticket policy in sports, the PGA TOUR and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play is once again admitting one youth 18 & under in free when accompanied by a ticketed adult to come catch the best 64 players in the world battle match-play style.

Although the tournament no longer has the ULTRA Club and 360 Club presented by Microsoft tickets for Wednesday-Sunday’s rounds available, fans that remain interested in purchasing these upgraded hospitality tickets are encouraged to visit the Ticket Exchange at www.dellmatchplay.com, which is the official fan-to-fan resale marketplace of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

As one in a series of four World Golf Championships events sanctioned and organized by the operational committee of the International Federation of PGA Tours, which includes the Asian Tour, European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Sunshine Tour, the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play is one of the most exciting and biggest events on golf’s calendar.

For more information, follow the tournament’s social pages: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit www.dellmatchplay.com.