Aussie predictions for round 1 of 2015 WGC Cadillac Match Play

The first round of the WGC Match Play starts tomorrow, here are our predictions for the Aussie matches.

Five Australians are in the field for the WGC Cadillac Match Play Championship that begins tomorrow at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. The new format for the event means each player is assured of three matches before the best player from the 16 groups head to the knock-out stages on the weekend.

The Aussies are either seeded very high (Jason Day, Adam Scott) or very low (John Senden, Matt Jones, Marc Leishman) and on the surface, each of their opening matches look a little lop-sided.

Here are our predictions for round 1:

Marc Leishman (60) v Justin Rose (6)
The Zurich Classic was a success for both players. Marc Leishman made a good return to golf after his wife’s health scare, finishing in a tie for 28th. Justin Rose went one better than his tie for second place at The Masters by winning the tournament. Rose has a 71% winning record at the Ryder Cup and is on fire.
Prediction: Rose 3up

John Senden (65) v Henrik Stenson (3)
Henrik Stenson won the WGC Match Play in 2007 and finished third the year after but The Swede’s recent form at the event has not been as good.  Upsets happen all the time in match play but apart from a half-decent result at The Masters, Sendo’s form pales in comparison to Stenson’s right now.
Prediction: Stenson 4up

Jason Day (7) v Charley Hoffman (50)
Don’t be surprised if this is closer than you think. While Day is the defending champion and the cream of the crop of the Aussies at the moment, Charley Hoffman is beginning to get some of the form back that he lost when he cut off his hair.
Prediction: Day 2up

Matt Jones (63) v Dustin Johnson (8)
DJ’s average driving distance is 317.2 yards in 2015, Jones 290.9 yards. While Matt Jones is a better putter than Johnson, on a driving course with benign greens like TPC Harding Park, Jones will be playing catch up from the first tee.
Prediction: Johnson 3up

Adam Scott (7) v Francesco Molinari (50)
We love watching Francesco Molinari and this will be a great match to watch against Adam Scott. In summary though, Scotty is battling putter woes and The Italian is battling a wrist injury. If Scott can drive the ball without relying on making too many par putts, he should win this match.
Prediction: Scott 1up

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