What to know about Austin's final Dell Match Play
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Dell Match Play reigning champ Scottie Scheffler plays a hole at Austin Country Club last year. Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Austin Country Club's final Dell Match Play — and the last PGA match play for at least a couple years — kicked off Wednesday, bringing the game's top golfers and thousands of visitors to town for the four-day tournament.
Driving the news: PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan confirmed earlier this month that this year's World Golf Championship Dell Technologies Match Play would be the final one at Austin Country Club, although he didn't rule out a match-play event at another location in the future.
- "I think for right now, for next season's schedule, it didn't work," Monahan told reporters. "But match play has been a staple out here. It's been a staple on the DP World Tour. I think that will certainly be a consideration as we go forward."
Whether you're an avid golf fan or would rather stick to March Madness, we're breaking down what you need to know about the tournament:
- In Match Play, sixty-four players face off in 16 groups of four.
- In round-robin group play — or the first, second and third rounds — competitors play 18-hole matches against each of the other players in their group.
- The player in each pod with the most points at the end of group play advances to the 16-player, single-elimination matches.
- By Sunday, there will be two semi-finals, during which winners advance to the championship match and losers play for third place.
Still with us? If you're lost, here comes the fun stuff:
- Stop by Fan Village between the 12th and 16th fairways for a souvenir and lunch, featuring food from Taco Bronco, Micklethwait Craft Meats BBQ, Hat Creek Burger Company, Early Campbell Smoke Sausage and Amy's Ice Cream.
- Grab a drink at the Maestro Tequila Deck on the front nine, or stop by the Tito's Stillhouse Lounge on the 12th fairway.
Worth mentioning: Tito's Bogey Boat returns to Lake Austin, overlooking the 13th hole, and features a live DJ, photo booth, food and more.
- The first 10 people to stop by the Love, Tito's retail store Thursday and Friday can win a VIP ticket to the bogey boat.
What we're watching: Whether University of Texas darlings — defending champion Scottie Scheffler or Jordan Spieth — will bring home a piece of the tournament's record-breaking $20 million purse.
What they're saying: "I love match play," Scheffler told reporters in Austin on Tuesday. "I like the simplicity of it. All you have to do is just go out there and try and beat the guy that's in front of you and if you don't, you lose, and if you beat him, you win. So the simplicity of it is what I enjoy."
How to watch: Tickets are still available online, or you can stream the action at PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ and Peacock.