WGC-Accenture Match Play Power Rankings: Euros Lead Ranks

February 23 2011 Last updated at 02:30 PM ET

As March Madness draws near, this week's PGA stop will give you a little taste of the bracket format that makes college basketball so exciting. The World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championships is one of the best tournaments outside of the majors, pitting the top 64 available players in the world rankings.

This will easily be the best field thus far in 2011, and it will be particularly interesting to see the top 5 players in the world all in the same location for the first time since Tiger Woods was unseated as No. 1.

We've decided to break this week's power rankings down a little differently due to the match play format. This week we'll dissect players' chances by where they're seeded.

From the top group (seeds 1-4), here are the three that have the best chance:

1. Graeme McDowell -- Last time we saw McDowell in a match play format, he was closing out Hunter Mahan to retain the Ryder Cup for Europe. He's playing in the same half of the bracket as defending champion Ian Poulter, but McDowell is arguably the best player in the world right now.

2. Rory McIlroy -- McDowell's fellow countryman hasn't finished outside of the top 10 in six starts and holds a 4-2 all-time record at this event. McIlroy has a difficult draw that includes a possible matchup with Martin Kaymer. It would be a coin toss at that point, but I like McIlroy's game a slight bit more at the moment.

3. Martin Kaymer -- Rounding out the European trifecta of favorites, the No. 2 player in the world could very well be the only No. 1 seed to advance beyond Friday. As a Ryder Cup rookie, the German lost just once in four matches. With a potential matchup looming, Kaymer or McIlroy won't be making the semifinals, but whoever escapes the Player bracket will be a heavy favorite come Sunday.

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Here are the players to watch from the next group of high seeds (5-8):

1. Charles Schwartzel -- The No. 7 seed is my surprise pick of the tournament. The South African sits 2nd in the European Tour's Race to Dubai after recording one win and four other top-8s in five starts this year. Schwartzel will have to navigate a difficult draw to pull the upset.

2. J.B. Holmes -- He's been awfully close to winning in 2011, with finishes of T12, T13 and T5 in his previous three starts. The No. 6 seed in the Snead Bracket, which is arguably the most difficult of the four, will likely have to get through Ernie Els and Paul Casey just to make the quarterfinals.

3. Rickie Fowler -- As a No. 8 seed, he could face Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, and McDowell in consecutive matches to win the Hogan Bracket. And while he's yet to win on Tour, Fowler (pictured) is experienced in match play. Along with a 7-1 Walker Cup record, most fans will remember him battling back to halve his match with Edoardo Molinari and keep the USA alive in the Ryder Cup.

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Now we move to the underdogs (we use that term loosely) of the tournament. Of the next four seeds (9-12), these three lead the way:

1. Bill Haas -- If you were picking an NCAA bracket, this would be the easy pick for the 5-12 upset. Haas' world ranking doesn't reflect his play at all. He's easily playing like a top-4 seed, finishing outside of the top 12 only once in five starts this year. This will be his tournament debut, but he'll be a fixture here for years.

2. Martin Laird -- The first Scot to break into the world's top 50 since Colin Montgomerie in 2007 has the game to make some noise this week. He's finished in the top 25 three out of his four starts. He ranks seventh in total driving, which could be key on this extremely long course.

3. Ryan Moore -- He tied for 4th a week ago at the Northern Trust Open. On the year, he ranks 8th in total driving in 16th in putts per round. He doesn't have a lot of match play experience, but he has a decent draw in the Jones Bracket as a 12-seed.

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One of the lowest seeds (13-16) has won this tournament three times but not since 2006. Here are the likely candidates this week:

1. Mark Wilson -- The two-time PGA winner in 2011 makes his WGC-Accenture debut as a 13-seed. He's playing the best golf of his life, but he'll have to get past Dustin Johnson and either Bubba Watson or Bill Haas just to make it to Friday.

2. Ryan Palmer -- His draw in the Player Bracket gives him an opportunity to advance a few rounds. He opens with match play stalwart Jim Furyk, who's not playing well. Then he'd get the easiest of the 6-seeds in Miguel Jimenez.

3. Jonathan Byrd -- Byrd was one of the last players into the field as 15-seed, but his game is solid right now. Already a winner in 2011, he's had success out of a similar position at this event. In 2008, Byrd upset top-seeded Ernie Els on his way to the third round.

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Now what everyone has been waiting for, Tiger Watch.

Tiger Woods -- For the first time since 2005, Woods isn't the top overall seed in the field. He'll play in the Snead Bracket and get the most difficult draw of the 1-seeds. If he advances past the second round, where he'll likely play two-time winner Geoff Ogilvy, it will be a mild surprise. If he makes it to the weekend, it would be an upset. Why? Six of the seven players on his half of the Snead Bracket have all won since Woods' last victory.

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