Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell is set to play Tiger Woods in the first round of the World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play Championship at La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad, California, next week, subject to no further withdrawals.
McDowell, 65th in the latest world rankings, secured his place in the 64-man field after Spain's Sergio Garcia said he does not intend to play. If no other players pull out before next Monday, McDowell will face a formidable opponent in the World Number One. But whilst Woods has taken the title in two of the last three years, he has also been bettered over the years by European Tour Members Nick O'Hern, Peter O'Malley and, of course, Darren Clarke in the 2000 final.
England's Paul Broadhurst, 64th in the World, is set to make his debut in the event against World Number Two Vijay Singh.
World Number Three Retief Goosen is poised to face 2004 European Ryder Cup Captain Bernhard Langer in one of eight ties pitching European Tour Members against each other. US Open Champion Michael Campbell will play last week's third place finisher Richard Green while Angel Cabrera, winner of the BMW Championship last season, faces Paul Casey.
Fellow Englishman Ian Poulter, who reached the quarter-finals and semi-finals in his previous two appearances in the event, climbed from 67th to 59th in the World Rankings by finishing joint sixth in the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth at the weekend. Providing no more players pull out, Poulter will face last year's beaten finalist and winner of the recent Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, Chris DiMarco.
In-form Swede Henrik Stenson will make his debut against Tim Herron.
Scotland's Colin Montgomerie, back in the field after missing last year's event. is set to play Australia's Steve Elkington, the man who beat him in a play-off for the US PGA Championship 11 years ago.
And Ulsterman Darren Clarke can look forward to a first round encounter with last year's Players Championship winner Fred Funk.
Defending champion David Toms is scheduled to meet newcomer Lucas Glover in the first round.
The field and draw will not be confirmed until Friday 20 February.
Provisional draw for Accenture Match Play Championship:
(Seeded positions in brackets, bold type denotes European Tour Member)
(1) Tiger Woods v (64) Graeme McDowell
(32) Rory Sabbatini v (33) Robert Allenby
(16) Henrik Stenson v (49) Tim Herron
(17) Chad Campbell v (48) Rod Pampling
(8) David Toms v (57) Lucas Glover
(25) Jose Maria Olazabal v (40) Arron Oberholser
(9) Adam Scott v (56) Carl Pettersson
(24) Stuart Appleby v (41) Brandt Jobe
(4) Ernie Els v (61) Charles Howell III
(29) Bart Bryant v (36) Ben Crane
(13) Michael Campbell v (52) Richard Green
(20) Nick O'Hern v (45) Lee Westwood
(5) Phil Mickelson v (60) Zach Johnson
(28) Fred Couples v (37) Mike Weir
(12) David Howell v (53) Geoff Ogilvy
(21) Scott Verplank v (44) Shingo Katayama
(2) Vijay Singh v (63) Paul Broadhurst
(31) Justin Leonard v (34) KJ Choi
(15) Angel Cabrera v (50) Paul Casey
(18) Padraig Harrington v (47) Shigeki Maruyama
(7) Chris DiMarco v (58) Ian Poulter
(26) Tim Clark v (39) Sean O'Hair
(10) Kenny Perry v (55) Niclas Fasth
(23) Davis Love v (42) Tom Lehman
(3) Retief Goosen v (62) Bernhard Langer
(30) Stewart Cink v (35) Miguel Angel Jimenez
(14) Luke Donald v (51) Peter Lonard
(19) Darren Clarke v (46) Fred Funk
(6) Jim Furyk v (59) Mark Calcavecchia
(27) Thomas Bjorn v (38) John Daly
(11) Colin Montgomerie v (54) Steve Elkington
(22) Paul McGinley v (43) Mark Hensby
