WGC Match Play 2013: McIlroy and Poulter get back into matchplay swing

Bobby Jones Division

Rory McIlroy No1 seed v Shane Lowry 64

Tee-off time 7.05pm GMT

Top seed versus bottom but a match which will be eagerly anticipated by many on account of the individuals involved. McIlroy and Lowry were foursomes partners for Ireland and generally successful team-mates during their amateur days. They have retained a friendship since then which stretches beyond the course. McIlroy has progressed to the top player in the world but Lowry is a fine putter with a capacity for the unpredictable; as highlighted by his Irish Open win before he even joined the professional ranks. McIlroy is making only his second competitive appearance with Nike equipment. It remains to be seen whether squaring up to someone he knows so well proves a relaxing factor or if Lowry can capitalise on any signs of weakness.

Ben Hogan Division

Bill Haas 28 v Nicolas Colsaerts 37

Tee-off time 4.55pm

Colsaerts was once, and rightly, viewed as a wild child of European golf. The intervening years have brought a maturity, however, which has allowed the Belgian to realise his dream of playing in a Ryder Cup and taking up a US PGA Tour card. This year, then, holds a lot of promise for the big-hitting European. If he can make an impact on a stage such as this, it would bode well. Haas, the 2011 FedEx Cup winner, should prove favourable opposition for Colsaerts by virtue of his Dove Mountain record; the American has been eliminated in the first round in each of his two appearances here. Yet Haas is ranked higher than Colsaerts and returned a 64 during last weekend's Northern Trust Open. This should be a keenly fought match.

Gary Player Division

Hunter Mahan 23 v Matteo Manassero 42

Tee-off time 3.35pm

Davis Love III's decision to overlook Mahan for a place in the last USA Ryder Cup team raised eyebrows. Not least, that is, because Mahan won the WGC Match Play Championship a year ago. Rory McIlroy was his final victim, with Mahan going on to lift the Shell Houston Open trophy only weeks later. Mahan has clear course knowledge and specialism, then, which are useful tools in any event. Manassero is still only 19 but has taken his place in the world's top 50. The Italian has three European Tour wins, thereby endorsing the promise he displayed as the youngest ever winner of the Amateur Championship. He is unfazed by reputation and has a fantastic short game; both are useful utensils in a matchplay format.

Sam Snead Division

Ian Poulter 11 v Stephen Gallacher 54

Tee-off time 2.45pm

Poulter is rightly regarded as one of, if not the, best matchplayers in world golf. His prospects must be taken seriously; he won this event in 2010 when beating Paul Casey in the final. He is also keen for a strong year, thereby building on his Ryder Cup heroics at Medinah which exemplified his talents in a one-on-one environment. In Gallacher, though, Poulter has a stronger first-round opponent than perhaps he would like. The Scot has risen inside the world's top 60 and is a player in form, having won the Dubai Desert Classic this month by three strokes. Neither Poulter nor Gallacher should be overly perturbed by the inclement weather which is forecast.