Accenture Match Play Golf Championship

His suggestion set the wheels in motion. In 2007, the tournament came to the Gallery Golf Club at Dove Mountain, in the growing suburb of Marana just northwest of Tucson.

Fans of Accenture World Match Play are treated to world class golf played on a classic desert style course

As it turned out, the Accenture Match Play change of venue was spot-on.

While in Tucson, the Accenture World Match Play golf tournament has enjoyed excellent weather and continued success at Dove Mountain.

This popular, five-day golf tournament became even better with its 2009 move to the Ritz Carlton golf course at Dove Mountain, which offers a spectacular Jack Nicklaus-designed course and great spectator amenities.

Plus, it's still one of the best U.S. golf tournaments for seeing the world's top 64 players compete against each other.

The 2012 tournament will be the sixth one held in Tucson.

Accenture World Match Play runs February 20 - 26, 2012. This is the first of four World Golf Championships of the season.

New for 2012: For the first time ever, fans of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship will get to follow the leaders by walking down the fairways behind the finalists on Sunday, the last day of play.

• Mon (2/20) - Tues (2/21): Practice Rounds for Professionals
  Daily Tickets: $25 advance price; $35 gate price*
• Wed (2/22) - Fri (2/24):
  Wed: First Round - 32 Matches
  Thurs: Second Round - 16 Matches
  Fri: Third Round - 8 Matches
  Daily Tickets: $45 advance price; $55 gate price*
  
• Sat (2/25) - Quarterfinal Round: 4 Matches
  Semifinal Round: 2 Matches
  Daily Tickets: $35 advance price; $45 gate price*
• Sun (2/26) - 36 Hole Championship Match & 18 Hole Consolation Match
  Daily Tickets: $35 advance price; $45 gate price*
• Weekly Package: $125 advance price; $135 gate price*
  (includes access to practice rounds, driving range, and all 5 days of competition)
• Youth 18 and under: free

(*Note: This is a limited attendance event. Gate prices are listed, but may not be available if the event or particular day is sold out. Prices do not include applicable taxes & fees.)

The Clubhouse at The Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain Golf Course

Rules for the Accenture Match Play "Follow the Leaders" promotion (available weather permitting):

• Volunteers will be stationed on two holes at a time - the hole currently being played and preparing for the next hole to be played - holding ropes that allow fans to follow behind the final group up to within 40 feet of play.
• The gallery will not be allowed near greenside bunkers, within approaches to the green, or between a bunker and a green.
• Marshals will also ensure fans do not walk in front of the players at any point.
• Follow all instructions from security and marshals to ensure play is not interrupted.
• All mobile devices must be on silent mode and put away.
• Please be respectful of the players and do not attempt to speak with them during their match.
• This program will only be open to the Championship Match. Fans will not be permitted to follow up the fairway for the consolation match or any other prior matches.

Players at the Accenture World Match Play Championship compete for the Walter Hagen Cup and a total $8.5 million purse. The tournament also raises over $1 million for Tucson area charities annually.

The Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain golf course has incredible views of the mountains surrounding Tucson

Championship Match Play is one of four annual World Golf Championship events that debuted in 1999 and is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours.

Only the top 64 golfers in the Official World Golf Ranking (as of February 14) can compete. These golfers have until February 18 to commit to the field.

Players are seeded 1 through 64 based on their Official World Golf Ranking.

The tournament format is single-elimination match play. Therefore, the No. 1 seed plays the No. 64 seed, the No. 2 seed plays the No. 63 seed and so on.

Players try to win single holes rather than have the lowest score as is the case with most golf games.

A golfer has to win 6 matches including the Championship Match held on Sunday, the last day of the tournament, to win the competition.

Past winners of the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship include Jeff Maggert, Darren Clarke, Steve Stricker, Kevin Sutherland, David Toms, Geoff Ogilvy, Tiger Woods and Ian Poulter.

Golfer Luke Donald of England won the 2011 Match Play tournament.

If you can't make it to the Accenture World Match Play, you can watch it on TV.

Every day of the Accenture Match Play tournament will be shown on the Golf Channel and you can listen to the daily broadcast on Sirius XM radio.

Designed by Jack Nicklaus, The Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain features 27 holes of golf and a 50,000 square foot clubhouse.

The Tortolita Mountains provide a dramatic backdrop to the Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain golf course and the Accenture Match Play

Set in a one of the most scenic sections of the Sonoran Desert, the golf club is surrounded by stately saguaro cactus and mountains.

Native plants and animals are plentiful. While walking around outside the clubhouse, a roadrunner ran right by us.

With an elevation ranging from 2,300 to 3,000 feet, the setting has an expansive, wide-open feel and the views stretch as far as the eye can see.

Since the Ritz Carlton Golf Club is some distance from the rest of the city of Marana and from Tucson, the entire area has a park-like atmosphere.

The 850-acre Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain Golf Course has a well thought-out design with two looped nine-hole layouts.

The course offers classic desert golf with canyons, elevation changes, and fairways that wind through stands of cactus and desert washes.

Only 150 acres of the total parcel has greens. The rest is native desert vegetation.

The back nine runs along the base of the Tortolita Mountains through a thick stand of massive saguaros.

At 7,849 yards, the two tournament nines at the Ritz - the Saguaro and the Tortolita - are the longest in the PGA tour history.

The addition of undulating greens tests the pro golfers by calling for very accurate approach shots where hitting the ball to the correct level or position is critical.

The entrance to the Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain Golf Club

Like other Jack Nicklaus-designed courses, players will also encounter his signature bunkering.

The new course is spectator-friendly and has viewing areas along the tees, fairways, and greens.

Its "central hub" design allows for more golf viewing with its loops-within-loops and parallel fairways.

All that space will allow up to 10,000 people a day to use the large tents and scaffolding that will be set up at the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th holes.

The top three spots to watch the Accenture World Match Play are:

• The ample spectator mound between the 14th and 17th fairway, where you can flip back and forth to watch matches on either side of the berm.
• The front nine. This area has a grouping of holes that offers maximum viewing including the 2nd green, 3rd tee, 4th green, 7th green and 8th tee, which are all within 30 yards of each other.
• The practice tee is also a popular spot to watch. You can hang out in the bleachers and see all 64 golfers practice.

Cayton's Restaurant at the Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain Golf Club

Cayton's offers wonderful views of the golf course and desert from both the indoor and outdoor patio dining.

The menu features American cuisine with a Southwestern influence. The restaurant is open to the public, club members, and guests.

There are separate lunch and dinner menus and times.

Cayton's has an extensive beer, cocktail and wine list and happy hour specials daily.

On Saturdays and Sundays, they also serve a Sunday brunch. Reservations are recommended.

The Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain Golf Club is part of the largest Ritz Carlton project in the continental United States.

Completed in December 2009, the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain includes a 250-room resort, a 17,000-square-foot spa, and 300 luxury, single-family homes.

Location:   The Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain development is in the city of Marana, just north of Tucson, Arizona. The southern edge of Dove Mountain borders the 2,400 acre Tortolita Preserve. The northern edge of Dove Mountain borders the 3,000 acre Tortolita Mountain Park.

Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain Address:   6501 Boulder Bridge Pass, Marana, Arizona 85658

Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain Golf Club Phone:   520-572-3500

Cayton's Restaurant Phone:   520-572-3530

Match Play Parking:   General parking is at the northwest corner of N. Dove Mountain Blvd., just off Tangerine Rd. Follow the directional signs.

Parking is $10.00 per vehicle per day for those without an official championship parking pass.

Disabilities Parking Information:
Disabled guests with a state-issued license plate or hang tag can follow the signs to the T2 Parking Lot. Disabled Guest Shuttles will run continuously from the T2 Parking Lot and drop off and pick up at the Main Public Entrance Gate. Multi-passenger golf carts staffed by volunteers will be located at the Main Public Entrance Gate for further assistance.

Please note that the golf cart shuttles can only pick up & drop off from Entrance Gates, Grandstands, & Hospitality Areas and cannot follow matches.

Notes:

• The Ritz Carlton will have public play until all memberships are sold out. Guests of the Ritz-Carlton will still be able to play the course.

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