Jason Day Edges Out Victor Dubuisson to Win the 2014 WGC Accenture Match Play Championship

Photo by @golfchannel

It was a great “Day” in Arizona…

After taking 3^rd here last year and posting an even more recent T2 at the Farmers, it’s needless to say why we had high hopes for Jason Day coming into this week at Dove Mountain. Now with Day’s WGC Accenture Match Play Championship win we’re happy to report that in just eight tournaments this year, our fantasy predictions staff already has three winners in the bag.

After knocking out Louis Oosthuizen in the semi-finals, the Australian Day sat back and waited to see if he would be taking on Ernie Els or French player Victor Dubuisson in the finals. Els, who played lights out for most of the match play tournament, was eventually bested by the seemingly unstoppable Frenchman. Day and Dubuisson then went on to square off to in what would become an epic 23 hole match play showdown.

Day had opportunities to slam the door early in the match but Dubuisson fought back, eventually squaring up the match, and sending the duo into bonus golf.  The resulting playoff was one for the ages as Dubuisson wowed spectators with short game feats that made even the legendary Gary Player stand up and cheer.

This is simply fantastic stuff!! @Vdubush is Houdini, a magician with cajones!! Incroyable!! Allez

— Gary Player (@garyplayer) February 23, 2014

The “Houdini-esque” shots Player was referencing were two highly improbable escape shots from the heavy Arizona cactus, and all Jason Day could do was laugh in amazement.

Two incredible up and downs from Victor Dubuisson at Accenture

In his championship match of the 2014 World Golf Championships – Accenture Match Play Championship, Victor Dubuisson pulls off two of the greatest up and downs in match play history. For complete coverage from Arizona . SUBSCRIBE to PGA TOUR now: http://pgat.us/vBxcZSh Welcome to the official YouTube channel of the PGA TOUR.

But Day kept his head, and his game on track as the players entered their 41st hole of the day, where Jason Day was finally able to get the best of Dubuisson, birding the drivable par 4 and ending the not soon to be forgotten match.

With the win Jason Day earned 550 FedExCup points and $1.5 million dollars.  The move jumps him up 75 spots to 11^th on the FedExCup points list and, even more importantly, may have given Day the confidence and skill he needs become a multiple winner this year.

In the consolation match, Rickie Fowler defeated Ernie Els to take 3^rd place moving him up 81 spots up the FedExCup leaderboard to 49^th with a total of 299 points.  Fowler has shown signs of improvement all week, as he got the best of a few big names such as Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Jim Furyk, and this season’s three-time winner Jimmy Walker, in early matches.  We’re sure that Fowler’s success is at least in part due to his recent work with legendary swing coach Butch Harmon. Look for more big moves by Rickie this season if his game continues to flow in the direction we saw this past weekend.

Rickie Fowler wins the consolation match at Accenture

In his consolation match of the 2014 World Golf Championships – Accenture Match Play Championship, Rickie Fowler’s impressive 146-yard approach shot lands within 10 feet on the par-3 1st hole, then makes the putt to win in extra holes. For complete coverage from Arizona .

The TOUR moves to the east coast next week for the 2014 Honda Classic where the PGA’s top players including Woods, Mickelson, Rose, McIlory, and Fowler will meet in Florida to kick off the final month of conditioning before the Masters.

Hats off to Jason Day and Victor Dubuisson for putting on a show to remember, and congrats as well to our fantasy predictions team for picking Jason Day as one of their Top 5 Picks to Win in last week’s Fantasy Predictions section. Stay tuned later this week to see if our fantasy gurus can make it two in a row.