Match play field announced with no Tiger Woods

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A Melbourne newspaper last week, citing that reliable source, ‘strengthening whispers,’ suggested Tiger Woods would make his 2010 golf debut at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson next week.

The whispers were weak.

The official field was announced Friday afternoon and Steve Stricker is the top-seeded golfer in the field. Woods has not entered. Stricker is ranked No. 2 behind Woods in the Official World Golf Ranking. Stricker is the fourth golfer to be seeded No. 1 in the 12-year history of the event. The first round of match play will begin Wednesday at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain. Stricker won the tournament in 2001.

Because Woods and third-ranked Phil Mickelson, who said he was taking a family vacation that had been postponed last year when his wife, Amy, was diagnosed with breast cancer, Chris Wood, ranked 65th in the world, and Ross McGowan, ranked 66th, made it into the field of 64.

-- Diane Pucin