Matchroom can't take the chance of having Shane out in the first round.
Shane has nothing to do with it. They want viewership, but there are not that many Americans ponying up the money for the crappy DAZN streams.
16 players. Single elimination. This won't be generating much from the US, regardless.
Don't forget, she drew UK1 vs UK2 in the first round of the WCOP.
That did MR revenues no favors. Pool is bigger in the UK than the US and they allowed half the fan favorites to be eliminated in the first round.