WOODS GUNNING FOR MCILROY
Top duo book last-16 showdown at WGC Match Play
THREE-TIME tournament winner Tiger Woods rallied to defeat Patrick Cantlay 4&2 on Friday at the WGC-Match Play Championship.
He took on Rory McIlroy late yesterday.
The 14-time major champion holed out from 82 yards for eagle at the par-4 13th in his fightback to book his duel with McIlroy, who beat England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick 4&2 to finish an unbeaten group run.
“It’s exciting for the tournament. I’m sure it’s going to be exciting for us,” McIlroy said. “I feel good about my game. I’m going
to stick with my game plan and not look at him until I have to near the end.”
A showdown of the world’s 64 top-ranked golfers at Austin (Texas) Country Club featured three days of group matches to decide 16 players for weekend knockout matches that will determine a champion.
“I’ll be ready,” Woods said. Four-time major winner McIlroy, who could complete a Career Grand Slam at the Masters in two weeks, has never trailed in any match and dropped only three holes this week.
“I got up early and played some good golf on the front nine,” McIlroy said. “I got scrappy toward the end but I’m through and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Former World No 1 Woods, a 14time major champion, split his first two matches and needed a victory plus a loss by Brandt Snedeker to reach the weekend from his all-American group.
Aaron Wise led after every hole in routing Snedeker 6&4 and Woods took care of the rest with an impressive fightback, showing the form that helped him win WGC Match Play titles in 2003, 2004 and 2008.
McIlroy, the 2015 Match Play winner, gave a nod to his finalround duel with Woods at last year’s US PGA Tour Championship, where Woods captured his 80th career US PGA victory – and first triumph in five years – while McIlroy struggled.
The highest seed advancing was World No 2 Justin Rose of England, who edged US 22nd seed Gary Woodland 1-up to win his group. He next plays US 57th seed Kevin Na, the lowest seed in the last 16.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, seeded 37th, won three of the first four holes and never trailed in beating US 52nd seed Jim Furyk, advancing to face Danish 50th seed Lucas Bjerregaard in the round of 16.
China’s Li Haotong missed a seven-foot birdie putt at 18 and halved with England’s 60thseeded Tom Lewis, but put his approach to two feet on the first playoff hole to beat Sweden’s Alex Noren for a knockout berth.
Alongside McIlroy and Stenson at 3-0 were Australia’s 17th-seeded Marc Leishman, who booked a last-16 date with South African 19th seed Louis Oosthuizen, and South African 40th seed Branden Grace, who will play Spanish 26th seed Sergio Garcia.
Italian seventh seed Francesco Molinari beat US 21st seed Webb Simpson 2&1 to finish 3-0 and will play English 10th seed Paul Casey for a quarter-final berth.