The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Unfortunate end to Hatton’s bid
Penalty shots eliminate Englishman in play-off for place in knockout stage
Tyrrell Hatton consoled himself with the prospect of his Masters debut after his WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play campaign came to a highly unfortunate end in Texas yesterday.
Hatton’s defeat by Rafa Cabrera Bello in the final round of group matches meant the pair went into a play-off with Charles Howell to determine who would advance to the last 16 at Austin Country Club.
But after missing a birdie putt on the first play-off hole, Hatton accidentally touched his ball as he prepared to tap in for par and failed to replace it before holing out.
That meant a two-shot penalty and saw the world No 14 eliminated, while Howell went on to secure victory at the fifth extra hole and set up a clash with Spain’s Jon Rahm, who had earlier thrashed compatriot Sergio Garcia 6 and 4.
Hatton told Sky Sports: “As I’ve gone to put the putter down behind the ball I’ve clipped it and knocked it a centimetre forward.
“It’s probably the worst way it could have ended. The referee said ‘Did I replace the ball?’ because if I’d replaced it then I wouldn’t have gotten the penalty, but obviously by then it was too late and I’d knocked the putt in.
“I’m only human, I’m going to make mistakes as I’ve done today. You just have to try and pick yourself up and hopefully I can have a good week at the Masters. That gives me something to smile about at the moment.”
Rahm had earlier made it three wins out of three with a comprehensive win over Garcia, who suffered the embarrassment of topping his drive on the 13th into the water during a heavy downpour.
There were no such problems for fivetime major winner Phil Mickelson, who remained on course for his first win since the 2013 Open by beating Ryder Cup team-mate JB Holmes 6 and 5.
Mickelson will face Marc Leishman in the last 16 after the Australian, who won the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, came out on top in a three-man play-off in group three.
Leishman, Lee Westwood and Pat Perez all finished with a 2-1 record after Westwood’s victory over Perez, with Leishman then making a birdie on the second extra hole to advance.
Two-time major winner Jordan Spieth joined Rory McIlroy in making an early exit after Japan’s Hideto Tanihara defeated compatriot Yuta Ikeda to finish top of group five, with Paul Casey next in line for Tanihara after victory over Charl Schwartzel.
World No 1 Dustin Johnson, who is seeking a third straight tournament victory and a clean sweep of WGC events, defeated US PGA champion Jimmy Walker 5 and 3 to win group one.
England’s Ross Fisher edged past former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen in a play-off to set up a last-16 clash with Bubba Watson.