Mcilroy crashes out of WGC Match Play as he suffers heavy defeat by Harman
Rory Mcilroy’s bid for a second WGC-DELL Technologies Match Play title came to a disappointing early end as he bowed out of the group stage in Austin.
Mcilroy needed to beat American left-hander Brian Harman to have a chance of reaching the last 16, but gifted his opponent several holes on his way to a comprehensive 5&3 defeat.
The 2015 champion, who came into the event on the back of a victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, made a mess of the third, fifth and ninth to fall three down and a conceded birdie on the tenth was matched by Harman from eight feet.
Another Harman birdie on the next extended his lead before he gave Mcilroy a glimmer of hope by finding water with his approach to the parfive 12th. However, while Mcilroy could only par the short 13th after attempting to drive the green, Harman pitched to four feet for another birdie and the pair were soon shaking hands on the 15th green.
Mcilroy will at least have the consolation of some desired extra time off before stepping up his bid for a first Masters title at Augusta National, which would make him the sixth player to complete a career grand slam.
Harman’s win meant he topped the group ahead of Peter Uihlein, who beat Mcilroy on day one and Jhonat- tan Vegas 4&3 yesterday. Harman will face Bubba Watson in the last 16 after the two-time Masters champion halved his match with Julian Suri.
The winner of that contest meets Charles Howell or Kiradech Aphibarnrat in the quarter-finals, Howell claiming his third win of the week over Satoshi Kodaira and rendering Phil Mickelson’s victory over Rafa Cabrera Bello irrelevant. Aphibarnrat also maintained his perfect record with a 4&3 win over Jon Rahm.
Elsewhere, joint overnight leader Ross Kellett slipped to a tie for 15th at the halfway stage in the Barclays Kenya Open – the opening event on this season’s Challenge Tour.
As Germany’s Max Schmitt moved into top spot on tenunder following a secondround 65 at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi, Kellett lost his sparkle from the previous day.
The Motherwell man had just one birdie as he shot a twoover 73 to sit on four-under, a stoke behind compatriot Duncan Stewart after he moved into joint tenth following a 68.
David Law is on two-under, a shot ahead of both Jack Doherty and Grant Forrest, but Connor Syme bogeyed the last to miss the cut along with Chris Doak and Scott Henry.