A tough day for top seeds

Defending champion Jason Day lasted only six holes at the Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin, Texas, until a heavy heart forced an early departure.

Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth might not be far behind in exiting the round-robin event.

The opening round of golf’s most unpredictable tournament took a stunning turn yesterday when the third-seeded Day abruptly conceded his match to Pat Perez, then wiped away tears as he revealed his mother has lung cancer. Day withdrew to be with her in Ohio for surgery tomorrow.

Dustin Johnson had no trouble in his debut as the No. 1 seed in a 5-and-3 win against Webb Simpson.

McIlroy and Spieth face critical matches the rest of the way. McIlroy, the No. 2 seed and 2015 champion, wasn’t fortunate, losing when Soren Kjeldsen finished with four straight birdies. It was the first time McIlroy had lost his opening match since 2013 when Match Play was single elimination.

And Hideto Tanihara never trailed in a 4-and-2 victory against Spieth.