Big wind, wild outcomes
Soren Kjeldsen and Alex Noren won their groups in the Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin, Texas, one round before group play is even finished. Rory McIlroy took the day off, and he’s also guaranteed the weekend off.
Yesterday was as wild as it gets in this tournament, even without the 30 mph wind ripping so hard that
Phil Mickelson chipped into the water and still halved the hole.
Brandt Snedeker, showing class in the midst of such exasperating conditions, conceded a 7-foot putt when Andy Sullivan’s ball rolled toward the hole and the wind blew it back.
“I’m sure everybody saw some funny-looking shots out there,” Charles Howell
III said, who kept his hopes alive with a clutch pitch and a 1-up victory.
The wind had nothing to do with a domino-effect of withdrawals that allowed Kjeldsen and Noren to get a day of rest.
One after Jason Day withdrew because his mother faces surgery for lung cancer, Gary Woodland pulled out because of a personal family matter. He was scheduled to play McIlroy, and while McIlroy was conceded a victory, he was eliminated four hours later when Kjeldsen won his second straight match. Kjeldsen was to play Woodland in the third round, so he was assured of winning the group at 3-0.
So ended McIlroy’s week, 17 holes on Wednesday, when Kjeldsen beat him with four straight birdies, no golf yesterday, and a meaningless match today.
Mickelson has never trailed all week and had no trouble against Daniel Berger. Jordan Spieth stayed in
the game with a 4-and-2 victory over Yuta Ikeda.
Dustin Johnson had another easy time as he tries to get in position for his third straight victory, but he still has one more match to claim his group. Ditto for Brooks Koepka.
Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia both won two matches and square off to see which Spaniard wins the group. That is also the case with
Charl Schwartzel and Paul Casey facing each other aftee going 2-0.
With round-robin play, there’s a possibility of twoman, three-man, even fourman playoffs to decide who advances out of group play into single elimination on the weekend.
LPGA: Kerr at top
Cristie Kerr, Mo Martin and In Gee Chun shot 6-under 66 to share the lead after round one of the Kia Classic in Carlsbad, Calif.
PGA: Mullinax in lead
Trey Mullinax had nine birdies in a round of 63 to lead the Puerto Rico Open in Rio Grande.