Reed, Spieth head for showdown undefeated
AUSTIN, Texas — Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth play some of their most spirited golf against one another in the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup, remarkable only because they’re on the same team.
Now they’re opponents. And the stakes in the Dell Technologies Match Play are personal.
The loser goes home. The most intriguing match that came out of the draw at the start of the week picked up added significance Thursday when Reed and Spieth won matches for the second straight day to set up a showdown on the skirts of Hill Country in Texas. They play today, one of four matches between players who have yet to lose this week at Austin Country Club.
Reed fired the first shot when asked what made Spieth a good opponent in match play.
“I don’t know. My back still hurts from the last Ryder Cup,” he said with a laugh, alluding to the way he carried Spieth in their partnership at Hazeltine National Golf Club to a 2-1-1 record in team play during a rare American victory.
On Thursday, Spieth dodged trouble early against Li Haotong, who missed putts inside eight feet on two of the opening three holes, won the second hole when Spieth hit into the hazard and thought he won the fourth hole until Spieth matched his birdie by chipping in from short of the green.
Spieth never trailed and pulled away with a savvy play on the par-4 13th over the water and into the wind. He hit driver well to the right toward the gallery, which gave him a clear look at the green without having to hit over any of the lake. His pitchand-run settled a foot away from the hole to set up a birdie and a 2-up lead, and Spieth closed him out, 4 and 2.
Right behind was Reed in his match against Charl Schwartzel, and Schwartzel was 2 up at the turn until Reed won the next two holes to set up a tight finish. Schwartzel stayed 1 down when he missed a five-foot par putt on the 17th. Needing a birdie on the 18th to halve, Schwartzel could only watch as Reed hit a wedge that nearly went in and stopped a few inches away.
Reed and Spieth are 8-1-3 as partners in the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup. They are 1-1 versus one another in PGA Tour playoffs, with Reed hitting through the greens to short birdie range when he won the Wyndham Championship in 2013, and Spieth returning the favor in 2015 at Innisbrook by winning a playoff with a 30-foot putt.
They don’t have much of a relationship except in team competitions, and even then it’s unusual.
“Because we’re so competitive with each other within our own pairing at the Ryder Cup, we want to outdo each other. That’s what makes us successful,” Spieth said. “Tiger (Woods) says it’s a phenomenon. It’s not something that he’s used to seeing in those team events. Normally you’re working together. But we want to beat each other every time. In alternate shot, if we don’t win a hole, I want it to be his fault and he wants it to be my fault.
“We’ve almost played every single match we’ve been involved in together against each other,” he said. “We just happen to be wearing the same colors.”
Today’s other three matches involving players with 2-0 records: Sergio Garcia versus Xander Schauffele; Tony Finau versus Alex Noren; and Francesco Molinari versus Justin Thomas. Molinari beat former Baylor School and Vanderbilt University standout Luke List 3 and 2 on Thursday, dropping List to 0-2. Thomas topped Patton Kizzire 3 and 1 to make Kizzire 0-2. List faces Kizzire today.
Thomas can reach No. 1 by winning this World Golf Championship because Dustin Johnson, the event’s 2017 champion, was among 20 players already mathematically eliminated.
Still alive — but still needing some help — were Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson.
Romo has rocky debut
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — Tony Romo settled down after a nervous start only to come undone on the back nine in his PGA Tour debut.
The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback played a four-hole stretch in 5 over on the back nine that led to a 5-over-par 77 as the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship got underway. He was 14 shots behind Brice Garnett, who shot a bogeyfree 63 and led Corey Connors by a stroke.
Baylor School graduate Keith Mitchell (66) was tied for third with Jonathan Byrd, Brendon de Jonge, Troy Matteson, Denny McCarthy, Steve Wheatcroft and Xin-jun Zhang. Two other former Red Raiders are also in the field — Harris English (71) was tied for 52nd and Stephan Jaeger (72) had a share of 73rd, along with Athens, Tenn., native Eric Axley.
Romo, 37, has worked as an NFL analyst for CBS Sports since retiring from the NFL after the 2016 season. He is playing as an amateur and received a sponsor’s exemption to the tournament, which has one of the weaker fields of the year because it is held opposite the Dell Technologies Match Play.
“Over 18 holes and 72, your flaws start to show at some point,” Romo said. “I really hit some good shots close, and I had a chance to be under par pretty easily. Then two or three shots on the back nine cost me. But that’s golf.”
Romo played with McCarthy and Dru Love (73), the son of Davis Love III.
“I was nervous,” said Romo, who opened with two bogeys before getting back to par on the front nine. “I think I knew going in that I was going to be trying to rely on the mechanics and the fundamentals of the swing. I hit it fine but three-putted three times, twice early in the round. That’s just nerves, and hopefully you can get that out of the way and get a couple of swings that you aren’t used to doing and come back and play better tomorrow.”
Davies struggles to 82
CARLSBAD, Calif. — Laura Davies had a nightmare round days after contending for a title at age 54, and Caroline Hedwall and Jackie Stoelting topped the Kia Classic leaderboard.
Davies opened with a 10-over 82 in rain at Aviara Golf Club, four days after tying for second behind Inbee Park in the Founders Cup and five days after shooting a 9-under 63 in the event.
Fighting Achilles’ tendon and calf problems in her left leg, Davies opened double bogey-bogey-par-bogey. She bogeyed Nos. 9, 10 and 12, had another double on 15 and bogeyed 16. The 82 was the World Golf Hall of Famer’s highest score on tour since also shooting 82 in the 2013 Marathon Classic. On Monday, she jumped 208 spots to No. 155 in the world.
Hedwall and Stoelting, both winless on the LPGA Tour, opened at 6-under 66 in the final event before the ANA Inspiration, the year’s first major, next week at Mission Hills.