Trio of Americans in Match Play semifinals
AUSTIN, Texas — Scottie Scheffler never gets too far ahead of himself, a remarkable trait for a 24-year-old in only his second year on the PGA Tour and particularly helpful in an emotionally charged format like the one used at the Dell Technologies Match Play.
Still, he was not oblivious to what he faced Saturday against Ryder Cup stalwart Ian Poulter of England in the round of 16 and then Spanish dynamo and world No. 3 Jon Rahm in the quarterfinals.
The young American mowed down both of them with some of his best golf, making 15 birdies in 31 holes — a 5-and-4 victory over Poulter and a 3-and-1 win over Rahm — to reach Sunday’s semifinals.
“I was excited to play these guys today,” Scheffler said. “I’ve watched Ian way too many times on TV just beat the crap out of us in the Ryder Cup. I just have memories of me and my dad sitting on the couch and watching this guy make putt after putt. So it was nice to get one on him, at least for me.”
The victory over Rahm sent Scheffler, a Texas graduate and now the crowd favorite at Austin Country Club, into the semifinals against Matt Kuchar, who beat Jordan Spieth in the morning and Brian Harman in the afternoon.
Billy Horschel made it three Americans in the final four for the second time in the past three trips to Austin. He never led against Tommy Fleetwood until the Englishman sent his tee shot out of bounds on their first extra hole at the par-5 12th. Horschel will face Victor Perez of France, who beat Spain’s Sergio Garcia in 15 holes.
Scheffler keeps saying he is trending in the right direction. He has gone 41 holes without making a bogey, and he brought his best golf against two of Europe’s best in this format.
“It doesn’t matter who I’m playing. I’m treating each match the same,” he said. “But I think sometimes you’ve got to bring a little different attitude, and I knew I had to bring my best stuff today, not really giving either of those guys much breathing room. I did my best to do that.”
Kuchar is the only player to win every match so far in this edition of Match Play, and those five victories give him 33 in this World Golf Championship, second only to the 36 matches won by Tiger Woods.
He won the event in 2013 and lost in the championship match last time to Kevin Kisner. It’s a big turnaround for the 41-yearold with the graying goatee. He had gone more than a year since his last top 10, fell out of the top 50 for the first time in more than a decade and now feels rejuvenated after a 1-up win over Spieth and a 2-and-1 win over Harman.
“I can’t tell you how good I feel right now,” Kuchar said. “I feel like I’m still floating.”
Scheffler was so strong in the morning that Poulter never won a hole as the Texan made seven birdies in 14. Poulter holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the 11th and looked to cut the deficit to 2 down, only for Scheffler to hole a chip from behind the green.
“You could tell by the look in his eye that he wasn’t giving in at all. He was just waiting for a spark,” Scheffler said. “Another great putt on 11, and I kind of stole one again and really just kept the momentum on my side.”
In the quarterfinal match, Rahm fell 3 down when his approach to the par-5 12th found the water. As usual, the Spaniard mounted a charge. Rahm ran off four straight birdies — and he only picked up one hole.
Scheffler matched him on the 13th and made a 10-foot birdie after Rahm chipped in on the 14th.
Two share lead
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — Rafael Campos used his putter to hole out from off the front of the 18th green for a birdie and a share of the lead with Joel Dahmen entering the final round of the PGA Tour’s windy Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship.
Campos, the 32-year-old Puerto Rican player whose family has a home in the Dominican Republic, shot a 3-under 69 to match Dahmen at 10-under 206 through 54 holes. Dahmen posted a 68 on Saturday, but Campos found some magic on his last hole to catch up.
“I didn’t want to chip it, so I’m like, ‘Just hit a putt and hopefully lag it up there close,’” Campos said. “It was one of those days. That was a bonus for sure. I was struggling all day, and I’m really happy where I’m at right now. I’m glad it’s done.”
No. 427 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Campos is trying to break through in his 37th PGA Tour start. Dahmen, a 33-yearold former University of Washington golfer, also is winless on the circuit.
Canada’s Michael Gligic (68) and England’s Danny Willett (67) were tied for third a stroke back, with Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo (65) and Belgium’s Thomas Pieters (69) in fifth at 8 under. Six more golfers were within three shots of the lead.
Chattanooga’s Stephan Jaeger (75), who led after the first round, was tied for 33rd at 2 under.