The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Strange day at match play
The wind blew so hard Thursday at the Dell Technologies Match Play in Texas that short-game magician Phil Mickelson chipped into the water. Holes were won with bogeys. And world No. 2 Rory McIlroy took the day off, and he’s already guaranteed the weekend off.
Soren Kjeldsen and Alex Noren won their groups in the Dell Technologies Match Play, one round before group play is even finished.
Rory McIlroy took the day off, and he’s already guaranteed the weekend off.
Thursday was as wild as it gets in this tournament, even without wind ripping so hard through the edge of Hill Country in Austin, Texas, 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 up 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 today.
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 in the second round, 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.
And so ended McIlroy’s week — 17 holes on Wednesday when Kjeldsen beat him with four straight birdies, no golf on Thursday, and a meaningless match today. All that’s left is for McIlroy to decide whether to play the Houston Open next week. He has played just 13 competitive rounds this year.
Noren, meanwhile, had an easy time over Bernd Wiesberger for his second straight victory. He only had to beat Francesco Molinari on Friday, but then Molinari withdrew with a wrist injury, assuring Noren a 3-0 record and a spot in the knockout stage this weekend.
Molinari pulling out also eliminated Wiesberger and Thongchai Jaidee, who get to face each other today with nothing at stake.
Along with two players already advancing, 23 players from the 64-man field already are mathematically eliminated.
It was even wilder on the golf course.
Mickelson, who has made it past the third round only once in his 12 previous appearances at Match Play, has never trailed all week and had no trouble against Daniel Berger. But the wind was gusting to 30 mph, and the sun baked out greens that became like Texas hardpan.
Berger was in the water on the par-5 12th and Mickelson was just right of the green in two. His pitch rolled — and rolled — beyond the flag, off the green and into the water. They halved with bogeys.
“It happens,” Mickelson said. “I just didn’t think that we would have the course so severe where that shot would be a problem.”
Jordan Spieth stayed in the game with a 4-and-2 victory over Yuta Ikeda. They halved the 13th hole with double bogeys when Spieth hit into the water, and then Ikeda hit into the water. The wind was that strong, and it was even tougher on the greens.
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, who has yet to see the last five holes in competition. Koepka has closed out both his matches on the 13th hole.
Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia both won two matches and now square off today to see which Spaniard wins the group. That also will be the case with Charl Schwartzel and Paul Casey, 2-0 in their groups and facing each other Friday.
PGA Tour: Five days after getting married, Trey Mullinax ran off nine birdies and saved par with a 15-foot putt on his last hole for a 9-under 63 to take the lead at the Puerto Rico Open. Rain suspended the first round.
LPGA Tour: Cristie Kerr and Mo Martin each shot a 6-under 66 to take the early lead at the Kia Classic in Carlsbad, Calif. Kerr, the 2015 Kia winner, closed birdie-birdie.