Spieth, Reed unbeaten, set to face each other in Match Play
AUSTIN, Texas — Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed 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 was packed with significance Thursday when Spieth and Reed won matches for the second straight day to set up a showdown on the skirts of Hill Country in Texas.
They play Friday, one of four matches between players who have yet to lose this week at Austin Country Club.
The other matches involving players with 2-0 record: Sergio Garcia vs. Xander Schauffele; Alex Noren vs. Tony Finau; and Justin Thomas vs. Francesco Molinari. Noren, who has played only 30 holes, has won six of his past seven matches.
Spieth dodged trouble early against Li Haotong, who missed putts inside 8 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 pitch-and-run settled a foot away for birdie and a 2-up lead, and Spieth closed him out, 4 and 2.
PGA: At 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 a 5 over on the back nine that led to a 5-over 77 in the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship. He was 14 shots behind Brice Garnett, who had a 63 to lead by one shot.
Garnett played bogey-free, opening with a 30 on the back nine and building a one-shot lead over Corey Conners of Canada.
Only two players had a higher score than Romo — D.A. Points and 53-year-old Guy Boros at 79.
LPGA: At Carlsbad, Calif., Laura Davies had a nightmare round days after contending for a title at age 54, and Caroline Hedwall, Jackie Stoelting and Hee Young Park topped the Kia Classic leaderboard.
Davies shot a 10-over 82 at rainy Aviara Golf Club — four days after tying for second behind Bishop Gorman product Inbee Park in the Founders Cup and five days after shooting a 9-under 63 in the Phoenix event.
Hedwall, Stoelting and Hee Young Park opened at 6-under 66 in the final event before the major ANA Inspiration next week at Mission Hills. Hedwall and Stoelting are winless on the LPGA Tour.