After three rounds of group play, 16 players will now move on to the weekend at the 2018 WGC Dell Match Play Championship, including World No. 2 Justin Thomas, who routed Francesco Molinari 7 & 5 to finish 3-0-0 in Group 2.
In the marquee match up of the day, Patrick Reed drained a long bomb putt on the 17th hole to close out Jordan Spieth 3 Up and move on to the Sweet 16 with a perfect record.
In addition to Thomas and Reed, five other players finished 3-0-0 in pool play including Sergio Garcia (7), Alex Noren (13), Kiradech Aphibarnrat (28), Ian Poulter (58), and Charles Howell III (59).
Three players made the weekend via a playoff including Tyrrell Hatton (over Brendan Steele), Louis Oosthuizen (over Jason Dufner), and Kyle Stanley (over Paul Casey).
SWEET 16
BLOCK 3
Group 6: Brian Harman (18) vs Bubba Watson (35)
Group 3: Kiradech Aphibarnrat (28) vs Charles Howell III (59)
QUARTER-FINALS
Winner Group 3 vs Winner Group 6
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BLOCK 2
Group 7: Sergio Garcia (7) vs Kyle Stanley (45)
Group: 2: Justin Thomas (2) vs Si Woo Kim (50)
QUARTER-FINALS
Winner Group 2 vs Winner Group 7
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BLOCK 4
Group 12: Cameron Smith (46) vs Tyrrell Hatton (12)
Group 4: Patrick Reed (19) vs Alex Noren (13)
QUARTER-FINALS
Winner Group 4 vs Winner Group 12
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BLOCK 1
Group 8: Louis Oosthuizen (25) vs Ian Poulter (58)
Group 1: Kevin Kisner (32) vs Matt Kuchar (16)
QUARTER-FINALS
Winner Group 1 vs Winner Group 8
SEMI-FINALS
Winner Block 2 plays Winner Block 3
Winner Block 1 plays Winner Block 4
POOL PLAY RESULTS
GROUP 1
STANDINGS
32 – Kevin Kisner 2-0-1 (2.5)
38 – Adam Hadwin 1-0-1 (2)
52 – Bernd Wiesberger 1-1-1 (1.5)
1 – Dustin Johnson 0-3-0 (0)
ROUND 1
• Wiesberger defeated Johnson (3 and 1)
• Kisner halved with Hadwin
ROUND 2
• Hadwin defeated Johnson, 4 and 3
• Kisner defeated Wiesberger, 5 and 4
ROUND 3
• Kisner defeated Johnson, 4 Up
• Hadwin and Wiesberger halved
BULLETS
- Kevin Kisner defeated Dustin Johnson, 4 and 3, to finish 2-0-1 in group play and advance to the round of 16.
- Kisner is advancing from group play for the first time (in three career starts).
- Johnson, who went winless, recorded a 489-yard drive on the par-5 12th.
GROUP 2
STANDINGS
2 – Justin Thomas 3-0-0 (3)
21 – Francesco Molinari 2-1-0 (2)
48 – Patton Kizzire 1-2-0 (1)
60 – Luke List 0-3-0 (0)
ROUND 1
• Justin Thomas defeated Luke List, 2 up
• Francesco Molinari defeated Patton Kizzire, 3 and 1
ROUND 2
• Thomas defeated Kizzire, 3 and 1
• Molinari defeated List, 3 and 2
ROUND 3
• Justin Thomas defeated Francesco Molinari, 7 and 5
• Patton Kizzire defeated Luke List, 4 and 2
BULLETS
- Justin Thomas made seven birdies through the first 12 holes and defeated Francesco Molinari, 7 and 5, to advance to the round of 16.
- Thomas would move to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking with a win or runner up finish.
GROUP 3
STANDINGS
28 – Kiradech Aphibarnrat 3-0-0 (3)
43 – Chez Reavie 1-1-1 (1.5)
63 – Keegan Bradley 0-1-2 (1)
3 – Jon Rahm 0-2-1 (.5)
ROUND 1
• Rahm and Bradley halved
• Aphibarnrat defeated Reavie, 3 and 2
ROUND 2
• Reavie defeated Rahm, 1-up
• Aphibarnrat defeated Bradley, 1-up
ROUND 3
• Reavie and Bradley halved
• Aphibarnrat defeated Rahm, 4 and 3
BULLETS
- Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat defeated Jon Rahm, 4 and 3, to advance to the weekend.
- Aphibarnrat has won match play events twice on the European Tour: Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play in 2015, and the 2018 ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth.
- Jon Rahm, who stands No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking, finished with a record of 0-2-1 on the week.
- Last year’s champion and runner-up, Johnson (0-3-0)Â and Rahm (0-2-1), respectively, combined for a 0-5-1 record, the worst follow up performance for a returning champion and runner up.
GROUP 4
STANDINGS
19 – Patrick Reed 3-0-0 (3)
4 – Jordan Spieth 2-1-0 (2)
49 – Charl Schwartzel 1-2-0 (1)
34 – Hao Tong Li 0-3-0 (0)
ROUND 1
• Jordan Spieth defeated Charl Schwartzel, 2 and 1
• Patrick Reed defeated Hao Tong Li, 3 and 2
ROUND 2
• Spieth defeated Li, 4 and 2
• Reed defeated Schwartzel, 1-up
ROUND 3
• Reed defeated Spieth, 4 and 2
• Schwartzel defeated Li, 3 and 2
BULLETS
- Patrick Reed finished off Jordan Spieth with a long bomb birdie on the 17th hole to move on.
- Reed advanced from group play for the second time in five starts.
- Making his fifth start at the event, Spieth is yet to advance beyond the quarterfinals.
GROUP 5
STANDINGS
46 – Cameron Smith 2-0-1 (2.5)
5 – Hideki Matsuyama 1-2-0 (1)
30 – Patrick Cantlay 2-1-0 (2)
53 – Yusaku Miyazato 0-2-1 (.5)
ROUND 1
• Hideki Matsuyama defeated Yusaku Miyato, 2 and 1
• Cameron Smith defeated Patrick Cantlay, 2 up
ROUND 2
• Smith defeated Matsuyama, 1-up
• Cantlay defeated Miyazato, 1-up
ROUND 3
• Cantlay defeated Matsuyama, 4 and 3
• Smith and Miyazato halved
BULLETS
- In his first start at the WGC-Dell Match Play, Cameron Smith went 2-0-1 in group play to advance to the round of 16.
- Smith, a winner of two events in 2017 – the Zurich Classic and the Australian PGA Championship, made birdie to win the 18th hole and halve his match with Yusaku Miyazato for the deciding half-point.
- Smith currently ranks No. 50 in the world and No. 26 in the FedExCup standings.
GROUP 6
STANDINGS
18 Brian Harman 2-0-1 (2.5)
57 Peter Uihlein 2-1-0 (2)
6 Rory McIlroy 1-2-0 (1)
44 Jhonnattan Vegas 0-2-1 (.5)
ROUNDÂ 1
• Peter Uihlein defeated Rory McIlroy, 2 and 1
• Brian Harman and Jhonattan Vegas halved
ROUND 2
• McIlroy defeated Vegas, 2 and 1
• Harman defeated Uihlein, 3 and 2
ROUND 3
• Harman defeated McIlroy, 5 and 3
• Uihlein defeated Vegas, 4 and 3
BULLETS
- Brian Harman defeated Rory McIlroy, 5 and 3, to advance to the round of 16.
- Harman is making his WGC-Dell Match Play debut.
GROUP 7
STANDINGS
7 Sergio Garcia 3-0-0 (3)
20 Xander Schauffele 2-1-0 (2)
41 Dylan Frittelli 1-2-0 (1)
62 Shubhankar Sharma 0-3-0 (0)
ROUNDÂ 1
• Sergio Garcia defeated Shubhankar Sharma, 1 up
• Xander Schauffele defeated Dylan Frittelli, 1 up
ROUND 2
• Garcia defeated Frittelli, 2-up
• Schauffele defeated Sharma, 3 and 1
ROUND 3
• Garcia defeated Schauffele, 3 and 1
• Frittelli defeated Sharma, 1 Up
BULLETS
- Garcia is advancing to the round of 16 for the first time since the tournament moved to the group format in 2015.
- Garcia’s best finish at the event came in 2010 when he advanced to the consolation match and finished fourth.
GROUP 8
STANDINGS
25 – Louis Oosthuizen 2-1-0 (2)
42 – Jason Dufner 2-1-0 (2)
8 – Jason Day 1-2-0 (1)
56 – James Hahn 1-2-0 (1)
ROUND 1
• Jason Day defeated James Hahn, 4 and 2
• Louis Oosthuizen defeated Jason Dufner, 1 up
ROUND 2
• Dufner defeated Day, 3 and 1
• Hahn defeated Oosthuizen, 3 and 1
ROUND 3
• Oosthuizen defeated Day, 2 Up
• Dufner defeated Hahn, 3 and 2
PLAYOFF
• Oosthuizen defeated Dufner
BULLETS
- Oosthuizen’s 2-up victory over Jason Day on Friday came in a rematch of the 2016 WGC-Dell Match Play final, won by Day.
- Louis Oosthuizen defeated Jason Dufner in a sudden-death playoff with a par on the first extra hole to advance to the round of 16.
GROUP 9
STANDINGS
58 – Ian Poulter 3-0-0 (3)
9 – Tommy Fleetwood 2-1-0 (2)
33 – Kevin Chappell 1-2-0 (1)
26 – Daniel Berger 0-3-0 (0)
ROUND 1
• Ian Poulter defeated Tommy Fleetwood, 3 and 2
• Kevin Chappell defeated Daniel Berger, 3 and 2
ROUND 2
• Fleetwood defeated Chappell, 7 and 6
• Poulter defeated Berger, 2 and 1
ROUND 3
• Fleetwood defeated Berger, 2 and 1
• Poulter defeated Chappell, concede
BULLETS
- Poulter advanced to the round of 16 after Kevin Chappell withdrew (back) during the match.
- The 2010 Dell Match Play champion, Poulter earned his 26th win at the event, good for second-most all-time (Tiger Woods/33).
GROUP 10
STANDINGS
45 – Kyle Stanley 2-1-0 (2)
10 – Paul Casey 2-1-0 (2)
51 – Russell Henley 1-2-0 (1)
31 – Matthew Fitzpatrick 1-2-0 (1)
ROUND 1
• Paul Casey defeated Russell Henley, 1 up
• Kyle Stanley defeated Matthew Fitzpatrick, 1 up
ROUND 2
• Casey defeated Stanley, 4 and 2
• Henley defeated Fitzpatrick, 2 and 1
ROUND 3
• Fitzpatrick defeated Casey, 3 and 2
• Stanley defeated Henley, 1 Up
PLAYOFF
• Stanley defeated Casey
BULLETS
- Stanley forced a sudden-death playoff with Casey and won with a birdie on the second extra hole to advance to the round of 16.
- After Casey was defeated by Matthew Fitzpatrick and fell to 2-1-0 in group play, Stanley tied Casey at 2 points by defeating Russell Henley, 1 up.
- Stanley, who is making his second appearance at the event, is advancing to the round of 16 for the first time.
GROUP 11
STANDINGS
35 Bubba Watson 2-0-1 (2.5)
64 Julian Suri 1-1-1 (1.5)
23 Branden Grace 1-1-1 (1.5)
11 Marc Leishman 0-2-1 (.5)
ROUND 1
• Julian Suri defeated Marc Leishman, 3 and 2
• Bubba Watson defeated Branden Grace, 5 and 3
ROUNDÂ 2
• Watson defeated Leishman, 3 and 2
• Grace defeated Suri, 2 and 1
ROUND 3
• Leishman and Grace halved
• Watson and Suri halved
BULLETS
- Watson halved his match with Julian Suri, good for a 2-0-1 record over three rounds and a berth in the round of 16.
- Suri held a 2-up lead with two holes to play, but Watson made birdie at Nos. 17 and 18 to advance.
- Watson’s best finish in the event came in his first appearance in 2011, when he reached the consolation match and finished fourth.
GROUP 12
STANDINGS
12 – Tyrrell Hatton 2-1-0 (2)
36 – Brendan Steele 2-1-0 (2)
22 – Charley Hoffman 1-2-0 (1)
55 – Alexander Levy 1-2-0 (1)
ROUND 1
• Tyrrell Hatton defeated Alexander Levy, 3 and 2
• Brendan Steele defeated Charley Hoffman, 1 up
ROUND 2
• Hatton defeated Steele, 3 and 2
• Levy defeated Hoffman, 1-up
ROUND 3
• Hoffman defeated Hatton, 3 and 2
• Steele defeated Levy, 3 and 1
PLAYOFF
• Hatton defeated Steele
BULLETS
- Hatton fell 3 and 2 to Charley Hoffman Friday but was able to advance with a sudden-death playoff victory over Steele.
- Hatton earns a spot in the round of 16 for the first time in his second appearance at the event.
- After Hatton was defeated by Hoffman, Steele forced the playoff with a 3 and 1 victory against Levy.
- Hatton made birdie on the first extra hole, while Steele made bogey.
GROUP 13
STANDINGS
13 – Alex Noren 3-0-0 (3)
29 – Tony Finau 2-1-0 (2)
61 – Kevin Na 0-2-1 (.5)
39 – Thomas Pieters 0-2-1 (.5)
ROUND 1
• Alex Noren defeated Kevin Na, 4 and 2
• Tony Finau defeated Thomas Pieters, 2 and 1
ROUND 2
• Noren defeated Pieters, 5 and 4
• Finau defeated Na, 3 and 2
ROUND 3
• Noren defeated Finau, 1 Up
• Pieters and Na halved
BULLETS
- Sweden’s Alex Noren defeated Tony Finau in one of five Friday matches that decided their respective groups.
- After taking a 1-up lead with a birdie at No. 17, Noren made a 14-foot par putt at the 18th to seal the match.
GROUP 14
STANDINGS
59 – Charles Howell III 3-0-0 (3)
14 – Phil Mickelson 2-1-0 (2)
17 – Rafa Cabrera Bello 1-2-0 (1)
40 – Satoshi Kodaira 0-3-0 (0)
ROUND 1
• Charles Howell III defeated Phil Mickelson, 3 and 2
• Rafa Cabrera Bello defeated Satoshi Kodaira, 2 and 1
ROUND 2
• Mickelson defeated Kodaira, 1-up
• Howell III defeated Cabrera Bello, 3 and 1
ROUND 3
• Mickelson defeated Cabrera Bello, 1 Up
• Howell defeated Kodaira, 2 and 1
BULLETS
- No. 59 seed Howell defeated Kodaira, 2 and 1, to advance out of group play for the second consecutive
year. - Howell is one of seven players to record a perfect 3-0-0 record in group play and is the lowest seed to advance.
GROUP 15
STANDINGS
50 – Si Woo Kim 2-0-1 (2.5)
37 – Webb Simpson 1-1-1 (1.5)
24 – Gary Woodland 1-1-1 (1.5)
15 – Pat Perez 0-2-1 (.5)
ROUND 1
• Perez and Kim halved
• Woodland and Simpson halved
ROUND 2
• Simpson defeated Perez, 2 and 1
• Kim defeated Woodland, 5 and 3
ROUND 3
• Woodland defeated Perez, 1 Up
• Kim defeated Simpson, 2 Up
BULLETS
- Kim defeated Simpson, 2 up, to win group 15.
- Kim is making his first appearance in the round of 16 in his second start at the event.
GROUP 16
STANDINGS
16 – Matt Kuchar 2-0-1 (2.5)
47 – Yuta Ikeda 1-1-1 (1.5)
27 – Ross Fisher 1-2-0 (1)
54 – Zach Johnson 0-1-2 (1)
ROUND 1
• Matt Kuchar and Zach Johnson halved
• Yuta Ikeda defeated Ross Fisher, 2 and 1
ROUND 2
• Kuchar defeated Ikeda, 1-up
• Fisher defeated Johnson, 2-up
ROUND 3
• Kuchar defeated Fisher, 6 and 4
• Ikeda and Johnson halved
BULLETS
- Kuchar, the 2013 WGC-Dell Match Play champion, made a hole-in-one at the par-3 7th and defeated Ross
Fisher, 6 and 4, to advance to the round of 16. - Kuchar was bogey-free over the course of the 14-hole match and has posted just two bogeys in 50 holes for the week.
