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WGC Dell Technologies Match Play Second Round Highlights

Day two of the 2019 WGC Dell Technologies Match Play tournament is officially wrapped up with plenty yet to be decided. Friday’s round of one on one battles is all that remains to decide the round of 16. Those that advance will be staring down a marathon weekend in order to leave the Austin Country Club as champion.

While most of the field heads into the third and final day of round robin play with high hope 20 players already know their Friday fate. After underperforming both opening days top contenders including Bubba Watson, Jason Day, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed have already been mathematically eliminated from advancing. Their best hope now is to play spoiler come Friday to block some of their fellow contenders from moving on.

Whether they were sitting at the top of the group following Wednesday’s opening round, or bringing up the rear, all 64 of the world’s top players from across the PGA and European Tour fought tooth and nail Thursday for every point they could get. Last Word on Golf has your current group standings and some of the top highlights from Thursday’s second day of group play.

Key: Group Leader (Record), In Contention (Record), Mathematically Eliminated (Record)

Group 1

1. Branden Grace (2-0-0)
2. Dustin Johnson (1-1-0)
T3. Hideki Matsuyama (0-1-1), Chez Reavie (0-1-1)

Group 2

1. Gary Woodland (2-0-0)
2. Justin Rose (1-0-1)
3. Eddie Pepperall (0-1-1)
4. Emiliano Grillo (0-2-0)

With the match, and potentially his best chance to advance, on the line Thursday 2018 FedEx Cup champion Justin Rose drained his birdie putt on 17 to keep his match with Eddie Pepperall alive. Another birdie at 18 brought the match to all square to salvage half a point and keep Rose on Gary Woodland’s heels.

Group 3

1. HaoTong Li (2-0-0)
2. Alex Noren (1-1-0)
T3. Brooks Koepka (0-1-1), Tom Lewis (0-1-1)

Brooks Koepka and HaoTong Li battled it out in a test of wills Thursday. The reigning back to back U.S. Open champion put the pressure on the group three leader with an impressive chip-in birdie at the par-4 10th. Unfortunately Koepka stumbled down the stretch losing to Li and ending his chances to advance to the round of 16.

Group 4

1. Rory McIlroy (2-0-0)
T2. Luke List (1-1-0), Justin Harding (1-1-0)
4. Matthew Fitzpatrick (0-2-0)

Group 5

1. Lucas Bjerregaard (1-0-1)
T2.T1. Matt Wallace (1-1-0), Justin Thomas (1-1-0)
4. Keegan Bradley (0-1-0)

Needing a crucial win Thursday against Keegan Bradley, Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard broke the deadlock all square match-up on the 17th hole with a clutch birdie at the 126-yard par-3. Bradly would battle back on 18 to leave an even split Thursday.

Group 6

1. Marc Lieshman (2-0-0)
T2. Bryson DeChambeau (1-1-0), Kiradech Aphibarnrat (1-1-0)
4. Russell Knox (0-2-0)

Group 7

T1. Francesco Molinari (2-0-0)
2. Thorbjorn Olesen (1-1-0)
T3. Webb Simpson (0-1-1), Satoshi Kodaira (0-1-1)

Group 8

1. Matt Kuchar (2-0-0)
T2. Jon Rahm (1-1-0), J.B. Holmes (1-1-0)
4. Si Woo Kim (0-2-0)

Group 9

T1. Xander Schauffele (1-0-1), Tyrell Hatton (1-0-1)
T3. Rafa Cabrera Bello (0-1-1), Lee Westwood (0-1-1)

From a precarious position on 18 the three-time European Tour Golfer of the Year Lee Westwood got up and down for birdie to win the final hole of the day a salvage a split with Rafa Cabrera Bello.

Group 10

T1. Paul Casey (1-0-1), Charles Howell III (1-0-1)
3. Cameron Smith (1-1-0)
4. Abraham Ancer (0-2-0)

Group 11

T1. Tommy Fleetwood (1-0-1), Kyle Stanley (1-0-1)
2. Louis Oosthuizen (1-1-0)
4. Byeong Hun An (0-2-0)

Lining up for his third shot at the par-5 12th Kyle Stanley used the green to his advantage as his approach hit the green and trickled in for eagle. The two would battle back and forth down the closing holes to halve their match.

Group 12

T1. Henrik Stenson (2-0-0), Jim Furyk (2-0-0)
T3. Jason Day (0-2-0), Phil Mickelson (0-2-0)

Friday it will be an all out showdown to see who will advance from group 12 between undefeated Henrik Stenson and Jim Furyk. Thursday Furyk continued his recent string of premium play including an eagle at the 575-yard par-5 5th hole to go up two holes on Phil Mickelson.

Group 13

T1. Patrick Cantlay (1-0-1), Brandt Snedeker (1-0-1)
3. Tiger Woods (1-1-0)
4. Aaron Wise (0-2-0)

Woods may have lost his second round match against Brandt Snedeker but the three-time WGC Match Play winner certainly gave plenty of highlight Thursday. Despite the loss Woods is still alive in the unlucky group 13 but will need a victory and some luck Friday to advance to the round of 16.

Group 14

T1. Ian Poulter (1-1-0), Tony Finau (1-1-0), Kevin Kisner (1-1-0), Keith Mitchell (1-1-0)

Group 15

T1. Jordan Spieth (1-0-1), Billy Horschel (1-0-1)
3. Kevin Na (1-1-0)
4. Bubba Watson (0-2-0)

After squandering an early lead during Wednesday’s opening round, Billy Horschel came roaring back Thursday with a 2&1 victory over Bubba Watson. The 2014 FedEx Cup champion started his second round on the right foot after rolling in a 42-foot birdie putt to start the day with a one hole lead out of the gate.

Group 16

1. Sergio Garcia (2-0-0)
2. Andrew Putnam (1-1-0)
T3. Patrick Reed (0-1-1), Shane Lowry (0-1-1)

On his way to halving his match with Patrick Reed, and thus eliminating both competitors from contention, Ireland’s Shane Lowry put on some fireworks at the 13th. With the pin position surrounded by water Lowry rolled a picture perfect approach to the bottom of the cup for an eagle to win the hole.

 

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