The world’s best players are in Austin, Texas, for the last playing of a unique event on the PGA Tour schedule.
Austin Country Club is playing host to the 2023 World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play for the final time this week, where 64 of the world’s top 77 players are on hand to play the Tour’s last match-play event for the foreseeable future.
Thursday’s slate features a clash of fan favorites, a pair of duels from the loaded Group 2 and a handful of must-wins for top players if they are to have any shot at the knockout stage.
Check out the top five matches to watch from the second round in Austin.
After a 5-and-3 loss to J.J. Spaun, Fitzpatrick needs a solid result against Lee, who defeated Sahith Theegala, 1 up, on Wednesday. If Lee were to win again, he’d be in prime position for a shot at the knockout stage.
Min Woo Lee hits the ball from the first tee during the first round of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. (Photo: Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports)
This might be one of the most fun matches in the pool play slate. Both are fan favorites, but Kisner might just have the advantage at Austin Country Club, where he’s finished runner-up in 2022 and 2018 and won in 2019.
Homa hasn’t finished better than T-18 at the Match Play, but he did go an unbeaten 4-0 at the 2022 Presidents Cup, including a defeat of Tom Kim in his Sunday singles match. So far this season Homa already has two wins at the Fortinet Championship and Farmers Insurance Open.
Max Homa and Kevin Kisner shake on the 18th green during round one of the QBE Shootout at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida. (Photo: Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Group 2 is stacked and Wednesday’s results made it all the more interesting.
Rickie Fowler trailed for the entire front nine of his opening match against World No. 2 Jon Rahm but fought back to take the lead on the 12th hole and eventually win, 2 up, to earn a crucial pool-play point. If Fowler were to beat Horschel, the 2021 Match Play champion, he’d all but punch his ticket to the Round of 16.
Rickie Fowler follows his shot on the seventh hole during day one of the 2023 World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Group 2, Part II.
Billy Horschel and Keith Mitchell tied their match to split a point, meaning Mitchell could keep Rahm, the 2017 match play runner-up, out of the knockout stage with a win. Over 12 starts this season, Mitchell has three top-10 finishes, including a pair of close calls on the west coast swing at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (T-4) and Genesis Invitational (5), where the two were both in the final group on Sunday.
Jon Rahm greets Keith Mitchell on the 18th green following the final round of The Genesis Invitational. (Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
Burns defeated Adam Hadwin, 3 and 2, while Scott was also victorious over Seamus Power, 1 up. The winner of this match will be in the driver’s seat for Group 13 entering Friday’s final round of pool play. Game on.
Adam Scott never held a lead for the first 17 holes of his matchup with Seamus Power …
Until this birdie on 18 to take the win 🐦 pic.twitter.com/yMTXPRBGbQ
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 22, 2023
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