AUSTIN, Texas — As is often the case at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play — an event that can produce similar chaos to its NCAA basketball counterparts that run in the same month — the second round of action busted quite a few brackets and put some others on notice.
Bryson DeChambeau, making his return from an injury, was quickly eliminated after two erratic and uneven performances. Local favorites Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler were thumped by Englishmen Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood, respectively, and will likely need to win on Friday to advance.
And the hottest player and current Cinderella is a relative unknown, 42-seeded Irishman Seamus Power, who followed up Wednesday’s thrashing of Sungjae Im by unloading on World No. 4 Patrick Cantlay, taking a second consecutive match 5 and 4.
It all sets up for an interesting final day of pool play when action resumes Friday at Austin Country Club.
Justin Rose shakes hands with Jordan Spieth after winning their match during the second day of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. (Photo: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports)
Brooks Koepka is also circling after a pair of victories in the opening two rounds, beating Harold Varner III 2 and 1 on Thursday after topping Erik van Rooyen on Wednesday.
Koepka never trailed to Varner, using a string of three consecutive birdies on the front nine to get ahead for good. Although he has two points, Koepka could still fail to reach the Round of 16 if he loses Friday, then falls in a playoff.
Either way, the four-time major champ insisted he won’t coast, even though his name comfortably sits atop his pool.
“I don’t ever have expectations. I show up and I want to win. I feel like I can. But I think that’s where guys screw up, they start thinking ahead. That’s where nerves come into play,” Koepka said. “You start thinking about, well, if I could just par these last two, I can get in the clubhouse and win or whatever, and that’s usually when guys make mistakes, instead of just finishing off the round and play exactly like you would, they change up the game plan.
WGC-Match Play: Yardage book | Cool merch | PGA Tour Live on ESPN+
“I never get ahead of myself. It’s just whatever shot is in front of me, I just worry about that one, I could care less what I’ve got in front, two holes, a hole, whatever, it doesn’t make a difference.”
Top-seeded Jon Rahm was victorious, but only three of the top seven seeds captured a point in their matches Thursday as Collin Morikawa tied Sergio Garcia while Cantlay, fifth-seeded Scheffler and Xander Schauffele (No. 7) all lost.
Reigning champ Billy Horschel posted a 3-and-2 victory over Tom Hoge, giving him seven consecutive victories in the event — his last five matches last year to win the title and the first two this year — which leaves him six short of matching Tiger Woods, who holds the record with 13 consecutive wins in the Match Play from 2003-05. Woods also is the only player to win back-to-back Match Play titles.
“There’s nothing I can say that someone hasn’t already said about him,” Horschel said of Woods, “so if somehow I was able to continue on a great streak and win the next five matches and then come back and win one match next year, it would be really cool to have my name next to him.”
Among those with two points after two rounds of play are Dustin Johnson, Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick, Corey Conners, Alex Noren and Lucas Herbert, who holed out a putt on the 18th hole to defeat Schauffele.
The 20th-seeded Fitzpatrick was ecstatic to be in an advantageous position after he topped fellow English countryman Ian Poulter, 4 and 2.
“This is a miracle,” he said. “This is the closest I’ve gotten to getting out of the group. I’m happy with the start. The good thing is it’s in my hands, so if I go out and win tomorrow, I’ll go through.”
The third round of pool play is Friday. After that, the field will be trimmed to 16 players and single elimination will begin Saturday.