WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play: Day 3 match recaps

AUSTIN, Texas -- The final 32 matches of the Group stage were completed Friday at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play, with 16 players advancing to the single-elimination weekend. Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy, Francesco Molinari, Paul Casey and Tiger Woods are the highest seeds left; McIlroy will play Woods, and Molinari faces Casey among the eight matches in Saturday morning's Round of 16 at Austin Country Club.

Here’s a recap of each match Friday, as well as the group winner.

MATCH PLAY: Scores | Group Standings | Bracket

Group 1: Branden Grace

BRANDEN GRACE (40) def. CHEZ REAVIE (55), 2 and 1
Grace (3-0-0) held a slim lead the entire back nine to advance to the Round of 16 for the first time since 2015. Birdies at 12 and 16 put Grace 2-up each time, as Reavie (0-2-1) parred his last nine holes. Holes won: 3, Reavie 1. Holes led: Grace 10, Reavie 0.

HIDEKI MATSUYAMA (24) def. DUSTIN JOHNSON (1), 4 and 2
Matsuyama (1-1-1) never trailed as he played well on the back nine to knock off top-seeded Johnson (1-2-0). Matsuyama had an 8-foot eagle putt at 12 and a 3-footer at 13 to give himself breathing room. Johnson also had an eagle (at the par-4 fifth) but failed to advance for the second straight year. Holes won: Matsuyama 6, Johnson 3. Holes led: Matsuyama 13, Johnson 0.

Group 2: Justin Rose

JUSTIN ROSE (2) def. GARY WOODLAND (22), 1 up
Rose (2-0-1) won the group in a tight back-nine battle against Woodland (2-1-0) in a winner-take-all match. The match was tied at the turn, but a Woodland bogey gave Rose the lead, which he maintained the rest of the way. Rose, making his first Match Play start since 2016, is in the Round of 16 for the first time. Holes won: Rose 5, Woodland 4. Holes led: Rose 10, Woodland 5.

EMILIANO GRILLO (53) def. EDDIE PEPPERELL (34), 4 and 3
Grillo (1-2-0) was a bogey-free 5 under on 15 holes to beat Pepperell (0-1-2) in a match with no group implications. Holes won: Grillo 5, Pepperell 1. Holes led: Grillo 12, Pepperell 0.

Group 3: HaoTong Li

Playoff: HAOTONG LI def. ALEX NOREN, 1st hole
Li's approach on the first hole finished inside 3 feet to set up his winning birdie to win the group. It'll be Li's first Round of 16 visit after losing all three of his matches last year.
Said Li: "The whole day just like a roller coaster."

TOM LEWIS (60) def. HAOTONG LI (36), 1 up
Li (2-1-0) missed a 9-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that could’ve won the group outright with a half-point against Lewis (1-1-1). Instead, it forced a playoff against Noren. Holes won: Lewis 6, Li 5. Holes led: Lewis 11, Li 1.

ALEX NOREN (27) def. BROOKS KOEPKA (3), 3 and 2
Noren (2-1-0) was 3-up with four birdies through six holes and stayed out of a trouble the rest of the way to knock off Koepka (0-2-1). The win led to a playoff against Li after Li’s loss to Lewis. Holes won: Noren 6, Koepka 3. Holes led: Noren 16, Koepka 0.

Group 4: Rory McIlroy

RORY McILROY (4) def. MATTHEW FITZPATRICK (32), 4 and 2
McIlroy (3-0-0) continued his hot play this week with a comfortable victory over Fitzpatrick (0-3-0) to remain undefeated and win the group. A bogey-free 4-under start on the front nine had McIlroy 4-up at the turn, and that was too much for the Englishman to overcome. This is the first time McIlroy has advance to the Round of 16 since 2016 when he reached the Semifinals. He’ll now face Tiger Woods on Saturday morning. Holes won: McIlroy 6, Fitzpatrick 2. Holes led: McIlroy 15, Fitzpatrick 0.
Said McIlroy: "Am I peaking? I feel like pretty much all of this year it's been close to what I would think is some of my best golf."

JUSTIN HARDING (47) def. LUKE LIST (64), 2 up
Harding (2-1-0) holed out for eagle from 105 yards at the ninth, and rode the momentum on the back nine with three more birdies to hold off List (1-2-0), who birdied two of his last three holes before conceding the 18. Holes won: Harding 6, List 4. Holes led: Harding 13, List 0.

Group 5: Lucas Bjerregaard

LUCAS BJERREGAARD (50) def. MATT WALLACE (33), 1 up
Bjerregaard (2-0-1) was 1-down through 10 but flipped the lead with birdies at the 11th and 12th holes to win the group in his first Match Play appearance. Wallace (1-2-0) could have advanced with a win after the other group match was halved, but a bogey at the 14th put him 2-down and he won just one hole after that. Holes won: Bjerregaard 6, Wallace 5. Holes led: Bjerregaard 11, Wallace 4.

JUSTIN THOMAS (5) and KEEGAN BRADLEY (31), halved
Thomas (1-1-1) was 2-up after 16 holes, but a three-putt bogey at the 17th and a Bradley (0-1-2) birdie at the 18th produced a half-point that eliminated Thomas from moving on. Holes won: Thomas 6, Bradley 6. Holes led: Thomas 14, Bradley 0.

Group 6: Marc Leishman

MARC LEISHMAN (17) def. BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU (5), 5 and 4
Leishman (3-0-0) won the first three holes with two birdies and a par to advance to the Round of 16 for the third time in five years. DeChambeau (1-2-0) didn’t post his first birdie until the 10th hole; by then, he was 5-down. Holes won: Leishman 7, DeChambeau 2. Holes led: Leishman 14, DeChambeau 0.
Said Leishman: "It always helps in match play to get off to a good start and then you can play a little bit more conservative. But someone who is as good a player as Bryson, I knew I had to keep the foot down."

RUSSELL KNOX (59) def. KIRADECH APHIBARNRAT (39), 2 up
Knox (1-2-0) birdied two of the last three holes to win the match rendered inconsequential with Leishman's victory. Had Leishman lost, Aphibarnrat (1-2-0) could've have forced a playoff with a win. Holes won: Knox 5, Aphibarnrat 3. Holes led: Knox 4, Aphibarnrat 9.

Group 7: Francesco Molinari

FRANCESCO MOLINARI (7) def. WEBB SIMPSON (21), 2 and 1
Molinari (3-0-0) produced another workmanlike effort to knock off Simpson (0-2-1) and win the group. The match was tied through 12, but Molinari won the next two holes with a birdie and par. Holes won: Molinari 6, Simpson 4. Holes led: Molinari 16, Simpson 0.

SATOSHI KODAIRA (63) def. THORBJORN OLESEN (45), 3 and 1
Kodaira (1-1-1) grabbed the lead for good with consecutive birdies on the front side to knock off Olesen (1-2-0). Holes won: Kodaira 5, Olesen 2. Holes led: Kodaira 16, Olesen 0.

Group 8: Matt Kuchar

MATT KUCHAR (23) and JON RAHM (8), halved
Kuchar (2-0-1) birdied the par-4 18th after driving the green to beat Rahm (1-1-1) and avoid a three-man playoff that would’ve also included J.B. Holmes. Kuchar was 1-up through 12, but his bogey at 13 tied the match. Kuchar and Rahm then each birdied the next three holes before Rahm birdied the 17th from 6 feet to take the lead. Kuchar was able to respond at the 18th and now advances to the Round of 16 for the third time in the last four years. Holes won: Kuchar 4, Rahm 4. Holes led: Kuchar 6, Rahm 3.
Said Kuchar: "Having one sneak up on the green on 18 was a great way to finish. I got a bit lucky that his putt slipped by."

J.B. HOLMES (43) def. SI WOO KIM (54), 6 and 4
Holmes (2-1-0) did what he needed, producing five birdies and pulling away from Kim (0-3-0) , who suffered two double bogeys. But he needed Rahm to beat Kuchar to force a playoff. Holes won: Holmes 7, Kim 1. Holes led: 9, Kim 2.

Group 9: Tyrrell Hatton

TYRRELL HATTON (35) def. LEE WESTWOOD (62), 3 and 1
Hatton (2-0-1) was 3-up through 7, then matched Westwood (0-2-1) on the back nine while getting help from Rafa Cabrera Bello to win the group. Westwood was 1-down after his hole-in-one at the 11th. The two then matched birdies at 12, before Hatton won the 13th with a 7-foot birdie putt. Matching birdies at the 16th allowed Hatton to close it out one hole later. It’s the second straight year Hatton has reached the Round of 16. Holes won: Hatton 5, Westwood 2. Holes led: Hatton 15, Westwood 0.
Said Hatton: "Obviously our main objective is to try and win our match, which thankfully we managed to do. And then I guess we were fortunate the other result went the way we needed it to."

RAFA CABRERA BELLO (29) def. XANDER SCHAUFFELE (9), 1 up
Cabrera Bello (1-1-1) played flawless golf to deny Schauffele (1-1-1) a playoff spot against Hatton. Cabrera Bello was a bogey-free 7 under in his 18 holes, and birdies at 16 and 18 allowed him to flip the match. Schauffele also had seven birdies, along with two bogeys, in his best performance of the week. Holes won: Cabrera Bello 6, Schauffele 5 Holes led: Cabrera Bello 2, Schauffele 12.

Group 10: Paul Casey

PAUL CASEY (10) def. CAMERON SMITH (25), 4 and 3
Casey (2-0-1) produced five consecutive birdies on the front and maintained a comfortable lead against Smith (0-3-0) after that to win the group. Casey is in the Round of 16 for the third time since the new format was introduced in 2015. Holes won: Casey 7, Smith 3. Holes led: Casey 13, Smith 1.
Said Casey: "I feel really good about the game. The only thing I'm trying to do is save the energy, because the win last week at Valspar, that was hard work on Sunday. It took a lot out of us."

ABRAHAM ANCER (58) def. CHARLES HOWELL III (42), 5 and 3
In a match rendered meaningless by Casey's win, Ancer (2-1-0) started with four consecutive birdies and was a bogey-free 8 under to rout Howell (1-1-1). Holes won: Ancer 7, Howell 2. Holes led: Ancer 15, Howell 0.

Group 11: Louis Oosthuizen

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN (19) def. TOMMY FLEETWOOD (11), 4 and 3
Oosthuizen (2-1-0) had an eight-hole stretch that included one eagle and six birdies as he flipped the match on Fleetwood (1-1-1), and then got help from An to win the group. A 15-foot birdie putt at the sixth started the hot stretch that also included a 25-foot eagle putt at the 12th. Oosthuizen, a 2016 finalist, advances to the Round of 16 for the third time in four years. Holes won: Oosthuizen 7, Fleetwood 3. Holes led: Oosthuizen 8, Fleetwood 6.
Said Oosthuizen: "Just found something early in the round and what I started off looking for I felt was missing in my putting stroke, and found it."

BYEONG HUN AN (49) def. KYLE STANLEY (41), 6 and 5
An (1-2-0) had a three-birdie stretch on the front and a four-birdie stretch on the back to roll past Stanley (1-1-1), who would’ve advanced with a win and Fleetwood’s loss. Holes won: An 8, Stanley 2. Holes led: 11, Stanley 0.

Group 12: Henrik Stenson

HENRIK STENSON (37) def. JIM FURYK (52), 5 and 4
In a winner-take-all match, Stenson (3-0-0) dominated Furyk (2-1-0) to win the group. Stenson was a bogey-free 7 under in his 14 holes played and was 4-up after Furyk’s bogey at the seventh. Stenson then produced four consecutive birdies on the back nine to snuff out any hopes of a Furyk rally. Stenson hit 10 of 11 fairways and 13 of 14 greens, and advances to the Round of 16 for the first time since reaching the semifinals in 2008 under the old format. Holes won: Stenson 6, Furyk 1. Holes led: Stenson 13, Furyk 0.
Said Stenson: "That's the best round of golf I've played all year ... It was called the 'group of death' and I guess I managed to bring it to the other guys."

PHIL MICKELSON (20) def. JASON DAY (12), 2 up
Mickelson (1-2-0) birdied two of the last three holes to beat Day (0-3-0) in a match with no group implications. Holes won: Mickelson 7, Day 5. Holes led: Mickelson 12, Day 2.

Group 13: Tiger Woods

TIGER WOODS (13) def. PATRICK CANTLAY (18), 4 and 2
Fueled by his hole-out from 82 yards for eagle at the par-4 13th, Woods (2-1-0) produced a terrific back-nine to knock off Cantlay (1-1-1) to win the group. Woods was 1-down after 10 holes but birdied the 11th with a 21-1/2 foot putt; had a two-putt birdie from 73 feet at the par-5 12th; eagled the 13th; and birdied the 14th from 19 feet to take command. Woods now advances to the Round of 16 for the first time since the last of his three Match Play wins in 2008. Holes won: Woods 8, Cantlay 4. Holes led: Woods 8, Cantlay 5.
Said Woods: "I needed to have two things happen, I needed to win my match and I needed to have Aaron beat Sneds. And so I'm very fortunate to move on."

AARON WISE (61) def. BRANDT SNEDEKER (44), 6 and 4
Wise (1-2-0) did Woods a favor by knocking off Snedeker (1-1-1) with a bogey-free round that included five birdies. Wise was 2-up at the turn and pulled away with three birdies in his next four holes. Snedeker conceded the 14th hole and the match after finding both the fairway bunker and greenside bunker. Holes won: Wise 7, Snedeker 1. Holes led: Wise 14, Snedeker 0.

Group 14: Kevin Kisner

Playoff: KEVIN KISNER def. IAN POULTER, 3rd hole
Kisner's birdie putt from 10 feet at the third hole won the group after he and Poulter parred the first two holes. Kisner reached the finals last year before losing to Bubba Watson.
Said Kisner: "I knew the playoff was going to be tough. He's playing well. And I was fortunate enough to get a good look there on the last and make it."

KEVIN KISNER (48) def. KEITH MITCHELL (56), 2 and 1
Kisner (2-1-0) led the entire back nine after a Mitchell (1-2-0) bogey at the ninth to force a playoff against Poulter. Kisner’s 26-foot birdie putt at the 13th was a key shot to maintain the lead. Holes won: Kisner 5, Mitchell 3. Holes led: Kisner 13, Mitchell 0.

IAN POULTER (30) def. TONY FINAU (14), 1 up
Poulter (2-1-0) was a bogey-free 6 under in his last 16 holes to outlast Finau (1-2-0) and force a playoff against Kisner. The match was tied after a Finau birdie at 17, but Finau bogeyed the final hole. Poulter led for most of the match after a birdie at the fifth hole. Holes won: Poulter 5, Finau 4. Holes led: Poulter 13, Finau 1.

Group 15: Kevin Na

KEVIN NA (57) def. BILLY HORSCHEL (38), 3 and 1
Na (2-1-0) advanced to the Round of 16 for the second time by winning the last three holes against Horschel (1-1-1) and getting some help from Watson in the other match. Horschel bogeyed the 15th, then Na birdied the 16th to go 2 up. Na then closed out the match with a Horschel concession. Holes led: Na 11, Horschel 0.
Said Na: "Last night I told myself, you know what, just bring your 'A' game, play your game. And the other stuff then you've got no control over."

BUBBA WATSON (15) def. JORDAN SPIETH (28), 1 up
Spieth (1-1-1) needed a win to advance or tie to force a playoff, but starting off with four straight bogeys proved too much to overcome against Watson (1-2-0). Spieth was just 1-down after a Watson bogey at 13 but could get no closer. Holes won: Watson 4, Spieth 3. Holes led: Watson 18, Spieth 0.
Said Spieth: "Even given my first four holes today with four bogeys, I think if this were a 72-hole event, I have a chance to win tomorrow based on the way I played the last three days."

Group 16: Sergio Garcia

PATRICK REED (16) def. SERGIO GARCIA (26), 2 and 1
Despite the loss, Garcia (2-1-0) advanced due the Putnam’s loss in the other match. Garcia led for most of the match, but Reed (1-1-1) got hot on the back nine, making five birdies to turn the match in his favor. It’s the second straight year Garcia has advanced to the Round of 16. Holes won: 5, Garcia 3. Holes led: Reed 3, Garcia 11.
Said Garcia: "In the perfect world I would have loved to win today and I probably had my chances to do it. But you also have to give credit to Patrick, he played really well, mainly the back nine."

SHANE LOWRY (46) def. ANDREW PUTNAM (51), 3 and 2
Putnam (1-2-0) got the necessary help from Reed but couldn’t force a playoff, as he made just one birdie while Lowry (1-1-1) won three of the final six holes with birdies. Holes won: Lowry 5, Putnam 2. Holes led: Lowry 5, Putnam 2.