Li survives playoff to enter Dell Matchplay quarters

Haotong Li of China continued his march at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin, Texas, on Friday. Image courtesy PGA TOUR.

From the PGA TOUR

Haotong Li progressed into the round of 16 after a last-gasp win in the third round at the $10.25 million World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play on in Austin, Texas, on Friday.

Others advancing through to the knockouts included Tiger Woods who holed an early eagle to advance past Patrick Cantalay 4&2 and then saw Aaron Wise eliminate Brandt Snedekar, Rory McIlroy, who ousted Matthew Fitzpatrick 4$\&2, Francesco Molinari, Paul Casey Justin Rose and Branden Grace.

McIlroy will play Woods, and Molinari faces Casey among the eight quarter-finals on Saturday at the Austin Country Club.

The 23-year-old Li, who beat Alex Noren and Brooks Koepka in his first two Group 3 matches, went down narrowly to England’s Tom Lewis after missing a nine-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole which would have ensured a tie and a straight passage into the knockouts.

Sudden-death

With Noren defeating Koepka for his second win in the group, it meant the Swede and Li headed into a sudden-death playoff in which the young Chinese prevailed with a three-foot birdie on the first extra hole to emerge as the lone Asian to advance into the weekend play.

“The whole day was just like a roller coaster,” said the relieved Li.

“I didn’t play solid. I was a little bit off with my tee shots. And on my final hole on 18, I was just a little bit nervous and hit it a little soft and it didn’t get enough break. Hands were a little bit tight. I felt like if it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, just play good the next time.”

Shrugging off the Lewis defeat, Li split the fairway with a solid drive in the playoff against Noren, whom he had beaten 5&4 on Wednesday. He then fired a wedge approach shot to three feet to secure his place in the last-16 against last year’s runner-up Kevin Kisner, who edged out Ian Poulter in another play-off.

Getting lucky

“I got lucky here (in the playoff) … honestly. I hit it a little thin and as soon as I saw that bounce, I was like, ‘God! Thanks’. I am so thankful for everything,” said Li, who lost his three group matches in his debut last year.

Li, who is a two-time European Tour winner and Presidents Cup International team hopeful, knows he must power-up again to have a chance of extending his magical run at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

“I felt like I ran out of all the energy already. I need to get something, recover and let’s see what we can do tomorrow. Hopefully I can win a few more matches,” he said.

Hopes dashed

Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat lost 2-up to Scotsman Russell Knox as his hopes of reprising last year’s run into the quarter-final ended in the group stage. With Australian Marc Leishman, a four-time PGA Tour winner, earning his third win of Group 6 against Bryson DeChambeau, Kiradech’s match was irrelevant eventually.

 “My short game is so bad. I can’t get up and down from any par-5s. It’s quite disappointing on the par-5s. No birdies and then I chipped into the water on 12 and make a seven to lose the hole. It’s was a turnaround. I didn’t have any confidence around the greens. I have a lot of work to do,” said the 29-year-old, the first Thai golfer to hold a PGA TOUR card.

Korea’s Byeong Hun An secured his lone win of the week with a 6 and 5 triumph over American Kyle Stanley, as with Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama who beat world no. 1 Dustin Johnson 3&2 and Satoshi Kodaira who defeated Thorbjorn Olesen 3&1. Si Woo Kim of Korea lost his third straight match of the week, going down 6&4 to J.B. Holmes.

Round of 16 matchups

Marc Leishman (Aus) vs Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa), Haotong Li (Chn) vs Kevin Kisner (USA), Francesco Molinari (Ita) vs Paul Casey (Eng), Kevin Na (USA) vs  Justin Rose (Eng), Lucas Bjerregaard (Den) vs Henrik Stenson (Swe), Tiger Wood (USA) vs Rory McIlroy (NIR), Matt Kuchar (USA) vs Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Brandon Grace (Rsa) vs Sergio Garcia (Esp). Subsequently, the quarterfinal matches will begin from 12.30pm local time.

Follow the action: World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play

Also read: Els adds Choi, Immelman, Weir as vice-captains for Presidents Cup


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