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World No.1 Johnson crashes out at WGC Match Play

March 23, 2018
Dustin Johnson of the United States reacts after being defeated 4&3 by Adam Hadwin of Canada on the 15th green during the second round of the World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play at Austin Country Club on Thursday in Austin, Texas. — AFP
Dustin Johnson of the United States reacts after being defeated 4&3 by Adam Hadwin of Canada on the 15th green during the second round of the World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play at Austin Country Club on Thursday in Austin, Texas. — AFP

AUSTIN — World No. 1 Dustin Johnson crashed out of the World Golf Championships Dell Technologies Match Play on Thursday after suffering his second defeat of the tournament.

Defending champion Johnson, who suffered an upset loss to Austrian Bernd Wiesberger on Wednesday, was beaten 4&3 by Canada's Adam Hadwin at the Austin Country Club in Texas.

The loss made it impossible for Johnson to progress from Group One in the round-robin phase to the weekend's knockout rounds, with Hadwin — who halved his opening match with Kevin Kisner — assured of finishing above the top seed.

Johnson trailed from the opening hole against 38th seed Hadwin, who set up a simple birdie chance after hitting his iron from the fairway to within four feet. Johnson birdied the fifth to draw level but Hadwin edged back in front on the sixth after draining a 13-foot eagle putt on the 590-yard par-five.

The 30-year-old from Moose Jaw went two up at the turn with another superb putt, rolling in a 38-footer. Johnson then found himself three down after three-putting on the par-three 11th, and his problems mounted on the 13th when his tee shot found the water hazard to help Hadwin go four up.

Hadwin sealed victory at the 15th when Johnson conceded. A delighted Hadwin admitted he had expected a tougher challenge from Johnson. Also eliminated with a defeat was Spain's third-seeded Jon Rahm, who lost to Johnson in last year's final. Rahm fell 1 up to US 43rd seed Chez Reavie.

European Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter once again demonstrated his penchant for match play with his second win, defeating US 26th seed Daniel Berger 2 & 1.

Poulter will face 33rd seed Kevin Chappell on Friday aiming to seal his place in the last 16. US Ryder Cup teammates Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed set up a winner takes all showdown in Group Four with their second wins of the competition.

Spieth was a 4&2 winner over China's Li Haotong while Reed defeated South Africa's Charl Schwartzel 1 up. Reed and fourth seed Spieth meet Friday with the winner reaching the last 16.

Northern Ireland sixth seed Rory McIlroy kept his advancement hopes alive by beating Venezuelan Jhonattan Vegas 2&1. England's 10th-seeded Paul Casey beat Kyle Stanley 4&2 to go 2-0.

Phil Mickelson, seeded 14th, was ahead only once but that was when it mattered in a 1-up win over Japan's Satoshi Kodaira.

Ex-NFL star Romo fades

to 77 in PGA debut

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo shined early but struggled late on his way to shooting a 77 in his US PGA Tour debut Thursday at the Corales Championship.

American Brice Garnett fired a bogey-free nine-under par 63 at the Puntacana resort to seize a one-stroke lead over Canada's Corey Conners in the first US PGA event staged in the Dominican Republic.

But Romo did finish two strokes ahead of Guy Borots and D.A. Points and level with England's Brian Davis and Americans Keith Clearwater and Robert Gamez.

Garnett, who began off the 10th tee, birdied six of his first eight holes as well as the third, sixth and seventh to seize the lead.

Conners was undone by a bogey at the fifth but still one ahead of a pack on 66 that included Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge and China's Zhang Xinjun.

Park, Hedwall and

Stoelting shoot 66s

South Korea's Park Hee-young, Sweden's Caroline Hedwall and American Jackie Stoelting each fired a six-under par 66 to share the lead after Thursday's opening round of the LPGA Kia Classic.

In the final tuneup before next week's first major championship of the LPGA season at Rancho Mirage, Park and Hedwall opened with bogey-free rounds at Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, California.

Hedwall began on the back nine and birdied six of her last 10 holes to join the lead pack. She birdied 18, followed with birdies at the second and third holes, birdied the par-5 fifth and eighth holes and closed with a birdie at the ninth.

Hedwall is winless in 125 LPGA events, her eight titles worldwide including five in Europe and three in Australia, including her most recent at the 2013 Women's New South Wales Open.

Park, whose most recent of two LPGA crowns was the 2013 Manulife LPGA Classic, began on the 10th tee as well but saved her best for last, closing with three consecutive birdies in a late-afternoon run.

Stoelting, seeking her first LPGA title, took a bogey at the par-3 third but responded by making birdies on six of the next nine holes then another to conclude her round.

American Cristie Kerr, South Korean Kim In-kyung, Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn and Dane Nicole Broch Larsen shared fourth on 67, one stroke ahead of New Zealand's Lydia Ko, American Jennifer Song and South Koreans Ryu So-yeon and Lee Jeong-eun. — AFP


March 23, 2018
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