Rory McIlroy Grows In Stature The Longer His Austin Matches Progress.

10 years ago by Comments Off on Rory McIlroy Grows In Stature The Longer His Austin Matches Progress.

For a second day running defending champion Rory McIlroy found himself getting stronger as his matches progressed in the WGC – Dell Match-Play in Austin, Texas.

McIlroy had to draw on his four-time Major winning skills in silencing the challenge of Smylie Kaufman with a 3 & 1 victory.

McIlroy will now face American Kevin Na, and also unbeaten in his two matches, in tomorrow’s final round robin encounter and with the winner to go through to the quarter-finals on the Austin Country Club course.

However, McIlroy had to work hard for his second success this week moving 1up with a birdie at the second hole and looking for all intention purposes to be about to hand his Alabama-born rival a golfing lesson on the Austin Country Club course.

But the current World No. 48 Kaufman hadn’t read the script winning the third and fourth holes with pars to go 1up.


McIlroy then went back to 1up with back-to-back birdies at five and six but then lost the eighth with a bogey after finding a greenside bunker with his second.

Kaufman, who broke through for a first PGA Tour late last year, showed he was not going to roll over went he went 1up for a second time in the match but only when McIlroy gifted him the par three 11th hole in finding the water guarding the green with his tee shot.

Kaufman had first hit his tee shot to eight feet right of the flag and with McIlroy naturally conceding the hole.

But it was then Kaufman conceding a hole at the 13th when he had to take a penalty drop after his second shot found water, and for the match to be back to all square.

McIlroy then begun to stamp his dominance, and for a second day running, coming from behind late in the match to birdie 14 and go back to 1up and then 2up with a birdie at 16.

While McIlroy found a greenside bunker at the par three 17th Kaufman conceded the hole and their match when found a hazard well left of the green.

“It was nice not to go down the last but then it was a little scary at the start of the match, but I’m happy Smylie did concede there at 17 and I move on to tomorrow,” he said.

“I certainly feel now after these two days that the longer the match goes on the better my chances are.

“I felt that way against Thorbjorn (Olesen) yesterday and also today against Smylie because I kept hitting solid shots a few mistakes might creep into my rivals and that’s what happened the first day and also today.

“I knew also if I could make a couple of birdies coming in, it would be good enough and I managed to do that.

“The pleasing thing over the last couple of days is that when I needed to play some of my best golf, I have been able to do that.”



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