We now know the 16 players left at the 2021 World Golf Matchplay Championships in Austin, Texas. The talk on day three was also about a sensational shot, and the fact the lowest-ranked seed in the event found his way to the final 16.
Let’s start with Dylan Fritelli of Johannesburg, South Africa. On Friday, Fritelli became the first 64th-ranked player in the history of the tournament to qualify for the fourth round. Fritelli had a record of two wins and one loss, which was good enough to win Group 12. Fritelli’s wins came over Americans Tony Finau (6&5 on Wednesday), and Jason Kokrak (3&2 on Thursday). Fritelli’s fourth round opponent on Saturday will be England’s Tommy Fleetwood.
Fritelli might have made headlines in the early stages of Friday, but it was Sergio Garcia of Borriol, Spain who made headlines in the latter stages. Due to the fact Garcia and England’s Lee Westwood finished the eighth group tied with an identical record of two wins and one loss, a sudden-death playoff needed to be played to settle the champion in the group. After three holes did not settle a winner, Garcia delivered with a magical hole-in-one on the fourth hole of the playoff. The bottom line is it was a walk-off hole-in-one, and could have been considered the most magical shot ever made in the history of any of the World Golf Championship events.
Garcia now will play Mackenzie Hughes of Canada on Saturday morning. The Spaniard is one of three major champions left in the field. The others are Americans Bubba Watson and Jordan Spieth.
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