Published July 17, 2008 on March 22, 2018

Wiesberger and Uihlein Upset Johnson and McIlroy at WGC–Dell Technologies Match Play

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Bernd Wiesberger and Peter Uihlein won their respective matches against Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy on day one of the WGC – Dell Technologies Match Play.

Wiesberger defeated the World Number One and defending champion Johnson 3 and 1 while Uihlein threatened to hand McIlroy a heavy defeat after going dormie 5 up on the Northern Irishman only for McIlroy to win three holes on the spin before Uihlein prevailed on the 17^th green.

“I thought it was the easiest game I could have. I’m the underdog playing with the defending champion, so it was a case of just try to go out there and see what happens. We both didn’t have a great day, obviously, as you can see on the card. He gave away a couple of holes quite unexpectedly. You’ve still got to make the par when your opponent makes the bogey. I didn’t hit it as great. The golf course was tough and the wind was gusting. Just happy to get through the match,” said Bernd Wiesberger.

McIlroy who defeated Uihlein said, “I made him earn it at least. I made the score line a little more respectable. I just came away a little flat. I didn’t really necessarily play badly. He played pretty well. It was a few under through 9, and got down early and he didn’t make a bogey all day. So it was — it was hard to sort of claw my way back. It was gusty out there, the conditions were a little tricky. As I said, I made a run at him at the end, but it was a little too late.”

It was an intriguing first day in the 64-man match play event which sees the field split into 16 groups of four, which each player playing three matches before the winners of each group progress to the last 16 and a straight knock-out on Saturday and Sunday.

Ian Poulter defeated Race to Dubai Champion Tommy Fleetwood 3 and 2, while Paul Casey won the 18^th to defeat Russell Henley 1 up. Those respective victories took Poulter and Casey’s total of career victories at the WGC – Dell Technologies Match Play to 24, which tied them with David Toms as the second most prolific winners in the event’s history. Tiger Woods holds the record number of wins at 33.

“Winning match play is always really pleasing. Tommy is a great player. I don’t think either of us really holed any putts. I think I probably played just a little better than he did and obviously got it done,

“The simplicity of match play is to win your match. It sounds really easy and it’s not. So level of focus, level of concentration this week. Be super aggressive, try not to hand too many holes away. It’s a tricky golf course this week. It’s easy to get out of position and it’s easy to hand holes to your guy with not really doing too much wrong. I’m happy with the win. A little practice with this putter, it needs to kick in, needs to warm up a little bit,” said Ian Poulter.

New father Sergio Garcia won a hard-fought match against the current Race to Dubai Number One Shubhanker Sharma on the 18^th green. There were also first day wins for Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Ross Fisher, Tyrell Hatton, Francesco Molinari and Alex Noren.

Last year’s runner-up Jon Rahm halved his match on the final hole with Keegan Bradley despite Bradley’s three birdies and an eagle from holes 9-12. Bradley left the 15^th hole 2 up with three holes remaining but bogeys on the 16^th and 18^th holes left each player with half a point after round 1.

No. 2 seed Justin Thomas pulled ahead of Luke List 2 up on the sixth hole when List, thinking he was frustratingly knocking his putter against a bush, actually hit a rock/wall and slightly bent the putter making it a non-conforming golf club. List spent the next 12 holes putting with his wedge and managed to extend the match the full 18 holes. Thomas won the 18^th hole with a birdie to solidify his 2-up victory.

Fourth-seeded Jordan Spieth defeated South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel, 2 and 1. In four prior appearances at the Dell Technologies Match Play, Spieth is yet to advance beyond the quarterfinals.

Australian Cameron Smith defeated USA’s Patrick Cantlay, 2 up, in a battle of Dell Technologies Match Play rookies. Smith recorded his first PGA TOUR victory last year and in the team event, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, with partner Jonas Blixt.

Jason Day who defeated James Hahn, 4 and 2, won the 2016 Dell Technologies Match Play in the event’s first playing at Austin Country Club. In that event, Day defeated Louis Oosthuizen, 5 and 4, in the finals. Day will again play Oosthuizen in Friday’s third round of group stage. Oosthuizen was also victorious in his first-round match against Jason Dufner.