WGC Match Play Day 2: Rory McIlroy knocked out

Day two selected results

Bubba Watson (USA) bt Scott Piercy (USA) 4 & 3
Rory McIlroy (NIrl) bt Gary Woodland (USA) WD
Dustin Johnson (USA) bt Martin Kaymer (Ger) 3 & 2
Bill Haas (USA) bt Danny Willett (Eng) 6 & 5
Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng) bt Chris Wood (Eng) 4 & 2
Phil Mickelson (USA) bt Daniel Berger (USA) 5 & 4
Sergio Garcia (Spa) bt Kevin Chappell (USA) 4 & 3
Jon Rahm (Spa) bt Shane Lowry 2 & 1
Soren Kjeldsen (Den) bt Emiliano Grillo (Arg) 4 & 3
Paul Casey (Eng) bt Byeong-Hun An (Kor) 1 up
Jordan Spieth (USA) bt Yuta Ikeda (Jpn) 4 & 2

Scroll down for full group results

Day two report

Rory McIlroy has been knocked out of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play with a group game to spare, despite being handed victory in his second round-robin match. 

McIlroy was due to face Woodland in a repeat of the 2015 final in Texas, only to be awarded the win after the American pulled out of the tournament due to a "personal family matter".

That gave McIlroy - who lost 2&1 to Soren Kjeldsen on Wednesday - his first point in Group Two, but left him needing the Dane to lose to Emiliano Grillo to avoid an early exit.

Kjeldsen, who was due to face Woodland on Friday, recovered from a slow start to beat the South American 4&3 and ensure he would top the group to qualify for the last 16.

Woodland's management company said in a statement: "Due to a personal family matter, Gary Woodland must withdraw from the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play.

"We ask that you respect his family's privacy at this time."

Grillo lost 3&2 to Woodland on Wednesday but won both of his opening two holes against Kjeldsen, only for the 62nd seed to recover and reach the turn all square.

Kjeldsen moved ahead after draining a 33-footer at the 10th, as Grillo missed his birdie attempt from 10 feet, before doubling his lead at the par-three next thanks to a Grillo three-putt.

The Argentinian then found the water at the next two holes to move Kjeldsen four clear, before the Dane sealed victory with an eight-foot par putt at the 15th.

McIlroy's match against Grillo on Friday will now be a dead-rubber, with the fixture now set to be the world No 3's last competitive round before next month's Masters.

A day after defending champion Jason Day pulled out of the event to spend time with his mother as she undergoes treatment for lung cancer, Italy's Francesco Molinari also withdrew with a wrist injury after suffering a 5&3 defeat to Thongchai Jaidee.

That meant Sweden's Alex Noren, who was due to play Molinari on Friday, was guaranteed to advance from group eight having beaten Bernd Wiesberger 3&2 to claim his second win of the week.

In contrast, Masters champion Danny Willett was eliminated with a game to spare after being thrashed 6&5 by American Bill Haas, while world number one Dustin Johnson made it two wins out of two by beating Martin Kaymer 3&2.

Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson also showed signs of a return to form with his second win, the left-hander beating compatriot Scott Piercy 4&3.

Watson has not had a top-10 finish since September's Tour Championship and, despite being ranked seventh in the world at the time, was left off the United States Ryder Cup team.

But the world number 17 could be rounding into form at the right time with the Masters just a fortnight away.

"I'm always thinking about Augusta," Watson said. "If there's a major - not a golf tournament, but a major - built for me, where I have a good shot at it, that's it. That's just common sense, right? Everybody knows a lot of the holes go the way that I want to shape it, and there's not high rough."

Watson can book his place in the last 16 by beating Thomas Pieters on Friday, the Belgian Ryder Cup star having lost to Jhonattan Vegas on Thursday.

Two-time major winner Jordan Spieth had also been in danger of an early exit after losing his opening match, but the Texas native kept his hopes alive with a 4&2 win over Yuta Ikeda.

Lee Westwood was handed a win following Day's withdrawal and can force a play-off in group three by beating Pat Perez on Friday, while Kevin Na needs just half a point against Chris Wood after beating Justin Thomas in group six.

But perhaps the most eagerly anticipated match on day three will see Sergio Garcia take on Jon Rahm in an all-Spanish clash to decide the winner of group seven. Garcia beat Kevin Chappell 4&3 while Rahm defeated Shane Lowry 2&1.

Group Results & Fixtures

Seedings in brackets

GROUP 1: Dustin Johnson (1), Jimmy Walker (22), Martin Kaymer (46), Webb Simpson (64) 

Wednesday: Johnson bt Simpson 5&3, Kaymer bt Walker 3&2

Thursday: Johnson bt Kaymer 3&2, Walker bt Simpson 3&2 

Friday: Johnson v Walker, Kaymer v Simpson 

GROUP 2: Rory McIlroy (2), Emiliano Grillo (30), Gary Woodland (37), Soren Kjeldsen (68)

Wednesday - Kjeldsen bt McIlroy 2&1, Woodland bt Grillo 3&2

Thursday - McIlroy bt Woodland via withdrawal, Kjeldsen bt Grillo 4&3

Friday 3.04pm - McIlroy v Grillo, Woodland v Kjeldsen

GROUP 3: Jason Day (3), Marc Leishman (32), Lee Westwood (49), Pat Perez (62)

Wednesday - Perez btDay via withdrawal, Leishman bt Westwood 3&2

Thursday - Westwood bt Day via withdrawal, Perez bt Leishman 2&1

Friday 1.36pm - Day v Leishman, Westwood v Perez

GROUP 4: Hideki Matsuyama (4), Louis Oosthuizen (27), Ross Fisher (53), Jim Furyk (57)

Wednesday - Oosthuizen bt Fisher 4&3, Matsuyama halved with Furyk

Thursday - Fisher bt Matsuyama 2&1, Oosthuizen bt Furyk 3&2

Friday 4.32pm - Matsuyama v Oosthuizen, Fisher v Furyk

GROUP 5: Jordan Spieth (6), Ryan Moore (36), Yuta Ikeda (41), Hideto Tanihara (60)

Wednesday - Tanihara bt Spieth 4&2, Moore halved with Ikeda

Thursday - Spieth bt Ikeda 4&2, Moore halved with Tanihara

Friday 3.48pm - Spieth v Moore, Ikeda v Tanihara

GROUP 6: Justin Thomas (7), Matt Fitzpatrick (31), Kevin Na (52), Chris Wood (55)

Wednesday - Thomas bt Wood 2&1, Na bt Fitzpatrick 5&4

Thursday - Na bt Thomas 4&2, Fitzpatrick bt Wood 4&2

Friday 12.52pm - Thomas v Fitzpatrick, Na v Wood

GROUP 7: Sergio Garcia (10), Jon Rahm (25), Kevin Chappell (42), Shane Lowry (59)

Wednesday - Garcia halved with Lowry, Rahm bt Chappell 3&2

Thursday - Garcia bt Chappell 4&3, Rahm bt Lowry 2&1

Friday 2.20pm - Garcia v Rahm, Chappell v Lowry

GROUP 8: Alex Noren (11), Francesco Molinari (29), Bernd Wiesberger (40), Thongchai Jaidee (63)

Wednesday - Noren bt Jaidee 3&2, Wiesberger bt Molinari 2up

Thursday - Noren bt Wiesberger 3&2, Jaidee bt Molinari 5&3

Friday - Noren def. Molinari via withdrawal, Wiesberger v Jaidee

GROUP 9: Patrick Reed (12), Brooks Koepka (24), Kevin Kisner (38), Jason Dufner (65)

Wednesday - Reed halved Dufner, Koepka bt Kisner 6&5

Thursday - Kisner bt Reed 1up, Koepka bt Dufner 6&5

Friday: Reed v Koepka, Kisner v Dufner

GROUP 10: Tyrrell Hatton (14), Rafa Cabrera Bello (26), Jeunghun Wang (45), Charles Howell III (67)

Wednesday - Hatton bt Howell III 2&1, Cabrera Bello bt Wang 4&3

Thursday - Hatton bt Wang 2up, Howell III bt Cabrera Bello 1up

Friday: Hatton v Cabrera Bello, Wang v Howell III

GROUP 11: Danny Willett (15), Russell Knox (21), Bill Haas (47), K.T. Kim (70)

Wednesday - Kim bt Willett 4&2, Knox bt Haas 3&2

Thursday - Haas bt Willett 6&5, Kim bt Knox 3&1

Friday: Willett v Knox, Haas v Kim

GROUP 12: Paul Casey (16), Charl Schwartzel (28), Ben An (51), Joost Luiten (66)

Wednesday - Casey bt Luiten 2&1, Schwartzel bt Hun An 6&5

Thursday - Casey bt An 1up, Schwartzel bt Luiten 4&3

Friday: Casey v Schwartzel, An v Luiten

GROUP 13: Bubba Watson (17), Thomas Pieters (34), Scott Piercy (43), Jhonattan Vegas (61)

Wednesday - Watson bt Vegas 1up, Pieters bt Piercy 3&2

Thursday - Watson bt Piercy 4&3, Vegas bt Pieters 3&1

Friday: Watson v Pieters, Piercy v Vegas

GROUP 14: Phil Mickelson (18), J.B. Holmes (35), Daniel Berger (39), Si Woo Kim (69)

Wednesday - Mickelson bt Kim 5&3, Berger bt Holmes 7&5

Thursday - Mickelson bt Berger 5&4, Holmes halved with Kim

Friday: Mickelson v Holmes, Berger v Kim

GROUP 15: Branden Grace (19), Brandt Snedeker (23), William McGirt (54), Andy Sullivan (58)

Wednesday- Grace bt Sullivan 4&2, McGirt bt Snedeker 2up

Thursday - McGirt bt Grace 2&1, Snedeker bt Sullivan 2&1

Friday: Grace v Snedeker, McGirt v Sullivan

GROUP 16: Matt Kuchar (20), Tommy Fleetwood (33), Zach Johnson (50), Brendan Steele (56)

Wednesday - Kuchar halved with Steele, Fleetwood bt Johnson 1up

Thursday: Johnson bt Kuchar 2up, Steele bt Fleetwood 1up

Friday: Kuchar v Fleetwood, Johnson v Steele

Day one report

Defending champion Jason Day broke down in tears after withdrawing from the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play to spend time with his mother as she undergoes treatment for lung cancer.

Day was three down after six holes of his opening match against Pat Perez when he conceded and walked off the course in Austin, prompting speculation that he had suffered another injury.

However, the 29-year-old Australian then told a hastily-arranged press conference that he had found it impossible to focus on golf due to his mother Dening's battle with lung cancer.

"My back is fine, I'm 100 per cent healthy," Day said. "My mum's been here (the United States) for a while and she has lung cancer. At the start of the year she was diagnosed with 12 months to live.

"The diagnosis is much better being over here, she's going into surgery this Friday and it's really hard to even comprehend being on a golf course right now because of what's she going through.

"She had all the tests done in Australia and the docs said she was terminal and she only had 12 months to live and I'm glad I brought her over here because of it.

"It's been really hard to play golf lately this year. It's been very, very emotional as you can tell."

Day, who was 12 years old when his father died from stomach cancer, added: "I've already gone through it once with my dad and I know how it feels and it's hard enough to see another one go through it as well. As of now I'm going to try and be back there with my mum for surgery and make sure everything goes right with her.

"Emotionally it's been wearing on me for a while and I know my mum says not to let it get to me but it really has, so I just need some time away with her to make sure that everything goes well because this has been very, very tough for me.

"I'm going to do my best and try and be there the best I can for her because she is the reason that I'm playing golf today.

"I've obviously pulled out this week because of my mum going into surgery to try and get rid of this three or four centimetre mass that's in her lungs. I'm just hoping for a speedy recovery for her and we can get this behind us and she can live a long life."

The circumstances behind Day's withdrawal understandably overshadowed results from earlier in the day, which saw Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Danny Willett all beaten.

McIlroy looked to be on course for victory against Soren Kjeldsen when he overturned a two-hole deficit with three birdies in a row from the 11th, only for the 41-year-old Dane to birdie the next four holes to win 2&1.

Two-time major winner and Texas native Jordan Spieth won just one hole before losing 4&2 to Japan's Hideto Tanihara, while Masters champion Willett's recent struggles continued as he lost to Korea's KT Kim by the same score.

Dustin Johnson was the only player to reach the knockout stages last year after losing his opening match, but the world number one had no such problems this year after thrashing Webb Simpson 5&3.

Ross Fisher, Matt Fitzpatrick and Andy Sullivan suffered heavy defeats to Louis Oosthuizen, Kevin Na and Branden Grace respectively, but there were victories for Tommy Fleetwood over Zach Johnson, Paul Casey against Joost Luiten and Tyrrell Hatton over Charles Howell.

Lee Westwood lost 3&2 to Arnold Palmer Invitational winner Marc Leishman, while Scotland's Russell Knox was a 3&2 winner over American Bill Haas.

In the day's final two matches, Spain's Jon Rahm defeated Kevin Chappell 3&2 before compatriot Sergio Garcia salvaged half a point against Ireland's Shane Lowry.

Garcia was two up after five holes but lost four of the next five before stopping the rot by winning the 12th with a par five. Lowry maintained his lead until the final hole, but found trouble off the tee and three-putted from long range after Garcia failed with his birdie attempt. 

Day one results

Branden Grace (Rsa) bt Andy Sullivan 4 & 2
William McGirt (USA) bt Brandt Snedeker (USA) 2 up
Soren Kjeldsen (Den) bt Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 2 & 1
Gary Woodland (USA) bt Emiliano Grillo (Arg) 3 & 2
Paul Casey (Eng) bt Joost Luiten (Ned) 2 & 1
Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) bt Byeong-Hun An (Kor) 6 & 5
Hideto Tanihara (Jpn) bt Jordan Spieth (USA) 4 & 2
Yuta Ikeda (Jpn) tied with Ryan Moore (USA)
Bubba Watson (USA) bt Jhonattan Vegas (Ven) 1 up
Thomas Pieters (Bel) bt Scott Piercy (USA) 3 & 2
Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) bt Ross Fisher 4 & 3
Brooks Koepka (USA) bt Kevin Kisner (USA) 6 & 5
Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) tied with Jim Furyk (USA)
Jason Dufner (USA) tied with Patrick Reed (USA)
Alex Noren (Swe) bt Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 3 & 2
Bernd Wiesberger (Aut) bt Francesco Molinari (Ita) 2 up
Dustin Johnson (USA) bt Webb Simpson (USA) 5 & 3
Matt Kuchar (USA) tied with Brendan Steele (USA)
Tommy Fleetwood bt Zach Johnson (USA) 1 up
Martin Kaymer (Ger) bt Jimmy Walker (USA) 3 & 2
KT Kim (Kor) bt Daniel Willett 4 & 2
Russell Knox bt Bill Haas (USA) 3 & 2
Justin Thomas (USA) bt Chris Wood 2 & 1
Kevin Na (USA) bt Matthew Fitzpatrick 5 & 4
Phil Mickelson (USA) bt Si Woo Kim (Kor) 5 & 3
Daniel Berger (USA) bt JB Holmes (USA) 7 & 5
Pat Perez (USA) bt Jason Day (Aus) (w/d)
Marc Leishman (Aus) bt Lee Westwood (Eng) 3 & 2
Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spa) bt Jeunghun Wang (Kor) 4 & 3
Tyrrell Hatton bt Charles Howell III (USA) 2 & 1
Sergio Garcia (Spa) tied with Shane Lowry
Jon Rahm (Spa) bt Kevin Chappell (USA) 3 & 2