WGC Match Play: Dustin Johnson through; Spieth out

Johnson beat Jimmy Walker (1-2-0) 5&3 to complete a clean sweep of wins in Group 1, and with several top names having failed to progress will head into the weekend as a strong favourite.

The 32-year-old is seeking his third successive victory, after landing the Genesis Open followed by the WGC-Mexico Championship, and would complete the set of World Golf Championship wins if securing his first professional match play title here in Texas.

The evidence of the first three days, in which Johnson played 46 holes and led after each and every one of them, is that the world number one will take some stopping.

Johnson's performance meant that Martin Kaymer (2-1-0) could only finish second in the group after he beat Webb Simpson (0-3-0) 3&2.

Zach Johnson (2-1-0) faces the unenviable task of stopping his namesake after beating Brendan Steele (1-1-1) 1up to win Group 16.

The former Masters champion needed to win the match to progress - a half would've seen Steele go through - and was in control at 2up with three to play.

However, Steele won holes 16 and 17, both thanks in part to mistakes from Johnson, only to make one of his own with a bogey at the final hole.

In the same group, Tommy Fleetwood's (1-2-0) challenge was ended by Matt Kuchar (1-1-1), who won 4&2.

Phil Mickelson was the first player to play his way into the last 16 on Friday.

Making his 13th appearance in an event in which he's never been beyond the last eight, Mickelson cruised to a flawless 3-0-0 record in Group 14 with a 6&5 demolition of JB Holmes (0-2-1).

Having previously beaten Si-Woo Kim 5&3 and Daniel Berger 5&4, Mickelson is yet to get as far as the 16th hole and with seven matches to play in order to win the event, his relative freshness could be an advantage come the weekend.

Mickelson didn't need to be at his best to beat an out-of-sorts Holmes, but was bogey free and, in 42 holes played so far this week, has been in front after 41 of them.

"There's a good and a bad," the 46-year-old admitted. "I'm nervous that I haven't been in a match that has gone the last hole or two and feel that clutch pressure, but also the good is that I have been able to conserve energy heading into this weekend.

"That is going to be a real key with four potential matches. If you keep playing well, energy could be an issue."

The other match in Group 14 went to Kim (1-1-1), who beat Daniel Berger (1-2-0) 1up.

Next for Mickelson is a clash with Arnold Palmer Invitational champion Marc Leishman (2-1-0).

The Australian had to sit and suffer on Friday as Pat Perez (2-1-0) took on Lee Westwood, knowing victory for the former would eliminate him.

However, Westwood (2-1-0) won to ensure a three-way play-off, and Leishman took it on the second with a 12-foot birdie after the Englishman's attempt had come up short.

In Group 6, Kevin Na produced a birdie at the first play-off hole to beat Matt Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick (2-1-0) had claimed the notable scalp of Justin Thomas (1-2-0) with a 2&1 win, making four birdies in a row to turn their tie around.

Fitzpatrick still needed help from compatriot Chris Wood (1-2-0) and he got it, as the BMW PGA winner fought back from 4-down against Na (2-1-0), winning six holes in a row from the eighth as he won 2&1.

But Na, perhaps benefiting from a long break between losing to Wood and teeing off in a play-off, produced a brilliant birdie to beat Fitzpatrick.

He'll next face Bill Haas, won finally saw off KT Kim on the sixth hole of their sudden-death play-off.

Haas had earlier beaten Kim 4&2, which he needed to do to force extra holes, both ending the Group 11 round-robin with 2-1-0 records.

A remarkable chip-in kept him alive in sudden death and the former FedEx Cup winner was eventually able to put his experience to use and advance.

In the same section, Masters champion Danny Willett (1-2-0) gained a welcome boost with a 4&2 victory over Russell Knox (1-2-0).

Group 7 boiled down to an all-Spanish showdown between Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm, and it was the latter who came through with a convincing 6&4 victory.

Garcia (1-1-1) won just one hole, the fifth, as his younger compatriot continued his fine rookie season on the PGA Tour by advancing with a 3-0-0 record.

The other Group 7 match saw Kevin Chappell (1-2-0) fight back to beat Shane Lowry (0-2-1) with a par on the final hole, taking their dead-rubber 1up.

Tyrrell Hatton suffered his first defeat of the competition, losing 2&1 to Rafa Cabrera Bello in Group 10.

The result took both men to 2-1-0 and into a three-way play-off with Charles Howell III, who beat Jeunghun Wang (0-3-0) 2&1.

Howell III took the play-off with a birdie, eventually seeing off the challenge of Cabrera Bello after Hatton had earlier incurred a penalty with saw him effectively eliminated on the spot.

It means Howell III progresses to face Rahm as he bids to keep alive hopes of a late Masters invite.

Paul Casey took his record to 3-0-0 and booked his place in the last 16 by beating Charl Schwartzel (2-1-0) 4&3 in their winner-takes-all match to decide the outcome of Group 12.

In the same group, Joost Luiten (1-2-0) beat Byeong-hun An (0-3-0) 1up in a very tight match.

Next for Casey is Hideto Tanihara (2-0-1), who beat Japanese compatriot Yuta Ikeda (0-2-1) 3&1.

The result effectively confirmed Jordan Spieth's exit, regardless of the outcome of his match with Ryan Moore, in a group where it was all to play for heading into Friday.

That match ended in a half, leaving Spieth on 1-1-1 and Moore having halved all three of his games for 0-0-3.

Bubba Watson's flawless record came to an end as he halved with Thomas Pieters (1-1-1), but it was all the left-hander needed to win Group 13 with a 2-0-1 unbeaten return.

The result rendered Jhonattan Vegas's (2-1-0) 3&1 verdict over Scott Piercy largely irrelevant.

Next for Watson will be Ross Fisher (2-1-0), who beat Jim Furyk (1-1-1) 4&2 before getting the better of Louis Oosthuizen in a play-off for Group 4.

Oosthuizen (2-1-0) had thrashed Hideki Matsuyama (0-2-1) 6&4 to set up a showdown with Fisher, but it was the Englishman who advanced with a birdie on the second hole of sudden-death.

Fisher is looking to secure a Masters invite, which he may do if he can beat two-time Augusta winner Watson in the next round.

Brandt Snedeker (2-1-0) put in a dominant display to eliminate Branden Grace (1-2-0) courtesy of a 5&4 win, but Group 15 went to William McGirt when he beat Andy Sullivan (0-3-0) 1up to put the finishing touches to a 3-0-0 record.

He'll now face Soren Kjeldsen (3-0-0) for a quarter-final place, the Dane having won Group 2 by seeing off Rory McIlroy (1-1-1) and Emiliano Grillo (0-2-1), with the fourth member of that section, Gary Woodland, having withdrawn.

The final match of Kjeldsen's group saw Rory McIlroy and Emiliano Grillo share the spoils after the former missed a chance to end a frustrating week on a high.

Alex Noren (3-0-0) also advanced following two wins and a withdrawal, this time from Francesco Molinari. Like Kjeldsen, his 3-0-0 record secured him a place in the last 16 without having to tee off on Friday.

Bernd Wiesberger (2-1-0) and Thongchai Jaidee (1-2-0) completed Noren's Group 8, and it was Wiesberger who edged their game 1up.

Noren will face Brooks Koepka (3-0-0) after he beat Patrick Reed (0-2-1) 1up. Also in Group 9, Kevin Kisner (2-1-0) signed off with a 2&1 victory over Jason Dufner (0-2-1).

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 bt Walker 4&3, Kaymer bt Simpson 3&2

Johnson through to last 16

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: McIlroy halved with Grillo, Kjeldsen bt Woodland via withdrawal

Kjeldsen through to last 16

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

Wednesday: Perez bt Day via withdrawal, Leishman bt Westwood 3&2

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

Friday: Leishman bt Day via withdrawal, Westwood bt Perez 2&1

Leishman beat Perez and Westwood in play-off to reach last 16

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: Oosthuizen bt Matsuyama 6&4, Fisher bt Furyk 4&2

Fisher beat Oosthuizen in play-off to reach last 16

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: Spieth halved with Moore, Tanihara bt Ikeda 3&1

Tanihara through to last 16

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: Fitzpatrick bt Thomas 2&1, Wood bt Na 2&1

Na beat Fitzpatrick in play-off to reach last 16

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: Rahm bt Garcia 6&4, Chappell bt Lowry 1up

Rahm through to last 16

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 bt Molinari via withdrawal, Wiesberger bt Jaidee 1up

Noren through to last 16

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: Koepka bt Reed 1up, Kisner bt Dufner 2&1

Koepka through to last 16

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: Cabrera Bello bt Hatton 2&1, Howell III bt Wang 2&1

Howell III beat Cabrera Bello and Hatton in play-off to reach last 16

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 bt Knox 4&2, Haas bt Kim 4&2

Haas beat Kim in play-off to reach last 16

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 bt Schwartzel 4&3, Luiten bt An 1up

Casey through to last 16

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 halved with Pieters, Vegas bt Piercy 3&1

Watson through to last 16

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 bt Holmes 6&5, Kim bt Berger 1up

Mickelson through to last 16

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: Snedeker bt Grace 5&4, McGirt bt Sullivan 1up

McGirt through to last 16

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 bt Fleetwood 4&2, Johnson bt Steele 1up

Johnson through to last 16