Top-ranked Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland rallied to beat Billy Horschel on the 20th hole and advance to the Round of 16 on a day red-hot Jordan Spieth was defeated in the WGC-Cadillac Match Play Championship at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.
Horschel held a 2-up lead through 16 holes before McIlroy made birdies on the last two holes of regulation, sinking a 25-foot putt on No. 17 and a four-footer on No. 18 to force extra holes.
After both players birdied the first extra hole, McIlroy got up-and-down from a greenside bunker for a winning par on the second hole by sinking a three-foot putt.
“Obviously, I had to make that putt (on No. 17) or go home,” said McIlroy, who finished Group 1 with a 3-0 record. “I remembered a similar situation playing in the Ryder Cup last year with Sergio Garcia where I had to make a putt or we would lose, and I drew on that experience.
“That was the best putt I made all day and then I just tried to keep the pressure on up the 18th hole. I didn’t make a lot of birdies in the first three days, but I didn’t make many mistakes. I only made one bogey (in three matches) and didn’t give any holes away.”
The second-ranked Spieth (2-1) had an early 2-up lead over Lee Westwood (3-0), but the Englishman rallied to square the match on the back nine and claimed a 2-up victory with birdies on the last two holes. Spieth went home despite being 16-under-par in three rounds.
In the round of 16 on Saturday morning, McIlroy (3-0) will play Hideki Matsuyama (3-0) of Japan, who beat Kevin Na (1-2) , 5 and 4, to win Group 16, while Westwood faces Danny Willett (3-0) of England, who defeated Andy Sullivan (1-2) of England, 1 up, to win Group 15.
John Senden (3-0) of Australia, who had already clinched Group 3, got past Brendon Todd (0-3), 1 up, and will meet Hunter Mahan (3-0), who routed Matt Kuchar (1-2), 5 and 4, to take Group 14.
Louis Oosthuizen (3-0) of South Africa knocked off Bubba Watson (2-1) in a repeat of the 2012 Masters playoff with a 12-foot birdie putt in the 19th hole to win Group 4 and will take on Rickie Fowler(3-0), who completed his run through Group 14 by downing Graeme McDowell (0-3) of Northern Ireland, 5 and 4.
Jim Furyk (2-1) sank a five-foot birdie putt on the 20th hole to beat Martin Kaymer (1-2) and win Group 5, and will face J.B. Holmes (2-1), who won Group 12 with a 2-and-1 victory over Brooks Koepka (2-1).
Marc Leishman (3-0) of Australia beat Anirban Lahiri of India (1-2), 1-up, to claim Group 6 and will play Gary Woodland (3-0), who captured Group 11 by taking out Webb Simpson (2-1), 2 and 1.
Branden Grace of South Africa (2-1) beat Charley Hoffman (2-1) by a score of 2 and 1, and then overcame Hoffman and Zach Johnson (2-1) with a birdie on the third playoff hole. He will play Tommy Fleetwood (2-1) of England, who got past Bernd Wiesberger (1-2) of Austria on the 19th hole to claim Group 10.
Charl Schwartzel (3-0) of South Africa needed 20 holes to down Matt Jones (1-2) of Australia and will meet Paul Casey of England (3-0), who scored a 1-up victory over Francesco Molinari (1-2) of Italy to win Group 9.
The tournament now becomes single elimination, with the quarterfinals to be played Saturday afternoon. The final and the consolation match will be played on Sunday.
