WGC-Dell Match Play: Last 16 Bracket Breakdown and Picks
Xander Schauffele (6) vs J.J. Spaun (61) – 9:19 am EST
Xander Schauffele is moving on to the last 16 of the WGC-Dell Match Play at Austin Country Club for the very first time after topping group six with a 3-0-0 record. Schauffele has looked impressive this week, particularly over the first two days when he beat Cam Davis (4&3) and Aaron Wise (2&1) respectively. He beat Tom Hoge (1UP) to win the group on Friday.
Xander will face surprise group eleven winner J.J. Spaun, who won what was considered to be a pretty wide-open group coming into the week. Spaun (61) was the lowest-seeded player in his group and he beat Matt Fitzpatrick (11), Sahith Theegala (26), and Min Woo Lee (41), all in a pretty impressive manner to advance with a 3-0-0 record.
J.J. Spaun seems like he could be that underdog to make a deep run this year and after looking pretty comfortable over the first three days it would not be surprising to see him knock off Xander as well. Spaun marches on to the Quarterfinals with another impressive win.
Winner: J.J. Spaun
Rory McIlroy (3) vs Lucas Herbert (46) – 9:30 am EST
Group three favorite, Rory McIlroy, did what was expected and swept aside the competition over the first three days to top the group with a 3-0-0 record. Rory beat Scott Stallings (3&1) and Denny McCarthy (2UP), before ousting the only challenger remaining, Keegan Bradley, by a 3&2 margin on Friday.
It has all been pretty comfortable for Rory thus far but he could be tested by Australian, Lucas Herbert, in the last 16. Herbert took down a wildly popular pick this week in top-seeded Tyrrell Hatton by a margin of 2&1 on Thursday, it was Lucas’s second win in as many days. He beat Russell Henley (1UP) on Wednesday before taking care of Ben Griffin (3&1) on Friday.
Two of the undefeated players in this year’s WGC-Dell Match Play will contest the last 16 match on Saturday with the winner playing the Xander Schauffele vs J.J. Spaun winner later that same day. Herbert has truly impressed this week thus far and it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see him win another match in this year’s WGC-Dell Match Play. The Australian moves on to the Quarterfinals.
Winner: Lucas Herbert