World number one Jordan Spieth cruised to his second WGC Match Play win of the week on Thursday, downing France's Victor Dubuisson 5 and 4.
Jordan Spieth of USA hits his tee shot on the 14th hole during the
second round of the World Golf Championships Match Play in Austin,
Texas. (AFP/Christian Petersen)
LOS ANGELES: World number one Jordan Spieth cruised to his
second WGC Match Play win of the week on Thursday (Mar 24), downing
France's Victor Dubuisson 5 and 4.
As in his 3 and 2 triumph over Jamie Donaldson at Austin
Country Club on Wednesday, Spieth got off to a quick start and never
trailed. He went 3 up after birdies at the third and fifth, maintaining
that cushion until his lone setback of the day, a double bogey at the
par-three 11th.
It proved only a hiccup, as Dubuisson failed to notch a single birdie and lost the final three holes of the contest.
"Been able to flight the ball nicely," Spieth said. "I had
one bad swing on 11, but really played solid golf. "Really thought I'd
be five or six up at the turn, and Victor made a couple of long putts to
tie the holes. But that's what he does best. Very pleased to get today
done with."
Eighth-seeded Dustin Johnson bounced back from an opening
day defeat to beat Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat 5 and 4. Johnson
birdied two of the first four holes and led after every hole.
"Today I drove it a little bit better," Johnson said. "I
holed a couple of putts, just really had a lot of putts to win holes
whereas yesterday I had a lot of putts to tie."
Kiradech was slow out of the blocks with bogeys at the first two
holes. After taking the seventh hole with a par he was just 1 down, but
Johnson won the next four.
World number two Jason Day, who hurt his back in a 3 and 2
victory over Graeme McDowell on Wednesday, teed off on schedule and was 2
up through nine against Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee.
British Open champion Zach Johnson notched a big win, downing former world number one Martin Kaymer of Germany 8 and 6.
"In match play, momentum is always nice," said Johnson, who
won five of the first eight holes and the first three holes of the back
nine with birdies at 10 and 11 and a concession on 12.
"Today I got up early and just never let go," said Johnson,
who with his 4 and 3 victory over Marcus Fraser on Wednesday has played
just 27 holes in his first two matches.
- AFP/de
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