GOLF
A day of Match Play comebacks
AUSTIN, Texas -- The format is fickle enough even before that notorious Texas wind arrived. Kevin Kisner, Mackenzie Hughes and even Sergio Garcia showed how quickly fortunes can change Thursday in the Dell Technologies Match Play.
Kisner added to his record of most matches won since the move to Austin Country Club in 2016 when he poured in three birdies over the last four holes and rallied from 2 down on the back nine to beat Luke List on the final hole.
"Yesterday was a lot more fun on the head," Kisner said of his 4-and-3 win in the opening session. "But today, I love that grind. I love being in that moment. I love having the ball in my hand trying to grind it out, and I feel like I have an advantage when it's going that way."
Hughes was in a similar predicament against Max Homa, until he won four consecutive holes along the back -- twice helped by Homa mistakes -- and held on for a 2-up win to keep his hopes alive of advancing to the weekend.
"There are gusts that blow 25 and then it could lay down and blow 10. But if you're over the ball thinking it's going to be 10 and then it's 25, it creates indecision," Hughes said. "I kind of got in my head earlier in that back nine a lot of pars and the occasional birdie were going to be good enough."
They were among five players who trailed by at least 2 holes on the back nine and rallied to win, joining Lucas Herbert over Xander Schauffele, Takumi Kanaya over Tony Finau and Min Woo Lee over Thomas Pieters. Bubba Watson was 1 down with two holes to play when he made a 35-foot birdie on the par-3 17th and won the 18th with a par to beat Webb Simpson.
Not to be overlooked was Garcia.
Garcia was 3 down against British Open champion Collin Morikawa with five holes left. He won the next three holes with birdies and matched pars with Morikawa to earn a halve.
"I you would offer me a tie on the 14th tee I would have definitely taken it and walk -- run -- to the clubhouse," Garcia said.
Justin Thomas waves after putting on the sixth green in the second round of the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament, Thursday, March 24, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Bryson DeChambeau watches a fairway shot to the 18th green in the second round of the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament, Thursday, March 24, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Adam Scott hits out of a bunker on the sixth fairway in the second round of the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament, Thursday, March 24, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Brooks Koepka hits out of a bunker on the sixth fairway in the second round of the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament, Thursday, March 24, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Jon Rahm points after his tee shot on the sixth hole in the second round of the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament, Thursday, March 24, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Richard Bland reacts to his chip shot onto the sixth green in the second round of the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament, Thursday, March 24, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Tyrrell Hatton hits a fairway shot on the sixth hole in the second round of the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament, Thursday, March 24, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Si Woo Kim hits a fairway shot on the sixth hole in the second round of the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament, Thursday, March 24, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Sergio Garcia points after his tee shot on the sixth hole in the second round of the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf tournament, Thursday, March 24, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)