World Matchplay Day 2 Summary

Warren loses at 20th, Gallacher KOd with

second defeat in a row

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Rory McIlroy knows he will have to be at his best on Friday to see off former Walker Cup foe Billy Horschel after moving to within one win of the last 16 at the WGC – Cadillac Match Play with a two up win over Brandt Snedeker.
Both Scots in the field of 64 lost. It was a second defeat in a row for Stephen Gallacher as he lost 3 and 2 to Matt Kuchar so that ended the Bathgate man's hopes of progressing. Marc Warren, who had won his first tie, lost at the 20th to Brooks Koepka.

Having seen off Jason Dufner on day one, McIlroy led against Brandt Snedeker from the moment he holed a 35 foot birdie putt form off the green at the first.

Snedeker birdied the 11th and 12th to briefly restore parity, but McIlroy converted from 15 feet on the 15th and five feet at the last to set-up a showdown with Horschel, whose 3 and 2 win over Dufner was also his second victory in as many days.

The other mouth-watering tie of day three at TPC Harding Park will see Lee Westwood take on Masters Champion Jordan Spieth for a place in the last 16, with both players having won their first two group matches.

Only Rickie Fowler and John Senden have secured their places in the last 16 with a match to spare

Many of Friday’s other final group matches throw up the possibilities of sudden-death play-off to decide who moves into the final stages of the tournament.

There will also be a number of straight head-to-head matches – McIlroy v Horschel, Spieth v Westwood, Bubba Watson v Louis Oosthuizen and Gary Woodland v Webb Simpson – to determine group winners.

There are two groups where all four players have a chance to progress depending on results, including the all European group of Sergio Garcia, Jamie Donaldson, Bernd Weisberger and Tommy Fleetwood. 

The other group contains Jim Furyk, Martin Kaymer, Thongchai Jaidee and George Coetzee.

Player Quotes

Rory McIlroy: “I played Billy twice in the Walker Cup. He won the first one, I won the second.  We’re good mates now, but back then we were a little bit younger and a little more emotional, so it was pretty heated. 

" I don't think tomorrow will be quite so much like that, but still you need to win or you go home.  So it's an important game.”

Lee Westwood: “Jordan is playing really well at the moment but match play is a funny thing, especially over 18 holes - it can be anybody's.  I played really well  today and was five or six under par, so it was a good quality match and I just ground away. 

"I'm really looking forward to this match tomorrow - it will be one of the matches of the day and I think that's what everybody wants.  I'm looking forward to it.  Jordan is playing really well so hopefully we can make a few birdies.”
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