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Tiger, McIlroy book dream last-16 showdown at WGC Match Play

Washington - Three-time tournament winner Tiger Woods rallied to defeat Patrick Cantlay 4&2 on Friday, advancing to an electrifying Saturday knockout match against Rory McIlroy at the WGC-Match Play Championship.

The 14-time major champion holed out from 82 yards for eagle at the par-4 13th in his fightback to book his duel with McIlroy, who beat England's Matthew Fitzpatrick 4&2 to finish an unbeaten group run.

South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace were also both victorious in their respective matches and both have booked their place in Saturday's round of 16 knockout fixtures.

"It's exciting for the tournament. I'm sure it's going to be exciting for us," McIlroy said. "I feel good about my game. I'm going to stick with my game plan and not look at him until I have to near the end."

A showdown of the world's 64 top-ranked golfers at Austin (Texas) Country Club featured three days of group matches to decide 16 players for weekend knockout matches that will determine a champion.

Woods, seeded 13th, will meet fourth-seeded McIlroy of Northern Ireland in the round of 16 on Saturday morning. They have never met in match play.

"I'll be ready," Woods said.

Four-time major winner McIlroy, who could complete a Career Grand Slam at the Masters in two weeks, has never trailed in any match and dropped only three holes this week.

"I got up early and played some good golf on the front nine," McIlroy said. "I got scrappy toward the end but I'm through and I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

Former world number one Woods, a 14-time major champion, split his first two matches and needed a victory plus a loss by Brandt Snedeker to reach the weekend from his all-American group.

Aaron Wise led after every hole in routing Snedeker 6&4 and Woods took care of the rest with an impressive fightback, showing the form that helped him win WGC Match Play titles in 2003, 2004 and 2008.

Woods made bogeys at the par-5 sixth and par-4 eighth to fall 2-down to Cantlay, who gave one back with a bogey at nine before Woods reeled off three birdies and an eagle to win the next four holes -- sinking a 21-foot birdie putt at the par-3 11th and a six-footer at the par-5 12th, then holing out at 13 before making a 20-footer at 14.

"Patrick got a bad break at nine. I got a free hole there," Woods said. "I tried to carry the momentum to the back nine. I made a big putt at 11 and got it rolling from there."

At 13, he bounced his approach onto the green and saw the crowd erupt as the ball rolled into the cup.

"I was just trying to get it up close and next thing you know it falls in," Woods said. "I'll take it."

McIlroy, the 2015 Match Play winner, gave a nod to his final-round duel with Woods at last year's US PGA Tour Championship, where Woods captured his 80th career US PGA victory -- and first triumph in five years -- while McIlroy struggled.

"I just hope I put up a better fight than I did in Atlanta last year," McIlroy said.

The highest seed advancing was world number two Justin Rose of England, who edged US 22nd seed Gary Woodland 1-up to win his group. He next plays US 57th seed Kevin Na, the lowest seed in the last 16.

Sweden's Henrik Stenson, seeded 37th, won three of the first four holes and never trailed in beating US 52nd seed Jim Furyk, advancing to face Danish 50th seed Lucas Bjerregaard in the round of 16.

China's Li Haotong missed a seven-foot birdie putt at 18 and halved with England's 60th-seeded Tom Lewis, but put his approach to two feet on the first playoff hole to beat Sweden's Alex Noren for a knockout berth.

"The whole day was like a roller coaster," Li said. "On the last hole I was a little bit nervous and didn't get enough break (on the putt) but I just played good on the next hole."

Alongside McIlroy and Stenson at 3-0 were Australia's 17th-seeded Marc Leishman, who booked a last-16 date with South African 19th seed Louis Oosthuizen, and South African 40th seed Branden Grace, who will play Spanish 26th seed Sergio Garcia.

Italian seventh seed Francesco Molinari beat US 21st seed Webb Simpson 2&1 to finish 3-0 and will play English 10th seed Paul Casey for a quarter-final berth.

Results:

Group 1

Hideki Matsuyama (JPN x24) bt Dustin Johnson (USA x1) 3&2

Branden Grace (RSA x40) bt Chez Reavie (USA x55) 2&1

Group 2

Emiliano Grillo (ARG x53) bt Eddie Pepperell (ENG x34) 4&3

Justin Rose (ENG x2) bt Gary Woodland (USA x22) 1-up

Group 3

Alex Noren (SWE x27) bt Brooks Koepka (USA x3) 3&2

Tom Lewis (ENG x60) bt Li Haotong (CHN x36) 1-up

Playoff: Li bt Noren with birdie on first extra hole

Group 4

Rory McIlroy (NIR x4) bt Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG x32) 4&2

Justin Harding (RSA x47) bt Luke List (USA x64) 2-up

Group 5

Justin Thomas (USA x5) and Keegan Bradley (USA x31) halved

Lucas Bjerregaard (DEN x50) bt Matt Wallace (ENG x33) 1-up

Group 6

Marc Leishman (USA x17) bt Bryson DeChambeau (USA x6) 5&4

Russell Knox (SCO x59) bt Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA x39) 2-up

Group 7

Francesco Molinari (ITA x7) bt Webb Simpson (USA x21) 2&1

Satoshi Kodaira (JPN x63) bt Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN x45) 3&1

Group 8

JB Holmes (USA x43) bt Kim Si-woo (KOR x54) 6&4

Jon Rahm (ESP x8) and Matt Kuchar (USA x23) halved

Group 9

Xander Schauffele (USA x9) bt Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP x29) 1-up

Tyrrell Hatton (ENG x35) bt Lee Westwood (ENG x62) 3&1

Group 10

Paul Casey (ENG x10) bt Cameron Smith (AUS x25) 4&3

Abraham Ancer (MEX x58) bt Charles Howell (USA x42) 5&3

Group 11

An Byeong-hun (KOR x49) bt Kyle Stanley (USA x41) 6&5

Louis Oosthuizen (RSA x19) bt Tommy Fleetwood (ENG x11) 4&3

Group 12

Henrik Stenson (SWE x37) bt Jim Furyk (USA x52) 5&4

Phil Mickelson (USA x20) bt Jason Day (AUS x12) 2-up

Group 13

Aaron Wise (USA x61) bt Brandt Snedeker (USA x44) 6&4

Tiger Woods (USA x13) bt Patrick Cantlay (USA x18) 4&2

Group 14 

Kevin Kisner (USA x48) bt Keith Mitchell (USA x56) 2&1

Ian Poulter (ENG x30) bt Tony Finau (USA x14) 1-up

Playoff: Kisner bt Poulter with birdie on third extra hole

Group 15

Bubba Watson (USA x15) bt Jordan Spieth (USA x28) 1-up

Kevin Na (USA x57) bt Billy Horschel (USA x38) 3&1

Group 16

Patrick Reed (USA x16) bt Sergio Garcia (ESP x26) 2&1

Shane Lowry (IRL x46) bt Andrew Putnam (USA x51) 3&2

Saturday's Round of 16:

Tiger Woods (USA x13) v Rory McIlroy (NIR x4), Henrik Stenson (SWE x37) v Lucas Bjerregaard (DEN x50), Tyrrell Hatton (ENG x35) v Matt Kuchar (USA x23), Sergio Garcia (ESP x26) v Branden Grace (RSA x40), Marc Leishman (AUS x17) v Louis Oosthuizen (RSA x19), Kevin Kisner (USA x48) v Li Haotong (CHN x36), Paul Casey (ENG x10) v Francesco Molinari (ITA x7), Justin Rose (ENG x2) v Kevin Na (USA x57)   

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