Rory McIlroy’s fate remained out of his hands despite being gifted victory in his second match in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
McIlroy, who lost his opening contest in group two to Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen, was due to face American Gary Woodland on Thursday, the man he beat in the 2015 final.
However, Woodland withdrew from the £7.8million event at Austin Country Club due to a “personal family matter”, leaving Kjeldsen – who would have played Woodland on Friday – needing only to halve his match with Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo to advance to the last 16.
A statement released by Woodland’s management company read: “Due to a personal family matter, Gary Woodland must withdraw from the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play. We ask that you respect his family’s privacy at this time.”
Grillo, who had lost to Woodland on Wednesday, quickly moved into a two-hole lead, but Kjeldsen quickly got back on level terms and the match was all square after eight holes.
A day after defending champion Jason Day pulled out of the event to spend time with his mother as she undergoes treatment for lung cancer, Italy’s Francesco Molinari also withdrew with a wrist injury after suffering a 5&3 defeat to Thongchai Jaidee.
That meant Sweden’s Alex Noren, who was due to play Molinari on Friday, was guaranteed to advance from group eight having beaten Bernd Wiesberger 3&2 to claim his second win of the week.
In contrast, Masters champion Danny Willett was eliminated with a game to spare after being thrashed 6&5 by American Bill Haas, while world number one Dustin Johnson made it two wins out of two by beating Martin Kaymer 3&2.
Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson also showed signs of a return to form with his second win, the left-hander beating compatriot Scott Piercy 4&3.
Watson has not had a top-10 finish since September’s Tour Championship and, despite being ranked seventh in the world at the time, was left off the United States Ryder Cup team.
But the world number 17 could be rounding into form at the right time with the Masters just a fortnight away.
“I’m always thinking about Augusta,” Watson said. “If there’s a major – not a golf tournament, but a major – built for me, where I have a good shot at it, that’s it. That’s just common sense, right? Everybody knows a lot of the holes go the way that I want to shape it, and there’s not high rough.”
Watson can book his place in the last 16 by beating Thomas Pieters on Friday, the Belgian Ryder Cup star having lost to Jhonattan Vegas on Thursday.
