WGC Dell Match Play scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/competition/2017/wgc-dell-technologies-match-play/leaderboard.html
After 5 days of play and all the twists and turns, birdies and bogey's, round robins and quarter finals, it's down to the semi final four, and two of them are the hot favourites.
Dustin Johnson has been easing his way through his half of the draw like Usian Bolt easing his way to gold through 200 meters. Extraordinarily gifted, enormously talented and now totally dedicated.
Alex Noren gave him a game, DJ won 3&2, he beat a very tenacious Zack Johnson 5&4, Jimmy Walker went down 5&3, Martin Kaymer 3&2 and Webb Simpson 5&3.
Today he faces one of the surprises, 38 year old Japanese veteran Hideto Tanihara who beat Jordan Spieth 4&2 back on Wednesday and has gone on to 4 wins including over a pair of Englisnmen, Paul Casey and Ross Fisher. He was ranked #60 and has 14 wins on his Japanese tour.
He has little or no chance against world #1 Johnson who is vying for his 3rd title in a row, and is the favourite going into Augusta. Tanihara however can take comfort that with his success this week he has qualified for Augusta.
Jon Rahm has had the same type of success in his half of the draw, undefeated with wins over Soren Kjeldson (7&5), Sergio Garcia (6&4), Kevin Chappell, Charles Howell (6&4) and Shane Lowry. The tall, powerful Spaniard hits it almost as long as DJ, and has all the other tools as well.
Rahm was so dominant he played only 27 holes in two matches Saturday. He hasn’t had a match go longer than 14 holes since Thursday. And the 22-year-old rookie from Spain still hasn’t played the 18th hole since a practice round Tuesday. (pgatour.com)
He plays Bill Haas who beat Phil Mickelson 2&1 in the quarter finals to get here. He is a stuffy player with great genes, father is Jay Haas, remember Bill won the Fed Ex Cup back in 2011. Haas looks like an insurance salesman, and is a quiet guy, but he will give Rahm a game, although if on form the Spaniard is the betting favourite..
Bryan Angus
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