Charl Schwartzel was unable to hang on to his early lead as he succumbed to Patrick Reed for his second defeat at the Dell Match Play, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
Reed won 1UP to end Schwartzel’s participation at Austin Country Club.
The South African entered Thursday’s play needing the win to stay alive and was on track to do so making the turn 2UP over his fancied opponent.
Schwartzel birdied the second, the seventh and the eighth before parring the ninth to establish him in the contest. With nine to play, Reed garnered all his Ryder Cup heroics to pull himself back into the tie with an eye on a pool deciding blockbuster against Jordan Spieth on Friday.
Reed hardly need to make a solid swing to cut the deficit as Schwartzel played himself out of the showpiece event. He bogeyed the 10th before finding the water on the 11th to see the match squared up. The 2011 Masters winner in the so-called ‘Group of Death’ due to his continued rankings decline, got back in front on the next hole with a birdie but found the water again on 13 to let Reed back in.
Reed then profited from a wild swing from Schwartzel to go one up on the 14th; just the second time all morning that he was in front. One hole became two when he birdied the 15th.
A magnificent 3 wood and the subsequent two-putt birdie from the South African got him back into things and he was given added hope when Reed failed to find the 17th green after watching Schwartzel come up short in the greenside bunker.
The American’s chip ran past the flag and onto the fringe allowing Schwartzel a putt to win the hole. The delicate downhill putt ran twice as far past the hole as he started with but he sent the match down 18 after holding his nerve and the 12 footer.
Reed then received the break of the tournament as his wild tee shot cannoned off the wall way left and landed 100 yards short of the green in the clear. He promptly hit the flag for a tap-in birdie meaning Schwartzel needed to eagle the hole for the win.
His effort from 80-something feet never troubled the pin and he would bow out.
Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
