Done the hard way. That’s surely how those following Louis Oosthuizen on Friday would sum up his progression to the next round of the Dell Match Play.
Oosthuizen went toe to toe against Jason Day, a winner already this year on the PGA Tour and the man who beat him in the final of this event in 2016.
For the South African, he finished his final group game with a taste of revenge as he prevailed in a match that ebbed and flowed and arrived at the 17th tee all square. Oosthuizen held his mid-range birdie putt after watching his Presidents Cup colleague miss to go 1 up and sealed the match when he hit his approach on the last to under eight feet and Day failed to birdie from 10 feet.
The win helped Oosthuizen into a playoff to see who would go on to face ‘Mr Ryder Cup’ Ian Poulter in the next round.
The playoff, one of three needed, was a repeat of Wednesday’s opener as Jason Dufner stood in Oosthuizen’s way. He stood there briefly as he failed to save par on the first from 12 feet – the same distance SA’s only remaining player in the event duly did one shot later.
Next is Poulter, the player who rather smartly put his ‘Miracle at Medinah’ putter back in the bag this week and has been as ‘eye-popping’ this week as in previous Ryder Cups. The Englishman will also be fresh – he was handed a third win via a concession over American Kevin Chappell.
Playoff results:
Group 8 – Oosthuizen beat Dufner after 1 hole
Group 10 – Kyle Stanley beat Paul Casey after 2 holes
Group 12 – Tyrell Hatton beat Branden Steele after 1 hole
Photo: Darren Carroll/Getty Images
