(Austin) Matt Kuchar has his place in the record books with Tiger Woods. Equally delectable, it earned a spot for the weekend in the Match Play Championship.
Kuchar had it easy at the Austin Country Club with a 7 and 6 win over Si Woo Kim – his 36e win at this tournament, tying Woods’ mark.
“I still have a hard time realizing that I equaled one of his records,” said Kuchar. I am extremely proud. I have another 300 of his records to break, I’m sure. But it’s fun to be able to say you joined Tiger over something. »
The final session in the group stage was to establish who would play at the weekend, and a record number of seeds survived.
The defending champion Scottie Scheffler (the favorite), Rory McIlroy (3e seeded), Patrick Cantlay (4e), Max Homa (5e) and Xander Schauele (6e) each won their group.
It is the highest number of qualifiers among the top eight seeds since the Match Match Championship switched to group stage mode in 2015.
Scheffler won his eighth straight game since last year. He lost the first two holes to Tom Kim, then won four of the next five holes to pull away in a 3-and-2 victory.
Scheffler also has the chance to join Woods in the record books. Woods is the only player to win golf’s most temperamental tournament two years in a row.
“I don’t think about things too much,” Scheffler said. I haven’t thought about last year once this week. I’m just happy to have qualified and focus on Saturday. »
Even with a loss suffered on Wednesday, Jon Rahm still had the chance to qualify for the weekend if he beat Billy Horschel. Instead, Rahm double-bogeyed on the second hole and was left in deficit.
Horschel, who won the Championship by hole two years ago, beat it in 14 holes.
At 44, Kuchar is the oldest player in the running. He relies heavily on his experience. He won in 2013, lost in the final in 2019 and reached the semi-finals two other times.
Kuchar said he has yet to text Woods regarding the record.
“Maybe Saturday,” he said.