Golf roundup: Jordan Spieth, Jason Day easily win at Dell Match Play

Jordan Spieth had another stress-free day in the Dell Match Play, avoiding some of the drama the 18th hole provided Thursday at Austin, Texas.

Spieth again built a big lead and lost only one hole in a 5-and-4 victor over Victor Dubuisson of France. He has played 30 holes in his two victories, and needs only to halve his match Friday against Justin Thomas to reach the round of 16 at Austin Country Club.

“When you’re 3 up and you’re striking the ball well on a windy day with a difficult golf course, it’s difficult to come from behind,” Spieth said.

Jason Day ended any suspense about his back injury — first by showing up, then by hitting his opening drive to 12 feet on the 381-yard first hole. He recorded a 5-and-3 victory over Thongchai Jaidee, which puts him in the same position as Spieth.

Jason Day plays a shot to the sixth green during the second round of the WGC Dell Match Play tournament on Thursday.

(Tom Pennington / Getty Images)

For others, the 18th hole was pivotal.

Phil Mickelson was all square on the last hole when Daniel Berger drove left next to a rock structure that forms the 10th tee box. Berger struck the rocks before his club reached the ball. He dropped the club, grabbed his left wrist and looked over to Mickelson to concede the match.

“That’s happened to me before, not the injury, but swinging over the top of it or misjudging where the obstacle is,” Mickelson said. “It happens. So I was just watching if the ball was struck and it wasn’t. He hit the rock on the downswing. And hopefully his wrist is OK.”

Mickelson moves on to a winner-take-all match against Patrick Reed. Berger was among those eliminated and contemplated whether to play Friday, especially with his first Masters appearance only two weeks away.

Sergio Garcia was poised to win his second straight match until Ryan Moore knocked in a 25-foot putt from behind the 17th green to square the match, and then hit wedge to a foot on the final hole for a 1-up victory.

“Match play is just crazy,” Moore said. “You just never know what’s going to happen.”

Patton Kizzire, one of three PGA Tour rookies in the 64-man field, was 1 down to Bubba Watson playing the 18th hole when he hit his approach to 5 feet and made it to halve the match. If he missed, he would have been eliminated. Now he can win the group if he beats Emiliano Grillo on Friday and J.B. Holmes beats Watson.

Five share LPGA lead

Inbee Park shot a five-under-par 67 for a share of the lead in the Kia Classic at Carlsbad, the final event before the major ANA Inspiration next week in Rancho Mirage.

The second-ranked South Korean rebounded in her afternoon round after missing the cut last week in the Founders Cup in Phoenix. She played the back nine at Aviara in four under, making her final birdie on the par-five 17th.

Morning starters Brittany Lang, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Ai Miyazato matched Park at 67, and top-ranked Lydia Ko was another stroke back, along with Jane Park and Mi Jung Hur.

Compos leads in Puerto Rico

Rafael Compos shot an eight-under 64 in front of his home fans to take the first-round lead in the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open at Rio Grande.

The 27-year-old Compos had eight birdies in a bogey-free round at Coco Beach. He made four straight birdies on Nos. 9-12, added another on the par-five 15th and parred the final three holes.

George McNeill, the 2012 winner, was a stroke back. He had six birdies in a seven-hole stretch and closed with a bogey on the par-4 ninth. Defending champion Alex Cejka was at 66 along with Aaron Baddeley, Frank Lickliter and Will MacKenzie.