Kevin Kisner and Matt Kuchar won their semifinal matches to advance to the final round of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club on Sunday.
Kisner took the initial lead over Francesco Molinari with a birdie at the par-4 first hole, but Molinari struck back by winning the par-4 second and third holes to go 1 up on Kisner. Molinari would go par-birdie, while Kisner would go bogey-par.
Advantage: @K_Kisner
An early birdie for the American to go 1-up on Francesco Molinari. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/TBqcIA6RKo
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 31, 2019
But the 35-year-old Kisner would regain his lead over Molinari by winning the par-3 fourth and par-4 fifth holes to go back up by 1. While Kisner would go par-birdie, Molinari would go bogey-par.
Things would remain the same until the par-3 seventh hole, where Molinari would finish with birdie to bring the match back to all square. Kisner and Molinari would par the next four holes to remain tied with seven to play.
But Kisner would jump back into the lead with a birdie at the par-5 12th hole to go 1 up on Molinari after the 36-year-old Italian bogeyed the hole. That lead would grow to 2 up for Kisner after Molinari would bogey the par-4 14th hole.
But last year’s winner of the Open Championship and the current No. 7 player in the world would not go quietly into the night. Molinari would dramatically swipe Kisner’s lead away with a pair of birdies on the par-5 16th and par-3 17th holes to make the match all square heading into the 18th and final hole of the round.
But Molinari’s momentum would run out, as a bogey at the par-4 18th hole would prove to be fatal. Kisner would par to win the hole and the match 1 up over Molinari.
Kuchar would open up his match against Bjerregaard with a birdie at the first hole to go 1 up. The 40-year-old would remain in the lead until the fourth hole, where Bjerregaard finished with birdie to tie things up.
The cold never bothered him anyway …
Matt Kuchar with the early 🐦.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/lbAKf1egTE
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 31, 2019
Kuchar would then retake the lead with a birdie at the sixth hole before Bjerregaard tied the match up again with a birdie of his own at the seventh hole. But Kuch would take the lead into the back-nine after Bjerregaard bogeyed the final hole on the front end.
Nevertheless, the 27-year-old Bjerregaard was not rattled as he opened up the back-nine with a birdie to bring the match back to all square. Then, Kuchar would birdie at the 12th hole to go 1 up on Bjerregaard again. Kuchar would hold his lead for the next two holes, before Bjerregaard finished with birdie at the 15th to tie the match with three holes to play.
But Kuchar would grab the lead once and for all with a birdie at the 16th hole, putting away Bjerregaard to win the match 1 up.
While Kisner is looking for his first PGA Tour win in almost two years, Kuchar was last victorious at the Sony Open this past January.
