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When you return to a golf course where, twelve months earlier, you were downright humiliated in the final, who is the last man you want to come up against in your first match-play round? Probably Ian Poulter, right? Of course Kevin Kisner lost that first match to the self-proclaimed “Postman”, but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. The tournament’s toughest group went down to the wire, with an uncharacteristic Tony Finau mistake at the death handing Poulter a win on Friday to set up playoff with Kisner. The American exacted his revenge and the rest, as they say, is history.
Tough at the Top
Plenty of big names fell early, with just three of the World’s Top-10 emerging from their groups. Last year’s Champion Bubba Watson (1-2) and two-time winner Jason Day (0-3) joined the likes of Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka on an early flight home (or maybe directly to Augusta National). However, fans were treated to arguably the most mouth-watering match up in golf as Rory McIlroy faced off with Tiger Woods in the Round of 16. Tiger came out on top (2&1) despite McIlroy’s formidable form.
How it Happened
With Graeme McDowell winning the Corales Puntacana Championship- the other PGA Tour event that week- Europeans were looking to make it five wins from the last five PGA Tour events. With 50% of the final 16 and all three of the aforementioned World’s Top-10 who made the knockouts (Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy & Francesco Molinari), this looked promising. Molinari led Europe’s match-play charge (sound familiar?) before a lone blip for the week came in the excruciating form of a three-putt on the 18th to lose the semi-final. It was Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard, though, who stole the show, and not just for having the coolest putter on Tour (from the new Scotty Cameron Phantom X range). He beat Justin Thomas to win his group before conquering red-hot Henrik Stenson to setup a quarter-final with Tiger Woods. A stroke down on the 16th, the World No. 52 sunk a 29-foot eagle to tie things up before a birdie at the last to seal a win he will never forget. Unfortunately he then lost to Matt Kuchar in the semi.
Kevin Kisner changed his fortunes in the final with impressive composure to ease past Kuchar (3&2) and claim his maiden WGC title and by far the biggest of his three PGA Tour wins.
Kevin Kisner – What’s in the Bag?
Driver: Callaway Epic Flash Sub-Zero
Fairway Wood: Callaway Rogue Sub-Zero
Irons: Callaway Apex (utility), Callaway Apex Pro 16 (4-9 Irons)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7
Putter: Odyssey White Hot Pro #7
Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Written by Joe Carabini
