Asian challenge ends in group stage at WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play

The Asian challenge at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play ended in the group stage with all five golfers — Kim Si-woo, Im Sung-jae, Tom Kim, Lee Kyoung-hoon and Hideki Matsuyama — bowing out on Friday

Im Sung-jae exchanges clubs with his caddie on the second hole during day three of the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club on Friday in Austin, Texas. [GETTY IMAGES]

The Asian challenge at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play ended in the group stage with all five golfers — Kim Si-woo, Im Sung-jae, Tom Kim, Lee Kyoung-hoon and Hideki Matsuyama — bowing out on Friday.

Entering the final round-robin group matches, Kim Si-woo was the best placed to advance after garnering two impressive wins in Group 8 but he fell to a 7 and 6 defeat to American veteran star Matt Kuchar, who tied Tiger Woods’ tournament record of having the most match victories at 36.

Kim, a four-time PGA Tour winner, dropped five bogeys in his first eighth holes and made the turn 5-down, before Kuchar, winner of the event in 2013 and runner-up in 2019, closed out the match on the 12th green at Austin Country Club.

Im was the day’s lone victor as he earned a second win of the week following a 4 and 3 triumph over Europe’s Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood but the effort proved futile as American J.T. Poston safely advanced from Group 16 by securing his third victory with a 3 and 1 win over Maverick McNealy.s

Tom Kim, also known as Kim Joo-hyung, making his first appearance in the event, needed to beat defending champion Scottie Scheffler to force a playoff in Group 1 but the American World No. 1 proved too good as the home favourite produced a 3 and 2 victory to advance into the Round of 16.

Making his debut, Lee endured a disappointing week in the $20 million showpiece following a third successive defeat, going down 3 and 2 to Nick Taylor while Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama withdrew prior to his final group match against Max Homa due to a recurring neck injury which had limited his preparation this week.

“I experienced some stiffness in my neck this morning while warming up at the range, preventing me from making a full swing. As a precautionary measure, I decided to concede my match to Max and rest before moving on to the Valero Texas Open next week,” said Matsuyama, who had won his opening Group 5 match against Kevin Kisner.

The 44-year-old Kuchar, a nine-time Tour winner, was delighted to tie Woods’ record at the Dell Technologies Match Play. “Certainly very cool. Getting a chance to tie any record of Tiger's is an amazing thing. That's something I still find it hard to comprehend that I'm saying that, that I tied one of his records. So I'm hugely proud, pleased. There's 300 more records, I'm sure, to go, but it's a fun one to be able to say you've kind of got something you tied Tiger with,” said Kuchar, who faces a resurgent Jason Day in the Round of 16.

Reigning FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy was amongst the top seeds to advance into the single elimination rounds this weekend and faces Australia’s Lucas Herbert on Saturday morning.

World No. 2 Jon Rahm was the biggest name to make an early exit following a 5 and 4 loss to 2021 champion, Billy Horschel.

BY CHUAH CHOO CHIANG [kjdsports@joongang.co.kr]