SPORTS

Koepka rolls to another victory in Match Play

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan, watches his tee shot on the second hole during round-robin play at the Dell Technologies Match Play golf tournament at Austin County Club, Thursday, March 23, 2017, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (The Associated Press)

Dustin Johnson watches his tee shot on the second hole during round-robin play at the Dell Technologies Match Play golf tournament at Austin County Club, Thursday, March 23, 2017, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (The Associated Press)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, watches his drive on the first hole during round-robin play against Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark at the Dell Technologies Match Play golf tournament at Austin County Club, Wednesday, March 22, 2017, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (The Associated Press)

The Latest on the Dell Technologies Match Play (all times local):

1:45 p.m.

Brooks Koepka walked off the 13th green and for the second straight day, got into a golf cart and headed to the clubhouse.

Two matches, two blowout victories.

Koepka, who has missed four cuts in his PGA Tour starts this year, scored a 6-and-5 victory over Jason Dufner and is one match away from winning his group for the second straight year in the Match Play. He beat Kevin Kisner by the same margin on Wednesday.

Koepka and Bubba Watson are both 2-0 in their matches. Watson beat Scott Piercy, 4 and 3.

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10:30 a.m.

Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth face what could amount to elimination day at the Dell Technologies Match Play.

Both lost their opening matches at Austin Country Club. Even with two rounds remaining in group play, neither can afford to lose if he wants a chance at advancing into the weekend of single elimination.

McIlroy is the No. 2 seed who won in 2015 and reached the semifinals last year. Spieth is the No. 5 seed. He played poorly in a 4-and-2 loss to Hideto Tanihara, and on Thursday faced another Japanese player in Yuta Ikeda.

McIlroy played Gary Woodland, whom he beat in the championship match at Harding Park two years ago.

A year ago, only one player who lost his opening match advanced out of his group.