Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre fought a dog-eat-dog battle all day with World No 1 Dustin Johnson but it ended honours even at the WGC Matchplay.
The 24-year-old Scot had a two-up lead with three to play against the Masters champion and seemed set for a major scalp in his debut at Austin Country Club in Texas. But Johnson’s eagle on 16 and brave birdie at the short 17th dragged him back.
It finished all square on the 18th and means both players have a point and a half going into the final day. MacIntyre must beat American Adam Long if he’s to reach the last 16.
MacIntyre’s surge around the turn
MacIntyre and DJ can't be separated after a great match play contest.#DellMatchPlay | @Workday pic.twitter.com/4ttgQxGYSV
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) March 25, 2021
Like he did against Kevin Na on the first day, MacIntyre gave up the lead on the first hole and had to hang tough for much of the front nine.
The Scot bunkered his tee shot at the first and got up and down for par, but Johnson hit in to eight feet and made it to go one up.
The Masters champion hit a poor second into the second, had to take a penalty drop and MacIntyre’s par was good enough to square things up immediately. But Johnson rolled in a 30 foot birdie putt at the third and was one-up again.
Five halves followed, with both players birdieing the long sixth, and there were some good scrambles going on from both players.
MacIntyre missed a great chance from inside 15 feet at the eighth but he followed with an approach to a foot and a half at the ninth. Johnson couldn’t miss the gimme birdie and it was all-square again.
Here comes Bob!
MacIntyre wins back-to-back holes to go ahead in his match against DJ.#DellMatchPlay pic.twitter.com/IxPMMAFoft
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) March 25, 2021
That really sparked the lefty and he drained a 23-foot birdie putt at the tenth to take the lead for the first time. At the short 11th, Johnson found the water and although his third shot from the drop zone spun back to a foot, MacIntyre was comfortably in for his par and a two-up lead.
He was quickly hauled back at the long 12th, Johnson well on in two and two-putting for birdie, while MacIntyre laid up and missed his 20 foot birdie chance.
The Scot missed a great chance from seven feet at the short par four 13th after Johnson duffed a chip. But the Masters champ then made a complete mess of the 14th and a solid, uneventful par from the Scot was good enough to restore his two-up advantage.
Johnson fights back with eagle and birdie
But after he left a 15-footer short for birdie at 15, it was MacIntyre who struggled down the long 16th. Not that it mattered much as Johnson holed from ten feet for eagle to get back to one down.
At the short 17th, it looked like the Scot was better placed but Johnson holed from just inside 20 feet while MacIntyre’s 12 foot putt stayed up, and the pair went to the last all-square.
Johnson suprisingly laid up off the tee on the short par four final hole while MacIntyre took driver, but neither played particularly good second shots.
The World No 1 had the easier of the putts but it drifted by the hole, and honours were shared.
