Sam Burns won the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship after beating fellow American Cameron Young 6&5 in the final at Austin Country Club in Texas.
Burns, who came into the tournament as the 13th seed, went one down on the second hole in the final, but dominated the match afterwards with a run of eight birdies in 10 holes from the fourth. Young found the water on 12 and 13 as he aggressively looked to reduce his deficit, before the pair shook hands on the 13th green.
“What a week,” said Burns, 26, who sealed his fifth win on the PGA Tour. “I am so tired. Cameron didn’t play best stuff, but it was a great match. I felt like I found something at the end of my match with Scottie.”
The championship was robbed of the final that most neutral observers wanted to see when the world’s top two players, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, suffered extra hole defeats in their semi-finals. McIlroy was beaten by Young in a sudden-death extra hole, having been two up with three to play and one up starting the 18th in Texas. Young levelled with a pressure putt on the 18th and then clinched the match with birdie on the first extra hole, while Burns took three extra holes to shake off the attentions of Scheffler in his semi-final. McIlroy recovered by beating Scheffler 2&1 in third-place play-off.
Despite his shock semi-final defeat, McIlroy felt that his game was in good shape ahead of the Masters, which begins on 6 April.
“A tonne of positives to take away,” he said. “Scottie and I are both disappointed we lost our matches this morning, but if you had have told me I’d make it to the Sunday of the match play last week I’d have taken that.”
For all the results from the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship, click here.
SAM BURNS’ WINNING GEAR
DRIVER: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (9°)
FAIRWAY WOOD: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (16°)
HYBRID: Callaway Apex UW (21°)
IRONS: Callaway Apex TCB (4-PW)
WEDGES: Callaway Apex TCB (52°), Jaws Raw (56°, 60°)
PUTTER: Odyssey O-Works 7S Black
BALL: Chrome Soft X
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