Rory McIlroy holed a vital birdie putt at the 18th to win a thrilling quarter-final clash against Xander Schauffele to book his place in the last four of the 2023 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
McIlroy had to call on all match play experience to come through two extremely close matches on Saturday. He first held off Lucas Herbert in the last 16 before facing a very different challenge against Schauffele.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 33-year-old never trailed against Herbert but was unable to relax, with the Australian staying in touch with his opponent throughout the contest before the Northern Irishman overcame a late scare to close out a two-hole victory.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But it was a completely different story against Schauffele, as McIlroy did not lead until his clutch putt from around 12 feet on the 18th green earned him a memorable one-hole win.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
World Number Three McIlroy, who made 17 birdies across his two matches on day four, will meet Cameron Young in the semis at Austin Country Club after he held off a stunning fightback attempt to beat debutant Kurt Kitayama by one hole.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler came from behind to beat Jason Day 2&1, while Sam Burns saw off Mackenzie Hughes 3&2 in their quarter-final.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The World Number One found himself three down in the early stages before winning three holes without reply to level things up after 12 holes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He then won the 13th and 14th to go 2UP before almost making an ace at the 17th, with a birdie there clinching his tenth consecutive match win at this event.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
McIlroy said, "I putted well all day. I felt yesterday against Keegan (Bradley) I found something or I got a feel, and then putted really well this morning against Lucas, and then continued that this afternoon.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I think winning the Match Play is always a massive accomplishment because of what you have to go through. It's seven rounds and - especially this week, I feel like a lot of my matches have been really, really close, so to be able to pull them out when I've needed to has been very gratifying."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Scheffler added, "Glad to be moving on. Both the guys I played with today got off to really good starts - actually, no, I got off to a good start this morning, but Jason (Day) got off to a really good start this afternoon and put behind pretty quickly there. I think I was three down through seven, but he made a mistake on eight and then I birdied nine and it was kind of a match from there on out, and I had a really good back nine. When you get three down, that's what you've got to do. Very proud of that effort there on the back nine and my finish."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I think winning the Match Play is always a massive accomplishment because of what you have to go through. It's seven rounds and - especially this week, I feel like a lot of my matches have been really, really close, so to be able to pull them out when I've needed to has been very gratifying."<\/p>\r\n\r\n