Date: May 02, 2015
Author: Martin Blake

Senden, Leishman to top 16

 

Two Australians have reached the top 16 at the World Golf Championship matchplay in San Francisco, but they are not necessarily the pair that was expected to prosper.

World No. 7 Jason Day and world No. 9 Adam Scott completed  poor weeks with defeats today at TPC Harding Park. Both Scott and Day, the defending champion, lost all three matches under the new format for the Accenture Matchplay. Matt Jones also missed the top 16.

But Queenslander John Senden and Victorian Marc Leishman have both progressed to the round of 16 with unbeaten records of 3-0.

Leishman beat India's Anihir Lahiri one up and Senden completed a hat-trick of wins by eclipsing Brendon Todd of the United States today.

Leishman will meet long-hitting Gary Woodland of the US in the round of 16 tomorrow, while Senden plays Hunter Mahan.

Both Leishman (world No. 60) and Senden (65) are on the cusp of significant moves up the world rankings if they can get through tomorrow's round of 16 and quarter-final matches.

They are drawn to play against each other in the quarter-finals if they progress.

The surprise of the third day was the ousting of white hot world No. 2 Jordan Spieth, who lost to England's Lee Westwood.

 

ROUND OF 16 DRAW

Rory McIlroy v Hideki Matsuyama

Paul Casey v Charl Schwartzel

Jim Furyk v JB Holmes

Rickie Fowler v Louis Oosthuizen

John Senden (AUS) v Hunter Mahan

Marc Leishman (AUS) v Gary Woodland

Branden Grace v Tommy Fleetwood

Danny Willett v Lee Westwood