After 8 years, the final Dell Technologies Match Play tournament has concluded...maybe not the way we expected it all to go down.
I never would have expected that Jon Rahm wouldn't make it in to the round of 16.
I never would have expected that of four of the best matches of the entire tournament, none of those three were the championship match.
Let's do a quick recap of everything that happened...well, maybe not everything, but some of the best parts.
One of the most shocking loses is Jon Rahm not winning his group. He didn't look great against Rickie Fowler, but just never looked like world no. 2 this week.
I LOVED seeing Jason Day playing as well as he played. With all the back issues he's had the last several years, it's great to see him going toe to toe with the worlds' best.
Rory's driver...and putter WOKE UP this week! After not making the cut at the Players Championship, Rory completely changed his putter - went from a TaylorMade Spider to a Scotty Cameron blade and he also took a 1/2 inch off of his driver shaft. And did those two changes make a difference?!?! What a week for Rory.
Scottie Scheffler looked...well, like Scottie Scheffler.
Now - congrats to Sam Burns! He played a hell of a tournament and, just when you thought he was out of it, he hits a tee shot on 17 to less than a foot and takes down world no. 1.
I have to say though...I was a little disappointed with the championship match. Taking nothing away from Sam or Cameron Young, it just 1. didn't have the same draw as Scottie vs Rory in the consolation match had and 2. to have it end with Burns winning 6 & 5, it just didn't have the back and forth that a few other matches had.
Let's talk about those four matches that I mentioned earlier:
1. Xander Schauffele vs Rory McIlroy - this was a crazy match that I really wish would've just ended in a tie. I couldn't really cheer for or against either of them and they gave us a match that was fitting of a Ryder Cup. The back and forth between the two of them was incredible to watch and I look forward to the Ryder Cup in September...wink wink
2. Rory McIlroy vs Cameron Young - what a semifinal match! Young seemed to get all the breaks...hitting it in the trees, but it somehow making it through the trees to a great lie...hitting it in the trees, with the ball bouncing off of the cart part and rolling another 50 yards into the fairway. It was a great match with Rory just missing the winning putt on 18...and the tying putt on the 19th hole.
3. Sam Burns vs Scottie Scheffler - two best friends going back and forth with each other. Sam was 3 up then, the next thin you know, Scottie was 3 up. It ended up going 21 holes with Sam Burns just sneaking a putt in the side of the cup.
3. The consolation match that everyone expected to be a championship match - Rory vs. Scottie. It was a heck of a match...taking longer than the championship match took, but was worth every second of it. Scottie and Rory kept going back and forth (that's a theme of this tournament, I think) with Rory just edging out Scottie 2 & 1.
What a way to close out this tournament and what a way to prep for the first major of the year.
We have the Valero Texas Open this week...and then...the Masters. I can't wait!
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