Will Zalatoris FORCED OUT of WGC Match Play
Will Zalatoris has withdrawn from the WGC Match Play through illnees to hand Ryan Fox a much-needed point.
Will Zalatoris has withdrawn through illness prior to his third-round tee time with Ryan Fox at the WGC Match Play.
Zalatoris could not have progressed even with a win over Fox on Friday.
The concession means Fox moves up to two points and it keeps his hopes alive of coming through Group 7.
Fox now needs Harris English to beat Andrew Putnam in order to force a three-man playoff.
Related: Hideki Matsuyama forced out of WGC Match Play
If Putnam just ties with English then he advances to the weekend.
Zalatoris will now look to get himself ready to compete in The Masters where he finished second on debut in 2021.
The American suffered two herniated discs in his back last year and it saw him miss the final four months of 2022.
Zalatoris' WD from the WGC Match Play came shortly after Hideki Matsuyama was forced out of the tournament due to a neck injury.
The withdrawal for Matsuyama means Max Homa moves to 3-0-0 and progresses to the weekend.
Matsuyama could have forced a playoff with Homa had he won their third-round match in Group 5.
Justin Suh could have also made a three-way playoff with them, but he would have needed to beat Kevin Kisner and then hope Matsuyama took down Homa.
So the Suh vs Kisner match now becomes a dead rubber as a result of Matsuyama's WD.
Homa will now face the winner of Group 12 in Saturday morning's last 16 match.
That is likely to be either Taylor Montgomery or Mackenzie Hughes.
Hughes was on the receiving end of a trouncing by Jordan Spieth, who apologised for the 'BS' way he closed out their match.
Matsuyama will now look to get a massage and get ready to compete in The Masters.
He slipped on the Green Jacket in 2021.
