-
Thailand slams chaotic Asian Games organisation as 'musical chairs'
-
Ex-NFL star Brown to take plea deal in shooting case: lawyer
-
North Korea to keep nuclear weapons 'forever': foreign minister
-
Malaysia's migrant return plan chills Myanmar Rohingya
-
Markets mixed as China's Xi arrives for US talks
-
Pakistan confirms Afghan strikes after resident says Kandahar hit
-
Swiss voters expected to shun stricter neutrality
-
Thousands missing, aid needs mount one month after Nepal's deadly floods
-
Rapper-turned-PM faces first big test after Nepal disaster
-
Nepal flood victims look to PM Shah to press climate case at UN
-
Tuchel seeks tonic to England World Cup 'scar' in Spain showdown
-
Trump admin says there were 8 suicide attempts on US aircraft carrier
-
'Helps me cope': Catholic baptisms rise among French youth
-
Iranian satire 'Head to Head' draws a veil over the men
-
Colombians in Santa Marta stay inside after violence wracks the city
-
Archaeological 'breakthrough' could confirm origins of Paris
-
Iran airlines cancel flights as US sanctions hit
-
Morocco elects new parliament with lowest turnout in nearly two decades
-
Meta launches camera-free AI glasses amid privacy pushback
-
North Korean IT contractor found remote work in New Zealand: agency
-
Australian PM says OpenAI hacked government health website
-
Anthropic touts AI-led biology discovery
-
Xi arrives in US to personal Trump welcome
-
Giants QB Dart to have season-ending surgery
-
Morocco elects new parliament amid social frustration, youth discontent
-
Venezuelan shot by ICE needs urgent surgery, mother tells AFP
-
Scheffler and Burns to face Im and Lee in Presidents Cup opener
-
Giants QB Dart to have season-ending surgery: reports
-
Crushing wins for Lyon and Barca in women's Champions League
-
Judge urged to lift Trump's White House ban on media outlets
-
Rio breaks record for rainiest September amid powerful El Nino
-
Stocks fall on soaring bond yields, higher oil prices
-
At UN, tech chiefs urge caution in AI development
-
US judge weighing Trump's White House ban on media outlets
-
Russian strikes kill seven in Ukraine, Zelensky vows winter campaign
-
At UN, OpenAI's Altman calls 'for extreme care' in AI
-
Venezuelan shot by ICE needs urgent medical care, mother tells AFP
-
Hamilton gives thumbs up to Gulf GPs despite Iran conflict
-
Zelensky says Putin using fighters from 47 countries in Ukraine war
-
Leclerc admits going 'too far' in Hamilton shunt in Italy
-
Klopp calls on Germany to 'rise above ourselves' as new era begins
-
Row engulfs Dolly Parton's estate as manager accuses nephew of making threats
-
Russian strikes kill seven in Ukraine as Russia vows no 'pause' to war
-
Mandela Digital Extends Early Access Programme to 11 February 2027 Following Strong Response
-
ArcPoint Expands Globally with Institutional Intelligence Platform for Modern Investors
-
US seeks 11th Presidents Cup win in a row over global foes
-
Ronaldo focussing on 'present' ahead of Wales test
-
McDonald's to boost franchisees as inflation weighs on consumers
-
Outgoing UN chief makes final climate push at New York summit
-
Trump invites Putin to G20 summit in Miami
Rahm to face Koepka, Bland plays DJ at WGC Match Play
Top-ranked Jon Rahm and four-time major winner Brooks Koepka advanced to a Saturday showdown at the WGC Match Play Championship, while 49-year-old Englishman Richard Bland extended his fairytale run.
All three won their groups Friday at Austin (Texas) Country Club to book berths in four rounds of weekend knockout matches to decide a champion, as a field of 64 in round robin play was cut to the last 16.
The Saturday morning contests also feature a rematch of last year's championship match, pitting defending champion American Billy Horschel against compatriot Scottie Scheffler.
Top seed Rahm lost 3&2 to American Patrick Reed but the Spaniard advanced with a 2-1 record, while 16th seed American Koepka edged Ireland's Shane Lowry 1-up to finish 3-0 and book his date with Rahm.
Reigning US Open champion Rahm plans no changes from knockout to group matches.
"Still trying to win. It's the same thing. Nothing changes," Rahm said. "It doesn't make it any different in my mind. You've just got to go and win it. It's not easier or harder."
Bland edged countryman Lee Westwood 2&1 to capture his group with two wins and a tie, making him the oldest player to escape the group stage since it was created in 2015.
If Bland can defeat two-time major winner Dustin Johnson, who beat fellow American Max Homa 1-up to win his group at 3-0 and reach the last 16, the Englishman would set himself for a jump into the top 50 in world rankings on Monday and claim a berth in his first Masters.
"It's kind of weird you are playing such a tournament like this with another agenda as well," Bland said.
"I've tried to kind of put that to the back of my mind as much as I can, but when you're in your hotel room at night, it's difficult not to let your mind wander on what could be."
Horschel tied Belgian Tom Pieters to take his group undefeated, while Scheffler was one of four players who had to win a group playoff to advance.
Scheffler birdied the par-5 sixth to dismiss England's Matt Fitzpatrick, matching the longest playoff in event history.
- Japan's Kanaya advances -
American Will Zalatoris birdied the par-4 second to eliminate Norway's third-seeded Viktor Hovland in a playoff, while Japan's Takumi Kanaya parred the first playoff hole to defeat Australian Lucas Herbert and advance.
Kanaya was the lowest seed to advance at 56th. He meets Canada's Corey Conners, seeded 36th, in the round of 16. Conners beat Swede Alex Noren 3&2 to finish 3-0 in his group.
"I really love match play," Conners said. "I was excited for this week. Feel like I'm playing well. I'm not giving any shots away and that's what you've got to do."
World number two Collin Morikawa drove the 18th green and made birdie to beat fellow American Jason Kokrak 1-up and win his group, booking a date with Mexican 15th seed Abraham Ancer.
"Ive just been giving away too many shots to try and contend. Out here, you can't do that," Morikawa said. "It has been getting a little better and hopefully it will continue to be like that."
England's Tyrrell Hatton beat American Daniel Berger 2-up to sweep his group at 3-0 and book a last-16 date with Ireland's Seamus Power, who advanced despite a 2&1 loss to American Keith Mitchell.
In the only group to feature four major winners, Australia's Adam Scott beat Jordan Spieth 3&2 to finish with two wins and a tie to advance.
In the knockout stage, he's in a quarter of the bracket with three Americans -- Kevin Na, Zalatoris and Scott's first knockout foe, past winner Kevin Kisner.
Y.Bouchard--BTB