Tommy Fleetwood managed just a halve in his match against Kyle Stanley, a result that has thrown Group 11 at the WGC-Dell Tech Match Play wide open.
The Englishman, one half of the star Ryder Cup team with Francesco Molinari, got off to a slow start, which helped the American into the lead. In true come-from-behind fashion, Fleetwood wrestled the momentum back and headed into the final two holes with a 2-shot cushion.
Stanley, who defeated Oosthuizen on Wednesday, won both of the closing holes to secure a halved point.
That leaves both players on 1.5, with Oosthuizen now 0.5 back after he downed Byeong-Hun An 1-up.
The South African was the proverbial birdie machine on Thursday, with 8 birdies to show for his improved iron play. After struggling all of last week tee to green, the display was a welcome sign of progress ahead of The Masters in two weeks.
Oosthuizen was unable to put enough room between him and the Korean star, even though none of his four bogeys cost him a hole. An won just three holes – two of them with eagles – and crucially for Oosthuizen’s plight, missed from inside 10 feet on the last to come away from the match with nothing to show for his fight.
The results leave Stanley on pole with his ‘easier’ match against An, while the much-anticipated showdown between Fleetwood and Oosthuizen still has plenty on offer regardless of the other result.
Oosthuizen, though, must win to have any chance of progress and hope An wins or secures a halve.
Looking slightly further ahead than his last group game, Oosthuizen said: ‘There’re still a lot of things I have to get right before Augusta in a few weeks’ time. I’ve been better off the tee. I’m not great off the tee at the moment. I need to sort that out. But it’s getting there. And confidence is good and I feel like I’m putting well. So just need to find that small little spot.’
