AUSTIN, Texas — Kevin Kisner has had nearly two full years to enjoy the title of reigning World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play champion.
And through the first two days of this year’s event, it appears the University of Georgia product isn’t keen on giving it up just yet.
Kisner rolled out to a big lead in his Thursday match, watched as world No. 2 Justin Thomas rallied to cut the margin, but then closed out his friend, 2 and 1, to stay perfect through his first two matches at Austin Country Club. The win continued a remarkable run for Kisner, who is now 18-5-1 in the event’s history. He won the 2019 tournament — last year’s event was canceled due to the pandemic — and was runner-up in 2018.
And with the victory, he knocked out Thomas, who previously lost to Matt Kuchar in Wednesday’s opening round.
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Kisner was 4 up after seven holes on Thursday, using birdies on Nos. 2, 3, 6 and 7 to build an advantage. Thomas got rolling on the back nine with some luck — his tee shot on the 11th hole missed a little left, but took a great kick and wound just a few feet from the hole. Kisner bogeyed 12 and Thomas birdied No. 13 to pull the match close, but a birdie by Kisner on the 16th hole stemmed the tide.
“I knew that he wasn’t playing well early and I had thrown a couple birdies in too, so you expect him to make a run there at some point,” Kisner said. “So I didn’t like giving away 12, that was not kind of my MO in match play, so when it got to one, you’ve got to put your back against the wall and really grind it out.”
Kisner has only been defeated three times in his last 18 matches at this event — falling in his opening match of 2017 to Brooks Koepka, in the 2018 championship match to Bubba Watson and then in the opening round of the 2019 event to Ian Poulter.
While Thomas hasn’t managed much success in Austin, emerging from group play just once now in five attempts and winning just seven of 18 total matches, Kisner continues to show this format is perfect for his mental approach.
“I really enjoy the one-on-one competitive nature of the event. I really like knowing what I have to do on every shot compared to a four-day event,” Kisner said. “I kind of get lost in the motions sometimes when it’s a Friday morning or Friday afternoon and everything’s not going perfect. I think you got to grind all 18 holes and that keeps my head in the game.”
Interestingly, Kisner needs a repeat of his previous championship performance to qualify for the round of 16. He’ll square off with Kuchar — who he beat, 3 and 2, in 2019 — on Friday.
Kisner, who entered the event as the 34th seed, certainly has confidence heading into the showdown.
“Experience helps,” he said. “Obviously the more you play with your peers and the more you understand that you’re equal to everyone else, it helps a lot easier on the grind.”
Others who control their own destiny heading into Friday include Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood, Patrick Cantlay and Dylan Frittelli.
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