WGC-Accenture Match Play Round 3 results

• By Will Gray
• Feb 23, 2013 2:42 PM ET

With only 16 players left at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, many of the third-round matches were over quickly Saturday morning. See who advanced to the quarterfinals at Dove Mountain, set to begin Saturday afternoon:

HOGAN BRACKET

(6) Matt Kuchar def. (10) Nicolas Colsaerts, 4 and 3: The reigning Players champion got out to an early lead, thanks to birdies on three of his first four holes. Kuchar's lead grew to 4-up after only eight holes, though the Belgian was able to battle back somewhat on the back nine. In the end, though, the hole was too great to overcome, as a bogey from Colsaerts on the 15th hole clinched the match for Kuchar.

(9) Robert Garrigus def. (12 Fredrik Jacobson, 3 and 1: The long-hitting American was out in front early, as Jacobson began his round with nine straight pars. The Swede cut Garrigus' lead to 1-up after three straight birdies from holes 11-13, but Garrigus regained control with arguably the shot of the day. Standing on the tee at the 340-yard 15th hole, Garrigus striped a driver that rolled to within six feet for eagle. The hole was conceded and the match ended shortly thereafter.

SNEAD BRACKET

(3) Ian Poulter def. (15) Tim Clark, 5 and 3: Arguably the best in match play in today's game, Poulter continued his dominant performance this week but was helped significantly by Clark's poor play Saturday. The South African had four bogeys on the front side, the last of which gave the Englishman a 3-up lead. Though Clark made three birdies on the day, twice they were matched by Poulter, who went on to win in comfortable fashion.

(4) Steve Stricker def. (9) Scott Piercy, 1 up: In what was without a doubt the best match of the morning session, Stricker and Piercy combined for 15 birdies and no bogeys during their rounds, with Piercy losing despite shooting 7 under. Stricker trailed throughout the day, but squared the match with a birdie on the 17th hole and then won it with a birdie from 31 feet on the home hole. 

JONES BRACKET

(5) Graeme McDowell def. (16) Shane Lowry, 3 and 2: In a match between two players very familiar with one another, McDowell advanced as Lowry was not able to replicate the form that helped him beat world No. 1 Rory McIlroy on Thursday. The Ulsterman won three straight from holes 3-5 to build a lead, one that ballooned to 4-up as the players made the turn. Despite only one back-nine birdie, McDowell was able to hold on for a convincing victory.

(11) Jason Day def. (2) Bubba Watson, 4 and 3: The Aussie birdied the opening hole, and led after all but one hole during Saturday morning's match. The reigning Masters champ didn't make his first birdie of the day until the seventh hole, and found himself facing a 3-down deficit as the players made the turn. Day kept the pressure on with a pair of back-nine birdies, and when Watson's tee shot on the 15th bounded into the desert, his fate was sealed.

PLAYER BRACKET

(6) Hunter Mahan def. (7) Martin Kaymer, 4 and 3: Mahan continued his bid for back-to-back titles at Dove Mountain, easily downing the 2011 runner-up in this event. Mahan birdied four of the first six holes, and when the German bogeyed the seventh he found himself staked to a 4-up lead. Kaymer never got any closer than that, as the defending champ moved on to the quarterfinals without ever really being challenged.

(4) Webb Simpson def. (8) Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, 2 up: The reigning U.S. Open champion led every step of the way, taking the lead on the first hole that grew to 3-up after nine holes and 4-up after 11. The Spaniard fought back, though, trimming Simpson's lead to only 1-up heading to the final hole. After an unimpressive approach and three subsequent putts, though, Fernandez-Castano was ousted as Simpson moved on to face Mahan.