ON THE LINKS | Friday’s golf results

DELL MATCH PLAY

AUSTIN, TEXAS

In a showdown that turned sloppy, Patrick Reed nearly holed a wedge to seize control and finished off Jordan Spieth with a 40-foot birdie putt from behind the 17th green to advance to the weekend of the Dell Technologies Match Play. The 2-and-1 victory sent Spieth home in search of his game with the Masters just two weeks away. Justin Thomas (No. 2) and Sergio Garcia (No. 7) were the only top-10 seeds to advance to the fourth round. Thomas had the easiest time, a 7-and-5 victory over Francesco Molinari. And with defending champion Dustin Johnson already eliminated, Thomas can go to No. 1 in the world if he wins this week.

CORALES PUNTACANA RESORT AND CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Tony Romo bogeyed the first six holes and shot a 10-over 82 on Friday to finish last in his PGA Tour debut. Romo followed the opening bogey run in the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship with a double bogey on the par-4 18th. He birdied the par-5 fourth and par-4 sixth on the second nine, but had double bogeys on the par-3 second and par-4 fifth. The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback had a 15-over 159 total — six shots worse than the next player on the leaderboard and 28 strokes behind leader Brice Garnett.

RAPISCAN SYSTEMS CLASSIC

BILOXI, MISS.

Joe Durant had three straight birdies in a back-nine burst and a shot 6-under 66 to take the first-round lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ Rapiscan Systems Classic. Durant birdied the par-4 11th and 12th and par-5 13th in the bogey-free round at Fallen Oak. He won the Chubb Classic last month in Naples, Florida, for his third victory on the 50-and-over tour. Mark Calcavecchia was a stroke back, and Steve Stricker shot 68. Calcavecchia won last month in Boca Raton, Florida, and Stricker took the Tucson, Arizona, event three weeks ago for his first senior victory.

KIA CLASSIC

CARLSBAD, CALIF.

Cristie Kerr shot an 8-under 64 on Friday in the Kia Classic to take a five-stroke lead into the weekend. The 40-year-old Kerr, the 2015 winner at Aviara, had eight birdies in her second straight bogey-free round to reach 13-under 131. Lizette Salas, In-Kyung Kim, Hee Young Park and Caroline Hedwall were tied for second. Salas shot 67, Kim 69, and Park and Hedwall 70.

Associated Press