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Austin, Texas • Dustin Johnson had reason to be rattled.
As he walked off the 12th green Saturday afternoon, the match referee said five words that Johnson heard for the first time all week in the Dell Technologies Match Play.
"The match is all square."
Until then, Johnson had led after each of the 71 holes he had played at Austin Country Club.
He wasted little time responding to a rare challenge. Johnson birdied three of the next four holes for a 3-and-2 victory over Alex Noren to advance to the semifinals and stay on track for a potential showdown between No. 1 in the world and Jon Rahm, golf's brightest young star.
"I wasn't frustrated that I was all square. I was frustrated that I kind of gave 10 and 11 away," Johnson said. "Came back strong after losing three holes in a row."
Rahm was so dominant he played only 27 holes in two matches Saturday. He hasn't had a match go longer than 14 holes since Thursday. And the 22-year-old rookie from Spain still hasn't played the 18th hole since a practice round Tuesday.
"The golf I've played the last three matches really has been very impressive, even to myself," he said.
Rahm lost only one of the 27 holes he played in his 6-and-4 victory over Charles Howell III and his 7and-5 victory over Soren Kjeldsen in the quarterfinals.
Rahm faces a semifinal match Sunday morning against Bill Haas, who ended Phil Mickelson's hopes with a 2-and-1 victory. Mickelson had advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in 13 years with a victory against Marc Leishman.
Johnson, going after a third straight PGA Tour title, faces one of this tournament's biggest surprises in Hideko Tanihara of Japan.
Tanihara began the week by beating Jordan Spieth. On Saturday, he took down Paul Casey with two late birdies in the morning fourth round, and then he beat Ross Fisher, 4 and 2, to reach the semifinals.
Puerto Rico Open
In Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Chris Stroud birdied his final hole to cap off a 5-under 67 and take a one-shot lead in the Puerto Rico Open as he goes for his first PGA Tour victory. One shot behind was a pair of past PGA Tour winners, Bill Lunde and D.A. Points, who each shot 69.
The Puerto Rico Open is the 277th start of Stroud's career. The closest he came to winning was a playoff loss in the 2013 Travelers Championship. He lost full status on the PGA Tour last year for the first time since 2008.
Stroud was at 15-under 201. Ten players were within three shots of the lead.
LPGA Tour
In Carlsbad, Calif., Mirim Lee shot a 5-under 67 in the third round of the Kia Classic to go to 13 under and take a one-shot lead over Mi Jung Hur, who made a 67-foot putt on No. 18 to card a 66. Another South Korean, In Gee Chun, was tied at 10 under with Cristie Kerr, who was tied for the lead after the first round and was alone atop the leaderboard after 18 holes. —
Saturday's scores
PGA-WGC Dell Match Play
At Austin Country Club
Austin, Texas
Yardage: 7,108. Par: 71
Third round
(Seedings in parentheses)
Bill Haas (42), United States, def. Kevin Na (46), United States, 1 up.
Phil Mickelson (14), United States, def. Marc Leishman (28), Australia, 4 and 3.
Jon Rahm (21), Spain, def. Charles Howell III (61), United States, 6 and 4.
Soren Kjeldsen (62), Denmark, def. William McGirt (48), United States, 5 and 4.
Hideto Tanihara (54), Japan, def. Paul Casey (12), England, 2 and 1.
Ross Fisher (47), England, def. Bubba Watson (13), United States, 4 and 3.
Alex Noren (8), Sweden def. Brooks Koepka (20), United States, 3 and 1.
Dustin Johnson (1), United States, def. Zach Johnson (44), United States, 5 and 4.
Quarterfinals
Bill Haas (42), United States, def. Phil Mickelson (14), United States, 2 and 1.
Jon Rahm (21), Spain, def. Soren Kjeldsen (62), Denmark, 7 and 5.
Hideto Tanihara (54), Japan, def. Ross Fisher (47), England, 4 and 2.
Dustin Johnson (1), United States, def. Alex Noren (8), Sweden, 3 and 2..
Puerto Rico Open At Coco Beach Golf and Country Club
Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
Purse: $3 million
Yardage: 7,506; Par: 72
Third Round
Chris Stroud 69-65-67 — 201 -15
D.A. Points 64-69-69 — 202 -14
Bill Lunde 65-68-69 — 202 -14
Andrew Johnston 70-67-66 — 203 -13
Whee Kim 71-65-67 — 203 -13
Jonathan Randolph 66-69-68 — 203 -13
Rafael Campos 66-68-69 — 203 -13
Tim Wilkinson 71-63-69 — 203 -13
Bryson DeChambeau 68-65-70 — 203 -13
J.T. Poston 66-72-66 — 204 -12
Scott Brown 67-68-69 — 204 -12
John Peterson 70-69-66 — 205 -11
Peter Uihlein 69-68-68 — 205 -11
Boo Weekley 68-68-69 — 205 -11
Fabian Gomez 71-68-67 — 206 -10
Kurt Kitayama 70-68-68 — 206 -10
Sam Saunders 70-69-67 — 206 -10
Mark Anderson 68-69-69 — 206 -10
Luke List 71-66-69 — 206 -10
Ryan Blaum 68-69-69 — 206 -10
Harold Varner III 66-74-66 — 206 -10
Kyle Reifers 70-66-70 — 206 -10
David Hearn 66-69-71 — 206 -10
Retief Goosen 68-67-71 — 206 -10
Tom Hoge 69-65-72 — 206 -10
Cameron Percy 69-71-67 — 207 -9
Willy Wilcox 70-67-70 — 207 -9
Martin Flores 71-69-67 — 207 -9
Trey Mullinax 63-72-72 — 207 -9
Alex Cejka 68-66-73 — 207 -9
Michael Thompson 67-68-72 — 207 -9
J.J. Spaun 66-68-73 — 207 -9
Steve Marino 73-66-69 — 208 -8
Xander Schauffele 65-73-70 — 208 -8
Miguel Angel Carballo 68-71-69 — 208 -8
Bryce Molder 69-69-70 — 208 -8
Kevin Tway 66-71-71 — 208 -8
Cameron Tringale 69-71-68 — 208 -8
Sung Kang 72-68-68 — 208 -8
John Merrick 67-70-71 — 208 -8
Nicholas Lindheim 69-71-68 — 208 -8
John Senden 72-69-67 — 208 -8
Andres Gonzales 68-71-70 — 209 -7
Brett Stegmaier 69-69-71 — 209 -7
Shawn Stefani 69-69-71 — 209 -7
J.J. Henry 69-65-75 — 209 -7
Steve Wheatcroft 68-71-71 — 210 -6
Seung-Yul Noh 69-70-71 — 210 -6
Rich Berberian, Jr. 70-69-71 — 210 -6
Rory Sabbatini 71-69-70 — 210 -6
Wesley Bryan 69-68-73 — 210 -6
Will MacKenzie 72-68-70 — 210 -6
Tyler Aldridge 68-69-73 — 210 -6
Julian Etulain 73-67-70 — 210 -6
Zac Blair 70-71-69 — 210 -6
Danny Lee 69-70-72 — 211 -5
Ryan Armour 70-69-72 — 211 -5
Hunter Mahan 70-69-72 — 211 -5
Freddie Jacobson 68-72-71 — 211 -5
Rick Lamb 70-70-71 — 211 -5
Brian Campbell 70-70-71 — 211 -5
Ricky Barnes 66-70-75 — 211 -5
Dicky Pride 71-70-70 — 211 -5
Brett Drewitt 71-70-70 — 211 -5
Gonzalo Fdez-Castano 70-69-73 — 212 -4
Bobby Wyatt 71-68-73 — 212 -4
Brad Fritsch 71-70-71 — 212 -4
Chris Kirk 70-71-71 — 212 -4
Spencer Levin 71-70-71 — 212 -4
Zack Sucher 67-74-71 — 212 -4
Steven Alker 71-70-71 — 212 -4 Made cut did not finish
Cyril Bouniol 71-67-75 — 213 -3
Richy Werenski 71-68-74 — 213 -3
Greg Owen 72-68-73 — 213 -3
Tag Ridings 72-69-72 — 213 -3
Jonas Blixt 68-72-74 — 214 -2
Tyrone Van Aswegen 69-71-74 — 214 -2
Chesson Hadley 69-71-74 — 214 -2
Jonathan Byrd 69-72-73 — 214 -2
Fabrizio Zanotti 70-71-74 — 215 -1
Joel Dahmen 69-72-74 — 215 -1
LPGA Kia Classic
At Aviara Golf Course
Carlsbad, Calif.
Purse: $1.8 million
Yardage: 6,609; Par: 72 (36-36)
Third round
Mirim Lee 68-68-67 — 203 -13
Mi Jung Hur 71-67-66 — 204 -12
In Gee Chun 66-73-67 — 206 -10
Cristie Kerr 66-69-71 — 206 -10
Brittany Lincicome 69-71-67 — 207 -9
Austin Ernst 70-68-69 — 207 -9
Karine Icher 68-70-69 — 207 -9
So Yeon Ryu 73-70-65 — 208 -8
Gerina Piller 69-72-67 — 208 -8
Sung Hyun Park 70-69-69 — 208 -8
Jackie Stoelting 69-69-70 — 208 -8
Mo Martin 66-70-72 — 208 -8
Michelle Wie 72-70-67 — 209 -7
Ariya Jutanugarn 74-67-68 — 209 -7
Moriya Jutanugarn 68-71-70 — 209 -7
Carlota Ciganda 71-73-66 — 210 -6
Inbee Park 70-74-66 — 210 -6
Madelene Sagstrom 72-70-68 — 210 -6
Nasa Hataoka 70-72-68 — 210 -6
Sei Young Kim 71-70-69 — 210 -6
Anna Nordqvist 69-72-69 — 210 -6
Caroline Masson 69-71-70 — 210 -6
Ryann O'Toole 71-72-68 — 211 -5
Jeong Eun Lee 71-72-68 — 211 -5
Hyo Joo Kim 68-75-68 — 211 -5
Angela Stanford 71-71-69 — 211 -5
Caroline Hedwall 71-70-70 — 211 -5
Alison Lee 68-73-70 — 211 -5
Peiyun Chien 73-66-72 — 211 -5
Lexi Thompson 70-69-72 — 211 -5
Su Oh 72-71-69 — 212 -4
Shanshan Feng 70-72-70 — 212 -4
Catriona Matthew 70-72-70 — 212 -4
Mika Miyazato 73-71-69 — 213 -3
Jaye Marie Green 70-74-69 — 213 -3
Jing Yan 70-74-69 — 213 -3
Dani Holmqvist 70-74-69 — 213 -3
Kelly W Shon 70-74-69 — 213 -3
Azahara Munoz 69-75-69 — 213 -3
Kim Kaufman 74-68-71 — 213 -3
Jenny Shin 72-69-72 — 213 -3
Sarah Jane Smith 71-69-73 — 213 -3
Jodi Ewart Shadoff 72-67-74 — 213 -3
Vicky Hurst 71-73-70 — 214 -2
Stacy Lewis 73-70-71 — 214 -2
Beatriz Recari 73-70-71 — 214 -2
Lizette Salas 70-73-71 — 214 -2
Haru Nomura 72-69-73 — 214 -2
Sun Young Yoo 74-71-70 — 215 -1
Ilhee Lee 74-70-71 — 215 -1
Katie Burnett 69-75-71 — 215 -1
Suzann Pettersen 70-72-73 — 215 -1
Marissa L Steen 68-74-73 — 215 -1
Jacqui Concolino 72-73-71 — 216 E
Pornanong Phatlum 70-75-71 — 216 E
Min Seo Kwak 74-70-72 — 216 E
Nelly Korda 73-71-72 — 216 E
Pernilla Lindberg 71-73-72 — 216 E
Brittany Lang 72-70-74 — 216 E
Beth Allen 70-71-75 — 216 E
Chella Choi 71-69-76 — 216 E
Thidapa Suwannapura 70-74-73 — 217 +1
Jennifer Ha 74-67-76 — 217 +1
Ai Miyazato 72-69-76 — 217 +1
Paula Creamer 71-74-73 — 218 +2
Candie Kung 70-75-73 — 218 +2
Kris Tamulis 74-70-74 — 218 +2
Ha Na Jang 72-72-74 — 218 +2