Zach Johnson continues to shine in Match Play event

AUSTIN, Texas - Reigning British Open champion Zach Johnson continued his dominating run at the World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play with a 4 and 3 win over Ireland's Shane Lowery on Friday in the final day of group play competition under cloudless and mostly benign conditions at the Austin Country Club.

Johnson will play defending champion Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland on Saturday morning in the round of 16.

The Cedar Rapids native has been so good here that he stayed on the course to play the 16th, 17th and 18th holes after he won Friday because he has not played those holes this week in competition. He beat Marcus Fraser of Australia, 4 and 3 on Wednesday and Germany's Martin Kaymer, 8 and 6 on Thursday.

Johnson's victory over Kaymer on Thursday tied the tournament record for the fourth-largest margin of victory in an 18-hole match. The largest margin of victory at the Dell Match Play was by Tiger Woods, who beat Canada's Stephen Ames 9 and 8 in 2006.

McIlroy was in danger of being 2-down after Na's approach on the par-4 ninth stopped just 15 feet from the hole and McIlroy followed with a shot that ended up 68 feet away and across a mound on the demanding green. But McIlroy, who's No. 3 in the world rankings, confidently rolled his putt into the cup and Na's nervous attempt never made it to the hole, producing a two-shot swing and evening the match.

After Na won the 10th hole, McIlroy again used his flatstick to pull even, this time rolling in a 32-foot putt on the par-3 11th.

McIlroy took his first lead of the match with a birdie on the 15th hole after hitting an approach on the par 4 to within four feet. He gave back the advantage on the par-5 16th when he had to take a penalty stroke after his drive and Na birdied from just 19 inches. The two both made pars on the par-3 17th.

Na's drive with a 3-wood on 18 flew into the trees left of the fairway but bounced out, leaving him 134 yards from the hole. McIlroy took a more aggressive plan and ripped a driver 328 yards to just 45 yards short of the green. Both players missed lengthy birdie putts and settled for pars, which pushed them into a playoff.

Bill Haas beat Australia's Adam Scott 1-up with a birdie on the final hole to finish his 3-0 run through group play. Haas will play either Brendan Grace of South Africa or Chris Kirk, who were set for a sudden-death playoff late on Friday, in the round of 16.

The first player to officially earn a spot in the single-elimination round of 16 was Jason Day of Australia, the world's second-ranked player, who advanced with a perfect 3-0 record in group play after England's Paul Casey conceded their third-round match on the sixth hole because of illness.