Paul Casey pulls out of the Play Play Clash after just two holes

Paul Casey has suspended his opening game of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play due to back spasms after completing just two holes.

Casey won the opening hole with a par against Group 10 opponent Corey Conners, but lost the second when the Canadian shot from 148 yards for an eagle.

The couple had their T-shots hit on the par-four third hole when Casey signaled he could not continue.

The 44-year-old, twice a vice-up in this event, did not concede his remaining group matches against Alex Noren on Thursday and Louis Oosthuizen on Friday and could still win both to potentially reach the last 16.

The 64 players at Austin Country Club are divided into 16 groups of four with only the pool winners advancing to the knockout stages this weekend.

Group 11 shows four big champions in the form of Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott, Justin Rose and Keegan Bradley, with Spieth beating Bradley 2up and Scott defeating Rose by the same margin.

Rose made a remarkable par on the 17th to keep the game alive, keeping 98 yards out of the drop zone after pulling his T-shot into the ravine to the left of the green, just 18 yards out.

The first full result of the day came in Group 14, as Maverick McNealy, who on Monday was the last man in the event as Sam Burns retired, made the most of his late call with an 8 and 6 Beat by Joaquin Niemann.

“I was home last week, really hoping I would get the chance to play, prepare as if I was getting a chance to play and had a great round today for sure,” McNealy said.

“He’s a great player and he’s the type of guy who can knock five birds with one stone at a time, so I knew I had to hold the pedal and hopefully run out of holes before that happened.”

The biggest margin of victory in the event was achieved by Tiger Woods in 2006, who beat Stephen Ames 9 and 8 respectively. Ames questioned Woods’ performance in front of the T-shirt, saying “anything can happen, especially where he hits the ball.”