Patrick Reed can take honours in Match Play clash with Jordan Spieth

Sky Sports Golf, 2.15pm Friday

The group section of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play concludes on Friday and the 6.32pm showdown between Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth is the clash that will garner most attention.

The pair have seen off Haotong Li and Charl Schwartzel in their opening two games and with just one place available for Saturday's last-16 stage, the battle between two players performing in their home state of Texas looks set to be intense.

Reed, as always, has been talking a good game this week.

The matchplay format tends to bring the best out of the 27-year-old from San Antonio. He has been the top American points scorer in the last two Ryder Cups and flourishes in the atmosphere generated by head-to-head contests.

But there have also been signs that his game is in good order after he claimed second at the Valspar Championship and seventh in the Arnold Palmer Invitational in his last two efforts.

Don't expect Spieth to take things easy and the quality of the players' putting should produce an entertaining match, but it should probably be a choice affair, which means 8-5 about Reed winning is attractive.

One player who will not be featuring at the weekend is defending champion Dustin Johnson, who is unable to qualify after defeats to Adam Hadwin and Bernd Wiesberger.

Johnson, who plays Kevin Kisner in his final match, plans to miss next week's Houston Open and all his focus will now surely be on the Masters, which is less than two weeks away.

He missed the Augusta showpiece last season when he was injured on the eve of a tournament for which he was hot favourite, so he must be champing at the bit to challenge for his first Green Jacket.

The first Major of the season looks so competitive that no stone can be left unturned in preparation, so it would be no surprise if his mind wanders.

Kisner has missed three of his last four cuts, but he should be spurred on by a 5&4 win over Wiesberger on Thursday and is worth chancing at a big price in their 8pm GMT showdown.

Recommendation
P Reed to beat J Spieth6.32pm
1pt 8-5 188Bet
K Kisner to beat D Johnson8pm
1pt 13-8 Coral, Sky Bet

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