Rory McIlroy suffers play-off defeat against Cameron Young in Austin semi-final

Rory McIlroy suffered a narrow defeat against Cameron Young as their semi-final clash was decided by a play-off, while Sam Burns beat defending champion Scottie Scheffler at the third extra hole to reach the 2023 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play final.

After overturning an early deficit to lead by two at the turn, McIlroy stayed in front for most of the back nine before Young won the 16th and 18th to take the contest to extra holes.

And with both players sending their third shots to nine feet, Young holed his birdie putt to pile the pressure on McIlroy - but he was not able to keep the match alive.

McIlroy will now face World Number One Scheffler on Sunday afternoon to decide who finishes third after he lost a back-and-forth encounter with his close friend Burns.

A disappointed McIlroy switched his attention to his meeting with Scheffler, saying: "Feeling obviously pretty bad - 2UP with three to play, but Cam played great. 

"He birdied the 16th and 18th and then made a birdie (at the extra hole) after getting an unlucky break with the tee-shot.

"Yeah, I just didn't do enough over those last four holes to close him out and when you don't do that and you're up against a player of Cam's calibre, that's what's going to happen. 

"So it's disappointing, but I'll try to regroup and go out and try to win a match this afternoon."

After an even start to the second semi-final, Young drew first blood at the third hole when he converted his eight-foot birdie putt.

But McIlroy soon hit back, winning the fifth with a birdie to tie the match.

The Northern Irishman then took the lead for the first time after two-putting from 74 feet on the sixth green.

McIlroy made the most of a fantastic tee-shot at the ninth, sending his approach to ten feet before rolling in the birdie putt to go 2UP.

Young prevented McIlroy from moving three holes clear at the 11th as he trickled in his eight-foot putt to tie the hole after McIlroy had already knocked in his 16-foot effort. 

And Young was able to reduce the deficit to one hole after McIlroy found the water at the 12th.

But McIlroy bounced back with a tremendous tee-shot on the 13th, and after Young missed his birdie try from eight feet, McIlroy made his to go 2UP once more.

McIlroy's lead was cut to one at the 16th after his 15-foot birdie putt shaved the hole but stayed above ground.

Young then had a golden opportunity to tie the match at the 17th but rolled his birdie putt just past the hole on the right side to let McIlroy off the hook.

But as McIlroy got a bad lie in the rough following his tee-shot at the 18th, Young was able to win the hole with a clutch eight-foot putt to extend the match.

At the first extra hole - the 12th - both players sent their third shots to nine feet, and after Young successfully converted, McIlroy missed his try to bow out at the semi-final stage.

Young said: "It's just further proof that I feel like I can hang with anybody in the world. 

"Rory's obviously one of the best of his generation, if not the best, and one of the best players in the world right now.

"So any time you get to go out and play 19 holes with him it's a lot of fun. Just thankful to get it done."

Burns established a commanding lead in the early stages of the first semi-final, winning the opening three holes courtesy of some extraordinary putting.

But just as he had done on Saturday, Scheffler fought back to tie the match before going in front himself - winning five holes without reply.

But Burns levelled things up with wins at the 13th and 15th before a magnificent tee-shot at the 17th set up a tap-in birdie which handed him a one-hole lead with just the 18th to play.

Scheffler was not finished yet, though, as he holed a five-foot putt on the last to extend the match.

And after they tied the first play-off hole, Scheffler missed a great chance to win at the second - missing a six-footer to give Burns a reprieve.

And Burns made Scheffler pay for that miss at the next hole as he knocked in his 15-foot putt to end the contest.

Burns said: "Just overall a really good match, I think. It was nice getting off to a great start there. I knew Scottie would battle back."

Scheffler, who missed out on the final for the first time in his three appearances at this event, said: "It's a bit frustrating, but I put up a good fight today. I had a chance to almost go four down through four and put up a good fight and Sam played really well."