AUSTIN, Texas — Golf’s most fickle tournament delivered its usual dose of oddities Wednesday in the Dell Technologies Match Play, including the fortunes of Maverick McNealy.

The last man to get in the 64-man field, he was the first to close out his match.

McNealy, who only got into his first World Golf Championship when Sam Burns decided to withdraw after his victory Sunday at Innisbrook, tied for the third-shortest match in tournament history with an 8-and-6 rout over Riviera winner Joaquin Niemann.

“I was home last week, really hoping I’d get the chance to play, preparing like I was going to get a chance to play,” McNealy said. “And had a nice round today, for sure.”

He was 4 under through seven holes and already 5 up against Niemann, and McNealy closed him out on the 12th hole when the Chilean conceded his 18-foot birdie putt.

It technically wasn’t the shortest match of the day. No one had an easier time than Corey Conners, who played only two holes when Paul Casey had back spasms and conceded. Casey remained in the Match Play, hopeful of playing his next two matches.

Six of the top eight seeds won their first match, while Patrick Cantlay earned a halve against Keith Mitchell when both missed birdie putts in the 10-foot range on the final hole. The exception was Justin Thomas, who made only one birdie after the opening hole and lost, 3 and 2, to Luke List, who had a 1-5 record in this tournament.

Wins and losses were secondary to the bizarre circumstances of a sprinkler head.

Thomas Pieters of Belgium hit a long pitch that ran down the slope of the 13th green and was headed for the water when it settled in a sprinkler head.