Accenture World Match-play
WOODS SQUEEZES THROUGH AS BRITISH
CHALLENGES IS SNUFFED OUT
Tiger Woods barely survived into the quarter-finals while the British challenge petered out at the Accenture Match Play Championship on Friday.
Top seed Woods was given a fright by Australian Aaron Baddeley, before winning their third-round tie at the second extra hole at Dove Mountain, near Tucson in the Arizona desert.
Meanwhile, 59th seed Colin Montgomerie struggled to make a putt down the stretch as his fairytale run ended against American Stewart Cink.
They were all square at the turn, but Cink took the lead for good with a birdie at the par-five 10th and pulled away, rolling in a 15-footer at the 16th hole to deliver the final blow, winning by 4 and 2.
"Sometimes you can't explain golf," said Cink. "Sometimes when you're hitting it all over the place and recovering well and making a few putts, it's demoralising to your opponent, and I think that's what happened."
Montgomerie certainly sounded demoralised as he blamed his exit on mediocre putting, and said: "I had chances on 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 and missed them all. He putted very well. He even said he got lucky on a few of his putts and I was unlucky."
Britain's last survivor, Paul Casey, trailed all the way, but at least made a match of it, extending KJ Choi to the very end before the Korean prevailed by two holes on the 18th green.
The only European through to the quarter-finals is defending champion Henrik Stenson, who survived another tight battle.
Less than 24 hours after being taken to seven extra holes, Stenson got the job done in regulation, but only just, edging American Jonathan Byrd by one.
In Saturday's quarter-finals, Woods plays Choi, Stenson meets Woody Austin, Justin Leonard duels with Vijay Singh and Angel Cabrera meets Cink.
CHALLENGES IS SNUFFED OUT
Tiger Woods barely survived into the quarter-finals while the British challenge petered out at the Accenture Match Play Championship on Friday.
Top seed Woods was given a fright by Australian Aaron Baddeley, before winning their third-round tie at the second extra hole at Dove Mountain, near Tucson in the Arizona desert.
Meanwhile, 59th seed Colin Montgomerie struggled to make a putt down the stretch as his fairytale run ended against American Stewart Cink.
They were all square at the turn, but Cink took the lead for good with a birdie at the par-five 10th and pulled away, rolling in a 15-footer at the 16th hole to deliver the final blow, winning by 4 and 2.
"Sometimes you can't explain golf," said Cink. "Sometimes when you're hitting it all over the place and recovering well and making a few putts, it's demoralising to your opponent, and I think that's what happened."
Montgomerie certainly sounded demoralised as he blamed his exit on mediocre putting, and said: "I had chances on 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 and missed them all. He putted very well. He even said he got lucky on a few of his putts and I was unlucky."
Britain's last survivor, Paul Casey, trailed all the way, but at least made a match of it, extending KJ Choi to the very end before the Korean prevailed by two holes on the 18th green.
The only European through to the quarter-finals is defending champion Henrik Stenson, who survived another tight battle.
Less than 24 hours after being taken to seven extra holes, Stenson got the job done in regulation, but only just, edging American Jonathan Byrd by one.
In Saturday's quarter-finals, Woods plays Choi, Stenson meets Woody Austin, Justin Leonard duels with Vijay Singh and Angel Cabrera meets Cink.
THIRD ROUND RESULTS
(USA unless stated):
Woody Austin bt Boo Weekley 3 & 2
Angel Cabrera (Arg) bt Steve Stricker 4 & 3
Henrik Stenson (Swe) bt Jonathan Byrd 1 hole.
Stewart Cink bt Colin Montgomerie (Sco) 4 & 2
KJ Choi (Kor) bt Paul Casey (Eng) 2 holes.
Justin Leonard bt Stuart Appleby (Aus) 3 & 2.
Tiger Woods bt Aaron Baddeley (Aus) at 20th.
Labels: Pro Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Saturday, February 23, 2008
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