DONALD, McDOWELL ONLY BRITS LEFT LAST 16 OF MATCH-PLAY

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By KEVIN GARSIDE
Rory McIlroy’s most impressive shot of the day came after the biggest hammering of his professional career. A smile. Let us hope the insouciance was more than skin deep. Pastings of this nature have a way of tormenting the soul.
McIlroy formally conceded to Ben Crane on the 11th green only two hours and 49 minutes into their tie at the Accenture Matchplay Championship at Dove Mountain, Arizona. The handshake may have left him with third-degree burns so hot was the putter in the hands of his opponent.

The efficiency of Crane’s flat stick offers an explanation, but not an excuse The beating, 8 and 7, was off the scale for a golfer blessed with a talent as rich as McIlroy’s. In the evolving mythology that attaches to the 21 year-old prodigy, this was the kind of shellacking he is supposed to dish out, not receive.
In the 12-year history of the event, it ranked second only to Stephen Ames’ 9 and 8 thrashing by Tiger Woods in 2006 on the list of heaviest defeats.
Perhaps that is the problem, ventured Graeme McDowell, who showed the dogged qualities lacking in McIlroy’s game to dispatch Ross Fisher in the second round.

While McDowell observed that a “hot putter can wear you out in this format” he suggested that, just maybe, McIlroy needs to acquire dirty hands to complement the angelic touch.
It is a fair point. McIlroy began the year acknowledging the need to correct a deficiency that in some circumstances can see his head drop too quickly, particularly when he drifts out of contention.
The Open Championship at St Andrews, where he followed his opening 63 with an 80 in the wind, is an obvious example. “To be the best, Rory can be maybe he’s got to develop that doggedness side to him,” McDowell said.
“He’s one of these guys that make the game look so incredibly easy. It’s an easy game to enjoy when things are going well but how do you respond when things aren’t going so well? Maybe he has to learn how to deal with the tough day and just grind it out.”
McIlroy could do worse than watch the reel of McDowell’s victory over Fisher. Graeme will not mind entering the third round of the Accenture for the first time with a round short on aesthetic quality. Neither is McDowell worried by the rankings-hike past Tiger Woods that the win will secure by close of play on Sunday.
McDowell accepted the resignation of his Ryder Cup comrade on the 16th green. For the second day in succession McDowell’s campaign began with the surrender of the initiative with a bogey at the first.
Importantly he responded as he did on day one by countering immediately, in this case to lead by two after four.

This was a day for the shovel, not the scalpel. Over five holes Fisher levelled before McDowell pulled away again to lead by two at the turn. In the seven holes on the back nine that McDowell needed to put Fisher away, four were conceded. “I didn’t play my best, but I scraped through,” McDowell said. “I’m just happy to be in the next round. A lot of big names have gone home already.

“The front nine was reasonable quality. The back nine disintegrated into a comedy of errors. I threw it in at the tenth after an unmentionable from the middle of the fairway.” McDowell’s difficulty is suppressing expectation after his the freakish yield of 2010. “If someone had told me that I would be No 3 in the world that would have made me very proud. I’ve been better than Tiger for the past 12 months maybe, but he is still the best that has ever lived.”

America was introduced to a new face following the early bath of Woods. Lee Westwood, world No 1 extraordinaire. Westwood was posted on the missing persons list on the opening day by his manager Chubby Chandler, who could not locate him on the Golf Channel coverage during his first-round victory over Henrik Stenson. Chandler’s search began with a tweet to presenter Kelly Tilghman: “How’s Lee doing, Kelly? Haven’t seen him yet. Please could you let his followers know. Thanks.”

Behind the humour lay a heap of indignation at the lack of respect for Westwood, who was up against Nick Watney. This is one of four events that has World Golf Championship status and as such carries ranking points on both the PGA Tour in America and the European Tour. One might think the coverage would reflect the global embrace of the major tours.
But Westwood was brought crashing down by Watney on a day when Phil Mickelson suffered a heavy defeat, althought not quite as heavy as Rory McIlroy's ... Paul Casey went down ... so too did Justin Rose at the 20th to Martin Kaymer in the second last match to finish.
The only Brits in the last 16 are Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell.
No wonder, given the choice, tour pros would rather have stroke-play rather than match-play tournaments, Ryder Cup excepted of course (but possibly not by the Americans!).
SECOND-R0UND RESULTS
in draw order

BOBBY JONES BRACKET
N Watney bt L Westwood 1 hole.
R Moore bt K Choi 5 and 4.
M Manassero bt C Schwartzel 1 hole.
L Donald bt E Molinari 2 and 1.
BEN HOGAN BRACKET
R Fowler bt P Mickelson 6 and 5.
M Kuchar bt B Van Pelt 3 and 2.
G McDowell bt R Fisher 4 and 2.
Y Yang bt S Sink 4 and 3.
GARY PLAYER BRACKET
M Kaymer bt J Rose at 20th.
H Mahan bt R Karlsson 2 holes.
B Crane bt R McIlroy 8 and 7.
M Jimenez bt R Palmer 4 and 2.
SAM SNEAD BRACKET
G Ogilvy bt T Bjorn 1 hole.
B Watson bt M Wilson 6 and 5.
J Day bt P Casey 4 and 2.
J Holmes bt E Els 1 hole.