MARANA, Ariz. (AP) — The good Tiger Woods knocked in a 50-foot birdie putt and drove onto the par-4 15th green, both times to erase a deficit. The bad Tiger Woods took three trips into the desert to lose the hole, once having to hit a shot left-handed.
After all these adventures, Woods had no trouble picking the most important shot he had Wednesday in the Match Play Championship. “Probably the putt on 18,” he said.
It was an 8-foot putt up the hill. It gave him a par, and a hard-earned win over Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano in the opening round. And it allowed him to return Thursday to Dove Mountain, the only objective at this wild tournament.
Luke Donald won’t have that privilege. For the first time since he first qualified for this World Golf Championship in 2005, the world’s No. 1 player was beaten in the first round. There is no such thing as an upset, not even for the No. 1 seed, given the 18-hole match and the quality of players.
Even so, not many saw this coming.
Only a year ago, Donald turned in the most dominant performance ever in the Match Play Championship. He never trailed the entire week, and none of his matches ever reached the 18th hole.
Turns out Donald won’t be playing the 18th hole this week, either. He never led against Ernie Els, and started dropping shots in bundles on the back nine until it was time to remove his cap and shake hands on the 14th green.
Els won, 5 and 4, becoming only the third No. 64 seed to win a match since this event began in 1999. Peter O’Malley beat Woods in 2002 at La Costa, and Ross McGowan defeated Steve Stricker two years ago at Dove Mountain.
“I don’t think it would have mattered who I played today. I just didn’t play well,” Donald said. “I struggled. I gave away too many holes and made too many mistakes. You can’t do that in match play against anyone, let alone Ernie.”
Matteo Manassero decided to approach this week with no pressure at all. That changed when he build a 3-up lead on Webb Simpson, then had a string of one-putts on the back nine for birdies and par to hold him off.
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