Woods, Stricker only top seeds left in Match Play
MARANA, Ariz. — Jonathan Byrd has played only 27 holes in his two rounds at the Accenture Match Play Championship. Defending champion Henrik Stenson played almost that many in one day.
Paul Casey had to make nine birdies in the opening round to win on the 18th hole. He followed that by making only two birdies and didn't even have to play the 18th hole.
No one ever said match play was fair.
Just ask Phil Mickelson.
"Unfortunately, I just didn't shoot low enough," Mickelson said after playing the second-best round among 32 players Thursday at Dove Mountain. Trouble was, he was playing Stuart Appleby, who had the best round. Appleby made his ninth birdie on the 17th hole for a 2-and-1 victory that sent Mickelson packing.
When the dust settled in the high desert, Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker were the only ones left among the top eight seeds in this wacky, wonderful tournament.
Woods was on the ropes in the opening round until a birdie-birdie-birdie-eagle stretch late in the day allowed him to escape. He had no such worries against Arron Oberholser, building a quick lead and disposing of him in a 3-and-2 victory.
"Match play is an animal that's all about the moment," Woods said. "It's not about building toward Sunday. If you don't play well, you're going home."
Only 16 players were remaining going into the third round today, some of them lucky to still be around.
K.J. Choi played 19 holes in even par. Against anyone else on a sunny, breezy day north of Tucson, he would have lost. Just his luck he was playing Ian Poulter, who said recently that when he lived up to his potential, he would be the only one capable of challenging Woods. Poulter apparently is not there yet.
Stricker feels fortunate, too.
True, he has not fallen behind on a single hole through two matches, but both matches went 20 holes. His was the most exciting of the second round against Hunter Mahan, a partner in the Presidents Cup when they won two of three matches.
Mahan birdied the 17th hole to square the match, and after Stricker hit his approach to 2 feet on the 18th for a tap-in birdie, Mahan made his birdie from 15 feet to force overtime.
Mahan made a 10-footer for birdie. Stricker matched him from the same distance, opposite side of the hole. On the second extra hole, Stricker rammed in a birdie putt from just inside 50 feet to win the watch.
"If mine doesn't hit the hole, I'm probably past him for sure. I don't know whether it stays on the edge of that green," Stricker said. "I mean, it was really fast. But it went right in the middle."
And that's all that matters.
In fact, having a starting time today is all that matters.
