Tiger Woods, right, congratulates Tim Clark, of South Africa, after Clark's 4 and 2 victory in their second round match at the World Golf Championships Accenture Match Play Championship Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009, in Marana, Ariz. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

MARANA, Ariz. — Golf waited eight months. Tiger Woods lasted only two days.

Woods had hardly any complaints about his first tournament since knee surgery in June, right after a momentous U.S. Open victory that made fans anticipate his return even more.

His swing looked as good as ever.

He felt no soreness or pain in his knee after walking 50 holes over three days, including a practice round.

What few people anticipated — especially after Woods opened the Accenture Match Play Championship with a resounding victory — was that he would be headed home after the second round Thursday.

Tim Clark made sure of that with a round that was close to flawless. The pesky South African made six birdies and no bogeys, ran off three straight birdies early on the back nine and closed out the world's No. 1 player with a 4-and-2 victory.

Woods tied for 17th, his first time out of the top five at any tournament since the British Open at Carnoustie in 2007.

If the loss was a surprise, it wasn't to Woods.

"That is the nature of match play," he said. "You can play well and go home and you play poorly and advance. I just happened to catch Tim playing really well, and I didn't make enough birdies to answer him."

Indeed, he would have beaten three players who will be back at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on Friday.

So where does Woods go from here?

"To the airport," he said.

The good news for golf is that it won't have to wait eight more months to see him again. Woods likely will play next in two weeks at Doral in the CA Championship, followed by the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill two weeks later, then on to Augusta National.

What he leaves behind is a Match Play Championship that will go on without him.