Golf - World Match Play

[Donny]

World Match Play scores

Fox


SCORES from the second round of the World Match Play Championship at Carlsbad, California, (US unless stated):
Adam Scott (Aus) bt Robert Allenby (Aus) 23 holes

Padraig Harrington (Irl) bt Bob Estes 3 and 2
David Toms bt Shaun Micheel 4 and 3
Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) bt Thomas Bjorn (Den) 5 and 4
Tiger Woods bt Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 5 and 4
Ian Poulter (Gbr) bt Duffy Waldorf 7 and 5
John Huston bt Peter Lonard (Aus) 1 up
Colin Montgomerie (Gbr) bt Stewart Cink 5 and 4
Stephen Leaney (Aus) bt Mike Weir (Can) 3 and 2
Darren Clarke (Gbr) bt Alex Cejka (Ger) 6 and 5
Kenny Perry bt Steve Flesch 1 up
(Cha) Campbell bt Loren Roberts 3 and 1
Jerry Kelly bt Vijay Singh (Fij) 4 and 2
Chris DiMarco bt Stuart Appleby (Aus) 19 holes
Phil Mickelson bt Ben Curtis 7 and 6
Davis Love III bt Fred Couples 3 and 2

[Donny]

Scott wins epic battle

From Andrew Both in Carlsbad, California

ADAM Scott survived an epic all-Australian battle to beat Robert Allenby in the second round at the Accenture Match Play Championship in Carlsbad, California today.

Allenby dodged several bullets with a hot putter, before missing a short par putt from barely a metre to hand Scott a 1 up victory at the fifth extra hole at damp La Costa.

But one wondered at what cost it was to Scott, who had to go straight back out for this third round match against well-rested Davis Love, who had won his second round encounter hours earlier.

Scott was joined in the final 16 by compatriot Stephen Leaney, a surprise 3 and 2 winner over fourth seed Mike Weir, the Masters champion who only last Sunday won the Nissan Open in Los Angeles.

However, Peter Lonard and Stuart Appleby were eliminated. American John Huston outlasted Lonard 1 up, while American Chris DiMarco edged Appleby 1 up at the first extra hole.

Top seed Tiger Woods thrashed South African Trevor Immelman 5 and 4, but second seed Vijay Singh was dumped by Jerry Kelly, a 4 and 2 winner.

Due to Thursday's washout, the second and third rounds were both scheduled for today. The third round match-ups were: Woods v Fredrik Jacobson, David Toms v Padraig Harrington, Leaney v Colin Montgomerie, John Huston v Ian Poulter, Kelly v Chad Campbell, Kenny Perry v Darren Clarke, Phil Mickelson v Chris DiMarco, Love v Scott.

The match between Scott and Allenby was tight all day, with both making more birdies than bogeys. Scott finally nosed ahead with one hole left, but Allenby made a clutch two-metre par at their 18th hole to send it to sudden death.

They both parred the first extra hole, before matching each other with three successive birdies as Allenby, particularly, caught fire with his putter.

He rolled in a long bomb at the second extra hole, before Scott matched him with a fine three-metre effort.

They both had easy birdies at the par-five third, before Allenby made another long putt at the fourth, which Scott answered, again from much closer.

But at the par-three fifth, Allenby left his birdie putt short, and surprisingly missed from there, much to Scott's relief.

Still, it remained to be seen how psychologically drained the effort left Scott for his match against Love.

[Donny]

Leaney only Aussie left

From correspondents in Carlsbad, California

Fox

GIANT killer Stephen Leaney fried a couple of big fish to remain the lone Australian alive and kicking after the third round at the $US7 million ($9.1 million) Accenture Match Play Championship today.

The US Open runner-up eliminated Masters champion Mike Weir 3 and 2 in this morning's second round, before outlasting former world No.2 Colin Montgomerie 1 up in a tense third round contest on the damp La Costa course.

"It was one of those games that was going to come down to a mistake and I was just fortunate to get across the line," said Leaney, who sank his winning par putt from nearly two metres at the par-five 18th after Montgomerie left his fourth shot in a greenside bunker and made bogey.

It wasn't such a good afternoon for Queenslander Adam Scott, who was never in his match against in-form American Davis Love, who won 4 and 3. But Scott was understandably tired, mentally and physically, after going 23 holes to beat compatriot Robert Allenby in a titanic second round showdown.

"It's been a long day," said Scott. "I played quite well this morning against Rob, but I didn't play well this afternoon. I struggled with my swing."

Leaney, the 29th seed, earned a quarter-final shot at unlikely Englishman Ian Poulter, the 44th seed. In the other quarters, top seed Tiger Woods meets Irishman Padraig Harrington, Ulsterman Darren Clarke faces American Jerry Kelly, while Love and Phil Mickelson will do battle in an all-American blockbuster.

The second and third rounds were played today due to Thursday's washout, and there were some very tired players by day's end.

"I played better this morning. I made about six birdies," Leaney said. "This afternoon, I wouldn't say the quality of play was really high. We both hit our fair share of bad shots. It's one of those courses where you're going to struggle if you don't drive it in the fairway."

Woods, meanwhile, kept his ball out of the rough most of the day, setting the stage for two easy 5 and 4 victories, over Trevor Immelman and Fredrik Jacobson respectively.

"I kept the pressure on my opponent all day," said the defending champion, who improved his record to 17-3 in this World Golf Championships event.

Earlier, Australians Allenby, Stuart Appleby and Peter Lonard lost in the second round.

Appleby lost the final regulation hole to allow Chris DiMarco to level the match, and then bogeyed the 19th to hand the American a 1 up victory.

Lonard was edged by American John Huston 1 up, while Allenby's match against Scott was one for the ages. It was close all day, and Allenby barely forced extra holes by sinking a clutch two-metre par at the final regulation hole.

Both parred the first extra hole, before matching each other with three successive birdies as Allenby, particularly, caught fire with his putter on the bumpy greens.

He rolled in a long bomb at the second extra hole, before Scott matched him with a fine three-metre effort.

Allenby made another long putt at the fourth, which Scott answered, again from much closer.

But at the par-three fifth, Allenby left his birdie putt one metre short, and surprisingly missed from there, much to Scott's relief.

"I didn't expect him to miss it," said Scott, who gained a measure of revenge for his play-off loss at December's Australian Masters.

Unfortunately, he didn't have anything left in the tank against Love.