Former World No. 1 Tiger Woods was eliminated by Nick Watney 1 up on Thursday in a second-round match at the $8.5 million World Golf Championships Match Play Championship.
Watney booked a third-round match on Friday against World No. 3 Lee Westwood of England. Westwood, the Sam Snead bracket's top seed, defeated Sweden's Robert Karlsson 3 and 2 in another second-round match at Dove Mountain.
"I'm definitely in a little bit of shock," Watney said.
Woods, a 14-time major winner and three-time WGC Match Play champion, has not won a tour-level title since 2009 as he has struggled with injuries and the aftermath of his infamous sex scandal.
Watney sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the opening hole to move 1-up on Woods, but Woods answered with a birdie at the par-5 second and parred to win the par-4 fourth and put himself 1-up on US compatriot Watney.
Woods dropped the par-4 seventh with a bogey and the match was squared at the turn, then surrendered the par-4 10th to Watney and lost the par-3 12th to a birdie from Watney, who seized a 2-up edge and kept it through the 15th hole.
Watney took a bogey at the par-3 16th, trimming his lead to 1-up with two to play, and each parred the par-4 17th, sending the drama to the final hole.
Woods missed a five-foot putt at the 18th that would have forced extra holes, falling out in the second round or earlier for the third year in a row. Woods missed three birdie putts within 10 feet over the final six holes.
Source: AFP
