Golf:YE Yang got the better of Graeme McDowell at the WGC-Accenture Matchplay championship for the second successive year after sealing a 2&1 win over the Ulsterman in Arizona today. McDowell was up against it from the first hole and couldn't match the Korean's seven birdies as he bowed out in the first round.
Yang, who won their third-round clash 3&2 in 2011, needed only a par four to take the opening hole today, and although McDowell birdied the next two so did his opponent to remain one up. Both players birdied the third before McDowell grabbed the initiative with birdies at the fourth and fifth to take the lead.
Yang, however, tied up things once more as he picked up another shot at the short sixth and then moved back in front with yet another birdie at the next.
McDowell’s double bogey on the 476-yard ninth meant he turned two down but he birdied the 219-yard 12th to claw back another hole. Having reached the green in two at the long next, it was not enough to put him on level terms as Yang made a nine-footer for a matching birdie. Both players birdied the 15th and when Yang rolled in his putt at the 17th for a three, McDowell’s race was run.
"I ran into a man that played extremely well," a frustrated McDowell said afterwards. "I felt like I had to follow him all day long, and I did most of the day, but he didn't put a foot wrong. I made six birdies today. You just run into the wrong guy on the wrong day, and you have got your work cut out. I didn't take care of business, so I'm disappointed, yeah."
Darren Clarke’s stay in Arizona will also be shortlived as he was well beaten 5&4 by Nick Watney. Clarke bogeyed the long second and then hit his tee shot into the lake on the next and was three down at the turn. Watney kept the pressure on, an eagle at the 11th opening a four hole lead before another birdie at the 14th brought down the curtain.
Rory McIlroy, back up to second in the world ahead of Lee Westwood, was one down on South Africa’s George Coetzee at the turn. After taking an early lead, McIlroy lost the fourth and sixth to slip one behind Coetzee, in as second reserve after Phil Mickelson chose to go on holiday and Paul Casey decided to delay his return from dislocating his shoulder snowboarding.
Tiger Woods clawed back from a poor start to beat Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano one up. The American former world number one, seeking his first PGA Tour victory in over two years, lost the first two holes to his opponent and trailed by one after 14 in a fluctuating encounter before taking control. Winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008, Woods won the 15th hole with a birdie and the 16th with a par before sealing victory with an eight-foot par putt on the 18th green.
Robert Rock added another big scalp to his recent collection when he knocked Adam Scott out. Making his debut in the event a month after beating Tiger Woods and the world’s top four in Abu Dhabi, the 34-year-old overcame Australia’s world number eight on the final green.
Rock’s success followed defeats for his compatriots Justin Rose, Simon Dyson and Ian Poulter — winner two years ago — while defending champion Luke Donald, never behind in any game last year, was down early on to Ernie Els.
Lee Westwood was going well as he reached the turn against Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts. Scots Paul Lawrie and Martin Laird both won, Lawrie beating Rose and Laird getting the better of Alvaro Quiros in two of six all-European clashes.
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