Miracle worker Woods needs a bit more magic
TIGeR Woods slipped to defeat against fellow American Brandt Snedeker at the WGC-Match Play Championship yesterday to leave his hopes of meeting Rory McIlroy in the last 16 tomorrow hanging by a thread.
But even if his first appearance in Texas for 14 years ends at the group stages, the vast gathering who followed him — not to mention Snedeker’s two kids — will have the memory of two blows that, even by his own unique standards, were truly astounding.
The first came at the 10th, where his second shot finished under a bush beside the green. There seemed to be no option but to take a drop under penalty — well no option for virtually anyone else. Woods, meanwhile, got down on his knees, turned the club face the wrong way around, played out left-handed to five feet and holed the putt for a half.
Almost as good was a 190-yard second shot from a bunker at the 14th. Woods, who had played into the wind, looked away after impact as the sand flew towards him. ‘Where did that go?’ he asked his caddie, Joey LaCava. ‘It’s right on it,’ came the reply. It was that, all right — the ball finished six inches away.
Credit to Snedeker, then, for keeping his concentration in the face of these fun and games to carve out a 2&1 win. If he beats Aaron Wise today, it doesn’t matter how Tiger does in his final group match against Patrick Cantlay.
Asked about Tiger’s shot at the 10th, the personable Snedeker started smiling and replied: ‘It’s not fair, is it? Who else could have played that shot? It’s the same at the 14th and that’s why he’s won a hell of a lot more than the rest of us. I know everyone was rooting for him. I think even my kids were rooting for him. heck, I usually root for him myself. But not today, and I’m proud of that win.’
As for McIlroy, his glorious run of form continued. he was on cruise control against South African Justin harding ding before hitting the accelerator elal over the final holes for a 3&2 success to make it two wins out of two.
Justin Rose’s fate remains in his own hands following a stirring comeback k against fellow englishman hell, eddie Pepperell, who was two up withh two to play.
Rose attributed his recovery for a halved match to regular caddy Mark Fulcher, who was watching from the sidelines as he continues his recovery from heart surgsurgery. ‘I must give him a lot of credit, it was ggreat to see him out hhere,’ said the world No 2. ‘Fooch shouted “c’mon!“at me on the 15th, and to see him so into the mmatch really lifted my spspirits.’ PePepperell didn’t do a lot wrong,wr making pars at the final two holes, only to see Rose hole a tricky 20-foot birdie putt at the 17th and then from 12 feet at the last. ‘The half means I’m definitely through if I win my last match, so that’s important,’ said Rose. ‘eddie’s such a great guy I feel almost sorry for him having to put up with that over the last two holes but for my part, I’m delighted with the finish.’
Rose will now play American Gary Woodland today, needing to claim the full point to progress.
Paul Casey let slip a two-hole lead late on against in- form American Charles howell for a halved match that must have felt like a defeat. he will have to beat Australian Cameron Smith in his final group match to avoid an early exit.
No such problems for Open champion Frankie Molinari, who must have forgotten what it’s like to lose at matchplay. The man who never played the last two holes in winning five straight matches in the Ryder Cup last September hasn’t gone beyond the 15th hole this week either, as he followed up his comprehensive first day win with a 4&3 victory over Paris team-mate Thorbjorn Olesen.
elsewhere, there was a spirited comeback from Tommy Fleetwood, who rallied from three down early on to beat Kyle Stanley, while Tyrrell hatton shared the spoils with Xander Schauffele.