Early exit for Mickelson

Appleby moves on; No. 1 Woods, Stricker advance

Associated Press

Friday, February 22, 2008

Victories came in all shapes and sizes in the Match Play Championship, whether it was an easy time for Tiger Woods, overtime for Steve Stricker or Phil Mickelson now getting to spend time with his kids.

Anything goes in this format and 16 players went home Thursday, some in cruel fashion.

"Match play is an animal that's all about the moment," Woods said after his 3-and-2 victory over Arron Oberholser. "It's not about building toward Sunday. If you don't play well, you're going home."

Or like Mickelson, you can play great and still go home.

Mickelson birdied his first two holes. He hit 3-wood from 317 yards to 5 feet for eagle on the 635-yard fifth hole. He added three birdies in a four-hole stretch to start the back nine. And he lost on the 17th hole to Stuart Appleby's ninth birdie.

"It was a good match, but unfortunately, I just didn't shoot low enough," Mickelson said.

K.J. Choi didn't make a single birdie during his final 12 holes and finished at even par. Yet he'll be back today after winning in 19 holes against Ian Poulter.

Jonathan Byrd followed his 6-and-5 victory over Ernie Els with a 6-and-4 decision over Andres Romero of Argentina, meaning he has had to play only 27 holes in two rounds.

That's almost a full round less than defending champion Henrik Stenson, who beat Trevor Immelman on the seventh extra hole. Stenson has played 43 holes in two days.

Stricker delivered the dramatics against Hunter Mahan, closing with three straight birdies to win in 20 holes for the second straight day. Stricker buried a birdie putt just inside 50 feet to advance.

David Toms had to withdraw because of back pain, giving Aaron Baddeley a day off. Next up for the Australian is a third- round date with Woods.

In other key matches:

* Sergio Garcia was 2 up on Boo Weekley after 10 holes, then his putter started acting up, he bogeyed three of the next four holes and was headed home.

* Woody Austin beat Adam Scott when the Australian's putter faltered during the final four holes.

* Colin Montgomerie rallied with three birdies in four holes to eliminate Charles Howell III.

MAYAKOBA GOLF CLASSIC at Playa Del Carmen, Mexico - John Merrick fired a 6-under-par 64 for a one-shot lead in the PGA Tour event, while course designer Greg Norman opened with 70 at El Camaleon.

Larry Mize, Robert Damron, David Lutterus and Kenneth Ferrie are tied for second at 65.

FIELDS OPEN at Kapolei, Hawaii - Telling herself to "stay in the present," Michelle Wie shot a 3-under 69 to finish five shots behind first-round leader Jeong Jang in the LPGA event.

Showing no signs of the wrist injuries that plagued her last year, Wie broke 70 for the first time since the Evian Ladies Masters in July 2006, a tournament where she tied for second.

"You know, I don't really feel like I have to prove myself to anyone," she said. "I just was really proud of myself today that I didn't think about anything but just playing. I just played today."

Jang opened with an 8-under 64 while Paula Creamer shot 66. Annika Sorenstam, coming of a season-opening win, finished with 70.

ETC.: Australia's Ewan Porter shot a 5-under 67 to take a one-shot lead over American Fran Quinn in the Moonah Classic, an event co-sanctioned by the Nationwide and Australasian Tours, in Fingal, Australia. . . . Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., announced its members have voted to host the PGA Tour's AT&T National in 2009. Congressional originally had agreed to host the event in 2007 and 2008.

WGC: Match Play Championship

Thursday, at The Gallery Golf Club at Dove Mountain Marana, Ariz. Purse: $8 million. Yardage: 7,413. Par 72.

Second round; seeds in parentheses

Jones bracket: Tiger Woods (1) d. Arron Oberholser (33) 3 and 2; Aaron Baddeley (17) d. David Toms (49) injury default; Paul Casey (25) d. Bradley Dredge (57) 2 and 1; K.J. Choi (9) d. Ian Poulter (24) 19 holes. Hogan bracket: Jonathan Byrd (61) d. Andres Romero (36) 6 and 4; Henrik Stenson (13) d. Trevor Immelman (20) 25 holes; Woody Austin (37) d. Adam Scott (5) 19 holes; Boo Weekley (44) d. Sergio Garcia (12) 3 and 1. Snead bracket: Steve Stricker (3) d. Hunter Mahan (35) 20 holes; Angel Cabrera (14) d. Luke Donald (19) 2 and 1; Colin Montgomerie (59) d. Charles Howell III (38) 1 up; Stewart Cink (22) d. Padraig Harrington (11) 2 up. Player bracket: Stuart Appleby (31) d. Phil Mickelson (2) 2 and 1; Justin Leonard (50) d. Lee Westwood (18) 2 and 1; Rod Pampling (58) d. Nick O'Hern (39) 5 and 4; Vijay Singh (10) d. Niclas Fasth (23) 1 up.

Today's pairings

Jones bracket, 11:54 a.m.: Tiger Woods (1) vs. Aaron Baddeley (17). 12:08 p.m.: Paul Casey (25) vs. K.J. Choi (9). Hogan bracket, 11 a.m.: Jonathan Byrd (61) vs. Henrik Stenson (13). 11:14 a.m.: Woody Austin (37) vs. Boo Weekley (44). Snead bracket, 11:27 a.m.: Steve Stricker (3) vs. Angel Cabrera (14). 11:41 a.m.: Colin Montgomerie (59) vs. Stewart Cink (22). Player bracket, 12:21 p.m.: Stuart Appleby (31) vs. Justin Leonard (50). 12:25 p.m.: Rod Pampling (58) vs. Vijay Singh (10).

PGA: Mayakoba Classic

Thursday, at El Camaleon Golf Club, Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Purse: $3.5 million. Yardage: 6,923. Par 70 (35-35).

First round

John Merrick 33-31 - 64

Larry Mize 33-32 - 65

Robert Damron 32-33 - 65

David Lutterus 33-32 - 65

Kenneth Ferrie 33-32 - 65

Brian Gay 33-33 - 66

John Daly 31-35 - 66

Tommy Gainey 32-34 - 66

Tim Petrovic 31-36 - 67

Steve Marino 32-35 - 67

Kevin Stadler 33-34 - 67

Greg Kraft 35-32 - 67

Cameron Beckman 34-33 - 67

Dean Wilson 33-34 - 67

Jose Coceres 34-33 - 67

Tim Wilkinson 35-32 - 67

Craig Kanada 34-33 - 67

Parker McLachlin 33-34 - 67

Matt Jones 32-35 - 67

Peter Lonard 36-32 - 68

Matt Kuchar 34-34 - 68

Briny Baird 34-34 - 68

Cliff Kresge 33-35 - 68

Chris Stroud 32-36 - 68

Brad Adamonis 32-36 - 68

Martin Laird 34-34 - 68

Alvaro Quiros 34-34 - 68

Ron Whittaker 33-35 - 68

Justin Bolli 35-33 - 68

Shigeki Maruyama 36-33 - 69

Brad Elder 37-32 - 69

Jay Williamson 35-34 - 69

Bob May 36-33 - 69

Tom Byrum 35-34 - 69

Nicholas Thompson 36-33 - 69

Jin Park 34-35 - 69

Kevin Streelman 37-32 - 69

Andrew Magee 34-35 - 69

Michael Sim 37-32 - 69

Also

Joe Ogilvie 35-35 - 70

Nick Price 38-32 - 70

Len Mattiace 37-33 - 70

Esteban Toledo 33-37 - 70

Gavin Coles 34-36 - 70

Brent Geiberger 36-34 - 70

Greg Norman 38-32 - 70

Tim Herron 35-35 - 70

Joey Sindelar 36-34 - 70

Colt Knost 35-35 - 70

Harrison Frazar 37-34 - 71

Paul Stankowski 36-35 - 71

Patrick Sheehan 37-34 - 71

Joe Durant 35-36 - 71

Mark Brooks 37-34 - 71

Olin Browne 33-38 - 71

John Huston 37-34 - 71

Daisuke Maruyama 36-35 - 71

Jesper Parnevik 37-35 - 72

Chris Riley 37-35 - 72

Corey Pavin 35-37 - 72

Carlos Franco 35-37 - 72

Lee Janzen 37-36 - 73

Fred Funk 36-37 - 73

Jonathan Kaye 37-37 - 74

Dan Forsman 37-37 - 74

Todd Demsey 37-37 - 74

Shaun Micheel 37-38 - 75

Chris Smith 36-39 - 75

Nick Flanagan 37-38 - 75

Bob Tway 39-36 - 75

Bubba Watson 38-41 - 79

LPGA: FIelds Open

Thursday, at Ko Olina Golf Club, Kapolei, Hawaii. Purse: $1.3 million. Yardage: 6,519. Par 72 (36-36). a-amateur.

First round

Jeong Jang 32-32 - 64

Paula Creamer 31-35 - 66

Kelli Kuehne 34-33 - 67

Angela Stanford 34-33 - 67

Liz Janangelo 33-35 - 68

Su A Kim 35-33 - 68

Dorothy Delasin 34-34 - 68

Dina Ammaccapane 34-34 - 68

Yani Tseng 33-35 - 68

Miho Koga 35-33 - 68

Hee-Won Han 34-34 - 68

Maria Hjorth 31-37 - 68

Se Ri Pak 35-33 - 68

Sophie Giquel 34-34 - 68

Moira Dunn 34-34 - 68

Also

Michelle Wie 33-36 - 69

Jimin Kang 36-33 - 69

Na On Min 34-35 - 69

Brittany Lincicome 35-34 - 69

Birdie Kim 34-35 - 69

Angela Park 36-33 - 69

Karen Stupples 36-33 - 69

Morgan Pressel 32-38 - 70

Stacy Prammanasudh 35-35 - 70

Annika Sorenstam 35-35 - 70

Carin Koch 35-35 - 70

Brittany Lang 34-36 - 70

Jane Park 38-33 - 71

Rachel Hetherington 35-36 - 71

Gloria Park 36-35 - 71

Wendy Ward 36-35 - 71

Meg Mallon 37-34 - 71

Sherri Steinhauer 34-37 - 71

Laura Diaz 36-35 - 71

Meena Lee 35-36 - 71

Young Kim 38-33 - 71

Suzann Pettersen 34-38 - 72

Pat Hurst 36-36 - 72

Christina Kim 37-35 - 72

Wendy Doolan 37-36 - 73

Lorie Kane 38-35 - 73

Natalie Gulbis 36-37 - 73

Cristie Kerr 37-36 - 73

Julieta Granada 37-36 - 73

Meaghan Francella 37-36 - 73

Ai Miyazato 38-36 - 74

Grace Park 38-36 - 74

Sophie Gustafson 37-37 - 74

Jill McGill 36-40 - 76

Liselotte Neumann 39-38 - 77