Toms claims lopsided victory in Accenture Match Play

BY iseekgolf.com | US PGA Tour | 2005 Accenture Match Play Championship | Wrap | 28 Feb 2005

They came to watch David Toms and Chris DiMarco play for the title at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship on Sunday.

What they saw was a virtual clinic put on by Toms as he took a lopsided 6-and-5 victory over his close friend. The win, the 11th of his career, was worth US$1.3 million to Toms, who had also reached the 2003 championship match.

Toms lost to Tiger Woods that year but Sunday there was no doubt of the outcome. He all but sealed his victory with a spectacular back-nine burst in the morning as Toms won seven of eight holes to finish the first 18 with a 6-up advantage.

Toms took five of those with birdies, all of which were inside 8 feet, and won the final two with DiMarco bogeys. DiMarco’s 12-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole sent him to the break with one small positive but plenty to ponder overall.

Two more Toms birdies at the sixth and seventh holes, coupled with DiMarco’s bogey at No. 8, put the LSU grad 9 up and threatened to end the match before the two even made the turn in the afternoon.

Toms bogeyed No. 9, though, and DiMarco made birdie at the 10th to extend the match. Dormie at No. 12, the resilient DiMarco knocked in a 20-footer for birdie, his third straight, to prolong what turned out to be the inevitable.

DiMarco made Toms earn the Walter Hagen Cup at the 13th hole, though. He put his second shot 7 feet, 5 inches while Toms had a birdie putt of a foot longer. Toms calmly made the putt, pumped his fist and walked over to shake DiMarco’s hand.

Prior to Sunday, the most lopsided finale in the seven-year history of the event came in 2000 when Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland beat Tiger Woods 4 and 3. Woods would go on to win two of his own, including the 2003 decision over Toms.

Three Australians made it as far as round four but all were bundled out including Robert Allenby, who was beaten 4 & 3 by South African Retief Goosen. Nick O’Hern went down to Ian Poulter 3 & 1 in a closely fought match and Adam Scott succumbed to eventual winner David Toms, 2 & 1.

Craig Parry, Stuart Appleby and Mark Hensby were the only other Australasian players to make it past the first round leaving behind Richard Green, Peter Lonard, Rod Pampling and Stephen Leaney, who had the weekend off.

Source – WGC