Senden through to Round of 16
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2012 Accenture Match Play Championship | Round Two | 24 Feb 2012
The second round of the Accenture Match Play Championship in Marana in Arizona has been completed and with the two surviving Australians from round one facing off against each other today only one could make it through to tomorrow’s Round of 16.
John Senden defeated Jason Day by a comprehensive margin of 6&5, Senden going ahead at the third hole and the further the match went the further he went ahead.
“Yeah, I had the pressure on him early,” said Senden. “I had good putts on 1 and 3 and 4. And then I was 3‑up through 4. Then basically from there I wanted to keep focused and keep the quality of shots going on. And then I did that. And he sort of made the mistakes to force the match to go further and further my way.”
Senden talked about a change in attitude that he feels may be the catalyst to take him to the next level in the game. "I said at the end of last year and this year, you know, it’s about standing up there and really just looking out and just ripping it, letting it go and being a free player, freedom.
“Tiger Woods doesn’t stand up there and just like try to steer it down the middle or Phil Mickelson, he doesn’t steer it. He just gets up there with a rhythm. Mickelson, I’ve noticed, that he misses cuts, but he wins tournaments, as well, that same way. So I’m trying to get to that level.”
Senden will now face Korean PGA Tour rookie, Sang Moon Bae, who has defeated Ian Poulter and Charl Schwartzel in his opening two rounds.
Bae is a three time winner on the Japan Golf Tour and in 2011 he led the money list. Amongst his three victories was the Japan Open further indicating the class of player the 25 year old is already and the player he is likely to develop into.
Three of the leading four seeds are through to the Round of 16. Luke Donald was eliminated in round one but Rory McIlory, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer have advanced through, Kaymer chasing redemption for his loss to Donald in last year’s Final.
There were several surprises or disappointments depending on just how you look at these things, Tiger Woods perhaps the most signficant when he bowed out to Nick Watney.
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