Three Australians remain at Accenture
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2008 Accenture Match Play Championship | Round Two | 22 Feb 2008
In conditions perfect for golf, the second round of the World Golf Championship Accenture Match Play has been completed and three Australians remain in the tournament as it enters the round of 16.
Stuart Appleby outlasted the number two seed Phil Mickelson in a closely fought and quality match where Appleby was a stunning nine under par when the match finished at the 17th. Appleby got up and down from 70 yards at the par five as Mickelson three putted after finding the green with his second and the match was Appleby’s 2&1. Appleby will now face Justin Leonard, who defeated Lee Westwood today.
Rod Pampling prevailed in the all Australian affair with Nick O’Hern, Pampling was six under when the match finished at the 14th with the Queenslander a 5&4 victor. Pampling will take on Vijay Singh after the Fijian defeated Niclas Fasth today.
Aaron Baddeley was not required to fire a shot in anger after David Toms withdrew from their second round encounter, unable to recover from the niggling back injuries he was experiencing in round one. Baddeley will have the task of taking on Tiger Woods in the third round after Woods defeated Aaron Obeholser 3&2.
The other two Australians who had advanced to the second round, both bowed out. Adam Scott lost at the first extra hole against Woody Austin after being two up with four to play. Scott was five under for the day but it was not good enough to stop Austin, who birdied the first extra hole to advance.
Other notable results included the win by Steve Stricker at the second extra hole over Hunter Mahan and the win by the defending champion Henrik Stenson.
Stenson raced to a four up lead early in his match against Trevor Immelman but was eventually forced into seven extra holes before finally winning with a birdie at the 25th. It was a great effort by Immelman after having recently had surgery to remove what turned out to be a benign tumour.
