Scott and Lonard move into Match Play semi-finals

BY iseekgolf.com | US PGA Tour | 2003 Accenture Match Play Championship | Round Four | 02 Mar 2003

Tiger Woods continued the march towards his first ever Accenture Match Play title, having previously been beaten by Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke 4 & 3 when he reached the final in 2000.

Woods tore up the La Costa course today, reaching 7 under after just his first 12 holes to defeat Scott Hoch and reach the afternoon semi-finals. His superb morning round included a run of birdie-eagle-birdie to account for Hoch, 5 & 4.

Woods will play Queensland’s Adam Scott after the 22-year-old Aussie defeated Jay Haas 2 & 1 to move into the semi-final matchup with the world number one.

Scott looked like a determined man in his match against 49-year-old Haas with birdies at the ninth and 10th holes and a superb eagle at the par-5 11th. Haas carded a double bogey along with three bogeys on the back nine and was never able to move closer than 2 down.

David Toms looks to have overcome his brush with food poisoning earlier to account for Jerry Kelly 4 & 3. Toms won five straight holes on the front nine with three birdies with Kelly carding two bogeys.

Toms will play New South Welshman, Peter Lonard in the afternoon’s other semi-final. Lonard beat Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke, the winner of the 2000 Accenture Match Play Championship, 2 up.

Scott Hoch, Jay Haas, Jerry Kelly and Darren Clarke will take home US$200,000. Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Peter Lonard and David Toms are now assured of playing on Sunday (US time), either in the 36-hole finals or the 18-hole match to decide third and fourth place.

The tournament winner will claim US$1.05 million while the runner-up will receive US$600,000. The winner of the 18-hole consolation match takes home US$480,000 with the fourth place winner will get US$390,000.

Round Four Scores – Quarter-finals
Tiger Woods def Scott Hoch – 5 and 4
*Adam Scott def Jay Haas – 2 and 1
David Toms def Jerry Kelly – 4 and 3 Peter Lonard def Darren Clarke – 2 up