Woods and Toms into final, Lonard and Scott battle for third

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

Adam Scott and Peter Lonard both lost close matches in the semi-finals and will now compete for third and fourth place at the US$6 million Accenture Match Play Championship.

Scott, who is ranked 45th in the world, led Tiger Woods by two holes halfway through their afternoon match, but Woods kept the pressure on and eventually secured victory 1-up at the 19th hole, while Lonard holed several amazing putts on the last few holes to force his match with David Toms to the final hole before losing 1up.

Scott birdied the third and seventh holes to open up a handy lead that would have been greater if not for a costly missed putt, but Woods birdied the eighth and ninth holes to turn level.

Although Scott opened with early birdies at the 3rd and 7th holes, Woods came back into the match claiming shots at the 8th and 9th holes to bring the match back to all-square. Woods then moved into the lead when the young Queenslander bogeyed the 12th hole. Both players traded birdies again before Scott birdied the 18th with a superb chip out of the greenside bunker to force the match to 19 holes.

Both players hit the green in two on the 19th hole of their match before missing each of their long birdies, however it was Woods who holed a difficult metre and half putt for par while Scott missed his putt left of the hole to give Woods a berth in the final.

In the Toms and Lonard match it was Toms who claimed several early birdies at the sixth, eighth and 10th holes to take an early three shot lead. However, Lonard had his putter working again for him today and birdied the 12th and 16th holes while Toms lost his way with the putter and bogeyed the 15th hole. The match came to the final hole all-square and both players were in with a chance to play to the world number one in Sunday’s final.

Lonard drove his second shot into the left hand rough and despite a superb chip onto the green he could only manage a par while Toms secured his birdie and moved through to the final. Lonard and Scott will battle for 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 Five Scores – Semi-Finals
Tiger Woods def Adam Scott – 19 holes
David Toms def Peter Lonard – 1 up