McDowell upsets Clarke in California
Graeme McDowell won his all-Irish duel with Darren Clarke when the Accenture World Matchplay Championship finally began in California today.
After a 24-hour rain delay McDowell came from two down with five to play to knock out 2000 winner Clarke.
The 13th green was the turning point in the clash. Clarke missed a six-foot chance to go three-up, then lost the next to a birdie and three-putted the short 16th.
Still, the Ryder Cup star was favourite to go through when he played the better lay-up on the par five last.
But from thick rough McDowell pitched to four feet, Clarke’s finished 30 feet away and after he parred McDowell made no mistake.
“I’m pretty pumped up about that,” said McDowell. “The last green is always a good time to go one-up!” It was the first time he led.
“There’s no question that the 13th was the turning point. I said to my caddie that if it went in it was really going to hurt. When it didn’t it was a real boost.
“My lay-up at the last was my worst swing of the day, but I played a beauty from the rough.”
Clarke commented: “I played poorly and got what I deserved.”
Lee Westwood and David Howell were among the other early players to reach the last 32 of the €5.64 event.
Ian Poulter later gained the prize scalp of former US Open champion Jim Furyk.
The American was four under par and Poulter commented: “He would have beaten 70% of the field, but I played fantastic.”
The English golfer was an approximate seven under when he closed out a three and one victory.
He next plays 10th seed Stuart Appleby, while Westwood has to take on last year’s runner-up Davis Love and McDowell meets Appleby’s fellow Australian Robert Allenby, who put out Open champion Todd Hamilton by a crushing six and five margin.
Howell matched that against Japan’s Shigeki Marjuyama and was approximately six under for the 13 holes played.
Poulter, a quarter-finalist last year, wore two wrist bands, one bearing the word “Believe” and the other saying “Impossible Is Nothing.” They are staying on as long as he keeps winning.
He said: “When you played a US Open champion like Jim you know you can’t miss a fairway.
“That was the key thing and I tore the flag out pretty much all day long.”
With momentum so important in match play there was a real swing hole.
Poulter, one-up at the turn, was bunkered on the next, but holed it for birdie and Furyk missed from 15 feet.
Poulter explained: “Every time he thought there was a little bit of an opportunity I pretty much slammed the door shut – I think anybody in the field would take that score right now.”
The only downside is that seven under par today counts for nothing tomorrow. He starts from scratch.
Howell eagled the 11th by pitching in from over 30 yards and finished off Maruyama with a 14-foot birdie putt two holes later.
“I threw all theory out of the window and just decided to hit the ball as hard as I could,” said the Swindon golfer.
“I got on a good run and everything I tried seem to work.”
Top seeds Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods – winner the last two years – were among the later starters.
Woods quickly marched into a three-up lead on Nick Price, Singh turned two-up on Japan’s Shingo Katayama – playing only because Ernie Els pulled out – and Mickelson, winner of his last two US Tour events, led fellow American Loren Roberts by one after six.
Padraig Harrington was one-up on 1999 champion Jeff Maggert with two to go, Luke Donald led another American, Zach Johnson, by two after 11, but Paul Casey lost three of the first five holes to Argentina’s Angel Cabrera.
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