Big guns fail to qualify for the sweet 16 at the Volvo World Match Play Championship
Defending champion Ross Fisher made a remarkable come back to confirm his place in the final 16 players for the knock out stage, after taking over American Ryan Moore on the second day of Volvo World Match Play Championship.
Fisher trailed the sturdy Moore in the opening nine as the American went over to claim four holes in front nine while Fisher was barely able to make it par. Just when the death zone had started to kick in as the pressure mounted, Fisher slid into his best
possible form to claim the ninth and the tenth holes.
While Moore had a less dazzling back nine, Fisher went on a rampage to claim all the last four holes to win the round by 1-up. Moore, who had suffered consecutive defeats on both days of the tournament, will now be heading back home. He was defeated by world
number two Luke Donald on day one.
Moore will not be the only one leaving home earlier than expected. Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, Retief Goosen, Dane Anders Hansen, and Y.E. Yang will also have to bid farewell to this year’s lucrative Volvo Match Play after failing to qualify for the
top 16. Vegas defeated Oosthuizen in the morning session by 1 up and later had to lose to Graeme McDowell in the afternoon session also 1 up. McDowell had already defeated Oosthuizen on the opening day.
Goosen was defeated by Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts on the final hole. Colsaerts and Rory Mcilroy are now confirmed for the next stage. Australian Aaron Baddeley defeated Hansen on the final hole and has qualified for the next round along with his group mate
Lee Westwood.
One of the fortunate players for the session had been Ian Poulter, who despite of his two winless sessions, still qualified for the final 16. He had halved both his rounds with Paul Lawrie and Francesco Molinari but made it through when Molinari thrashed
Lawrie on second day with a 3&2 victory.
Miguel Angel Jimenez, Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and Swede Johan Edfors also went into Playoff after each of them had won a game and lost the other. Jimenez fell in for a bogey on the first extra hole as the rest of the two contenders made through.
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