Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell falter in their opening matches at Accenture Match Play - Golf News
Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell had to pack their bags after getting defeated in the opening round matches of the World Golf Championship - Accenture Match Play Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, Arizona on Wednesday, February 22,
2012.
Clarke was contending against Nick Watney and went into deficit on the very second hole with a bogey followed by a shot in the lake on the next to find himself three points behind Watney.
Watney did not give Clarke any chance to get back in the game and eagled the 11th followed by a birdie on the 14th to finish the game 5&4.
According to Watney, he was enjoying his game on the course and he played his natural game.
On the other hand, Clarke was finding it difficult to focus on his game and made some silly mistakes to hand over an easy victory to Watney.
Clarke said that he was disappointed with the shot he made while teeing off on the third hole. He miscalculated the shot and found the pond on the course, costing him a penalty to increase his deficit from the start of the match.
As the game progressed, it became more difficult for him to bounce back and give a tough time to the player who looked in great form.
McDowell’s stay in Arizona also got shortened when he got defeated by Y.E. Yang 2&1."I ran into a man that played extremely well," a frustrated McDowell said afterwards.
He added, "I felt like I had to follow him all day long, and I did most of the day, but he didn't put a foot wrong. I made six birdies today. You just run into the wrong guy on the wrong day, and you have got your work cut out. I didn't take care of business,
so I'm disappointed, yeah".
McDowell carded a total of six birdies but failed to level seven birdies made by South Korean star, who handed him the defeat for the second successive year in the Accenture Match Play Championship.
Last year, both of them faced each other in the third round of the event where Yang stood victorious with 3&2.
Nick Watney will now face Tiger Woods, and Y.E. Yang will be contending against Hunter Mahan in the second round of the first WGC of the year.
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