Lee Westwood eyes a chance to regain top spot at WGC Accenture Match Play Championship
The second round of the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship has now culminated with another group of top-ranked players leaving the Ritz-Carlton at Doral after losing their respective matches.
World number three Lee Westwood, barely known for his skills in the Match Play format, has now moved to the third round, after defeating Robert Karlsson of Sweden 3 & 2.
This will the first time Westwood will be proceeding to the Friday round in the last 12 starts at the Match Play.
However, to his utter surprise, he will be facing his formidable foe, Nick Watney, who has defeated him in the last two Match Play events.
Westwood said, "What's going on? This is uncharted territory for me, I played very well apart from one real schoolboy mental error. Now I've got a chance to get revenge".
The vengeful Westwood will take over Watney in tomorrow’s third round of the coveted Match Play title, hoping to win the event and soar to the top of the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) yet again.
He added, "I guess over the first two days I've started strongly, which is something that I've not done consistently over the last 12 or 11 years or whatever it's been. And once you get on top, you get a bit of momentum and you can carry that through. And I've not really given my opponent too much of a chance to get it back in it".
Westwood had a brilliant year in 2011. He carded several victories around the world, most of them coming on the Asian turf, and consolidated his position on the top-three on the OWGR.
He was dethroned from the world number one spot here at Doral last year by the then rampaging Martin Kaymer, but reclaimed his throne soon after.
He lost the Playoff to Luke Donald at the BMW PGA Championship and was never able to grab it back from the Englishman.
Now that Donald has left the Match Play event, having one of the highest points to offer, Westwood eyes a real chance to surge back to the top once again.
Also in contention, is the raging Rory McIlroy, stationed at number two on the OWGR. He is also hoping to clinch the title to soar to the top of the world for the first time in his career.
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