Tiger falls to Watney at Match Play

MARANA, Ariz. -- He said he couldn't make a putt. And thus, Tiger Woods couldn't make the third round of the Accenture World Golf Championship match play.

Woods was knocked out Thursday 1 up by Nick Watney, who somewhat in awe said, "To go up against Tiger and beat him is something you'll always remember.''

With a chance to tie the match on the 18th hole of the Ritz-Carlton course carved out of the Sonoran desert north of Tucson, Woods had a 5-foot birdie putt and didn't even hit the cup.

"I hit it well all day,'' said Woods, an overstatement since on the 10th hole, as Wednesday, he again was forced to play a lefthanded shot from behind a cactus plant.

"I didn't make any putts. I was fighting the blocks. The putter was going back a little shut and subsequently I let it go, and it goes left and I block it right.''

Besides the 5-footer on 18 which could have sent the match to extra holes, Woods missed a 5-footer at seven, an 8-footer at eight and a 9-footer at 13.

Woods, still searching for a victory in a full-field tournament since September 2009, has not reached the third round of the Accenture his last three attempts, 2009, 2011 and this year.

"I feel a bit fortunate,'' said Watney. "We don't see Tiger miss putts like that very often. I don't think this will be a day either of us look back on as far as putting goes, but like they say, I'm happy to move on and get ready for Westwood.''

That would be Lee Westwood of England, second in the world rankings, who Watney beat in this tournament the last two years. He gets him Friday in the third round.

Westwood beat Robert Karlsson of Sweden 3 and 2. Keegan Bradley, the former St. John's star and 2011 PGA Championship winner, lost 2 and 1 to 48-year-Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain, the guy with the ponytail and gray goatee.

Another veteran, Steve Stricker, Match Play winner in 2001, celebrated his 45th birthday by holing a 21-foot birdie at 18 to beat 2010 British Open champ Louis Oosthuizen 1 up, and Sang-moon Bae of Korea surprised Masters winner Charl Schwartzel 1 up.

Ernie Els, as Oosthuizen and Schwartzel a South African, and who Wednesday stunned world No. 1 and defending champ Luke Donald, Thursday went quietly to Peter Hanson of Sweden 5 and 4.

U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy, the No. 2 seed, made only three birdies but won two straight holes with par to put away Anders Hansen. Dustin Johnson, headed for defeat in the opening round until outlasting Jim Furyk in 20 holes, blasted Francesco Molinari early and rolled to a 7-and-5 win.

"Tiger was a gentleman out there,'' said the 30-year-old Watney. "A very standup match. No gamesmanship. We definitely both wanted to win. He can do things with a golf ball not a lot of people can, but I was happy to come out on top.''