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Competition heats up in match play

Phil Mickelson hits a drive to the par-4 7th hole during his match with American compatriot Loren Roberts during the opening round of the Accenture World Match Play Championship at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California on Thursday. The course remained water-logged, but the sun began to shine for the first time in days. PHOTO: EPA

Top-seeded players often make early exits at the Accenture Match Play Championship, but this year they may stay awhile.

The first round on Thursday at La Costa Resort and Spa held form at the top, as Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson played with the kind of swagger they have exhibited in recent months. Mike Weir was the only player ranked among the world's top 10 who was eliminated, as Retief Goosen, Sergio Garcia, Adam Scott, Padraig Harrington and Davis Love III also posted victories.

If the heavyweights flex their muscles this week, some intriguing showdowns will develop by the weekend. But in a format where each day could be the last, Singh, the world's top-ranked player, has learned to take nothing for granted.

"I'm just glad to get out of the first round," said Singh, who defeated Shingo Katayama, 4 and 3, but who has never advanced past the second round in five attempts. "I'm just looking forward to tomorrow. I'm playing well, I feel good about my game. I just need to make some putts."

Making putts was easier said than done, as La Costa's wet greens were bumpier than some city streets.

"You had to hit it a foot away to make a birdie," said Jeff Maggert, who lost to Harrington, 1 up.

Goosen, who got past Stephen Leaney, 1 up, called them "probably the worst greens I've putted on for a long time."

After the first round was postponed Wednesday because of the weeklong rain in Southern California, players awoke Thursday to sunny skies and a soggy course. Conditions were so bad that No. 9, which is normally a par 4 and 467 yards, was reduced to a 162-yard par 3 because the normal fairway for the hole was too waterlogged to play on.

Tees on nine holes were moved up at least 10 yards because the course was playing extremely long, with balls plopping to a quick stop in the wet fairways.

Welcome to La Costa lite.

"I've never seen so many tees up that far," said Woods, who rolled to a 4 and 3 victory over Nick Price. "It was certainly interesting."

The conditions were more interesting than Woods' match. He never trailed, and he made the turn with a 4-up lead. Mickelson never trailed either in his 3-and-1 victory over Loren Roberts.

Both the second and third rounds will be played Friday, so those who advance in the morning will face a long day. The morning matches will include Singh versus Jay Haas, Woods versus Nick O'Hern, Mickelson versus Angel Cabrera, Goosen versus Fred Couples, John Daly versus Chris DiMarco, Tom Lehman versus Stewart Cink, Love versus Lee Westwood, David Toms versus Mark Hensby and Garcma versus Jerry Kelly.

Kirk Triplett pulled off the biggest upset on Thursday with a 1-up victory over Weir, who is ranked No. 9 in the world. Weir bogeyed Nos. 12 and 14 to fall 2 down, and his comeback attempt fell short. Triplett bogeyed No. 17 to give Weir life at No. 18, but after Weir made a 10-footer for birdie there, Triplett answered with a 9-footer for a birdie to end the match in style.

"I'm thrilled to death I knocked it in, because I haven't been making many of them," said Triplett, who is ranked No. 68 in the world and is scheduled to face Craig Parry on Friday.

"I drug Mike right down in the mud with me today and we rolled around for a while. It feels like an upset to me. Mike didn't play well at all.

"He was hooking the ball. I caught him on a bad day."

Weir saw his match-play frustration continue; he has never advanced past the second round here in five attempts.

"It's more frustrating because I played so poorly the first nine holes," Weir said. "I hate to give holes away, and I did."

Despite the lack of upsets, the fickleness of match play was still evident. Jim Furyk made six birdies but lost to Ian Poulter, 3 and 1. Couples made only two birdies but beat Peter Lonard, 1 up.

Furyk played well enough to beat most of the field, but Poulter changed the momentum of the match by holing a 6mt bunker shot at No. 10 to go 2 up.

"Every time that he thought there was a little bit of an opportunity, I pretty much slammed the door shut," said Poulter, who was scheduled to face Stuart Appleby on Friday.

Furyk will have to wait until next year, but for many of golf's biggest stars, the opening day of match play was pain free.

"It's a relief to get by any match," Mickelson said.

"The first match I have been knocked out before, and it's just not any fun. It is just no fun to be watching the whole thing on TV."
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