McGowan stuns Stricker in Tuscon
England's Ross McGowanknocked top seed Steve Stricker out of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson.
England's Ross McGowan, only playing because Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson chose not to, knocked top seed Steve Stricker out of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson on Wednesday night.
With a 25-foot par putt on the first extra hole, McGowan grabbed the biggest possible scalp on a day which also saw Rory McIlroy come from four down to win, but Padraig Harrington and Ross Fisher were among those beaten.
Stricker went to world number two when he won the Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles two weeks ago, but his defeat opens the door for Lee Westwood to move into that spot this weekend.
Westwood would have to win the title for that, but he made a good start by overcoming fellow Englishman Chris Wood 3&1.
McGowan was little known until he finished runner-up to Westwood at the Dubai World Championship in November, and was a massive underdog against Stricker.
He becomes only the second 64th seed to beat the top seed in the history of the event. Australian Peter O'Malley eliminated Tiger Woods in 2002.
McIlroy, meanwhile, pulled off a brilliant victory from the jaws of defeat.
He lost four of the first six holes to American Kevin Na early on and was still two behind with only four left.
But the 20-year-old fourth seed eagled the next and won on the final green as Na, ranked 61st in the world, crumbled.
It was just the sort of thing that would have hugely impressed Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie, who earlier this week said: "I want to see guys who show guts and determination, guys who are maybe two or three down with four or five holes to play but who battle back to win."
The young Northern Irishman, already a near-certainty for a debut against the Americans in October, reached the quarter-finals last year and is this week playing his first event as a member of the US Tour.
There was a superb fightback from Ian Poulter as well. He went from two up to two down against former Open champion Justin Leonard, but won on the 19th.
Out, though, went three-time major winner Harrington to Indian Jeev Milkha Singh by a 3&1 margin and Fisher, winner of golf's other Match Play tournament in Spain last October, by 5&4 to Thai Thongchai Jaidee.
McIlroy is already the only Irishman left in the event as it moves down to the last 32, Graeme McDowell having gone down 2&1 to in-form Luke Donald.
McIlroy said: "I definitely didn't make it easy for myself. I got off to a very slow start.
"I think I hung in well, but was pretty fortunate to get through and I'll need to play better if I want to progress into the latter stages."
He next faces Oliver Wilson, who had a fine win over Dubai Desert Classic winner Miguel Angel Jimenez, and added: "Ollie's a great competitor, a Ryder Cup player and he's going to be very tough."
McDowell commented: "The last two years I've run into a buzz-saw.
"Last year Zach Johnson made eight or nine birdies and Luke just putted the eyes out of it. Every time I smelt a chance he made a putt.
"It does not matter how well you play in this. If someone plays better you go home."
Paul Casey, last year's runner-up to Australian Geoff Ogilvy, had a thumping 5&4 success over Canadian Stephen Ames, but that was far from the biggest victory of the day.
Ames' countryman Mike Weir thrashed big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros 8&6 - he birdied nine of the first 10 holes - and will now take on Casey, while Ogilvy began his defence with a 7&5 trouncing of Alex Noren.
It was not a good day for the Swedes. As well as Noren, Peter Hanson lost to Australian Robert Allenby and former winner Henrik Stenson withdrew after one hole against American Ben Crane because of flu-like symptoms.
England's Simon Dyson also made an early exit, going down to American Sean O'Hair, but Europe have Swede Robert Karlsson, Dane Anders Hansen, German Martin Kaymer and Spain's Sergio Garcia in the last 32 as well as McGowan, McIlroy, Westwood, Poulter, Casey and Wilson.
Kaymer birdied the last four holes to beat Chad Campbell, while Hansen beat US Open champion Lucas Glover, but Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari both lost - Edoardo from four up with nine to play against Open champion Stewart Cink.
McGowan said: "I would say I fancied my chances and I could go all the way.
"I had a shaky start, but I played really nicely from about the fifth and it was quite exciting when that one dropped on 19."
He next plays Japanese teenager Ryo Ishikawa and added: "I don't know much about him and it's going to be interesting."
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