Betting Favorites Fall at Accenture Match Play

Sports News - February 19th, 2010 - Written By Bryan

A wild day at the WGC Accenture Match play ended with sixth seeded Paul Casey left as the top ranked player in the event, as the remaining top seeds exited early, stage left.

"It's definitely different than the NCAA [basketball] tournament, where there's a pretty big discrepancy between one and 16," remarked Nick Watney, who took down Westwood 2 and 1. "But like you saw, Steve Stricker won two weeks ago and lost yesterday. So it's a crazy format."

In addition to the three No. 1 seeds losing, in Jim Furyk, Martin Kaymer, and Lee Westwood, defending champion Geoff Ogilvy also went down. The Australian lost to Camillio Villegas 2 and 1.

Ogilvy was leading the match through 14 holes until Villegas went on a string of birdies to wash away the 1-up lead. The two players halved the 17th hole, giving Villegas the win.

"Geoff is a great player and obviously he has a great record in this tournament," Villegas remarked. "And he beat me last year. Funny enough, as players, we don't forget those things."

The Accenture Match play tournament has a history of producing shocking upsets and wild matches, with evidence of this in the opening round with Sticker's loss.

Ross McGowan disposed of Stricker on Wednesday, becoming only the second 64th seed to defeat a one-seed. His achievement was short-lived however, as he fell to Ryo Ishiskawa by the narrowest of margins, 1-up.

"It's a fantastic event," McGowan remarked after his defeat, "and just looking down the leader board and looking at the guys that are going out first and second round, and lots have won majors."

Casey lost to Ogilvy last year in the championship match. Thursday he defeated Mike Weir of Canada, 5 and 4.

"We had nine Englishmen in the field, which was impressive," Casey remarked. "I mean, obviously it was because of Tiger and Phil not being here. But I think that puts a little extra sort of emphasis. You kind of want to be the last Englishman here."

Furyk was defeated by Charl Schwartzel 3 and 2, while Kaymer lost to South African Tim Clark in similar fashion, 3 and 2.

Sergio Garcia overcame his match against Peter Hanson, winning 2 and 1.

"It's a funny tournament, this match play," Garcia said in a post-round interview, "because some years you come here you feel like you're playing unbelievable, and you get beaten in the first or second round. And some years you come here, and you don't feel quite as great and you manage to somehow get around it."

Entering Thursday, Ogilvy was considered the betting favorite to repeat as champion of the Accenture Match play. Following his defeat, Casey assuming the role under PGA Betting lines at Bodog sportsbook. He has been established as a 5/1 favorite to win.