Golf:Maybe his blunt assessment of Tiger Woods' declining fortunes angered the golfing gods, or perhaps he simply met a player who was far too good on the day, but Rory McIlroy suffered a serious 8&7 shellacking at the hands of Ben Crane today.
His defeat, coupled with that of Padraig Harrington yesterday, leaves Graeme McDowell as the sole Irish representative in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson. McDowell made it through to the last 16 with another accomplished display as he saw off the challenge of Ross Fisher 4&2.
The 21-year-old McIlroy, who could have ended this week as the world number three and ahead of Woods for the first time in his life, suffered an absolute hammering. There has only ever been one bigger loss in the 12-year history of the event. That was when Woods crushed Canadian Stephen Ames 9&8 five years ago.
McIlroy fell behind instantly by bogeying the first and was then left helpless as Crane, currently ranked 38th in the world, breezed to the turn in an approximate five under par 31.
That was good enough for six-hole lead, McIlroy then started the back nine as he began the match and after finding more trouble on the next he conceded without ever reaching the green.
“Rory didn't have his best day and things were all going in my favour," Crane said after recording seven birdies, two of them conceded, in 11 holes at Dove Mountain's Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. "I got up and down from some crazy spots. I played exceptional today - it was one of the best rounds I've ever played."
In the first of two clashes between members of Europe’s Ryder Cup side last October McDowell lost the first to Fisher, but was soon in control. The Englishman was a semi-finalist two years ago and also won golf’s other World Match Play event that season, but after coming back from two down to level by the seventh he immediately lost the next two.
Twice Fisher cut the gap to one, but he conceded the 14th and McDowell chipped to five feet for a winning birdie on the next.
McDowell, a stablemate of Fisher, stated: “It’s always funny against a friend. It’s difficult to get the killer instinct, that edge that you need. We threw each other a few holes, but thankfully I was able to hang in there and get the job done. It wasn’t pretty, but sometimes you can win ugly.”
He next plays YE Yang, who beat Woods head-to-head for his first major title two years ago.
Upsets and heavy defeats were the order of the day as fourth seed Phil Mickelson was knocked out of the second round 6&5 by fellow American Rickie Fowler while Yang upset veteran American Stewart Cink 4&3 and Italian teenager Matteo Manassero continued his remarkable debut at the event with a one-up win over Charl Schwartzel.
Mickelson, who crushed Australian Brendan Jones in the opening round, ran into a human buzzsaw as Fowler recorded five birdies and two eagles, one of them conceded.
"I played great," the 22-year-old Fowler said after outplaying the four-time major champion. "After making bogey on three, I turned things around with two birdies. And Phil left a couple of doors open that I took advantage of. My momentum kind of went my way from there."
Mickelson, who has been something of a mentor to Fowler since he turned professional in 2009, applauded his opponent's form: "He's a heck of a player and he played some good golf today. He's a complete player and he really put it all together today. I didn't quite have my 'A' game. I just couldn't keep pace."
Jason Day pulled off yet another upset in the unpredictable match play format by beating Paul Casey 4&2. Casey has reached the final here for the last two years but he was outplayed by Day, who piled up six birdies and one bogey in bright desert sunshine.
