England’s Lee Westwood needed all 18 holes to defeat in-form Aussie Marc Leishman on the second day of the WGC – Dell Match-Play in Austin, Texas.
It was a ‘must win’ encounter for Westwood after losing a day earlier the first of three round-robin matches on the Austin Country Club course.
Leishman captured last December’s European Tour Nedbank Challenge in South Africa and was well in the mix last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando.
England’s Lee Westwood watches his putt on the 18th ahead of claiming victory over Aussie Marc Leishman.
The 42-year Westwood, who arrived in the Texas capital not having played for some five weeks, actually conceded four holes to his opponent in winning 1up at the final green when he putted his third shot to just seven inches for a winning par.
“Marc was a tough opponent and I knew he’s a great wind player having been in a play-off at The Open last year, so to come out in front is very pleasing,” he said.
“I never really felt I had control of our match and I am sure Marc would agree as we were tooing and froing all the way around the course.”
In fact, Westwood conceded the first but
Lee Westwood autographs his ball for a walking scorer after winning his second round match.
got back to all square with a par at six but then conceded the ninth and 10th holes to be 2 down before being conceded the 11th.
However Westwood, who has just three Match-Play titles since the inaugural event in 1999, showed his class winning the 12th with a par and then birdiing 13 and 16 to go 2up, and then only to concede the 17th ahead of an 18th hole 1up winning par.
Westwood now American Ryan Moore in Friday’s last round robin match and has to beat the American, and avoid a play-off should he be tied with any in his group of four, to have any chance of progressing to Saturday’s quarter finals.
Sheffield’s Matthew Fitzpatrick was the first to eliminated from the $US 9.5m event losing a second straight match and to American Patrick Reed.
Fitzpatrick, who still has to play his third round match, had been handed a golf lesson a day earlier losing 5 & 4 to Phil Mickelson and lost 4 & 3 to Reed.
