Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Luke Donald and Louis Oosthuizen were the top four seeds in the WGC-Accenture Match Play this week and they are all gone.
McIlroy was bounced in the first round by the 64-seed Shane Lowry, who only got into the elite field because Brandt Snedeker and Phil Mickelson withdrew.
It was only the second appearance of the year for McIlroy. He missed the cut in Abu Dhabi in January and now got bounced in the first round in Tucson. He is not having very good luck with his new Nike equipment.
Tiger Woods was dispatched 2 & 1 by long-time friend Charles Howell III in the first round. Woods has won the match play on three occasions, but caught an early flight back to Florida this year.
McIlroy and Woods will both be in the Honda Championship next week as the PGA Tour begins the Florida Swing. McIlroy is the defending champion and his win there last year propelled him to the No. 1 world ranking.
If you recall Woods shot 62 on Sunday at the Honda to apply pressure to McIlroy coming down the stretch and finished runner-up.
Here’s hoping they both will make the cut this year at the Honda.
Current No. 3 in the world, Luke Donald won his first round match versus Germany’s Marcel Siem, but lost on Friday to Scott Piercy 7 & 6. Donald never had a chance as Piercy was four-under par through five holes and recorded seven birdies through twelve.
Piercy will face a former WGC-Accenture Champion, Steve Stricker in the third round.
Louis Oosthuizen became the fourth one-seed when world No. 4, Brandt Snedeker, was forced to withdraw with sore ribs. He was able to handle Richie Ramsey in the first round, but was beaten by long hitting Robert Garrigus. Garrigus managed five birdies versus only two birdies for Oosthuizen for the 3 & 2 win.
Garrigus will face Fredrik Jacobson who beat Ernie Els and Marcus Fraser to make it to the third round.
This is only the third time that all four one-seeds have exited the tournament after the second round. That is the beauty of match play. If the lower seeded player can make an early run the pressure turns quickly to the favorite later in the match.
Bubba Watson, who beat Chris Wood in the first round but took 22 holes to dispatch Jim Furyk in the second, will face Jason Day.
Watson is the only two-seed and the only player currently ranked in the Top-10 in the Official World Golf Rankings remaining in the event.
Long hitting Nicolas Colsaerts won the 2012 Volvo Match Play and was a star for the European Ryder Cup team last fall at Medinah. He defeated Bill Haas and two-seed Justin Rose. He will now face Matt Kuchar.
Snow that fell over Tucson on Wednesday has softened the course and long-hitters, Bubba Watson, Nicolas Colsaerts and Robert Garrigus may have an advantage at Dove Mountain this week.
Another European Ryder Cup star, Ian Poulter is still in the tournament and will face Tim Clark.
Giant killer, Shane Lowry will face fellow countryman, Graeme McDowell in the fourth round. Can Lowry continue his Cinderella performance?
WGC-Accenture defending champion, Hunter Mahan will face 2011 WGC-Accenture runner-up, Martin Kaymer.
2012 U.S. Open Champion Webb Simpson is still alive and will face Europe’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, who turned in a six birdie barrage to defeat Tiger killer, Charles Howell.