Reaction from the second round matches at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona.
Reaction from the second round matches at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona
Tiger Woods (lost to Nick Watney 1-down)
"I hit it well all day. I didn't make any putts today and subsequently I didn't win the match. I was fighting the blocks all day with my putter. The putter was going back a little bit shut, and subsequently I let it go and it goes left, and I block it right. I should be able to fix it in about a day."
Lee Westwood (beat Robert Karlsson 3&2)
"I drove the ball really well. I missed two fairways. And my iron play was good. I rolled a couple of nice putts in. So I'm pleased with the way things are going. I'm a pretty good at match play as the record suggests in other match play events. I feel the way I'm playing I'll be tough to beat."
Rory McIlroy (beat Anders Hansen 3&2)
"We both didn't have our best stuff with us. I needed to grind out a few pars, and I won a few holes with pars. It's a little bit of extra motivation this week knowing that if I can get through four more matches, I could go to the top of the World Rankings which is obviously a huge moment for my career."
Martin Kaymer (beat David Toms 2-up)
"I really enjoy playing match play now. Today against David it was a really tough match. I played really good golf and that's the way it needs to be. I needed my best golf to beat him, especially on the back nine."
Nick Watney (beat Tiger Woods 1-up)
"I'm very happy to move on. I feel a bit fortunate, as well. We don't see him miss putts like that (to extend match on the last) very often. And there were a few of them. I don't think that this will be a day that either of us will look back on as far as putting goes."
Dustin Johnson (beat Francesco Molinari 7&5)
"Got off to a good start and just played really solidly today. I've been working on chipping and putting a little bit. But I've still got to get the wedges a little bit better. But I'm striking the ball pretty well. Drove in the fairway today, hit some good iron shots. I've got to keep doing that."
Martin Laird (beat Matteo Manassero 2&1)
"It was a hell of a game. It's about as good as I played in a while there. I needed all of it today to beat Matteo. I like this golf course. I feel very comfortable with desert golf. My game is looking good and I'm looking forward to the rest of the week."
Paul Lawrie (beat Ryo Ishikawa 1-up)
"Similar match to yesterday really. Played solid tee to green, struggled a bit with the putter. Probably the game should have been over a wee bit earlier than it was. When you struggle to get the ball in the hole, you know there is a fair chance that your matches are going to go a long way."
Miguel Angel Jimenez (beat Keegan Bradley 2&1)
"It's nice. I'm very pleased. I've been playing well. Hitting the shots. The shots have been looking good. It's a little disadvantage, because everybody hits so long here."
Hunter Mahan (beat YE Yang 5&3)
"I was playing as well as I could, hitting fairways and greens, giving myself good looks. If you hit it good around here where these pins are and you get on the right level, you are going to have some putts. You are going to be able to make some putts. Today I was able to do that."
Steve Stricker (beat Louis Oosthuizen 1-up)
"This course is tough for me because I can't fly the bunkers, and these big hitters are just taking it right over them. But I thought walking around 'I'm beating this guy in the par 5s, and he's got me by 40 yards off the tee.' So I have just got to do it my way and do certain things differently than some of these big hitters."
Matt Kuchar (beat Bubba Watson 3&2)
"I got off to a good start. I played strong, steady golf. I felt like I didn't miss a shot until maybe the 10th tee shot. I was telling my wife how exhausting match play is. I only played 16 holes today, but I'm ready to go home and have a nap."
Brandt Snedeker (beat Kyle Stanley 2&1)
"I played pretty well. I'm driving the ball great. If anything, my strength, my putting, has been really mediocre this year. I've not putted very well at all. If I can get my putter going, just average, like it normally is, I should have a really good weekend. It will be fun."
John Senden (beat Jason Day 6&5)
"I had the pressure on him early. I had good putts on 1 and 3 and 4. And then I was 3‑up through 4. Then basically from there I wanted to keep focused and keep the quality of shots going on. And then I did that. And he sort of made the mistakes to force the match to go further and further my way."
