Watney edges out Westwood

Lee Westwood was the biggest casualty on another day of shocks at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson.

Never beyond the second round in 11 visits to the Ping Rapture V2 Series
now, the world number one lost for the second year running to American Nick Watney.
It was no consolation, but at least Westwood, beaten on the final green, avoided the real drubbing handed out to both Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson.
McIlroy, who had a chance this week to go to world number three and ahead of Tiger Woods for the first time in his life, was crushed by American Ben Crane 8&7, while Mickelson went out 6&5 to young Ryder Cup teammate Rickie Fowler.
It was the left-hander's worst-ever loss in the tournament, but McIlroy's defeat was the second biggest suffered by anybody. Woods, among those beaten in the first round, thrashed Stephen Ames 9&8 in 2006.
"Well that wasn't the plan!" said McIlroy on his Ping Rapture V2 Series
. Ben played great today, I didn't do much to put him under pressure!"
Paul Casey, runner-up the last two years, went out as well to Australian Jason Day, but there is certain to be at least one European in Saturday's quarter-finals as Luke Donald and wonder kid Matteo Manassero won through to face each other.
Donald beat his Ryder Cup teammate Edoardo Molinari 2&1 - he was never behind - while 17-year-old Manassero, the youngest-ever player in the event, followed up his victory over Steve Stricker with a last green success over South African Charl Schwartzel.
Westwood, two down with five to play, birdied the 14th and should have levelled on the short 16th when Watney had two in a greenside bunker, but he three-putted from under 20 feet for a half in bogeys.
Watney missed a four-footer for the match at the next, but safely two-putted the last after Westwood had failed with a 15-foot birdie attempt.
"I putted very poorly all day long," he said. "The game's in good shape, but I have just not worked hard on my putting and it showed."
Given his Ping Rapture V2 Series
in the sport now the result went down as a surprise despite his record in the tournament, but the scorelines that had everybody talking were those involving McIlroy and Mickelson.
McIlroy bogeyed the first, but then Crane charged six clear by reaching the turn in an approximate five under par 31. A par was good enough on the next and McIlroy then conceded before they even reached the 11th green.
"That was one of the best rounds I've ever played in my life," said Crane. "Rory had a couple of balls in the desert, but I played exceptional and the round went all my way."
The result stunned fellow Ulsterman Graeme McDowell, who beat Ryder Cup teammate and stablemate Ross Fisher to reach the last 16 for the first time.
"I can't really get my head around that right now," he stated. "This course sets up for the Rory McIlroy type Ping Rapture V2 Series
of the ball and Ben Crane is not really known for length, but a guy who is just holing everything on you can wear you out."