Jim Furyk found himself 3 down through 12 holes in his quarterfinal match against Rickie Fowler before battling back to take a 1-up lead with two holes to play. But Fowler won the last two holes to come away with the 1-up victory.
We kept you posted on the highlights of the Furyk vs. Fowler match right here – and scroll down for our previous coverage.
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Hole No. 18: Par 4, 480 yards
Furyk’s third shot, a chip, doesn’t get far enough on the green at the par-4 18th and rolls back down to his feet. He chips close with his fourth, but Fowler makes par and wins the hole and the match.
FOWLER WINS, 1 UP
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Hole No. 17: Par 4, 482 yards
Fowler gets up and down to save par at the par-4 17th, and he wins the hole to bring the match back to all square entering the 18th.
THRU 17: All square
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Hole No. 16: Par 3, 199 yards
Furyk wins a fourth straight hole, taking the par-3 16th with par.
THRU 16: Furyk, 1 up
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Hole No. 15: Par 4, 343 yards
Fowler’s birdie putt at the par-4 15th comes to rest on the lip and doesn’t drop. Furyk wins a third straight hole to halve the match.
THRU 15: All square
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Hole No. 14: Par 4, 449 yards
Fowler is just 1 up now after Furyk drains a birdie putt to win the par-4 14th.
THRU 14: Fowler, 1 up
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Hole No. 13: Par 5, 583 yards
Furyk makes a short birdie putt at the par-5 13th to get a hole back from Fowler.
THRU 13: Fowler, 2 up
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Hole No. 11: Par 5, 659 yards
Fowler reaches the par-5 11th in two and two-putts for birdie to win the hole.
THRU 11: Fowler, 3 up
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Hole No. 9: Par 4, 476 yards
Fowler wins the par-4 ninth with a conceded birdie after Furyk finds the sand three times without reaching the green.
THRU 9: Fowler, 2 up
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Hole No. 7: Par 4, 486 yards
Furyk wins a second straight hole, draining a long birdie putt at the par-4 seventh.
THRU 7: Fowler, 1 up
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Hole No. 6: Par 3, 185 yards
Fowler can’t get up and down to save par at the par-3 sixth hole, and Furyk gets his first hole victory.
THRU 6: Fowler, 2 up
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Hole No. 4: Par 4, 393 yards
Fowler birdies the par-4 fourth hole to take a 3-up lead on Furyk.
THRU 4: Fowler, 3 up
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Hole No. 2: Par 5, 574 yards
Fowler hits his drive into the desert, but finds the green in two shots at the par-5 second and wins the hole with birdie.
THRU 2: Fowler, 2 up
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Hole No. 1: Par 4, 460 yards
Fowler birdies the par-4 first to win the opening hole over Furyk, who is playing in his first Match Play quarterfinals in 14 starts.
THRU 1: Fowler, 1 up
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Jim Furyk
- OWGR Rank: 23
- Golfweek/Sagarin Rank: 15
- 2014 PGA Tour results: T-35, AT&T Pebble Beach; T-23, Northern Trust Open
- Match Play results (since 2009): T-17 (2013); T-33 (2012); T-33 (2011); T-17 (2010); T-9 (2009)
- Comments: Furyk took some time off after the FedEx Cup Playoffs and started his 2014 campaign with a pair of solid performances. He’s been solid at Match Play, but not one that should register on many radars.
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Rickie Fowler
- OWGR Rank: 56
- Golfweek/Sagarin Rank: 51
- 2014 PGA Tour results: T-19, CIMB Classic; T-55, HSBC Champions; T-33, Humana Challenge; MC, Farmers Insurance Open; MC, Waste Management Phoenix Open; MC, Northern Trust Open
- Match Play results (since 2009): T-33 (2013); T-33 (2012); T-9 (2011)
- Comments: Fowler has fallen 16 spots in the OWGR since the start of the year and he’s been working on some swing changes with Butch Harmon, but you still can’t count him out in Match Play.
- Rickie Fowler hits a practice shot prior to the first round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain.
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- Ian Poulter at the WCG Match Play 2014
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- Rickie Fowler during Tuesday practice for the PGA Tour’s 2014 WGC-Accenture Match Play at Dove Mountain in Marana, Ariz.
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- Keegan Bradley at the WCG Match Play 2014
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- Brandt Snedeker at the WGC Match Play 2014
- Charl Schwartzel and Kevin Stadler at the WGC Match Play 2014
- Matt Kuchar at the WGC Match Play 2014
• • •
Friday’s third-round coverage
• Rude: Sergio Garcia should be applauded for Friday’s concession
While some might say Sergio Garcia’s shocking concession on the seventh hole showed a lack of competitive spirit, but our Jeff Rude says it is a sign that the Spaniard is maturing.
• McCabe: 18th hole provides captivating theater at Match Play
In Friday’s third round, which featured eight matches, the 18th hole was the place to be at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain.
• 5 Things: McDowell’s magic; Spieth’s birdie barrage; more
From yet another comeback by Graeme McDowell to Jordan Spieth’s continued good play in match play to Bubba Watson’s exit, here are 5 Things to know after Friday’s round in Marana, Ariz.
• French mystery: ‘Shy’ Victor Dubuisson quietly climbs rankings
Victor Dubuisson, a self-described loner, debuts in the United States while quietly ascending the world ranking.
• • •
Thursday’s second-round coverage
• J. Day, H. English smartly conquer second-round Match Play challenges
Thursday, we again saw evidence in the WGC-Accenture Match Play that the toughest hole can be the five inches between the ears. The mental part of the game again was on conspicuous display in, among other matches, a couple that went extra holes and were claimed by young stars Jason Day and Harris English.
• G. McDowell: “I was dead and buried, both days,” after second come-from-behind win
Live from the desert, a golf sequel to “The Year of Living Dangerously,” with Graeme McDowell, not Mel Gibson, playing the lead role. Shaking his head, he was trying to get his thoughts around what had just transpired in the second round of the Accenture Match Play Championship. By all respects, the man from Northern Ireland should have been packing his bags to head home. Instead, he’s on to the third round.
• 5 Things: R. Fowler stays hot; top seeds ousted; more
The unpredictability of match-play tournaments reared its head Thursday, and it provided plenty of surprising fireworks at Dove Mountain. From Rickie Fowler’s comeback win over Jimmy Walker to Hunter Mahan’s date with Graeme McDowell, as well as all four No. 1 seeds heading home, take a look at 5 Things you need to know after the Round of 32.
• • •
Wednesday’s first-round coverage
• 5 Things: Snedeker sneaks in; McIlroy moves on; more
Thirty-two matches, 64 players, nearly 10 hours of golf – and dozens of reasons why it’s the best day of the year for pure PGA Tour fun, non-major category. But with so much going on, no time to waste. Here are 5 Things to know from Day 1 of the Accenture Match Play Championship.
• Surprising starts: Bubba’s comeback; Fowler, Blixt upsets
And for your morning breakfast, the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship served up a trio of surprises. Rickie Fowler beating Ian Poulter and Jonas Blixt eliminating Keegan Bradley? No argument there. But Bubba Watson ousting Mikko Ilonen? A surprise? If you go by stature in the game, resumes and seedings – Watson was 11th, Ilonen 54th – it surely wasn’t, but the way things turned in the American’s favor certainly was.
• • •
Match Play preview coverage
• Hole-by-hole preview of Dove Mountain, Match Play host course
The Golf Club at Dove Mountain is certainly fun to watch from home. And with match play, just about anything can happen, especially on this dramatic, rugged Jack Nicklaus-designed course in the foothills of the Tortolita Mountain Range just north of Tucson, Ariz. See photos and a strategic description of all 18 holes.
• Expert picks: No clear favorite at WGC Match Play
The field is stacked and this is truly the “anything-can-happen” tournament of the year, as match play seems to even the playing field in golf. With Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott taking the WGC-Accenture Match Play off, a bit of intrigue might be lost, but the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Ian Poulter should provide some drama worth watching.
• McDowell: ‘Very fortunate to have escaped’ at Match Play
There are no guarantees in golf, if we hadn’t known that before. Nothing is certain, particularly in 18-hole match play, even when you are 3 down with three holes left and your opponent sends an approach shot toward the pin. That was Graeme McDowell’s predicament in the first round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play.
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