Golf-Westwood beats Fisher to keep semi-final hopes alive (Reuters)
October 30, 2009
By Norman Dabell
CASARES, Spain, Oct 30 (Reuters) – Europe’s order of meritleader Lee Westwood gave himself a chance of making the WorldMatchplay Championship semi-finals by overcoming fellow BritonRoss Fisher on Friday.
Westwood’s chance is a slim one following his crushingsix-hole defeat on Thursday to Jeev Milkha Singh. The 2000winner of the event needs an overwhelming win himself in hisafternoon encounter with Colombian Camilo Villegas.
“First and foremost I’ve got to win but I do need to winwell,” Westwood told Reuters after his two hole success againstFisher. “If Ross and Jeev only half then I’m through.
“I shouldn’t be relying on other results, though. I putmyself behind the eight-ball by losing so heavily yesterday. Ican’t remember the last time I didn’t make one birdie in around.”
Westwood set up his victory with a run of three birdies andan eagle from the second after his opponent had birdied thefirst, but lessened his margin of victory by losing the 18th.
In the group, Westwood, Villegas, who beat Singh by threeholes, Singh and Fisher are all on two points after a winapiece.
The other group due to play two matches on Friday is equallywide-open. With U.S. Masters champion Angel Cabrera of Argentinalosing by two holes to Swedish world number seven Henrik Stensonand Europe’s Race to Dubai contender Rory McIlroy defeatingfellow-Briton Simon Dyson by a similar score, all four playershave a win and two points each.
Afternoon matches between McIlory and Stenson, a repeat oftheir recent Seve Trophy match which McIlroy won, and Cabreraand Dyson, will decide which player goes through to thesemi-finals.
McIlroy and Dyson’s match got off to a hurried start, withthe pair having to make a dash from the practice putting greento make their tee-off on time. They did by just 20 seconds,otherwise they would have both forfeited the first hole, whichcould subsequently mean the difference between making thesemi-finals or not.
“We were putting away when we thought we’d better make amove,” McIlory, whose buggy blew a tyre on his way to the tee onThursday to cause him to hurry to the first tee, told reporters.“I thought we still had a couple of minutes to spare.”
McIlroy birdied the final two holes for a late success.
Both the other round-robin groups of four play just oneafternoon match to decide the standings, with American AnthonyKim and Briton Oliver Wilson favourites to go through.
(editing by Justin Palmer; To comment on this story:(sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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