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Poulter, Mahan to meet in tasty Match Play semi
Source: Agencies |
February 25, 2013, Monday
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DEFENDING champion Hunter Mahan and 2010 winner Ian Poulter set up a mouth-watering showdown in the last four of the Match Play Championship in Marana, Arizona, by winning their quarterfinals on Saturday.
American Mahan triumphed 1-up after a tight match with US Open winner Webb Simpson while Briton Poulter advanced with a commanding 3&2 victory over American veteran Steve Stricker on a sun-splashed afternoon at Dove Mountain.
The other semifinal will be contested between American Matt Kuchar and Jason Day of Australia, at 25 the youngest player left in the draw.
Kuchar became the first player to reach the last four, beating compatriot Robert Garrigus 3&2, before Day battled past Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell 1-up.
Most eyes, however, will be focused on the battle between Mahan and Poulter who are both bidding to reach the Match Play final for a second time.
Poulter will be a little fresher, having gone 4-up on 2001 Match Play champion Stricker after 12 holes before wrapping up his win by sinking a 10-foot par putt at the short 16th.
The flamboyant Englishman, who is renowned for his match-play grit and superb putting, went ahead for the first time at the par-3 third where he sank a double-breaking 40-footer for birdie while Stricker missed his attempt from seven feet.
"It looks like Steve is going to be going up right there, and I hole, he misses," a smiling Poulter said after recording six birdies and an eagle in 16 holes.
"And from then on I sort of took over and got myself in front. I knew I had to bring my game this afternoon to be able to match up against Steve."
Stricker, who celebrated his 46th birthday on Saturday, had reached the quarterfinals with a sizzling eight-birdie display earlier in the day when he beat compatriot Scott Piercy 1-up.
In the last quarterfinal, Mahan and Simpson were all square after four holes before Mahan sank an 18-foot birdie putt at the par-4 fifth to go 1-up.
Simpson got back to level with a birdie at the eighth, where he struck a wedge to three feet, but Mahan again edged in front when he rolled in a 26-footer to birdie the 10th.
Though Simpson pegged it back by sinking an eight-foot birdie putt at the par-5 13th, the match effectively turned at the short 16th where both players ended up in the left greenside bunker off the tee.
Simpson failed to get up and down, missing a 10-footer for par, while Mahan knocked in a seven-footer to go 1-up, a lead he held over the next two holes.
American Mahan triumphed 1-up after a tight match with US Open winner Webb Simpson while Briton Poulter advanced with a commanding 3&2 victory over American veteran Steve Stricker on a sun-splashed afternoon at Dove Mountain.
The other semifinal will be contested between American Matt Kuchar and Jason Day of Australia, at 25 the youngest player left in the draw.
Kuchar became the first player to reach the last four, beating compatriot Robert Garrigus 3&2, before Day battled past Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell 1-up.
Most eyes, however, will be focused on the battle between Mahan and Poulter who are both bidding to reach the Match Play final for a second time.
Poulter will be a little fresher, having gone 4-up on 2001 Match Play champion Stricker after 12 holes before wrapping up his win by sinking a 10-foot par putt at the short 16th.
The flamboyant Englishman, who is renowned for his match-play grit and superb putting, went ahead for the first time at the par-3 third where he sank a double-breaking 40-footer for birdie while Stricker missed his attempt from seven feet.
"It looks like Steve is going to be going up right there, and I hole, he misses," a smiling Poulter said after recording six birdies and an eagle in 16 holes.
"And from then on I sort of took over and got myself in front. I knew I had to bring my game this afternoon to be able to match up against Steve."
Stricker, who celebrated his 46th birthday on Saturday, had reached the quarterfinals with a sizzling eight-birdie display earlier in the day when he beat compatriot Scott Piercy 1-up.
In the last quarterfinal, Mahan and Simpson were all square after four holes before Mahan sank an 18-foot birdie putt at the par-4 fifth to go 1-up.
Simpson got back to level with a birdie at the eighth, where he struck a wedge to three feet, but Mahan again edged in front when he rolled in a 26-footer to birdie the 10th.
Though Simpson pegged it back by sinking an eight-foot birdie putt at the par-5 13th, the match effectively turned at the short 16th where both players ended up in the left greenside bunker off the tee.
Simpson failed to get up and down, missing a 10-footer for par, while Mahan knocked in a seven-footer to go 1-up, a lead he held over the next two holes.
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