CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb. 22 (UPI) -- After surviving the first two rounds, Sergio Garcia appeared to have
emerged as the favorite at the World Golf Championships-Match Play
Championship, but predicting the winner of this event is next to impossible.
The fourth-seeded Spaniard became the ninth top-10 seed to lose here,
falling to No. 45 Scott McCarron, 1-up, Friday at the La Costa Resort
and Spa.
The lone top-10 seed to reach the quarterfinals was No. 6 David
Toms, the reigning winner of the PGA Championship. And Toms was
not assured of advancing until winning the 18th hole for a 1-up
victory over No. 54 Steve Flesch.
Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and David Duval -- the top three
seeds -- all were sent packing in the first round Wednesday,
while five more top seeds bowed out in the second round
Thursday.
The biggest underdog to reach the final eight was No. 62 Kevin
Sutherland, who breezed to a 4 and 3 victory over No. 14 Jim
Furyk. Sutherland defeated Duval in 20 holes in the first round,
then ousted No. 30 Paul McGinley, 2 and 1, on Thursday.
No. 25 Paul Azinger needed 20 holes to elimate Sweden's Niclas
Fasth, the 41st seed who reached the third round with wins over
Michael Campbell and No. 9 Vijay Singh.
Four of the eight matches were decided on the 18th hole. No. 17
Bob Estes defeated No. 31 Nick Price of South Africa, 1-up, and
No. 23 Jose Maria Olazabal bounced No. 23 Mark Calcavecchia,
2-up.
Five Americans reached the quarterfinals. Joining McCarron, Toms
and Azinger in the round of eight were No. 28 Tom Lehman and No.
47 Brad Faxon.
Lehman had few problems getting past No. 53 Matt Gogel, 4-3,
while Faxon defeated No. 63 John Cook, 3 and 2. Despite the low
eed, Faxon has cruised into the quarterfinals. He routed Kenny
Perry, 7 and 6, in the first round in the tournament's most
lopsided result, then got past Adam Scott, 3 and 2, in the
second round.
The quarterfinals and semifinals are set for Saturday, followed
by Sunday's 36-hole final.
The La Costa Resort and Spa is a par-72 layout that measures
7,002 yards.
