In a matter of five minutes, both Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy were knocked out of the 2013 WGC-Accenture Match Play. Charles Howell III knocked off Woods in what he called his first ever win against Tiger in a match play format. After snow delayed the start of their match more than 24 hours, Howell never let Tiger get the lead in their opening match and walked away with a 2 & 1 victory in the darkness at Dove Mountain.
Tiger Woods upset by Charles Howell III at 2013 WGC-Accenture Match Play
Tiger Woods never had the lead in his match with Charles Howell III, who pulled off the 16-over-1 first round upset at the WGC Match Play.
Darren Carroll
Tiger had his driver and irons working fairly well on the front side, but he couldn’t make any putts with ample opportunities to win holes. Those missed chances on the greens kept Howell and Woods all square, or Howell 1-up through the first 13 holes. Woods missed only one fairway on the front nine, and hit seven of nine greens in regulation. But he needed 15 putts on that nine-hole stretch once he got to the greens, which kept things close throughout.
Tiger pulled things square on the 13th hole, with Howell missing a short six-foot birdie putt to open the door. Howell, who’s been one of the top players on Tour through the first two months of the season, almost carded an eagle on the hole but he then missed the comebacker while Woods steadily struck his birdie putt to even it up.
The match was not even for long, however, as Howell hit probably the shot of the day on the 14th hole. Woods mishit his approach shot, flying the green and opening up a shot for the No. 16 seed, who’s excellent with short irons. Howell stepped up and fired a dart, nearly spinning his ball back into the hole and stopping it within a foot of the cup. Tiger could not sink his chip shot and was forced to concede the hole, giving Howell the 1-up lead yet again.
“Charlie Three Sticks,” as he is called, slammed the door on Woods again on the par-3 15th hole when he drained a lengthy birdie putt to add to the pressure. Tiger actually put his approach shot inside of Howell and appeared to have the advantage. But once again he could not convert on the green as he missed his birdie putt on the low side to go 2-down with two holes to play.
With temperatures rapidly dropping, and darkness settling in, it looked like the match would be halted there and Tiger would have a chance to come back in the morning to try and force extra holes. But both players marched on to the 17th, where Howell would close out the match with a tap-in par. Howell is not your average 16th seed, as he has plenty of experience playing against Woods and has been one of the steadier players in the world over the past 12 months, but this is still a huge career-defining win.
It’s a disappointing showing for Woods, who has won this event three times and had won in his only PGA Tour event of the year. He’ll now have extra time to prepare for the Honda Classic next week near his home in South Florida.
For a live bracket, visit Golf.com.
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