Retief Goosen of South Africa wrote a new chapter in HSBC World Match Play Championship history when he defeated American Jeff Maggert 12 and 11 in the first round of the rain-affected event at Wentworth Club.
The US Open Champion did not lose a single hole in beating the previous best margin of 11 and 10 recorded by Mark O’Meara over Vijay Singh in the 1998 semi-final. Clearly, playing golf in the pouring rain held no appeal to Goosen, who seemed like a man on a mission to get the job done as quickly as possible.
While all the other seven first round ties were completed on Friday morning, Goosen hit Maggert with the force of an express train, reaching the midway point ten up – matching O’Meara’s achievement six years ago.
There was no stopping the phlegmatic South African, who matched Maggert’s birdies at the fourth and fifth before going on to win by 12 and 11. However with two and a half hours being lost to the weather early in the morning – play began at 10.50am instead of the scheduled 8.20 – it meant that Goosen was the only first round finisher.
Defending champion, Ernie Els, eased through to the second round with a 2 and 1 victory over PGA Champion, Scott Drummond. Two up with two to play, Els shook hands with his dogged opponent on the 17th after a half in five.
He then paid a glowing tribute to the 16th seed by remarking: "Scott certainly made a contest of it. He showed a lot of character and I'm just happy to get through."
Els now faces Argentina's Angel Cabrera, who edged out KJ Choi of Korea on the final green.
Ireland's Padraig Harrington won through to meet Frenchman Thomas Levet with a 2 and 1 win over American Ryder Cup player Chris Riley. The match was all square when the players resumed on the 15th but Harrington drew first blood by holing from 20 feet for a birdie while Riley missed from 12.
Riley then three putted the 16th and Harrington admitted: "It became a sprint over four holes and I feel it all boiled down to those putts on the 15th. Whoever drew first blood was always going to have a huge advantage."
Levet beat former Masters Champion Mike Weir of Canada 2 and 1 and said: "Mike struggled from the tee which made it difficult for him."
England's Lee Westwood defeated Open Champion Todd Hamilton 4 and 3, but admitted that the tide turned for him just before play ended the previous evening.
He said: "Todd birdied the sixth and sventh last night and was 12 feet away at the eighth but I made my putt from 40 feet and then holed 20 footers at the tenth and 11th. It was hard for him to come back from that."
Miguel Angel Jimenez ended the hopes of another American, Steve Flesch, by 3 and 2 and the Spaniard's next opponent is Europe's victorious Ryder Cup Captain, Bernhard Langer, who beat Number Two seed, Vijiay Singh, at the first extra hole.
Singh birdied the 15th, 16th and 17th to take the tie into extra time and the German won the first play-off hole (the 17th) with a two-putt birdie four.
Langer said: "It reminded me of the Bible story when little David beat Gooliath. That's how I feel. He was hot favourite but I am always highly motivated. Wherever I play I play to win."
