MARANA, Ariz. — Teenage sensation Rory McIlroy did his part to put some excitement back into the Accenture Match Play Championship, advancing to the quarterfinals by crushing the player who knocked out Tiger Woods.
The same could not be said for Phil Mickelson, who failed to reach the weekend for the fifth straight year.
McIlroy, the 19-year-old from Northern Ireland who keeps adding credentials to be the next young star, built a 4-up lead after six holes and never gave Tim Clark a chance to catch up in a 4-and-3 victory Friday.
McIlroy, three matches away from becoming the youngest winner in the history of American professional golf, will face Geoff Ogilvy in the quarterfinals. Ogilvy beat Camilo Villegas 2 and 1.
One day after Clark was practically flawless in sending Woods home early from Dove Mountain, hardly anything went right. It was the third straight time that a player who beat Woods in this tournament lost in the next round.
Stewart Cink beat Mickelson 1-up to set up a match against Ernie Els.
Els, in the quarterfinals for only the second time, had a 1-up lead on the 18th tee when Luke Donald felt a twinge in his left wrist and decided to concede the match instead of risking further injury. Donald had surgery on that wrist six months ago, and only returned to competition in December.
In the other quarterfinals, Sean O’Hair will face Paul Casey, and Ross Fisher will meet Justin Leonard. O’Hair beat Ian Poulter 2 and 1, Casey edged Peter Hanson 4 and 2, Fisher topped Jim Furyk 4 and 3, and Leonard beat Oliver Wilson in 19 holes.
Honda LPGA Thailand
PATTAYA, Thailand — Former Duke star Brittany Lang shot a 3-under 69 to take a one-stroke lead over fellow Americans Morgan Pressel and Paula Creamer after the second round of the Honda LPGA Thailand.
Lang, winless on the LPGA Tour, had a 7-under 137 total on the Siam Country Club’s Pattaya Plantation course. Pressel had a 68, and Creamer shot a 70.
Angela Stanford, coming off a victory Feb. 14 in the season-opening SBS Open, was two strokes back after a 71. Jin Joo Hong (71) also was 5 under.
Lorena Ochoa, the top-ranked Mexican star making her first start of the season, was three strokes behind after a 69.
Mayakoba Golf Classic
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico — Kevin Na shot an 8-under 62 for a share of the second-round lead with Mark Wilson in the Mayakoba Golf Classic.
Na and Wilson (64) had 10-under 130 totals on the El Camaleon Golf Club course, the best 36-hole scores in the three-year history of the PGA Tour event.
First-round leader Bo Van Pelt (69) and J.J. Henry (66) were two strokes back at 8 under, Briny Baird (66) and Chris Riley (68) followed at 7 under, and veteran Corey Pavin (68) topped a group at 5 under. David Toms, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 65, shot a 67 to reach 3 under, and defending champion Brian Gay was another shot back after a 70.
Moonah Classic
FINGAL, Australia — Australia’s Michael Sim shot a 5-under 67 for a share of the second-round lead with Argentina’s Miguel Angel Carballo in the Moonah Classic.
Carballo had a 68 to match Sim at 8-under 136 on the Moonah Links course in the event sanctioned by the Australasian and Nationwide tours.
American Josh Teater (68) and Australia’s Terry Pilkadaris were stroke back.
New Zealand amateur Danny Lee, the Johnnie Walker Classic winner last week in Perth, missed the cut with rounds of 74 and 75.
Indonesia Open
BALI, Indonesia — England’s Steve Webster shot a 3-under 69 to take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Indonesian Open.
Webster had a 6-under 138 total on the New Kuta Golf Club course in the event sanctioned by the Asian and European tours. Denmark’s Jelpe Huldahl (66), Wales’ Jamie Donaldson (71) and England’s Simon Dyson (71) were tied for second.
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