MARANA, Ariz. — In a Match Play Championship with a youthful complexion, Rickie Fowler was dressed in matching pink shoes and shirt when he walked onto the driving range and past his opponent, Phil Mickelson, who looked him up and down and smiled.
“Sophia has some shoes like that,” Mickelson said, referring to his 9-year-old daughter. “She wears them to her dance class.”
Once they got onto the course, Fowler was hotter than his choice of color at Dove Mountain. He was 8-under par when their match ended on the 13th hole, a 6-and-5 victory that sent Mickelson to his worst loss in this fickle tournament.
“He doesn’t really have a weakness,” Mickelson said. “He really is a complete player, and he put it together today.”
Equally impressive was Italy’s sensation, 17-year-old Matteo Manassero, who hit a 6-iron to within 4 feet on the 17th hole and closed out Charl Schwartzel to advance. Jason Day, a 23-year-old Australian, played like a veteran of match play the way he toyed with Paul Casey in a 4-and-2 victory.
Of the final 16 players left at the tournament, eight are younger than 30.
That includes Nick Watney, who steadied his emotions over the last three holes to knock out top-ranked Lee Westwood — the third straight year the No. 1 seed did not make it out of the second round. The highest seed remaining after two wild days was PGA champion Martin Kaymer, the 25-year-old “Germanator” who had to go 20 holes to beat Justin Rose.
Toms holds share of lead in Mexico
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico — David Toms got off to a good start in a bid for his first PGA Tour victory in more than five years, shooting a 5-under-par 66 to share the first- round lead in the Mayakoba Golf Classic.
Andres Gonzales, Mark Hensby and Kyle Stanley also opened with 66s. Defending champion Cameron Beckman was a stroke back along with Kent Jones, Briny Baird, Chris Tidland, Alexandre Rocha and Sunghoon Kang.
Arimura leads HSBC
SINGAPORE — Chie Arimura of Japan overcame strong winds to shoot a 4-under 68 and take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the HSBC Women’s Champions. American Natalie Gulbis finished 1-under 71 in a group of six players.
