MARANA, Arizona, (Reuters) – Ireland’s Shane Lowry beat world number one Rory McIlroy 1 up to pull off the biggest upset in the snow-delayed first round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship yesterday.
Ranked 68th in the world, Lowry chipped in twice for birdie after the turn to take control before getting up and down from a greenside bunker to par the 18th and seal victory.
Three-times winner Tiger Woods was also knocked out, losing 2&1 to fellow American Charles Howell III.
Woods never led but got back to all square with four holes to play before Howell birdied the 15th and 16th to regain control.
Howell almost holed out with his approach at the par-15th, his ball settling just inches from the cup, then sank a 24-footer at the par-three 16th to go 2up.
Both players parred the 17th in fading daylight at Dove Mountain as Woods was eliminated at the first hurdle for a third time at the World Golf Championships (WGC) even
