Hunter Mahan wins WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship

Hunter Mahan of the USA overcame Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy to win the final of the WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship at Dove Mountain in Arizona.

Hunter Mahan wins WGC-Accenture Match Play (Getty Images)
Fergus Bisset
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Hunter Mahan of the USA overcame Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy to win the final of the WGC - Accenture Match Play Championship at Dove Mountain in Arizona.

Mahan defeated countryman Mark Wilson in the morning's semi-finals then saw off McIlroy in the afternoon's final by 2&1. The Northern Irishman could have moved to World Number 1 with a victory in this event but a number of errors early in the final round scuppered his chances.

McIlroy double-bogeyed the 7th to go two down, he made a second straight six at the next to fall three behind and was four holes adrift after Mahan birdied the 10th.

The 22-year-old came to life on the back nine with a chip-in eagle at the 11th and then three straight birdies from the 13th. But it was too little too late and Mahan sealed the deal with a par on the 17th.

"It wasn't to be. I didn't have my best game with me this week," said McIlroy. "But I'm happy with how I'm playing and hopefully it won't be long before I'm winning again."

McIlroy will have another chance to move to World Number 1 in this week's Honda Classic, an event that current Number 1 Luke Donald is not playing in. But the US Open Champion is now focusing his attentions on the year's first Major.

"I've got two more tournaments to go before the Masters and that's what I'm building up to," he said.

In the third place playoff at Dove Mountain, Mark Wilson of the USA beat England's Lee Westwood on the final green.

WGC - Accenture Match Play Championship Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, Arizona Feb 22-26, purse €6,440,000 par 72

1   Hunter Mahan (USA)         €1,060,767 2   Rory McIlroy (NIR)         €644,037 3   Mark Wilson (USA)         €454,614 4   Lee Westwood (Eng)         €371,268 T5   Bae Sang-moon (Kor)         €204,576 T5   Peter Hanson (Swe)         €204,576 T5   Matt Kuchar (USA)         €204,576 T5   Martin Laird (Sco)         €204,576 T9   Miguel Angel Jimenez (Esp)      €106,077 T9   Dustin Johnson (USA)         €106,077 T9   Martin Kaymer (Ger)         €106,077 T9   Paul Lawrie (Sco)            €106,077 T9   John Senden (Aus)         €106,077 T9   Brandt Snedeker (USA)         €106,077 T9   Steve Stricker (USA)         €106,077 T9   Nick Watney (USA)         €106,077

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage Where next? PGA Tour - John Huh wins Mayakoba Classic

 

 

   

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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