Woods tumbles in second round

Tiger Woods tumbled out of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship on Thursday after fellow Americans Hunter Mahan and Dustin Johnson had eased into the third round with commanding victories.

Mahan became the first player to advance, crushing South Korean Yang Yong-eun 5&3, and Johnson followed with a 7&5 demolition of Italy’s Francesco Molinari at Dove Mountain’s Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.

Three-time champion Woods, however, went out in the second round for a third time at the elite World Golf Championships event, struggling on the greens as he lost one-down to compatriot Nick Watney.

British world number three Lee Westwood reached the third round for the first time in 12 appearances at the event, beating Swede Robert Karlsson 3&2, and fourth-ranked German Martin Kaymer edged past American David Toms two up.

Triple major winner Ernie Els, who had upset world number one and defending champion Luke Donald in the opening round, was ousted 5&4 by Swede Peter Hanson.

In blazing desert sunshine, Mahan birdied six of the first eight holes to go four up on Yang and recovered from bogeys at the ninth and 10th to seal the win on the 15th green.

Stricker, champion in 2001 when the event was held in Australia, won a tight encounter with South African Louis Oosthuizen one up after sinking a 20-foot birdie putt at the 18th.

Johnson, who needed 20 holes to scrape past compatriot Jim Furyk in the opening round, never let up after seizing control against Molinari with four birdies in the first eight holes.

The match ended at the par-five 13th where the Italian parred and the big-hitting Johnson was just 10 feet from the hole in two shots.

John Senden upset fellow Australian Jason Day, the world number seven, 6&5.