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Johnson eliminates Goosen as final top seed bows out

By Helen Ross
PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents
 

CARLSBAD, Calif. -- And then there were none.

The last of the top four seeds at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship was eliminated Saturday in the quarterfinals as Zach Johnson defeated Retief Goosen 3 and 2.

Two other matches were decided in extra holes and the fourth ended with an exclamation point Saturday when Davis Love III holed a wedge from 112 yards on the par-5 18th for an eagle and the 1-up win over Padraig Harrington.

“I knew when it was in the air it was going to be real good,” said Love, who had just lost the 17th hole when he mis-clubbed and hit his second shot over the green. “When you hit the greens, you never know how much it’s going to spin. … And then when it disappeared, I was excited.”

Love, who is the highest seed remaining at No. 6, plays the Johnson in the first semifinal Saturday afternoon. Love has a 17-7 record at the Accenture Match Play Championship and reached the finals in 2004 where he lost to Tiger Woods.

The other semifinal features U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman against Geoff Ogilvy, who was in Arizona a year ago this week winning the Chrysler Classic of Tucson.

Lehman rallied from 2 down at the turn to force extra holes with Chad Campbell and won with a conceded par at the 21st hole. Ogilvy rolled in a 20-footer for birdie on the 19th hole to upset David Howell, who leads the European Tour’s Order of Merit.

“I was pretty disappointed not being able to defend, especially my first time out here,” Ogilvy said. “I don’t know what it feels like. (But) I’ve played well, and I might have an opportunity to win again this week. I told my caddie, this might be my week (again).”

The 41-year-old Love and Johnson, who turned 30 on Friday, will play at 3:25 p.m. ET while Lehman and Ogilvy tee off 10 minutes later.

Lehman, who turns 47 in nine days, sent his match into extra holes when he made a 19-footer for birdie after Campbell had just drained one from 26. The putt elicited a fist pump from the determined Lehman, but he wasn’t pleased with his performance overall.

“They should send us both home,” Lehman said. “I think the best way to put it is we played poorly, both of us. … The things I talked about yesterday about not giving holes away and making them beat you are out the window. A lot of bad shots, a lot of mistakes. But luckily I got the win.

“When I had to hit some good shots, I did. When I had to make some big putts, I did. It was a nice way to finish on 18, both making the long putts for birdie. And it was nice to hit a couple of good iron shots to close out the match.

Johnson, who came into the tournament seeded 15th, lost the first two holes to birdies by Goosen, who is the No. 3 player in the world. Johnson turned the tables on the next two holes, though, with a pair of birdies of his own to square the match.

“That was big,” Johnson said. “Then I just started hitting some decent shots.”

Johnson, who hit 83 percent of his fairways and 75 percent of his greens, made the turn 1 up after a birdie at the eighth hole. He added two more at Nos. 11 and 15, then won the match at the 16th when Goosen missed the green at the par 3 and the ensuing 8-footer for par.

“On the front, I think we halved like two holes,” Johnson said. “I was not very consistent. I was just kind of up-and-down. But after that I … tried to hit fairways, fairways and greens. I don’t think I missed a fairway, and I don’t think I missed a green on the back. When you have a lead you can be a little more conservative and put pressure just by doing that.

“I feel fortunate to come away (with the win). He had some good putts that didn’t go in, and I made some putts. That’s probably what it came down to.”

Goosen agreed. “I made a couple of birdies on the first two holes and thought finally, I’m starting to make some putts because I haven’t done anything this week,” he said. “Suddenly it looked like the only two I was going to make all week, and it just dried out.

“I tried and tried and hit a lot of good putts, and nothing went in. It happens. That’s how you win match play is putting. Zach putted very well today, made a lot of good putts, and that’s how I lost.”

Love appeared headed for a lopsided victory, as well -- winning three of the first four holes with an opening birdie and two Harrington bogeys. The Irishman doggedly clawed his way back, though, eventually squaring the match with a birdie at the 15th and Love’s bogey at No. 17 before he was eliminated on the dramatic final shot.

“It’s actually not a tough way to lose,” Harrington said. “It’s a good way to lose if you’re going to lose. I was expecting Davis to get up and down on the last, and I’d have to hole mine out to go to 19. I was prepared for that, but maybe not prepared for him holing out.”

Harrington came into the week struggling with his game after an extended layoff. Saturday was no exception, although the man who will defend his Honda Classic title in two weeks saw some signs of life.

“I played better today, but what’s been going wrong with my game the last couple of days is a test of my short game,” Harrington said. “When I struggled early on, I didn’t get it up and down.

“Ultimately, it’s hard. Davis is playing very well, and it’s hard to give him three holes. I’m sure he gave me a few back, but I certainly can’t afford to give him up three. Pity about that.”

Neither Ogilvy or Howell led more than 1 up in their tight match. The Aussie made three birdies on the back nine -- two to keep the match square and a third at the par-5 18th to send the match into extra holes.

Each of Ogilvy’s matches this week have been won in sudden death.

“I guess I got pretty lucky here and got extra holes,” Ogilvy said. “I played pretty well. I didn’t make any bogeys. The extra holes have been good to me so far.”