Casey sent packing
Paul Casey lost his unbeaten record at the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth today – and left Swede Henrik Stenson as almost certainly the only European in the semi-finals.
Winner on his debut last year and conqueror of American Jerry Kelly in the first round, Casey was beaten four and three by US Open champion Angel Cabrera.
The gap was only one at lunch, but the Argentinian resumed with a 20-foot birdie putt and then stretched his advantage further when Casey three-putted the 26th green and conceded the next.
When it looked as though the Surrey golfer was going to take the 28th, Cabrera chipped in for a half and followed that by making a 25-footer to be five up and seven to play.
Cabrera, a former winner of the Volvo PGA title on the course, waited to see whether it was American Hunter Mahan or Dane Soren Hansen next, but it did not look like being a long wait. Mahan was six up with six to play.
The other semi-final looked certain to be between second seed Ernie Els and Stenson, seeking a notable double after winning the Accenture world match play title in Arizona in February.
With seven to play, Stenson was seven up on Hansen – and that was after his opponent had hit a hole-in-one on the 184-yard 10th in the afternoon round.
Two previous aces in the event, by Isao Aoki on the second and Thomas Bjorn on the 14th, had rewarded them with a house and a car respectively, but there was no such prize for Hansen.
Els was seven clear of Andres Romero after 28 holes in a South Africa v Argentina duel two days before the Rugby World Cup semi-final which Els is planning to attend.
Stenson and Romero had begun the day by finishing off their first round games.
Stenson was all square with American Woody Austin with one to play and sank a 12-foot birdie putt to go through, while Romero overcame Swede Niclas Fasth three and two.
Els or Stenson could go top of the European Order of Merit this weekend following the exits of leading pair Padraig Harrington and Justin Rose on the opening day.
