K.J. Choi Joins WGC Final 16
Koreas K.J. Choi (Nike Golf) made it into the final 16 in the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship at his sixth attempt.
Choi advanced to the third round after edging Ian Poulter of England in the extended second round in the Gallery Golf Club in Tucson, Arizona, on Friday.
It is the first time that Choi passed the second round in the tournament in which the worlds top 64 golfers compete against each other.
In 2003, he beat Fred Punk of the United States to be included in the top 32, but unfortunately he met Tiger Woods. Last year, he lost to Henrik Stenson (Sweden) in the final 32. Both Woods and Stenson won the championship, respectively.
Choi will meet world No. 26 Paul Casey (England) in the third round. Casey is strong in match plays as was seen through his victory at the 2006 HSBC World Match Play Championship.
If Choi wins the round, he is likely to meet Woods in the quarterly final.
Woods, who was on the brink of defeat to world No. 53 J.B. Holmes (U.S.) yesterday, beat Arron Oberholser (U.S.) in the second round with 3-down.
Choi, who was ahead until the ninth hole by three holes, made bogeys on the 15th and 17th to lose both holes. Poulter extended the round with an 8-meter birdie on the 18th hole, but lost a 1.5-meter putt on the 19th, losing to Choi.
World No.2 Phil Mickelson (U.S.) and No.5 Adam Scott (Australia) and No.10 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) failed to advance to the next round. There are only three of the worlds top 10 who cruised to the final 16: No. 1 Tiger Woods, No. 3 Steve Stricker (U.S.) and No. 8 K.J. Choi.
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