Tiger Woods scraped past Australia’s Aaron Baddeley after a 20-hole birdie fest on Friday to avoid making a third-round exit at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship for a third year in a row.
The American world number one, tournament champion at La Costa in 2003 and 2004, fought back from one down with three holes to play before rolling in a 13-foot birdie putt to seal victory at the par-four second, the second extra hole.
Top-seeded Woods had charged two-up with birdies on the first two holes before his opponent piled on the pressure with six birdies in seven holes around the turn at Dove Mountain’s Gallery Golf Club.
Baddeley, 26, took the lead for the first time by rolling in a 10-footer on the 14th green but Woods levelled a tight match after hitting his tee shot to two feet at the par-three 16th.
“It was unbelievable,” Woods told reporters after piling up 12 birdies in a battle of high quality and counter thrust. “I made, I think, two mistakes and gave him two holes but he did the same.
“Every other hole, it seemed like we birdied. It was unbelievable how many birdies we made out there today. It was quality shot after quality shot. Matches like that are fun to be a part of.”
Baddeley, who totalled nine birdies on the day, missed a 10-footer on the 18th green and a 12-foot eagle putt on the 19th to knock out the game’s leading player.
“Eighteen was a tough putt but I hit the putt on the first (the 19th) exactly where I wanted it,” the Australian said.
“I’m disappointed I didn’t win because I had the opportunities to, but I’m encouraged with the way I played to push him. I played really nice today, especially after being two down after two.”
US Open champion Angel Cabrera reeled off three consecutive birdies from the seventh to beat American Steve Stricker 4 & 3.
The big-hitting Argentine had not reached the third round in any of his six previous appearances in the elite World Golf Championships (WGC) event.
Other results: Stewart Cink bt Colin Montgomerie 4 & 2; Woody Austin bt Boo Weekley 3 & 2; Henrik Stenson bt Jonathan Byrd 1-up; KJ Choi bt Paul Casey 1-up; Justin Leonard bt Stuart Appleby 3 & 2; Vijay Singh bt Rod Pampling on 25th hole.
