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Pettersen Ousted at Sybase Match Play

by Jeff Skinner

Sometimes things come back to bite you in the rear end, as they say.  That was the case yesterday at The Sybase Match Play Championship.  Earlier in the week defending champion Suzann Pettersen was quoted as saying that she didn’t know much about who she was playing in the first round.  I bet that has changed now as Pettersen is packing her bags after getting upset in round one.

The third seeded Pettersen played the 62nd ranked Jodi Ewart and the young Englishwoman knew the odds weren’t in her favor.  But that didn’t stop her from hanging in there and overcoming a two down deficit to dispatch one of the most intimidating golfers on tour.  Her unexpected 3 & 1 victory over Pettersen has given Ewart the spotlight at The Sybase and may very well be her top moment as a professional.  “This was my opportunity to show people what I can do and what my golf game is like,” Ewart said. “Obviously, you know, I’m playing the world No. 3, so it was probably the most mentally draining match I’ve ever gone through.”

Ewart’s win wasn’t the big only upset at The Match Play as Paula Creamer (8), Ai Miyazato (4) Brittany Lincicome (9) and Michelle Wie (20) all lost to their lower seeded opponents.  Natalie Gulbis (42) staged a massive comeback against Mika Miyazato (23).  After falling behind by four holes she rallied to tie in at the seventeenth hole and won the match with a birdie on eighteen.

Such is the nature of match play: anyone can play well and win one match.  Just ask Suzann Pettersen.

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