Golf: Woods Dishes Up 9&8 Drubbing

It is not in the rules, but one of golf’s golden rules is do not antagonize Tiger Woods, as Stephen Ames found out to his cost yesterday after running into the world No1 in the first round of the World Match Play. "Anything can happen, especially where he’s hitting it," the Canadian said before yesterday’s 18-hole match, a reference to his opponent’s proclivity for hitting wayward drives.

Unfortunately for Ames, Woods also has a proclivity for taking offence and exacting quick retribution, as he amply illustrated by giving him a 9&8 hammering. It was the biggest margin of victory in the history of this event and it might have been even bigger had Woods holed a 15-foot putt for birdie on the 10th green. He had to settle for par and a quick walk back to the clubhouse for an early lunch.

As for Ames, it was humble pie for starters, main course and dessert. Not that he showed much appetite for it. "Phil [Mickelson] and Vijay [Singh] would have struggled against him today" was about as humble as he could muster.

Woods was six under for the first six holes and seven under for the front nine, four shots better than any other player in a field containing the world’s top 64. "I put together a pretty good round," he said afterwards, adding a lesson in humility to the lesson in golf he had just delivered. Had he read his opponent’s comments before teeing off? Woods replied in the affirmative. Asked what his reaction was he added tersely: "Nine and eight."

Woods will play Robert Allenby in today’s second round and a victory could set up a match against Henrik Stenson, one of the few European players to make progress on what was a disappointing opening day for the 17 European hopefuls.

As play drew to a close, only six had progressed into the second round. Of those who did win, Colin Montgomerie and David Howell both came close to joining Woods in the record book, albeit for the longevity of their matches rather than their one-sidedness.

Howell went all the way to the fourth extra hole before beating Steve Elkington. Montgomerie went one further before prevailing over his Ryder Cup colleague Niclas Fasth. Lee Westwood’s contest against Scott Verplank went to the eighth extra hole, equaling the tournament record, before the American prevailed.