England’s Ross Fisher birdied the second sudden death playoff hole to knock Louis Oosthuizen out of the WGC Match Play on Friday.
Oosthuizen was the last South African standing after Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace succumbed to 4&3 losses earlier in the day, but fell to Fisher, who beat Jim Furyk in the final group match.
The South African made light work of the number four ranked player Hideki Matsuyama in his final group game as he waited for the outcome of the Fisher/Furyk encounter.
Oosthuizen was in fine form during his match against Matsuyama, as he ran out a 6&4 winner.
Matsuyama led after the first hole, but never again as Oosthuizen countered the Japan star’s opening birdie with three consecutive birdies before further birdies at 6 and 8, and a concession at 9 saw Oosthuizen make the turn at 5up.
Matsuyama fought back to win 10 and 11, but Oosthuizen made par at 12, birdie at 13 before Matsuyama shook hands on the 14th green to send the South African into the playoff with Fisher.
Fisher drove into the right rough on the first playoff hole, but pitched to 12 feet to make par while Oosthuizen could not capitalise on his good drive by leaving himself some 50 feet for his 3.
Oosthuizen made the same mistake on the second sudden death hole as he left himself even further away for his birdie try, but Fisher would not miss his second opportunity to move into the weekend’s knockout phase where he will face Bubba Watson.
Photo: David Cannon/Getty Images
