Defending champion out in first round
Golf Digest
Senior Tour: DORADO, Puerto Rico (Nov. 10) -- Larry Nelson used his skillful putting to take command of the Senior Tour this year. On Friday, he came up against someone who putted better than he did.
Vicente Fernandez upset the defending champion and top seed in the first round of the Senior Match Play Challenge. Fernandez beat Nelson 2 and 1 to move into Saturday's quarterfinals.
"I think I played a little better than Larry," Fernandez said. "I putted extremely well, and I think I putted better than he did. With this type of format, one of us has to go home."
A year ago Nelson won the tournament on the same Hyatt Dorado Beach East Course, but Fernandez pointed out that the course was playing differently this year.
"It's a different course with the weather conditions," Fernandez said. "I love coming to Puerto Rico."
An early turning point in the match came on the par-5, 525-yard fourth hole when Fernandez chipped from the bunker to within eight feet of the pin then sank the putt for a difficult birdie.
Fernandez led a parade of upsets in the four morning matches, with the lower seed winning in every case. Ray Floyd beat No. 4 Allen Doyle 1-up; Mike McCullough defeated No. 5 Hubert Green 1-up; and John Jacobs beat No. 8 Jose Maria Canizares, 2 and 1.
The trend continued in the afternoon, with only No. 2 Dana Quigley avoiding the upset bug. Quigley beat Bruce Summerhays 1-up, but No. 3 Jim Thorpe lost 1-up to Lanny Wadkins; No. 7 Tom Kite fell 2 and 1 to Leonard Thompson; and No. 6 Tom Jenkins was beaten 4 and 3 by Ed Dougherty.
Floyd nearly let his victory slip away. He made three successive birdies on Nos. 13-15 to go 3-up but bogeyed the next two holes and was only 1-up going to the final hole. Both men parred the hole, however, and Floyd hung on for the victory.
"I hit my best shot of the day at No. 18, and I hit my best second shot of the day," Floyd said. "I tipped in for the win."
McCullough's victory was impressive because he hasn't had very much experience in match play. McCullough was 1-up after 15 holes, then had to hold off Green on the final three holes.
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