Woods Advances In The Match Play Championship

Scott Halleran/Getty Images(MARANA, Arizona) -- Tiger Woods defeated Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain in the first round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship Wednesday, 1 up.

The 14-time major champion took the lead for good on the 16th hole with a par putt.

“I had a hard time reading these greens,” Woods said. “You have the slope of the greens, there is the valley down there but then the grain on the greens isn’t matching up with the valley. Lot of times it goes with the slope of the greens.

Up next for Woods is a second-round match against Nick Watney Thursday.

Meanwhile, top seeded Luke Donald has been sent packing by Ernie Els, 5-and-4. Donald is just the third No. 1 seed to lose in the opening round of the event.

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