Els makes early exit, Woods wins at Dove Mountain

MARANA, Arizona, Feb 22 (Reuters) Ernie Els was the biggest name to fall by the wayside as Tiger Woods stayed on track for an eighth consecutive PGA Tour title at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Twice champion Woods beat fellow American J J Henry 3&2 in his first-round match but fifth seed Els lost 4&2 to Britain's Bradley Dredge, who birdied three of the last seven holes at Dove Mountain's Gallery Golf Club.

US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy of Australia, surprise winner when the event was held at La Costa Resort for the final time last year, knocked out American Steve Stricker 4&3 and Canada's Stephen Ames pummelled Swede Robert Karlsson 8&7.

Among the other big names, Masters champion Phil Mickelson beat fellow left-hander Richard Green of Australia one up and world number two Jim Furyk edged past American Brett Quigley 2&1.

Els, who has won the prestigious World Match Play Championship at Wentworth in England a record six times, struggled on the greens against Welshman Dredge.

Woods, champion in 2003 and 2004 at La Costa, was always in control of his encounter after matching Henry with an outrageous par-four at the second hole.

After pulling his tee shot well left into desert scrub, Woods punched out just short of the fairway and hit his third 20 feet below the pin before making the putt. Henry, who reached the green in two, also made par.

''I think the second hole was huge,'' Woods said after a calm, clear day in the Arizona desert. ''It looked like he was probably going to take a one-up lead and get some momentum on his side early, and it just never happened.

CONSISTENT ENOUGH ''He never got up in the match. I played all right. I hit a couple of loose shots here and there but, overall, I felt like I was consistent enough to put pressure on him most of the day.'' Ogilvy, who beat PGA Tour veteran Davis Love III 3&2 in last year's 36-hole final, was delighted with his form against 2001 champion Stricker.

Ames, hammered 9&8 by world number one Woods in the first round last year, reeled off seven birdies in 11 holes to come out on the right side of a short match.

In other matches, South Africa's Trevor Immelman crushed Denmark's Thomas Bjorn 6&5, Britain's Ian Poulter beat American Bart Bryant 5&4 and Ireland's Padraig Harrington edged out Ryder Cup team mate Lee Westwood with an eagle on the 19th hole.

Reuters AY DB1148