Tiger Woods comes from 3 down with 5 to play in World Match Play Championship, Tucson breathes

MARANA, Ariz. - It looked like the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship was going to lose all its buzz on day one. It looked like J.B. Holmes was going to shoot down both Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods in 1-on-1 duels in a month’s time.

Then, Tiger Woods got The Look.

Hitting one long dagger putt after another and a completely ridiculous 270-yard second shot from the rough on 17 - with what he dubbed his “senior club", his 5-wood, after the match - Tiger left Holmes and his caddie just shaking their heads and chuckling. From three down with five to go to a one-up win in regulation.

“It’s not like I played bad,” Holmes kept saying afterwards.

No, but he blinked. And Tiger Woods kept his unspoken goal of a perfect season alive for at least another day of match play.

The people most pleased had to be the TV executives and members from Tucson area chamber of commerces though. If Tiger’s on his Gulfstream before Shaq even makes his Phoenix Suns’ debut, the tournament and the area both lose tons of attention.

Remember for complete coverage of the World Match Play Championship, tune in to WorldGolf.com every morning. Tomorrow, you’ll get a full column on this match and the fatal attitude blunder from Holmes that let down everyone else in the field.