Hunter Weekley off target with match play nuances

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

MARANA, Arizona (Reuters) - Part-time hunter Boo Weekley has posted successive victories on his debut at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, despite struggling with the subtleties of the one-on-one format.

The 34-year-old American admitted he had no idea about the match-play tradition of conceding short putts when he beat Germany's Martin Kaymer 2&1 in the opening round.

"Martin putted it first (on the opening hole), hit it (from) about eight feet and he just missed it," Weekley told reporters after posting a 3&1 win over Spaniard Sergio Garcia on Thursday.

"It wasn't probably eight or nine inches from the hole and he's looking at me and I'm looking at him like: 'Are you going to tap it in?'

"My caddie said: 'Just pick it up' and I'm like: 'Pick it up?' Honestly, I didn't know. It's very strange to just walk up there and pick your ball up, especially when you ain't used to doing it."

Weekley, who prefers hunting and fishing to playing professional golf, was hugely relieved to realize that rules officials accompany every match at Dove Mountain's Gallery Golf Club.

RULES HELP

"The man that was walking with us was like: 'I'm going to be walking with you today'. And I was like: 'Good, I can ask you if I have a problem?'