Bittersweet memories for Stewart Cink

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

MARANA, Arizona (Reuters) - Stewart Cink reflected on a week of stirring performances that ended on a personal low after being crushed by fellow American Tiger Woods in Sunday's final at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Cink reached the final of the elite World Golf Championships (WGC) event for the first time in nine attempts before tumbling to a record 8&7 defeat at Dove Mountain's Gallery Golf Club.

"I'm very proud of the way I played all week, until today," Cink told reporters after losing the 36-hole encounter on the 29th green. "I'm disappointed I didn't throw a little more at Tiger, put some pressure on him. It wasn't that close a match.

"But overall, I'm very pleased with making it through with the players that I faced. I look back over the list of guys and, wow, it's pretty much like a list of the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup from the last several years.

"I'm proud of that and I'm taking away a lot of positives from this week, but I'm disappointed about today."

Cink, who won the last of his four PGA Tour titles at the 2004 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, knocked out British Open champion Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie and U.S. Open winner Angel Cabrera earlier in the week.

"I played extremely well every match, with the exception of my match against Colin Montgomerie," the 34-year-old said. bittersweet

COMING THROUGH