WENTWORTH, Oct 11: Nick Faldo suffered his worst ever defeat in the World Match Play Championship Thursday but Ian Woosnam and Sam Torrance rolled back the years to progress to the second round.

Faldo, the six times major winner, fell 9 and 8 to Irish Ryder Cup player Padraig Harrington, who fired a nine-under 63 in his morning round of a contest scheduled for 36 holes.

Afterwards, Faldo, who won the event in 1989 and 1992, admitted he was thoroughly demoralised by the defeat.

In contrast, another former champion Woosnam comfortably beat U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen 4 and 3 while European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance defeated Seve Ballesteros 3 and 2.

In the other first round match, Dane Thomas Bjorn had too much experience for 21-year-old Australian prospect Adam Scott and won his first match in the event at his third attempt, 4 and 3.

Favourite Vijay Singh of Fiji, winner in 1997, begins his campaign with a quarter-final against the 48-year-old Torrance while Harrington and Darren Clarke, Woosnam and Colin Montgomerie and Bjorn and holder Lee Westwood contest Friday’s other matches.

First round results:

Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) beat Adam Scott (Australia) 4 and 3 Ian Woosnam (Wales) beat Retief Goosen (South Africa) 4 and 3 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) beat Nick Faldo (England) 9 and 8 Sam Torrance (Scotland) beat Seve Ballesteros (Spain) 3 and 2

Draw for quarterfinals: Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) v Lee Westwood (England) Ian Woosnam (Wales) v Colin Montgomerie (Scotland) Padraig Harrington (Ireland) v Darren Clarke (Northern Ireland) Sam Torrance (Scotland) v Vijay Singh (Fiji)—Reuters