Sept. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk, seeking to hone their games before next week's Ryder Cup, both exited golf's World Match Play Championship on the first day.

World No. 1 Woods, who won his previous five tournaments, lost to fellow American Shaun Micheel over two rounds at Wentworth, southwest of London. Sweden's Robert Karlsson, who will play for Europe in the Ryder Cup matches in Ireland, beat second-ranked Furyk. Both contests ended 4&3, meaning Micheel and Karlsson led by four holes with three holes remaining.

``He did what he needed to do,'' Woods said in a British Broadcasting Corp. interview by the 15th green. ``I just didn't make any putts. I had my chances, I just had a hard time with my pace. I'll go and have a work-out to let out some frustration.''

The early exit for Woods and Furyk, the only U.S. Ryder Cup players in the 16-man field, deprives them of three days' competitive golf before next week's tournament at the K Club, near Dublin. European Ryder Cup players Paul Casey, Luke Donald and Colin Montgomerie joined Karlsson in tomorrow's second round as top-10 golfers Adam Scott, Retief Goosen and Ernie Els were eliminated.

England's Donald, who defeated South Africa's Tim Clark with two birdies on the last two holes, is the new favorite at William Hill Plc.

``A lot of the top seeds were knocked out today and that opens it out,'' he told reporters. ``Whoever wins this week will still have to play great golf.''

Biggest Prize

Woods, playing the event for the first time since 1998, was the pre-tournament favorite to scoop the 1 million-pound ($1.89 million) first prize, the biggest in golf. Tournament sponsor HSBC Holdings Plc, Europe's biggest bank by market value, failed to attract all the top U.S. players: Masters champion Phil Mickelson and British Open runner-up Chris DiMarco declined their invitations.

Unlike strokeplay, where golfers compete against the entire field to post the lowest four-round total, matchplay pits two players head-to-head, with each hole worth one point. The contest ends when the trailing player runs out of holes to take the lead. The Ryder Cup, taking place from Sept. 22-24, is also a matchplay event.

Woods, 3-down after the morning round, won the first two holes of the second 18 to move within one of Micheel, the 2003 U.S. PGA champion. Micheel responded with hole-winning birdies at the fourth and seventh and an eagle at the par-5 12th. The match ended when Woods missed a putt to win the 15th.

`Really Special'

``I finish second to him more than he finishes second to me, so it feels really special to beat him,'' Micheel told reporters. ``Sometimes it's easier to play as the underdog.''

Micheel qualified by finishing second to Woods at the PGA Championship in August.

In today's other matches, England's Casey picked up five shots in as many holes on his second round to upset South Africa's Goosen 6&4. In another surprise result, Canadian Mike Weir defeated world No. 5 Scott of Australia 3&2.

Defending champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand was the only player in the top six seeds to advance, beating English longshot Simon Khan 3&1. Scotland's Montgomerie downed England's David Howell at the final hole in a tussle between two of Europe's highest-ranked Ryder Cup players.

``It was always going to be a close game,'' Montgomerie told reporters. ``I'm just glad that I managed to scrape through.''

South Africa's Els, the record six-time champion, moved within one of Argentina's Angel Cabrera with long, hole-winning putts at the 15th and 16th before smashing two consecutive drives into the trees at the 17th. With Cabrera's ball sitting in the middle of the fairway, Els opted to surrender the match.

Donald, seeded seventh, won by two holes on the 36th green.

``If Woosie was watching he'll be happy,'' he said referring to European captain Ian Woosnam. ``It's great preparation for the Ryder Cup.''

Second Round (seedings in brackets)

Michael Campbell (1) vs  Colin Montgomerie (9)
Paul Casey (12)      vs  Mike Weir (13)
Robert Karlsson (14) vs  Angel Cabrera (11)
Luke Donald (7)      vs  Shaun Micheel (15)

To contact the reporter on this story: Sam Sheringham in London on at ssheringham@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: September 14, 2006 12:46 EDT