Appleby: 'This is a different rodeo for me'

He is the only player in the tournament's history to play in every year, but has been knocked out in the first round six times. Twice, he won only once.

For the Aussie to advance to today's Round of 16 certainly was an upset. For him to beat Phil Mickelson, the top seed of the Gary Player bracket, was amazing.

"Bottom line is, it means I'm advancing," he said. "I don't get an extra paycheck or a bonus for beating him.

"Yes, I have to get through one of the best players to move on, so that's been done."

With eight PGA Tour victories to his name and a No. 31 seed in this event, Appleby is no slouch.

Thursday, he played probably the best match of anyone in the field.

After falling down two holes through the first three, the Aussie birdied holes 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 to take a 1-up lead.

He then logged birdies on 13, 15 and 17 — making an 8-foot putt on the second-to-last hole — to end Lefty's run with a 2 and 1 victory.

"I wanted a chance on 18, but unfortunately, I didn't get it," Mickelson said.

Appleby credits his success to becoming "a bit more internal" — worrying more about his performance than his opponent's.

That said, he figures all golfers need at least six birdies per match to contend for a win, and probably a few more, or an eagle, to clinch.

He had nine birdies Thursday.

"There's a long way to go," said Appleby, who will face Justin Leonard today. "I don't know if the 10th time is a charm. Like I said, it's all new territory to me. I have not played a lot of match play.

"I've been shut out of these events, so this is a different rodeo for me."

Monty motivation

Colin Montgomerie had just watched Charles Howell III tie their match on the 11th green when his new caddie, Jason Hempleman, gave him the Scottish version of a Knute Rockne speech.

"My caddie said, 'All right, Mr. Montgomerie, it's Ryder Cup mode,' " he said. "And I was 4 under from then on in, so that was a good effort.

"He should say that more often. He should say that in stroke-play events."

Montgomerie, whose former caddie, Craig Connolly, left to work for Paul Casey, could be on the verge of something special.

The 44-year-old Scot has never won a tournament on American soil.

Not that he's fully comfortable.

"You usually half unpack," said Montgomerie, who will face American Stewart Cink today. "Usually you sort of fill the wardrobe, but the wardrobe is sort of empty, packed up."

So he's unpacking now?

"It's a mess now," he said. "My suitcase, a complete mess, because I've had to shuffle it all around."

Chip shots

● David Toms' concession of his match because of a back injury, rather than a withdrawal, is an important distinction. By conceding, Toms will keep the $90,000 prize money and 262 FedEx Cup points for losing in the second round. He would not have done so had he withdrawn.

● Casey, who shot a 63 Wednesday, logged a 72 Thursday — but still beat Welshman Bradley Dredge.

"The first four holes I birdied yesterday, and today, with the wind direction and the pin locations, I felt it," he said. "Awkward to get close to those pins."

Appleby echoed Casey's concerns about pin placement.

"It's not a championship golf course by the traditional, historical (setup like) Riviera (in Los Angeles), for example, last week," he said. "It's nothing like that. Big fairways, big targets, so they've got to keep the pin tight."

● The last time Tiger Woods and Aaron Baddeley were paired together, Baddeley shot a 10-over-par 80 in the final around of last year's U.S. Open. Baddeley had entered the day with a two-shot lead over Woods.

Angel Cabrera won the tournament.

● With a win today, Vijay Singh can set a personal best in Match Play.

He has reached the third round only once in the past eight years, losing to Padraig Harrington in 19 holes in 2006.

Singh was not thrilled with his 1-up victory over Niclas Fasth, in which the Fijian birdied No. 17 to take the lead.

"We both played kind of half decent," Singh said. "But that's the way you've got to hang in there, and just pull it off if you can."