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SAN FRANCISCO, April 29 (Reuters) - Defending champion Jason Day, world number three Henrik Stenson and last start winner and world number six Justin Rose were all early losers at the WGC Match Play Championship on Wednesday.
The only saving grace for the trio is the new format at TPC Harding Park means they have not been eliminated as they would have been in the past and can still progress to the weekend, although the odds are stacked against them.
Day, the seventh seed from Australia, was humbled by 56th seed Charley Hoffman 4&3 after the American won four straight holes from the 12th on, three with birdies, to close the match.