(CNN) -- Ian Poulter's defense of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship did not extend past the first morning in Arizona as he lost at the first extra hole of a playoff to Stewart Cink.
Matchplay specialist Poulter was two-up through the turn Wednesday against former British Open champion Cink until the American conjured up an unlikely victory.
He had to make putts from 10 and 12 feet to salvage halves on the 11th and 12th, but pulled one back on the 13th with an 18-footer for a birdie.
Cink drew level on the 17th where he made a par-four despite finding two bunkers. Poulter came up short with a chip and bogeyed.
Poulter had a further chance to win it on the 18th, but at the first playoff hole Cink produced a majestic approach to leave him a short four-footer for birdie and victory.
The pair, the third and 14th seeds, had been due to be the first on course at 7.25 in the morning local time, but play was held up for about half an hour by fog.
There was an early success for Poulter's fellow Ryder Cup star Luke Donald, who thrashed Charley Hoffman of the United States 6 & 5 to enjoy an early lunch.
Graeme McDowell, the U.S. Open champion, was another impressive winner from the successful Europe team at Celtic Manor, beating Heath Slocum 4 & 3, while South Africa's Ernie Els came back from three down after three to beat Jeff Overton at the 19th.
Tiger Woods and top seed Lee Westwood were among the later starters, Woods against Denmark's Thomas Bjorn and Westwood against 2007 winner Henrik Stenson, the Swede a replacement for Japan's Toru Taniguchi.
The first World Golf Championship (WGC) event of the year features the top 64 ranked golfers in the world in a match play knockout format.
