Thursday's sports briefs

Rickie Fowler posted a 6-and-5 victory Thursday over Phil Mickelson, his worst loss ever in the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Fowler was 5 under over the last four holes, which included a chip-in for birdie from behind the 10th green and a pair of eagles, the last one with a 4-iron from 232 yards that landed just beyond a ridge and rolled so close that Mickelson conceded the putt.

Equally impressive was Italy's teen sensation, 17-year-old Matteo Manassero, who hit a 6-iron to 4 feet on the 17th hole and closed out Charl Schwartzel to advance. Jason Day, a 23-year-old Australian, played like a veteran of match play the way he toyed with Paul Casey in a 4-and-2 victory. Of the final 16 players left at the Accenture Match Play Championship, eight are under 30.

That includes Nick Watney, who steadied his emotions over the last three holes to knock out top-ranked Lee Westwood -- the third consecutive year the No. 1 seed did not make it out of the second round. The highest seed remaining after two wild days was PGA champion Martin Kaymer, who had to go 20 holes to beat Justin Rose.

In other golf news: David Toms shot a 5-under 66 for a share of the first-round lead in the Mayakoba Golf Classic. Andres Gonzales, Mark Hensby and Kyle Stanley also opened with 66s. Defending champion Cameron Beckman, formerly of Burnsville, was a stroke back along with Kent Jones, Briny Baird, Chris Tidland, Alexandre Rocha and Sunghoon Kang. ... Chie Arimura overcame strong winds to shoot a 4-under 68 and take a one stroke lead after the first round of the HSBC World Champions event. Na Yeon Choi shot a 69, while world No. 1 Yani Tseng finished the day in a group of four players at 70. Natalie Gulbis finished with a 1-under 71 in a group of six players, while Michelle Wie was 1 over after three bogies and two birdies.

Ryan promises Super Bowl win Rex Ryan is at it again. Brimming with confidence after his team reached the AFC Championship Game the past two seasons, the outspoken New York Jets coach has promised a Super Bowl win next season.

"I believe this is the year we're going to do it," he said. "I believe this is the year we're going to win the Super Bowl. The fact is, I thought we'd win it the first two years. I guarantee we'll win it this year."

The Raiders used the franchise tag to keep linebacker Kamerion Wimbley under contract for 2012 and reportedly reached a long-term deal with cornerback Stanford Routt.

In other football news: The federal mediator overseeing talks between the NFL and the players' association said the two sides made "some progress" during more than 40 hours spread over seven consecutive days of face-to-face meetings, but "very strong differences remain." ... Bengals cornerback Adam (Pacman) Jones was sentenced to probation and 200 hours of community service under a plea deal for his role in a 2007 strip club melee in Las Vegas. ... The NFL will recommend team doctors and trainers use a standardized sideline test to diagnose concussions next season.

Track and field: Haile Gebrselassie was forced to pull out of Sunday's Tokyo Marathon and will be out for up to six weeks because of a bruised knee.

Auto racing: Tony Kanaan does not have enough sponsorship to join de Ferran Dragon Racing this season, and the lack of funding likely means the team won't run the upcoming IndyCar season. ... Antron Brown raced to the qualifying lead in Top Fuel at the NHRA Winternationals, while Johnny Gray (Funny Car) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) also clocked top times.

Horse racing: Garrett Gomez won the George Woolf Memorial Jockey award in a nationwide vote of his fellow riders.