10/09/2012

Woods and McIlroy Start Losing

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Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods both suffered defeat on day one of the Turkish Airlines World Golf Final.

McIlroy, who had not touched a club since the Ryder Cup came to such a thrilling climax nine days ago, unravelled spectacularly over the closing holes to lose to Matt Kuchar, while Tiger Woods lost by a shot to 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel.

McIlroy made two eagles in an up and down outward half of 34 and, although Kuchar pulled three shots clear with a birdie at 10, the match was in the balance with four to play.

However, world number one McIlroy fell apart in dramatic fashion, going triple bogey, double bogey, double bogey from 15-17 to slump from two-under to five-over in the medal match play format where the lowest strokeplay score over 18 holes wins one point.

Kuchar dropped shots too but was able to coast home in one-under 70 to win by six strokes.

Woods fought back valiantly to pull level with Schwartzel after birdies at 16 and 17 but a loose approach into a bunker at 18 led to a bogey five, allowing the South African to win by a shot, 69 to 70.

In the third match, Justin Rose (71) never needed his best to beat American Hunter Mahan (75) who didn't manage a single birdie, while a par at 18 saw Lee Westwood (72) edge out American Ryder Cup foe Webb Simpson (73).

Each of the eight players play three matches in the group stages, the remaining two head-to-heads both taking place on Wednesday.

The winner of Group One (Woods, McIlroy, Kuchar, Schwartzel) will then face the runner-up of Group Two (Rose, Mahan, Westwood, Simpson), and vice versa, in Thursday's semi-finals, with the final to be staged on Friday.

In regular match play McIlroy's seven at the 15th might not have been so costly, but the 23-year-old admitted he "gave up a bit" after going three strokes behind with three to play.

"I was playing pretty well until the 15th, then hit a loose tee shot there and was messing about in the trees and making seven," said the world number one, who had not seen the course before.

"Then I hit it into the hazard on 16 and was just trying to get the round done. I lost a bit of concentration, went a few behind and gave up a bit.

"If it was a different format and a different tournament it might not have got as out of control as it did, but that's just the way it is.

"But it's fine. I know what I need to do tomorrow. I need to go out and win both of my matches and see if that's good enough. In a way it could be a blessing that I'm not complacent and I go out and give it my best."

Asked about the prospect of facing McIlroy on Wednesday afternoon, Woods said: "I have to take care of my match and we'll see in the afternoon. We have to both win in the morning.

"We're the two highest ranked players in the world right now and it will be a fun match either way, but it will obviously be a lot better if we both win in the morning."


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Looking After Number One - Rory

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World No. 1 Rory McIlroy has set his sights on ending his best-ever season on a high by finishing the year as European No. 1.

Despite four weeks of competition in the United States ahead of the Ryder Cup, McIlroy continues to lead the Race to Dubai despite now being under serious threat from South Africa's Branden Grace.

McIlroy returns to Europe at this week's Turkish Airlines World Golf Final, which also features Tiger Woods. However he will not return to regular European Tour competition until the Asian Masters in Shanghai later this month.

Grace captured his fourth European Tour win this year when he led from start-to-finish to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Sunday at St. Andrews.

The win propelled Grace into third place on the European money list behind second placed Justin Rose of England and McIlroy, with some six weeks remaining in the season.

The trio will compete at Shanghai before contesting the HSBC Champions title at Mission Hills in Shenzhen.

After a season in which he's won a second Major and set the world alight in winning three other events on the PGA Tour, including two within the space of three events in the FedEx Cup Play Off Series, McIlroy is determined to end his fifth full year in the pro ranks on a high by being crowned European No. 1.

"The big goal for me in what is left in the season is to keep the level up and try to win the Race to Dubai," he said.

"I have a little bit of a lead at the moment and I came so close in '09 finishing second behind Lee (Westwood) and then came close again by finishing third last year behind Luke (Donald).

"But if I can play the next few weeks the way I have been and finish off the Race to Dubai successfully it would be a great way to cap off my great season."

Grace said Sunday at St. Andrews that he now has McIlroy in his sights.

Northern Irishman responded by saying Grace has played great golf this year to win four times, "so he's playing great."

"But we still have some big events coming up with some big prize money, so there's a lot can happen and all I am focused on doing is finishing off the season as well as I can," McIlroy said. "And if I can play as good as I can hopefully I can wrap-up the Race to Dubai title."



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Clarke Should Captain Europe - McIlroy

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Rory McIlroy believes Darren Clarke should be awarded the honour of captaining Europe in the Ryder Cup in four years' time - paving the way for Paul McGinley to lead the home team at Gleneagles in 2014.

McIlroy, while adamant that whoever is chosen to succeed Jose Maria Olazabal "will be a great captain", believes 2011 Open champion Clarke has the perfect character to lead the side in the United States.

With the Northern Irishman believed to be competing with McGinley - who sank the winning putt at The Belfry in 2002 - to follow in Olazabal's footsteps, McIlroy would like it if Clarke waited for another two years for his turn.

"I've always said I think Clarkey would be a great captain here in America," McIlroy said. "I think the crowds really love him, so maybe save Darren for 2016."

Olazabal's vice-captains at Medinah, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Thomas Bjorn, may also be candidates for the job in Scotland - while major champion Sandy Lyle has been overlooked for the honour for a number of years.

On the various potential candidates, McIlroy said: "They are all different and all have their own opinions, but collectively they are very knowledgeable."


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