GMAC Hunts Mahan at Doral

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Graeme McDowell finished round stalking leader Hunter Mahan as the new-look Blue Monster bore its teeth on day two of the WGC-Cadillac Championship.

After the first day was interrupted by strong winds and a tornado threat, the field were having to deal with more swirling gusts leaving only a handful of players under par.

US Ryder Cup player Mahan was one under through eight holes of his second round and four under for the week – one ahead of compatriots Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed, the first round leader after completing a four under par 68.

There was then a two shot gap back to a four-man group that included Francesco Molinari and McDowell.

The Italian had started the day in a share of the lead at three under, but despite clinging to that score for the remainder of round one, a double bogey at the third in round two hampered the former WGC-HSBC Champions winner’s progress.

McDowell was two under for his second round with five holes remaining.

Molinari bogeyed the seventh and McDowell the sixth on the way in, but by reaching the halfway stage in level par both were just one off Reed’s clubhouse lead, with Johnson two under for the week with three holes to play.

“Every shot, doesn't matter if it's downwind or into the wind, it's just a really hard guess, and there's water all over the place,” said Molinari.

“I'm glad it's over for me today and I get a rest before going out tomorrow.

“I actually feel pretty good but it is tiring mentally out there. There's always a hazard in play almost on every hole, and you can't miss the fairway, you can't miss the green. 

“At some points it was almost three clubs of wind. It was definitely more difficult than yesterday.

“I think I hit a couple of loose tee shots that I didn't hit yesterday, so a couple of penalty shots. But, you know, it's really, really hard out there, so I'm pretty happy the way I played.” 

McDowell was amongst a handful of players not to lose a ball in the water during his round, and said: “I kept it dry. I made one bogey in the second round and I probably should have got that ball up and down as well. 

“One bogey in those conditions, on this tough a golf course - I'm very, very happy to be off the golf course.”

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Rory to Attack Dove Mountain

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Rory McIlroy is preparing to attack right from the word go when he begins his WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship campaign against Boo Weekley in the first round on Wednesday. 

The Northern Irishman has declared that he is hitting the ball better than he has for a long time, and he is hoping to go one better at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain than two years ago, when he lost to Hunter Mahan in the final.

“You have to get off to a fast start,” said the 24 year old. “You have to be ready to go from the get go. If it’s a 72 hole stroke play event, the first six holes to nine holes you can just try to play your way into the round and there's a long way to go. 

“But in 18 hole match play, you have to attack from the very start and be aggressive. Obviously you have to choose the right time to be aggressive, but you have to try to make as many birdies as you can.”

After near-misses in the Middle East last month – a tied runner-up finish in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and tied ninth in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic – the two-time Major Champion has many reasons to fancy his chances in Arizona.

Comparing his form now to 12 months ago, when he was struggling with new clubs and lost in the first round to Shane Lowry, McIlroy said: “My game is much more settled. Everything is in a good place. The game is in great shape and I haven't hit the ball as well for a long time. 

“I was a little disappointed with how I putted at the weekend in Dubai, so I’ve spent a couple of days with Dave Stockton here. We’ve tried to keep it as simple as possible and it feels really good.

“It was a good start to the season and I guess I've just tried to continue that over the last couple of weeks and practised hard. This is such a different format from what we’re used to, and it’s nice to have a change. I’m really looking forward to it and hopefully I can get past Boo tomorrow.”

McIlroy’s distance will be an advantage at Dove Mountain, particularly on the driveable par four 15th, but he warned that a razor sharp short game is required to succeed.

“The greens are a little firmer, so you’re going to have to chip the ball really well,” he said. “You’re going to have shots that bounce through the green. There’ll be times when you feel like you’ve hit a good shot but it might not be on the putting surface. So a good chipper will have an advantage this week.

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Mahan Ends McIlroy No. 1 Hunt

Rory McIlroy missed the chance to become world number one when he lost to Hunter Mahan in the final of the WGC Match Play in Arizona on Sunday.

The 22-year-old US Open champion from Northern Ireland fought back on the back nine before losing 2&1.

He could not repeat his heroics of earlier in the day when he recovered from three down after four holes to beat Lee Westwood in the semi-final.

"I played a great back nine but left too much work to do," said McIlroy.

"There was a little stretch around five, six, seven and eight where I lost the match."

“I'm happy with how I'm playing and hopefully it's only a matter of time before I win”Rory McIlroy

McIlroy recovered his composure on the back nine, pulled back two holes and had a great opportunity for an eagle on the 15th but he missed the putt and Mahan held his nerve to halve the hole in three.

"When I hit the tee shot on 15 I thought 'here we go' but Hunter made a good up and down and then I knew it would be tough after that," said McIlroy.

"I'm happy with how I'm playing and hopefully it's only a matter of time before I win."

Now he is looking forward to the Masters, which starts on 5 April. He said: "I can't wait. That's what I'm building up to. I've got two events before the Masters and it would be nice to get a couple of good results before that."

Mahan was delighted with the way he held off one of the world's best players.

"I felt great with my game coming in," he said. "Rory is a great player, the best in the world right now. I knew he was going to make a charge and I'm pretty pleased with the way I held on."

Defeat for McIlroy in Arizona means Englishman Luke Donald stays world number one.

The final was all-square after five holes but then Mahan took control by winning the next three holes.

Mahan birdied the sixth and then took advantage of McIlroy's double-bogey on the seventh and bogey on the eighth.

Match Play champions

2012: Hunter Mahan

2011: Luke Donald

2010: Ian Poulter

2009: Geoff Ogilvy

2008: Tiger Woods

2007: Henrik Stenson

2006: David Ogilvy

2005: David Toms

2004: Tiger Woods

2003: Tiger Woods

2002: Kevin Sutherland

The American birdied the 10th to go four up before McIlroy finally found some magic by chipping in on the par-five 11th for an eagle.

McIlroy then birdied the 13th, only to watch the Californian roll in an eight-foot putt, after chipping out of a bunker, to halve the hole.

The Northern Irishman birdied the 14th - this time Mahan could not match him - to reduce the deficit to two down.

The next three holes were halved and Mahan took the title on the 17th.

Earlier McIlroy had beaten Ryder Cup team-mate Westwood 3&1 with a superb exhibition of matchplay golf.

McIlroy went behind on the second, found a greenside bunker on the third and then the greenside rough on the driveable fourth, as Westwood went three up after four holes.

But the world number three missed a putt from 10 feet to save par on the fifth and McIlroy birdied the sixth to bring the deficit down to one.

The man from Hollywood, County Down, drew level at the par-five eighth with a birdie putt from 14 feet.

Then he birdied the ninth, 12th and 13th and, amazingly, after being three down through four holes, was three up after 13.

Westwood hit back with an eagle on the par-five 15th but McIlroy wrapped it up on the 17th.

Westwood then lost the third/fourth place play-off to Mark Wilson. He was three down after 13 but won the next two holes to set up a last-hole finish but could not hole a 20-foot putt and Wilson won 1 up.

Results (US unless stated, UK and Northern Ireland players in bold):

Semi-final

Hunter Mahan beat Mark Wilson 2&1

Rory McIlroy (NI) beat Lee Westwood (Eng) 3&1

Final

Mahan beat McIlroy 2&1

Third/fourth place play-off

Wilson beat Westwood 1 up